We have just come back from our first Dandy Owners Club rally, at Selby . Been a member for two years now and this was the first
time we could manage to get to a rally. We did wonder if things
would be a bit "anorackish", but we were made to feel very welcome.
Immediately on arrival all three of us were given our choice of
drink. The pitch was excellent, several people came across to ask if
we needed help with assembly (first timers). An extension lead was loaned to us to reach an electric point that was too distant for our lead. Everyone we met was friendly.

Saturday night featured a quizz & a few team games in the site bar.
Harmless enough entertainment. Sunday featured a raffle, in which my
son won a prize.

So, "anoraks" were not present (it was red hot all weekend) though
there were quite a few Dandy shirts on display. Cost was very
reasonable, & the campsite was very clean & well equipped. We are
booked for Blackpool in September & look forward to seeing everyone again.

Thank you to all those who worked at making the weekend enjoyable, & to all those who we met & made us feel welcome.

Steve Lisa & Graham McVicar.

The Ranch Selby April 

 

     Having safely removed the Destiny from the garage, l checked the torques on the wheels & tyre pressures, a squirt of grease where there are nipples provided. (The unit had been out previously and been erected in a friends drive for a pre season once over giving the chance to check all was well before the first rally.)

Then onto the road using the 12v mover, just in time for the ''Venerable vice chairman'', to return having replenished the petrol tank.

In no time we were heading north on the M1 towards junction 32 and then just a little further & ''Destination'', announced Cecelia the sat' nav'. We had arrived, but our progress was thwarted by the fortifications, by way of an electronic gate. Chris was out of the car & on her way through the pedestrian access gate when Norman appeared & positioned the key fob to actuate the gate. Many offers of a ''Cuppa'', thank you Derek & Marjorie & others. The stewards would arrive later. We looked around for a pitch large enough to accommodate unit & awning, without encroaching on other pitches & breaching the distance rule. There was just the one in the far corner on the right. I reversed the unit so far & with Chris, Norman & Marge turned the Destiny through 90 degrees. First priority a lunch break & then we proceeded with setting it all up, always a little daunting the first time with help, well it has been 6 months or so since Chris last assisted. A few mutterings and about an hour or so later and all was done. A colder than expected first night & we awoke to a misty morning but as the day progressed it became warm and sunny. Spent most of the first day (Friday) talking and making some new acquaintances.  Saturday we toured the local area then in the afternoon I treated Chris to some retail therapy at a discount shopping outlet. Buying some much discounted trainers myself. All in all an enjoyable experience. A Chinese dinner before the evening's entertainment and off to the ranch bar. In teams of 6 as instructed we awaited the start of the quiz. 2 rounds of 20 questions later and we had neither won nor lost. Well done to all. Next a pictionary style round which the 3 first timers that Chris & I had joined for the quiz eventually won. At the Sunday rally meet. I think all of the first timers won a prize. Next pack every thing away and reluctantly head home.

In what seemed no time at all we had unhitched the Destiny and pushed it off the road up the gradient of the drive and into the garage, unpacked the car and were sitting down on the garden bench opposite our new garden pond and feeding them with a few pieces of their favourite food.

One arose from the depths then another then the third and to my surprise a fourth and then more until the count was nine.

Well we only had three when we left on the Thursday; the reason for the increase soon became apparent however upon the return of Naomi our youngest.

While out for other reasons @ a local Garden centre she could not resist their generous offer and bought the 6 new ones to make our new pond appear fuller, well the original three did look lost in all that extra water.

 

All the best John & Chris {vice chairman}.