Expensive timewasters

It would be a pleasure to say that we all had a great meeting today but there is a member who hopefully will be resigning shortly from the group who had led me along for a while, who today promised to meet me & take photographs & make video of a great mudding session at a coastal location known for excellent mud.  So in eager anticipation, I prepared the outfits he wanted me to wear, bleachers, boots, 501s, diesel and wrangler jeans including light and dark for various piss and mud fun, all carefully gathered as per instruction, plus wellington boots, football socks, all instructions followed to the letter.  I then drove a round trip of about 120 miles, getting there half an hour early, waiting exactly where stated, I tried the mobile contact number after he was late, I tried for an hour after then went to the mudding site alone and had a superb day & went crazy.  Fantastic, but no meet up.

When I got home later this evening, I showered, ate dinner, reflected on the awesome mess of some of the outfits I'd thrown into my garage to dry off, tried to make contact with my mud buddy and hey, I had a text message suddenly - sorry about today blah blah blah, couldn't make it, etc.... perhaps we'll meet again & so on .....

Now this should have been obvious, I'd been promised meetings for months now, every time there has been some excuse or other, but this time, he invited me & even on the day after I'd arrived he still hadn't cancelled, so I was hopeful. 

To bullshit about wanting to meet is one thing, many members seem to be good at this, they offer to meet but never do, we're all aware of who they are, they know who they are, if they want to 'play' at mudding no harm done, no expense, no offence taken, it's their choice and they're welcome I am sure to share the experience in their own way.

But there are the worst kind of members, those who set up something, then despicably avoid it with some lame excuse after people have made an effort.  Now my day didn't go to waste, I had a blast, more fool them for not attending, I was in heaven.  But beware, members who do waste other member's time, beyond promises they never keep, by arranging meetings, then not turning up, well not everyone is as pleasant about it, are they ?

As I happens, no harm done on my account as the venue remains awesome, but I didn't get any photos or video as - without an assistant present - taking cameras and tripods along alone was too awkward - shame as the photos would have been amazing, some of my best, but there we go.  Members beware, ensure meetings are certain and that members are genuine about meeting before you travel.

I've been delighted to have met several group members to date and some have stayed here in Exeter and revelled in the fun locally, even better now I have found even more places to mud.  Not everyone it seems is quite so hospitable or honest.  Happy mudding in this warm mud yeah - Martin :)