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to the Archive indexFirstly, on behalf of all participants, may I thank Tony Hammond and Keith Flood for a superb day. Particularly appreciated were the very clear route markings. Many thanks also go to Janice and Rosemary for their hard work and hospitality.
Keith Rutledge and myself arrived at Tony's house around 10am. Keith had his Trojan and I had my Nippy. Keith threatened his mount with a large dose of castor oil if it misbehaved, as his Berini had done previously. There was, however, no cause for alarm, as both vehicles ran impeccably all day.
We were greeted with tea and biscuits - thanks again, ladies - and the rest of the motley gathering arrived by 10:30. The run commenced at 11 o'clock, with Keith Flood videoing our departure (goodness knows why, with this frightful collection).
David Evans on his NSU Quickly, managed to misguide the pack as early as the first half mile. The other sheep, namely Mark Daniels: Wisp, Lawrence Coates: Mobylette, Steven Gleed: Zündapp, and Keith Ashby: New Hudson, dutifully followed; Baa! Fortunately, Steve Cobb: Gadabout, Keith Rutledge and Yours Truly managed to see the markings in good time. From then on, I reverently followed Steve Cobb, who knows the area very well (he'd been barred from most of the local pubs).
We didn't see another rider before reaching the Swan at Hoxne. After some fifteen minutes, the others arrived. David Evans turned up some ten minutes after, stating he'd lost the contents of his pocket, including his mobile, but thankfully "not his fags". As we left for the return journey, an inquisitive member of the public approached us. I recognised him as one of the Anglia TV news team. He informed me that if a piece were written about the NACC, Anglia News would include it as an item of interest. Get writing!
During the return trip we passed Michael Flood on his New Hudson, shadowing his son Andrew, riding a very nice BSA Winged Wheel. As the brat pack sped along, they were repeatedly subjected to the bad tempered droning (usually in their right ear) of a Wisp, or was it a Wasp? At one time, when it passed Steve Cobb again, I noticed a couple of hand signals from Steve, which have not yet reached the Highway Code. At one point, the contents of Mr Evans's Quickly's exhaust spewed out of the tail pipe, but happily all was retrieved for later repair. The trio of Andrew Pattle: Mobylette, Keith Rutledge and David Watling on his Cyclaid were never seen. Along with Carl Harper on a bicycle, they had presumably pressed on, to be first back at the start. I understood later that Andrew's Moby had developed magneto trouble, and he had finished the course by push bike. Apparently Andrew had won the Moby as first prize in a raffle. I think second prize was two of them!
We all arrived safely back at the start, with David Evans overshooting the entrance. There's a surprise. In Tony Hammond's garden we were all treated to a ploughman's lunch and drinks. Following the usual de-brief, we left for home about 4 o'clock. May I again thank Tony and Janice and Keith and Rosemary for all their hard work and for a very entertaining day.
Riders were as follows:
First published, October 2002