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Rally Raid 2008

Was it fun? Like the Curate’s egg, it was good in parts.

Big Trev, LT Mike and HB arrived at Cherbourg and spent the first night at Cherrueix. The good ferry Lollipop got in at 5pm local time and we decided to head for Cherrueix. The whole of the little town looked very run down and we wondered if this was how other places were going to be.

There is no official Stationment Aires there but one can use the facilities at some of the local campsites. The local khazi has hot running water but has been left to get into a terrible state.

The next morning it was Hi-Ho Silver and off to Caroual, Erquy.

Erquy is pretty popular with Rally Raiders because there is an attractive town to amble round and the Aires at Caroual is right on a beautiful sandy beach.

Now comes the fun! HB was leading and was slavishly following his SatNav. Now maps do get updated but being careful with money (try meaner than Scrooge. Ed) he had not updated his maps for 3 years; by the same token, LT Mike had not done his for 5.

Now the dear old French don’t bother with planning enquiries. If they think that it would be a good idea to put in a road, then they just get on with it.

The road we wanted was closed and we found ourselves diverted onto very narrow country roads. Sometimes we couldn’t even go down those because there were metal crush barriers placed across them and people leaning on them and shaking their fists – and that was just the women – the men were swearing at us: By now, we were being diverted further and further off our route by these people who appeared to marshalling a cycle race.

Finally, we emerged from the Stygian gloom and burst out into the sunlight. It was the town square with all the people waiting to see if Jean Claude or Jean Pierre had won the race

But no! In first place was HB and the Beautiful Yellow Transit, second LT Mike (with his LT.Ed) and third, Big Trev with his converted library bus. All the local *** heads were cheering us on, the local Worthies were looking “not amused” and the local Gendarmes were looking fit to puke.

As quickly as we had appeared we escaped by driving thru the crash barriers and made off to open country.

All this time LT Mike and HB had been keeping up a commentary on CB radio. The gist of it was that cycle racers have Chamois leather inserts in their tight Lycra shorts and that Vaseline was used … As we all know, Vaseline is good for sores and and even better for little chaps.

Big Trev and his wife, Linda, had used CB before but had never quite had that sort commentary ie “ Hmm, that looks a useful Aires, doesn’t it?” “Yes a likely dogging spot” or “ Wouldn’t want to over-night there would you?” This was on seeing lots of vicious looking Gendarmes. Reply – “Oo, I don’t know they look big strong boys…”

Port Louis has now changed Free water is available behind the green fronted garages (pic right) in the Sports ground.…

The Rally Raiders got a better welcome this year. Last year Past asked the Blokey who runs the place for a large beer

“Lucky I speak English then, isn’t it” came his surly reply

“We know you do” said Pat Cobra “You’re from Newlyn” The Blokey didn’t look best pleased

We didn’t realise but French bars do not close if there are paying customers. The Raiders were still going strong at 2am and the Blokey was looking decidedly disgruntled.

We had hoped to use Gavres again in ’08 but the sandy parking area had been closed off. The carpark had also had concrete blocks placed across half way down.

So HB spent the night at Riantec Aires and the others who, by now, had been joined by Bob and Lorna Wild ended up at the new Plouhinec Aires.