The Silk Route Motorcaravan Club.

Bulletin 106 (Part 1 of 3).

August 2003.
Editor (Original edition in French) Jacques Mahaut.
Translated by Rowena Brunning and Les Brook.
Translation Edited by Les Brook.

N.B. Words in red have notes attached to them, place your cursor over the word and wait. This page uploaded from Estonia by GSM phone so no photographs and in three parts! - Stephen Stewart.

In this bulletin...

AGM: where have all the members gone?

As we go to press, only 84 of you have said you will be attending the AGM and 20 of you have filled in the proxy form. Out of a membership of 450, it's a tiny minority! It's bad enough to discourage even the most enthusiastic and devoted, especially all those who are doing the organisational side. Don't you know - it's the Association's 10th anniversary? Aren't we going to do as well as we did in Arnac and Rambouillet?

I know... IT'S THE NORTH! And it scares people! But people who know the region are well aware that its riches, human and natural, make it well worth putting up with a two degree temperature difference with that of the south.

PLEASE, PLEASE make an effort... QUICKLY! I am relying on you, and it's never too late, even if it means complications with the organisation. Don't forget that if for any reason you find you cannot attend, we always send you your money back.

Gossip from Alsace (or from the sidelines of the balade) continued...

Highways in Alsace (2) - another road in the Vosges, in the Lower-Rhine this time, the D113between Ingwiller and La Petite-Pierre goes through the little village of Sparsbach. In this village, two little tracks join to form a crossroads. Their direction is altered by about 4 metres. Following the fashion in roundabouts, the village has made two. The four tracks are no more than 3m wide. The two roundabouts with a raised section (15m high in the centre) are 1m in diameter and stretch for about 2m. If the space is enough for cars to go round the humps, it's not enough for motorcaravans. They are too wide and too long. They are bound to hit one or both humps. I'd like to see a 38 tonnes vehicle go there.

Car museum: after the visit we were aware of the risks you run in parking in an undefined and unguarded place to visit the museum. There are hundreds of vehicles of all kinds inside, but not a single motorhome. They could have pinched one of ours to complete their collection!

Intolerant? Amongst those who live in Markstein, some people, destitute perhaps, raid dustbins and bags of rubbish. Is it to scratch a living? Every time we put our bags into the concrete bins, we found them next morning ripped open and their contents scattered about on the road and car park. Since our members are responsible and well-behaved folk, a team of early-risers sets to work immediately, and those who slept were unaware of it but we restored the site to immaculate cleanliness for succeeding visitors. (A person who lives in this winter sport resort explained that this occurrence was due to the large number of foxes who call to pick up what is left by picnickers on a Sunday evening).

Paul Gouwy

Thanks to all those who participated in the Alsace balade, but especially...
[Not translated, and list not included here]

Expeditions being planned.

First calls.

EGYPT: Andre and Francine Helmbacher have this destination in mind and are looking for travelling companions. This is a stop-gap whilst they await a trip to West Africa.

CUBA and AFRICA: Nello and Marie-Christine Di Giusto. We expect to go back to Africa, probably South Afirca, Namibia, Botswana etc, and we would like to contact Club members who have visited Cuba in a hire car or on local transport.

INDIA: Gordon Mackie

SAMARKAND: Michel Lafourcade

Final call!

CAMEROON: we will be forced to give up our plans if no-one decides to join us. Information: Francoise and Paul Boby (04 71 63 39/06 13 83 22 64). [Address in membership list]

News from North America.

Bernard Hespel: liberdupel@free.fr
Munch family: family-dreamtime.fr.st.

New members.

[Not translated: reproduced in French]

MACKIE Gordon, Flat 2, Dynas IA, Wharf
Rd, St Ives. Cornwall - TR261LG U. K
01 736 795 815 - dgmac70@aol.com
Hymer 544/ Fiat 2.5 TD- Moyen-Orient

MONGOUACHOU Jean-Pierre
1, rue du parc Buffon, 21500 MONTBARD
4 X 4...

LAFOURCADE Michel et Bernadette
80 rue du Fg Poissonnière, 75010 Paris
01 48 244 661
micheletbernadettelafourcade@hotmail.com
Land 130 aménagé maison - Mali

PARR John Arthur et Dorothy
Coastpost - Box 112, Calle Baja - Torrox,
29770 Malaga -SPAIN - 0034 645 237 595
Parrdorothy@hotmail.com
Hymer 694 /Fiat Ducato

Changement de nom :
Mauricette DEFLANDRE reprend son nom de jeune fille : ARVOIS

A Half-Tour de France by the Mahauts.

[Not translated but please note: our President and his lady - Jacques and Lucette Mahaut - will be camping in Sillans-le-Cascade from 9-17 August, and all members are welcome to their court. Ed.]

African festival invitation. If you are in the Isere neighbourhood.

[Summary translation]

Christiane Hurault is organising an African festival on Sunday 21 September 2003 in Anjou en Isere which is in north Isere, France. The location is 5km east of the A7 motorway exit signposted Chanas.

There will be a traditional African market, African food, music and dance.
Info and reservations: France 04 74 84 14 55.

Practical information: communications.

[Summary translation]

There's been some confusion in the last bulletins about the American insurance company AIU. The current telephone number is 001 302 594 21 75.

Pocketmail is a very useful Internet tool for the traveller. You only need a telephone: internet cafes are not needed. The service is available in the US and in Europe. See:
http://www.pocketmail.com/us/products/howitworks
http://www.pocketmail.com/eu
http://www.pocketmail.com/us/press/may_27_europe_release

You can avoid buying phone cards for each country by getting a Lonely Planet EKNO calling card (see www.ekno.com).

For more info, email us.
Dirk and Lucette Bogaert dbogaert@pocketmail.com.

Motorcaravan Exchange with N.Z.

[Summary translation] N.B. to use any of the e-mail addresses below you must add ".nz". They have given this way to prevent them being "harvested" for spam. Webmaster.

Bill Peckham has sent us info about several contacts who are interested in motorcaravan exchanges:

  • elmart@ihug.co
  • miclarke@wave.co
  • hoppys@xtra.co
  • rj.thomas@xtra.co
  • rj.Kelly@ihug.co
  • syds@ihug.co
  • simoo@actrix.co
  • r.d.dempstre@actrix.co

Postcards from...

[Summary translation]

Simone Moriot, Nice 30 June: a number of pleasant days with my family. Lots of affection. The heat is a bit too much...

Jo and J-P Courtin, Seville, 17 May: a big sunny hello to all.

Simone and Denis Lahaye, St Petersburg, 16 June: good journey Poland and Russia. Very hot. Good welcome: motorcaravans are still rare here.

Annick and Erick Bisschop, Iraklion, Greece, 23 June: super Mediterranean cruise for my 75th!

Part 2 of 3.

Home - This page last changed on 2003-08-16.