Big Bad BoB BBQ may be on again....

[RHClarke]

Congrats to Bob for putting on such a great event. A lot of planning goes into these events, and Bob is to be congratulated on pulling it all together. My Rotters hat is off to you, Bob, and to Grant who worked behind the scenes making the event possible.

For those who were not able to attend, I will try to capture some of the fun and games. Friday afternoon was the set up. Gilles Chartrand and family rolled in with their convoy consisting of SMP Chev ambulance, two deuce and a halfs and a kitchen trailer. They had the honour of being the first group to arrive. The neighbours were treated to a symphony of air horns as the convoy made its way past Bob's house to the Divisional Assembly Area (DAA). The kitchen was set up and made ready the Friday night dinner, which consisted of a delicious pork loin meal.

Some long distance travellers from Southern Ontario rolled into town just in time for dinner. Members of the local Iltis Club showed up shortly thereafter. After dinner, some tall stories were told and a few drinks consumed. A bon fire was lit and by all accounts the evening passed without incident.

Saturday morning started with a great breakfast. Following the repast, Bob, Jon S and I headed for the barn to crank up Bob's truck, the marina cab 11 and my HUP for the first ever Hammond- based CMP convoy at BBB (Mike Calnan (AKA Gunner) has the distinction of being the first CMP and SMP convoys into Hammond). Bob's neighbours did a few double takes as the three CMPs rumbled down the road. The vehicles were left on display until the inaugural "slow idle" race.
The race was dreamed up by Bob (of course). The rules were quite simple - start the vehicle, get it moving as slow as possible without clutching or stalling, and the last vehicle across the finish line was the winner. Charlie Fitton volunteered to drive the marina CMP, and crossed the line first, well ahead of the other two trucks (seems he got so excited, he didn't hear the instructions clearly). Bob stalled his truck, and the HUP gained it's first laurel as a running CMP. I think the driver was more than a bit slow and idle as later I found out why my HUP wasn't running all that well - one wire was off the dizzy and one wire was off a spark plug...next time I will fit the doghouse...

Lunch was great! Burgers, dogs and fries were washed down with a Keiths or six. A tour of the infamous Hammond Barn and its star "Lucifer" ensued. A quick walk out to the vehicle park followed and then the gang was ferried back to the DAA. The dinner that followed was one for the ages. The weather was cool and breeze was blowing, which kept the Hammond airforce at bay. As mentioned in previous posts, the steaks were wonderfully prepared and eaten with gusto. A little later the bonfire was rekindled for the sole purpose of preparing "smores". After we plucked the marshmallow out of our hair, the fireworks show set up. Gunner provided Act I, which went off without incident. Bob sent out a team of crack fireworks wranglers to light off his contribution or Act II. A few rounds went astray, but there was no damage done in what turned out to be a spectacular display of fireworks. The bonfire was stoked and helped to tame the evening cool. A few brown pops and a few hours later, it was mostly quiet in Hammond again.

This morning we enjoyed a hot breakfast and prepared to break camp. The Southern Ontario crews packed up and sped off to join the G8/G20 fun in Toronto. The rest helped pack up the venue,and by 10:30hrs, there was nothing left but a smoking hole in the ground and tire tracks. Bob and I made our way back to the barn, and then it hit us - fatigue that is...I headed back to shakytown and Bob make his way home for some well-deserved rack time.

Thanks to all who came to Hammond to share in our common interests.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Thanks Bob! It was a great weekend, well worth the trip up from London. It was good to put faces to names and to connect with various people on topics of mutual interest. The wife being from Sarsfield, also found the manure spreader to be of great interest, although she was taken by the HUP and various other ‘Green’ things both at the BBQ site and around the ‘Hammond Barn’. Gilles’ crew did an outstanding job providing food for the ‘Troops’.

Denise and I are looking forward to next year, but in the meantime, on our next visit to Sarsfield, we’ll be sure to give you a ring and drop by.

Photos to follow later ...

Cheers

[Mark W. Tonner]

... upon landing in Toronto early Sunday evening, our plane stopped while taxiing to its assigned arrival gate, whereupon I happened to look out the window and not more then 200 yards from me sat Air Force One, in all its glory with a mini version of itself tucked right up behind, the whole behind frost fencing. You couldn’t see the underside of Air Force One for the total ring around it of black SUVs, with red flashing lights and the outer ring of ‘men in black’ ... you’d think the plane belonged to someone of importance or something ...

Besides seeing Air Force One, the other interesting thing about our flight home to London, was that it took us approx. 9½ hours from the time we left the driveway in Sarsfield (approx. 1500hrs) to the time we entered our home in London (approx. 0030hrs) ... after landing in TO, our connecting flight out was first delayed twice due to lightning and then cancelled

... whereupon having done a complete ‘360' within the terminal (re book, get baggage, recheck baggage, get new boarding passes, go through screening again) our connecting flight was delayed twice, again due to lightning and finally delayed due to a safety issue with the aircraft ... needless to say, the one thing we had tried to avoid by flying up to Ottawa and return was Toronto, but in the end it sucked us in ... moral of the story: we’ll take a direct flight from Ottawa to London next time

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Despite the rain, it sounds like you guys had a pretty good time! I'm sorry we weren't able to make it - Sally had to work and I was otherwise tied up. I really did want to be there!

The only positive of this weekend is I finally let go of my old employer's services, and went over to the competition. They pushed me around for 20 years when I worked for them, and they're even worse now! But no longer do I have to speak Urdu or Hindi when talking to customer service, and I have the same basic package of goods for about 2/3 the price I was paying before... I shoulda done this a long time ago!

Look forward to seeing most of you in Windsor this August, if not before.

Geoff

[captw]

Bob, Gilles & company...had a great time, and I look forward to next year!...thanks again for all your effort, greatly appreciated...Jordan, keep trying, you'll be a "professional driver" before you know it...W

[Stewart Loy]

Originally Posted by RHClarke

The Southern Ontario crews packed up and sped off to join the G8/G20 fun in Toronto.

Bob and Rob,

Thanks for having us over. We all had a swell time - plenty to eat and drink - and plenty of green stories to tell.

We made good time down to Oshawa to pick up some old truck tires - then back on teh road to Merry Hill, then Owen Sound. I was unloaded and put away at 7:00 PM.

I can hardly wait for the next get together.

Well done fellows!


Stewart

[Jordan Baker]

Hey Stewart

Did you by chance get my roof back to your place at all. Or did it not get deleivered in time?

Wilf, by professional driver, do you mean grinding gears or being able to get from a-b in great times?

[captw]

Jordan, professional driving encompasses many traits, most of which I struggle with...W

[Barry Churcher]

Wilf, as much as I deride, criticize, and mock you, I must admit your driving skills are second to none. I have never seen anything you wouldn’t try to drive on a moments notice and end up driving it well. I think you were born with a gear shift in one hand and your “unmentionable” in the other. While I admire your driving skills I must critique your map reading skills or lack thereof. Anyone who could get me lost TWICE on the way to Gordon Yeo’s place near Goderich, has a rare talent. I am sure Gordon’s directions didn’t say to proceed to the sign that says “Welcome to Goderich”, and then turn around and go back a few miles. Since Brian has left for PEI for the summer I haven’t had a chance to compare notes on our trip to BBBBQ 4. I have never been on so many back roads in my life. Thanks Wilf.

A witty kid that Baker boy. Thanks for bringing up the “professional driver” bit.

[Jordan Baker]

Glad to help, errrr.....ummmm not help. You choose. But at least you can't say I don't give options.


Map reading falls under a different skill then professional driver. Now I on the other hand can do both.

[captw]

in my defence, as miniscule as it may be, the road on the map I had was identified differently than what the sign at intersection read....also, I might add that when I was a "professional driver", I would scribble directions in a notebook, given to me by a dispatcher, over the phone to some obscure locale in northern PQ, or PA, or wherever, and get there without making a wrong turn...W

[Gordon Yeo]

Barry

Next time you come up here let Wilf drive and you point and nod at the road signs.

Gord

[Jordan Baker]

Ahh ha. Thats the difference. Its amazing how much a professional dispatcher can change things, this coming from my own life experiences. hahaha