Ides of March Rally

Another foggy memory! Now was this the rally that was memorable for extreme weather each year? One year a whirlwind, another year a bitter freeze. It was memorable for something but just what I have forgotten.

Start of quotation Yes, that was the extreme weather rally Ides of March 1967 I think. My wellies froze solid in the mud that night. I slept in the sidecar. Man, was I frozen. I had lost my tent on the way up from London & only noticed it on arrival at Dovedale. That was my one & only Ides of March.

Anyone been to the White Rose rally near Barnsley in 67 knows what the weather can be like in them parts of Yorkshire. End of quotation

- Will Gehlen

Start of quotation I too was at the 1967 Ides of March. The guy ropes on the tent were so frozen, they looked like razor blades. When we left Monyash down hill towards Bakewell the throttle cable on my A65 froze and I couldn't shut the damn thing off. So had to resort to turning off the ignition as I passed the local chapel, frightening to death the local worshipers. Boy it was cold. End of quotation

- Steve Holbrook


Start of quotation I was a member of Salford Centurions from '76 until not sure. Not sure I even remember how I became a member. About 10 or 20 of us used to ride around the Stretford /Eccles area and we somehow ended up with the Centurions. Last meeting I went to being at The Northumberland (no longer there). Back in the days when White City was a bike shop and not a retail park and the law chased us home every Wednesday night. The Continental Club was a haven and sports motorcycles a museum mecca for a young man. Curry came in mild, medium, hot and suicide.

I remember quite a few old members (and they will be now!) Pete with loads of bikes, most in a state of rebuild or in the bath (sorry I set fire to your Norton) Mad Pete as he was better known to distinguish him from Smelly Pete with a Yamaha YDS7. Cath AKA Raghead, Les - KH400, John - CB250, Sharpy - Z500, OJ - Bonny 750 and MZ150, Golly - DT125, Mod (passenger), Nadge - KH250, Gary - GS550, Dunks, Snowy - RD400 and Z500, Tony, Pussy - RD250 (I even remember how he got his name!) Others the grey matter has lost but faces I can picture. Well what ever they may look like now god only knows.

I did Ides in the snow and Augustus in the rain and even a beer festival in ... Germany? Holland? Belgium? Cannot remember which country, must have been good! End of quotation

- Anon

Maybe one of the guys fingered will turn Queens Evidence and identify the writer who forgot to add his own name.


Start of quotation I've been a member of Salford Centurions MCC since 1980 and yes, the Ides Of March is still going strong.

The club is too geographically dispersed these days to have a regular weekly meeting.

Anyone wishing to get in touch can contact the Rally Secretary. End of quotation

- Greg Hutton


Start of quotation Went to quite a few meetings at the Duchy Pub back in 1969/70. Can't remember any names but do remember one fella with a BSA M21. Think his sister had a M20.

The Ides were held near Marsden past Oldham. Great times and it's great to see that the Centurians are still going. End of quotation

- Mick Gilday


Start of quotation 1967 Moniash, Bakewell. I was there with the Notts 41 club. Great evening at the pub, long walk got back, made a brew then bed.

Woke early, very bright, could not breath very well. Opened tent flaps, 4 foot of snow. Had to dig our way out, bloody freezing.

Ignition on my Triumph T500 was frozen so had to take out the switch and just connect the wires.

That was one of the coldest rallies I have been to in Derbyshire. End of quotation

- Birdseye

 

Read the report of the 1973 rally from Les Hobbs