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Ooievaarstreffen

Motor Klub Den Haag

Held in the summer on one of the campsites on the outskirts of Den Haag.

Sonja, my Dutch girlfriend, introduced me to this cracker of a rally held on a proper camp site part of which was reserved for us rallyists. The small areas were separated by small privet hedges. There were a few English riders over. The regulars Roger Halfyard with his wife Julie, his cousin Kelvin Clouting, Phil Guy and his girl friend and a few more I've forgotten, but enough to have a good time and we did.

The sun shone most of the day and we sat outside the cafe drinking cold beer until mid afternoon then it was time for a short nap. Back by the tents on the footpath some chap was doing wheelies on a small trail type bike - wow!!! As if we hadn't seen it before. He then let his mate have a go and he couldn't do it. He tried 3 or 4 times with his mate shouting instructions and us laughing at his useless efforts. Then he gave it a great big fistful and turned the bike right over just about getting himself out of the way breaking the rear light and indicators. We were nearly wetting ourselves laughing as they slunk off in embarrassment. They were not with the rally, just local boys come to see what's going on.

The single storey cafe had a large function room which is where we spent Saturday evening. Some Dutch tobacco firm turned up to promote the launch of a new hand rolling tobacco called Draak (Dragon), handing out small packets of free samples. It's funny how everybody now seemed to be smokers. Then there were cigarette rolling competitions. The girls were good, some better than the men. Well with that out of the way it was time for a few more beers.

Sunday morning was greeted by a headache and lying there waiting for it to go I could hear the sound of a small engine. Then all of a sudden WHAM!!!! WHAT THE HELL!!!! It was a Dutch street organ at full belt at 8.30am. This was in my mind not funny. I got out of the tent and the rally organizer (I can't remember his name) was howling with laughter along with the organ owner. I found out later that the campsite owner wanted people up and away rather than have them around most of the morning and each year it was something different. The next time I went it was a bagpipe band in kilts. Where the hell do you find one of those in Holland at 8.30am on a Sunday morning? Ten out of 10 that man!

Ooievaar translates as stork.

- Les Hobbs

Start of quotation Sorry that we woke you up on the Ooievaarstreffen with the street organ. It was my idea. The year later we had three men with bagpipes. End of quotation

- Hans Veenendaal