The Nightmare Continues

Cary Grant....why ? Why the hell would there be a statue of Cary Grant in Bristol ? That was just one of many quiz answers that I did not get as Team Jezebel slumped to a fairly mediocre 7th place in Team Nightmare's quiz. Due to having a geographically challenged team members, work commitments and one on a sleep over at the cousins, I was alas the only true Team Jezebel member. We did however have the Mowlam Mob, 4 Nightmares and a mobile brothel keeper (sorry Marc) and a large number of well wishers.
My performance in the raffle was likewise a bit mediocre. A fivers worth of tickets yielded a rugby ball. The same rugby ball that I had added to the prizes in the first place. It has passed on, in true rugby ball fashion, to Sue to be used in another raffle elsewhere.
So, Team Nightmare. It's not the name they chose, it is something I have awarded them as time has progressed. The team, originally mooted by Phil Dennis has changed a little since his first suggestion. In the summer of 2011 (yes, nearly 2 years ago ) when I first formed the idea and spread the word about the Windy 500, Phil was there, planning and scheming, pulling together a team of recently retired or soon to be retired Police officers and staff. It was a big team of 7, with a waiting list to get on to it, it seemed. Fondly dubbed 'The Old Gits' with the 'baby' of the team, Charlie (a mere late 30's). I had set a deadline for those who had expressed interest to actually sign up of 31st October. Strangely, the entry of the Old Git's team wasn't there and continued not being there for several months. Phil was having some recruitment problems. Members unable or unwilling to commit, unwilling to pay up their share of the entry fee, members trying to sort out if they could get leave or where they would be working by then. Charlie quit due to the uncertainty, others dropped by the wayside. The all-male team took on a more feminine look (not to mention a reduction in average age) with Holly joining. Soon after, her husband Mark also came on board, together with James (still not sure how he'll cope for 3 weeks without his swivel chair and being out after dark). Angie and Cat joined, Angie left. Emma joined, Emma left. Speccy Dave briefly flirted with the team, but hey, that's what Speccy Dave does.
So, by now, the only original 'Old Git' left was Phil. With the younger troops coercing Phil to greater (alright, any) levels of exertion, the team finally, after 15 months of trying, got their entry fee together and at least made a stab at the documentation. Vicky came back from a years travelling around Asia and immediately decided that she needed a holiday and joined the team. So, 6 on board now. No longer 'Old Gits' and the team that has, by far, been my biggest nightmare.
Despite much talk of acquiring ex-MOD minibuses and several months of drooling over a Dorset Police CCTV van, these ideas fell by the wayside and the team finally found 'LaDiVa' on Ebay. She is a white Sherpa LDV minibus. She now has a number of seats removed for Phil's planned cooking area and storage and is awaiting graphics (no hurry Nightmares, we still have 20 days to sort it out....) .
And so, the final (I doubt that very much) twist to the Nightmare story. Phil, the founder, the (puppet) leader, the team chef and only Old Git left, has had to pull out and won't be coming. It leaves a (big) space on their van. We'll miss you Phil. A man with a tall story for every occasion. Perhaps not the most dynamic of leaders, but without him, the team wouldn't be there in the first place (and I'd have a lot less grey hair).

Hiding place for illicit booze

The Spaghetti Explosion

So, you ask, what progress on Jezebel in the last week ? Well, following the trip to Teignmouth last weekend, she now has a cupboard (full of junk), where before she had a large pile of junk. She has fuses and a fuse box in amongst the spaghetti explosion. The sink tap makes a whirring noise and produces a steady stream of air (I'll connect the water soon). We have a cushion fixed in place to make an extra seat in the back. She is running smoothly, albeit still needs the alternator sorting out. One of many small issues I'll need to take care of when I get the chance.
This week has also seen MOT certificates being awarded to both Milly and Olly (congratulations all round) and smugness from Team 12 as the mobile brothel doesn't need one until after we get back. The Swedes of Team 42 look set to join us somewhere on route, (their website says so), but they'll need some sort of a vehicle. Milly has front seats, Amba the ambulance has many, many sponsors, a solid oak table, an internal hammock but a minor electrical problem with the stereo. The Mobster has a futon bed and they are looking for space to fit a leisure battery. Team Chameleon are making their own number plates (all fully legal apparently) and Team 25 should hopefully be showing off a sporty new exterior soon (come on Ralph, get it done and get some photos up !).
20 days to go....