The Bikers Rally, Lincolnshire and Rutland Scatter Challenge is smashing little event run by by Rob and Helen that I discovered last year by accident via a facebook post. This year the attendance was down to around 30 entries because it clashed with the TT but that really did not make it any less fun. After shepherding three novices round the Welsh rally, it was something of a relief to find myself at the start of the Lincolnshire Challenge as a solo entry. Don't get me wrong its fun rallying with mates and especially my wife, but when you're the only one who knows what they are doing the added little complications of keeping an eye on the pack, making sure that everyone is keeping up and making sure that you are not pushing the most inexperienced rider to hard was a lot more stressful than I expected. So I'll admit to something of a feeling of liberation as I signed out at the start of my 23 checkpoint 250 mile route.
The weather initially was chilly, over cast with a hint of moisture in the air that was a complete contrast to the blinding sunshine and 20 plus degree temperatures on the other side of the country. Since I was on my own I was aiming for a gold, plus the additional former airfield checkpoints for the bomber award. From the start at the Royal Oak pub in Swayfield ( http://www.pub-explorer.com/lincs/pub/royaloakswayfield.htm ) my route was a big figure of eight that had the Bimbo and I heading south west past Rutland Water to a my most southern checkpoint at Foxton Locks on the Grand Union Canal before swinging north east to my most northerly at Metheringham Airfield museum. From Metheringham the route took me south east to Wainfleet All Saints and then back to the start.
With the Bimbo happily chattering away between my legs and some of the best motorcycling roads on the UK before me, I wanted to enjoy it and had no intention of screaming round the route. I kept on bumping into other rally goers at various checkpoints which made for a chatty time and even better as the day progressed the weather slowly improved until by the end it was hot enough to have shed the liners of my jacket and pants.
After about four hours and 10 check points I decided it was time for a brew and a butty (slang for a sandwich), astonishingly enough I just happened be close to the check point at Belvior Castle, with its excellent tea shop. How did that happen I wonder? I was not the only one who had that idea as a couple on a Yamaha Super Tenere I had chatted to back at the start were just sitting down with a pot of the elixir of life and a sandwich as I arrived so I enjoyed their excellent company over my tea and chicken roll.
Fortified by my tea break I trundled on to Grantham where I found a petrol station just as the Bimbo started to splutter and demand reserve, which was cutting it a little to close for my liking but it all worked out so no problem. I quickly ticked off the next few checkpoints but had a right old time trying to find the Coningsby clue. Coningsby is the home of the Red Arrows and I was delighted by the fly over they made on their way home from where ever they had been displaying an hour or so later when I was sat out side my third from last check point with another excellent cup of tea and an Eccles Cake at the Sibsy Trader Mill's tea shop. This was an unusually good Eccles Cake, given that I was very much the wrong side of the Manchester Ship Canal, which is according to my late Grandmother is where foreigners begin!
After leaving at 9.15 in the morning I was the last entry to sign back into Rally control at 7.15, having successfully got my gold and bomber awards. I had a very convivial hour or so with the half dozen or so other riders as we all tucked into a bar meal, which was washed down with a pint of bitter shandy (half a pint of bitter beer mixed with a half pint of lemonade) and a coffee before I headed off to my over night digs at a Travelodge on the A1 with a big smile on my face.
http://bikerralliesuk.com/challenges/motorbike-scatter-challenge/
