the 10th anniversary rally of the IoWBCMCC at Smallbrook speedway stadium, near Ryde. Camping was on the infield of the speedway track, so claiming one end for the Motherland we set up camp. Soon tents were raised, flags were flying and the kettle was boiling. After a refreshing brew, Over the weekend of 31st to 2nd of September the Brothers Grim and the Grimettes attended we set to find the local Tesco, a mere 5 minutes away. Steve Vickers turned up just after 7pm on the Friday evening and, as it’s becoming a bit of a custom with us now, a communal one-pot meal was soon on the go.

Now, a rally on the infield of a speedway circuit has one major attraction, the speedway circuit itself. Bill decided that it would be great fun to whiz Bro, the works Dnepr/Wasp outfit around for a few laps, nice. As acting, unpaid ballast for the chair I had a very good view of the clay track and the wall around the circuit (high, very solid and very, very close at times!). This made all of us thirsty so beer drinking commenced and later songs were sung. Grimette Lyn was seen roaming the campsite clutching a half bottle of Southern Comfort, taking frequent swigs and being a bit of a nuisance. The bar entertainment was very good; some sort of disco thingy and a live band playing rock standards. The beer was good and reasonably priced.

Next morning, several of our fellow campers commented how nice it was to have the hooligan element back at the rally; wasn’t that red outfit noisy and did we know any other songs. A squeal of brakes made us look up and, yes; Dave Cox turned up on his Dnepr. We now had four machines and six people in attendance. After Dave had set his tent up, we decided to have a mooch around the Island. Steve, being almost a local, took the lead. We did the ice-cream van run finding one up on the downs overlooking Sandown. After our ice cream, we headed for Newport for tea and buns at Steve’s house, a Mock Tudor mansion complete with marquee in the back garden (you think I’m joking!). We then made our way to one of the many waterfront hostelries on the Island. We then returned to camp. Lyn and I took up the rear of our little convoy and detoured to Tesco to purchase more stuff for the communal pot and, because we found out it was Dave’s birthday, a birthday cake! Food was prepared, eaten; beer was consumed and Dave was presented with his cake, a rather busty thing clad in a leopard print icing bra. More hooliganism ensued with Bill trying to ride Bro round the circuit with all six of us draped over it; that was very interesting on the corners. Dave Cox and Steve Vickers rode their Dneprs around the circuit, in reverse. I declined as my reverse gear was washing up!

Judging for the trophies to be awarded later that evening started at 6:30pm and later, much to our mutual surprise, we jointly won best machine of foreign manufacture. Yes four machines from the former USSR won a trophy at a Classic motorcycle rally. Comments were made regarding the high standard of presentation of all four machines and the judges could not separate them, so we all shared in the prize. To howls of derision, Dave Cox collected the trophy, but we had the last laugh! After the blur of the previous night, Sunday dawned dryish. Striking camp PDQ, we all watched as a Norton Commando rider paddled his bike across the site. It was one of the guys who had impugned our Russki Iron the previous night. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, he turned sharp right, lost his footing and in a spray of dirt, dropped his bike right by us. Now, his toolkit wasn’t quite up to snuff, a screwdriver and a fistful of spanners was no good to sort out what he’d bent. Cap in hand he came over to us and said ‘scuse me, you ain’t gotta hammer have you? Very smartly as if on cue four comprehensive toolboxes appeared and no we didn’t gloat (much). Too soon the time came to head home, Dave via Cowes, Steve to his Mansion in Newport and us via Yarmouth. A great weekend, a great site and more important, great company. One last thing, Alison Codfish-Horseface wasn’t there, rumour has it that he was at Robot Wars in a new capacity; He was driving Matilda, from the inside and providing much needed entertainment between matches!

Don’t hide ‘em Ride ‘em!
Grim the Younger
Photos courtesy of Dave Cox and Russian Motorcycle Publications.