For the past few weeks I have been asking if anyone would be interested in the MC Rottum winter freezer. Strangely enough I found the response a little non-responsive, nay abusive, still Julie and myself had decided that after missing this rally for the past few years due to working, that if it was not snowing we would brave it and go. Saturday morning the sun was shining, there was no way out, so bike packed with our smallest tent for quickness, we set off. This was not the furthest I've ridden to a rally, a massive 15-miles - it would have been less but I missed the entrance to the rally site in Layhams road and had to turn back.
We arrived around 4:00 p.m. Putting the tent up we were told how last night the wind turned gale force and tents were blowing away, I then had regrets on the choice of tents, especially finding there were only 4 tent pegs in the bag. Luckily Bob and Claire had spare pegs that they kindly gave us, other wise who knows where our tent would have ended up? We signed in at number 95 and 96 - not bad for a rally in February. A few of the Tsunamis and the Bexley Gropers were already there, plus a few old friends that I haven't seen for quite a while. The burger van offered a good selection of burger-y treats, including a chicken and a vegetable curry that the owner seemed to eat most of under the pretence of checking how tasty it was so he could recommend it to others.
The Bar was warm with a portable TV showing a rugby match that seemed to be quite important. I must admit I was more interested in the barrel of XXXB on the bar. Unfortunately, so it seemed, I was not alone as it ran out just as I was getting into the swing of things. Luckily there was plenty of other beer. The raffle was drawn in record time as the winning tickets had been drawn earlier, something we should perhaps consider as it saves time for the trophy presentation and beer drinking competition.
The band, The Beer Monsters, came on, rocking from the start, and played all the classics late in to the night. We danced to the great music, but mainly to keep warm. We didn't at this time notice how cold it really was until being woken in the early hours by Julie's bladder; on her return from the loos she informed me that it was snowing. This was the first time I've slept fully dressed with my shemagh and beeney hat on. I now know how Scott felt on his way to the North Pole (Editor's note: They didn't call him Scott of the Antarctic for nothing but what's a pole between friends?). When the time came to break camp and head for home, there was a ring of snow around the tent so it was straight to the burger van for a hot cup of tea before attempting to pack anything. After packing up and bidding farewell we headed home, I took the long way back though Orpington but still only managed a total of 36 miles door to door.
Although very, very, very cold we had a great night and we got a badge to prove that we were mad enough to go, can't wait until the summer breezer on 4th - 6th August at the same venue.