Captain Cook Rally

This was a Tees Tornadoes MCC organised rally held near to Captain Cook's birthplace. One thing that comes back is the chips fried in lard.


 

Luckily Ian Bower wrote a report of the 1976 Captain Cook Rally for Megaphone so you can get a taste there.

 

 


Here is a report of the 1973 rally at Sedgefield, County Durham from Les Hobbs.

A few of our intrepid crew, after a few debates in the local and having enjoyed some of the best rallies that could be found in the Midlands, decided that the 1973 Captain Cook Rally was one not to be missed, even though it was the best part of a 400 mile round trip. So it was all planned to congregate at my parents home in the small hours of Saturday morning for a very early start to the weekends pleasure. Coffee was on the stove, most people were tired before we even set off. There was a chill in the air which took a time to lift even after the sun came up. In the crew was Rob (Rupert) Hughes and wife Judy, Mac (the Black) and girlfriend Elaine, Les Richardson, John Boswell and wife Mo (Maureen) Elaine's sister, Andy Szuleko and girlfriend, Steve Porter and several others.

It was a slowish but event free ride up to the rally, no breakdowns. We did, after all, have time on our side. If anything we got there too soon. As we left the A1 we kept having to stop and let the last man catch up. It was now daylight and we couldn't understand just what the problem was until Mac told us that Elaine was thumping him in the ribs if she felt he was going too fast or cornering too fast.

We found the camp site no problem but had to wait to sign in. It was still early and control was still wearing last nights beer. We had a walk around the site, nice short grass, some sort of a water tower, a bacon sarnie, tents put up and a very short walk, 50 yards, into the town or rather village and what did we see? A super market, or rather village store, offering NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE at a staggeringly cheap 10½d a bottle. We can't pass that one by. It's only 9.30am and we are drinking on the church yard wall in the middle of the village and by 11.30am we were well away.

Back on the campsite meeting friends and climbing the water tower. By 1.30pm we were all feeling the effects of the early morning start and the cheap ale. We started to get our heads down for a quick 40 winks when some girl that was being shown how to ride a bike drove through or rather over some guy's tent while he was in it. Wimmin drivers.

The night time session was damn good until the police turned up mob handed with dogs around 10pm. We never found out what that was all about. Damn good do, steady ride home, no problems.

- Les Hobbs


Start of quotation The Police presence could have had something to do with one of our club members, who decided the quickest way across the road was straight over the top of a local's car ... not a good move! End of quotation

- Dave Honneyman


Start of quotation I was at the 1973 rally on my brand new BMW R75/5. This was the first mc rally I had ever been to and although the tent ride over incident was unnerving (it was not me) I really enjoyed it.

You English are so hospitable that I spent more time in the UK than I planned.

I still have the Beemer and the badge. End of quotation

- John Stoll

Terry Riddle Bill Marshall Mick Ayriss Rob Winnett Terry Riddle Bill Marshall Mick Ayriss Rob Winnett