Rancliffe Arms located on the map:
Our next event was again a non-van meeting this time on a Saturday evening at Oxton Village Hall, organised by Anne & Mervyn
Our first trip out with the van was to attend the clubs AGM, held every year at Collingham, just on the outskirts of Newark. Always a good weekend, with the formalities only taking up a small part of the Saturday evening. This particular weekend we were entertained by Ted and his "La La" competition, different. Later the kids, of which there was a number, took part in a horse race competition, which sadly Ben, who was with us that weekend, didn't win. Having taken the camera, strangely I didn't take the customary picture of the van on site. This was the rally, that coming to go home, we initially couldn't, because no matter how I and other people tried to get the caravan socket to connect to the car, it would not connect. In the end I had to ask Kirsty to come out from home to protect my rear as we had to drive home with the van, without electrics. Kirsty did a brilliant job, aided by Ben, who drove with me, and Pam, who travelled with Kirsty, who between them kept up a constant phone contact, throughout the whole journey, with Ben relaying my intended actions to his Nana, who inturn relayed them to Kirsty.
Ben playing the horse race game. The horse is on the end of the string and the aim of the game is to be the first to wind in your nag.
Our second rally of the year was at the end of our holiday to France and Italy with Pat & David. David had organised a two week France rally for the club and we were tagging this on to the end of the four weeks that we had already spent in Europe. A well attended rally with another 5 vans arriving. The four of us had travelled up a day prior to the rally starting, from our site on the outskirts of Paris, so that Dave could be organised before the rest of the ralliers arrived. A return visit to the site at Martragny for Pam & I as we were here in 2015, when we used the site as a midway point on our return to the UK at the end of the previous Waggoner rally venture to France, also organised by Dave. Although having spent previous time in the area, there was still plenty for us to do and see, and thankfully we had decent weather throughout in which to make the most of our exploring.
Succesfully pitched at Chateau Martragny. A pleasant and relatively quiet site, handy for lots of exploration, especially those comemorating the D-Day landings. Although the area is noted for the landings, there are numerous other places of interest. In hindsight, I think the four of us agree that putting the rally at the end of our holiday was wrong. We should have done it the other way around, rally first then the four weeks, or probably more, away. Never mind.
Our next rally,our third this year, was as Stewards for Pete & Pat at Wainfleet, a new venue for Pam & I, but not the club, who have been here on a previous occasion. Ben again came with us on this rally as we would be away for 5 nights and he is now on his summer holidays. Nice site, well maintained field, close but not too close to Skegness. Seven vans attending the rally, including the marshall and stewards. In order of arrival they were, Bryan Hopkinson, Brian & Josie, Annie & Ted, Judith & George and finally Pat & David. Pete organised a meal out on the Saturday at a local hostelry, which I didn't enjoy one bit - wrong choice on my part, entirely my fault. Spent one evening at the hospitality of the NHS, courtesy of Pilgrims Hospital, having awaken feeling unwell, with a fluctuating heart rate. No problems found thank goodness, but still not pleasant when it was happening. Kirsty, Richard and Jacob came over and we met up in Skegness. Very pleasant day together, with Ben and I having a spin on the new go-kart track that they have built, adjacent the lifeboat station.
The van at the Corner House Campsite and Ben in the van with his usual travelling menagerie.
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Above: Having a rest in the tower gardens, Richard still nowhere near 100% and of course Pam still wheel chair bound. I get a look in on the photo, thanks to ace photographer Ben. Finally a picture of Ben leading me out on the first lap a position he maintained, convincingly, throughout the time allowed.
The next rally we attended, our fourth this year, was as Marshalls at another new venue for Pam and I, at Rutland Water. Our Stewards George & Judith had kindly agreed to arrive ahead of us, prior to the rally starting, to set out our pitches, as Pam & I thought that we may need to arrive on the day of the rally. As it worked out we were in fact able to leave around mid-day on the day prior to the rally opening. A very big site, one the club has used before, numerous areas on which people can site their vans, some with pleasant views of the lake, but nevertheless nice despite its size, and despite the numbers of rallies and individauls staying for the weekend, there was no disturbance and I think everyone who attended enjoyed there weekend break. Ben with us for the third time this year, but for a reason. We are setting off from the rally, when it finishes on the Sunday, to go to London for a few days and then on to stay at a site near Chichester for 9 nights.
Above Pam & Ben on site at Rutland Water, grabbing time to relax prior to everyone arriving, then a picture of the entire rally and our evening entertainment venue, the clubs ever lasting tent.
