22 Sport quattros in one place!

[quk@sievers.com (Phil Payne)]

In message <Pine.SUN.3.91.960819101832.13835D-100000@marjoram.compnews.co.uk> Mike writes:

>> On 21 September 1996, the UK quattro Owners Club and Club Audi will jointly 
>> host an event at Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire - just off the M1 between J12 and 
>> J13.

> Am I correct in thinking that anyone can turn up here?

I think it's supposed to be "Members Only", but GBP15 to Roger Galvin would 
solve that problem.  Or you might be able to bluff your way in by showing some 
interest in quattros, by doing something utterly asinine like driving down from 
Yorkshire.

If Roger's there, of course, you will experience the "nose" he shares with 
Customs Officers - he just points at people and says: "_YOU'RE_ not a member!"

And he's always right.

These events usually take place in the early evening, after the house and 
grounds have been closed to the great unwashed.  (For those who don't know, 
Woburn Abbey isn't a church but the Dook of Bedford's pile - one of the most 
spectacular of the English stately homes.  Whether 'is Grace 'imself will be 
there, I know not.  He wasn't last time, but he _is_ a quattro fan.)  The 
instructions involve using a specific unmarked entrance and ignoring lots of 
"Closed", "No Entry", "Private", "No Admission", "Toffs Only" and "Go Away You 
Unwashed Peasant" signs, and the waving of various flunkeys.  Mind the deer 
- they're heavy, stupid and do a lot of damage to a quattro.  The mere fact 
that you negotiate this obstacle course is proof that you're entitled to be 
where you are.  Many members of the club will not come in their quattros - some 
have limited mileage insurance, some are deep in restoration projects, etc., 
and at least one has a terminal CV joint clunk, a cracked exhaust manifold and 
a leaking rear crankshaft oil seal.  We get all sorts of vehicles turning up, 
but only the quattros can use the photogenic car park by the Orangery with the 
view of the sunset over the lake. 

Then we drive in convoy down very narrow country lanes to the nearest pub, 
which serves _excellent_ Charles Wells' IPA.  The last time, the lead driver 
was a young lady in her early twenties who set a cracking pace - when we got to 
the pub, she said it was the first time in her life she'd felt she was holding 
up the traffic.

More details will be posted nearer the date.

--
 Phil Payne
 phil@sievers.com
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club