Bald Bikers' Rally

11th March 1988 - BBC

Down to Rockbeare in Devon for the premiere of BBC3, a few years before the Beeb came up with the idea.

I think the weather could best be described as 'nondescript' throughout the weekend, although it had been raining a fair bit in the week beforehand, leaving the pub garden where we were camping a bit wet underfoot.

As is usual in this more refined type of rally, Friday evening was nicely understated, right up to the bit where my then girlfriend, Becky, started taking off her clothes. I think it was something to do with the beer, as she normally remained more-or-less fully clothed until the Saturday.

Tony Hatton, who was still hungry after chucking out time, decided a bottle of ketchup looked a suitable meal, but didn't get much further than a mouthful before sanity broke in.

On Saturday not many people ventured out much further than the shop around the corner for vital supplies and the rest of us, after a suitable lie-in, made use of the recreational facilities before the silly games, traditionally egg-based, had us running/mincing about the garden.

In the evening we were herded once more into the bowling alley section of the pub, where a band, and later disco, were set up.

There was also the traditional 'bald patch' contest, and later on Becky started taking her clothes off again. There may have been a reason, but it evades my memory. The music went on, of course, until we were shoved back into the garden.

Whilst packing up on Sunday, somebody noticed the headline 'BBC HAS RUINED MY LIFE', on one of the newspapers in the shop and presented it to the organiser.

It was another nondescript ride home, but at least it didn't rain.

- Phil (the Spill) Drackley