P in the Park 2004 (Talisman MCC)

After our first experience of P In The Park (2003), as soon as we knew tickets were available, we had them.

A new venue this year (The Europa Truckstop) and some trepidation, as non of the crew had a scooby where this place was! As things turned out, finding the truckstop was much easier than actually getting there (at least for me!). After 170 odd miles of shite wind and fighting the bike all the way down, the Custard Tart cruised to a halt about 200 yards from the rally site and died! After much swearing and threats, and after the eventual bump start, the Tart bike SEEMED to be okay again. Here we are two weeks later and the bike is still in the garage getting fixed.... wiring loom problems, and a VFR favorite, a voltage rectifier! (BOLLOX!!!!)

The usual rally weather had caught up with us once again as the rain came down as we pitched up the tents. The job was made more difficult by the fact that Stevie has hurt his wrist the day before (fnar!) and needed some help getting it up!?! But I am told that Mitch was well up to the job.....

As is tradition for F3 at rallies now, we had a few wee drinkies for medicinal purposes before looking for something to eat. Top marks for food at the truckstop, good prices, good helpings, staff who were hardly phased by the decent of 300+ hairy arsed bikers lookin' for grub beer and giggles.

The Band on friday night were ???????? and played some funky Galic/Rock/Folky stuff... whoever they were they were pretty good. But of course we all drank way too much and suffered for it on Saturday.

The original plan on Saturday was to eat, then maybe go out for a run before the silly games (for which we had a team entered in the Stinky Wheels Challenge (see Al's Report on http://www.bikers1.com)). Unfortunately, a few of us got trapped at the truckstop when the rain got silly again, and us in t-shirts. So we did the only thing we could do and had some more beers!!!

Not supprisingly, we missed the silly games, not because we were in the pub, but because we had been in the pub and had to go fer a wee lie down before the start of the Saturday evening entertainment.

The bands on Saturday night were pretty good.... the first band a punk band were called Shatter Hand (I thnk), the second band I can't remember but the last band, Boss something were superb...

Bike problems surfaced again on Sunday as the Tart Monster was blowing fuses... so I had an escort back to Aberbronx acting as brake lights and indicators...

Big thanx to all from the Europa Truckstop and from Talisman MCC for making us feel welcome and trying atleast to understand some pissed up Sheep Shaggers!