FVMCC 36th Thistle Rally 2004
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How dae ye write a rally story. I started off writing my story of the 36th Thistle but I got sore fingers after about 6 pages. I think it suffice to say it was a great rally enjoyed by all.
Our venue this year was what we called our POSH hotel. After we’d lost the Sword hotel in Stirling we only had 4 weeks to find a new one. If you run a rally based in a hotel you’ll know how hard it is to find one big enough and game enough to host a bike rally for the first time. After a few emails we were off to the Tinto Hotel in South Lanarkshire. We’d like to thank hotel manager Graeme for having the balls to host us. I’d a few concerns about the size of the grounds for camping but on the day there was enough room for all the tents, a camper van, a couple of caravans 140 bikes, a few cars and space for the silly games.
Friday morning and the rally was on. The rest of the country was covered in snow but in Central and Lanarkshire we had clear blue skies and sunshine all the way. Time to get there and set up the site. As usual, Rally day is always hectic to say the least. I had to go down in the cage as I had to pick up the genny and transport it down. When I arrived the van had arrived and was unpacked. All that was left was to built the marquee and set up the kitchen. As usual there's always some early rallyists there to lend a hand. Lee and a few of the Black Widows were there and a couple of other blokes who helped get us set up. Probably because the quicker the marquee goes up the kitchen with free tea, coffee and grub will be ready to satisfy hungers. Were always grateful for a hand and every year we think we'll get it right, but proper organisation is best left to non bikers and definitely not in my incapable hands. We've only done it 35 times before so maybe next year!!. Anyhoo cheers lads.
All day Friday the bikes arrived their riders making straight for the marquee where a warm welcome along with a wee nip, a free pie and a hot coffee always awaits. I think most folk turned up on the Friday which is quite unusual as we've usually only got around half our turnout on Friday evening. The marquee was buzzin with folk waiting for the bars to open.
Because of our change of venue we didn’t get Trogg along with his rock disco to lead into the band on Friday so Carol bought a tiny we ghetto blaster (well at least it was music). As I’d brought a dozen ACDC discs I pointed it towards the Black Widows coz we know Lee's a big fan. Hopefully nobody noticed our lack of entertainment up to band time and enjoyed themselves having a wee blether as they met with friends old and new. Around nine o’clock Fife based Flint began entertaining us. Their brand of Scottish/Irish and YEEHAA music went down a treat and had most folks jumpin around the dance floor. At the interval I was summoned to the floor. Along with Gordon from the S&S and Caroline from the Black Widows we were to receive big birthday cakes. Gordon and Caroline were celebrating a half a century each while I was celebrating a wee bit less. Dave N was the man to thank on Friday night for opening up the marquee and preparing the grills before the bars shut and the hungry hordes arrived. After a wee patrol round the hotel and grounds I joined the crew in the marquee. Hopefully everybody fulfilled their munchies and enjoyed the banter in the tent.
Saturday dawned early for me. I think it was 10 o'clock when I finally crawled reluctantly oot ma tent. I try to wait and see if the sun will have enough strength to heat the outside air up to above freezing before I make a move but inevitably the bowels tell you to move no matter what the temperature is. Or is it the temperature that tells your bowels to move.
For everyone who was up earlier you have Mary to thank for getting out her bed and firing up the burners to make breaky. Mary does this at every Thistle on both Saturdays and Sundays because the rest of us know how cold it is and refuse. If it was left to me nobody would get fed until mid day and we'd call it afternoon tea's. On Saturday the book in was less hectic than it had been the night before and made an easier shift for Carol and Cliff.
Most folk headed into Biggar or caught the bus to Lanark for a wee touristy visit, different bars and a wee bit of lunch. After donning my new yellow flouro jacket to make me on jooty again it was back to wandering around sorting out the wee bits that make it all work. I started a wee spell in the kitchen when young Mark,or was that Mark Young came in wondering what to do about silly games. It appeared he'd gone off and bought a case of beer, a load of crackers and some chilli sauce. I went and retrieved the boat rope and the welly and we were off to a clear space in the campsite for some frivolities. Its a strange thing but when you go to watch the silly games at rallies they usually provide some humour but never quite hit the mark. Maybe it was the presence of the Ogri MCC who run their own excellent rally or the Waysted MCC, the every ready Bridge Road Riders or the host of other folk ready to join in that made our silly games a great laugh. The crackers and beer contest was a start but again wasn't doing to well on the humour stakes. Mark wanted to move onto the welly chucking but I knew that would last for ages so we did the Tug'O'war. The result was inevitable from the start. The smallest bloke in the Ogri team weighed about 18 stone. Even when we tried to cheat in the final the outcome was a foregone conclusion. The prize winners, The Ogri MCC, after being awarded the treasured Thistle medals were challenged by the FVMCC. We won. Well at least it only took sixteen of us to finally defeat them. The welly contest took ages as usual until Mark Manby (Ogri) lobbed the welly so far it was considered unnecessary to continue. Then the kids had a go but they had to use their own wellies. Sarah's size 2 went furthest I think.
As usual we had a good laugh.
Time for more patrolling and the shit that goes with running a rally. The hotel was full of rallyists now and Trogg had arrived to play some tunes until our Saturday band came on. I never got a chance to see much of Whumff but what I saw and what I heard from every one who came in the marquee they played their balls off.
At half time it was up to me to organize the raffle prizes and dish out the trophies. I remebered last year when we had loads of raffle prizes and it took too long to do the raffle. Being all a fluster I doubled up the smaller ones and whizzed through the numbers. I dont think the folk in the hall knew what the feck was going on but I knew the bar was closing at 12 midnight and I wanted everybody to get back into the party mood as soon as!
The raffle over I did the same again with the awards.
Mayhem is a word that springs to mind, especialy as I got the registration numbers for Best Bike and Grot Bike mixed up. I have to apologies to Ted Trett winner of the Best Bike. His number was called as Grot Bike. I'm no apologising to Jimmy fae the Fat Bastards cos he knew his trike would never pick up best bike. However that said and done I think a few people caught on and saw the humour. Mary Roberts rode up on her multi coloured GT750 Kwak to regain Longest Distance Female. Taff from the Ribcrackers MCC won Long distance male (again). He beat Barry Carter by 6 miles who in turn beat Mark Manby who rode across from Germany by 2 miles. Hats off to all three who rode in excess of 470 miles each to join us at the Thistle. Its an acheivement to ride so far to a rally but to do it in February in Scotland is above and beyond the call of duty. Brian Barnes of the Rossendale MCC was oldest rallyist and young Alex Clowes of the CVMCC won youngest rallyist. The biggest club present was fairly obvious as they took up a full side of the hall. Lee Parker came back to lay claim to the Chuck Jackson Memorial trophy for the second time on behalf of the Black Widows.
Trophies and stuff over it was time to hand back the microphone so Whumff could continue with their second set. It was back outside for me patrolling the site and making sure everything was in order. Carol had taken the decision to keep the marquee open through out the whole evening and never got to see Whumff at all. We'll have to make a trip to their local bar in Bo'ness next time their playing to see them properly (with a few beers). After a few more patrols we managed to close the marquee down around 3 am.
Sunday dawned even later than Saturday and I completely missed breaky. When I got up the club had almost cleared up and were begining to dismantle the marquee. All that was left to do was say our farewells to the late departers, give Mary a push to get her Kwak started and pack up. So thats it for another year. Heres to 2005 when we WILL do it all again.
This years Raffle raised £305 which has been donated to CHAS
Credits.
A massive thank you go to the
following
Sponsorship
Pinnacle Autocentre Stirling
Sponsorship
Jim Allan Motorcycles Falkirk
Organised chaos
Forth Valley Motorcycle Club
Friday Band
Flint
Rock Disco
Trogg
Saturday Band
Whumff
Badges
Black Dragon Badges
Teeshirts
Screens Lowestoft
Hotel
Tinto Country Hotel
All photographs
Ian Shields CVMCC
All rallyists for making
it such agreat event
A better write up with more spelling mistakes can be found here. 
