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Jul. 13th, 2006 08:50 pmWe went to Thruxton today to cheer one of our town's schools in the final of the Hampshire Solar Challenge, a competition in which kids from across the county race solar powered toy cars. There was absolutely no traffic on the drive up, so we reached the vicinity of Thruxton just before 10 am, a full half hour early. John took us round three villages in the hope there'd be a cafe where we could get a cup of coffee. No such luck - all the villages consisted solely of houses, plus maybe one pub which, of course, wasn't open yet. Meanwhile, my mother, who hadn't brought a jacket as it was 83 and blazing sun in our town when we set off, was getting concerned about the cloudy sky and the temperature gauge, which was showing 66 and falling...
So we just drove on to Thruxton. Almost immediately, me ma managed to scrounge a jacket from a kindly lady organiser. We walked round the 'pits' where all the kids were giving their models the final once-over and stopped to say good luck to our team, then were told by a lady steward that coffee was available in the restaurant so wandered over for a cup. On our way there, a couple asked us where they could go to enquire about booking a birthday package at the racetrack. We spotted a member of Thruxton staff and pointed them at him.
We came back from the cafe just in time for the heats, and were met by Jim and Maria, the only other civic people who'd come. As finals day was being co-organised by the Army, the kids were assembled into a platoon and put through standing at attention, about-turning and quick-marching by a Staff Sergeant. Jim couldn't resist falling in, so my mother decided what was good enough for the other Mayor present was good enough for her, handed me the camera and told me to get a good pic, and so the two of them joined the kids in some square-bashing.
Our school were first to race; they were beaten by a whisker thanks to the other team blatantly pushing their car, and our team captain went over to the kids on the other team and started arguing with them, but justice prevailed and the other lot were disqualified. Our team went on to qualify for the final.
Next, we walked about watching as the kids did environmental workshops including riding a green energy bike and doing worksheets about energy saving in a display staffed by a young couple in white lab coats, whose labels proclaimed them to be 'Professor I. Switchitov' and 'Ms Turnitov'.
After that came lunch, a buffet including some rather tasty honey-coated sausages, poppadoms and dips, soused herring and (yes) OODLES of CHEESE! Next was a theatre show, put on by a young couple who played all the parts between them, about the efforts of a spaceman called Zak from the Planet Spotless and an earth girl called Tina to save Planet Earth from being destroyed by the environment-unfriendly ways of the evil dictator Trashsqualor. It was very amusing - and put the message over well - and the kids loved it, though the male performer got more than he bargained for with one boy who was in a lippy mood! At the end of the play a group of kids chanted 'We want Zak! We want Zak!' The male actor put his head through the curtain and smiled at them; alas, he was still dressed as Tina's slob boyfriend Bradley...
Back outside for the last three races of the day. We had a quick chat with the organising Army guys, who were standing with a couple of the sailors who'd helped with our town's heat; they were winding each other up about the impending Army v Navy race. When we moved on from them, John walked over to tell me England were 164 for 3. I talked to him for a little while then we joined my mother and Maria. Maria announced that she was thirsty (it was quite humid) and that she could really do with a Coke. I echoed her. John didn't have any Coke, but immediately offered us a bottle of water each, so he and I went over to the Mayoral car and took two bottles from the boot. When I handed one to Maria, she was blown away and thanked John over and over again - she said they don't get any such luxuries with their chauffeurs, and when John told them he always has mints on hand for my mother too Maria went green with envy.
We all cheered on the school from Test Valley in the third place play-off and, much to Maria's delight, they won. Next came Army v Navy. All the locals were cheering the Army; as the sailors were from our town we shouted for them, but the wheel came off their car :( One boy on our team was enthusiastically supporting the Navy; despite the disaster, he continued to shout "NAVY RULES!" for some time after the race ended. Then came the final. Our team were beaten by a small margin. My mother commiserated with the kids and we told them 'well done' for getting this far, then it was time for the presentation.
My mother had the honour of presenting the race trophy. To my surprise, she called out the school who'd beaten ours in the final as runners-up, they accepted their diploma with no-one protesting, then she called up our team to receive the trophy. I cheered and clapped with everyone else from our town, but was naturally confused. When the design awards, and the commemorative certificates for the teams who hadn't won anything, had been presented and the organiser's closing few words said, I asked my mother whether the other school had been disqualified. She said yes, for pushing.
Our victorious kids were then led off to the race track for their surprise prize; being taken on a 120 mph lap in a Mazda by a pro racing driver. We said our congratulations and goodbyes just as the first group were getting into the Mazda, then headed back to John and the Mayoral car for the trip back to our town where my mother had to present a lady with a 103rd birthday gift...
So we just drove on to Thruxton. Almost immediately, me ma managed to scrounge a jacket from a kindly lady organiser. We walked round the 'pits' where all the kids were giving their models the final once-over and stopped to say good luck to our team, then were told by a lady steward that coffee was available in the restaurant so wandered over for a cup. On our way there, a couple asked us where they could go to enquire about booking a birthday package at the racetrack. We spotted a member of Thruxton staff and pointed them at him.
We came back from the cafe just in time for the heats, and were met by Jim and Maria, the only other civic people who'd come. As finals day was being co-organised by the Army, the kids were assembled into a platoon and put through standing at attention, about-turning and quick-marching by a Staff Sergeant. Jim couldn't resist falling in, so my mother decided what was good enough for the other Mayor present was good enough for her, handed me the camera and told me to get a good pic, and so the two of them joined the kids in some square-bashing.
Our school were first to race; they were beaten by a whisker thanks to the other team blatantly pushing their car, and our team captain went over to the kids on the other team and started arguing with them, but justice prevailed and the other lot were disqualified. Our team went on to qualify for the final.
Next, we walked about watching as the kids did environmental workshops including riding a green energy bike and doing worksheets about energy saving in a display staffed by a young couple in white lab coats, whose labels proclaimed them to be 'Professor I. Switchitov' and 'Ms Turnitov'.
After that came lunch, a buffet including some rather tasty honey-coated sausages, poppadoms and dips, soused herring and (yes) OODLES of CHEESE! Next was a theatre show, put on by a young couple who played all the parts between them, about the efforts of a spaceman called Zak from the Planet Spotless and an earth girl called Tina to save Planet Earth from being destroyed by the environment-unfriendly ways of the evil dictator Trashsqualor. It was very amusing - and put the message over well - and the kids loved it, though the male performer got more than he bargained for with one boy who was in a lippy mood! At the end of the play a group of kids chanted 'We want Zak! We want Zak!' The male actor put his head through the curtain and smiled at them; alas, he was still dressed as Tina's slob boyfriend Bradley...
Back outside for the last three races of the day. We had a quick chat with the organising Army guys, who were standing with a couple of the sailors who'd helped with our town's heat; they were winding each other up about the impending Army v Navy race. When we moved on from them, John walked over to tell me England were 164 for 3. I talked to him for a little while then we joined my mother and Maria. Maria announced that she was thirsty (it was quite humid) and that she could really do with a Coke. I echoed her. John didn't have any Coke, but immediately offered us a bottle of water each, so he and I went over to the Mayoral car and took two bottles from the boot. When I handed one to Maria, she was blown away and thanked John over and over again - she said they don't get any such luxuries with their chauffeurs, and when John told them he always has mints on hand for my mother too Maria went green with envy.
We all cheered on the school from Test Valley in the third place play-off and, much to Maria's delight, they won. Next came Army v Navy. All the locals were cheering the Army; as the sailors were from our town we shouted for them, but the wheel came off their car :( One boy on our team was enthusiastically supporting the Navy; despite the disaster, he continued to shout "NAVY RULES!" for some time after the race ended. Then came the final. Our team were beaten by a small margin. My mother commiserated with the kids and we told them 'well done' for getting this far, then it was time for the presentation.
My mother had the honour of presenting the race trophy. To my surprise, she called out the school who'd beaten ours in the final as runners-up, they accepted their diploma with no-one protesting, then she called up our team to receive the trophy. I cheered and clapped with everyone else from our town, but was naturally confused. When the design awards, and the commemorative certificates for the teams who hadn't won anything, had been presented and the organiser's closing few words said, I asked my mother whether the other school had been disqualified. She said yes, for pushing.
Our victorious kids were then led off to the race track for their surprise prize; being taken on a 120 mph lap in a Mazda by a pro racing driver. We said our congratulations and goodbyes just as the first group were getting into the Mazda, then headed back to John and the Mayoral car for the trip back to our town where my mother had to present a lady with a 103rd birthday gift...
