(I'm extending this out to non-members as I'm not being inundated with interest )

I am hoping to do a week long tour of (mainly) France in June, 2023 and would really like to have some company- a bit less interesting on my own  . If you've not done anything like this before, it is a bucket-list ticker - French roads are smooth and empty and the Alps section in particular is beyond pretty (think Scotland but with sunshine, bigger mountains and no traffic or midges).

Below are some rough details - please let me know if you are interested.

A rough route:

(I'm only using Google maps to get this overall view of the trip but it's too darn clever for it's own good; I think it's taking into account closed mountain roads and current COVID restrictions, so it can't calculate a route for the 2nd half of the trip, hence my roughly drawn thin blue line - I hope you get the picture)

Dates: 10th - 17th June, 2023

Day 1 - ferry to Calais (or Eurotunnel if we can stretch to it) and then a slog, mostly on Autoroutes to Limoges (about 470 miles).

Day 2 - Limoges to just north of Montpelier, via the Millau viaduct (260 miles)

Day 3 - to Cannes along some hopefully nice bits of the French Riviera (230 miles).

Day 4 - possibly a couple of hours in Cannes to see the sights then a short hop up the famous Route Napoleon (145 miles)

Day 5/6 - Hairpin Heaven - typical Alpine roads past famous ski resorts and a brief squirt into Italy (170 miles per day)

Day 7 - Lake Annecy, Jura mountains - last stop near Dijon (190 miles)

Day 8 - slog on Autoroute back to Calais and ferry home (360 miles)

Cost

Around £1,300 all-in (ferry, fuel, tolls, food, accommodation etc).

Rough breakdown:
    Ferry - £100-£200 (more for Eurotunnel, unless you get Tesco vouchers which makes this free!)
    Tolls - £50-£100
    Accommodation - £400 (7 nights)
    Fuel - £400 (I originally costed this out before the current situation, so this may be more, unless prices drop by next June).
    Food - £200

NOT included: insurance and breakdown cover

Format

This is a single, circular route, staying at different places each night. I will be providing sat-nav routes which we can stick together on but you're welcome to make your own, go your own way etc. My routes avoid motorways (except day 1 and 7) so if you're feeling too tired on a day, you can just navigate by the fastest route to the hotel for the night.

Personally, I like the driving (and at a decent pace) rather than sightseeing, although regular coffee stops are a must! I'm not an early riser, so I tend to be up at 7.30am and out by 8.30am (unless you consider that early, I guess?).

A kit is obviously preferred but you're welcome to come along in anything you want.

What now?

Nothing - I will probably start booking things in the Sept/Oct 2022, so there is no rush and I don't need to know numbers yet. This post is just to make you aware, have a think, start saving and begging with the other half/work to let you have the time off.

Should you need any persuading about the joys of mountain roads, have a look at my Alps trip from 2020:

https://zerolifebuild.blogspot.com/2020/07/alps-2020-day-1.html

So, hope a few of you want to join me - watch this space for updates.

PS: I am happy to put a few people up for a night before and after, if you have to come from further north.

Many of you will have noticed in the Area Secretary section of the Magazine that the majority of the posts remain unfilled.  The statistics tell a sorry tale.  Of the 23 areas only 7 have a functioning Secretary and of those, 3 of us are dual-hatted, also filling posts on the Committee.   So that means out of a membership of about 380, a mere 9 people are helping to run the Club.   And despite numerous requests for volunteers to fill the positions, only one person responded.

The Club cannot continue with this situation, so we are proposing to make some major changes.   We still believe the Area Secretary system is essential, providing a link for members to the Committee and organising local events.  However, as it is obvious we will never get enough people to fill the 23 Area Secretary posts we have decided to simplify the whole system.  So in the future, rather than having areas based on counties we are going to go for simple geographic areas, breaking the UK up into 11 areas.   This map shows the new areas and their new secretaries, including their forum name:

These are defined as:

Scotland                         Presently Unfilled
North East & Borders     Alan (alantoon)
North West                     Darrell (Darrell)
Yorkshire/Lincs              Andrew (Grim)
Wales                               Presently Unfilled
West Midlands               Richard  (richyb66)
Central Midlands             Andi  (Andi)
East Midlands                  Alan  (alanrichey)
South West                              Presently Unfilled
South Central                   Tony (apgodden)
London & South East       Neil  (nelmo)

So now we have set up a new structure it is up to you, the members and community users, to make it work.  The limitations of GDPR prevent us from giving your details to the Area Secretaries so it is up to you to notify them of your intentions.   If you would like to be involved in meeting up with other owners in your area then you have 2 choices.   First, add your location to the forum Member Map which will confirm you are happy for your location to be shared and for the Secretary to contact you.  Secondly, notify your local Secretary and give them permission to pass your username and town to others on their list.   If you feel strongly that you do not want to be involved, then you can also tell them, although if they get no message from you they will assume you are not interested.   If you cannot work out who is your best secretary message me on the forum system and we can discuss it.

Al (Membership Secretary)

hi guys what was the show like ? as never been was hoping to get Saturday but a little misunderstanding between my ankle and my motorbike last Tuesday stopped  me walking about for a few days did i miss a good show or not ?

Sorry for the short notice but it is that time again for the Club Meeting. As usual it will be at the Church Mouse, Chester Moor, DH23RJ from about 7-30 all welcome any anyone who comes in their Kit will receive a special mention in next month's  invitation

Any of you guys around the East Area out of curiosity  

Next Wednesday (27th) , 6PM onwards, Malt Shovel Pub, Coventry Road, Nr Stonebridge, Coventry, CV7 7HL

Entrance to the pub car park is off the A452 Chester Road heading North 50 yards from the island.

See you there.

Hi,

Following on from our inaugural SE meet at the Chalet cafe a week or 3 ago, Nigel has kindly offered his house as the location for our second meeting. I say his house but it sounds more like a country estate (he's got his own fishing lake!)  and he is happy to accommodate us all.

Apart from some lovely roads in his neck of the woods, he is also bribing us with drinks and bacon butties, so no-brainer for me 

Date: Saturday, July 30th
Time: From 10am until we've run out of bacon...
Address: Robertsbridge, TN32 5EU

I will be sorting out a route from Reigate/Horsham to Robertsbridge so if anyone wants to join me, please let me know and we can arrange to meet somewhere along the line.

Hope to see some of you there...

(Posting on behalf of Tony)

The End Of Season Bash 2022 is on Friday 2nd September to Sunday 4th at Market Harbour Show Ground LE16 7QB

September may feel a long way away but we need your help and commitment to get your tickets booked as soon as possible.  This really helps with the organisation and logistics of this event. 

The Committee and non committee members work so hard on this event behind the scenes and we need more people to turn up to ensure that this event can carry on year after year.

The End of Season Bash itself is a great event with marquee, bouncy castles, live band, bar, food van, Saturday ride out and loads of entertainment. Day tickets and camping tickets available.

Even if you are not a member of our club and still at the building stage of your car this event would be so beneficial to you..... The amount of experienced people who have already built their own cars and are always more than willing to help and advised. Just seeing the cars and meeting people with same interest we give you the push to get your cars finished.  Who knows you could be with us September 2023 in your finished car.....

I urge you to join us please book your tickets on the following link.

https://ticketstripe.com/EOSB2022/

or

End of Season Bash 2022 - RHOCAR - The UK Kit Car Club

We look forward to meeting you. If you are booking for the first time please message me, I can let you know what is going on, come meet you on the day and introduce you to other members.  

Tony Godden

My user name is apgodden

Hi,All the next extra North East meeting will be the usual venue of the, Old Farmhouse, Yarm road,Darlington,DL2 1JZ.

At the usual time of 7 00 pm on Wednesday 13th July, hope to see as many members as can make it.

The weather is forcast to be fair so see you there

Regards Allan

Hi all,

For anyone who wants to get out on the last Thursday of July,  we are having the

Stafforshire area meeting at the Spread Eagle Watling St, Gailey, Stafford ST19 5PN

Around 7.30pm Everyone welcome, kit or not.

(If anybody fancies the carvery I suggest getting here a bit earlier as they start running out of things at 8pm)

https://www.spreadeaglepubgailey.co.uk/

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Spread+Eagle/@52.6983585,-2.1310384,3183m/data=!3m2!1e3!5s0x487a7624b7b92c25:0xc794abfe20e6fe20!4m5!3m4!1s0x487a7625387a94e9:0xeffd9c7342a362e9!8m2!3d52.6936916!4d-2.132172?hl=en

Andi