This was first sent as posting to tbe SOL Morgan list in July 1997.

This is a brief (ish) report for our friends in cyberspace, so they have some idea of what the island population of mogophiles gets up to. Jeremy Edwards already produced one, but as I wrote most of this at home last night you are going to get it anyway!!

Mog 97 is the latest in a series of annual events held in the UK by the Morgan Sports Car Club. It is a centre arranged event and this year it was the turn of BogMog (Avon and Somerset). The venue chosen was Bath and the theme was Roman Bath is a city with its roots as a pagan holy place in pre Roman Times. It was an important Bath site and religious centre for Roman Britain and the 'quality and efficacy' of the waters made it a fashionable spa town in the 17th and 18th century. The building development done during this period makes it the only UN designated world heritage site In the UK.

Bath is situated in the valley of the River Avon which cuts its way through a limestone plateau. On the top of the Plateau is that thing common to many Spa towns, a horse racing course. This (or rather the adjacent recreation ground) is the chosen site of Mog97.

Mog 97 started on Thursday night with a noggin in some unfortunate pub for those arriving early. I was not there but I am sure they had a good time.

Friday was a rest day, that is until Friday evening when a dinner was organised in the pump rooms in the centre of Bath. I was not there either.

I travelled the 70 miles from my home in Hampshire to Bath on Friday evening with HUY loaded with four of us and luggage for 3 days. We stopped in Marlborough for an excellent pub meal on the way and arrived at our guest house in time to find a pub for a last minute pint. (There may be a theme developing here). Before retiring for the night I checked the weather forecast for the next day and hastened out to erect the hood so I would not have to dry the tonneau cover in the morning.

Before Breakfast the weather was good. I ventured outside to be delighted by a very nice red 1936 4-4. I know this because I asked the French owner. He had done all the mechanical restoration himself, including installation of an electric fan to avoid the tendency to boil in towns. Parts for the Coventry Climax engine are unobtainable in France, but apparently relatively easy to get in the UK. The bodywork he had done by a specialist in the UK (Ringwood in Hampshire sorry I cannot recollect his name).

After breakfast the weather was a little wet. It proceeded to get wetter. Saturday is designated for scenic runs. We leapt, (or rather crawled) into the car and set off up the hill to get our guidebooks.

After 150 yards HUY let out a sort of crunching noise and stopped, subsequently refusing all attempts to persuade life to emerge. By this time the rain was very heavy. Fortunately I was equipped (with a coat) and I inspected the engine compartment. The problem was the rotor arm retaining bolt (Plus 4 Rover M16 engine) which had vibrated loose and separated from the rotor arm. It had then wedged between the rotor arm and the distributor cap causing the cap to split apart. Needless to say that with the rain (and the lack of a spanner to fit) getting that fixed occupied the rest of the morning. The highlight was a climb up the hill to the Mog97 site on 2 working cylinders at 20mph in bottom gear. It is a steep hill, but not that steep.

We arrived at the place being used to give out scenic run guidebooks. The best part was the Burger stand which also sold hot tea (and soup). While it had been wet in the valley up here we were in the clouds. Visibility was about 30 yards and there was a wir-wir-wir sound in the air from quite a number of sources. Many people running round with WD40 and (as my son put it at the time) more Morgans with their tops UP than had ever been seen before. There was one couple driving around with aeroscreens (say no more)....

We collected our guides and our gift pack containing a Morgan shaped sponge and a bar of soap. I bet the person who thought of that didn't expect a real Bath. We then abandoned the scenic run and went and had a look round Bath where we found quite a few Morganeers (those that had managed to park or had the sense to catch the bus) and about a billion other tourists. The afternoon was spent in Bath Abbey and looking for Morgan Books in Book shops. This latter part was a success as I got a copy of one of Ken Hill's recent books for less than half price.

By mid afternoon the sun appeared from behind its veil and the formerly incessant dripping ceased. We were not going to the Roman Morgy organised in the Marquee so we selected the scenic run with a specific reference to a pub (I said there was a theme) and went and got ourselves some food. The meal in the pub was excellent. Apparently this is a BogMog regular haunt. Perhaps next time they visit they can suggest to the Landlord that he gets his entrance levelled out as a fully loaded 4 seater bottoms out very heavily.

Sunday Dawned slightly gloomy. We set off at 50mph in third gear up the previously mentioned hill in time to sign on for the gymkhana. There was some slight problem as my elder son acts as passenger and there was the suggestion that he needed to be over 18. We eventually established that that was a rule for drivers only so that was OK. Once signed in we received the mark (a red indelible pen on the back of the hand) and went back to the guest house for the camera (it was early on Sunday morning and the grey cells had not warmed up).

The highlight on MOG is the car park. Several hundred Morgans in a wide variety of colours all ages and conditions. It has to be seen to be believed!! One MG TC had sneaked in.

The concourse was 4 three wheelers (not the one with a kettle mascot) and about 10 4 wheelers of assorted ages. As I said it was Sunday and counting was a real problem.

The main area was surrounded by trade stands and the marquee used for dancing last night was similarly full. The real lowlight of the day was to hear that the Morgan club of Deutchland, who turn up each year with some very smart regalia, had had about $5000 worth of stock stolen on Friday night. Not a nice thing to hear at all. I hope they were well insured and I hope the stuff is easily identified and therefore traceable to the culprits.

The Morgan club of Spain brought their van. This is a nice yellow Citroen van with a green Morgan silhouette painted to "share" the wheels of the van. It looks just like its parked along side very good!!

We took out turn in the gymkhana at about 11:30. In the last 2 years we were reasonably successful getting a third and a second in class. This year was decidedly mediocre.

1. I overestimated the width of the car and dropped 24 points. Not too bad as many incurred a max loss of 30 points, but....
2. Richard (my son) came into his own and used his youth and speed collecting soccer balls. Driving with 5 of them in the front of the car was an experience!!
3. Then came the blindfold maneuvering test. Not too difficult, but we got lost!! This must have cost us 20 points. Then we clipped the post on the way out and lost a few more.
4. A slalom forward and then reverse went well I thought. But I clipped a cone.
5. Collect the jigsaw puzzle pieces by driving forward and reverse into each of three garages and then make the puzzle. We got our strategy confused.

All in all a mediocre performance to get 94!!! penalties. BUT great fun; roll on the next one!!

Parked by the gymkhana area was a red and cream 1959 Corvette. Perhaps a familiar site in the US but not at all common here. It was very well restored and looked very nice.

At the end of the day we went back to the guest house suitably tired (or should that be tyred??) and then , yes you guessed it, found a pub to eat in.

On Monday cheap (well discounted anyway) entry into Longleat had been arranged. Longleat is the Home of the Marquise of Bath. He can't afford to pay the bills without help so he has arrange a safari park in the grounds and a number of other attractions for which he charges admission to the hoards who gather at his gate. Only a few people took this option and about 20 Morgans were scattered about the car park. I felt he should have allowed a neat row in front of the house but he did not. He did organise a large (excessively large) speed bump at the exit. there was no damage, but I had to stop to check.

We got back home at about 4pm after 3 very good days out.

Hope you enjoyed the brief description.

Dave Vodden
1992 plus 4 4 seater
Hampshire UK.