The ADCR - A Marshal's Perspective
Having played a small role on the organising committee, but being a non-Douglas-owning- motorcycle-enthusiast left me in a bit of quandary as to how I would participate in this event. Volunteering as a travelling marshal seemed the logical answer - ride a bike, ride the routes, see all the bikes in action, enjoy the camaraderie of the real rallyists - oh, and get some time off work!
Driving some 1400 kms to the event (after I flew 1500 kms to get to the departure point) meant it was better for my father Alwyn (a real Douglas owner, or should that be a real owner of a Douglas?) and I to trailer just the one bike leaving a crucial element of being a travelling marshal, a bike! rather lacking. So thanks to locals, Ian and Paula, I started Day 1 on board their kindly loaned BSA Empire Star. Not being used to English bikes all that much, the challenge of right foot gear change, upside down gears, left foot brake, decompression levers, etc., was a little too much for me - particularly when the bike decided to pay me back for my ignorance and misbehaved a little. So much of Day 1 was spent kicking, sweating, swearing and puffing as I tried to coax it back into life - the rescue trailer seemed a nice option, so I opted! But I did manage to be stationed at one corner on the 1st leg and happily waved the riders through in the right direction without too many mishaps, whilst also taking some video footage. In between batches of riders, I made friends with a black faced sheep with a broken leg that had hobbled over to see what all the fuss was about - yes, marshalling can be a lonely job!
The 2nd day was a much happier one - Ian and Paula kindly loaned me (thank you again folks!) another of their trusty fleet, a 2004 Triumph Bonneville - everything was in the right place so we were instant friends and happily and exuberantly cruising through the magnificent countryside with the other marshals. As we arrived at our designated corner, chief marshal Col Elliott directed one of us to stop and man that point until the sweep arrived to send us off after the field to gather for the next stage. At my marshalling points, it was tremendous to hear the first of the bikes burbling and popping in the distance and then watch and hear them all at close quarters as they rode by, the jockeys offering a friendly thank you wave and a smile, some grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat. Stirring stuff indeed!
By the time the 3rd day came round I was really getting into the swing of things and trying to work out how I could make a living doing this type of work! In fact I'm still working on that - there has to be a way!
The 4th Day was a casual "un-marshalled" affair of a shortish ride to a coffee stop and back again but not needing much excuse to give the Trumpy another blast I headed off through the morning fog with about 20 or so hardy souls who just hadn't had enough Dougie riding over the previous 3 days. Clearing the fog and riding into brilliant sunshine, being surrounded by green pastures and having virtually no traffic to contend with was a fantastic way for me to wind up the rally, albeit it bringing to an end my all too brief but very happy liaison with the 'Bonnie'.
I can't say enough good things about my time on the rally - fantastic bikes, awesome scenery and motorcycling roads, truly nice people with common interests, lots of chat and stories short and tall, new friends, new understanding of Douglas bikes and history, new yearnings to actually own one, sensational morning teas provided by enthusiastic wives, partners and supporters, great lunches, a sumptuous dinner for the awards evening and so the list goes on. It had everything!
I won't attempt to name any of the people I met and whose company I enjoyed so much - be sure to miss somebody out - but I can truly say this rally will be remembered for life as a wonderful time meeting new friends and sharing great times surrounded by great motorcycles - what more could one ask for? I can't wait for the next Douglas rally to renew acquaintances.
Many thanks to the two main hard working organisers, Ian and Alwyn, my other co-organiser Graeme, all the other volunteers, the members of the CEMCC, Col for his excellent work coordinating and directing about 15 of us marshals, all of my fellow marshals, the participants for making the effort to be there, and of course thanks to 'Mr Douglas' for creating the first of his many special machines 100 years ago - we're very glad he did!
Peter Hunt.
