Brass Monkey Rally

20th January 1984 - Solent MCC

This year the camping area was just across the road from the Burridge Sports & Social Club.

The field was exceedingly muddy. In fact, when I drove in, I managed to find possibly the muddiest bit of it. I went as far as I could, (when I was about a foot deep in mud), left the bike standing up in place and set up my tent next to it, planning to drive out early in the morning, when the ground was frozen. This was accomplished and I parked the bike in the club's car park, like most sensible people.

Friday evening passed well in the club building.

One guy spent most of Saturday rebuilding his outfit's running gear after some worrying shakes developed on the way down.

Again, the evening passed most enjoyably. The land-owner had given permission for a barn and other wooden structures in the field to be pulled down and used for firewood. This was most welcome and led to a pile of burning wood floating on a thawed out mud puddle in the middle of the field. I remember the tar-paper roof insulation burned exceedingly well, and the corrugated iron roofing was used to stand on, which kept us above the ice and mud.

The entrance got exceedingly muddy by the end of the weekend. On the Sunday, I just parked outside and carried my gear to the bike.

- Phil (the Spill) Drackley