Ray's Reports
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H-DC BREDA
By GEORDIE RAY at 21/06/2006 10:47:03 AM
HDC Breda Rally 2006
We had arranged to meet at the Eurotunnel train terminal at about 12.30 to see if we could get on an earlier train. After a last minute panic to find my passport, I loaded the bike, locked up and was on the road by 10.30. I was expecting to be the first one to arrive as the rest of the club would have to stop for petrol because of the Sportsters and their small tanks. After a very enjoyable ride down to the terminal, I was indeed the first to arrive. Everyone turned up and we settled down to a long wait as a train had broken down earlier in the day and everything was delayed. Catweasle had forgotten to bring his reference number for his ticket, even though I had insisted on everyone not forgetting them. After talking to the help desk everything was sorted out and he had his new ticket. There was no chance of getting on an earlier train as the place was crowded. Finally our letter was called and we went and queued again at the barriers. After being held for ages in the sun we were let on to the train. Does anyone know why motorcycles are always the last ones to be let on? The train set off 2 hours late, which meant there was no chance of watching the Holland world cup game at the site.
Once off the train we stopped at the first petrol station and filled up. Nigel and me led the way onto the A16 motorway and headed toward Belgium. We lost Deadeyes again straightaway as we sat at a steady 70mph. Past Dunkirk, Veurne, Ostend and Brugge we thundered, stopping for petrol just before Ghent. Just outside of Antwerp, Sandra broke down, Catweasle and Paul stopped while the rest of us carried on to the next services. Sandra, Catweasle and Paul eventually turned up, along with Tony, who had stayed with Deadeyes for a while. The problem was a snapped battery cable terminal. We set off round the Antwerp ring road and turned onto the A1 motorway. The Hoogstraten slip road beckoned so we came off there and followed the signs into the centre of town. The road through town was closed so we followed the detour signs and finally found some H-D signs. We arrived at the site and paid the 20 Euro entrance fee and then set the tents up.
Next stop was the stall selling the beer tokens and then the bar. We met up with a lot of our friends, the HDC Wrecking Crew, the HDC Kids, the HDC Breda, the HDC 74, the HDC North Sea Group, and the HIC Switzerland to name a few. A lot of the Dutch guys were smashed already, no doubt celebrating Holland’s win. The first band I saw was a thrash metal band, their heroes must have been Motorhead as most of their songs sounded just like them. Sometime during the night Nigel and I decided it would be a great to ride naked around the marquee. After all the beer we had drunk it certainly seemed a good idea at the time. Off we went back to the bikes where we stripped off, but like all real men we kept our boots on, and jumped on the bikes, then jumped off very quickly as the seats were so cold. They were covered in condensation as the temperature had dropped. We got back on the bikes again and set off for the marquee. About half way there my bike died but as Nigel was leading he carried on. I finally worked out that I hadn’t turned the petrol on. Of I went again but by the time I got to the marquee Nigel was already inside. I entered the marquee to hear everyone cheering Nigel so I had to fight my way around. Near the back of the marquee I gave it a bit too much on the throttle and the back wheel slid away and down I went. A few people helped pick the bike up and I set off again. I left the marquee where I came in and went back to the tent. Nigel wasn’t there; he turned up as I finished getting dressed. He had gone round the marquee twice. After dressing we went back to the marquee where no-one recognised us with our clothes on. One female member of the HDC Breda came over and asked who we were. I explained what we had just did and she said “Very good, it livened up the place but no-one could see anything” I tried to explain how cold it was but she wasn’t having any of it. The next band was a rockabilly group and had everyone dancing. Deadeyes turned up at 11.30pm, this must be some sort of record 13 hours to do 140 miles. I finally crashed out sometime in the morning.
When I got up in the morning we sat about in the sun reminding each other about what had happened last night. After breakfast some of us went out on our own ride out to the coast. It took a while to find the sea but we eventually got there, via Breda, Roosendaal, Bergen Op Zoom, Krabbendijke and Goes. We then rode over one of the flood barriers and stopped for a drink halfway over where we watched some boats going through the sea locks. We headed back to the site and after 7 hours and 200 miles we arrived. What a great ride we had, the sun was belting down all the way. After relaxing for a while we had some food and then hit the bar again. I promised myself that I would take it easy tonight. That lasted for all of an hour. After more dancing and singing during the evening, Big Nick and I ended up sitting around the bonfire talking shit but sounding really interesting at the time. About 4.00am I went to bed.
We had arranged to set off at 10.00am so after having a quick shower and grabbing breakfast we packed the bikes. At 10.00 we set off, all apart from Paul, who wasn’t ready. We told him we would be at the petrol station filling up. After twenty minutes Paul still hadn’t shown up and it looked as if everyone was ready so off we went. We found out when we got to the train terminal that we hadn’t seen Nick still filling up and we had left him behind. We got on the motorway again and headed towards Antwerp. Nigel led us around the ring road but to the north this time and we ended up having to pay a 5 Euro toll. This was the same price as cars; I think MAG Belgium need to do some work there. At the first petrol stop we discovered that some of the club were missing, Big Nick, Helen, Tony, Grasscutter, Nick the News and James were nowhere to be seen. They did have directions to the terminal though. Arriving at the terminal we finally got through check-in and relaxed in the terminal. Grasscutter had problems with his ticket. According to the woman on the desk he couldn’t be here as there was no record of his entry. After taking all the documentation to the desk it was finally worked out that because Catweasle didn’t use his reference number when we came out somehow the numbers were mixed up so Grasscutter had to get a new ticket printed. All this was done just in time for us to head to the train. Back on home soil we stopped at the petrol station and then we all headed off home. Fatboy and I went through the Dartford Tunnel; I turned off onto the A13 towards London while Fatboy carried on round the M25 to Northampton. I arrived home bout 5.30pm, unpacked the bike, had a shower, something to eat and had an early night.
A total distance for me of 688 thoroughly enjoyable miles. Our thanks go to the HDC Breda for putting on a great rally. The weather was scorching all weekend and we all enjoyed ourselves.Geordie Ray
West London Harley Riders
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