Lion Rally
Reading MAG
Click on any of the photo's for a bigger version.
Friday
I stupidly volunteered to be a marshal this year on the grounds that the Lion Rally
is the biggest MAG event in the area and I felt that I should contribute in some way. So
I arrived at about 12 on my own - none of the other buggers at Windsor MAG volunteered!
Put the tent up and started my first shift which wasn't that bad. All I had to do
was stick a little dot on peoples head lights, the others had the harder jobs of selling tickets
and writing the bike reg number on the back. Pretty good fun really because you
get to meet a few new people and greet the punters in. There seemed to be an un-spoken
hierarchy based on how many times you'd marshalled before, if you were an old hand then you'd
get a two way radio! The radios were good fun to listen to - better than proper radio.
Finished at 4pm by which time
quite a few of us had turned up. There was significantly more stalls than last year
and there seemed to be more people around so the rally is getting bigger all the time. One
of the regular stalls (Candyman - loads of sweets!) had a duckling that the owner was
rearing until it's big enough to let loose -
Guy turned up looking for Insane MCC, they don't normally ride scooters by the way -
Did the usual thing for the rest of the night - stand around drinking, listen to the band etc. The drinks were pretty cheap from the bar and the profits go to MAG so there was no real need to do a run to the super-market for cheap booze.
Saturday
Had to marshall at 8am! I'm not good at getting up in the morning normally and it was not
helped by a couple in a tent near-by arguing from about 4am to 5.30 am. I got up then to go to the loo and had
a quick chat with the marshalls that had been on since 12am - they looked a bit nackered! I had
2 more hours to get some sleep before my shift. Luckily there was not much happening when
8am came so I sat against the fence and tried to rest. Breakfast arrived at around 9ish
which was a pretty good fry-up. Still not many punters coming in and out so I picked up
rubbish in the main arena for a bit of excitement. By the time I came back a few marshalls
had drifted off and there was more punters so it was more interesting. And we a caravan type
thing turned up for us! -
It had a fridge, stereo, heater and bench seats. Pity they had not bothered to get it out on Friday, the people on the night shift would have really liked some shelter. Still, looks like Reading are looking after their marshalls very well now which should encourage people to help out.
4pm came and I was free to go and have a look at the bike show and get some food.
Some of the scooters on display for the bike show. There was a really well painted V-max but
the picture did not come out well.
Some of the silly games were still going on, Tom and Kay had some fun -
Ahhh, aren't they nice? -
So nice that Sarah bought one!
Some of the mature scooter owners (they're getting everywhere in this review!) jammed thier
engine on and spun the thing round by the handle bar. Not quite sure why. He later got on
it with a mate and rode around the arena area until he ran into a marshall and got told
to clear off!
This is what happens to you if you are stupid enough to go to your first rally with
Insane MCC!
The plastic bag on one of their arms is to hide the plaster cast - a broken arm does not
get you out of this ritual!
See, these two fine people look happy so it must be a good rally.
I took this picture because I like dogs, it was a "hearing dog for the blind" -
Here are some of us embarassing ourselves in public (no change there then) -
Another good night - the bands were fine and the bar was well staffed as usual.
Sunday
Debbie is so posh that she brought a table in the car -
See how everyone really likes being in photos and poses so well!
Some biker babe that hangs around with us -
Have a look at Damians pics
Just so I mention everyone this time!
Camping with Windsor & District MAG -
Peter, Jo, Alex, Kate, Sion, Tony, Sarah, Carl,
Vicky, Rich (+ kids), Cathy, Kevin +1, Ken, Debbie, Jools,
Jim, Frankie, Rob, Jacky, Martin, Ian, Neil (+ kid), Keith, Jenny,
Chief + 3.
People involved with Windsor MAG but camping with other groups -
Insane MCC : Little Dave, Guy, Damian
West London Harley Riders : Dave (NTV), Jan (+ kids), Ray, Grasscutter, Alan, Linda
Nice to see/meet -
Wycombe MAG, Travelers MCC, Insane MCC, West London Harley riders, Paul (Newbury MAG),
Squiz, Claire, Kevin (Huddersfield MAG), Marina (Icklebiker), Dave (BSH - no, not Veggie!).
