Golden Eagle Rally

The 1976 Golden Eagle Rally was my second rally but the first one I had attended all on my own.

This was May '76 and just one month after I had returned from spending the winter in Kenya with the Army.

I was awoken at the crack of dawn by a very loud exhaust note!

- Neil

As we all know, the summer of 1976 was a very hot one. If we had one like it now our politicians and junk scientists would say it was proof of Global Warming. But May of '76 saw rain almost every day. The Friday I set off for Wolverhampton was no exception.

My first stop from Ripon was on the M6 motorway at Knutsford for a warm up and to get dry. Actually, setting off the weather was fine and making a fuel stop not too far from the sports field where the rally was being held the sun, although now low down, was clear of the cloud once again and slightly warm.

It took me a while to erect my tent because this was the first time I had used it. My mother bought it for me from a catalogue for not much more than a fiver and I've still got it, used last for the Manx GP in 1997. Anyway, thank goodness it was still light when I came to put it up.

I still have all my badges but this one was special because it was my first lone rally venture.

There were a lot of rally entrants, probably the best attended of this type I had been to.

While in my tent, late that night I remember some drunken chaps having a sing along on their way back from the pub. They were singing - if that's what you would call it - to the tune of 'She'll be coming round the mountain'. The words however, referred to where one could stick ones Jap machines and the chorus rang out 'I ride Triumph'.

I was awoken at the crack of dawn by a very loud exhaust note!

Looking around the site and the bikes on the Saturday (I think) I came across an older gent with a red Ariel Square Four and matching sidecar. I believe this was located near the control area. I was to meet up with this bike and rider on my way back to North Yorkshire on the motorway. In all we stopped three times at service stations for Coffee and a chat.

A good ride home and introduction to independent rallying.

- Neil Wyatt

 

Start of quotation One of the best rallies I attended. Good weather, good site and an even better pub. Went with a large group from Potters Wheels MCC.

Can remember walking back from the pub in the dark along a canal towpath and over a temporary bridge from which someone had removed the planks. Not easy as we were carrying a mate who'd had a few to many!! End of quotation

- Steve Parks