Holland VSOC International Rally 2004

No passport required. 

My tale of the VSOC International Rally – Borculo Holland 

Both Bob and I had been looking forward to the International Rally in Holland for the last 6 months at least.  Another European country to tick off the list and a chance to meet up with old friends doing my favourite thing camping ! (not)

I’d left work at 2pm on Thursday got home and we both loaded up the bikes ready. Bob did a lights check and found one of his indicators faulty.  Whilst he was doing the necessary I happened to pick up my passport and look through it as you do, only to discover the Expiry date was showing Jan 04 – to my horror I realised it had EXPIRED !!!  “Oh S**T” I said to Bob, “my password has expired”.  Well, if looks could kill I would have been dead.  He didn’t look very happy at all.  I started crying. I felt devastated.  Then I thought I’ve got time to organise one of those Year Passports.  But when I phoned the post office I found out they no longer do them – no one had told me !  I then phoned the passport office who informed me that they could organise a 4 hour appointment in London for me – but I didn’t have the time !  The crossing was for 10.30am Friday.  

After some time I said to Bob he had to go without me.  Although I’d messed up the weekend for us I didn’t want him missing out.  He reluctantly agreed and we started rearranging some of the gear.  Just before Bob was to put on his jacket he said he’d make a call to the Harwich Port.   He explained the situation to them – I stood there feeling very embarrassed; they then had a muffled conversation and came back on the line and said if I was to call in to the main building they’d fax my details through and everything should be OK.  Well I didn’t quite believe what they’d said and was quite amazed. 

Sooooo we repacked again and off we went to stay at Leigh and Sean’s place in Essex for the night.  Prior to getting the go ahead we’d left Dave Kenway a message and spoken with fffPete, so word obviously got round quickly that I wouldn’t be going. 

It was a relief to arrive at Leigh and Sean’s even though I still felt in the back of my mind I was going to experience further problems.  We had a nice relaxing evening eating fish and chips and having a few drinks (not too many).  Chris and Paul arrived at 8.30 next morning to join us and we were off.  When we arrived at the port Bob and I went over to the main building and up to Stena’s reception area and explained why I was there !  The guy on the desk informed us it depended on who was on the other side that morning – I held my breath !  He came back and confirmed everything was OK and that they were faxing my details over to the Hook of  Holland – I LOVE THE DUTCH !!

I then promptly rode my bike back to join the queue of other bikers and laid it down on the ground !  (technical term for dropping it).  No damaged, just very embarrassed AGAIN.  We had a smooth sail over which took just over 3 hours.  Arriving in Holland I’d been told to report to Immigration.  I queued up with everyone else and when I got to show my passport to the guy at the front, I told him I had to report to Immigration about my expired password – he explained he was Immigration and just waved me through !  That was easy.  By this time I’d had enough excitement and was looking forward to the journey to the Rally site.

We were met by 4 of the Dutch riders who were to escort us to the site.  The 200km journey took nearly 5 hours !  I think they took the long route to miss some of the Friday traffic – and most of the time we didn’t get over 50mph.  Eventually we all arrived safely at the site, with a few surprised people seeing me there !  Most of us received the traditional Dutch welcome of a Snapps (I think that’s a tradition we should have at all our rallies), together with our goodie bag. 

We unloaded and feeling relieved pitched our tent in a very organised field of other tents.  Bob then lost his helmet which was dutifully found by our Rep Dave – that’s what those guys are there for.  Unfortunately when I lost my makeup bag he couldn’t find it !  No worries Dave I found it in the end.  Unfortunately due to the late arrival there wasn’t much food left and there were a few members who ended up with a liquid dinner and paid for it next morning.  After a well deserved shower we were all in party mood and went off to the bar for a couple of lemonades.  It all seems so long ago now, but both evenings entertainment went down very well, especially the guys doing a Full Monty on their bikes – you know the usual, Otto, Les and a few others.  Then the traditional sausage and chips were served after midnight which was well received by a lot of us.  I think the motorbike show with the bare back riders put us girls in the mood for supper.

Saturday morning started with a very good continental breakfast which was then repeated a few hours later for lunch – more later.  Then about 300 of us (there abouts, approximately, quite a few) bikers went out on the ride out which was very well marshalled with the help of the local Police.  It was a pretty slow ride but just the right pace to admire the local villages, farm land and houses all in beautiful surroundings.  I didn’t see one untidy garden.  Did they know we were coming ?  After riding for over 2 hours, we’d only done about 35 miles, we stopped for lunch (no sorry breakfast), only difference being there was this lovely fruit bread.  This was set out in a very nice building which was used for local entertaining.  Had the statutory downpour and then back on the bikes and eventually back to the site.  A ride well worth taking. 

The Saturday evening was cook for yourself.  There was a whole array of lovely salads and platters full of pork steaks, kebabs, sausages and  burgers.  We all did our Ainsley Harriot bit cooking our supper in huge frying pans over gas heaters.  Afterwards we boogied til the early hours to another good rock band and disco.  Another great evening. 

We awoke Sunday morning with a lot of campers busy decamping already.  We had breakfast and then decamped ourselves, and rode up to the petrol station with Keith and Julie to meet up with Tony and Jill who were leading, with 10 other bikes back to the port.  Once we were on the motorway it was straight ahead until we approached signs for one of the lanes of the carriageway was closed.  We rode to the front of the queue and I saw a police car, as we passed there was also a pickup lorry with a bike on the back.  I saw Peter and Jan – Peter shouted out that everyone was Ok and to continue.  Later on we discovered that Paul (Wildstar rider) had collided with a car, came off the bike which hit the crash barrier, pieces of the bike came off and hit Vicky one of the riders in their pack.  They’d both been carted off to hospital when we had passed.  Thankfully they weren’t seriously damaged and amazingly managed to join the rest of us on the same ferry.  Barry and Irene had very kindly gone to the Hospital with them to help sort out the paper work.  They originally were going to be staying for another day, but after the accident wanted to get back home – luckily they also were able to get onto the same ferry. Paul arrived with a nasty graze on his chin and an arm strapped up – but I don’t believe anything was broken.  Vicky had hurt her hand but apart from some shock both were OK.  I believe Paul’s bike was a bit of a mess, but we’ve yet to hear whether it was a write off.  Peter Gauntlett from Essex very kindly offered to take Paul in for the night and arrange a lift for him from the port – he’s an Angel.

We arrived safely home, shattered at 9.50pm.  It took until the weekend to recover.  Must be an age thing !

All in all a great weekend, great company together with some lessons to be learnt.

By the way ………could someone please kindly remind me in 9 years 10 months to renew my passport !!

Safe riding.

Julie Dawson

With the bikes loaded with a just few basic essential items we headed for the campsite  called Buitencentrum "Kerkemeijer" in Borculo, Holland.

The weekend was best described simply as “fantastic”, I haven’t laughed so much since, erm, well, the last rally I Guess. So much happened that I can’t put it into words, 300 Brits travelled to Holland and the journey there and back was memorable for lots of reasons some good and some not so good. There was nakedness, drunkenness, topless girls, bottomless blokes, willy waggling, boob flashing, bikes indoors, suicidal crowd surfing and all the things that make bike rallies, bike rallies, so if you read this and didn’t make the trip you should have!    Dave