22-23 Aug'15 Kempenrit 2015

[adrianclifford]

I didn't think I would ever be writing about Kempenrit again To give it the correct title The International MGF Kempenrit.

As we have so many newer members here I thought it may be nice to introduce the event organised by the MGCC Antwerp because Kempenrit (loosely translated to ride the Kempen area) was the event that started the international MGF scene involving British cars.

The first event was organised in 2001 by Erik & Fran, Hans & Annick and the MGCC Antwerp. Starting in the woods at Averbode cars were lined up on pathways in colour order amongst the trees. A Roadbook drive around the area and a meal was the order of the day. It continued on for a few years being very popular with the modern MG from Belgium and the surrounding countries. In 2004 it came to our attention but too late for that year so in 2005, I had just formed the international section of the MGF Register, we decided to visit but as Ted Newman was running his excellent Treffens we joined him for the run there, they then continued on for another week or so of touring. We were very well received being the first British cars to visit and it was a great event made so by the fantastic people who organise it and took part.

So it was in 2006 we wrote about it on this forum and organised a group visit, in the end we took 42 cars from the UK (still a record). A tempter at the time was Europe's largest free rock concert (Maanrock) situated right in the heart of Mechelen, where, as it happened a brand new hotel was due to open that very weekend, owned by Hannelore Vérschuren a friend of Bruno's. Hotel Vé was born just in time and we were the first guests through the door only to find car parts all over the place as Bruno had decorated it and we had to find the hidden items (wheels and tyres were not too difficult to find !). As we arrived on the Saturday Bruno and Luc the founders of mgf.be decided that we should meet off the ferry for an escorted drive across to Mechelen and the Day BeFore was born. We met just off the M40 Motorway at Ramskapelle in a dusty little parking area and in May 2014 we found ourselves in a lovely tarmac parking place during the WW1 Tour, this being the same place. This became the normal routine right up until the last Kempenrit in 2010. Lunch in the Bockor Café on the way was such a delight too. A great memorable weekend followed for another four years until the tenth and final in 2010. Dawn and I had so many memories from the six visits we made I'm really pleased to say we can go back for another visit, this time the 5th anniversary weekend.

This event is a legend, it started so many international meetings and made friends for so many people and joined the MGF Register to Europe. I'm sure many here have their own memories and maybe we can share them so you get the flavour of this and you join us on August 22nd. We'll stay in the Hotel Vé and meet at Ramskapelle Junction 3 of the E40 Motorway where we can show you a big surprise. We can travel on the same ferry (or train) and make a great weekend of it. I'll see if we can have the Day Before too but Maanrock is planned for the following weekend but we can tour Mechelen again, maybe the Carolus Tour again ? I still have the Day Before Roadbooks so we can use them if mgf.be cannot meet us.

We can return on Sunday after the event if you need to but we usually stay another night in Mechelen and drive home leisurely on the Monday.

Colin is now the international representative, I'm sure he agrees with my words and has a few of his own and I hope he does not mind me starting this topic.

List of names interested : -

Adrian and Dawn - Lux room requested 8/1 Menu of the Brewer - sea bass & cuckoo
Col and Steffi - double standard room requested 9/1 Menu of the Brewer - sea bass x2
Dave and Anne - Lux room requested 9/1 Menu of the Brewer - sea bass x2
MGTF Nut - Jerry - Menu of the Brewer - sea bass - Cosy room requested 15/3 - no BBQ
Art and Christine - room requested 9/1 - lux room - PROBABLY CANT MAKE IT REF 13/2
John and Lyn - Lux room requested 9/1 - - Lux room - Menu of the Brewer 1 meat 1 fish
Dave and Rhona - standard oom requested 9/1 - Menu of the Brewer cuckoo and bass
Michael & Marion - room request 10/1 upgraded to Lux 9/3 menu of the brewer x 2 sea bass x2
Tony & Jackie - room request 10/1 - sea bass & cuckoo
Malcolm & Chris - room request 10/1 - Menu of the Brewer cuckoo and sea bass - pulled out 13/8/15 ******
Sue & Ron (and Bee) - room request 10/1 - Menu of the Brewer - cuckoo x2
Flat Eric (Stu) - can't attend ref 6/8
Pete and Lin - SADLY UNABLE TO ATTEND REF 16/7
Neil & Barbara - room requested 9/1 - Menu of the Brewer
Mykel & Susanne - double room 17/1 tbc - confirmed 18/3 - - 2 meaty BBQs for lunch on Saturday
- 1 Cuckoo and 1 Sea bass in the evening
Simon & Ann double requested 18/1 - Bass and cuckoo. Simon only partaking in Brewery tour
Ian & Liz double requested - pulled out 19/7
Ton and Gea - double delux room requested 21/1 - Menu of the Brewer - 1 cuckoo 1 sea bass
Kasper 20/2 single requested and for sunday night 5/3 - Menu of the Brewer - sea bass
Andy & Emma double requested 9/3 can't make it ref Adrian 22/3
Marina & Christian - DAY TRIP ONLY TO THE EVENT REF 16/7
Simon & Julie double cosy, two nights, menu of the brewer for one meat
Peter menu of the brewer cuckoo single room two nights 04/08

Dieter & R cosy double, BBQ brewery tour brewer menu double room one night 04/08

Herbie ref 17/8 1 x single room Sat-Sun (cheapest please LOL), 1 x meaty BBQ @ Luc, 1 x brewery tour for sure , 1 x brewery menu (chicken)

Erik & Fran, Hans & Annick along with Luc, Bruno and mgf.be are on board for The Day BeFore

Some great news about the BBQ at bockor-café. http://www.xn--bockorcaf-j4a.be/

Dries will offer us a BBQ at the very reasonable price of 12€; this includes 3 pieces of meat and a salad-bar with pasta, vegetables, potato.
If needed a veggie BBQ and a BBQ for kids can be arranged.

I only need to know the number of people that wants to join the BBQ ( standard, veggie or kids BBQ). Payment needs to be done individually at the start of the BBQ. (same as during last DayBeFore)

Colin, Adrian,

can you consolidated the BBQ choices of everybody (by August 10 is fine)

while your are thinking about what kind of BBQ to order, I'll update you in the meantime with some timings

10:00 : mgf.be team is gathering in Ramskapelle
10:30 : arrival of you all in Ramskapelle (E40/exit 3/ Car pool Parking)
11:15 : leave Ramskapelle towards Ardooie
12:00 - 13:30 BBQ-time
13:30 : leave Ardooie for the 2nd part of the trip
16:00 : arrival in Mechelen, Hotel Vé.

[colintf]

Kempenrit is special to me, 2006 was my first overseas trip in my TF, and never looked back since, with so many overseas MG events since then. I really must thank Adrian, as it was Adrian's enthusiasm that I caught and decided to go to Kempers then in 2006.


Really looking forward to this again

[Green Squirrel]

Actually Adrian it started in 2005 for us Brits when I included it as a part of the (then) annual Treffen - OK we did not stay at Hotel Vee but the Hotel Carolus which had a brewery attached !!

It was good to see the event (The Kempenrit) then become an annual outing with Adrian looking after it.

[Dave J]

Great News .
For any new MG owners tempted to take their cars abroad for the first time this is a great event to attend

Look forward to hearing more details and ferry times as we will definitely be going ..... bring on the Duvel's

Dave

[adrianclifford]

Actually Adrian it started in 2005 for us Brits when I included it as a part of the (then) annual Treffen - OK we did not stay at Hotel Vee but the Hotel Carolus which had a brewery attached !!

It was good to see the event (The Kempenrit) then become an annual outing with Adrian looking after it.

That was it Ted 2005, we stayed in the Anker Brewery on the Mechelen ring road, I remember the brewery tour guide as he appeared quite drunk at the time. There were beer barrels outside the door to our rooms

The 2007 Carolus Tour ha ha, for €10 each we met the tour guide in the foyer of the Hotel Vé and walked round Mechelen visiting a number of breweries which were situated in the back or the basement of the pubs. A table of drinks was laid out and a full bottle (sample) was offered to us, anything below 6 per cent was known as womens beer. From the modest to the ridiculous strengths we worked our way round them all during the evening and all for just €10 !!

We've visited the Bell Tower and taken a canal boat tour too, Mechelen is a lovely place. We've seen Boney M, Erasure and Kraak & Smak all in Maanrock right outside the hotel door. Kempenrit will never be forgotten by those who have been there.

[colintf]

Actually Adrian it started in 2005 for us Brits when I included it as a part of the (then) annual Treffen - OK we did not stay at Hotel Vee but the Hotel Carolus which had a brewery attached !!

It was good to see the event (The Kempenrit) then become an annual outing with Adrian looking after it.

That was it Ted 2005, we stayed in the Anker Brewery on the Mechelen ring road, I remember the brewery tour guide as he appeared quite drunk at the time. There were beer barrels outside the door to our rooms

The 2007 Carolus Tour ha ha, for €10 each we met the tour guide in the foyer of the Hotel Vé and walked round Mechelen visiting a number of breweries which were situated in the back or the basement of the pubs. A table of drinks was laid out and a full bottle (sample) was offered to us, anything below 6 per cent was known as womens beer. From the modest to the ridiculous strengths we worked our way round them all during the evening and all for just €10 !!

We've visited the Bell Tower and taken a canal boat tour too, Mechelen is a lovely place. We've seen Boney M, Erasure and Kraak & Smak all in Maanrock right outside the hotel door. Kempenrit will never be forgotten by those who have been there.

Was it 16 or 13.5% the strongest that we had?

[adrianclifford]

Not too sure I remember we needed a knife and fork to eat it I can't believe the selections laid out for us and all for just €10. bet it's gone up since then if it still happens.

Currently in the range are these : Lucifer is 8%, Classic is 8.5%, Tripel is 9%, Ambrio is 8%, Hopsinjoor is 8%, Maneblusser is 6.2% so I guess some have changed as we hit double figures I know. Other favourites held by Hannelore in the hotel are Westmalle Tripel, Duvel and Chimay all at 9%.

We should visit the pub opposite the hotel as they claim to sell over 1,000 beers, we always seem to spend our time in the hotel bar (unless it's James who spent his time on the floor ).

[adrianclifford]

It's going to happen

Erik & Fran, Hans & Annick along with Luc, Bruno and mgf.be are on board. We will have it just as before, all we need to do is tell them how many are coming from the UK.

Colin, I'll contact Hannelore and see if we can get a discounted rate as before. Bruno is going to see what tours are available in Mechelen (canal tour on Saturday evening and Carolus on Sunday maybe ?).

I'll sort out the ferry Dover - Dunkerque so I will suggest now the 08.00 out and 14.00 return on Monday (if you want to come home on Sunday evening, I would suggest the 22.00). can you suggest similar trains for those that want to go that way ?

I can organise the cheap ferry tickets for those that I know (as I have to pay for them in advance) please let me know how many crossings you need for the year (as usual).

I've mentioned this in my last Essex Region mail out so I'm sure we'll have a few from there (I can't see Andy & Emma missing this ).

Who's going :

Adrian & Dawn
Colin
Dave & Anne

[colintf]

That's great news

Hoping Steffi and I can join (depends on Steffi work and holiday)

Many thanks guys

[Mykel]

2015 is gonna be one busy year! I only hope Kempenrit will not hold anyone off from joining this year's Niederrhein tour two weeks later ...


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[adrianclifford]

That's always a concern Michael, it's the same for MGFIM and MGF20 (although they are nearly three months apart). So many good events now and so few weekends. Might be a good time to leave the TF there and collect it ready for the next event !

[colintf]

2015 is gonna be one busy year! I only hope Kempenrit will not hold anyone off from joining this year's Niederrhein tour two weeks later ...


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I hope not Mykel, we look forward to your 2015 tour

[mgtfnut]

Crikey - I remember it well. In fact still got a load of pics as well.

Remember Art's terrible accident, and the guy from Ilfracombe, Mark, who had HGF just prior to leaving, and then had a hose come loose and subsequent recovery home, plus another colourful character!!

I'd like to think I could come, but unsure about travelling alone if we have a road book as in 2006.

[adrianclifford]

We are always escorted by mgf.be so we'll tuck you in between two regulars Jerry, no problem there just enjoy the drive.

[Art]

Adrian, please put us down as a provisional participants subject to all the details being posted.
Jerry, I remember that Kempenrit very well but we have been to a couple more since and returned intact
Just for the benefit of us who do not live in the South, JP's suggestion on the last Kempenrit of traveling over on the Friday, staying in a Campenile at Loon Plage seemed to work very well, we were able to have good night's rest, a breakfast before meeting the main group in the nearby supermarket before setting off to meet our Belgian friends, can this sort of arrangement be incorporated in 2015, that is if I am not on my own

[colintf]

Adrian, please put us down as a provisional participants subject to all the details being posted.
Jerry, I remember that Kempenrit very well but we have been to a couple more since and returned intact
Just for the benefit of us who do not live in the South, JP's suggestion on the last Kempenrit of traveling over on the Friday, staying in a Campenile at Loon Plage seemed to work very well, we were able to have good night's rest, a breakfast before meeting the main group in the nearby supermarket before setting off to meet our Belgian friends, can this sort of arrangement be incorporated in 2015, that is if I am not on my own

Overnight there is an idea that works well Art

I'll start a list of names at end of post #1

[adrianclifford]

Yes Art, of course, we'll do it just as before. The Campanile at Loon Plage is very popular and you can have breakfast while waiting for the troops to arrive. Neil always stays there I believe. We have done, it's basic but good enough.

If we get enough interest we can arrange groups with experienced leaders to take the cars from Dunkerque to Ramskapelle.

[John Ponting]

Art, we shall be overnighting at the Campanile, Loon-Plage as normal. I do hope you and Christine book in as soon as details are available.

[Art]

John, I am confident that other than unexpected medical reasons we will be there, I am making my booking with the hotel after this post, so it is a outward ferry crossing on Friday 21st with the possibility of staying on at Hotel Ve for the Monday night to allow a bit of Mechelen explortion.

[adrianclifford]

Don't do anything with the Hotel Vé yet Art, I want to speak to Hannelore about a discount rate. I'll post here as soon as there's any news.