Hello! How did we get to the end of July quite so fast? I’ll be wishing you a Happy Christmas before I know it.

As I might have mentioned, I am spending three months in the UK and Europe, primarily working from the UK (on Australian hours, about which more another time) for July and September, and spending most of August driving around northern Spain and Portugal.

As a result, I was lucky enough to bag a ticket to Goodwood Festival of Speed. It was a ticket for Sunday, which was quite fortunate, as a storm rolled up the Channel on Thursday making Friday rather wet, and Saturday was actually suspended due to the high winds forecast.

So when we turned up early on Sunday, many of the paddock garages had no roof or sides. Fortunately they had been removed before the storm broke, rather than being removed by the wind. But in chatting to William Taylor who was manning the Classic Team Lotus stand, it would seem that all cars had to be secured in their trailers, and then brought out on Saturday morning again – what fun they must have had.

My brief summary is elsewhere, but suffice to say it was great to be there, the sun shone (mostly) and the team at Lotus were kind enough to let me in to avoid the crowds! And it was lovely to catch up with Mark O’Connor among many others. Now I am looking forward to the Revival in September. And a trip to Langley Priory on Saturday in the company of Nigel Halliday to attend a gathering of Elites and their owners for lunch.

In the meantime, Mrs R and I are catching the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander on Monday, and then drifting around northern Spain and Portugal in an attempt to try every pastel de nata (custard tart to you and me) in the country.

Back on the ground, and following the very successful visit by Don Christopher to Sydney, August in NSW brings us, apart from Tyre Kicks and Coffees, the next round of the CSCA Championships at SMSP on 19th. The need for volunteers is still significant, despite Craig and Cathie co-opting the whole family for the day. So please get in touch here via [email protected] if you are able to help.

The following day is the Shannons Classic (also at SMSP) with a celebration of 75 years of Lotus meaning we have a few extra tickets available – please do support this significant date in the diary, in particular by bringing your car out to play! Tickets available from Evan on [email protected].

Elsewhere, Andrew and the SA crew have had to change the routine meeting place for their EMRs from its traditional spot at the Sikh Centre carpark to a new meeting spot at the northern part of Beaumont Rd in the South Parklands, accessible from the corner of South Terrace and East Terrace.

Before we know it, it’ll be September, and hopefully the All British Day (aka picnic day!) on Sunday 17th will be a fine and sunny one. Tickets also from Evan, and we will probably need to supply some or more volunteers to marshal the car parking, so please can I ask for you to consider volunteering for this lovely event too.

Right, I had better get on with organising the various activities I have left until the last five minutes before leaving for the ferry – like giving the Audi TT one of my lovely friends has lent me an oil and filter change before the 3000 miles I am about to put on it. And finding somewhere to stay for the first night in Spain.

So keep safe in my absence, and please keep it upright and mostly on the blackstuff.

Pip pip,
Ashton