TLF Christmas & 10th Anniversary Party

[internets]

Great to catch up with everyone and again thanks to Bibs and Laura for arranging it all as usual 

 

Nice to see the 3 Lotuses that made it to the Lotus Forums Xmas party, good effort ChrisJ in his Esprit and Martyn in his Elise

[Bibs]

Your Evora is lovely mate, very nice indeed

 

4 Lotuses there, mine was parked up in the barn too

[The Pits]

I was only glad I didn't bring the Exige driving home at 2am. On a deserted M3 I'm not sure how well I'd have managed to restrain my right foot. Top speed on the Jeep diesel would barely have troubled a speed camera. Turned out to be quite useful!

 

When its late and you're tired and just want to get home, 70mph can feel excruciatingly slow in a fast car on an empty motorway. The temptation to press on is immense. The bigger the horsepower the bigger the temptation too. I have no idea how anyone in something like a McLaren MP412C keeps their licence, never mind a Veyron!

[Mike Kimberley]

Hello Bibs, Laura and all the great folk I met on Saturday night,

 

Thank you both for all your hard work in arranging Saturday nights fabulous event and for your very kind hospitality.

 

As my first night out in 12 months it was great for me to have the chance to chat to so many wonderful folk who all have the same interest and enthusiasm for our great "Lotus"  Marque. The widely varied interests and  other cars in their "stables" was a real eye opener, and made me feel very humble to be in such super company.

 

I met so many really nice people on Saturday that I wondered whether you would consider letting me have their e-mail address's so that I could thank them for spending some time talking to me about our great cars and the Company as well as a wide range of other cars, fast Bikes and even possible trips to Denmark! Copenhagen in summer sounds great for a Lotus outing. However as you noted Bibs, it is possible to thank all Lotus Forum members personally through the forum-hence this note.

 

Once again, thank you Bibs and Laura for all you do on behalf of Lotus owners and enthusiasts--you are "Star's". 70,000 visitors on the forum site in one month as you said, is stunning, and a tribute to the effort and dedication you have put in over the past few years.

 

Wishing all Lotus Forum members a great Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

[Bibs]

Great to see you Mike, thanks for making the journey down for us

[internets]

Hi Mike,

 

Thank you for taking the time to come down and see us! Really enjoyed chatting with you and hearing your stories, was hoping to get you out in the Evora but thought it was somewhat cold to be hanging around in the car park 

 

Maybe see you in Belfast next year! 

 

Thanks again

 

Chris 

[esp88]

Hi Mike

It's always nice to talk to you Mike and I hope vist us in Copenhagen near future

Merry Christmas to all

[Kimbers]

A great evening folks, lovely to see everyone. The roasties are great there, they do cook them very nicely

 

Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come along from some great distances, you're real stars! I hope everyone made it home ok in the cold and will leave Kimbers to explain what happened to my xmas pressie back in his hotel room later that night! 

 

To the miserable lot who didn't come, I hope you enjoyed the X Factor, saddos! You missed a fun night with great company. Merry Christmas folks

 

Ahhhhhh. Yes. Erm, if you send me your new address I promise I will replace the bottle of Spiced Rum that Cliff drank

 

 

Thanks for the great night Bibs and Laura. Ann & I enjoyed ourselves.

 

Kimbers I had a good chat with Kimbers Snr, i hope I didn't bore him too much.

 

Apparently there were some noisy people in the hotel but the amount I had to drink put me to sleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. There was a gentle thud on the wall at some point but i cant remember hearing anything after that.

 

It was good to see everyone again and hope to come to any other LEF functions next year.

 

Thanks Dave and sorry if you were one of those who complained. Apparantly some noisey git had a drinking party in their room with Yasuo, Kim and Cliff. Of course, I didn't drink any of it! It was all them guys!

 

Sadly, the bang on the wall was Cliff deciding to headbutt it after falling forwards off his chair. There may have been a few glass breakages as well and the bottle of rum and Gin that were empty were testament to the drinking power of our Danish friiends......ahem.

 

really enjoyed seeing everyone again and MJK was loving talking to everyone and may have let a few secrets out that he had been keeping for his book.

 

So overall, a great night, but I think I may be banned from Premier Inn's in future!

[The Pits]

Crikey, sounds like I could have got in more trouble in the Premier Inn than on the M3!

 

Yes, the book!

 

It was a huge pleasure to meet MJK and Brian Angus. You made our time in the Nevill Bull seem very short!

 

I think at least one book each from both of you would be essential reading for any fan of the marque. The Lotus story is too important to remain untold and the Lotus name continues to inspire so many people around the globe. Generally, there is plenty that has been written about the Chapman era but very little written since with any great authority. Of course the ups and downs have been plentiful but that is the nature of the sports car business and only makes the story more interesting.

 

TLF would be a great platform for promotion too which should get the publishers eyes twinkling!

[Mike Kimberley]

I think you guys have given me the incentive to continue writing the the real story/book. I am constantly amazed at the sometimes distorted and often inaccurate, so called history of Lotus. Especially the appalling one that I recently read on Wikipedia. It's strange but I didn't recognise that so called History between 1982 and 1991 !!. It is really sadly distorted and very inaccurate.

[The Pits]

That's great to hear Mike. There is very literally no better man for the job!

 

[Mysterae]

Hey that's my line!

Nice to see you again Alan...

 

You too Simon, chin up mate, and if you are ever passing Swindon pop in for a cuppa!

 

 

I think you guys have given me the incentive to continue writing the the real story/book. I am constantly amazed at the sometimes distorted and often inaccurate, so called history of Lotus. Especially the appalling one that I recently read on Wikipedia. It's strange but I didn't recognise that so called History between 1982 and 1991 !!. It is really sadly distorted and very inaccurate.

 

Unfortunately I didn't get to talk to you as it looked like there was a queue forming around your table at times! Good luck with the book, it would definitely be on my list of must have reads.

[Al]

So a few things I have taken out of this.....

 

1:  Sorry I was working away and couldn't make it this year especially with Mike there.  (Should be fine for next year tho' as long as the date approximately the same)

2:  Great to hear that the book will be written.  I hadn't read anything about that project for a long time via Kimbers since Mike has had his various medical frights. The snippets above from Mike himself make it only more anticipated.

3:  We will not be welcome at the Premier Inn again next year!  Shame as it was nice and handy last year!

4: Bibs rocks in the Lotus world. (Well we knew that but none of us say it enough)

 

Still no photos posted though? Not that I'm sure I'd want to see the Premier Inn ones!  Did Kimbers stay fully dressed?

 

Jonny "Licence Saver" is what I call the Cruise Control and we are lucky enough up our way to be able to use it literally every time I take the car outside the village. I'd be totally lost without one on my cars these days.

[Kimbers]

Not heard from Cliff! Hope he was ok, must admit he was, like me, a little green the next morning. We are getting to old for this crap Cliff!

[Bibs]

I didn't take any pics. What happens on tour, stays on tour

[johnpwalsh]

You lot just dint want to give the rest of us the chance to slag the hell out of you for the state you were probably in. just wish we could have made it along, sounds like a good time was had by all.

[Bibs]

I think I only had a dozen pints, I was one of the more sober ones there!

[Kimbers]

I have some I'll post them up tomorrow

[esp88]

Some pictures  from  my phone

[johnpwalsh]

Couldna been that good, you lot look to sober, or are you all getting to old to have a real party.