Easy-Peasy Dragon Squeezy...........

[Bill Rutter]

....with this weekends' lovely weather it seems to me (admittedly a bloke who baulks at anything near riding in bad weather) that doing the Dragon Rally is not as hard nowadays as it was some years ago, judging by previous posts. Do you think the date for future Dragons should perhaps be moved to, say, January? I mean, it's this hardship that is the essence of the entire event (like the Elefantentreffen I guess), or am I missing something? I'm not knocking those folk who do this stuff, far from it but it's just a thought.
Right then, now that I have your ganders up (heh heh) can I just explain that I have a selfish reason for this post and that is that I have just spent a lovely week-end over in Somerset with Colin "The Red Shoe Diaries" Hilliard and, apart from the obvious liquid entertainment, we enjoyed a very pleasant day at the Bristol Classic Bike Show, a show at which this Club used to have a stand. Unfortunately it has always seemed to clash with the Dragon Rally and a large number of our members chose to attend the latter. Their choice,  I've no problem with that. But would moving the Rally date a smidgeon, have any effect on numbers at any potential Thumper Club stand at Shepton Mallet if we could organise it again? I think I can speak for Colin that we both (and maybe Bob Cannon too) miss a freezing in a cattle shed in February. It was, for some of us, a nice start to the biking season.

[Andy M]

The afternoon was nice enough. Waking up to frost so thick you couldn't see the numbers on the speedo was more normal and nicer than the previous years of rain and high winds. The pea-soup fog on the coast and in Cheshire was less nice!

BTW, there were loads of sportsbikes heading the other way obviously planning a blast through North Wales. I wonder how many turned back when Lancashire sunshine (Madchester (may whatever Deity you believe in save you from Terry Cristian and all his little wizards) was sunny for a change!) turned into Cheshire fog?

I doubt the Conwy club will move the Dragon. They already have to avoid a clash with the Elefant while not getting too far near New Year or too far into the the spring. There is the usual talk to the Dragon winding up as the Conwy club members decide they don't want the hassle, but given the size of this year's turnout I'm sure it won't end soon.

Andy

[Bill Rutter]

I take your point Andy. As I said I have a selfish interest in getting an attendance of some sort back at Shepton Mallet. It was my first taste of "Thumperism" back in 2002 and I miss it. Even if I can't get Bob Cannon to buy me a beer there 

[The Kaiser]

Hi Billy Boy,

It was great to see you at the weekend (not sure about the red shoes comment though) I’m glad you had a great time; Ann said you are welcome anytime.

The Shepton Mallet Show was one of the first shows the TC attended and I was involved with it from the very first show. Bob Cannon and I spent a great deal of our own money and time promoting the TC at this show and I think it paid dividends because we had a big south west membership which sadly has now gone. I think it’s true to say that the Bristol Classic Bike show isn’t the biggest show in the country but Bob and I thought it was important for the club to be represented at it which sadly is not the case now. 

Bill, I don’t think we will ever resurrect the show at Shepton Mallet because it seems no one in the club is interested in supporting it except a small minority. It appears that the TC has taken the decision to fund and support the Stafford Show and so be it, it’s not my decision to make but I have often felt it has been a missed opportunity for the club. Remember that saying “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” that sums up how Bob and I felt with the lack of support we got from the club. The only event I have organised that was fully supported was the Crewkerne Rally and that was a Real Hoot maybe if people are interested I will organise another one. Talking about Rallies when is the TC rally this year I need the date so I can organise time off? Come on lads let us know.

Best Regards

Colin Hilliard

[Bill Rutter]

I'd also like to know when the Annual Rally will be, and where? I did hear a rumour that it wasn't to be Dent this year.
                        On the subject of the Shepton Show, Colin we discussed this at length over copious amounts of IPA at the weekend and I thought there might be a vague chance of getting it up and running again. I didn't realise that not having a stand there was detrimental to the SW membership. Mind you I can think of at least four members from your neck of the woods we don't hear from nowadays and all were regulars at the show. Reintroducing the stand was something I'd hoped might happen but from your comments (and those of Andy Metcalfe) I now understand it's not going to be. I just hope that you can organise something along the lines of the Crewkerne Rally of 2004. Now that was great fun.
It's STILL your round by the way.