Any one remember the book "Birth of a Cult?" well I do! it was, and still is, a half decent fictional account of a young Scooterist named Ian Renwick and the build up to a weekend spent on a national scooter run. The author is Bill Mack, I can't remember his real name, Bill will do, Bill used a real Scooterist to base the book on and that Scooterist was none other than our very own AFSC member Ian Renwick! Ian at the time was the number one of The Vale Of The White Horse Scooter Club, he assures me that 90% of the book was based on true events with Bill not even bothering to change his name! Of course a good 10% of "poetic license" was used and Ian gets a little embarrassed when asked about the nitty gritty stuff!. The book is still available and you can purchase it here scooter products  £7:50. Ian is at present serving at JHQ having been called up for a six month tour for Op Telic. 

 

As most of the Germany based AFSC members headed north for a German run, Carol, Ian and I decided to head west towards Liege for the Week-end Sauvage held by Tribu Scooteriste Liège. The location of the run was in a picturesque village of Wonk 15km outside Liege, famous for it's grotto de Wonk, a fantastic network of caves. We rode to meet up with Steve The Beef's and the ubiquitous "Mario" and spent a pleasant, uneventful journey through the very pretty Belgiuque country side. Arriving at about 1930hrs and driving onto the campsite my first impression was "Is this it?" Bare in mind the last run I did was the Isle of Wight and the sight of fifty tents in the middle of a field with no facilities, and I really do mean no facilities, is rather off putting to say the least. Then as I took my helmet off and started to unpack the scooter, I started to notice just how many British scooterists there were? Now why are there so many Brits here on a run this small and at what appears to be a naff run? Then it dawns on you.....................we were actually camping above the net work of caves and the entrance is quite obscure and unobtrusive.

We walk the twenty yards down the hill and enter the cave via a small door that resembles a farmers tool shed. What you get from every first time visitor, us included is a massive WOW! The venue is unbelievable, I did take pictures but they do not do it justice. There were toilette facilities, cloak rooms, speak easy rooms, a restaurant area for food and drink and two dance floor areas! The caves themselves tunnel out for miles and we were warned not to go exploring as we may easily get lost! We are greeted with a warm and sincere welcome from Stephan and Michelle who hand us our goodie bag consisting of a programme, run patch and map of the local area including a brilliant and well thought out set of hints and tips for the weekend. This may not be the biggest rally but it must be one of the best run events I have been on! Very quickly you get your head around the small numbers and very quickly you realise why so many Brits make the long journey, it is an exceptionally quality event run by dedicated scooterists who seam uninterested in profit and more intent on the scootering spirit! We were more than impressed.

Carol and Mick from Peterborough	Simon &Carol	The cave entrance

The flyer promised A classic event with nice scooters, good booze and great music.  Dj's : Olivier & Bruno from Liège. special guests: Laurent from France and Shaky from Germany... spinning the best in rare Ska & Skinhead Scorchers, Northern & Blue Eyed Soul, R'n'B, Motown & 6T's Beat, 79' Punk & Mod Revival, 2-Tone, Baggy, Britpop... On black vintage vinyl. The flavour of the run had a definite two tone taste and we were treated to some very rare Jamaican beats, not my cup of tea but the crowd enjoyed it. it was certainly not the same old same old and you couldn't help feeling a little refreshed, I do get very tired of Frank Bleedin Wilson and his mukka Al and his fricken Snake! I am a Northern freak and it was nice to be on a run for a change were I couldn't predict the DJ's set........................marvelous!
 

Fabian & Mick	Fabian & Michelle	Mick, Fabian & Michelle

At the bar after a few Jupiler lagers, I spot Camille, the conversation I had with her went something like this...........Me; "I think I remember you from Holiday in Holland?" Camille; "No not there" Me; "Was it Filthy and Sly then?" Camille; "No it was two years ago in Antwerp, you and my boyfriend Stephan had a ruck!"...................................whooops.  Stephan and I shook hands ages ago and are good mates now!

The bar served a selection of local delicacies and we tried the "Les Carbonnades sauce lapin" (Beef stew) the food as with the beer was excellent! Saturday night was spent drinking like mad, talking like mad and dancing like mad! The atmosphere was well chilled and every one who met this weekend leaves as friends. Carol and I baled out at about three o'clock in the morning and made it up the hill to our tent just as the heavens opened up with a torrential down pour of almost biblical proportions! The tents lit up like a horror flick with the thunder and lightning! We prayed that the waterproofing held up as we unwisely opted out of the gortex on the trip down, live and learn! The rain hammered down for at least two hours and for a time I thought we were at risk of being washed down the hill! The tent stood it's ground and to my amazement we remained bone dry, this was not to be the case for poor old Ian! Ian for reasons he knows best decided it was going to be a good idea to sleep outside his tent, granted he was in a gortex bivvy bag, but he took his dry cloths off and left them out in the rain!

One of many rooms	heading down the hill	Ian "Birth of a Cult" Renwick

Saturday morning was rudely broken at six o'clock with the sounds of French Thrash Punk! (well I think it was that), the track started with some chap screaming blue murder for about twenty seconds followed by what seamed to be the an acid house thrash heavy metal lord knows what! It ended with the perpetrator being unceremoniously smacked in the mouth, he went to bed immediately and the camp site fell silent once again. Thanks goes to Olivier for taking the initiative! well bloody done mate!

Friendly rally

Carol and I had to leave late in the afternoon to get back for our Zak and Ian had to be back for duty. We missed the ride out and custom show, the Brits were looking forward with great relish to the cultural visit they had planned for the day, I think some one called it the "Porn Tour?" No doubt the Tribu Scooteriste Liège would have made sure every one had a good day.

	The Dirty Devils scooter Club

I would like to thank Olivier, Michelle, Fabian, Maud, Stephan, Camille, Bruno and Lucie for looking after us so very well and the Week-end Sauvage is now a definite on our Scootering calendar! you can visit The Tribu Scooteriste Liège's web site by clicking here.