Editoral Ramblings

This month I start with these words:
DINNER & DANCE, DINNER & DANCE, DINNER & DANCE!!
I make no apology for plugging it like mad in this issue. Colin Rodger has had a few requests for tickets trickle in, better than this time last year, but we want to make a concerted effort to get more of you, the membership to attend. Jan 2001 was a great night and was the best attended D&D for many a long year.  The venue is fabulous—Leeds Castle floodlit at night is a wonderful sight—the food was extremely good and the company sparkling.  On top of all that Colin has managed to secure a great guest speaker in the form of 5 times British Hillclimb champion David Grace who is chief executive of the Rockingham Oval Circuit.
Rumour has it that a certain Mr Shipway has bought (or is considering buying) a ticket that’s how good it is going to be!  Of course there is dancing after the meal but if you are not predisposed to bopping to Kylie, SClub7 or The Rolling Stones then the Tithe Barn has a nice bar area and the music does not interfere with civilised conversation.  So the excuse “I don’t like dancing or loud music” just isn’t gonna wash!
It is excellent value for money, the club is once again subsidising the evening to make it even more so.  Come on get that babysitter booked now, send Colin your cheque along with a completed form which is loose inside this edition or it can be downloaded from the website at:
 www.sevenoaksmotorclub.com.  Make up a group with family and friends to keep that party spirit flowing a bit longer after the Christmas season has faded.  There were just over 100 attendees last time, let’s try to do half as much again.  There is plenty of room.  If you couldn’t make it last time make it in 2002 to Leeds Castle (otherwise there may not be a 2003 as the venue may be lost through lack of numbers and it could be back to Faulty Towers)!!!!
Finally we want to put together a rogue’s gallery, so to speak, of the exploits of the member’s of 7Oaks and District Motorclub.  Please bring any photos along on the night so they can be displayed on our board for the evening, the more unusual the better!!  If you can add a label so people can identify who’s who and even a witty caption or too, even better.  You can then take your piccys home at the end of the evening.

Scatter Scribblings
Ralph, myself and 9 other crews had a good night out at the third 7Oaks scatter of the season on 29th November.  We met at the Red House pub which although it appears in the middle of nowhere, is a very nice hostelry (wish it was a bit nearer Redhill it would be perfect then).  Viv and Andy Elcomb were overseeing events and when we got our instructions at 8pm it all looked pretty straight forward, 32 map references to plot.  But all was not what it seemed and accurate plotting and reading of the road  when arriving at the appointed position, is a trademark of an Elcomb scatter.  And they do like sending you scrambling and squinting to find the answers.  Ralph and I had our usual problem ( no—we found the pub alright this time!) of actually getting to enough plots in the time allowed.  It didn’t help that Ralph misread a right marked on the map and sent us down an unmarked, slippery and muddy single width white!  This wasted a bit of time trying to extricate ourselves carefully so as not to leave any scars on the car.   However, once back on better surfaces we managed to visit just over half of the plots and get all but one right.  And we were back in plenty of time ….. Hmmm perhaps we might have had time to squeeze in a couple more!  However champions of the night, by managing to visit all 32 plots, were Ben Greenfield  and Doug Kingsley. Well done to all the crews and thanks to Viv and Andy.  January 9th 2002 is the next one, we will be having a go, why don’t you?

Monthly Mugs

Finally, a couple of month’s worth of Monthly Mugs to catch up on!
September saw Brian Chambers and Gordon Franks survive the Classic Marathon and also saw Mark Dawson navigate Graham Childs to 1st Novice and Best Sevenoaks on the Bullnose Rally.  This was Mark’s first outing on this kind of event and as mentioned last month, he stepped into the co-driver’s seat to cover for Graham’ usual partner.  The Committee decided that all four jolly good fellows deserved a monthly mug.  Chris and Tom Powis also deserve a mention here with their consistently good results on stage rally events.  The TRK has made a note for consideration at the end of the year.
October’s mug was awarded to Mark Dawson (he appears to be going for a set to furnish his new kitchen with!) for the excellent performance he put in at the Croydon DMC’s PCT, where he gained a class win on his first time out!  Read about his exploits in this issue!!
Now I can already here a few mutterings about Mark’s collection.  Well if you feel you have had a noteworthy triumph of late and want to have a shot at December mug, you will have to overcome your modesty and shyness, dear reader and write, phone or email your results to either myself or Andy Elcomb -TRK (that’s Trophy Record Keeper to those unfamiliar with this abbreviation).   Andy has the difficult task of trying to collate results from the club members in order to sort out who will get which pot at the Dinner and Dance.  If you have any outstanding results to send Andy, DO IT NOW!
Well that’s about it this time, you lucky people! Hope you all have a good Christmas and a peaceful New Year and Santa brings you all you asked for (I think I have been good enough for that Peugeot 206 this year!!)  Hope to see as many of you as possible in January at the Dinner and Dance!

All the best!
Dawn

The Acorn : December Edition