Epping Forest Meet - Sunday 14th Nov

[jozza]

Weather permitting, we are definitely on for a Sunday November 14th meet up at Epping Forest at the carpark opposite the Kings Oak pub. Meeting up sometime in the morning (around about 10:30am) for some fun with offroaders, and maybe onroaders too if we are allowed on the carpark there. See my showroom for some pics of the venue, and maps will be going up there at the weekend. See this topic for more details. So far me, my lads and ChrisB are definites, hopefully steveh and maybe Hedron70 too. Look forward to meeting with whoever can make it [].

Update: It's definitely on now, I will be there just after 10am - You'll recognise me by the Tamiyaclub car sticker and lots of cars []. I will put some detailed maps into my showroom tomorrow if I can find them to scan in, but the link provided by ChrisB shows how to get there.

Directions: The easiest way to get there is the M25 Junction 26, turn off towards Theydon Bois. A little way up the road (I think a mile or so), there is a pub on the right. Just before the pub carpark is a small road, turn right up there and then drive up for a mile or so. You will soon see the Kings Oak on the left and the small cafe and carparking on the right. I will be parked somewhere along there.

Looking forward to meeting whoever can make it and having a fun few hours play []

[ChrisB]

Anyone know the address or postcode for the Kings Oak pub? If I have a postcode my satnav should get me there without too much trouble [].

Ahhhhh, just done a search on Google and came up with this place which looks like it:

Kings Oak

Nursery Road

High Beech Essex IG10 4AE

Tel: (020 8508 5000)

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G...=198073&A=Y&Z=1

Looking forward to finally meeting some of you guys!

Chris

[jozza]

That's the one Chris. It's quite a good location I think, as it's easy to get to from the M25 so should be convienient for quite a few people living in and around the M25 belt hopefully.

[gecko no more]

Hi there. I'll do my darndest to get there, as it will be good to meet with some of you again. also I just got a bruiser, so would be good to test it properly, other than a few home-made obstacles, and there's nothing more fun than offroading with some like minded bods!!

Looking forward to (hopefully ) seeing you there.

Cliff

[jezbian]

Barring any major disasters, and putting up with a 2 hour motorway drive, i will try and make it!!

Missed them all so far [V]

Better get the XC Clod in some sort of reasonable state!! lol

Regards

Jez

[jozza]

Good stuff Jez, look forward to meeting with you. I'll post more details on time etc at the end of the week, I reckon about a 10:30am start and finish when (or just after) it gets dark.

I've got to do a lot of car fixing between now and next week []

[ChrisB]

Ho hum..... still not got round to building my Lancer or my other Hummer [:I]

Hovercraft is undergoing major surgery to convert it to LiPo power, so probably won't be ready for next week either....

Still the Scooby and the Hummer will be along [8D]

[ChrisB]

Oops, just realised its THIS Sunday [:0]. In that case I'll just be on the Hummer and the Scooby I think!

Should we exchange mobile numbers or something? I'll be the guy in the green Mk1 Golf GTi with the receding hairline and mostly grey hair btw []

Hope to make it there for around 11am - ish. I don't think the forecast is that great to be honest, but I'll be running the Hummer as long as its not teeming down with rain!!!

Cheers,

Chris

[jozza]

Hi Chris, the date has crept up quietly hasn't it []. I will be there for definite, the weather sounds like it will be okay (cold, probably dryish). I'll drop you a mail with my mobile number later when I remember what it is....

I should have a fair few different cars with me, there's still some repairs to be done. Mini-T won't be making a show for sure, as the servo is stripped and I can't get a new one. Definites will be Midnight Pumpkin (with lights) Monster Beetle (and the shell with 64 lights on it, still a standing model though), Twin Det, Baja Champ, 3 Mad Bulls. Schumacher Leo-X and whatever else fits in the boot []. I'm hoping to finish off my WW2 tomorrow, and Matt will be bringing his Gravel Hound and WW2 too....

looking forward to it, haven't heard much from people confirming they will be there, but it should be some fun even if it's only a handful of us there.

[ChrisB]

Well - even if its just you me and your lads it'll be heaps better than me using my Hummer on me tod []. People tend to give 30 something blokes running RC cars in public areas a bit of a "aren't-you-a-bit-too-old-for-that" sort of look.

I may be a bit scuppered on the pack charging front as I only have 3 packs and am a bit reluctant to charge off my car battery as its seen better days.

The last few spares for my LiPo power conversion for the Hovercraft turned up today, but I doubt I'll get time to finish that before Sun [V].

I am hoping someone can point me in the direction od a good "Leisure" style battery or tell me if the Maplin's ones are any good? If I can get one of those sorted then I will be able to bring along my new Kokam charger which I am dying to try out []

Anyway - I'll see how I get on, and I'll PM / email you my mobile number and details shortly.

Cheers,

Chris

[jozza]

Hehe, when I first took my M03 Mini Cooper out to the park, some people were watching for a few minutes, then one of them turned to me and said "don't you think it's about time you let your son have a go of his car?" I don't think that it registered with them that he was playing with his cars and I was playing with mine []. Some people just grow up far too quickly [].

Don't worry if you can't get hold of a charging battery; mine should have plenty of juice for charging a few extra packs.

Ooh, I just noticed above that you've got a Satnav. Bring it along if you can, I love gadgets me [8D].

[ChrisB]

LOL, its funny how a lot of people seem to be in a hurry to "grow up" and get on with living their life sensibly [].

I guess maybe those are the people who get on with climbing the greasy pole, hardly ever see their families because of it, and then peg it at 50 from some stress related illness.... []

Well the older I get the more I realise its about what works for you! For me I get real satisfaction out of building and running the cars (as well as messing with 1:1 cars) - you can keep your greasy poles and 7 day working weeks, as long as I am bringing in enough for me and the missus to be happy and relaxed then that'll do for me!

Whereas I could never see myself on my deathbed "wishing I'd spent more time in work" as the adage goes, I do have a very real fear I may regret not building that bigger hovercraft or that vintage Tamiya ;-)

Bit of a gadget fan myself although the budget has shrunk of late [:I]

Even if I don't manage to source a suitable battery I'll bring the chargers along in case you have spare battery capacity []

Cheers,

Chris

[ChrisB]

OK - today is the DAY!!

Its clear blue skies out there, the forecast is for a crisp sunny winters day, so c'mon guys head on down to Epping Forest - you KNOW you want to []

I'm going to be setting off in an hour or so with my Tamiyas and my newly purchased Leisure battery. Hope maybe a few of you can make it with Jozza and me!

I'll put my mobile number on this thread for today in case anyone plans to come along and needs to contact us (assuming there is reception in Epping Forest). After today I'll remove it from the post []

Cheers,

Chris

[ChrisB]

Just to follow up on this - thanks to Jozza for organising this. In the end it was me, Jozza and one of his lads, Matt (where were the rest of you? []).

It was a great day weather wise and a good venue for off road bashing. Quite a few people around earlier on due to the nice weather, but as the afternoon progressed, (and it got colder!), then people started to drift away and we had more space to run the cars.

Around 4pm-ish as it was getting a bit dusky I was able to give the Hummer a good run with the lights on and it looked fantastic - much easier to spot it when it was a fair distance away too [].

Also had a good look at Jozza's rather funky "Christmas tree" like Monster Beetle shell - it looked superb, as did the pumpkin.

I was also really impressed with Matt's WW2, and have to confess I hadn't really considered getting one until now..... but now I'm very tempted - its a real hoot to drive!!!!

Thanks again to Jozza for supplying the hotdogs - think I will definitelt be heading back there again, good location and only 40 mins drive for me.

Cheers,

Chris

[jozza]

Yep, it was certainly a good day out, couldn't have hoped for better weather, and the terrain at Epping Forest was just about right for the offroaders (a little damp in the longer grassy bits though). Good to see Chrisb's Hummer in the flesh, and those lights were well bright as the dusk drew in; being able to switch them on remotely turned a few heads of spectators [8D].

I know what you mean about the WW2 Chris; I never really thought about getting one, but when we saw them at Snetterton earlier in the year, Matt was hooked on the idea of getting one. He got his in July, and I've got one now in the process of being rebuilt. They are mad to drive, but so full of character and such a driving challenge.

I didn't get any pictures; next time I'll remember to put the camera/camcorder where I can actually get to them, rather than under all of the rubbish in the car - I forgot they were in there until I was on the way home [:I]

Thanks Chris for the company, I'll definitely be heading up that way again soon, probably for a Sunday afternoon bash, and for anyone in Essex/London or anywhere around the M25 belt it should be less than an hour's drive; it would be good to see a few more faces next time!

[Petrolhead]

Sounds fun! I think that i might be able to make it next time, but was busy this weekend. Im in Surrey, but its the closest thing to me, and i dont really want to be missing all the action! It may be a bit of a trek, but ill have to get up earlier! Simple as that!

Hope i can make it next time, whenever that is!

[Sammy]

Hi All.

Just to resurect the post []

Does anyone fancy meeting up there again in the near future?

Sam

[ChrisB]

Hi Sam, I'd be up for this, but my only comment would be over the summer months it gets REALLY busy at the spot we met at last time and there are a lot of people / dogs milling around making it difficult to run things at times.

Another Sam, (mad-bull I think), was looking into another location not far from there, (Fairlop Water I think), that has a disused BMX track amongst other things which might be good. I also think Wanstead Flats has some potential which is around the same area, but I haven't had a chance to check it out yet.

Cheers,

Chris

[Sammy]

Hi ChrisB,

Read my signature above []

Due to family comitments, and loads of homework, it's been made impossible to get any pics.

Maybe tomorrow... will post if I do!

Cheers,

Sam

[ChrisB]

Sammy - apologies - I was getting mad-bull confused with you [:I].

Any pics you can get would be great.

Chris

[Sammy]

Chris,

NP, mad-bull & Sammy are both me lol!

Cheers and some pics may be coming soon,

Sam

[ChrisB]

Ah...... its all becoming clear now - when did you change your username then?

Chris

[jozza]

Hehe, that had me confused for a while Sammy, but I worked it out in the end [].

I think that Fairlop might be a better bet; this time of year that part of Epping Forest is heaving on a Sunday. It's not so bad midweek or on Saturdays though, but unfortunately midweek and Saturdays just aren't possible for me.

Next couple of Sundays are a bit busy for me, but how does a day at Fairlop Waters around 3 weeks from now sound? I can make 3rd July and 10th July at the moment.. 3rd might be the better date as the 10th is getting close to the next Kent Bash, and I don't get allowed out 2 Sundays in a row [].

If Fairlop is busy we could always move on to Hainault Forest park which is only a 10 min drive from there, and it looks like there's space for running cars there so long as the byelaws allow it - I might even have me an Electrafun plane to play with by then too!

[ChrisB]

3rd July is probably out for me as its the better halfs birthday, and somehow me spending the whole day out with my "toys" as she likes to call them probably wouldn't be that considerate [].

The 10th might be a go-er for me, but the big question I have hanging over things at the moment is whether my 1:1 Golf will get though its MOT. If it doesn't then I may not be mobile again until I can get things sorted which may be end of July-ish, which sadly might mean missing the next Kent Bash as well [V]

Chris

[Sammy]

Right, I'm going to go to Fairlop, as well as Hollow Pond today, and get some photos - I'll tell you when they're online....

As I said, both of the venues have a range of terrain, and with a few little wooden obstacles, we could have some even better crawler terrain (Hollow Pond already has some rocky bits).

Also mentioned previously, both of the locations also have ponds / lakes, and have some sloped edges into the water (Chris, the hovercraft will be fine [])

Is there any features in particular you want covered from each of the venues, or just general shots?

Cheers,

Sam