"Over the edge"

May bank holiday - 2006

or 

" What happened to the Gurt Gallybagger ? "

Now seeing as I missed the Isle of Wight last year, I was determined to make it this time - and make it I did.  The run down was uneventful, the Cotswolds weren't exactly full of blossom this year, but there again, Spring did arrive at least three weeks late.   Roy, Wayne and Myself turned up at the ferry terminal by early afternoon, and before long we were once again making the trip across the Solent.

Something strange on the ferry

Some even stranger things spotted on the ferry

A ten mile journey later, and we rolled up at the rally site - similar to the Gallybagger site, this was also a holiday camp, although quite a lot of it has fallen into the sea.  The cafe where we all used to have our breakfast a few years ago is no longer there.  Still, as long as nothing falls in the sea over the next few days we'll be all right.

So that's why they call it "Over the edge"

The one thing that did strike me was the number of cars on the site - something that didn't  happen "up the road".  Maybe I'm becoming more of a moaning old git than usual, but I do not like cars on a bike rally - especially when it's quite obvious that the folks turning up in them are neither disabled or members of the organising club.  Perhaps "Over the edge" should be advertised more as a rock weekend with a bike theme ?  Speaking of a bike theme, the Winter Gardens at Ventnor was the next stop, where, as per normal, they have a small classic bike show, with the vehicles on the car park being just as interesting as the bikes on show indoors.

Valves in the side - the ideal place for 'em

Once again, the wind decided to wreak havoc - and one of our lot had his tent totally destroyed.

Oh Bugger !

Now you may have noticed I ain't mentioned the marquee or any of the bands.  The simple reason is, I didn't set foot in there.  The rest of the Moonshiners had a thoroughly good time, or so they told me, but I'm afraid that for some reason it just didn't do anything for me.  Don't get me wrong, I had a great time, but for me the rally just didn't have that atmosphere which makes a good rally a great rally.  Maybe things will be different next time ?

As in traditional Moonshiner fashion we headed across to spend a few days at Porlock.  Also, as in traditional Moonshiner fashion, the convoy got split up.  I had a jet block in the carburettor, and by the time I had sorted that out the others were well in front.  By tea time we  had all managed to end up at the same place - which is about right for our lot.  Of course, my mishaps didn't end there.  Having sorted the carburettor out, I took a test ride  up Porlock Hill - only to have my silencer break off as I hit the cattle grid at the top.  The next little incident involved a car that wasn't quite as narrow as the driver thought and a trike that was wider than it looked.  No serious damage done.

Porlock Weir

It looked like being a grand sunset - so I legged it down to the salt water marsh.  I got there just in time to catch the sun as it went down.

Red sky at night

The rest of the week was spent touring around Exmoor during the day, and frequenting the local pubs of an evening - which in my book is as good a way as any to spend a week.

So there we have it - not the best of rally reports, but it kept me off the streets for an hour or two.

Cheers

^..^

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2006