Tony and I have had a long chat tonight about the forthcoming weekend and in order to keep chatter off the planning thread, I agreed to open up a general thread for us to talk about the event and who's meeting who, swapping spares, stories etc. Please use this thread as the main message / question board.
In addition, we need to really try to get the numbers up to nearer the maximum of 50. We appreciate the opportunity to physically meet as a forum and it's unlikely that we will do so in such numbers at a different event. So for those of you who haven't been, are thinking about it or are generally in the dark, here's a quick run down.
We start to gather at Tony's farm near Stourport on Severn on the Friday evening. We pitch up in a large relatively flat field and make camp. No real point spreading out as by the time we're all here, the wagons will be well and truly circled. Friday tends to be self catering (tinned stew and pot noodles for the daring) and a few beers. Not usually a late night affair, but there's always a few die hards.
There are very clean toilets and showers on site for those of you concerned about having to use the hedge bottom. As well as fresh water. Dogs are welcome but as it's a working farm (yes, real animals) pets must be well behaved and under control. This includes poop picking on the camp site, please.
On the Saturday, we get breakfast sorted as more people start to arrive and generally by about 10 the field is full of Land Cruisers ready to go. There are generally two activities on offer (well three if you include lazing about and generally snoozing) these are green laning usually led by two extremely experienced individuals with two more bringing up the rear of the convoys to make sure everyone gets through OK. These are your hosts for the day. Please make sure that you help out, offer them tea, biscuits or even a jerry can of fuel occasionally! Hint Hint. They will see what everyone wants to do and will lead off. Make sure that you understand the sorts of mileage involved and be ready. Waiting for you holds everyone up. Most of the lanes are passable for a showroom shiny, but tissues will be available for those incurring unavoidable scratches. Remember - don't take it if you can't afford to break it. Often there are opportunities to bypass really bad sections. If you have a CB, bring it. If not, then bring some of those little radios so that you know what the hecks happening in your convoy.
OR
You can stay around the farm and go and play in Tony's woods. This is not hard-core off road, but there are sections of ground in there for everyone to try their vehicle and a wealth of experience and advice on approaches, tyre pressures, winching, damage repair.. Well trees are solid things. It's an ideal place to come and learn some new techniques in good company. No pressure and no smart alecs doing dangerous things around you. Obviously anyone on foot must be careful; it's a woods with cars in! Make sure that you are covered by your insurance and that you have recovery if you are planning on doing anything more challenging. Technically, you are on private land with permission and should be covered for general driving about including bumping into another vehicle. Just as you would be on a field for a fete or auto rally. But once you get into the extreme stuff, you may have to be good at poker when making your claim. Specific off road insurance is really the way to go. The farm carries insurance for general stuff, but cannot insure against your negligence. If you fall off the roof of your car - sorry, but that's your fault. There are no disclaimers to sign, it's a fair play policy and remember there will be witnesses
A tour of the propety is usually on offer culminating in a hill climb for those wishing to try and general photo opportunities along the way. If you haven't been before, it's nice drive to get you in the mood.
On Saturday night, there will be a hog roast (organic porker) which is very good. There is even some salad for those with an aversion to delicious, tender pork with cracking and stuffing, oozing out of a bun. This is a fixed price for Tony and as it's part of the whole event and it would be nice to see people getting stuck in. Sitting in a corner in the dark with a boil in the bag meal for one is a bit antisocial. We get a huge bonfire going and basically as it gets hotter we all move out and then as the night gets colder we all move back in again. Drinking is obligatory. But remember that we're driving in the morning. Pick up your rubbish please and don't throw bottles into the fire or Julian will disconnect your propshaft when you are asleep.
Sunday is a repeat of Saturday really but for those going laning, we try to organise it so that you can peel off at an appropriate point to head home. Things around the farm tend to wind up about mid to late afternoon. Unless you have blown your rear diff at which point most people stay just for a laugh and watch you struggle. There will be plenty of opportunities to look at modifications, improvements and maintenance of all types of Cruiser. But anyone calls it a Jeep and they will suspended by their... well, they'll be harshly dealt with.
So that's it. If you can play a guitar, sing or make balloon animals, bring some entertainment with you. If you'd like a go on my quad bike, then bring a helmet with you. No charge for that, but if you haven't ridden one before, I reserve the right to act like a worried parent and will make you do some basic maneuvers first.
We have agreed a charge scale this time that seems nice and easy. Price per vehicle and driver per night's pitch and a supplement for each passenger. This makes it fair. The vehicle leave the same imprint on the ground, but each extra person leave behind their quota of rubbish and skid marks to be cleaned up. We need to make sure that we leave a good impression or Tony won't have us back. The charge for the hog roast covers the bonfire, ambiance and general story telling.
If you drive a Land Cruiser, you cannot afford to miss this event. So please get your name down on the current booking thread to register you interest. We appreciate that things come up and people can't make it, but bring a mate or a wife - not necessarily your wife, any wife. Tell other owners who are less frequent visitors to the site and let's make it a humdinger of a weekend.
Please watch the forum for updates, if it gets exceptionally wet then we may have to cancel. The woods are almost impossible to drive unless you have a Bog Gobbling Monster as the red soil turns in an incredibly slippery surface and you will bash something.
Tony, time to get that pig on to roast!
Chris