Shattersford M.C.C.`s
"21st Anniversary Rally"
March 21st, 22nd & 23rd. 1997.
The first I heard about this rally
was at the Rally Review Spring romp, the
weekend before. So armed with fond memories of earlier
"Sheepnagger" rallies and a Kidderminster phone number,
I found out where the site was. The Horse & Jockey,
between Bewdley & Cleobury Mortimer. This was one of
those pubs I must have ridden past hundreds of times but never
popped in. Soon put that right I thought.
By dinner time Friday I had made the 28 mile trip and
started to set up camp.
Seeing as the sun was shining I decided the wood burner could be
left in the garage.
This later proved to be a mistake as the temperature dropped to
about -2.
Still, I've been cold before and no doubt I`ll be cold again. The night's entertainment consisted of Honest John's disco and a couple of "young" bands. The bands were far too loud and "modern" for old farts like myself so I wandered outside to have a look at this comet everyone was talking about. I looked all over the field for a 500 c.c. Vincent single but couldn`t see one at all. The only interesting thing in sight was a funny looking star with a tail. Now there's something you don't see every night.
The wee small hours of Saturday morning were spent sitting on old arm chairs around the fire.
And so to bed.
I woke up and removed the ice from inside my mobile dog
kennel. By half past ten the air temperature was quite
pleasant. A trip over to one of my favourite cafes, near
Bridgnorth, was called for. Having fed I took a scenic tour
of Shropshire's finest roads. This was riding just for the
sheer enjoyment of it, and I loved every minute.
Saturday night and the pub had filled up well. A few
more of the Moonshiners
M.C.C. had decided to join me. We spent an evening talking
and joking with folks, as you do. The disco & bands in
the back room were doing all right. All in all, a proper
Saturday night. When the pub shut, the scene moved to the
camp fire once again, with folks drinking and singing and doing
whatever folks do when they're pissed.
Sunday morning. A lot of people were playing
"lose the hangover" A lot of
people didn't know how to play, and so, took their hangovers home
with them.
We made a steady trip back to the cafe for a lard rich
meal, and then took the
back roads that lead to the bowels of the Black Country.
It had been a long time since I had done a Shatterford
M.C.C. rally ( the
"Naughty Willie" was still a pub and not a nursing
home) and I really enjoyed this one.
Roll on the next one lads. Thanks.
p.s. The aforementioned "Naughty Willie",
or Nautical William, to give it its
correct name, was the pub the Shattersford M.C.C. used for
rallies until it was sold and converted into the "Mary
Rose" nursing home. I noticed, on the way home, that
it is now boarded up. Perhaps it will become the
"Naughty Willie" once again. One can always hope.
Cheers.
^..^
Lone Wolf.