I arrived home from Weston-Super-Mare last week with a warm fuzzy glow inside having had a stupendous time. I must say that it truly felt like nothing had ever happened, Covid-schmovid was a bad dream from another night.
After almost two years of enforced hibernation, it was good to be back doing what all rally-going scooterists enjoy. Riding unsuitable machines long distances to far-flung locations with even more unsuitable friends, overcoming adversity along the way and making merriment out of serious situations. Drinking, laughing and catching up with our wide-spread scooter family. Misfits of society bonded together through a love of our humble machines
I’m not going to bore you with our 170-miles of motorway to get there, or the fact that Matty’s scooter locked up in front of me at 70 miles an hour. Instead let’s take a quick look at the South West Scooter Club’s Weston National Rally, held on a perfect late September weekend – a treat for the many campers who’d gambled on the weather. Although I imagine some were put off by the thought of being stuck without fuel either on the way there or the way home. We managed both ways but there were certainly no shortage of fools bringing chaos to the forecourts.
Friday night was a banter-filled laughathon around town with friends from as far away as Scotland and Belgium (smuggled in via Amsterdam). Nothing had changed since 2019 BC (Before Covid), although one of the manly South West boys seemed to have spent lockdown on various beauty treatments and manscaping regimes. Looking good Wol.
The evening entertainment was being held at Tropicana, a place where the drinks weren’t actually free but you could get a pound back for every plastic glass you returned to the bar – we were quids in by the end of the weekend.
The do was fairly busy (as were the pubs) but certainly not as packed as usual which was probably a good thing for the first indoor National since the pandemic. Even so, it was great just to see people out having fun again, dancing, laughing, chatting…
Our club were all stopping in a room only hotel for the weekend, although five of the lads accidentally ended up sitting down to a ‘free’ pre-paid breakfast thanks to a visiting rugby team. The rest of us had to rough it with a lukewarm offering from Wetherspoons down the road and five rugby players went hungry.
The main entertainment for us on Saturday was a great spectator sport held outside our hotel, Smiths. I mentioned Matty’s GP locking up on the way down, it was actually a problem deep inside the engine rather than a top end seize – as the very wobbly rear wheel revealed. Four mates, Talbot, Ginge, Tony and Moly arrived at the hotel just after 10 am and set to, dismantling the stricken machine. Makeshift tools were used instead of an LTH clutch holding tool in true scooter boy fashion. They soon diagnosed the cause of the problem and identified the various wrecked parts (the layshaft bearing had collapsed and took a few other parts with it).
Once dismantled and cleaned, they put together a shopping list and set off to buy the bearings, seals and bits and pieces from the campsite. Barry Turner and Goofy had all the parts needed (total cost £65) the lads were soon back in front of a growing crowd as they replaced parts and reassembled the scooter. We were all mesmerised, especially seeing as we’d had a few pints by this stage. After four hours the moment of truth came and the scooter kicked into life, the owner had a test ride and made it home safely. A great effort.
Elsewhere on the rally campsite a mile or so inland, the custom show was in full swing with some tasty specimens on display, all held outside in the lovely September sunshine (have a flick through the Rallery above for the full custom entrants and results). Gary Wickham took best of show for his stunning Clash themed Lammy, Breaking Rocks in the hot sun.
Aside from the show and the trade stalls there was also a ride out through town with probably around 100 scooters taking part like they had petrol to burn. We wanted to conserve ours though just in case getting home was tricky.
We got comfortable for the afternoon with friends visiting ‘our’ bar for a drink or two before moving on. Eventually, we moved as well, by this time it was already dark and we found a cheesy disco bar where the girls enjoyed themselves on the 1970s style illuminated dancefloor. Myself and a couple of others wobbled off to the do just in time for Marquis Drive to take the stage… err, what stage? It turned out on Friday we’d spent the whole night in the soul room and completely missed the much bigger and busier main room next door!
After the band we did a bit more mooching around to catch up with friends, listened to a few more tunes and it was time to head off home as the bouncers chucked us all out. 2 am had come around rather quickly.
Rather than throwing a sickie for Monday, we did the sensible thing and headed home for a trouble-free, stress-free ride back to the midlands. My Quattrini M210 was faultless and it still puts a smile on my face every time I ride it.
Queue busters
The petrol situation had got worse from Friday though, with huge queues at all the services and lots of pumps either coned or taped off. Filtering to the front of panic-stricken motorists at fuel stations seemed a bit naughty but we’d filled up the scooters before the vehicle already at the pump had even paid so we weren’t holding anybody up.
I really enjoyed Weston, the weekend went far too quickly but it was great to be back out. It really felt good to be riding distances again and seeing everybody. At times during lockdown I thought I’d grown up but thankfully it seems like I was mistaken. If you get chance to go to Southport for the third and final National of 2021 get yourself there. Back in October 2019 we weren’t to know that we’d not be allowed out again until summer 2021 so do everything you want to do whilst you have your health and your freedom, it can all be taken away from you in an instant.
Thanks to the South West Scooter Clubs for putting on a stonking event.
Words: Iggy
Photos: Booga (extra shots Iggy & Col)
Booga must have have been in the room next to us judging by the first picture. Also a great phot of me on the little blue smally with a flag on the back. Thanks for catching me. I saw the big lens and tried to give you a smile!!