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SOUTH EAST PAST EVENTS

CRAWLEY CLASSIC AND AMERICAN CAR SHOW - CRAWLEY, SUSSEX MONDAY 29th MAY 2006

Crawley proved to be very popular this year having missed it last year because of our involvement with the Enfield Pageant.

The venue was to be changed at the last minute to a nearby leisure centre car park due to the past two weeks of very wet weather and the playing fields being waterlogged. We were therefore rather surprised that when we arrived for the show we were directed back on to the original venue. To be fair, the previous two days over the bank holiday weekend had been quite dry and sunny so the ground must have begun to dry out. Today’s forecast was to be much the same but with the occasional shower. Well, we encountered an occasional shower just as we arrived, torrential rain for half an hour soaking everything in sight. An omen perhaps? We hoped not. When the rain eventually stopped and the sun began to re-appear we arranged the cars and erected the gazebo. Everyone spent the next half an hour drying their cars. They were all looking good in the bright sunshine.

The ground was very soft and wet, not very pleasant. We noticed that some other cars began to leave already, before the show even opened. Obviously they were not happy with the conditions and maybe the decision to hold the show back on the playing fields. We were kept amused watching them trying to escape through the grass which was becoming more muddy every time a car passed over it. Some cars didn’t make it and had to be towed-off by a 4x4. Naturally there weren’t many visitors to the show and things were very quiet. Some of us wandered off to see the rest of the show finding everything all very waterlogged.

The rain alternated with the sunshine throughout the day. We all took refuge under the gazebo when it rained. Fortunately our spirits remained high, enjoying each other’s company and cracking jokes about the weather. We managed to stick it out until mid-afternoon but eventually decided to pack up and head for home. Robert Hexter very wisely devised an exit route by going around the perimeter of the show ground where it wasn’t so muddy for which we were very thankful as nobody got stuck on the way out.

I received a text message on the way home from Nikki and Paul who had stayed on a little longer, to say that we had been awarded a trophy for “Highly recommended” by the judges.

A good end to the day, worth getting wet and muddy for. Well almost! We must say a big thank you to all those who came, stuck it out and kept their spirits high.

In six days time we meet again for the 2006 Brighton Run. We’re praying for better weather!!

Alan Cayzer

Marks Report:

We arrived at 10.00am in the rain. We ended up there the longest after everyone had gone home. we saw the sun pop in and out.