National Rally 2005

This years National Rally was held on Mersea Island, Essex in what is allegedly the sunniest place in the UK, more of that later! I decided that as the run to Mersea was never going to be any real fun ( the congestion is unbelievable now in the South of England) I would soften the blow by going to France for the week before the Rally.

As usual I set off on the Saturday in the pouring rain (on the Triumph by the way) and I stopped at Berwick for breakfast (Morrisons supermarket, better and cheaper than Roadside grub) As I sat munching my breakfast the sun came out so off came the waterproofs. Yee Haa I’m on holiday now!

The run down the A1 was Ok, a new section of Dual Carriageway has improved it no end between Edinburgh and Berwick, traffic started as expected around Newcastle and after a quick stop for fuel just outside Leeds the hazards of the M1 followed by the M25 were encountered. Traffic to busy and so many accidents and road works made for a lot of filtering up the middle of the queues. Once on the M20 to Dover though it got quieter again and I reached Dover around six pm around 10 hours after I left and having done 538 miles. The ferry first thing on Sunday was a joke, loading was efficient and fast but the staff on the boat appeared to have the motivation of a sand fly, the boat consisted of large very slow moving queues around all the food and drink counters, a bit like the traffic really.

Into Calais and cloudy black sky’s which after a few miles became heavy rain, I stopped to pull on the waterproofs and do as the French do (piss at the side of the road) and then splashed my way down the Peage to Honfluer.

This is a small town well worth a visit in Northern Normandy, very picturesque but unfortunately very wet on this day as well. I decided to become a non camper that night and booked into a Travelodge type hotel a stones throw from the centre for a very reasonable 36Euro.

The following morning and it was still cloudy but promising, I headed South chasing the Sun and ended up in Dinard. After a while looking for the camp site I stayed in a few years ago I asked a local and ended up at the municipal site. Not many facilities (not any!) in the way of shops etc but the toilets are good and it was only 100 metres from my tent to the beach. Oh and by now it was scorching hot, time to chill out.

Next day it was warm with some clouds and the obligatory visit to Le mont saint Micheal which for those who don’t know is a small hill in the sea off the coast near St Malo with loads of houses shops and a giant church on the top. Worth a visit if only for the photo opportunity but be warned. It’s really busy, full of tourists.

Then on to St Malo for late afternoon sitting a café people watching, this is one of my favourite activities next to alcohol abuse. I even found a sex shop lurking in the streets but it looked a bit dodgy and geared more to-wards batting for the other side so I hurriedly walked by…several times. I did though get a bargain, a pair of most excellent reading glasses for three euros!

An evening of eating and drinking followed. Wednesday and it was pack the tent up time and then a ride back to Honfluer for Lunch, far nicer in the sunshine, then on to Le Touquet (where they have the Beach race) it started raining as I rode in so it was Hotel time again, a very nice Hotel indeed complete with old style cage type lifts. I’m quite sure the civilians going about their business were looking a bit bemused as I struggled in the lift with the poly bags, tank bag and tent in the lift.

Le Touquet when you get in to the seaside town centre is very like Blackpool, full of Neon lights, tacky signs and English people on holiday.

Thursday and back up to Calais for the ferry, the terminal was busy and quite a few motorcyclists started to appear, all types but mainly on modern machinery. A group arrived on sports bikes including a nice Bimota Ducati, all resplendent in leathers with big air scoops on the back and knee sliders, they took their helmets off and they were all the wrong side of 50, and balding. Nothing wrong with this I may add except they wre struggling to contain their beer belly’s within the skin tight racing leathers. Get a life guy’s! I think what annoyed me most was that these are the guys who fill our A&E departments every week and then when this Motorcycling fad wears off they’ll be back at the Golf or Badminton club again…Tossers!

Back into blighty and god how depressing, the traffic was unbelievable and the standard of driving was also totally crap. I often ask people about going abroad on their bikes and the reason most often cited for not going is that they are afraid of Johnny foreigner and his driving habits, well wake up it’s better almost everywhere else than here (well the South East anyway)

An overnight stop in a hotel again (no I’m not getting soft) and then battle through the traffic to Mersea Island. The usual ritual followed, catching up with people you haven’t seen since last season, tent up then off to a nice café and micro brewery adjacent to the site. Not surprisingly I found the Norfolk branch there making the most of the local ale. I last saw them in Belgium last year and it felt a bit like déjà vu. The Norfolk branch have now overtaken us as being the biggest party animals in the club. We are in danger of becoming the boring gits in the corner unless more of you make the effort to turn up and Party!

It was a good setting ideal for our purposes. Well organised with good school type dinners and dinner hall. Overall though I thought it was quite flat but then I suppose that was my own fault for not leading the Party. We must try harder at the International. Peter, George and myself along with Julian and Connie were the sole Tay Valley contingent. Davy and another guy who’s name I can’t remember were there from the Edinburgh branch, they were joined on Saturday by Brian another Edinburgh regular. And all on Commando’s, we must try harder!

The run home was changeable to say the least and until I got to the border very busy, George and Peter left about an hour after me and never saw any of the Rain that I did, serves me right for being on a Triumph!

Applecross

Once again last weekend the annual seafood & Music festival took place. I left on the Saturday and had an excellent run up. I’ve taken a video of the weekend which I’ll try to share with you at a future meeting it tells the story far better than I ever could with a few words. There was a good turnout and the only blight on my weekend was when I caught one of our members brother pissing on my Triumph, not smart , not clever, and could have led to violent protest, and I suppose just an example of the further erosion of the motorcycling lifestyle which had unwritten rules of behaviour, I suppose that’s what happens when people join our movement because they want to make a “Lifestyle statement” to their neighbours…Tossers!

Forthcoming events

June 18 -19^th Boness Steam Railway weekend. Tom Willison from Tayport is looking for people to take their bikes along to display. Contact John Hyman for details.

July 29 – 31 Tay Valley Branch camping weekend Applecross.

I have some interest in this from our Irish & English friends so it looks like it could shape up to be a good one. Contact Gino for details

International Rally

August 26 – 29 Belgium

I spoke to Guy at the National and if you just E mail them with your details with any T shirt requirements this will suffice then just pay on the door. Go on you know you want to go. If the Superfast ferry from Rosyth is too pricey I believe the Ferry from Newcastle to Imuden is cheaper and Imuden is around 100 miles from the Rally site.

Next Year’s International

I had a long chat with Keith King (Events organiser) at the National and he sent me this,

2006 International Rally-Portugal: Friday 15th to Monday 18th June
The date and venue for this rally have just been fixed. At the April
Stafford Show we met with the organisers of this event and can confirm that
it will be held on a permanent camping park in wooded hills near Lisbon. In
addition to camping under canvas, there will be a selection of static
caravans and bungalows to choose from. This will make travelling a lot
easier for those not wishing to haul a tent around (like me). The rally is
being supported by the mayor which will help smooth out any problems that
might arise.

By the Way Distance from Santander about 630 miles

Oh and this,

With regards to holding a National Rally in your neck of the woods. 2007 is
fine by me, but whilst riding home on Sunday I got to thinking about 2008
when the IR might be held in Australia. As an alternative date, 2008 for
your National might be good compensation for the majority of us that could
not afford to go to Oz.

This is assuming that you are not all going to Australia yourselves.

At the moment though, I will only pencil in 2007 for you and Davy

I kinda volunteered that we and the Edinburgh Branch could do a joint venture! Comments please

The Small Print

The views and opinions contained within this publication are not necessarily those of the NOC or of the branch but are probably mine as I wrote it.

No one accepts any responsibility for anything, if you have a good time don't say I didn't warn you.

Gino Rondelli

June 2005