Youth Bike Rally

I will gloss over the Talent Show performance at school and just hope that the video doesn't make it onto youtube!! Will also try not to rant about how crap City Link are at actually delivering parcels. Had to go to some industrial estate 11 miles away to collect it. Once I finally got let in the building I got told to 'wait there', then finally received a box... that looked as though it had done 4 rounds with Tyson! Checked the contents when I got home... my new power kite looked like it had survived, but I chickened out of packing it for the weekend.

Relatively short drive to somewhere in Lincolnshire for the Youth Bike Rally. Arrived in time to set up Holy Joes in the school hall. Don't tell anyone but I was secretly quite glad the gazebo had got blown away overnight Thursday, as we stayed relatively warm and dry over the weekend. Going was quiet, and we was hungry, so me and Chris went off in search of a chippy. Successfully. Mostly chatty with Les and Ian and Chris, then bed at 12.30, having got back out of bed twice, once to brush my teeth and once to retrieve my new windscreen cover as it was about to disappear across Lincolnshire in a small gale. My new curtain worked very well though, and the newly fixed LED ceiling lights were fab (and didn't drain the battery over the weekend).

I got the lay-in Saturday, and a shower and EEB before starting my turn serving. It was all going well, left on my own for most of the day, went round and looked at bikes and chatted to kids when other CMAers were around, and a small rain induced nap at lunch. Unfortunately all went pear shaped later on when I got told off for topping up a boiler (as I had been doing all day). Went off to the van for a cry. One day I will just give up trying.

My view for most of the weekend..

Anyway. Made many many Deluxe Hot Chocolates, and endured the world's worst disco. Me and Les were the only ones dancing (and that was just pogo-ing to Nellie the Elephant, and then my inability to resist dancing to Wham!)

I got the early shift and managed to get both boilers lit, and changing a gas bottle (once informed that gas bottles actually have the opposite thread to normal). Coped with the breakfast rush on my own too (one tea and one coffee!). I fear that the next rally may be ever so slightly more hectic. Packing up easier without having to get a gazebo down, and deciding to put tents in binbags and chuck them in the van.

These are my favourite bikes.. think I like the shark bike the best.. the kids that made it were the best (and addicted to DHC by the end!)

Found a geocache on the way back (sadly just out of Lincolnshire) and tried chocolate cake with beetroot in it at Les' house (and played with lovely Collie) and saw inside Terry's garage (Tiger 90, new Bonnevile and a Honda VFR).

Unpacked quickly, then, as it was both sunny and windy me and Gladis headed off for the derby road playing fields. As I was fiddling with attaching the lines 2 guys arrived.. with a 10.5m flexifoil surf kite and a landboard! Ben was very helpful with some tips.. he said he used to have a Radsail, it was good and he learned to landboard on it. I learned how to spin the kite, and unspin it, although this is trickier! Can land it, reverse launch it.. and most of all... get dragged around a field by it!!!

Ben's mate having a go.. Ben also had a go when he returned with broken wheel and punctured kite from the other side of the field! Please to see that they to got dragged around a lot!

No comment about England and penalties (although maybe if they showed the women's games instead everyone would be happier!) and will just note that today (Mon) I feel about 90!!!