Well, The year is nearly up and I doubt if I will get out with the boys, in our Zeds again before Christmas, so I thought it may be a good time to round up my 2014 in a picture diary and say a few thank you's.
January
It all started on or about New Years Eve when I proposed a meet across the Brecons, for anyone who wanted to escape from the family/inlaws during the Christmas/New Year period. The only person who turned up in McDonalds car park near Cardiff was a complete stranger, - Phill45110 and he led the way to some stunningly quiet and scenic roads across the Welsh mountains and down to Penderyn, Hirwaun, etc.
Phil following me.
February
Danstarr then proposed a meet on the Forum one Saturday morning in Feb with about an hours notice. Spikey replied before me and the general agreement was to meet at a Sainsbury's car park. For the very first time I met Dan, Spikey & ShineyT and I then led an improvised hoon up the Wye Valley, along with Mikerw427, (who I previously knew).
The cars at Beechenhurst, Forest of Dean
March
Spikey, Miker427 and myself then started to get out regularly and enjoyed a good few too many breakfasts early on Sunday mornings, occasionally joined by Danstarr and Xedbot from Swindon.
April
On the strength of this, I organised the English/Welsh meet and the turn out was far beyond my expectations. What looked like 13 cars in the week leading up, topped 22 on the day.
The finish at Chepstow:
Phil45110, Danstarr, Migs & Myself last to leave !
Migs and his girlfriend Kate, were fantastic and produced an excellent video diary of the day, (which I'm sure you've all seen on this years English/Welsh link)
May/June
Now it started to get silly ! We were at it almost every weekend. Up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday and tearing up the Wilstshire/Gloucestershire, or Somerset countryside at 6 or 7am, breakfast at 9am, then a steady tootle home with the Sunday drivers around 10am, when the Wives were just about surfacing. We'd formed a regular club. Me, Spikey. Miker427, Danstarr and Xedbot and Phil.
We did Cheddar Gorge:
We did Glastonbury: (good breakfast!)
We did Costwold Airfield (at Kemble)
We did Stroud , Cheltenham and beyond ( joined and led by Xedbot in his /M Coupe on the far right)
and we celebrated Spikeys birthday on mid-summer day with another breakfast at the AV8 cafe, joined by JamieT and Stuart Truman
July
By this point, Dan had started to prefer his bed on Sundays,so myself, Spikey, Mikerw427 and Phil45110 had become ' The Bristol Boys". Out of sympathy for Phil who we kept dragging over from Cardiff, we organised a Welsh weekend, staying in Swansea and touring up over the Brecons, where we met Migs, Zedwheels and Goon again, who had been on the April English/Welsh meet. This turned out to be a disastoruous weekend where some bad planning meant that we shared the Brecons with 10,000 cyclists so our usual 'spirited' drive became a mere crawl ! Still good fun though and we got buzzed by the Coastguard Chopper by Cray Resevoir...
Goon, Zedwheels & Migs joining us:
August
A curry night was held in Chippenham with Miker427, Spikey, Xedbot and myself, in early August to plan the proposed "Italian job' for September. The trip never came off due to an "Admin error" (which we don't normally talk about, do we Spikey?) and mysteriously that was last anyone ever saw or heard from Xedbot and his MC.
Snowdonia
I'd also promised myself and my lad a trip to Snowdonia in the Zed earlier this year, so finally, in the 3 last days of the school holidays, off we went for a couple of nights staying at Penrhos Golf Club, near Aberystwyth.
Setting Off:
Llanberris Pass
The road to Blaenau
Trawsfynned Lake
A great weekend, with some excellent roads.
September
Having gone in all other directions, it was time to go far South. Buzyg had invited us down to Cornwall , so we accepted his offer and headed off for a couple of days driving over both Dartmoor and Exmoor. I think we managed about 4 Zeds on the Saturday and 7 Zeds on the Sunday. Despite being late September, the weather was fantastic and so was the scenery.
Dartmoor
The Prison was a sight to behold and the moors were scattered with wild beasts.
Buzyg and RJBaz3.4 lead the way
and all the way to Bude Cliff tops:
Exmoor
A good blast across empty roads, with no animals and plenty of vision.
Phil decends into the 'Valley of the Rocks' before arriving at Lynton & Lynmouth
November
Somehow, Christmas came early! Too much internet surfing and a notion of upgrading my trusty reliable 2.5 to a higher spec 3.0 led to a spontaneous purchase of PSW007's Zed, hours before he P/X'd it into Mercedes, so my garage is looking cosy for the winter...
Now I just need to decide which one to sell, come Spring, as I'm tempted to keep the the 'Devil I know'... The original, trusty 2.5 with the firm 'Sunday ride' and higher revving, responsive engine, but I also want all the toys, 230bhp and a 6th gear ! We'll see...
December
Now, its time to look back on the year. I've added about 5000 miles onto my (124k) Zed, spent about £1k in maintenance, tyres, etc but more importantly, I've had a ball. I've met some great people and made made some excellent friends.
I've had a fantastic year with the Zed. 18 months ago, I bought what was a relatively cheap motor, just because I fancied one and to see how I got on with it. I then discovered the forum through which I have met some fabulous people and have thoroughly enjoyed driving to all corners of the South West, having discovered some lovely roads too.
I would especially like to thank. Phil45100, a cracking bloke who I didnt know 12 months ago but is now a good friend, As is Spikey, who's always willing for a hoon and is great company. Then there's also Mikerw427 who adds the banter and humour to the group.
My lad fell ill in January, mysteriously losing the use of his legs and you guys have seriously helped me through a very difficult year, allowing me to escape from everything on Sundays for a few hours. (I'm glad to say he finally recovered in October and is now back walking again). Everything went on hold this year whilst he was ill, but now I look back on the good memories of 2014, Sundays Zedding has got to be up there at the top. Thanks Chaps
Also thank you to regulars Goon, Zedwheels, 2 Dogs, Migs & Buzyg, who've either supported or led various trips in their neck of the woods for us, when we've invaded their territory.
The moral of my story is just, Plan a route, Pick a date, Post it and see who turns up. Then see where life takes you.
(Usually into a 'Greasy Spoon' Cafe in our experience !)
Thank you to all who've posted helpful information (and amusing stories) on the forum, to the Administrators and to those who came out on any meets this year that I've not mentioned specifically. I hope to see you all again next year to do it again, but also with some more ambitious trips further a field...
Roll on 2015 ! :evil:
January
It all started on or about New Years Eve when I proposed a meet across the Brecons, for anyone who wanted to escape from the family/inlaws during the Christmas/New Year period. The only person who turned up in McDonalds car park near Cardiff was a complete stranger, - Phill45110 and he led the way to some stunningly quiet and scenic roads across the Welsh mountains and down to Penderyn, Hirwaun, etc.
Phil following me.
February
Danstarr then proposed a meet on the Forum one Saturday morning in Feb with about an hours notice. Spikey replied before me and the general agreement was to meet at a Sainsbury's car park. For the very first time I met Dan, Spikey & ShineyT and I then led an improvised hoon up the Wye Valley, along with Mikerw427, (who I previously knew).
The cars at Beechenhurst, Forest of Dean
March
Spikey, Miker427 and myself then started to get out regularly and enjoyed a good few too many breakfasts early on Sunday mornings, occasionally joined by Danstarr and Xedbot from Swindon.
April
On the strength of this, I organised the English/Welsh meet and the turn out was far beyond my expectations. What looked like 13 cars in the week leading up, topped 22 on the day.
The finish at Chepstow:
Phil45110, Danstarr, Migs & Myself last to leave !
Migs and his girlfriend Kate, were fantastic and produced an excellent video diary of the day, (which I'm sure you've all seen on this years English/Welsh link)
May/June
Now it started to get silly ! We were at it almost every weekend. Up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday and tearing up the Wilstshire/Gloucestershire, or Somerset countryside at 6 or 7am, breakfast at 9am, then a steady tootle home with the Sunday drivers around 10am, when the Wives were just about surfacing. We'd formed a regular club. Me, Spikey. Miker427, Danstarr and Xedbot and Phil.
We did Cheddar Gorge:
We did Glastonbury: (good breakfast!)
We did Costwold Airfield (at Kemble)
We did Stroud , Cheltenham and beyond ( joined and led by Xedbot in his /M Coupe on the far right)
and we celebrated Spikeys birthday on mid-summer day with another breakfast at the AV8 cafe, joined by JamieT and Stuart Truman
July
By this point, Dan had started to prefer his bed on Sundays,so myself, Spikey, Mikerw427 and Phil45110 had become ' The Bristol Boys". Out of sympathy for Phil who we kept dragging over from Cardiff, we organised a Welsh weekend, staying in Swansea and touring up over the Brecons, where we met Migs, Zedwheels and Goon again, who had been on the April English/Welsh meet. This turned out to be a disastoruous weekend where some bad planning meant that we shared the Brecons with 10,000 cyclists so our usual 'spirited' drive became a mere crawl ! Still good fun though and we got buzzed by the Coastguard Chopper by Cray Resevoir...
Goon, Zedwheels & Migs joining us:
August
A curry night was held in Chippenham with Miker427, Spikey, Xedbot and myself, in early August to plan the proposed "Italian job' for September. The trip never came off due to an "Admin error" (which we don't normally talk about, do we Spikey?) and mysteriously that was last anyone ever saw or heard from Xedbot and his MC.
Snowdonia
I'd also promised myself and my lad a trip to Snowdonia in the Zed earlier this year, so finally, in the 3 last days of the school holidays, off we went for a couple of nights staying at Penrhos Golf Club, near Aberystwyth.
Setting Off:
Llanberris Pass
The road to Blaenau
Trawsfynned Lake
A great weekend, with some excellent roads.
September
Having gone in all other directions, it was time to go far South. Buzyg had invited us down to Cornwall , so we accepted his offer and headed off for a couple of days driving over both Dartmoor and Exmoor. I think we managed about 4 Zeds on the Saturday and 7 Zeds on the Sunday. Despite being late September, the weather was fantastic and so was the scenery.
Dartmoor
The Prison was a sight to behold and the moors were scattered with wild beasts.
Buzyg and RJBaz3.4 lead the way
and all the way to Bude Cliff tops:
Exmoor
A good blast across empty roads, with no animals and plenty of vision.
Phil decends into the 'Valley of the Rocks' before arriving at Lynton & Lynmouth
November
Somehow, Christmas came early! Too much internet surfing and a notion of upgrading my trusty reliable 2.5 to a higher spec 3.0 led to a spontaneous purchase of PSW007's Zed, hours before he P/X'd it into Mercedes, so my garage is looking cosy for the winter...
Now I just need to decide which one to sell, come Spring, as I'm tempted to keep the the 'Devil I know'... The original, trusty 2.5 with the firm 'Sunday ride' and higher revving, responsive engine, but I also want all the toys, 230bhp and a 6th gear ! We'll see...
December
Now, its time to look back on the year. I've added about 5000 miles onto my (124k) Zed, spent about £1k in maintenance, tyres, etc but more importantly, I've had a ball. I've met some great people and made made some excellent friends.
I've had a fantastic year with the Zed. 18 months ago, I bought what was a relatively cheap motor, just because I fancied one and to see how I got on with it. I then discovered the forum through which I have met some fabulous people and have thoroughly enjoyed driving to all corners of the South West, having discovered some lovely roads too.
I would especially like to thank. Phil45100, a cracking bloke who I didnt know 12 months ago but is now a good friend, As is Spikey, who's always willing for a hoon and is great company. Then there's also Mikerw427 who adds the banter and humour to the group.
My lad fell ill in January, mysteriously losing the use of his legs and you guys have seriously helped me through a very difficult year, allowing me to escape from everything on Sundays for a few hours. (I'm glad to say he finally recovered in October and is now back walking again). Everything went on hold this year whilst he was ill, but now I look back on the good memories of 2014, Sundays Zedding has got to be up there at the top. Thanks Chaps
Also thank you to regulars Goon, Zedwheels, 2 Dogs, Migs & Buzyg, who've either supported or led various trips in their neck of the woods for us, when we've invaded their territory.
The moral of my story is just, Plan a route, Pick a date, Post it and see who turns up. Then see where life takes you.
(Usually into a 'Greasy Spoon' Cafe in our experience !)Thank you to all who've posted helpful information (and amusing stories) on the forum, to the Administrators and to those who came out on any meets this year that I've not mentioned specifically. I hope to see you all again next year to do it again, but also with some more ambitious trips further a field...
Roll on 2015 ! :evil:
North Yorkshire