She Did It!!!

"Canada's Pendrel takes mountain bike title."
Read all about it here.
(Thanks to Margot for spotting this important news item.)

Are you missing a glass plate?

Someone left a clear glass plate about 14" square at our house from the Austin Healey barbecue. Please call (363 5916) if you would like to claim this dish.

Curry

Newspaper Article from The Chronicle Herald

Curry passed this bit along about the Windsor show:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Wheels/1197624.html

Report on FABAC Meeting - August 18, 2010

    The club's monthly dinner meeting was held in Oromocto at the Diamond House Chinese restaurant on Restigouche road.  The parking lot filled quickly as LBC after LBC rolled in.  We even had a couple of BDDs (Boring Daily Driver) show up and quickly set about harrassing the drivers who dared NOT drive their LBCs while the weather was still nice.  The star of the show was Phil O. who arrived in his shiny and newly rebuilt MGB-now-V8.  He'd just completed a very nice installation of a 3.5 litre Rover V8 in the car and proudly displayed his handywork.  By this time the club had broken into two groups with the gentlemen in one corner oohing and ahing as we peered into Phil's engine compartment; and the ladies in the other corner.   While the skies darkened, a total of 17 cars assembled and we eventually wandered inside. 
     The smallish restaurant was filled to capacity as we took over and began moving tables around in order to (mostly) sit together. This caused Stephen W to play musical chairs as he was forced several times to move due to yet another incoming table. While on the subject of Stephen, did anyone else notice that both he and Jim Bleakney were wearing (again) the same shirt?
     Eventually we stopped fooling around with tables and chairs and got down to business with Gary leading the discussion on upcoming runs and events.  There is a flea market and (small) car show in Sussex this weekend while the BalloonFest follows two weeks later on the 12th of Sept. Gagetown will be holding a 'GagetownFest' on the long weekend coming up (fast!).  Several folks are planning on attending the Stowe show in Vermont on the 17-18-19th of Sept.   Our sorta-traditional Octoberfest run up north has yet to be planned.  BATANS will be making a run to Owl's Head in Maine in October and we were encouraged to join them.
      Bob Laroche talked about last weekend's (fabulous) run and suggested that the host, Tony Rickett, be given a memento of some sort.  After arguing a bit about the location of next month's dinner we all headed out and made our way across the Burton Bridge to wander up the 105 to the giant potato for ice cream.  The clouds had passed us by and it remained a warm and dry evening.
- Bob E.

Monthly FABAC Meeting August 18th

Nettie has booked the Diamond House Chinese Restaurant for Wednesday 18th August at 6.30pm
Located at 261 Restigouche Road, Oromocto, NB. See you there. :-)

A note from the Sweets

Dear fellow FABACians
Pat and I would like to thank you for the wonderful going-away party you recently threw for us and the lovely parting gift that you gave us. We really enjoyed the evening. A special thanks goes to Anne and John for hosting at your beautiful home. We are really going to miss camaraderie at the meetings and outings and hope to have the opportunity at some time to join up with you if you ever travel to PEI, NS or the eastern side of NB. Best wishes for many topless miles and smiles in your real and “wannabee” LBCs. Look us up if you are ever in the Cape Traverse area of the Island.

Bob and Pat Sweet

John's Report on the FABulous Tour 2010

DSCN0801     Twenty-four FABAC members in 12 cars enjoyed a unique tour August 14th that included beautiful Saint John River scenery, a historic site visit, a private viewing of one man's British car collection and an awards dinner at the end.
     The tour took FABACians in super summer sunshine from Fredericton, through Cambridge Narrows to the village of Kingston. Here. we visited the John Fisher Memorial Museum (and its facilities!) and given a conducted tour of the oldest church in New Brunswick standing on its original foundation. (Trinity Church was built by Loyalists in 1789, and is still in regular use as are many of its original wooden pews.)
     Then it was onto the "estate" property of Tony Rickett and his family where we visited by special invitation. Here we parked our cars on a riverside lawn below Tony's vineyard and had our picnic lunches in a shady beach area. Some of us paddled in the river, some of us played horseshoes and all of us visited Tony's garage to see his restored Jaguar XKE, Triumph TR2 and TR3A and Austin-Healey 100 British classic sports cars. The Rickett's hospitality extended to opening a guest cottage for our use and donating two bottles of wine as prizes for the special driving skill competition.
     The competition involved cars being driven with driver's eyes closed to a marked point on the ground. The winners were Alex Hoffman (Triumph TR6) best British car and Dennis Williams (Chrysler-Maserati) best non-British car. Later in the afternoon, the tour continued along the river road to the Grand Bay-Westfield ferry via a detour recommended by Doug and Nancy LaPaire who knew about local road construction.
     The last leg of the day's activity was the drive along the opposite bank of the river to the Evandale Inn where arrangements had been made for dinner and the awards presentation.
     It was mid evening before tour participants headed for home in the glow of the setting sun. A great tour and not a single breakdown en route!

Report by John B.
John's photos here.

A lIttle Taste of the FABulous Tour

Bob LaR sent along some beautiful photos of what turned out to be a beautiful tour. More details and photos to come soon. Until then, click here for Bob's photos.

IT'S A FAB TOUR SATURDAY AUGUST 14th. 10.45 A.M.

Open to all FABAC members whether they are driving British cars or not, this FABulous tour is based on A Real British Car Day Tour in the U.K. Highlights include a "B" road route with convenient "pit stop" intervals, historic sites, beautiful scenery, a stately home with a private riverside area for a picnic lunch, a ferry trip, and an awards dinner.

Rain or shine, the tour starts at 10.45 a.m. from the Ramada Inn, Fredericton on H'way 105 enroute to the Oromocto Bridge (11.00 a.m.),Cambridge Narrows (11.30 a.m.), Kingston (12.15 p.m.), Grand Bay-Westfield (4.15 p.m.) and Evandale (5.15 p.m.). Note: These are estimated times of arrival. They are posted for the convenience of FABAC members who prefer to join the tour as it passes these points.

At the Kingston "pit stop", tour participants will be able to tour the John Fisher Memorial Loyalist Museum and the oldest church in New Brunswick still on its original foundations. Just outside Kingston, by kind permission of Mr. Tony Rickett, the tour will stop at his riverside property for the bring-your-own picnic lunch. Cars will be displayed on the lawn, a guest cottage and its facilities will be opened for our use, swimming from the beach will be available, and there will be a car competition. Tony Rickett's vineyard and collection of British cars will be on view.

After the ferry crossing at Grand Bay-Westfield, the tour will end at the Evandale Inn where there will be a reserved dining area for the FABAC tour participants. Traditional home cooked dinners will be on offer as well as British-style fish and chips. And awards for the competitions will be presented. After the dinner, tour participants will be free to choose their own route home.

Make a date NOW to enter this August 14th tour. And tell John B. NOW either by phone at 449-0562 or email jmbowles@nb.sympatico.ca, to confirm. (He needs to coordinate numbers with Tony Rickett and the Evandale Inn.) Then, get your car ready, pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the FABulous tour."

A Good Site for MG Owners

http://www.mgexperience.net/
(Thanks to Earl S.)

One "Sweet" Party

The thoughtful and wonderful hosts, Anne and John C, threw a wonderful party for Pat and Bob Sweet. Someone will probably submit a report, but until then, here's the start of some photos from Margot (updated) of FABACians doing what they do second best.  ;-)  (Everyone knows what they do best!)

Here are some photos from Ellie B.

And here's the report from Bob E:

       Our gatherings have become so consistently terrific that it's becoming harder and harder to find something original to say about them.  I thought I'd sprinkle this one with some rumours and a few outright lies.
       Under almost perfect summer skies we gathered with the purpose of sending Pat and Bob Sweet to their retirement in PEI...or was it Bathurst?  After some haggling it was decided that the island was indeed their final destination.  Good thing too as they'd just bought a house there.  As always, food was plentiful and the selection varied.
       While we lost one couple that evening we gained a new one...they even have the (almost) same car.  Herb and Helen were introduced to the club and quickly filled in on membership requirements.
       **Just in!....someone has decided to downsize their LBC collection. For sale might be an MGB, a TR6 or possibly a lovely Healey 3000.
       The Crumleys ("You know....Anne and John.") had set a gorgeous poolside setting and NO ONE WENT SWIMMING!  We can't let this happen again so I for one will be bringing swim trunks and water wings to all future gatherings, just in case.
       There was a good turnout with over 30 folks showing up with trays of food in hand.  Befitting a summer afternoon picnic, the fare was light, featuring an abundance of salads and fruit.
       There are now two people in the running for the 'Bent Spoke' trophy.  An unnamed car was seen on the back of a flatbed Saturday and was dropped off at Ian's place.  It's nothing major....as long as you consider a blown radiator minor.
       Robbie Hogg has numerous TR6 parts (still on a car) that need a home.  He also has a bunch of MGB stuff and a Lotus Europa for sale. This will finance his E-Type restoration.  Interested parties should talk to Nettie as Robbie will be much too busy with the Jag.  ("You're welcome Nettie".)
      It's going to be a busy August with a GREAT run this weekend and our regular dinner next Wednesday.  See you all there!

A Glowing Report on the Rexton Event from John B.

A beautiful riverside venue, gorgeous summer weather and 51 British cars were the highlights of the British Car Days Of New Brunswick show in Rexton last August 6th-8th.

Organized by the Village of Rexton, the event this year featured the day before the show an optional conducted tour of the surrounding countryside. Stops at various points of interest included the Irving family chapel and wooded gardens and the Acadian culture and music centre at Le Pays de la Sagouine

FABACians Dwight and Barb B., Curry and Sherry A., Terry and Karen J. and John and Shirley Ann B. went on the tour. The next day, they were joined at the show by Gary and Barb A.,Robbie and Nettie H., and Kelvin P. Sadly absent was Jim W. whose Morgan uncharacteristically lost its cool and blew its radiator en route!

The selection of cars displayed included a 1923 Vauxhall 23-60 tourer, a 1956 Rover 75 sedan, and a variety of MGBs including a supercharged one, Austin Healeys and Jaguars. Curry A. won the Participants Choice Award with his Jaguar E-type. The couple from Ontario touring the Maritimes won the Longest Distance prize while the People's Choice Award went to Jerry Hall from Halifax in his Austin-Healey 3000.

Throughout the show day, live music was played, refreshments were served (the beer tent was busy!) and the organizers couldn't do enough to make the participants and the visiting public welcome.

Eagerly wanting to improve the show year on year, the organizers have asked participants to complete a survey for feedback. They already have the makings of a great annual event. Indeed some FABACians have already booked their accommodation for next year!

John B.

Anyone Going to the Rexton Event for the Day Only?

If you would like to travel with others, the plan is to meet at the Ramada Inn (north end of the closed Princess Margaret Bridge) this Saturday morning for a departure at 9:00 sharp. So far, it appears that around four cars may gather for this run.
Check out the Rexton British Car Days event at their site here.