Home> Past Events> 13th August 2006

PENDINE  DASH 13^TH AUGUST 2006

There we were all ready to go---go where ?   to the Pendine Dash of course.------Oh no we are not !     Overnight Graham’s coil burnt out  !!!!   The good services of APD (was Regent Components in the past) in Cheltenham cameto the rescue; we left Gloucester only about ½ hour late. Tony, John and Graham B planned to meet Graham S. and Steve at the overnight accommodation at St. Clears. We had an uneventful run to St. Clears via Newent,  the scenic route to Abergavenny and the Head of Valleys Road. The stop for elevens’s at the pub next to Skenfrith Castle is worth a trip on its own;  excellent food and very pleasant surroundings.

At the Forge Hotel, where we stayed and also from where the Rally commenced, we met Graham S, Steve and his friend Paul and  Tony’s friends from the Llandudno MG OC : together with our partners we had a very enjoyable evening meal. Them Welsh certainly know how to feed us foreigners (and the Welsh amongst us.) The size of Maureen’s ½ Duck and John’s Meringue pudding (in the shape of a large bust) were both difficult to fit into the camera view-finder !   One certain acquaintance of ours only managed to get two single rooms for himself and his wife. This really paid off when his wife wanted an early night: after escorting her to her room, who was seen back with his friends with a pint in his hand ?

Bright and  early at 9.00 o’clock, we collected our Rally Guides, bought Raffle Tickets (in aid of the Wales Air Ambulance), erected the Club flag and met old friends from the Pembrokeshire Club.   9.30 the 100+ cars were released on the 80 mile “Dash”. A very enjoyable run involving a mixture of mountain scenery, coastal fishing villages, the cathedral at St. David’s (the smallest city in Britain) and finishing at  Picton Castle. Whilst at the cathedral, the good Lord, knowing one of our Ladies required further guidance, managed to contact her on her mobile phone  !! We thonk he was ringing in for his orders for the day.  Sorry Joyce (or whoever).

Some of us were lucky enough  to win Raffle Prizes and one, who shall remain anonymous, insisted that Gloucestershire was to the fore, by “winning” the Dutch Auction  for a MGA Tonka Toy. He truly thought that he would get it for only a £1 !!!   It fetched a total of £81

The evening was again spent wrapping ourselves around Welsh cooking, excellence and volume to the front again, mixed with the superb service and joviality of the Staff.

Early morning breakfast at 9 o’clock gave us plenty of time to wander back home. A couple cars went via Saundersfoot and Pendine where a small Museum of Speed exhibits the Parry Thomas “Babs” car that in 1926 held the record for the fastest car in the world at 171 mph and which later  crashed and killed him.

This time all cars behaved themselves, once on the road, which speaks volumes for the dedication to maintenance and service  given to them by their owners !!!!!!

                                            John Child