The AFSC IOW 2006

By Simon Cuerden

Wednesday evening was spent with Craig and Kathleen Ballantyne, who stayed at mine overnight to break up their mammoth journey from Scotland. Great to see you both, I waved tatty bye to them on Thursday morning as they departed to Arberfield to stay over at Gaz Powel’s, and I started my journey towards Portsmouth and Bagzy’s house.

	Send me your AFSC pictures please

Late Thursday afternoon I arrived at Portsmouth trying desperately to stop the “Jingle Jangle Jewellery” whizzing about in my head thanks to Dave Plenty! On arrival at Bagzy’s I was greeted with a cold frothy one from the Sothern Division Bar, it wasn’t long before Daz arrived covered in oil due to his engine rebuild on Bagzy’s lawn!

Friday morning after a Ruby Murry and a few beers I was up with the lark ready to catch the ten o’clock ferry onto the island where Dave Day Release was waiting to take me to the camp site. The ferry was chocker block even at this early hour and their was a definite sense of “party” as the air turned blue with the intoxicating two stroke.

On board the ferry I met the first of the many AFSC members on their way to Scootering Mecca, Lee from The RN, hello ship mate! As soon as we reached the other side it was a hug n squeeze off Dave Plenty (in a none homo way) we were soon scooting towards the Smallbrook stadium that was going to become AFSC Excon for the next few days.

Tent up and the usual banter and we were off to Tesco’s to buy our breakfast bacon. It was at Tesco’s car park that Dave and I had a crash; I can’t go into too much detail at this time as my solicitor has instructed me to stay quiet. I can say that my leg shield was slightly damaged and that Dave’s back light was smashed but the question of responsibility is yet to be established.
“Besides I thought you were pulling out, it was safe to do so you fanny!”

Riding about the island on Friday it soon became apparent that there was a large mass of AFSC here, I must have passed and waved to at least seven AFSC as our paths crossed, stopping was impossible as it was like whacky races! I did manage to ride alongside Phil Little and have a natter but that was the last I saw of him all weekend. I saw Spence ride the other way at least twice but didn’t manage to speak to him. I saw a couple of GRASP members but missed Spencer and Blocky, I think I saw the complete Royal Navy AFSC drinking team out practising along with Dave Simon looking immaculate as per the norm! Spence and Dave Bellies where out to see “Who’s Who” along with Phil, Shane over from Afghanistan, Shane I met your brother in law at the petrol station but didn’t realise it was him! Please say hi!!

Friday afternoon back at the camp site I met Ted and Urte along with Jono and Sarah, The Two Coats family, Fred and Rose West (also know as The Browns) Lee and family, The Ballantyne’s, Big Gaz, Daz ze Dog, Marshy and John, Stig and so many other faces that blurred into an alcoholical frenzy! We spent the afternoon on site ribbing each other and generally abusing people, in the nice way and not sexually!

Friday evening at the Smallpox Stadium we chose to have one or three sherbets in the site do, this was a bit of a bad move because we stayed longer then the norm and got a soaking whilst cuing for the “Magic Bus” to take us into town. As per The IOW drills we all bomb bursted our separate ways starting with good intentions at the Squadron and then onto the king Ludd. Great to catch up with Nutty again and Chippy Pomfrit and family, hope the leg gets better soon!

“Jingle Jangle Jewellery” The Isle of Wight is like the Disney Land for Scooters, I am not sure what is real and what is fake? Every where you look you see extremes from the front page of a Richard Allen Book to Austin Powers complete with Femm Botts! I love it but you do kinda feel like Augustus Gloop in Wonka’s factory not knowing what to eat first or when to stop! Only on this rally will you find the best of entertainment served up piping hot to an eager crowd of like minded individuals just tryin to be individual…………… Brilliant!

I believe that there was some where in the region of seventy AFSC members at The IOW this year all doing their thang at the many superb venues that cater for the whole Scootering spectrum, Friday for me was The Ice Ring but I enjoyed meeting every one at The King Ludd best of all!

The Squadron on Friday night was heaving and like being inside a Turkish wrestler’s sock, hot and smelly! Every where we went there was an AFSC patch and I can honestly say that you could not go more than ten mins with out meeting one of our members, this was a very special scooter run indeed.

Soon it was Saturday and for those who had to spend time with their civvie clubs or those who just wanted to do their own thing every one just did it in a relaxed way. I was treated to a ride out and a pub lunch with the Suvern Div. The food was excellent, the company was marvellous and the afternoon was spent giggling and celebrating life, well almost…….. marshy was going to pop because his starter took the best part of an hour to arrive but we were kept entertained with Bagzy giving a dead wasp a Viking funeral, the only way it could of got better was if he had slipped into the water! But he didn’t.

Saturday was unforgettable, fuck Quadrophenia, we were living it and it was better! Dave plenty knows as much about the weather as he does driving, it was scorching (and it was his fault I hit him!). The night was spent down town in the ice ring with Marshy and john. I didn’t see any of the many groups on at the Ice Ring but I have been told that they were all good with Angelo Starr stealing the show! The highlight for me was meeting up with my old friend Mick Fitzpatrick! Mick was as pissed as Steve Evens gets back in Germany!

Sunday we took it ever so easy as legs were starting to seize and heads were starting to throb, posh one for me in a bnb next year I think? Kathleen pointed out to me that I had burnt my face and resembled a panda!

My Sunday was spent with my civvie club Doncaster Hunters and the Crown Hotel was the chosen venue due to John Buck holding his Northernsoul do there. We have our very own club member Craig Coombs spinning the best of northern and I danced the night away like a none stop dancer………….. “Jingle Jangle Jewellery” soon it was time for bed and the long ride home.

IOW 2006 was our run, as diverse as our club and as quality as our club. Loved it!

 

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