Pilgrims
Mayflower MCC, 27th Pilgrims Rally, August 2002
On Friday morning, 2 August, the following participants met for the England tour: Karl Heuser, with his son Max, 9 years old (BMW R100RS), Wolfgang Daun (Suzuki GSX750F), Hans Mondorf (BMW K100RS), Walter Trappe (Yamaha XV535 Virago).
Via Cologne, Aachen, Liège, Namur, Mons, Lille, Dunkirk to Calais. During the ferry crossing, we had fish and chips for lunch.
Then the usual traffic jam on the M25 and before the Dartford Tunnel. From Dover we drove to The Huntsman and Hounds pub in Althorne, Essex.
As in the previous year, a marquee was set up behind the pub on the large meadow. We spent the Friday evening in a relaxed atmosphere in the marquee.
Saturday morning after breakfast we left for London with the motorbikes. We swam with the traffic through the suburbs of Romford and Ilford on the North Cicular Road to our destination, the Ace Café. Here we took a long break, refreshed ourselves and admired a large exhibition of hot rod vehicles.
After returning to Althorne, the second cozy evening in the marquee began. A little anecdote about this: In our home near Cologne, we drink our local beer, called "Kölsch", from small glasses (0.2 liters). In such events as this rally, the children run around with a porter and collect the empty glasses. Then, if they drop off a full porter at the bar, they get a free lemonade. Our youngest participant, Max Heuser (9 years old), did the same thing that evening. It wasn't long before Chairman Graham Butler came up to us and explained that Max couldn't do it. Some rally participants had complained about paying a £1 deposit for the pint glass. As best Max could, he returned the empty pint glasses to their owners.
(page 1) Mayflower MCC Presents 27th Pilgrims Rally 2002 Welcome! (page 2) Pilgrims Rally 2002 Welcome to this, our 27th Pilgrims Rally. We hope you had a pleasant and trouble free ride on your way here and we hope that your stay with us will be enjoyable. As you will see we have a slightly bigger marquee for this year to accommodate some more of the dancing that happened last year. Also, for your enjoyment, and in addition to Geoff playing his sounds, we have Tim Aves and IH35 that play 'tough rocking Texas blues' on Saturday night, so hopefully we should be able to entertain you sufficiently. The Huntsman and Hounds is offering a reduced menu for this weekend to enable them to cope with the anticipated rush, food-serving times are on the next page. Unfortunately the pub is not able to provide breakfasts on Saturday morning so toast will be available, courtesy of Mayflower MCC, from the marquee. The pub will, if pre-booked, be able to supply breakfasts on Sunday moming for the cost of £3.75 to include full English breakfast, tea or coffee and toast. There is another pub within easy walking distance from the site, the Black Lion, if it proves that the site pub can't cope, the landlord has been made aware of this event but pre-booking for food is advised, early is better. The showers, which are in the building on the left between the marquee and the pub, are shared so make sure you get it right! Victoria Tongs has, once again, produced a brainteaser for you all to try. There will be a small, probably alcoholic, prize for the most correct answers. If you fancy a ride out, Burnham on Crouch is 4 miles away and is a very pretty seaside town with lots of pubs and restaurants. That's really all we have to say, on the next page in this programme you will find details of the hours for food and drink and even what beers should be available! Any problems please go to the Control, the Committee are all in contact via mobile phones this weekend so we should be able to respond fairly quickly to any situation. Thanks, The Committee (page 3) Programme of Events Bar Opening Times At the time of going to print the pub is open all day from 11:00 to 23:00. Beer should be Green King IPA Adnams Broadside Morland Old Speckled Hen Elgoods Black Dog Food Friday 12:00 to 16:00, 18:00 to 22:00 Saturday 12:00 to 16:00, 18:00 to 22:00 Sunday Breakfast @ £3.75 if pre-booked on Saturday Free (to you) Coffee and Tea all weekend in the Marquee Music Friday 21:00 til late Geoff's Disco Saturday 21:00 to 22:00 Geoff's Disco 22:00 to 23:30(ish) Tim Aves & IH35 23:30 til late Geoff's Disco (all times approximate) Enjoy (page 4) MAYFLOWER MOTOR CYCLE CLUB 27th Pilgrims' Rally 2002 Mayflower MCC Committee Members: Chairman Grahame Butler Secretary Paula Fidge Treasurer David (Radar) Day General Members Heather MacGregor John Flitney Jill Livermore Alan Giddins Goodbye, and thanks for coming, Ride Home Safe!
After a sociable Saturday evening in the marquee, we took down our tents on Sunday morning, packed the motorbikes and had breakfast. After the usual raffle and the award ceremony, we said goodbye and started our return journey.
After a visit to Bodiam Castle and a short stop in Rye for an ice cream, we drove along the coast to Marton Mill for the Hawthorn Farm Campsite & Holiday Park. Again, like past years, we spent our last evening at the nearby pub.
Monday morning we headed to the ferry and had breakfast in the food court during the crossing. The return journey through France was quite normal until we got caught in a thunderstorm in Belgium. For maybe half an hour we could have used a boat rather than our motorbikes. But this thunderstorm also came to an end, and we were able to drive the rest of the way without rain suits.
Technically there were no problems.
- Hans Mondorf