Three Spires M.C.C.
19th Mad March Hare Rally.
April 18th 19th & 20th. 1997.
This rally was held at Park Farm Barn, near to
Castle Donington race track.
Now having been to a few rallies at this site I knew from bitter
experience that the price of beer and food would be
extortionate. I was not disappointed. Good job I took
a plentiful supply of eatables and drinkables. It was
good to see that the organising club had beer on sale, although
unofficial, at a reasonable price. Thanks lads.
The owner of the site had decided that a
smaller field would be adequate for
motorcyclists to camp in. Compact and bijou summed it up.
The Friday night band "Twin Lizzy" was, as you
might have guessed, a Thin
Lizzy tribute band. Now I am not a Thin Lizzy fan but this
guy sounded the part.
Having spent a while listening to the band I then wandered over
to the control tent and stood round the fire bucket talking to
folks I had not seen for a while. The smell from the nearby
drainage ditch was aromatic to say the least.
Saturday morning was windy and cold, a typical British
spring day. I took a
ride to "Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem" at
Nottingham, which is allegedly Britains oldest pub. Having
sampled a pint of Britains oldest beer I wandered round
Nottingham for a while looking in various camping shops in search
of bits for my next project, a gas cooker in the mobile dog
kennel.
On returning to the site I found even less room than
before, but it was not
packed enough to be uncomfortable. The barn & bar was
packed solid by Saturday night. Sod this, I`ll stand
outside, I thought. It seems I thought wrong.
It was bloody cold & windy. This
little problem was solved by "drinking on the
hoof". I wandered in & out, generally talking
& drinking until bedtime called.
The one good thing about Park Farm Barn in the huge Sunday
market that is
held literally next door. This market seems to sell just
about everything, & it always has plenty of stalls selling
food. I was surprised to see a queue forming at the
entrance. I was even more surprised when they charged 50
pence admission. The things people will do to make
money. Still, that's the way of the world I suppose.
Having fed and packed away, I took the somewhat scenic route home
via Derby & Burton. A pleasant 50 odd mile run, which
certainly tested the new rear suspension set up on the
Trike.
Another Mad March Hare Rally over. Next year will be
the 20th, I am looking
forward to it.
Cheers.
^..^
Lone Wolf.