National Wedge Meeting ! [This Weekend!]
Discussion
w4dge said:
Ah... the penny drops! You must have been the lady that was telling us you were off to France... you might have said who you were...
Ian
Thought yellow t- shirt would give it away. Note no wolf whistle
Hmmm. Can't recall seeing the T-shirt, maybe you had a jacket on by then. Needless to say I don't go around staring at ladies' chests (at least not when Julie is there (she of the wild hair on that day
) ). Ian
I love the Wedgefest, only been part of it since 2010 but after being designated in 2014 as main organiser I have whole heartedly devoted many hundreds of hours of time, but what a lot of you did not know and failed to understand is that I have suffered 3 decades of ill mental health and still do to a degree, however I do not want sympathy as you gave me a real purpose that basically saved my life, I would go to the end of the earth for the fest, in fact nearly crashing my Wedge twice while checking out venues at my expense, lost my targa panel @70mph in the middle lane of the M40, cracked my new windscreen and nearly needed topcats racing to come with a tractor to pull me out of a field, they really are like boats when the bottom of the car is on the mud. 
I also have endured massive amounts of hateful tongue lashings, a galaxy amount of stress, disruption, doubt and ridicule but for 7 years I picked up the Wedgefest and tried my very best to do my best while battling with many mental health issues, some of you will recall at previous fests asking where I am...I was in the room trying to compose myself, that is why I use to go missing afterwards, however you have continually spurred me on, you have felt my passion and heard my pain but I remained loyal and committed, and above all in honour of you guys who set up such an awesome event in the beginning, I tried to stick with the rogue element for as long as it was possible, keeping the finger up to any BS, holding dyno's in the car park of Ettington @09.30am on a Sunday morning, to the horror of other guests , basically spending quality time with quality people, and importantly always involving fest goer's in organising, I must say that I was helped massively along the way by others who designated hours of time and putting up with me, not easy while dealing with their own demons, so always recognise those who sometimes get forgotten about, yes I was captain of a ship, however I have a fear of heights so no good in the crow nest, I know fackall about navigation, even with a Tw@nav and fishing in my view is a quiet relaxing occasion which is not possible on the high seas in a storm ..
I was also so fortunate to meet the designer of our cars, Mr Oliver Winterbottom, it took me sometime to get him to keep coming to the fest, he loved his yearly Wedge calendar and his yearly baby blue BBWF shirt, we became quite good friends and I loved him as a friend, what an amazing person he was, we wanted to make him the "Wedgefather"
he was overwhelmed with how much we love the Wedge, I also was privileged to have met Martin Lilley, Barry "Whizzo" Williams, Chris Shirle, Richard Thorpe, and John Mleczek, who I use to chat to at many fest without realising who he was...bless those no longer with us.
Sadly I was forced by economics and law to scrap my daily and sell Poppy my 350i which I had for 10 years, however she is in very nice hands, TVR heritage...however this latest news to some of you is pure horror but to me Delilah coming back into my life is the connection to life and its full circle meaning, I am glad her temp dial was fugged by me as people have been scared to drive her on her rebuilt engine... I am currently re-trimming her, she still runs and drives and smells and is still loud, she has had a new roof, a 5 speed gearbox fitted and a bodged burnt load of relays and dodgy wiring which Alan Smith sorted..top man...I am glad I spent around 3k on all the fuel system, suspension and front end as it is all still good, hopefully she will be ready for spring, the TVR sausage meet will be re-born @ Greenwich and as I have missed a couple of fest would have to be there for this...20 years is a big milestone, it would make it extra special if some of those who were "The Originators" could be there, I am no longer involved in the fest as such, it has a new Captain, however I can still fire cannons so will be there, by hook or crook, by lock or book, I am not trying to get numbers up or fishing for numbers but getting Delilah back has made me realise what I have been missing, giving up something I love that I waited such a long time to get just doesnt make sense..so Viva la TVR...Viva la Wedge...Viva la Wedgefest...
I also have endured massive amounts of hateful tongue lashings, a galaxy amount of stress, disruption, doubt and ridicule but for 7 years I picked up the Wedgefest and tried my very best to do my best while battling with many mental health issues, some of you will recall at previous fests asking where I am...I was in the room trying to compose myself, that is why I use to go missing afterwards, however you have continually spurred me on, you have felt my passion and heard my pain but I remained loyal and committed, and above all in honour of you guys who set up such an awesome event in the beginning, I tried to stick with the rogue element for as long as it was possible, keeping the finger up to any BS, holding dyno's in the car park of Ettington @09.30am on a Sunday morning, to the horror of other guests , basically spending quality time with quality people, and importantly always involving fest goer's in organising, I must say that I was helped massively along the way by others who designated hours of time and putting up with me, not easy while dealing with their own demons, so always recognise those who sometimes get forgotten about, yes I was captain of a ship, however I have a fear of heights so no good in the crow nest, I know fackall about navigation, even with a Tw@nav and fishing in my view is a quiet relaxing occasion which is not possible on the high seas in a storm ..I was also so fortunate to meet the designer of our cars, Mr Oliver Winterbottom, it took me sometime to get him to keep coming to the fest, he loved his yearly Wedge calendar and his yearly baby blue BBWF shirt, we became quite good friends and I loved him as a friend, what an amazing person he was, we wanted to make him the "Wedgefather"
he was overwhelmed with how much we love the Wedge, I also was privileged to have met Martin Lilley, Barry "Whizzo" Williams, Chris Shirle, Richard Thorpe, and John Mleczek, who I use to chat to at many fest without realising who he was...bless those no longer with us.Sadly I was forced by economics and law to scrap my daily and sell Poppy my 350i which I had for 10 years, however she is in very nice hands, TVR heritage
...however this latest news to some of you is pure horror but to me Delilah coming back into my life is the connection to life and its full circle meaning, I am glad her temp dial was fugged by me as people have been scared to drive her on her rebuilt engine... I am currently re-trimming her, she still runs and drives and smells and is still loud, she has had a new roof, a 5 speed gearbox fitted and a bodged burnt load of relays and dodgy wiring which Alan Smith sorted..top man...I am glad I spent around 3k on all the fuel system, suspension and front end as it is all still good, hopefully she will be ready for spring, the TVR sausage meet will be re-born @ Greenwich and as I have missed a couple of fest would have to be there for this...20 years is a big milestone, it would make it extra special if some of those who were "The Originators" could be there, I am no longer involved in the fest as such, it has a new Captain, however I can still fire cannons so will be there, by hook or crook, by lock or book, I am not trying to get numbers up or fishing for numbers but getting Delilah back has made me realise what I have been missing, giving up something I love that I waited such a long time to get just doesnt make sense..so Viva la TVR...Viva la Wedge...Viva la Wedgefest...
Mark, sorry to hear that you have some mental health issues. It's was never easy to talk openly about them but these days its a lot better.
My wife is bi-polar and this made bbwf particularly difficult for me but all the events turned out pretty well so I think we can all be proud.
As an organiser you do get pulled in a few different directions at once and we all handle those situations differently.
If I disappeared during a wedge fest it was usually to go get another beer.
Can't believe it's been 20 years ...
My wife is bi-polar and this made bbwf particularly difficult for me but all the events turned out pretty well so I think we can all be proud.
As an organiser you do get pulled in a few different directions at once and we all handle those situations differently.
If I disappeared during a wedge fest it was usually to go get another beer.
Can't believe it's been 20 years ...
Wedg1e said:
Is there a 'fest on this year?
Certainly is: https://blackpoolthunder.com/thunder-events/#!even...
mark387mw said:
Which wedgefest had a curvy TVR being foolish in the carpark late evening?
I was there for that one and think it was the inaugural event.
It was indeed a very early, if not the first 'fest.I was there for that one and think it was the inaugural event.
I was talking to Graham Walden when some young guy started doughnutting a Chimaera that wasn't his.
He was doing all right; when he finished and drove down between two rows of parked cars all he had to do was smile and take a bow but instead he floored it, the back end stepped sideways and he rammed two cars, at least one of which belonged to hotel staff.
He claimed the owner of the car gave him permission, even 'expected' him to thrash it about to make sure it was a 'fit motor'.
Englishman said:
Certainly is: https://blackpoolthunder.com/thunder-events/#!even...
Hmm, have to check the piggybank, I'm off to Belgium with the usual biking suspects the following weekend.Gassing Station | Wedges | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff