Herbignac 2012



Thursday morning started with a phone call from Steve saying Mags had been to the Doctors and had possibly cracked/popped a rib due to the coughing she'd been suffering from for a few weeks (dead 'ard is Mags) and might not be going! Steve was looking into all possibilities about the trip and when I arrived at Wolverhamptonshire Steve had re-booked and they went over in the car. Friday morning and we got off the ferry at Roscoff and after an uneventful ride we landed in la Roche Bernard we stopped at a bar in town to be met by Chris, Stuart and Taff and Steve phoned Olivier who rode to the bar and invited us to his for a few drinks and a bbq. Jacques, ex foreign legion and all round top bloke, turned up and after 4 hours of ‘catching up’ we set off to the site.

I failed miserably in the not getting pissed for three nights in a row

I learnt a new phrase (roughly), Je prefer pas roullez moi moto ivre, I don't like riding my bike after ‘catching up’ for 4 hours!! It was only 8km to the site but it was hard work, I haven't ridden a bike in that state for over 30 years and I won’t be doing it again!! We pitched the tents, a major task when hammered and trotted over to the bar to be met with much hugging, kissing and several beers. Friday night was a quiet one (!) and I sloped off to bed in the early hours, I failed miserably in the not getting pissed for three nights in a row, again.

Saturday dawned and after a trip to Guerande we got back to site to see the 'challenge'. The brief was to build a bike for no more than 200 euros, to take 2 people and an engine size of 50cc max. Gareth and Bob built one and so did Lasquale and ?. Voting ensued as to the best looking bike, Brits 38 votes, French 40 votes. A timed lap of the bmx track followed which the French won by one second A local two piece played Breton music, a cross between Irish and Scottish, there were a few stalls selling 'stuff', no idea what it was they were selling but I saw them! We had another superb meal from the same chef as last year and then the band, Onyx, started up. Excellent musicians, great music (rock) and after more beer, whiskey, sloe gin, beer, apple liqueur, beer...you get the idea, I stumbled back to bed and slept like a pissed bastard.

after totting up my mileage, 920 plus the bimble in France, I realised what a nob i'd been and I deffo won't be doing that again!!

Sunday morning was the ride out and upon returning I checked my chain to find it had lunched the sprocket! I dug out my breakdown insurance documents to discover I should have told them I was off to France 48 hours before I was going, ooops. To be fair the documents arrived on the Wednesday and I just packed them without reading them. I tightened the chain right up and both Steve and Gareth reckoned i'd get back ok but having never done anything like this before and the fact I was off to my Aunts funeral when I got back to Plymouth I was a little concerned to say the least. Sunday lunch meant more fine grub and as the locals slowly drifted off we started on the JB black, more sloe gin, more beer and anything else that was put in front of us!! Sunday night was an early one and we retired at about 1.30am. The ride back to Roscoff was a slow one at 50 - 60 mph but I made it and we spent a few hours dossing around in Roscoff before getting on the ferry. I tried to sort a chain and sprocket kit and getting it fitted in Plymouth but to no avail so I crawled back home, took me seven and a half hours to do 300 miles, and then I set off back to Brighton in the car to my Aunts funeral. I thought I could do the trip and change it all when I got back but after totting up my mileage, 920 plus the bimble in France, I realised what a nob i'd been and I deffo won't be doing that again!!

Roll on next years rally

Dave
Prez


The weather was absolutely great (except a chilly wind where they had put the marquee), (opposite field to last year). No sleeping bag required. Definately shorts weather.

The group they had on this year were brilliant, a proper rock group 'Onyx'. New concept to the rally this year, worked very well.

On the Saturday as Dave said, we went to Geraund. As Steve and I could not go on the ballade on the Sunday we went to St Nazaire to see the submarine pens etc.

Touch and go with Dave's bike but managed in the end, well done Dave.

Plenty was drunk, plenty was eaten, plenty of laughing (even though it hurt), more French learned and already looking forward to next year.

Mags


Back to Events