Past events 2009

[Bungie]

Originally Posted by Hilts

Shame we weren't on the news,

You were on sky news all day. Never watched other channels so don't know about them.

[Ulysses]

So, the actual RTTW event is over for another year but I'm sure those who attended will have many memories, as have already been posted on this site. All of us took part for our own reasons. This is a non-political event and long may it be so.

RTTW is a personal thing and not a HDRCGB event, though from my personal perspective the members of this Club who were able to support RTTW, thankyou. The biking community continues to show its respect for all those who gave their lives and also for those who put themselves in harms way for us all.

The HDRCGB hospitality tent was very well received by any biker who wanted to make use of it. Those of us camping on the Friday had to put up with the rain but we invited everyone to come join us and they did; stories were shared, memories re-told and new friends made - as it should be. We had Club members, HOG, Triumph riders, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducatti....French, Canadian...it mattered not a jot because we were all bikers coming together for a single purpose. Respect.

The Saturday dawned and 2 buglers from sounded Reveille on a hilltop overlooking the campsite...what a start and then they started to assemble in their thousands and they kept coming; all manner and makes, ages, colours and creeds. And still they kept coming with the assembly points filling as fast as the marshalls could marshall and then more and more with the BBC having to amend its own website from "...4,000 plus..." to later "...6,000 plus..." and I would suggest even more when the count is finalised.

Our own contribution was the Club hospitality tent which soon changed into a meeting place for everyone and everyone was welcomed. Our meagre facilities were planned for our own members but we were simply overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of bikers wanting a drink...we could'nt cope with the demand but still dished up over 400 drinks and took over £300 (at 50p each) with all profits going to RTTW.

They were still queing for a drink when the ride started departing Drayton Manor and with our tent being sited adjacent to the exit point (thanks Charlieharley) all our new found friends rode past our site and acknowledged what the Riders Club had done and so would I. Thanks everybody.

It has been posted on this site that it took over 2 hours for all the bikes to pass by and with many locals flying flags from their houses, waving and cheering as we all made our way to the National Memorial Arboretum, we did "bikers" and "biking" a great service.

At the memorial, everyone did their own thing for their own reasons. The priest made us think of those on the wall, the Major General thanked us for those who still serve, the doves made me shed a tear and the Spitfire made me smile. Then time for the wreath laying. Kev and Sue got ready to present the wreath from the HDRCGB (see pics and vid), along with so many others. The pipers were playing, yet the silence was haunting as each in turn paid their respects and had a moment of remembrance.

Time for everyone to see the "wall" and all those names, over 16,000 since WW2 and yet, as someone posted earlier, all those blank panels left to be filled...I for one find that hard to come to terms with and so will continue to do what I can do.

Until next year.

[Ulysses]

OK, got the choke out of me throat with last post and now just a simple short thanks to all the hard work done by : Jain (Muddypaws), Alan (alan_fxrt) from Central Mercia; Charlie (Charlieharley) from Sussex Coasters for all the help with the Hospitality tent...

...and to Nic (Unclebubba) from Central Mercia and Nic (Hawgste) from Wyvern for taking Jain and I as pillions...

...the Regions working together...love it...

Geoff

[kevscrivener]

I can add nothing to what Geoff has written above, other than to say that I felt that it was a hugely worthwhile event for me personally.

Two guys who I served with are remembered on that wall.

[petedrz]

Big thankyou to the riders club for a super night on friday 9th the tent was a god send. I was so tired from helpin to erect it that by 11 pm i just had to get my head down in the center of the camp site when i awoke about half past 1 in the morning some rotten git had removed me from my tent and left me asleep in the rain any way i managed to find me tent and and slept like a log until the morning bugle call.AT 07.00 WOW WHAT A GREAT IDEA thanks all

[edenphil]

Not much more that I can say really as its all been said. Other than it was my 1st HDRCGB event and it was great. Thank you to all who put in the hard work from the club making it pass off so well.


p.s. Tea and sausage rolls in the tent were ace.

[dodgyloner]

Looks like an excellent Club turnout - respect to all involved. The wreath was a nice touch.

[edenphil]

just posted some photos enjoy

RTTW 10/10/09 2009

[twoskips]

thankyou to all the organisers and to the guys I rode up with. A very memorable day.

MySpace - tim - 46 - Male - worthing, UK - myspace.com/twoskips2
our pics are here

[edenphil]

sure was a pleasure to meet you and Sarah and the rest of the crew.