Thursday 22nd August, finished work at 3pm.  With van loaded with my Harley and Lorraine’s Virago we set off of Anita’s and Pete’s, who were putting us up for the night. Also on route to Anita and Pete’s were my brother in law, Will, and his friend Rob.  They are traveling from Stoke on Trent and my youngest daughter Kerry and her son Justin who were traveling down from Southport. As we got towards the end of the M25 and it started to get dark people started flashing and beeping their horns at us.  Not knowing what was wrong we carried on. As we reached the end of the motorway we had a call from Kerry, she was at the service station just off the junction where we turn to go to Canterbury so we pulled in and had a look around the van.  Yes Martin, you guessed it, our fairy lights and back lights had gone out I could not find the fault as it was dark so Kerry became tail end Charlie until we arrived at Anita’s. The time of arrival was around about 10.15pm Will and Rob had arrived about two hours earlier.  After a brew and a chat we got our heads down for a couple of hours

Three am we got up, had tea and toast, and left by 4am to catch the train. Unfortunately Anita and Pete could not make this trip.  Due to the lack of seats in the van I jumped on the back of Will’s bike and off we went with the bikes as back marker as it was still dark and still no back lights. Once on the other side of the water, we headed for Adinkerk. The boys and girls went for booze and backie while I stayed in the van. On their return we unloaded my Harley and set off again for the rally site at Belare.

As we pulled into the rally site we were greeted by Claude and rolly.  After coffee we left them to it so that we could put up our tents and have a bite to eat and then some well-earned sleep. Out in the sun may I add! What a great start to the rally. Once awake we went to say hello to the other rally goers Jess, John and the rest of the northern boys. Neil and Colin came with three other boys. There was a hand full of Belgiums,  a few French and Luke and corrie with their son and daughter-in-law with their new baby that was made at the rally last year. Sipca had also arrived from Holland. A few hours later Carl and Pauline rode in.  After tea and a few beers it was time for sleep again.

Saturday breakfast was 8 -10   then the ride out at eleven. We set off in one group but it was not as well organised as normal and in the first village the group was split into two as there was only a front and back marker and the front marker never waited for the rest of the group after going through lights so the back marker became the front marker for the second group as he knew where he was going. I was with the first group (big mistake) and Lorraine was with the second group. After being led a merry dance and loosing half the group in the first village and losing our way more than once we finally caught up with the second group stopped on the side of the road. Once stopped and off our bikes we found out that jess and Elaine had come off their Chief while turning at a junction.  Also Glen daft on his 741 had come off at the same spot. Jess had gone on the outside and Glen went on the inside they both hit the same patch of diesel and slid into the kerb. Elaine’s knee was badly bruised and swollen and Glen was shook up. Elaine went in the breakdown van and the rest of us followed to the lunch stop down at the river. After a drink and a roll plus a good natter it was time to head back to camp, this was a shorter route and quicker with no one getting lost (no farm track and only one dead end where the road was closed) we did not get back to camp before the heaven’s opened up though and we all got wet.

Once tea was over it was time for the entertainment. Yes you guessed - ELVIS was back. Once he had finished it was Jess and John’s turn to do their thing as it was Elaine’s birthday and Jess did his rendition of crying over you. At 2 in the morning it was time for bed.

Sunday I helped cook breakfast with Claude and then we said our goodbyes to those who were leaving.  After lunch we rode down to town to see an American car show.  Not the biggest I’ve seen but was ok.  After an hour or so we left to go back to camp for more tea. We retired shortly after as we were leaving early on Monday morning. 6am soon arrived and up we got, took the tents down packed the van and said our goodbyes to Claude and Rolly.

After a mad dash to Adinkirk for another backie run we headed for the train. Once back in England we said our goodbyes to Will and Rob and drove to Pete and Anita’s for a brew and pick up Kerry’s car which we had left there for the weekend. After about an hour we headed for home and more sleep. Another rally over.
Thanks to Anita and Pete for all they did for us.

Till the next time safe riding.

Bill Herbert