Highland Fling

23rd February 1990 - Prowlers BC

Many moons ago, if somebody had told me that I would be spending my birthday in a muddy field in Hertfordshire, surrounded by drunken bikers, with loud music destroying my hearing, I would have doubted their sanity. Since that was exactly what was happening, more and more often, it was obviously my own sanity that was in question.

This particular muddy field, (and fields adjacent to it), in Hertfordshire was well known to me, having been used for many Prowlers BC rallies over the last decade. Originally it was just a field amongst others, now there was a motorway through it, (M25).

Friday night passed it the usual way, with music, beer and straw aplenty, with a sprinkling of women of varying degrees of willingness to strip off.

On Saturday morning, watching people un-used to muddy slopes attempting to drive across the field filled a few hours, although many of us kept close to the track at the side of the field. After a while, the Iceni MCC wandered off to a pub just a stroll away along the canal, so I decided to tag along. We weren't rushing things, so we managed to miss most of the games and only got back in time for the tail end of the Bag-Piping contest, (putting bean-bags on top of pipes as you are driven past), which resulted in more people dropping bikes in the mud.

When the party started again in the marquee, there was a fair bit of pole climbing for a while before the band started.

The music was provided by Ivors Jivers again - quite enjoyable, and soon it was Miss Rally time, which provided a few points of interest, (I blame the cold).

Later, while the music was still going, a few more people started climbing the poles, with and without clothes. Towards the end of the evening, it was easy to spot those who had got up too early, as they were caught having a nap around the edge of the marquee, some even needed carrying back to their tents, some of which had been stuffed with straw to aid insulation, (NOTE: This doesn't work - I know, I've tried!)

Sunday was a bit overcast, as it had been the whole weekend, but it was a short ride home, via a quick blast up the M25 below us, so I wasn't too worried.

- Phil (the Spill) Drackley