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| In more than
20 year
of scootering I had never attended the Isle of Wight before. That's
strange
considering it's the most attended rally in the World and that I've
been
invited many times. Anyway this year I finally had the opportunity to
enter
the rally.
There is just a word to explain the thing: 'massive'. We have decided to attend on our Lambrettas combination (me and Dean) so a decision to load them on a truck was taken. Yes I know, I know, next year we have already planned to do the whole trip on scooters. This give us the opportunity to deliver a just sold scooter to his new owner on our way to the Isle. So me and Marco have left on the truck on Tuesday 23 while Dean and daughter (5 years old already been there!), Dave and Alessandra, have flight over on Wednesday. We have met in Southend on Sea where a visit to BBJ and the Essex massive is a must every time we go to England. On the way to Isle I have realized how nice is to ride a left hand sidecar on its right side of the road, and despite the clouds it doesn't rain all the ride to the scooters packed ferry. I had already experienced this in the Isle of Man 2003, but a ferry full of scooters is still unusual to me. We finally arrive in ride, where we meet up with some friends and make new ones, then we head to the beaufitul Sundown where we have booked our hotel. What's amazing to me is the high quality level of scooters present in the Isle; although there is a custom show on Sunday with some nice scoots on displace the real show is outside where the best of Britain's scootering is on display. For the night there is a variety of events to attend, Saturday we decide to go to the Venue where a concert of 80s band "The Beat" is scheduled. I've never been a great fan of the band but have enjoyed it and lately me and Marco decide to wait outside the "Hipshaker" our time to get in. Brilliant atmosphere, we go to bed really late, asking some friends to get us some tickets for the next evening. So we do and go in at a decent hour so we spend all the night there. Sunday morning also see the massive ride out; we wait for most of the bikes to go and after 45 mins (!!!) make our start in the impressive scenery of streets crowded of people waving us at our pass. Unbelievable. On the road to the rugby field I pick up Billy boy who's Lambretta has a broken throttle cable, and that's a BIG test for my sidecar reliability, passed with no hesitation. Monday sees us going back to the mainland, loading our scoots again and heading to sunny Cornwall to pay a visit to Bodmin Moor and all the places that saw the birth of our beloved Deano. Despite what he says there are some very beautiful places, worth a longer visit next. The journey back home is the longest thing I have ever done, we decide to ride all the way non stop and 32 hours late we are back home, sleepless, but with a lot of things still in our eyes. Will never forget the Monte Bianco sight at dawn. Marvellous. |
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