New Forest 2001

New Forest 2001 (VMax vs Bandit) sent in by Andy Procter, somewhere in Birmingham, U.K..
(Click on the pictures for larger versions)

I was a bit dubious before setting off because the car exhaust is rotting off, and only held on with a Halfords
patch, but at least Sham had finally wangled the afternoon off, so we could leave at about three.
Arrived about 7:30pm. Tricky+co. were booking in. Already a few of our lot there.
Got slagged off for not booking the site, this bemused me as apart from us there were about 3 bikes there
(probably owned by the same people who own the ( slow )cafe( who aren't geared up to take more than 8 customers
a day and at 4 minutes to 9 will still make u wait outside. So more than 4 bikes together and they alert the local plod.
I kept hearing this strange/exotic word ( "organiser" [ I really must look up what it means one day]).
In spite of all my efforts not to plan a damn thing it still seemed to work itself out hour by hour.

Only pisser was the camp manager,( I choose my words carefully don't I) with his clone moustache, deciding that
because there were so many of us, we couldn't have a fire of any description even on the raised off the floor BBQ
stand( bloody fire regs). I reckon he'd seen the pile of dry wood we'd collected in the morning. Simon told me he
wasn't overjoyed, but I went round and saw him, and he seemed happy enough. Probably because of the footy match result.
5-1 5-1 5-1 5-1 5-1 5-1 5-1.
Sorry to all the people I had to stop lighting it, cos I'd been looking forward to it too.

The Brum posse arrived at last in the dark and a little damp and craving beer, and there was an amusing spectacle of
watching/helping tired bikers in the dark with new unused equipment and not enough light, of course some people were
very sympathetic to this unfortunate plight and saw fit to offer helpful hints and observations and other words of
encouragement. ...NOT
Sat. night after I'd taken Trick and the other bike Badnits to the pub so they could watch the match. Later at camp
I couldn't find me backy so after a small taste of Kiwi's black vodka went back to town to buy more.
Who did I see at the chip shop but all the bad tin riders absolutely smashed and gregarious about the footy result.
It turns out Tricky had me backy, and 3 of them got a lift back. I think I was setup somehow.

Tricky had gone to a lot of effort with making artwork on t-shirts and as he'd split it into categories he may as well
have put name tags on, as it was, pretty much predetermined. I went to a lot of effort too (not); opening the bag
Roland handed me and inventing prize categories on the spot. Thank u to the Vmax club UK: we walked it in the
attendance stakes. and beat the BadTin owners club into submission. On Saturday people just kept on arriving
till the evening, which worried Mr. site manager. about 23 maxes 7 bandits.

Didn't go on the ride (surprised?)( mind u I was still expected to “organise” one ha ha ), but apparently most people
got lost or confused about who to follow within 10 minutes and ended up in the shops mostly, so I saw various groups
come back at staggered times throughout the afternoon. We went for provisions round the shops, and stopped at the
stream eating spring rolls, this made one horses mouth water too much so after staring at me eating it from 3 inches
away from my face, he thought he'd try to knock me into the river for not giving him any. Still, went back to 'B' camp
, and walked through some of the forest and checked out the respectable camping people being very civilised.
Noticed my trainers have worn out and bottom is falling off.
It was a good atmosphere and weather for Sat. night and people seemed well up for it, particularly Kiwi and Trick who
got louder as the evening went on and others who provided mixed entertainment for the night. Still with the footy results
there was good reason.( I’m not even a fan).
The priest biker and his mates announced to me that they would be getting up early Sunday so would book in to another
site down the road. Hey we must be very popular. This meant that we practically had the site to ourselves.
We had spread out to fill 1/3 of our field anyway.

Much later.
"I can smell toast, who's got the f*****g toast?"
Well Kiwi I was a bit peckish with the munchies.
In the night we got raided by a large horse who needed junk food and was rummaging through everyone's litter
making a right racket.
After moving it on twice, I gave up( it didn’t look very friendly and was staring me out, as if to say “wot ya gonna do then tiny”)
and more people were getting bothered by it, so after half a dozen of us got pissed off Stuart ran after it like a demon round
the whole field till it disappeared, the girls cleared the offending articles away (thanks) and I got five hours sleep. So now we
know why the site manager was telling us to clear up all traces of food.
Doesn’t seem so obvious under the affluence though.
In the morning, it wasn't so sunny and people wanted to move b4 rain came. Stayed cooking bacon and egg sarnys and by
the time we were packed it was getting warm and dry. Poor old Uncle Mark (with his Band-aid) had slept on his hand and
it wouldn't work, and eventually needed some medical advice b4 Trickys crew worked out the best way of getting home
with everyone and everything. Checked the site was unsullied and got away about 12pm. with Stuarts bag cos it was
killing Sarahs back on the way down.
Lets hope the camp manager hasn't banned it. for another time. I enjoyed it. Thanks for going.

Andy.