Ace Cafe

(By Dick Lingley -Centre 10)

Yesterday, we decided to go to The Ace Café for the Brighton Burnout with the guys from Orange County Choppers. Tony and Leslie came too, although we apparently each woke wondering, do we really want to get up early? As the weather wasn’t brilliant and the meeting was at Harlton at lunchtime, also Tony and I ‘locusted’ my fridge in the garage of the beers and those at he brought with him, also Leslie had nearly broken my ankle, by chucking my slipper in the garden and me…in a drunken stupor, tried to retrieve it and tripped over the door frame!!!! We decided on an early breakfast at the Ace, watch them all leave and then lunch at The Pub!!! Great…no junk food then if we are eating out!!!! (Ouch…Karen just whacked me!!!)

It turned out that the early breakfast should have been several hours earlier!!!! We could not believe the sight before us!!! The bikes were everywhere and they were still arriving en-masse. No one could quite understand, why the Police hadn’t shut off the road for a few hours, which would have been the safest thing to do. We saw Marshals trying to help buses navigate between the rows of bikes, feeling relived that ours were off the road. One officer actually stopped a bus driver and checked his doco’s. We had managed to park-up and walk down to the Cafes car park. After about half an hour or so, we could see a film crew on the balcony and a while later, a quick glimpse of Pauly and Paul Senior. After about ten minutes and obviously a photo-call, going on with Mark Wilsmore (The face of the Ace), they all appeared. Everyone was clapping and cheering and Mikey got the biggest cheer of all…bless him.

They were throwing cloth Frisbees to the Crowd with the OCC trade mark printed on them, turns out bikers aren’t always that friendly, after all. I had a signed one, by all three I hasten to add, firmly in my hand, only for a guy much bigger than me (yeah I know…not that hard!!!) to grab my arm and snatch it off me…but he then passed it on to his kid, so hey…. forget it. I AM obviously bigger than he is after all!!!! The next one caught flying through the air, was signed by Paul Jnr. Simultaneously grabbed by some young blonde bint and me; she gave me the ol’ cow eyes so of course…being me…. I had to relinquish it.

We watched them all start up and ride-out and what a sight it was. It doesn’t matter how often you see it, it never ceases to impress and bring out the goose bumps. It must have taken about half an hour or longer for everyone to leave.

Then we managed to get breakfast and a coffee before the ride to Harlton where we had a drink, some hot food and laugh with friends, old and new and then home for a doze on the sofa, after reflecting on what a nice day we had.

Dick Lingley (Centre 10)