Devon and Cornwall Wingers. Events Page



Wadebridge, Cornwall. 26th-30th Aug.
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The British Treffen Wadebridge 2010. Picture Gallery Link. .Photographs donated by: John, Bill, Pete, Chris, Peter/ Wendy, Brian, Alan
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pw award

Peter & Wendy Rakestrow at the 2011 British Treffen, receiving their very well deserved GWOCGB Gold Wingers Of The Year Award.

Hi all

We have just got back from our third and final big trip although it was all in 'known territory' so wasn't quite as scary/thrilling as the last one. We started off at the Irish rally in Limerick which is always odd as it is abroad but they speak the same language and drive on the same side of the road but it was good fun, a smallish do (210 bikes) so you could actually talk to people and find them again.

We re-met some we had first seen in Portugal three months ago so that was great. We also spent some time trying to find where my Dad's grandmother grew up,

luxum

I think we found something but they don't seem to use house or road name signs so we were never sure where we were and it was a rubbish weather day, never mind, we tried. Came home and looked at all Dad's old photos, trying to cross ref it with Google images and what we remembered of where we'd been. I just think the house has been demolished but I can't prove it.

Then the British rally was in Anglesey so we took the Dublin ferry to Holyhead which we hadn't done before and actually spent a whole week in the tent in the same place - virtually unknown for us but we were helping to set up the site ready for the hoped for influx of people. It was very dramatic scenery, we could see Snowdonia from our tent and watched the RAF practicing helicopter and jet takeoffs, no sign of Prince William thou' even if it was his base. The island was a bit like Devon but smaller, interior all craggy with dry stone walls and sheep but surrounded by beaches. Had a meal in a pub featured in the Hairy Bikers Tour of Britain - Peter's fish and chips was more like a whale, no way could we manage the puds. Another day we had a carvery, again full up so went for a ride then went back and had pud later in the same pub ha! Being so far out and iffy weather only a dedicated 520 bikes turned up but everyone enjoyed themselves. It seemed that all those who were moaning beforehand didn't come anyway and I for one didn't miss them! We were shocked on Sunday night to be awarded the European Wingers of the Year title, no idea who nominated us, it's for promoting the GB club abroad, not necessarily just the events attended as plenty of people go to more than we could ever manage. As it was a huge shield we had to get a friend to bring it home while we finished off the year by going to Luxembourg.

It ended for us as it began with a sunny weekend in the Benelux countryside, middle of a field near a town. We were actually using the shower facilities of the primary school next door so just as well they hadn't gone back yet - there was no sign of activity at all even thou it was early Sept. This rally is known for it's outdoor living so the bar, eating area and entertainment all add up to quite a carnival atmosphere at what is traditionally the last international rally of the season. It was a good way to finish the European bit of our travels.

We had a little bit of a family get together yesterday for my Mum's 80th birthday, just a low key buffet at my brother's house but with a cake and stuff and she seemed to enjoy herself.

And so now I'm in the run down to going back to work, only our local rally in Looe to help run and our nephew's wedding left as 'events', unfortunately they are both on this coming weekend but that's life. If there's one thing this six months has taught me it's that no matter how much time you have you still can't do everything!

I'm looking forward to seeing you all again.
love Wendy x

1. Well we are back after our first adventure – and amazingly the weather was kind, mainly sunny, just a couple of thunderstorms in Europe and blasting wind back in the UK so the tent is dry but very dusty. Now it’s a case of cleaning it all up ready for the big trip next week.	3. The Belgian Treffen (rally) over Easter was good, rough camping but some indoor facilities as it was on a sports complex. Saw loads of people from various countries we haven’t seen for years as we only meet up at this sort of do. There were 811 subscribed bikes from 20 countries – GB came first on mileage but NL had more actual bikes there. It was a weekend of chat, drink, food and music – what else would it be? We did go for a tourist ride to Drielandenpunt where Belgium, NL and Germany all meet – it’s as easy as crossing from Devon to Dorset which makes you realize how lucky we are historically to have the Channel. The GoldWing Federation does its bit for entente cordiale, never mind the G8 summits! We had a visit from the Easter Bunny and several from frogs and other wildlife sheltering under the tent. Peter minutely inspected loads of bikes while I discovered Belgian/Irish coffee and someone put bubbles in the fountain so by morning there was a snowdrift going on! Somewhere in France.
Peter and Wendy's Trip to Belgium
2. The ride to the ferry at Portsmouth was uneventful but we had to wait ages to be loaded, the upside of that was being almost first off at 7 (6 to us) the following morning at Caen. Notes to self for the first day are 1) buy a new map – 1999 isn’t ‘current’ and 2) don’t believe the internet for information! We had a day of changing road numbers and things being closed but it was all good fun, we took the scenic route so how could we be lost when we had no idea where we were going in the first place? France is full of beautiful little villages and wide open spaces but I hadn’t remembered all the lorries. After our first coffee in a bar, mocha éclair and roadside frites we knew we had arrived. First campsite we had aimed for didn’t open until Easter (website said April) so wound up at another little municipal one in Dormans. It was near Epernay in the Champagne region, by the river Meuse and a short walk into the town. Ideal for us so spent a couple of days there wandering around and visiting the amazing chateau and war memorial – the moulin was shut even though it said it wasn’t, I was beginning to get a complex. I even bought a map. Generally we rode thru some stunning scenery by keeping to the ‘yellow’ roads and off the motorways.
4. We then had a couple of nights in hotels wending our way back to Calais and the Tunnel which worked so well we are planning to book it again for next time, very easy and able to get on the next available train. It was then a trek up the A1 for the rally in Newcastle, again a very good do. It was in a Rugby Club so we had the big screen for the wedding and spent hours in there with coffee, bacon butties and cake! Then walked it all off along the Derwent River – we did a lot of walking this holiday as well as riding. Had a ride around the Northumberland coast – very different to Devon & Cornwall, lots of castles but couldn’t see the sea – then the National Park. After much looking we found a bit of Hadrian’s Wall by ‘looking over the hedge’ as instructed by a local – again maps and sat nav are nothing compared to someone who knows.Unfortunately we then found a crack in a support strut in the trailer so came home pretty gingerly and spent a day stripping off fibreglass and welding it all back together again. Now all sorted and we are well into planning the route to Portugal starting with the Plymouth/Roscoff ferry. Wendy and Peter Rakestrow