The Carlisle Meet

Christmas 2002

“The Brass Monkeys”

T

he Carlisle Christmas Meet is also known as “The Brass Monkeys,” simply because it /apparently!/ gets cold so far “up north.” We did have sleet, but only on the way home.

Charlie and I started our meet at around three thirty on the Saturday, when we left York en route to our rendezvous point - Scotch Corner - where we were to meet up with Woody and Rayboyd, at five that night, and then drive across the A66 in Ka-voy. We duly met up, but decided to keep a “loose formation” between the three of us. Well, okay, Woody and I formed a Ka-voy, and Rayboyd lost the two of us early on!

Despite our best efforts, we couldn’t lose Woody, not even up some of the longer ascents on the A66, even with the fog lamps in a box in the boot! If you keep the speed up to 70, it’s possible to climb all of the hills in top, but I’ll detail this in a little bit more detail later!

After arriving that afternoon - and we knew we were in the right place from the number of modded Kas in the car park! - Charlie and I freshened up, before joining the rest of the crew for our evening meal and a few drinks. We were asked to leave the bar at around midnight, and a few of us continued until approximately two o’clock in Andy T and SkinDemon’s room.

The following morning, after a glorious cooked breakfast, we met up and drove to the local Ford dealership. Here, the Kas were judged by a panel of non-Ka experts on “general appeal” - and more on this later! Then, we went out for a little drive on some rather splendid roads, but with two challenges: one was to name all of the pubs that we went past, and the other to count the number of “speed camera” warning signs. As for the drive, the highlight was the Hartside Pass descent (with a peak of 1,904 feet), which the Ka-voy took at a speed somewhat greater than originally envisaged (with a few members protesting about brake fade at the end of it!). With the final rendevous point being a McDonalds, it seemed churlish not to have a Big Mac, and after this, we had the presentation.

Somehow - and I’m not entirely sure how! - Charlie managed to get the most named pubs, and so she was awarded with the Quiz Trophy!

Rach’s Millie was awarded with the “Best Presented Ka” award, and the trophy for the most travelled individual went to, well, actually now that you come to mention it, I’ve forgotten!

The “best Ka on display” award went to Rach and Millie. Although we had a tasty engine conversion (P2KKA) on display, and some similarly good looking cosmetic modifications, Millie’s overall image won over the judges.

Next stop was to Halfords, and whilst we were all parked up, a boy racer /cough/ in his juicy mark two Fiesta decided to impress us. Well he tried to impress us. But didn’t.

After this, we decided to go for a little drive around Ullswater, a spot that Kermit recognised. Unfortunately, Charlie was feeling a little unwell (more associated with too many beverages than Dervy’s driving, despite what she’ll tell you!) so we gradually fell further and further behind the group. Not to mention the inconsiderate driver of the “puke green” Volkswagen Golf, who took every bend at all of seventeen miles per hour, and every strait at seventy miles per hour, and the chap in the red Citroën van who studiciously ignored my repeated headlamp flashing as we watched the rest of the Ka-voy slowly edge away from us (and I’m quite certain that Citroën Van Man knew we were in a Ka-voy, too).

A nice, steep hill ascent saw us parking at the top of a hill, and stepping out to take a look at the lake. Then back in the car, towards the A66, and home - in the driving rain!

The weather wasn’t especially kind to us, but that certainly didn’t ruin the “Brass Monkeys” meet, and I look forward to the next one!