Sid’s and Gedinne

[Wapping]

Saturday, and yesterday’s mists are back:



The other bunch of four Tossers arrived yesterday afternoon, camping in the Gedinne campsite, having travelled on the Newhaven to Dieppe crossing.

I pedalled down to see them. They all seem to be in fine fettle, though lacking in toilet roll, with not one between them. Being an obliging soul, I rode my bicycle to the supermarket and picked them up a roll each. They offered to pay me for the rolls, which I declined, saying that they could think of me (hopefully kindly) as they put the sheets to use.

 

[leadfarmer]

Saturday, and yesterday’s mists are back:

View attachment 532054

The other bunch of four Tossers arrived yesterday afternoon, camping in the Gedinne campsite, having travelled on the Newhaven to Dieppe crossing.

I pedalled down to see them. They all seem to be in fine fettle, though lacking in toilet roll, with not one between them. Being an obliging soul, I rode my bicycle to the supermarket and picked them up a roll each. They offered to pay me for the rolls, which I declined, saying that they could think of me (hopefully kindly) as they put the sheets to use.

“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers”

 

[adventuredon]

Another one

 

[Udders]

Chuffing heck!
Belgiums equivalent of hurricane alley!

Oh, and no bog roll? Amateurs! You should ALWAYS carry at least one with you and keep them in top sealing sandwich bags to stop them getting wet.

 

[crumbles]

Wetwipes then.

Non scented please...

 

[Wapping]

A good day, watching racing and talking bollocks:

 

[Wapping]

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Looks like an absolute delight of a a few days.

 

[Arsey]

Looks like an absolute delight of a a few days.

Apart from the tornado that holed vans and downed steeds

 

[wessie]

Apart from the tornado that holed vans and downed steeds

you don't need to go to Nepal to get a bit of danger, biker boy

 

[Arsey]

you don't need to go to Nepal to get a bit of danger, biker boy

Would like to go to Nepal though

 

[Wapping]

Looks like an absolute delight of a a few days.

It has been and is, Bill, sudden and violent weather not withstanding *

The highlights?

I guess, as much as anything else, it’s the people that make it. It’s been good to catch-up with Tossers from the forum and their friends:



Not least @Alistairm who is here racing with his very nice 250 Ducati, who was kind enough to spend some time with us and tell us something about his own experiences racing at a good amateur level:



He sums up amateur ‘Classic’ racing to a tee, happy to be taking part, fast enough to be competitive, 10th overall in his race (it’s a big grid, including many bikes that are naturally faster) but 4th in his class, so missing out on the podium. The important thing though was that he shaved six seconds off his qualifying time in the race itself and, as he said, enjoyed it all. That’s good enough. There is no prize money and only a little trophy or two for the winners, so there is no money in it; it’s the simple pleasure of racing and, I guess, some satisfaction that the races bring some pleasure to those watching.

On the matter of those watching, everyone we have encountered has been polite and friendly. Not least, everyone accepts that it’s an amateur - though nicely run - event, that only exists because:

A. The local authorities sanction the event, allowing the roads to be closed or whatever.

B. People are prepared to be unpaid, to do all the work - up to and including the racers - to make the event possible.

I’d recommend it to anyone. OK, it’s not the Isle of Man TT or a MotoGP, but for EUR 40 for three days of enjoyment (and not far from Calais) it is excellent value. Looked at another way, that is a smidge over £10 a day for the event. I’d struggle to buy two pints of London Pride for that.


* Thankfully, nobody was hurt or worse.

 

[Wapping]

Sunday, as the campsite sleeps:

 

[Wapping]

Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night
Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:
And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.

 

[crumbles]

Would like to go to Nepal though

It's a beautiful country, I have been 8 times and have Nepalese friends there.

 

[Wapping]

Perfect racing weather all day today and good racing, too.

 

[leadfarmer]

I always fancied having a go as the monkey

I guess it would be far too physical for me nowadays

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

I always fancied having a go as the monkey

I guess it would be far too physical for me nowadays

Snap!
And that would also be the sound of my tendons and ligaments.

 

[adventuredon]

Some I phone snaps

 

[Wapping]

I always fancied having a go as the monkey

It’s a great description.