Le Mans 2014

[Lucky]

Just got back from my 1st ever time at Le Mans. WOW!. Those of you that have done it will already know, but for those who haven't I can highly recommend it. Drove down Friday, awesome roads again, pitched the tent on Maison Blanc site and we where directly backing onto the track and next to the pit straight entrance!.



Friday had a wander down the open pit lane



On the Saturday went up to Le Mans Museum, millions of quids worth of cars.








New Corvette looks and sounds tasty




Will be going again, could be a good overseas SES trip some day

[bigemp]

Great pics steve,not done le mans yet but gotta do it,and pitched up nice and close to the track as well which was a result.

[simba]

Glad you had good time mate was awesome on the telly

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by bigemp

Great pics steve,not done le mans yet but gotta do it,and pitched up nice and close to the track as well which was a result.

It was close to the track. Not much sleep when the Astons came around!!

[bigemp]

Originally Posted by Lucky

It was close to the track. Not much sleep when the Astons came around!!

what you mean you slept ya lightweight lol,was a good race though

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by bigemp

what you mean you slept ya lightweight lol,was a good race though

A whole 3 hours lol

[bigemp]

Originally Posted by Lucky

A whole 3 hours lol

well thats not too much missed of the race,will have a word with you about it when i see you next as think we will do it next year.

[Bolesroor]

Nice one Steve, my bro-in-law is going to Le Mans Classic very soon, which he say`s is really good aswell. Liz and I were tempted but it was the tent thing that put her off with her back and all that.

[Scooby Hoo?]

Glad you enjoyed your first trip to Le Mans.
Went for ten years from 1978 to 1988 Derek Bell days. In those days your could walk onto the track but health and safety have changed that, for the better, but it is a shame you can't flood the track at the finish. Tented each year but would take the motorhome, to keep the drinks cold, for a bit of old age comfort.

STAR TIP for next visit.
Join the AOC and get discount tickets, privileged camping and free breakdown recovery to ferry port.

[impreza27]

glad you enjoyed it mate its a great crack must go again myself

[tbtstt]

Looks like you were camped close to me: I was at the South end of Maison Blanche!

Bloody awesome weekend and a fantastic race. Really didn't think that Audi could take the LMP1 win again.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Looks like you were camped close to me: I was at the South end of Maison Blanche!

Bloody awesome weekend and a fantastic race. Really didn't think that Audi could take the LMP1 win again.

Ah thats a shame, could have hooked up for one of the many beers!!!!

We had a blue hawk WRX opposite us but didnt see any others until the way home when I breifly followed a blue blob STI through Rouen, which was a nightmare as the bridge was shut!.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Lucky

Ah thats a shame, could have hooked up for one of the many beers!!!!

We had a blue hawk WRX opposite us but didnt see any others until the way home when I breifly followed a blue blob STI through Rouen, which was a nightmare as the bridge was shut!.

We didn't have any Scoobs as part of the group; I travelled down in the back of a motor home, the other guys in the group were in a Rover 75 (stickered up as a police car) and a Ford Probe!

We got badly held up in Rouen last year, so we were prepared for it this year. We were packed up and ready to leave the camp site before the end of the race, so we were rolling out of the gate as it wrapped up. I like to see the cars crossing the line, but missing that saved us nearly three hours in travelling time, so it was a worthwhile sacrifice.

Had a massive wander during the night and watched the sunrise at Tertre Rouge: that was definitely the highlight of the weekend for me.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

We didn't have any Scoobs as part of the group; I travelled down in the back of a motor home, the other guys in the group were in a Rover 75 (stickered up as a police car) and a Ford Probe!

We got badly held up in Rouen last year, so we were prepared for it this year. We were packed up and ready to leave the camp site before the end of the race, so we were rolling out of the gate as it wrapped up. I like to see the cars crossing the line, but missing that saved us nearly three hours in travelling time, so it was a worthwhile sacrifice.

Had a massive wander during the night and watched the sunrise at Tertre Rouge: that was definitely the highlight of the weekend for me.

I saw the rover several times!!!

We got out by 3.30pm and were pleasntly suprised at the speed we got out. It was really just Rouen that held us up. The french really do need to sort their signposts (or lack of) out.

Tertre Rouge, what a place. We watched from there several times during the weekend and I think it was my favorite place. Awesome watching them snake down that hill at night. I dont hink I'll ever forget the sound of the Astons and Corvettes.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Lucky

Tertre Rouge, what a place. We watched from there several times during the weekend and I think it was my favorite place. Awesome watching them snake down that hill at night. I dont hink I'll ever forget the sound of the Astons and Corvettes.

The Astons sounded great this year... but nothing sounds as raw as the Corvettes!

I'm not a fan of the grandstand area or Tertre Rouge during the day as its normally packed, but its great at night. I went back to the inside of the Dunlop bridge around 8AM on the Sunday morning and that was really good, I moved on when it started to fill up again around 10.

[RobEvo5]

Was a great weekend and good racing as ever, Nice Camping spot Steve and you certainly went in at the deep end camping there.

We were glamping it again this year staying at a camp site about 2km out of track side, in a very nice setting with breakfast, evening meal layed on, decent running hot showers, bar, and a shuttle bus that takes you to and from trackside whenever you want. Highly recommend this place for about £200 if you like your creature comforts a little more.

http://www.le-man-camping.co.uk/

[Scott.T]

Originally Posted by RobEvo5

Was a great weekend and good racing as ever, Nice Camping spot Steve and you certainly went in at the deep end camping there.

We were glamping it again this year staying at a camp site about 2km out of track side, in a very nice setting with breakfast, evening meal layed on, decent running hot showers, bar, and a shuttle bus that takes you to and from trackside whenever you want. Highly recommend this place for about £200 if you like your creature comforts a little more.

http://www.le-man-camping.co.uk/

Sounds good. It was the sight of the tent in the picture above that put me off. Too used to posh hotels with work and The Ring hotels we have used in the past to even contemplate sleeping under canvas....20 years ago maybe.......

[Steve_PPP]

I like that idea too. Call me a wuss if you like, but i like a few creature comforts - toilets and showers are a good start!

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Steve_PPP

I like that idea too. Call me a wuss if you like, but i like a few creature comforts - toilets and showers are a good start!

We were camped directly opposite a toilet and shower block. The toilets were cleaned every 2 - 3 hours and the showers were running all week, very impressed at the standard of the campsite.

We also had a generator, TV, Sky dish and several beer fridges!

[Lucky]

Agree with all of the above. I can cope with a tent for a night at silverstone etc but a few more comforts would have been nice for 2 nights. Though for location it couldn't have been better. I did think about Kipping in the galaxy at one point as it has a proper roof and heating lol.

[Hongkongfooi]

Originally Posted by SilverSurfer

Sounds good. It was the sight of the tent in the picture above that put me off. Too used to posh hotels with work and The Ring hotels we have used in the past to even contemplate sleeping under canvas....20 years ago maybe.......

yep agreed

[Lucky]

Though again, with Le Mans there isn't really a lot of sleeping done anyway, the night is buzzing so we didn't really spend a lot of time in it.. Bloody knackered sunday though. A total of about 6 hours sleep over the weekend. That combined with a lot of walking, hot sunshine and beer was knackering

One thing I forgot, we had a drink and chat with Sabine Schmitt on the Friday evening!! We went up to Le Mans town by tram as the drivers parade was there and whilst sitting outside a restaurant she walked in and sat next to us. Had a chat about the ring obviously (bet she doesn't get one bit fed up with that lol). She was there as a guest with porsche and was chatting about mark webber. Cool girl!!!

[tbtstt]

Finally had some time to make a start on my photos:



Hopefully have some more up soon!