Essex Crusader Mini Crusade
(It doesn't happen at other rallies.)

Sept 5th - 7th 2003

(Words by Dave Kenway)

I'm writing this at 9:30 on Monday morning, I feel totally exhausted having had just six hours broken sleep in the last 48 hours, my back aches, my feet and legs feel like I've just run a marathon, I'm totally dehydrated and when I look in the mirror I look nearer to 47 than 37… However, I keep laughing out loud to myself and have a permanent grin on my face.

I shouldn't feel like this, I slept from the moment we arrived home at 4 O'clock Sunday afternoon only waking to eat a curry before returning to bed at 9.

The reason for feeling like this? A weekend partying with all our VSOC friends in Essex.

Saturday night ended at 3am for me, when the humorous conversations seemed to float over my head and I was having difficulty balancing on the table I was using to sit on. Before that we had been dancing solidly for 3 hours. I use the term dancing to describe jumping up and down with your arms in the air, this and forming a circle of 3 people and then dragging more and more unsuspecting victims on to the dance floor until the circle fills the dance floor, what a mad night! Nick saved my life [and my wallet] when I got hooked in the lights and pulled them over in to the spinning circle! Cheers mate.
So now we've eventually sussed out how to fill the dance floor watch out at the next event!
The band were blown away with the response they got.

F-f-f-Pete was on good form, sporting a new hair do, although he said it was a body double as he was abducted by a UFO, anyway people complained to me they found his behaviour offensive, overly loud and outrageous, so more of that please mate, the more of us like that representing centre 12 the better! Oh and there was a huge Bonfire, despite someone trying to steal the wood in the back of Range Rover... There are some great Pictures of Anne and Nick on fire with her looking more Demonic and maniacal then normal…

Saturday afternoon some of us more hardy souls went swimming or took part in the silly games that were on offer, after a promising start in the "block walking" the Vultures hopes of winning were shattered as Bob fell at the last.

Earlier on Saturday we had been to Clacton on a run that was both very well marshalled and relaxed. After a nice lunch and a walk on the beach the returning group split up for a petrol stop. We got a chance to use the 2nd man system perfectly and with Anne and I blocking a few junctions, Sean Leading and Nick rear marking it was a lovely run back in the late summer sun.

Friday night had been great fun, I hit the sack at 2:30am unaware there was another late night debate going on until 4:30am in the bar area with Leigh, Anne and the Outriders which I missed out on. Ever seen some one at night with a mini Maglite up a nostril? It's most odd. Kevin Hoyte seemed amused and perplexed by the sight of Anne and I doing this very thing!

I took a load of stick Friday night as after meeting with Anne I said I'd lead and in my usual style got lost, well it was dark and I couldn't see my directions, and my bike to bike radio was crackly and, and… Well we got there about 11pm, in the end, Leigh and co had manned the gate all night waiting for us. Anne had already sent ahead various Text messages to say "I" was lost and I spent all night defending myself which in the end turned into a Court hearing in the chill out tent with Les as my defence lawyer, it was hilarious, but I think I lost the case in the end. I didn't even have to put a tent up on arrival as Sarah had gone ahead and sorted all that out in advance, just unpack and hit the cider, the way it should always be… Thanks Saz.

The journey down to Mercea Island was quite a laugh actually once my radio had cleared…We even had time for a nice meal in a small village pub. The constant hysterical laughter at my navigation and saying "Its your call" when I asked for any directional advise would have driven lesser mortals to insanity…

Our thanks go to Sean, Leigh & helpers who worked very hard all weekend to make it the best party of the year in my books. Special thanks to Peter from C19 who took Keith Parfit's partner Julie home after painfully wrenching her hip on the frenzied dance floor, service beyond the call of duty.

It was a great party and with more or less every centre of this national club represented it was nice to see so many familiar faces. Roger and the Solent dudes were on good form as well, taking fancy dress to new levels of depravity!

Even and Stevie T's and my best efforts to wind Sean up didn't work.
"It's not like this at other rallies mate!"

I leave you with this thought, which I recite often.

"A truly happy person is someone who can enjoy the scenery on a detour".

Dave ;-)
Centre 12