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We left home at 4am in the
morning, drove to Exeter services and stopped for a coffee. Went back to the
mini and after switching on the lights noticed we had no side lights. This
meant no tail lights. Well I thought it was light enough to carry on, but I was wrong. Soon as we left the street lights on the M5 it got pitch black. After overtaking a lorry the lorry started to flash its lights, I knew I had no rear lights so I flashed the fog light to say thanks but I know. The lorry kept flashing so I pulled over and explained to the driver what was wrong. He said he would escort me to the next service station and protect me from the traffic, what a nice thought and thanks to the driver. We contacted the AA on route and arranged to meet the AA at the service station. We arrived before the AA and decided to try and fix the mini. Found the problem, a bad connection under the bonnet. We had lights again. Canceled the AA and set of for Castle Combe. |
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Arrived at Castle Combe and
eventually found our pitch E2, we then discovered they had moved us. After
packing up and moving to the new location we were moved again, this time to the
trade area. |
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Well the attitude of some people, all I got from the stand next to me was, you can't go there. I told them this was where I was told to go, and as I placed my table on the grass he said "That is my pitch" so I moved the table and thought stuff you. I must say this was the people to the drivers side of the mini (next to the toilet block) and NOT the people on the passenger side. I can't remember what they were called at the moment. Anyway I did not let this bother me and of I went to see the other mini clubs after a lovely bacon and egg roll. Must say I didn't get to see every club as a lot were out and about. The clubs I did see were very helpful and it looks like this is going to be one hell of a trip. Only one negative response and that was someone said "I only joined this club to get discount on places like this". It was a good day and I even got to photograph my old 1974 mini as it went round the track driven by Adam. |
| I did go and spend some time watching the cars go round, even got to see a fellow club member spin off, lucky there was no damage and he continued. | |
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We left at about 4pm as I had to
gig at a birthday party at 9pm, things were going good when Scott (he was
driving home) said the car is getting hot. We stopped at a service station and found another mini with the bonnet up as it had got hot as well. So after a while it was back on the road again. Got to the A30 turn off just past Exeter when the car spluttered a bit. Scott managed to get us off the motor way and into a lay-by just before the mini died. It was back on to the AA again. Well I was now in a panic as I had a birthday party to play at in 2 hours. I phoned the wife to come and get me and Scott could bring the mini back as the chances of the AA fixing it I thought would be slim. I mean I didn't expect them to carry any bits for a mini. The AA turned up in only 30 mins. and guess what, they had bits for the mini, I thought it was the condenser but it turned out to be the coil. Now my mini was fitted with a ballast coil and the one the AA had was not. It was fitted anyway and it worked so I was happy. |
| I waited to 8.10pm and then sent
the wife a text saying the AA fixed the mini and I was on my way home. I managed to get home and to the birthday gig and started 12 mins late. The party finished and I got to bed at 2.20 am. 23 hours and 20 mins after I started that morning. Don't you just love mini life! |