Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

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Tom Mc
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Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by Tom Mc »

Hi everyone. Just to let you all know, the show is very much on - bigger and better this year! A few points raised from the thread about AO`15 last September.

1. Grumpy marshals at the gate. Extremely disappointed to hear this. It's not how we do things. You'll be delighted to hear that we've have completely revamped the gate personnel. It'll now be run by my son dean and daughter Bonnie. Not saying they'll be any more efficient, but at least when they send you the wrong way, they'll do it with a smile of their face! :wink:

2. Arrival time. The reason cut off time is 21:00 is because of safety. Whilst I'm the last one to go along with half of what the Health & Safety Executive stipulate, they have it right on this occasion. It's all down to the time of year, because when darkness fall 'incidents' can happen. Children playing between the lanes, dogs running about that should be on leads of course, and even us adults who need protecting from ourselves at times - booze being the major factor. We used to close the gate at 22:00 and have a holding area until 09:00 the following morning, but when a tent got run over in the dark (fortunately nobody resident at the time), it was altered to 21:00. Realise folk come from afar, but as the Event Director the safety of everyone is my responsibility, so 21:00 it has to be. Sorry!

3. The lanes when you arrive. Because there are so many types of passes available upon arrival, lanes and entering the marquee to pay is the only way of dealing with it. Pain I know when you've just arrived following a long drive, but we've tried everything else in the last 20 years of running events, and this is the only way. The Pre-Paid 'tickets in advance' lane however flows quickly, plus you don't even need to to get out of the vehicle; this is the way to go. Inevitably, it will always clog up at some point, all we can do is keep it flowing as best we can.

4. Catering. Arrrrgggghhhh!!! You can lead a horse to water ...
Three caterers never turned up last year. Often there is one who can't make it due to illness/bereavement/1001 reasons, but three not arriving? Unheard of. Rest assured the situation has been rectified.

That's it really. For every negative there are 99 positives, but of course the bad un's raise their ugly head long before the good un's, it's human nature.

Club 80-90/VOLT/Campervan Culture will again be located in the same area as last year, this worked well by all accounts, so let's hope the sun shines on the greatest collection of VW 4x4 campers in the land ... and thanks for your continued support!

P.S. Anyone fancy giving a talk about Syncros (plus of course where they've travelled to in the world) as part of the ‘Been There, Done It’ Seminar Sessions. They are very informal as they are like having a chat with a group of like-minded enthusiasts. Armed with your favouite photos that off a lap-top can be flashed up on a projector screen, talks last about 30 mins. then a 20 min. Q&A session, then a 10 min. changeover to the next speaker. Anybody up for the challenge?

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bene
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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by bene »

I for one Tom, cant bloody wait....
cheers for the update.
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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by Winchweight »

Looking forward to it Tom, love this event.

Can we confirm if the 8090/CVC/Volt area will be more clearly marked and policed as we ended up pretty bunched up after motorcycle campers and several others set up camp inside the alloted area and the marshals didnt want to budge them? It made for a very cosy campsite and I'm not sure I can cope with Rich (Peninsula Kid) snoring again (he was three vans away...)!!

:rofl
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Tom Mc
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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by Tom Mc »

Snoring ... not good? Me I'm totally innocent, strange as it sounds - I've never heard me snoring! :lol:

I always encourage clubs to police themselves. By that I mean that whoever turns up first, by all means rope off an area making sure they have enough depth. The frontage (basically the width) should already be marked you when you arrive, but to prevent ingress by other groups, make certain the depth is what you need. As you know, we have so much grass at the Racecourse, go for it! Better too much than too little.

There are two other big things happening with the clubs this year, so may as well mention it here and now.

First is that all club displays have to be 'themed'. This can take several avenues, but unlike a lot of the other Land Rover or 4x4 clubs, for Syncros it'll be a cakewalk. Why? Because many of you have travelled. Okay, it will take a little effort, but your theme can literally be ... travelling! Top me, photo boards and a description of where you've been to are key. And if you have only just bought the vehicle, simply state where you'd like to visit.

Another idea is the renovation/restoration of your steed. It may have been a 'barn find' or an absolute bargain off ebay (as my Rangie was - £2,500 already fitted out as a camper with a 200Tdi engine already installed- amazing! 97 mph is proof it's special - I love it!!!)

Honestly, you guys over the past few years have really caused a stir amongst the Land Rover owners. Whether they would ever change is another matter, they like oil under their nails too much :wink: , but they do see the good in your vehicles ... I promise you! So your presence is appreciated. Just thought I's mention it.

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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by Tom Mc »

Opps, rabbiting too much. So the second big change for the clubs at the Adventure Overland Show this year:-

A couple of years ago I spied the Mitsubishi Delica Owners club. It wasn't their fault as they didn't realise, but a lot of their vehicles were facing inwards to a communal BBQ area, so visitors felt they could enter their 'inner sanctum'. As I say, they just didn't realise what they had done, so the following year I asked them to park their vehicles towards the walkways. This was a lot better, but there was a better way.

Here goes ...

Last year I suggested to a group of 2-wheel-drive motorhome owners (MotorhomeFun is their name), that because of a quarter of their number owning big RV's, they form their members into a horseshoe shape. Bearing in mind there were more than 30+ of them, it worked treat as visitors felt they could walk around their 'U' shape to look at their vehicles.

Because of this, all clubs this year will be shapes in a 'U' or horseshoe-type shape depending on size of club - no goo if there's only four of them! I really thing think this would work for Club 80-90/Volt/CVC. Okay, because of numbers there would have to be a second or even third row, but what an impressive display this will make. A straight line of vehicles is never good, I really believe that coupled with the themes, club areas could be transformed into something special.

Your thoughts please ...

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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by Winchweight »

All sounds good to me Tom. See you there!
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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by Tom Mc »

Good man!

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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by eltee »

getting in early with this, ..... I can't go
We are on holiday and I can't get out of it.
Tom, it was great last year and having spent 7 hours travelling to the event
from Scotland it was something different to all the VW events that occur.

holidays next year will involve booking the beginning of September.
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Tom Mc
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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by Tom Mc »

That's a shame.

The Adventure Overland Show is always the last weekend in September, but next year is a bit of an oddball - the dates not me!!! Then again ... :roll:

It will not only be right at the end of the month, it will also spill over into October - Sat 30th September and 1st October 2017.

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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by nordberg »

Shame. Same weekend as the Westfalia Meet :(
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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by Fabzzz »

I'm in . Do we book ticket through the website, notifying we are part of syncronauts ? :mrgreen:
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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by Winchweight »

We will probably pay at the gate. :ok
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Re: Adventure Overland Show,Stratford Racecourse 24-25 Sept 2016

Post by hugomonkey »

Not gonna make this one so have fun everyone :ok
Regards Jason
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