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The
AFSC (G) Charity Ride is normally the first event
on the AFSC (G)
calendar, loves it we do and it generally marks the start of our scootering year
– we were determined to make this a good one! The event itself had been well
publicised for weeks in advance on the “German Scooter Forum” and more widely on
the radio – thanks to BFBS and more so; our very own
AFSC “DJ” Dave Simon.
As the word spread there was much media interest (generated mainly by our chosen
charity – SSFA BFG Forces Help) with interest from a plethora of agencies
including Sixth Sense, Gateway Magazine, Punchline Magazine and even a couple of
local German newspapers. I had also been contacted by BFBS TV who were keen to
film the event and run a short feature for BFBS Reports. Excellent press for the
AFSC and you can see
the full feature on “YOU TUBE” from the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=tafsc
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I
always enjoy the 50 odd Km ride from Herford to Sennelager and so took the
Friday off work to sort clean my scooter and enjoy the ride down. This was to be
the first real outing for my recently restored VBC 200 (VBII)
and so I was really looking forward to it. Nice weather
bit of sun (not too much, but enough) and what could go wrong? 15 Kms into the
journey and the Heavens opened on me! With nowhere to shelter and the thought
“Skins waterproof” in mind, I just battled on and about 10 Kms later – smashing
weather, dried off and made Sennelager in good time.
We had arranged a AFSC
(G)
“Meet & Greet” at Willy’s for the Friday night. A few
quiet beers, a few laughs and.JPG)
an opportunity for us to say farewell to Dai “Modfather” Ransom
who is posted back to the UK Dai, from all the
AFSC (G) – “many
thanks for you friendship and damn fine company your one in a million”. A
massive AFSC thank
you goes to Ted of the A33 who booked both a private room and buffet. The
evening was well attended by the AFSC
(G) as well as many local German scooterists. The evening
went on until about 0100 hrs with most bedding down well before in preparation
for the next day.
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Saturday
morning, ouch! Bit of a headache, bottle of “fresh” water, slack handful of
painkillers, stale pork pie.JPG)
and shower/shave and I was right as rain. I was staying in Normandy Barracks and
so after the 5 minute journey around the corner, I was at the RV – Dempsey
Barracks where I was gob-smacked at the amount of scooters and riders, all
enjoying a fine English fry up and cups of splosh a-plenty! And; they just kept
coming! Following breakfast, fags and lots of the usual
AFSC banter, we rode en mass
from Dempsey to the Winter Garten bar on the Sennelager Strip where the cheque
presentation was to take place.
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The
short ride round was a fantastic spectacle – I don’t think the Sennelager “Blue
Stratus” has ever tasted so much 2-Stroke! On arrival at the FRV, amazing – more
and more and more came! Bish did a head count of scooters at some stage and
reported 90 scooters from AFSC
(G), Paderborn Cloud 9’s, The Jetsons LC, A33, VC
Lippstadt, VC Bielefeld, Onkels, Hidden Power, The Harlequins SC plus plenty of
solo riders (sorry if I have missed any particular club out guys – there were so
many).
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Down
to business, a goodly amount of media interviews took place with the various TV
and press on the AFSC.JPG)
(G) members like “tramps on hot chips”. After final
donations from our German friends, our cheque totalling €1417.90 was handed over
to SSAFA and we were ready to rumble. The ride took the form of a very pleasant
70 odd Km round trip around the Paderborn locale and surrounding countryside,
amazing ride, great company and what a sight, scooters of all shapes and styles
trailing back over about a Km with Ravey Davey Gibbs dressed up as “luminous”
Scooter Cop at the rear directing traffic and keeping everyone together -
fan-fooking-tastic! Half way, we had about an hour or so pit stop for brews,
smokes and banter and some cases chucking up “stale” pork pies! The ride itself
took about 3 ½ hours all in with us arriving back at the Winter Garten about
1630 hrs (well, all except Scooter Cop that is)! After most had dispersed, with
hours to kill until the nighter, do what you do best – take the scooter home, RV
back at the boozer soonest and get some practice in! About 40 mins later in
rides Dave “fell asleep on the train and wound up in bloody Neasdon” Gibbs –
good effort mate, only you could get lost following 89 other scooterists!
(Looked pretty good from back there - see yer down there mate)! A couple hours
later, a few steady ones it was time to scrub up and change.
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The Nighter was fantastic
great sounds, great beer and more great company. With the decks manned by The
AFSC’s own Dave Simon
and A33's Mick F, the night was filled with pretty much everything, defiantly
something for all. I would say the attendance was probably around 200-250, like
the ride turnout, pretty impressive and the venue looked pretty full. This time
around it was the turn of the German Scooter Scene to say goodbye to Dai, with
Marcus (Hidden Power) taking the stage, our German comrades gave Dai their own
very special thank you, presenting him with more goodies than you can shake a
big stick at, including a truly remarkable framed print of “the Modfather”
signed by all present. The Winter Garten manager had thrown down the “drink till
you drop” gauntlet, last man standing etc but at near 0500 hrs, enough was
enough for him and we were out. That said, by this stage we were knackered,
drunk and chewing on our beer anyway. What a superb end to a great weekend!
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If
this is a taste of what this season has in store – I can’t wait! A great way to
kick off 07, too many faces to mention, too many clubs to mention – if you were
there, I want to say “thanks” to all of you, on behalf of
AFSC thanks for making the
day - Ride hard safe and always keep on keepin’ on………………………..
Respect!
Rob Mc AFSC
(BFG Rep)
On behalf of The AFSC I thank Mick and Ted and all
The A33 for all the hard work and contribution, yours Simon Cuerden
afsc50@hotmail.com