Motorcycle Action Group.

Heart of England rally and "Brum demo" run.

6th - 8th July. 2001.

    Friday, and the weather forecast was for thunderstorms, and we certainly needed one.  The air had that horrible 'muggy' oppressiveness which made even the slightest exertion seem like hard work.  Remembering how wet I got last week, I packed my lightweight Summer waterproofs and set off down the M5 for the 25 mile trip to Droitwich rugby club.
    The ground was as hard as ever, and I soon had a queue of people waiting to borrow my hammer.  Not much danger of the tents blowing away this weekend.  Having set up camp, I rode back into town to grab something to eat, and, in true British fashion, down came the rain.  If nothing else, it cooled the air down a little.
    Only two other Moonshiners made it to this rally - Bucka and Archie, but there were plenty of Black Country MAG members just lazing in the sun - so we joined 'em.  I think it's better not to mention bottles of vodka and birthdays, don't you ?
    The sitting on the grass and drinking party became the sitting in the bar and drinking party.
    It seems that even "Ruffty Tuffty" bikers will play on kid's scooters - if they think no one is looking.  Indoor micro scooter racing - whatever next ?
Whilst the 'grown ups' were playing with the scooters, some of the kids were playing  musical instruments outside in the marquee - and bloody good they were too, better than some of the so called professional bands.
    So ended Friday night. 

    Saturday morning, and time to set off for the demo run.
I can't remember how long I've been going on the "Brum Demo" run - it's one of those things that seem to have always been there.  Sometimes, in the past, the police would harass us, but of late, the police have helped marshall the run, but this year there were to be no police at all.  Love 'em or hate 'em, the police used to keep the run in one piece and blocked traffic at all the road junctions.  Even the biggest dickhead of a driver tends to behave when they spot a policeman.
    I stopped off to visit a friend on the way over to the demo run, but was ready and waiting well before the start at one o clock.  In true "Brum demo" style, the rain came down again - this time before we had set off rather than after.  There's something amusing about a few hundred bikers all standing under trees in the pouring rain - well, it amused me anyway.
    At one o clock we were off.  The plan was for me to stay at the back with the trike and try to act as a 'rolling roadblock', and for most of the run, the plan actually worked.  We made it to Sandwell council offices without losing anyone and without * too much * grief off other road users.  I'm afraid I gave the end of run speeches a miss this year.
    Seeing as the run ended only a few miles from where I live, I popped back home for a cuppa before heading back down the motorway to Droitwich.  The trip back to the site was considerably quicker than the original trip - the trike is much faster when the "mobile dog kennel" isn't attached to its rear end.

    Whilst I was away, the silly games were being held, and, from what I've been told, very silly they were too.
    After a quick wander around the various stalls I headed once more into the bar where Tony, our over worked and over stressed rep. was having a swift pint.  As the evening wore on, folks drifted from the marquee, where Cum to Bedlam were playing, back to the bar.  I ended up in the 'control tent' on the main gate - and there I stayed until the sun came up.
The control tent seemed to be the rally equivalent of the kitchen at parties - - the place where a few bodies scuttle off to in order to sit and 'escape from it all'.

    Surprisingly enough, I managed to awaken before Sunday afternoon.  Most people were packing away in a leisurely style seeing as the warm, muggy weather had returned.  The promised thunderstorms never appeared.
    I know this rally clashed with Donington, but I thought a few more 'local' bikers would have turned up - still, that's the way it happens sometimes.

    The "Heart of England" seems to have found a 'home' at last.  The rugby club is an ideal site, nice and flat, fairly easy to find, not too far from the local shops and 'relaxed' enough to make you feel comfortable.  I know the local authorities still like to 'keep an eye' on what goes on, but their presence didn't cause any bother this year.  All being well, this rally will only get better.

Cheers.

^..^

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2001