As the rally field filled up, with more diverse and esoteric characters ( and that was before the Red Mullet turned up...) people wandered around getting their bearings.....

...and spokes or clutch cables....
Bill Northcote and his partner show what happens to your tongue after too much Cinzano & Orange.......(and You buy a Dnepr Wasp outfit......???)
Sunday's run out to a quaint ( allegedly ) canal museum provided a diversion from all the Russian iron, twenty or so bikes raced off faster than my power-winder could capture them...... ( all right-so I ran out of film)

...Red Dnepr's they were very popular over the week-end, don't know why, but they looked like they were having fun.....

After a quick tour of the Baltic, time to relax at a rally, I see the Ural Riders Association stickers did not stay on long...

Monday saw a quick run to support the local animal rescue home, a tiny terrace house with more chicken wire and sheds than I have ever seen ( outside of Thirsk) Though a frantic last minute search ensued as to who was supposed to bring the cat food..... .
On-site meals were provided by the local farmer and the consensus was that they were very good and reasonably priced ( so he couldn't of been a REAL farmer then, could he?) Local pubs ( three of them, not theme pubs either....sob.) were within walking distance of the rally field with a good selection of ales but alas with a somber atmosphere....so we just took Amber along, which changed all THAT.......
Though the attendance was not as high as last year, every one seemed to have plenty to do and to talk about, camp fires were surrounded by laughter ( especially when Chris proved how hard it was to sit on a chair.....?) and even the weather stayed good.....get back there next year, you'll only wish you did.
BY Chris ( It's got ears, ball-bearings and a battery, but it's not off a Ural ) Rayner-Rix.