Well, we set of at 11.30am (by we I mean Debs, Bones, Kaz Stephan and myself), first stop fuel and a quick adjustment to Debs spare tyre (it was touching the exhaust).

Off we go, everything seemed to be going well, we stopped at quite a few garages, for FnF (Fuel and Fag). We stopped for lunch at Thrapston and then the fun started, my bike decided it didn’t like the spark plug. Luckily for us a couple of Corby Scooter Club lads had broken down too, (Neil and Tre’) Neil supplied the plug, Tre’ fitted if and off we go, they’ll catch up later (they did at Cambridge.

We seemed to go forever but finally there it was Mersea 5 miles, we eventually arrived at 5.30pm. (Only 6 hours) We put up tents, allowing space for the lads coming down on Saturday, and off for something to eat and entertainment. From out of nowhere there appeared cases of carling, one of the Corby lads, Spooner had terminal scooter problems and managed to get here by car and offy.

There were 3 rooms, The Ikon Room, Reggae Mess Hall and The Live Stage Marquee. Tonight’s entertainment was Ye Gods and New Town Kings. We circulated several times between the rooms, eventually finishing our night of dancing in the Reggae room, then off for supper. Pancakes, muffins, coffee, curry, pizza, baguettes, doughnuts, burgers, hotdogs, beer you name it, it was available. So ended a very very very warm and thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Debs woke me up around 5.30am and the music was still going on, there were still people dancing in the Soul Rooms. We went back to bed, 8.30am was the general wake up time, Kaz was a little worse for ware but was over that after a ham baguette, The Corby lads and Bones went out to breakfast, and booze shopping…….

1230 and the troops arrived, Martin, Gaz, Scott, Andy Mac. Their trip took 4.5 hours, Garry’s carb fell off, Martins exhaust and just to top it all Garry ran out of fuel just within sight of a garage, (jammy sod). Their tents went up and off for a look around the site, and the parts fair, the custom show and there were a Scooter games going on in the main arena with lager involved, something like a relay race……. then off for lunch. Boy was that a task, no one seems to eat at lunchtime in the Mersea area, but we eventually got there. Scott stayed at the camp with Andy as they had already had lunch plenty of larger (n a little cider for good measures)

By time we returned the rooms were livening up, Tonight we had The Duallers, the Sails and the Real Gift, all excellent entertainment but the Real Gift were definitely the favourite. Again it was a really warm humid evening with a dash of drizzle just to cool us all down. We held our own private party in an empty marquee along side the Entertainment Marquee (as the photos show).

The evening weather was very very windy, there were several tents flapping around un-recognisable as tents, the thrashing ripping anything and everything. Luckily our tents were fine after a quick Guide Rope check. Bed was around 1pm ish….I don’t think any one of us can actually recall checking the time, but who cares. Scott found a makeshift loo (in a pint glass), or was it the groundsheet…what a dipstick… Homeward bound after a great breakfast and a small café facing a sea inlet. 9.30am and we’re all homeward bound, we did get split up at Halstead, Gaz and myself took a wrong turn and lost the rest. We eventually found our way as I had remembered small snippets of information, ie pubs, pubs and more pubs….ho and fuel stops…..Scott left the flock as some point too, leaving Martin, Debs, Bones and Kaz.

The wind was horrendous, fighting us all the way home. Scott was home around 12.30pm, gaz and myself around 2.30pm and the follow-up crew around 3.30pm-ish.

This was, for me, the best rally I have been too by far. I must admit I was nervous leaving Garry at home, but Bones, Kaz and Debs sorted that out for me , Thank you.

Roll on Mersea 2007