[LM24] Le Mans - Your 'Goosebumps' Moments

[Aysedasi]

As with many of you, Le Mans has occupied a special place in my life for many years now and I'm in the habit from time to time - usually when I'm alone in the car - of pondering over past races, past trips and the good things that I remember from those. But there are times that literally give me goosebumps - they always do when I'm on the way to France or at the event, and they often still do, even when I think about those moments in between Le Mans.

Having the opportunity now to relive the commentary via the Radio Le Mans downloads which, being the sad muppet that I am, I burn to CD and play in the car (I've just started listening to last year's commentary for the 14th time.... seriously sad....!), I can visualise certain things and the sense of anticipation for what is to come in less than four weeks time is seriously intense.

So (with apologies for the long preamble), what is your Le Mans 'goosebumps' moment?

For me, it's that period when I've found my place up in the stand and I'm watching the cars being pushed to the echelon, the parading of the flags (and, it used to include the driver parade - sadly a thing of the past), while all the time Bruno Vandestick is beginning to wind up the crowd with his incessant babble and Trussers and Hindy are running through the starting drivers - right up to the point when the cars leave on that final reconnaissance lap. That period, for me, is gold dust. In a rather silly way, I almost (I did say almost...) regret the race having started! True unadulterated magic.

How about you?

[Adam43]

Seeing the stands again when arriving...

[Le Vieux]

Are you suggesting that there's some occasion in some part of your life at some stage in the year that's not a Goosebump Moment?

[Aysedasi]

Well, there may be occasionally......

[Down F0rce]

The moment that got the "wow, I am really here" feeling was when we were in the pits for the Speedy Team Sebah visit. Looking down the pits, seeing all the fans on the other side of the tape, us in the pits themselves... that was quite a moment.

The goosebumps really hit when the race started though. The sound of 55 car screaming towards the first corner was really something.

Not long to go now...

[isynge]

There are probably loads.

Key first time round, and one that still does it on a consistent basis, is seeing the French brown tourist sign with Group C cars on it instead of a chateau - that brings it home, and is a cue for me to start thinking about fiddling with the dial to tune in to RLM.

On a daily basis when I head along the A20 out of London towards work, there's a frisson when I see the sign estimating time to Ashford where I think that one day during the year I won't be peeling off onto the M25 and another day of toil, but instead continuing down to the tunnel and Le Mans. It helps, especially on a bleak winter morning.

There are probably more pinch myself moments. The first sound of the engines; the last few laps of qualifying on Thursday when the silence starts to spread; Saturday evening when the barbecue smoke starts to drift past and the light gets really warm.

Yeah - all pretty good I think.

[nobster]

My first Le Mans : 1991 cheering the Mazda on, cheering when the leading Merc hit trouble, celebrating the Mazda victory and being on the track when the flag fell at the finish, the crowd literally invaded the track.

[Steve Tarrant]

Mine is driving through Le Mans, and then "suddenly" arriving at the top of Tertre Rouge and driving down the N138 on my way to my poste campsite for the first time each year. The realisation that I'm back for another year certainly gives me that feeling ...........................!

[Mike E]

Reading all this is doing it for me, 'cos I'm heading to my first Le Mans this year!

[Aysedasi]

Oh such enjoyment to come Mike - savour every moment!

[GTfour]

Originally Posted by nobster

My first Le Mans : 1991 cheering the Mazda on, cheering when the leading Merc hit trouble, celebrating the Mazda victory and being on the track when the flag fell at the finish, the crowd literally invaded the track.

You lucky sod! You've actually seen that mythical moment with your own eyes....Oh envy.

For me it's seeing the first Le Mans sign about 15 minutes after leaving the Paris ring. The beautifull peage gets ever more empty,the speed dial runs to the 120-140 range(and keeping a very good look out for the lasergestapo!) and we try to make it an under two hours 'last stint' to the track. And indeed,as @isynge notes,the brown sign with the group C's on it...

Lots of things still to arrange,time rushing by. It's that time of year again.

[Bentley03]

Wednesday evening first session, the quiet around the circuit, the anticipation, the sound of the engines firing up for the first time in anger and then that first glimpse of the cars as they roll out onto the circuit........always my biggest 'Goosebumps' moment, closely followed by the cars setting off on the parade lap!

[Gilles lives!]

The build up to the start for me, with the cars being wheeled or raced to the grid (Vette & Aston mechanics !). The singing of the last few national anthems and then the engines firing up.

Once that helicopter has come into view and the race is under way, it's whenever the glorious V12 sings it's way past in the back of the Astons

I do hate sleeping on the Sat night-Sun morning through fear of missing anything !

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by GTfour

And indeed,as @isynge notes,the brown sign with the group C's on it...

That's definitely another one, isn't it? I'd forgotten that! Another one of those "we're nearly there again, aren't we?" moments....

[GT6]

far to many moments but a few to make people think

The old casle for robert the diable on the motorway out of rouen and then turning on to the old N138 those sights can never change.

The first Le mans poster sighted, usually at Rouen

The first time you pick up RLM on the car radio

the enterance to our campsite at tertre rouge

the first BBQ on wednesday evening

The first dumpy beer each year

THE SOUND OF THE FIRST CAR ON WEDNESDAY (real goosebump moment)

meeting everyone on saturday

lastly and person favorite waking up early on the day of travel and know where you are going.

[AstonGeoff]

Plenty of goosebump monents for me, the first "Le Mans nkm" sign on the trip down, seeing the track for the first time, the rolling start, the quiet before the storm on the formation lap. But also a sad goosebump moment when Hindy runs through those who are no longer with us...

[johngee]

My first year 1969, driving down over Friday night, sleeping in the car because I had no money, and getting lots of helpful advice from other 'brits' who had been going for years! (BTW, I found the invoice the other day from Thomas Cook - seats in the Sommer tribune, Blanc car park and return car ferry fare - £27-15s!). The guy I went with was a rep for Dentyne chewing gum and whenever I taste it now, I go back 40 years.
The years marshalling on the Mulsanne in the 90's - standing in the pouring rain at 3 am holding a yellow light switch waiting for something to happen - strange hobby???
Driving down the old road from Rouen and joining the convoy of all the other like minded enthusiasts with everything from VW camper vans to Bentleys - both new and old. Stopping for chats and coffee and wanting to get there and yet, wishing the journey would never end.
Driving from Alencon up to Cherbourg on a Monday in convoy behind a past winner of the race, (didn't know him then - we got talking at some traffic lights!) convinced that we'd miss the boat ..... what a drive!!!! and finding the barrier down and him getting it raised - the first time, he told me, that he used the 'do you know who I am?' routine
Group C - I can't see a 956/962, Silk Cut Jaguar or Mercedes without a lump in my throat.
Willing the Mazda on to win in '91 - I can still remember 'that' noise and being convinced it would blow apart.....and it didn't
Every moment has been special - just been lucky enough to have been so many times and wish that I'd live forever so I'd never have to miss it in the future......and, because she might read this , Le Mans being the reason for meeting 'someone special' who shares the passion

[Hursty]

My first year in 2005 started this annual pilgrimage. It was all a little nervous at first meeting Tim D, Craig, AllonFS, but the journey was/is awesome, seeing all these performance cars heading from Dover to La Sarthe.
And then standing on the bank at Arnage and hearing 'spitfire' coming throught the woods!
And then the speed, glowing break discs, smell of rubber as the cars scream by and then off again.
And the merguez. Ooh la la.
And still going with the same group (minus the amazing motorhome!)
And knowing it's three weeks....
Mike.

[Trussers]

I'll tell you what, just reading through this thread has brought a lump to my throat... funny, isn't it, because it's only a motor race, after all... What was it Bill Shankley said about football not being a matter of life and death?

For my part, the moment when I arrived at Camping Blanc Panorama for my very first trip to the circuit (1981), at about 10:30pm on Thursday evening, practice already in full swing, convincing my mates that we'd put the tents up later, and getting in just past the Dunlop Bridge and realising that the place looked exactly like it did in all the photos. That was a one-off though, and can never be repeated.

These days, being lucky enough to watch from the top of the ACO grandstand, I usually take a walk around the roof, about an hour before the start and just absorb the sights... full campsites, queues of cars, folk traipsing on foot from planes on the airfield, cars on the echelon formation. And knowing that what I am about to witness really matters somehow in the history of Motor Sport. It is something very special indeed. Hindhaugh said once that if it didn't stir your emotions then you must have a housebrick in your chest where your heart ought to be... Good line, John.

[AllonFS]

So many.

Reappearing on this forum early in the year to start to catch up on what is happening this year at Le Mans.
Planning the trip and working out who is coming.
Packing and driving to Dover.
Checking out the others at Dover who are off to Le Mans, a quick game of rugby in the ferry car park, seeing the bemused non-Le Mans ferry passengers.
Coming off the ferry and seeing the beauty of Calais... (the only place I know which makes Dover look classy).
Stopping at the Aire about 2 hours south of Calais with the duck ponds and viewing tower.
Seeing the first broken down TVR en route.
Being passed at high speed by the entire cool wall from Top Gear.
Seeing the same cars being pulled by the gendarmes...
Getting lost in Rouen. (Yes we still do)
Seeing the brown Group C signs and getting the first splutters of RLM on the radio.
Seeing the Tribunes - big goosebump time
Driving through Arnage and arriving at the campsite.
First practice and first cars on track.
Merguez,tartiflette, crepes Grand Marnier!!!
The ten tenths meeting.
The build up to the race in our usual starting position just below the Dunlop Bridge chicane.
The cars going past for the first lap - is there a better minute anytime in the year?
Night at Arnage.
Dawn at Arnage.

Oh god, then it's all over for another 360 days.

[johngee]

Originally Posted by AllonFS

Seeing the first broken down TVR en route.
Being passed at high speed by the entire cool wall from Top Gear.
Seeing the same cars being pulled by the gendarmes...

All the funnier for being SO true

[GT6]

Originally Posted by johngee

All the funnier for being SO true

Not seen abroken down TVR for a couple yeras now, last year we saw a couple of old astons and a few vans we obvious signs of stress but no TVR's. But expect to see more of those on the way down for the classic, but in a Stag so fingers crossed it's not us

[rdjones]

All off the above, I am going to miss it all this year for the first time since 2002 and I hate that feeling, but as saying goes I will back !!! (in 2012)

[GT6]

Originally Posted by rdjones

All off the above, I am going to miss it all this year for the first time since 2002 and I hate that feeling, but as saying goes I will back !!! (in 2012)

WHAT ABOUT 2011?

[nobster]

Lots of things still to arrange,time rushing by. It's that time of year again.[/QUOTE]

Don't you just love it!
I always have a feeling the day after Le Mans that you kinda fall into a deep black hole.