This was the Island Hoppers Run to Mull trip on 14th June 2003 Campbell, but you were not on this
one, so will have to dig deeper for the Skye trip that Scotty asked about.
Thought I would add some of the reports in as we don't really get so many in
that depth nowadays.
tut
Greetings from Sheffield,
What a fantastic weekend. Thanks muchly to Scott for the plans. Shame we
missed most of day two 
Very nice to put more faces to names, and the weather couldn't have been
better.
As for the prang, we're both fine, but sadly the car ain't! New front and
rear clams plus whatever steering/suspension damage they find later. Car
is now residing at Wallyford so we drove back to Sheffield today in a hire
car.
For those of you who don't know, I took a chevron bend too fast and
(subconsciously, stupidly, naively etc) lifted off when it tightened up.
The car swapped ends and bounced off the rockface by the side of the road a
couple of times. It wasn't high speed, or a sharp impact so no injuries.
The car was drivable afterwards, but only just. Many thanks to everyone
who helped out (Tut, Rob, Iona and Iain T especially, and Simon who helped
out today with lifts round Edinburgh), and we really hope we didn't spoil
the rest of the day for anyone.
On the plus side, none of you will have to look at that bloody spoiler
again, and I'll get rid of those stonechips too!<BG>
Highlights for us were the road that claimed Fd's front plate (the most fun
I've ever had in the Elise), the pub, the beach (post pub), and the drive
round Mull on Sunday. I'll get some pics up tomorrow, but I'm off to bed
now.
Cheers all and see you soon (I hope),
Graeme + Victoria
PS: Fd, wasn't it *you* who was spiking the beers? With ketchup if I
remember correctly!
PS2: There really *were* ball bearings and diesel on the road...honest!
You have joined a club Graeme, that is all. Virtually every Elise owner
gets caught out at some time. If you are fortunate, you get away with
it, if not you end up hopefully with just a broken car.
Problem is the car is too bloody good, and you get to thinking it can do
anything. Fortunately it is also very strong. I was right behind you,
and when the front end went into the cliff face, followed by the back
end, from the noise and what seemed to be debris flying around, I feared
the worse.
The fact that neither of you had a scratch when I stopped, and that we
dragged it out and you could still drive it down the road for a way,
speaks a lot for it.
It will hit your confidence for a while, but it will come back. Hope to
see the black beastie on the road again before long.
tut
Superb weekend - Thanks Scott, great choices for campsite etc, let me
know when you're organising the next one and pen me in for it 
Only downer of the weekend was Graeme's off. Bit of a ba$tard how it
happened, and I hope it all goes smoothly at MMC/Wallyford. Glad you
and Vicki were fine - that's the most important thing.
I had a small incident, just clipping a rock on a medium left and
nipping the tyre between the wheel rim and the rock. Split through the
corner of the FNS tyre, but thanks to the help of our lateral thinking
Exige driver Kerry, we got it sorted and I headed back into Fort William
to catch National Tyres before they closed while the rest carried on to
Mull. I made it back to catch the last ferry to Mull with 15mins to
spare. Scrubbed the 2 new front tyres in on the way though...
Great pub just next to the campsite, complete with musical accompaniment
from a 'blues' duo.. However there were more noises coming from the
creaking joints of the dancing wrinklies. By the end of the night and
several gallons of beer, most of the S_E bunch that were still up (tut,
Scott and a few others had all gone to bed...lightweights 
)) were on
the dance floor shaking their collective booty... Ian W and myself
decided to sit it out like the grown-ups we are.
After desperately trying to get Graeme's girlfriend to go skinny dipping
with us, we gave it up as a bad job and went in hunt of the 'death
slide' (remember Sligachan campsite on Skye, Campbell?). Meeting 2
lovely Irish lassies on the swings, we sort of forgot the death slide
and opted to share our red wine with them instead. I also tried in vain
to persuade them back to my accommodation. That didn't work either as
they claimed to be lesbian and I had forgotten my video camera.
Good run back on Sunday only spoiled by other traffic, especially the
sh*t-head in the Focus. For two pennies I would have rammed the barsteward
if I had been behind him. Thankfully good sense and advanced driving
skills are the forte of our pin-man at the time, and Fergus managed to
create an opportunity by which we could all pass the Focus safely and I
think, without exception, all shout a lot of strong abuse at him and his
f*ckin ugly wife. There was no need for his blocking attitude, as he
was not being pressured by Fergus at all. He obviously just took
exception to the fact that some people prefer to enjoy driving rather
than as a means to an end... anyways...
For anyone that has not been to Mull, either touring or er..fast
touring.. get yourself there. It is a stunning place, very dramatic
scenery in places and great roads. I'm thinking of going back in
October anyway. The Tour of Mull rally will be on and they close the
roads http://www.2300club.org/
Great to meet everyone again, and to meet the new faces - see you all
soon!
Cheers
Iain
ahem...the lightweights had gone for a wander to see if Iain F and Skye were still up....they werent...so we got them up anyway....then ended up commandeering a camp fire off a pissed Edinburgh couple (which was soon piled with the "Drift Wood" which Tut found on the beach, namely 2 oars and a Cricket Bat) and chilling out by shouting obscenities at a ship having a dinner dance which was anchored off the coast.
HIGHLIGHTS
The single track B road just after the Corran Ferry which can only be described like a stage from Corsica on WRC....what a work out!!!
Getting to do the above road a further 2 times after going back to help with Iain T's puncture and Robs breakdown...
Mull...
All the courteous drivers letting us overtake, waving and smiling...they must be used to it with the Mull rally....
The lack of rain...
The saturday night fire...
Tuts Sausages...
Getting a bus of German tourists to stop taking pictures of Highland moos and having to scatter before we covered them in poo which was abundant on the road...
The phone call from Iain T saying hed done the run from Corran to Fishnish in 25 mins after realising the last Ferry was 6.35 and not 7.15 =:-0
The O so fast sweepers on day 2...
The Moulin moors road on the way home really finished the weekend..Myself and Rob only had to overtake 2 cars...and both them pulled in and waved us past, between Pitlochry and Bridge of Cally....
The Farmer who had a go at me and Dave for peeing in his field...in broad westcoast accent.."put your nobs away and away and fik off with yer fancy car"...
LOWLIGHTS
Getting a phone call to say that Rob and Iona had Crashed??? (he hadnt...crossed wires)...
Getting another Phonecall to say that Graeme and Vic had crashed??? (and relief when we heard they were OK)...
Rob's Breakdown...
Iains Puncture...
The weirdest shower block in the world....try taking a shower with someone in the next cubicle having a crap in the toilet....
Gritting my teeth when Rob's Westy's sump hit off every road imperfection on Mull...
The prick in the Escort...
Having a close one after coming over a blind rise to find a campervan trying to park just on the other side... =:-0
So who's organising the next one....
Scott
