Simmer Dim Rally
Simmer Dim rally is held at around the longest day in June. It's on Shetland, where the sun never completely goes at mid summer, hence the name.
The party starts when you leave Aberdeen on the ferry on the Wednesday night. Rally activities (including LOTS of alcohol) then continues until you get off the ferry Monday morning. All meals and most of the drink is included in the booking fee.
There is lots to see on Shetland and it is also possible to visit the smaller islands. The roads up there are amazingly good nowdays. Something to do with the oil industry perhaps?
You are guaranteed a warm welcome from the locals who all seem to be pro bike. The rally has been going for over 24 years now so most people have gown up with it! There tends to be nearly as many locals at the Saturday night party as rallyists, and boy do they know how to shift the beer!
As the most northerly rally held on the British Isles it is an event every rallyist should aspire to attend.
- Ted Trett
I only did the one Simmer Dim unfortunately. Anyway 2 bikes and 3 people set off for a long, uneventful ride up to Aberdeen.This was my first long run on the CBX750. After years of the farce of the Isle of Man ferry it was amazing to load onto the ferry without any dramas. Seats were found followed by a night of quaffing, catching up with old friends and enjoying the musicians. The crossing takes exactly 14 hours no matter what the weather, it was like a mill pond for us.
Everybody off and onto the site, tent up then a ride into Lerwick cos some tit (me) didn't bring a jumper and it's a little cooler than when we set off; god bless charity shops for hideous jumpers.
Back to site for drinking and a questionable barbi.On the way back to the tent I was mansplaining it was the Northern Lights in the sky, when one of the locals said no its burning the gas off on the rig.
The following day was a run to some of the islands on a couple more ferries. I dont remember the wait for one of the ferries but I do remember we all piled on and the pilot/captain was a bit upset and slammed the ferry into the dock so my bike went over. I explained my displeasure to one of the crew, he dashed up to the bridge and had words. No damage except my clutch lever bent forward, amazingly it didn't break and was actually better to use, I never replaced it all the time I had it.
The next day was a tour round, stopping for the obligitory twatt photos. Then back to site for the Viking invasion. It all gets a bit hazy after that, but I do remember chatting/drinking with a group of our Geordie mates. I hadn't noticed they were all standing with a hand over the top of their beer glasses. It wasn't till I took a drink and the tiny jellyfish went into my mouth that I realised, oh what larks. Apparently someone brought it back from the beach and it had turned up in everyones glass. There were a lot of spare beer tokens going free so I took advantage as a newt, which seems like a good idea till you get outside and it's 2 in the morning and sunny. After what seemed like 5 minutes sleep it was time to pack up, and get down the docks.
I don't remember much of the last day or the ferry home but I remember the sunrise, and the flat calm sea. Back in Aberdeen we said our goodbyes and set off for home, we stopped and filled up with the new fangled unleaded petrol.
- Andy Hunter