How would people fancy a mini-bash somewhere on the Surrey/Hampshire border? Thanks to the closeness of Farnborough, Gatwick and Heathrow there must be quite a lot of PPRuNers in the area - I know of half a dozen or so.

Farnham or Guildford would appear to be the most likely sources of a suitable venue.

What think you folks?

I'm up for it, as can be seen from my location. I'll have to put in some extra time scouting new locations, though. What a chore! :ok:

I'm down that way fairly often and would be up for it.

What about the Wheatsheaf in North Waltham, which is about 20 minutes walk from Popham airfield - so flyable in for the little aeroplane people, a few minutes off the M3 (maybe 20 minutes south from Farnborough) for the corporate people, and about 45 minutes from Gatwick, LHR or Southampton for the airline people. It's a reasonable (albeit clearly chain - Chef and Brewer) pub, with a Premier Inn next door.

G

Sounds tempting ... depends on dates of course but I'm sure I could pop down to the land of my birth!

Cheers

Whirls

Glad to see there's a bit of interest!

My suggestion was somewhere like the Fox in Farnham - purely self-interest as it's walking distance from my pad! Always have at least one good real ale, and the food is excellent.

If anyone wants to fly in, there's Blackbushe 20 mins away or Fairoaks only slightly more. Farnborough as well, of course - but I couldn't afford to fly in there!

Ah, The Fox. Run by a very good friend of mine and scene of an interesting confrontation between a "Walt" and myself. He came off second best, I seem to recall, and hasn't been seen in there since.

So it's safe then eh jf?

Cheers

Whirls

Hmm, it's been six years or so since I was last at a PPRuNe bash. I'm probably overdue for going to another one.... and this sounds like it could be pretty local to me.

It would depend on the date. Babysitting duties take up most of my weekends, so I'm only free one weekend a month. Mostly it would be the first weekend of the month, but if it happens to be April, then I'm free on the second weekend of the month. Sorry to be the picky one - I won't take it personally if it's on a date I can't make!

FFF
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Somebody come up with a date - my drinking trouser diary is a bit empty during end March and April except 9/10th and Easter weekend.

Ah, that's only half of April weekends then.

No problems, Whirls, you can drink to your hearts' content. :E

Haven't seen or heard of him for at least 6 months.

I shall be away from mid-March until after Easter.

How do people feel about Saturday 30th. April? How would that fit with your duties FfF? Would you be able to make that, Whirls?

30th April is no good for me unfortunately. The following weekend - 7th/8th May - is fine, though. But please don't plan it around me if that means excluding others.

FFF
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The following weekend is fine by me. Whilst not planning it around any particular person, the more the merrier!

How does that following weekend sound to others?

No comments? Shall we plan then for 7th. May?

Great! The one weekend that I am away - on rugby tour, though, to Portugal! :hmm:

Well, it's in my diary.

Sorry you won't be there, John. :sad: Hope you have a fun time in Portugal though!

FFF
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If John can't make the 7th. how are people for the 14th.?

That would be no good for me.... in which case, might as well go back to 30th April (since the original reason for rejecting that date was because I couldn't make it).

The next date I can do after 7th May is 4th June - don't know whether we want to leave it that long?

FFF
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When you finalise a date, I'll try to make it.

John,
What is a "WALT"?

W.D. ( I have a great urge to type "40" after your initials . . . :p)

A Walt is short for Walter Mitty, the character made famous by Danny Kaye in a movie where the hero has delusions of grandeur and imagines himself to be something that he clearly isn't. Also think of Leonardo diCaprio in "Catch me if you can".

We've had a series of people on here who profess to be SHAR pilots, Airline pilots, have had brain tumors, professed undying love for other PPRuNers, causing untold grief to innocent people, etc.

The one in particular referred to above befriended me on here and we met at The Fox pub mentioned. After a couple of meetings I began to smell a rat and quite by chance stumbled upon a thread here which seemed to bear a striking resemblance to the stories I had been told by this Walt. When I was in possession of clear facts from genuine people, I happened upon this chap again and proceeded to denounce him in the pub (he'd already bounced a few cheques and taken money under false pretenses.)

If I was a technical wiz I would provide you with a link to the thread, which is in Jet Blast. It's fairly lengthy, but if you suffer from insomnia and need a laugh, it's well worth the effort. :ok:

OK - It's clear we can't agree a date that everyone can make.

I've just flipped a coin here. It came down heads. Sorry, FFF!

30th. April it is, The Fox pub in Farnham. The Fox is out of Farnham towards The Bourne on the A287.

51°11'54.44"N 0°47'28.47"W for Google Earthpeople.

Would people prefer evening or lunchtime?

Glad you might be able to make it, Hamrah - it would be good to have you there! :)

Thanks John for the definition of a WALT - you can type whatever you like after my initials!

Well, as a member of the Fox quiz team, I can thoroughly recommend the place, so I will await further news of the date/time as agreed by others.

johnfairr I have sent you a pm.

Phil H.

Hmph. Very unfair. I shall take that decision personally, and never speak to you again.

Only joking! Hope you have a wonderful evening! Please have a vodka+coke for me, and hopefully I'll be able to make the next one!

FFF
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How far a walk / stagger is it from Farnham station? Little point in driving to a real ale pub!

SD

It's about a £5 cab fare. Staggering not an option as it goes uphill then down hill (both ways, funnily enough!). Cabs are easily come by, there's a rank at the station and it's a well known haunt for cabbies . . . .

Room for one more!! That is my long weekend off! :ok:

Share a cab, BRL? :)

SD

saab / brl

if you would like a lift from the station i can oblige (non drinker)

CS.. any idea of gathering time ? i dont want to look a wallflower ! :oh:

Since it appears there are people needing to travel, I suggest a lunch, continue into afternoon for as long as people can stand it (or as long as they can stand up).

How's about off chocks @<hidden> 12:00?

If people can either pm me or give a semi-defninite yea or nay here I'll book tables etc. and warn them that bunch of pissartists will be eating/drinking them out of house and home...

There's a grave risk I will descend upon the Fox at appointed day/time.

Grandchildren and spouse may demand other arrangements, so chalk me in as a 'probable'.

Captain Stable - please count me as a definite yes (or Wahay, for short).

stuckgear - that's a kind offer which I may very well take you up on, thanks! We can co-ordinate via pm closer to the date.

Cheers

SD

Count me in for lunch.

G

I hope so Genghis, CS tells me you're paying ! :p

Well, not so sure about that, but I have an astoundingly crude 2 seat open cockpit job 45 minutes away, so might be persuadable to a bit of a jolly before or after.


Incidentally - is it this pub: Welcome to The Fox, Lower Bourne (http://www.thefoxlowerbourne.co.uk/) ?

G

Is this still a goer for the 30th?

SD

i' planning on being there.. perhaps we could have a few confirmations or it'll be dinner for two saab. (no candles)

I'm reffing at the Farnham RFUC 7s tournament, but I'll pop in around 1:00pm (in my ref's gear, natch!)

(in my ref's gear, natch!)

Ah, so you'll be the one with the white stick... ;)

SD

Is this still on for tomorrow (30 April), as I may be in the area?

Well, we seem to have 4 including yourself...

I've PM'ed a couple more, and I'll post tonight or tomorrow AM before 10.30 if it's going ahead or not - if that's not too late.

I somehow think that the long weekend may not have been uppermost in our collective minds when the 30the was suggested! :O

SD

Update, make that 5!

Looks like 12.30-13:00 for lunch and a pint or two.

I'll wear one of my Saab hats (but I'll be driving a Porsche 928).

SD

And a very pleasant lunch was had by all - great meeting everybody, I'm just sorry that SD and I didn't manage to do any flying in the afternoon.

G

Who did I miss? Were they waiting till I had left before pitching up, perchance . . .?

Thanks guys, I enjoyed it too. After you'd left I sat in the sun for an hour reading the bits of the Torygraph which weren't full of the wedding. Sorry you didn't get to fly in the end.

sorry to have missed it guys. All intentions of turning up, but had a pop up issue to deal with regarding and aircraft, which kind of blew my morning apart.