America's Cup

The America's Cup is now New Zealand's Cup again. An amazing David and Goliath battle and incredible result. 7-1.

Home again

We travelled with Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong.  They gave us a day room
For some of the hours we waited for our next flight. Really helped the jetlag!

The first photo shows a fraction of the taxis waiting at the airport. Drivers cleaning them and washing themselves too.

Good to be home. Beautiful clear skies and clear air, if a little cold.

The gardens at Little Moreton Hall

Beautiful gardens with the quirky house in contrast.

Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire

This is one of the most fascinating timbered houses I've seen. We took a tour and the guide was most entertaining and knew his subject.

Under the National Trust, the house was first built in 1216 and added to by various generations of the Moreton family over centuries. It is basically a farm house that was owned by a wealthy farming family, so a practical house that pronounced their wealth and political leanings. For the latter, it was confiscated and went into degeneration to be restored to the family survivor in Victorian times and finally handed over to the Trust.

Because it has no foundations, it has sagged and leaned throughout and had to be reinforced to allow it to survive. Walking through it, it gives you the peculiar sensation of being out of control or drunk. Every room leans differently and even within a room, there are differing angles.

The history of it and the people in it was delightfully enlightening and interesting.

Deliverance!

We drove the long drive back down to Portsmouth to hand over the motorhome in part exchange for the new one, which we will collect when we return at the end of July. It has to have a towbar fitted of course, and an awning. The handover went well after the mandatory damp test.

They drove us to the airport at Southampton where we had a decent meal. We finally got home to Robin and Sue's just before 10pm after a very expensive taxi ride with a 10% surcharge for credit card! We have run out of pounds! Time to go home!

It was a long day.

Hot humid days and hard work!

We spent two of the hottest days packing up and cleaning out the motorhome.  We filled Robin and Sue's loft above the garage. Hard work lifting boxes up. We cleaned the motorhome and it's ready to go.

We also tried to find a jockey wheel but nothing was the right size. We ordered one online which hopefully will arrive before we leave.

Entry to Goodwood complete!

Time ticking now! Depart Saturday.

Back to the Gemini!

Two days of lazing around, including quote a lot of emails, calls and organization, must come to an end!

Monday morning, we had a text from Matt that the part had arrived. So we reluctantly packed up and headed north again.

When we arrived the car was clean, the part installed and Matt and Noel proceeded to put everything back together again. Matt had done a couple of other things after suggestions from the boys back home, but it is really all guess work. Nothing leaked, but then, it hadn't leaked when it was static before. All a bit of a punt.

About 7pm, everything was packed up. We said our goodbyes and thanks to Matt and headed off into the sunset. It was 34 degrees!

An odd noise made us stop about half an hour out. Noel discovered he had forgotten to lift the jockey wheel on the trailer. It had been dragging on the ground and was totally destroyed! Something else that has to be done tomorrow.

We finally arrived back at Robin and Sue 's about 11:15pm. They were asleep so we crept the rig into their front yard, closed the gate and slept in the motorhome. Exhausted!

Camp at Scott's Farm, East Wittering.

It's also close to village for shopping, cafes and pubs. Has a little bit of the feel of Waiheke. In any case, very relaxing.

Waiting for car part.

While we wait, we are spending the weekend near Chichester, on the coast at East Wittering.

This is the biggest camping ground I have ever seen and chocker block. Apparently, there are some 900 units here (motorhomes, caravans and tents), which means 3,000 people or more.

It is well organised with many showers, toilets and hand basins. Lots of children and lots of dogs. Everyone well behaved.

We are five or ten minutes walk from the beach - a very stony affair that doesn't put the Brits off at all. About 15mins bike ride from here is, we are told, is England's best beach. We biked there but there were thousands of people and traffic jams all the way. This is like August weather apparently  and everyone has come out to enjoy it.

We sit outside BBQ and have our meals and enjoy a glass or two in balmy weather.

Motorhome madness!

We sourced another motorhome, better than before. However, at the other end of the country! From Sandringham to Portsmouth is a good 5 hour drive. We set off at the crack of 10am after goodbyes to Marie and Kim and emptying and filling our motorhome.

We had to fight a bit of traffic. Surprise surprise! Arrived eventually after 3pm.

A good selection, already sorted by advising our requirements.  Decision is still difficult.

They plugged us in so we could stay overnight. During the night we made our decision and then changed it again in the morning.

Finally, a deal was made. Everyone happy if somewhat exhausted. I don't think we have ever taken so long to make up our minds! Must be getting old!

We have done it on a trade in basis, or part exchange as its called here. This means, once we pick up the trailer and Gemini, return to Knutsford, empty and clean the motorhome, we have to drive south again to deliver it. We will fly back to Manchester same day. No avoiding complications for us! However, this is easier than sending the old one back to NZ as we are just running out of time.

The new one is a Knaus. German made. A totally different layout to what we have now so will take some getting used to. It should be a lot easier for Noel to drive.

Sandringham

We stayed at the Caravan Club site on Sandringham Estate.  Peace and quiet surrounded by forest and cooing pigeons. Five minutes from Sandringham House and grounds where the Queen spends Christmas.

It is an imposing country house, set in stunning grounds of lawns and giant trees. Inside it is her home, comfortable and at the same time grand and filled with treasures both from the Queen's life as well as history. Interesting that in her study, set into the skirting board, are many power outlets, telephone points and Internet connections. Some fascinating family photos grace tables and sideboards. The rooms face west with floor to ceiling French doors and windows, letting lots of light and allowing residents and visitors to admire the grounds.

We also enjoyed the museum, filled with royal automobiles from the past to more recent times. The history and photos of the house and it's occupants made very interesting reading.

In the evening, Marie and Kim Shearn arrived on their way to Cadwell Park. We enjoyed a few drinks outside in beautiful English summer weather.

Oil leak news.

We had news from Matt that although he had separated the gearbox and the engine overnight, neither leaked any oil.

Theories abounded and finally it was decided that maybe the flywheel was hitting the rear main seal. No explanation of why it would leak while racing and not when it's static. It is all guess work really!

Anyway a seal has been ordered from the States. FedEx costing double the cost of the part! Hopefully, this is the solution, but there are no guarantees!

The end result is that Noel can't race at Cadwell Park this weekend.

Motorhome hunt

With no trailer to tow, we head up to Norfolk to look at motorhomes, visit Sandringham and wait for the Gemini to be fixed so that Noel can race at the weekend at Cadwell Park.

We found a motorhome we liked but the sales people didn't want to accommodate our peculiarities. We wasted a whole day getting up there, looking and talking to them.

Frustrating oil leak.

Our plans revolve around getting the oil leak identified and fixed.

Through the Eurotunnel and off to Matt King near Gatwick. Late afternoon so into traffic right away.

At Matt's, we unload the Gemini and park there overnight. In spite of regular trains behind the building, we get the best night's sleep in many nights.

The last of the French roads.

We made the most of the vast open spaces in rural France. Of course the "Peage " highways are very expensive to travel on and as a consequence less used. We paid over 280 Euros return Calais to Dijon. You really have to use a credit card. Put it in the slot, no code, instant return.
There are so many wind farms around the countryside.  You might not want to live near them, but they are quite majestic.

French "aires"

Basically, a truck stop, but some that don't have petrol etc are very nice.  As this is. We stayed overnight. A little relaxation after the hot and busy weekend.

Noel and the oil leak.

When Noel finished the last race on Sunday, the oil leak was on the verge of causing an oil fire and there was a lot of smoke coming out. The problem has obviously increased.

As he has already done so much to eliminate it, it is frustrating and disappointing.

Grant Wilson said he can't run at Cadwell Park next week in this condition.

We have decided to try to return earlier than planned to the UK and take it to Matt King who specializes in gearboxes.

The Lotus 22

Now Serge Kriknoff (Fr.) owns it and has put his stamp on it. The stripe is gone and inside, he has replaced the engine with a Richardson engine. He's had to move the seat and peddles to fit him as he's very tall.

Also he's changed the number from 22 because one already existed, to 99.

I think it is taking him a while to adapt to an FJ, but at Dijon, which is a great circuit that he already knows well, he is starting to enjoy it.

It was good to see him again.

Bruno Weibel

This is Bruno "The Quick" in his beautifully presented 1961 Lotus 20.

Parc Ferme

I took a couple of photos of all the Juniors after the second race when they were collected together in Parc Ferme.  They have to wait half an hour under guard in case there is a protest. I was not allowed any closer. But it does give you some idea of how many there are here.

Dijon-Prenois Sunday race.

Very hot 34 today. Must for roasting waiting on the dummy grid!

Our race not until 3:20pm. Hard work just waiting in the heat. Times like this I wish we had an air-conditioned
motorhome or even a fan would be good! I prepared a wet, refrigerated towel for Noel to wrap around his neck.

The race started well. Once again Noel kept up with the pack that Bruno Weibel was driving with. Someone spun off the sweeper and hit the wall. They brought out the safety car and Noel got stuck behind a slow car that he was lapping for the next two laps. The final couple of laps of real racing were not enough for him to catch the bunch.

Nonetheless, he finished 11th, improving on his 15 start on the grid. He was also 2nd in class behind Bruno (Switzerland), with Ivo from Germany third in class. Two very personable young men.

In the absence of Duncan who is on tour in the States, Robin presented the trophies and did a very good job too.

The later model, disk brake, Hewland  gearbox Juniors were dominated by Italians, including Tonetti who raced in NZ a few years ago.

Eating and drinking post race.

Formular Junior with some help from Penny Wilson, Sue and I, put on a great lunch of French pates, cheeses and wine and beer. Most drivers and friends came and in spite of language difficulties, everyone communicated and had a good time.

In the evening, some of us had a BBQ. A lovely convivial time on a beautiful evening.

Dijon-Prenois race one

The heat is up! Very hot at the assembly grid.

Racing went well. Noel was right up there for a while with some of the "youngsters". He had 2 spins. Serge passed him too late for Noel to catch him again. Noel finished where he started, at 15.

He still has an oil leak in spite of all the work he did yesterday. Not happy that he can't fix it.

Qualifying at Dijon-Prenois.

This is an amazing, very European field.

Rossi de Montelera, as in Martini Rossi, qualified first in a 1963 Lola 22. Time 1:30.651.
Pierro Tonetti qualified 5th in a 1963 Brabham BT6. Time 1:32.345.
Bruno Ferrari 7th in a 1963 Branca FJ. Time 1:33.241.
Bruno Weibel (in Noel's class) 1961 Lotus 20 was 10th with 1:34.751.
Noel in the 1961 Gemini Mk3a was 15th with 1:36.583.
Serge Kriknoff who bought Noel's 22 has done a lot of work on it including a new Richardson engine. He qualified 17th with 1:38.042.
Kim Shearn in his 1964 Penny Ford F3 was 28th with a time of 1:46.372.
All in a field of 37.