Last Straw Rally

19th May 1989 - Wilts & Avon MAG

For the second of this series, the original organisers, Wilts MAG, needed the backup of their Avon neighbours, but it was still at the same site in Farleigh Hungerford, Somerset.

As fellow ABC member, Spam, had had a bit of an accident, and his bike was in bits, (so was his foot, really - he didn't takes his boot off all weekend), I brought him on my pillion. I got the feeling the comfort of the BMW wasn't to his taste, as he preferred his BSAs. He elected to carry a mandolin as his luggage, in preference to a change of clothes. The fine weather all weekend negated the need for waterproofs.

Friday night proceeded much as any other, so it was enjoyable enough.

On Saturday the 'Protest Run' started from the same non-descript industrial estate as last year and, after clogging up the centre of Bath for a few hours, ended in another business estate on the other side of the city, where some Politico mumbled a heap of platitudes at us and we headed back to the site.

On the ride out, at a stop-and-reassemble point, I noticed a strange vibration from my petrol tank. When I opened the lid I couldn't believe it, but it looked like the petrol was BOILING! I know it was a hot day, but I didn't think it ever got that warm. It doesn't seem to worry riders in the Sahara.

Later on, there was a fair amount of mucking about on bikes in the field, which may or may not have included the games.

The bands were quite good that night, but I can't remember their names, although one may have been either Aunt Lucy, or Lucy Lastic - or not.

A couple of people felt the need to remove clothing for my camera, so I fulfilled their wishes. And so we boogied the night away.

Sunday was another fine day, and the trip home was bright and sunny, so I had a damp towel draped over my tank, even though a tank bag covered most of it.

- Phil (the Spill) Drackley