Nov 2003: Oxford SUA by Exeter – EUSCR

(…taken from Exeter: EUSCR website – empslocal.ex.ac.uk/change-ringing/java/pasthapsold.htm#SUA2003)

The prospect of meeting up with some other university ringers, having a good weekend away and more beer and curry was too much for the society, so it was that four of us headed off to sunny Oxford one dark Friday afternoon. We soon realised our first mistake, booking seats in the “Quiet Coach”. Fortunately the crocodile and bouncy hat were safely stowed in David’s coat pocket, on the luggage rack, well out of harms way. After a pleasant journey we arrived in Oxford, where a rather interesting statue outside the station caused some amusement!

We met up with some of the Bristol ringers on the train and together found our way to the pub. A convivial evening in the succinctly named “Far from the Madding Crowd” was interrupted only by a quick grab at a nearby church. Back at the church hall we carried on the party.

Goldsmith’s maxim about good liquor only sitting well upon a good meal was borne out, and there were some rather sore heads in the morning for the 8-bell striking competition. We quickly solved our numerical shortcomings, and entered an “Exeter and friends” scratch band. Whether the game of catch with the bouncy hat (during the ringing), the proliferation of hangovers or David mis-calling the test piece was most at fault no-one will ever know, but the results bear witness to the amusement which was derived from entering! An excellent buffet lunch and some more time in the pub preceded the 6-bell contest, in which we did rather better. The absence of a convenient location for the croc, meant he stayed well out of the test piece, and we achieved a respectable placing. The rest of the afternoon was spent pub-grabbing before the quiz. Our team “Floored Logic” (there were no chairs left!) seemed to do quite well, although I’m not quite sure. An enjoyable evening of drinking followed, culminating in a really big curry.

Sunday morning included a quarter peal attempt (stedman and stonking headaches are unhappy bedfellows!) and service ringing at Christchurch. While perusing some second hand books in the church hall, we also found a rather amusing picture of our good friend Maurice, the tramp we met at the beer festival, and took a photo! Having left early for a quick quarter on the way home, I missed the excellent cider-swilling vagabond at Reading station, whose forcible ejection by the railway security caused Alex so much amusement!