- 20 Sep 07, 16:45#14610
[i][b]SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS EXPERIENCE[/b][/i]
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS,A TRUE TEST OF COURAGE,NERVE,STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION,
WHAT ITS LIKE FOR THE DRIVERS,GOD ONLY KNOWS!
SET OFF FROM LIVERPOOL AT THE UN-GODLY HOUR OF 3A.M.THURSDAY HOPEFULLY TO MISS THE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ONLY TO HIT THE M25 SOLID WITH WALL TO WALL LORRIES AND WHITE VANS,PANIC SETS IN, WILL WE MAKE OUR FERRY IN TIME.TRAFFIC CLEARS WE TOUCH 100M.P.H. ON THE M20 ARRIVE DOVER 5MINUTES TO SPARE.
THANKFULLY THE CHANNEL CROSSING TO DUNKIRKE IS SMOOTH AND THE STEAK PUDDING AND CHIPS ON BOARD THE NORFOLK LINE FERRY IS EXCELLENT.
WITH OUR SPIRITS LIFTED AND FOOD IN OUR STOMACHS WE HEAD OFF TOWARDS BRUSSELS.
JUST AS WE APPROACH THE BRUSSELS RING ROAD OUR SAT. NAV. DECIDES TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN AND GIVES US A FULL GUIDED TOUR OF THE CITY INCLUDING THE WRONG WAY UP THE SMALLEST OF COBBLED BACK STREETS.EVENTUALLY WE MANAGED TO RESET THE SAT.NAV AND FOUND THE RING ROAD AGAIN AT RUSH HOUR AND A 10 MILE TRAFFIC JAM.
TRAFFIC LIFTS AND WE ARE ON OUR WAY AGAIN.
AT LAST WE APPROACH STAVELOT WITH THE LIGHT FADING FAST WE CANT FIND OUR CAMP SITE, SIX PHONE CALLS LATER WE GET THROUGH TO CAMPING F1 TO BE TOLD DIRECTIONS TO THE CAMP SITE UP ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN TOP IN BELGIUM.AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS WE PITCH OUR NEW TENT IN THE DARK .
KETTLE ON B.B.Q.BURNING OUR TROUBLES ARE FORGOTTEN.
AFTER BEING WELL FED AND WATERED WE CLIMB INTO OUR SLEEPING BAGS TOTALLY EXHAUSTED AT 1A.M.WOKEN AT 2A.M.WITH ONE OF OUR PARTY SNORING LOUDER THAN THE CROSS CHANNEL FERRIES HOOTER.
ITS NOW 4 IN THE MORNING MINUS 4 DEGREES C.AND MY FEET ARE LIKE ICE. I CANT GET NO SLEEP.
THE SUN FINALLY RISES ABOVE THE HORIZON GET UP 6:30 A.M.KETTLE ON BREAKFAST SIZZLING ON THE STOVE.ONE OF OUR FRIENDS IS ON HIS MOBLIE PHONE TRYING TO BOOK A FLIGHT HOME BUT WE TALK HIM OUT OF IT.THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER
ITS A LOVELY DAY.
FRIDAY ARRIVE AT THE TRACK 10A.M. WHAT A SIGHT IT IS, CUT OUT OF THE ARDENNE FOREST WINDING ITS WAY UP AND DOWN THE HILL SIDE.
WE DECIDE TO WALK THE TRACK ROUND TO EAU ROUGE AND THE PADDOCK.
THE SUN IS NOW BURNING DOWN, NOT A CLOUD IN THE SKY BUT IS THAT THUNDER WE HEAR,NO ITS THE ROAR OF THE GRAND PRIX CARS IN THE DISTANCE ECHOING THROUGH THE VALLEY.
WE STOP AND WATCH FROM THE BANKING AT POUHON,FANTASTIC AS THEY SWOOP DOWN THE HILL INTO THE SWEEPING LEFT HANDER.
PRACTICE OVER WE CARRY ON UP AND OVER THE HILL DOWN TO EAU ROUGE ONLY TO FIND WE CANNOT GET RIGHT ROUND THE TRACK.WE HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE THE TRACK AND GET BACK IN AT THE PADDOCK AREA.
LEGS HURTING TIRED AND HUNGRY WE TURN BACK UP THE HILL AGAIN.
EVENTUALLY WE REACH THE PADDOCK BUT THERE IS MORE GOING ON AT A WEST COUNTRY FETE,ONE ING RENAULT STALL AND A MACLAREN MERCEDES SLR.
TWO PINTS OF LAGER AND A 6 EURO BELGIAN HOT-DOG LATER WE CARRY ON ROUND LA SOURCE HAIRPIN ONTO THE PIT STRAIGHT,THE CARS ARE DUE OUT AGAIN FOR AFTERNOON PRACTICE.
AS THEY START THEIR ENGINES IN PIT LANE THE SOUND IS DEAFINING.WATCHING THEM COME DOWN PAST THE START FINISHING LINE AND BRAKING HARD INTO LA SOURCE HAIR-PIN, AWESOME!
WE CARRY ON WALKING TO THE BUS STOP CHICANE GREAT PLACE TO SEE LATE BRAKING AND INCIDENTS OF OVER SHOOTING THE APEX.
PRACTICE OVER WE HEAD BACK TO THE CAMP SITE (5KM WALK}.
ANOTHER B.B.Q. AND PLENTY OF BEER LATER WE SETTLE INTO OUR SLEEPING BAGS FOR ANOTHER COLD AND RESTLESS NIGHT.
SATURDAY UP AT 6:30 FED AND WATERED HAVE A COLD SHOWER (WANT A HOT ONE BUT NO HOT WATER) .
DECIDE TO DRIVE AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO THE CIRCUIT,PASSING THROUGH THE LOVELY VILLAGE OF STAVELOT.MANAGE TO PARK UP 3K.M. AWAY FROM CIRCUIT WATCH QULYFYING,BUY RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE SOUVINEERS OF OUR FAVOURITE CARS AND DRIVERS AND THEN HEAD TOWARDS OUR ONLY ROUTE BACK TO OUR CAMP SITE THROUGH STAVELOT ONLY TO FIND THAT THE ROAD IN THE VILLAGE CLOSED WITH THE BAR OWNERS HAVING PUT TABLES AND CHAIRS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET FOR A GRAND PRIX PARTY.
OH WELL WE CAN'T GET TO OUR CAMP SITE SO WE MIGHT AS WELL JOIN THEM (LUCKILY WE HAVE A TEE-TOTALER DRIVER).NOT SPEAKING THE LINGO I ASK THE BARMAN FOR 2 PINTS OF LAGER, A WHITE COFFEE AND A COKE,THE BARMAN LOOKS BEMUSED,"WHAT IS THIS WHITE COKE HE ASKS"," NO WHITE COFFEE AND A COKE" I REPLY,"YOU HAVE WHITE COCA-COLA IN ENGLAND", HE SAYS, FINALLY SOMEONE EXPLAINS TO HIM WHAT I WANT, WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE SPEAK ENGLISH.
MIDNIGHT AND COPIUS AMOUNTS OF THE BELGIAN AMBER LIQUID LATER THE ROAD GETS CLEARED OF MOST OF THE TABLES AND WE MANAGE TO GET IN THE CAR AND WEAVE IN AND OUT OF THE VILLAGE UP ONTO OUR COLD MOUNTAIN CAMP SITE AND A BEER INDUCED SLEEP.
SUNDAY RACE DAY UP AND READY AT 7:A.M.DRIVE TO CIRCUIT AGAIN FIND A PARKING PLACE 4KM.FROM TRACK NEXT TO A BARBED WIRE FENCE WITH A SMALL PIECE OF RED AND WHITE TAPE ON IT.GET TO OUR VIEWING POINT AT POUHON 4 HOURS BEFORE THE START OF THE RACE.
AT THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX WE HAVE PRE-RACE ENTERTAINMENT (HELICOPTER DISPLAY,RED ARROWS ETC) AT SPA WE DONT EVEN GET THE FLYING CROISSANTS.
RACE TIME APPROACHES,EXCITEMENT BUILDS THE FANS ON THE HILL START A MEXICAN WAVE,CHANTS ARE EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE SPANISH,POLISH AND ENGLISH CROWD.FERRARI FLAGS WAVE AS THE CARS LINE UP ON THE GRID.THE RED LIGHTS GO OUT CARS HURTLE TOWARDS LA SOURCE HAIR-PIN ALONSO PUSHES HAMILTON WIDE AND OFF THE TRACK KIMI RAIKONEN AND MASSA WELL CLEAR AS THEY PASS US AT POUHON,CARS STREAM PAST WHAT A WONDERFUL SIGHT AND SOUND, 44 LAPS AND 2 PIT STOPS LATER IN AN UNEVENTFUL GRAND PRIX AND ITS A FERRARI 1-2 WITH ALONSO AND HAMILTON A DISTANT 3rd AND 4th.
THE RACE OVER WE HEAD OFF THE 4K.M TOWARDS OUR CAR.WHEN WE FINALLY REACH OUR PARKING PLACE THATS EXACTLY WHAT WE FIND A PLACE NO CAR NO EXPLANATION.PANIC SETS IN, HAS IT BEEN STOLEN WITH ALL OUR PASSPORTS AND LUGGAGE IN IT?(NOT TO MENTION OUR DUTY FREE).
WE FLAG A POLICEMAN DOWN (WHO INCIDENTLY ARE CALLED THE POLITE NOT POLICE) AND INFORM HIM OF OUR DILEMMA.
AN HOUR LATER AND SEVERAL RADIO CALLS THE POLITEMAN TELLS US THE CAR WAS ILLEGALLY PARKED AND TOWED AWAY TO A POLICE COMPOUND 6K.M. AWAY.
NO TRANSPORT TO GET THERE AND WEARY LEGS WE TRUDGE 2K.M. AND ASK ANOTHER POLITEMAN DIRECTIONS TO THE COMPOUND ONLY TO FIND WE ARE GING THE WRONG WAY.
THREE HOURS LATER BLISTERED FEET WE GET OUR CAR BACK FOR A FINE OF 150 EUROS.
WE SET OFF FOR HOME CURSING THE BELGIANS AND ALL THINGS FOREIGN BUT AT LEAST ALL THE TRAFFIC HAS GONE.
GONE, THAT IS TILL WE REACH THE MOTORWAY.18K.M. TRAFFIC JAM AND 2 HOURS LATER WE FINALLY GET MOVING AGAIN TOWARDS DUNKIRKE.
WE HAVE ALREADY MISSED OUR INTENDED FERRY AT 10 P.M. AND MISS THE MIDNIGHT BOAT BY MINUTES WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE 2 A.M. CROSSING.
BACK IN BLIGHTY AT LAST UP THE M20 AND ONTO THE M25 AGAIN RUSH HOUR WE ARRIVE BACK HOME TO LIVERPOOL AT 8:00 AM TIRED,HUNGRY, FOOT
SORE AND WITH EMPTY POCKETS.
OH WELL! SEE YOU ALL AGAIN SAME TIME SAME PLACE NEXT YEAR![size=9][/size]
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS,A TRUE TEST OF COURAGE,NERVE,STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION,
WHAT ITS LIKE FOR THE DRIVERS,GOD ONLY KNOWS!
SET OFF FROM LIVERPOOL AT THE UN-GODLY HOUR OF 3A.M.THURSDAY HOPEFULLY TO MISS THE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ONLY TO HIT THE M25 SOLID WITH WALL TO WALL LORRIES AND WHITE VANS,PANIC SETS IN, WILL WE MAKE OUR FERRY IN TIME.TRAFFIC CLEARS WE TOUCH 100M.P.H. ON THE M20 ARRIVE DOVER 5MINUTES TO SPARE.
THANKFULLY THE CHANNEL CROSSING TO DUNKIRKE IS SMOOTH AND THE STEAK PUDDING AND CHIPS ON BOARD THE NORFOLK LINE FERRY IS EXCELLENT.
WITH OUR SPIRITS LIFTED AND FOOD IN OUR STOMACHS WE HEAD OFF TOWARDS BRUSSELS.
JUST AS WE APPROACH THE BRUSSELS RING ROAD OUR SAT. NAV. DECIDES TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN AND GIVES US A FULL GUIDED TOUR OF THE CITY INCLUDING THE WRONG WAY UP THE SMALLEST OF COBBLED BACK STREETS.EVENTUALLY WE MANAGED TO RESET THE SAT.NAV AND FOUND THE RING ROAD AGAIN AT RUSH HOUR AND A 10 MILE TRAFFIC JAM.
TRAFFIC LIFTS AND WE ARE ON OUR WAY AGAIN.
AT LAST WE APPROACH STAVELOT WITH THE LIGHT FADING FAST WE CANT FIND OUR CAMP SITE, SIX PHONE CALLS LATER WE GET THROUGH TO CAMPING F1 TO BE TOLD DIRECTIONS TO THE CAMP SITE UP ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN TOP IN BELGIUM.AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS WE PITCH OUR NEW TENT IN THE DARK .
KETTLE ON B.B.Q.BURNING OUR TROUBLES ARE FORGOTTEN.
AFTER BEING WELL FED AND WATERED WE CLIMB INTO OUR SLEEPING BAGS TOTALLY EXHAUSTED AT 1A.M.WOKEN AT 2A.M.WITH ONE OF OUR PARTY SNORING LOUDER THAN THE CROSS CHANNEL FERRIES HOOTER.
ITS NOW 4 IN THE MORNING MINUS 4 DEGREES C.AND MY FEET ARE LIKE ICE. I CANT GET NO SLEEP.
THE SUN FINALLY RISES ABOVE THE HORIZON GET UP 6:30 A.M.KETTLE ON BREAKFAST SIZZLING ON THE STOVE.ONE OF OUR FRIENDS IS ON HIS MOBLIE PHONE TRYING TO BOOK A FLIGHT HOME BUT WE TALK HIM OUT OF IT.THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER
ITS A LOVELY DAY.
FRIDAY ARRIVE AT THE TRACK 10A.M. WHAT A SIGHT IT IS, CUT OUT OF THE ARDENNE FOREST WINDING ITS WAY UP AND DOWN THE HILL SIDE.
WE DECIDE TO WALK THE TRACK ROUND TO EAU ROUGE AND THE PADDOCK.
THE SUN IS NOW BURNING DOWN, NOT A CLOUD IN THE SKY BUT IS THAT THUNDER WE HEAR,NO ITS THE ROAR OF THE GRAND PRIX CARS IN THE DISTANCE ECHOING THROUGH THE VALLEY.
WE STOP AND WATCH FROM THE BANKING AT POUHON,FANTASTIC AS THEY SWOOP DOWN THE HILL INTO THE SWEEPING LEFT HANDER.
PRACTICE OVER WE CARRY ON UP AND OVER THE HILL DOWN TO EAU ROUGE ONLY TO FIND WE CANNOT GET RIGHT ROUND THE TRACK.WE HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE THE TRACK AND GET BACK IN AT THE PADDOCK AREA.
LEGS HURTING TIRED AND HUNGRY WE TURN BACK UP THE HILL AGAIN.
EVENTUALLY WE REACH THE PADDOCK BUT THERE IS MORE GOING ON AT A WEST COUNTRY FETE,ONE ING RENAULT STALL AND A MACLAREN MERCEDES SLR.
TWO PINTS OF LAGER AND A 6 EURO BELGIAN HOT-DOG LATER WE CARRY ON ROUND LA SOURCE HAIRPIN ONTO THE PIT STRAIGHT,THE CARS ARE DUE OUT AGAIN FOR AFTERNOON PRACTICE.
AS THEY START THEIR ENGINES IN PIT LANE THE SOUND IS DEAFINING.WATCHING THEM COME DOWN PAST THE START FINISHING LINE AND BRAKING HARD INTO LA SOURCE HAIR-PIN, AWESOME!
WE CARRY ON WALKING TO THE BUS STOP CHICANE GREAT PLACE TO SEE LATE BRAKING AND INCIDENTS OF OVER SHOOTING THE APEX.
PRACTICE OVER WE HEAD BACK TO THE CAMP SITE (5KM WALK}.
ANOTHER B.B.Q. AND PLENTY OF BEER LATER WE SETTLE INTO OUR SLEEPING BAGS FOR ANOTHER COLD AND RESTLESS NIGHT.
SATURDAY UP AT 6:30 FED AND WATERED HAVE A COLD SHOWER (WANT A HOT ONE BUT NO HOT WATER) .
DECIDE TO DRIVE AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO THE CIRCUIT,PASSING THROUGH THE LOVELY VILLAGE OF STAVELOT.MANAGE TO PARK UP 3K.M. AWAY FROM CIRCUIT WATCH QULYFYING,BUY RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE SOUVINEERS OF OUR FAVOURITE CARS AND DRIVERS AND THEN HEAD TOWARDS OUR ONLY ROUTE BACK TO OUR CAMP SITE THROUGH STAVELOT ONLY TO FIND THAT THE ROAD IN THE VILLAGE CLOSED WITH THE BAR OWNERS HAVING PUT TABLES AND CHAIRS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET FOR A GRAND PRIX PARTY.
OH WELL WE CAN'T GET TO OUR CAMP SITE SO WE MIGHT AS WELL JOIN THEM (LUCKILY WE HAVE A TEE-TOTALER DRIVER).NOT SPEAKING THE LINGO I ASK THE BARMAN FOR 2 PINTS OF LAGER, A WHITE COFFEE AND A COKE,THE BARMAN LOOKS BEMUSED,"WHAT IS THIS WHITE COKE HE ASKS"," NO WHITE COFFEE AND A COKE" I REPLY,"YOU HAVE WHITE COCA-COLA IN ENGLAND", HE SAYS, FINALLY SOMEONE EXPLAINS TO HIM WHAT I WANT, WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE SPEAK ENGLISH.
MIDNIGHT AND COPIUS AMOUNTS OF THE BELGIAN AMBER LIQUID LATER THE ROAD GETS CLEARED OF MOST OF THE TABLES AND WE MANAGE TO GET IN THE CAR AND WEAVE IN AND OUT OF THE VILLAGE UP ONTO OUR COLD MOUNTAIN CAMP SITE AND A BEER INDUCED SLEEP.
SUNDAY RACE DAY UP AND READY AT 7:A.M.DRIVE TO CIRCUIT AGAIN FIND A PARKING PLACE 4KM.FROM TRACK NEXT TO A BARBED WIRE FENCE WITH A SMALL PIECE OF RED AND WHITE TAPE ON IT.GET TO OUR VIEWING POINT AT POUHON 4 HOURS BEFORE THE START OF THE RACE.
AT THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX WE HAVE PRE-RACE ENTERTAINMENT (HELICOPTER DISPLAY,RED ARROWS ETC) AT SPA WE DONT EVEN GET THE FLYING CROISSANTS.
RACE TIME APPROACHES,EXCITEMENT BUILDS THE FANS ON THE HILL START A MEXICAN WAVE,CHANTS ARE EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE SPANISH,POLISH AND ENGLISH CROWD.FERRARI FLAGS WAVE AS THE CARS LINE UP ON THE GRID.THE RED LIGHTS GO OUT CARS HURTLE TOWARDS LA SOURCE HAIR-PIN ALONSO PUSHES HAMILTON WIDE AND OFF THE TRACK KIMI RAIKONEN AND MASSA WELL CLEAR AS THEY PASS US AT POUHON,CARS STREAM PAST WHAT A WONDERFUL SIGHT AND SOUND, 44 LAPS AND 2 PIT STOPS LATER IN AN UNEVENTFUL GRAND PRIX AND ITS A FERRARI 1-2 WITH ALONSO AND HAMILTON A DISTANT 3rd AND 4th.
THE RACE OVER WE HEAD OFF THE 4K.M TOWARDS OUR CAR.WHEN WE FINALLY REACH OUR PARKING PLACE THATS EXACTLY WHAT WE FIND A PLACE NO CAR NO EXPLANATION.PANIC SETS IN, HAS IT BEEN STOLEN WITH ALL OUR PASSPORTS AND LUGGAGE IN IT?(NOT TO MENTION OUR DUTY FREE).
WE FLAG A POLICEMAN DOWN (WHO INCIDENTLY ARE CALLED THE POLITE NOT POLICE) AND INFORM HIM OF OUR DILEMMA.
AN HOUR LATER AND SEVERAL RADIO CALLS THE POLITEMAN TELLS US THE CAR WAS ILLEGALLY PARKED AND TOWED AWAY TO A POLICE COMPOUND 6K.M. AWAY.
NO TRANSPORT TO GET THERE AND WEARY LEGS WE TRUDGE 2K.M. AND ASK ANOTHER POLITEMAN DIRECTIONS TO THE COMPOUND ONLY TO FIND WE ARE GING THE WRONG WAY.
THREE HOURS LATER BLISTERED FEET WE GET OUR CAR BACK FOR A FINE OF 150 EUROS.
WE SET OFF FOR HOME CURSING THE BELGIANS AND ALL THINGS FOREIGN BUT AT LEAST ALL THE TRAFFIC HAS GONE.
GONE, THAT IS TILL WE REACH THE MOTORWAY.18K.M. TRAFFIC JAM AND 2 HOURS LATER WE FINALLY GET MOVING AGAIN TOWARDS DUNKIRKE.
WE HAVE ALREADY MISSED OUR INTENDED FERRY AT 10 P.M. AND MISS THE MIDNIGHT BOAT BY MINUTES WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE 2 A.M. CROSSING.
BACK IN BLIGHTY AT LAST UP THE M20 AND ONTO THE M25 AGAIN RUSH HOUR WE ARRIVE BACK HOME TO LIVERPOOL AT 8:00 AM TIRED,HUNGRY, FOOT
SORE AND WITH EMPTY POCKETS.
OH WELL! SEE YOU ALL AGAIN SAME TIME SAME PLACE NEXT YEAR![size=9][/size]
