Mike Karslake memorial ride 19/20/21 June 2020

[Andy B.L.C.]

In honour of a man who undeniably lived Lambrettas we are finally returning to Northlew on the 30th anniversary of Mike's sad passing.

Please note out of respect to Mike this is a 100% Lambretta only event (no 'bretta = no goody bag!)

Based at the Minehead rugby club (the Tom Stewart Field, Ellicombe Lane, Minehead, TA24 6TR) Saturday will provide 140ish miles of grin inducing twisty, some technical some fast, Somerset & Devon tarmac goodness.

Mid point, in a 3 point signing in event, will be the Green Dragon Inn Northlew (Miltown Lane, Northlew, Okehampton EX20 3NN). Dan, the new landlord, is opening up specially for us (they're not usually open lunchtimes) & putting on a BBQ, please show your support. The way to Mike's grave will be clearly signposted... (press releases will be posted)

We had hoped to run the financial aspect of this event through the LCGB, so as to maintain complete financial transparency. Unfortunately (& for understandable reasons) this has proved to be impossible. So instead an event designated bank account has been set up & linked to an equally event specific Pay Pal account. So cheques to the value of £20 payable to A Nevill to - UWE Post Room, Coldharbour Lane, Frenchay, Bristol BS16 1QY (include a small SAE or use a large letter stamp if using an A4 envelope! if wanting confirmation of receipt), or (friends & family) Pay Pal payments to - mikesmemorial2020@gmail.com (any money left over will be going to this years LCGB designated charities) Please state your LCGB membership # (there may be a club only pin badge if funds allow... ) & if vegetarian.

If you have any memories, images etc of Mike then please share! Who knows where we'll be in 10 years time, think possible legislation & physically (clutch hand etc..), lets make this one count! x

Brought to you by the South West Lambrettisti, we don't need to rise again we never went away... ;

[bolzenanker]

Looking forward to it Andy, should be a blast.

Warren

[Solid Air]

Can't wait Andy, should be a great weekend

[Andy B.L.C.]

Nice 1 gents, looking forward to seeing you there!

The via 'mikesmemorial2020@gmail.com', £20 will get you in, Pay Pal account is getting busy, I imagine even more so when Jet Set comes out & this event becomes 'official'... As, for understandable reasons, this event isn't being run through the LCGB bank account (full bank statements will be available to anyone doubting the integrity, profits will go to this years chosen LCGB charities) this is an LCGB open rally, think Shipston 2011. So anyone on a Lambretta (Italian/Spanish/Indian, we won't be looking under the panels ) is welcome, but to reiterate, & this can't be stressed strongly enough, out of respect to the memory of Mike don't turn up on anything other than a Lambretta (this will be repeated to the point of tedium...)

This is looking to be a good 'un, it'll be epic if we pull together... To the South West crew, here's the event that you've been waiting for, to those up Noorf you've had it too easy so get yourselves down our way & show your respect. In our hearts & in our minds...

[Andy B.L.C.]

The 1st 'snail mail' has come in so this rally is above & beyond official! Second class stamp 'n' all... Top lad! Why waste money on a first class stamp when it could be spent on making your 'bretta go faster!

[Nudger]

Hi Andy - like everyone else I'm straining at the leash to get out and hope this event isn't cancelled.
Is there a cut off date for ticket applications?

[ULC Soulagent]

1st June according to Jetset

[Nudger]

1st June according to Jetset

Opps - missed that so better get on with it with fingers crossed. Thanks

[Andy B.L.C.]

Fingers & all other extremities crossed... To be brutally honest though, given my realistic (I'd like to think) world wide risk assessment, this event has joined the long list of other 2020 cancelled events... The way I feel now is that I'd be extremely uncomfortable to encourage anyone from areas with a sharper Covid curve than the thankfully virtually horizontal South West infection curve to come to an event that ultimately wont be what it could or should be...!

Hopefully the committee will give us a date next year to do a SW C2C in which we can incorporate a Northlew mid point paying respect to Mike moment (HINT...!)

[Nudger]

Have faith Andy and good idea about a South West C2C

[ITK]

To help Andy promote this event, we planned a couple of articles to be published in ScooterNova magazine. Of course that was months ago, before the current situation worldwide, but for all those interested in Mike Karslake and his scooters the brand new edition of ScooterNova magazine includes Paul Stringer's Fire Engine and LPS Lambros that were once part of Mike's Lambretta Museum, and also the Wolfie Smiths Series 1 Li as well that Mike loaned to the BBC for the sitcom in the 70s.
I don't think the history of Wolfie's Li has been previously catalogued as much, and we've got some lovely archive images of the Fire Engine too, courtesy of the late Paul Karslake.

Cheers, Andy - ScooterNova magazine
(http://www.scooternova.com)

SN19_karskake spreadscvr lo.jpg

[Nudger]

Nice one Andy - look forward to reading it

[Andy B.L.C.]

Within the indecisive 'twaddle' that earlier on masqueraded as policy from a government that back in March was prepared to risk a punt on 'herd immunity', a thankfully less catastrophic than it could have been social experiment, & now want a 14 day isolation period on anyone coming in from abroad (but only from the start of June, what date is it now? This is not 'politics' just FACT) there was the final 'official' (I'd already, but not publicly until now cancelled given what was going on abroad) word...

So sadly this is now official, I'm absolutely gutted but life & the saving of it, in this case, has a habit of getting in the way...

The Mike Karslake 2020 Memorial Weekend is now CANCELLED...

Hopefully the time & money spent might facilitate a SW Lambrettisti 2021 event...

Cheerz Bristol Andy

[Andy B.L.C.]

All Pay Pal payments have been refunded & cheques shredded... With many thanks to those showing their support, not least of which being the LCGB for giving us southern scum (joke!) a look in, in a traditionally northerncentric club rally scene!

Hope we get another chance next year... x

[Nudger]

My money has been refunded already and absolutely gutted for everyone involved.
Thanks Andy & others for doing the legwork and hopefully we'll be down there next year in happier times.

[Solid Air]

Gutted for you Andy, I know how much you wanted this to happen.

[Andy B.L.C.]

Thanks chaps! Without getting 'political' this was ultimately foreseeable & sadly inevitable... Being hugely optimistic (it's kept me alive through some real put downs & {life threatening} shit hands...) I'd like to think that we'll be bouncing back stronger & even more determined next year & that OUR club will be supporting us all the way! Keep on keepin' on... Forwards!

[Nigel. S]

Bad luck, Andy. But chin up.