Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > National Rally...anyone remember it?

[Iconic944ss]

Moved an old chest in my garage and found the National Rally stickers plastered over it

Earliest one was dated 1989, it was a big event in those days that involved riding almost all night (but with compulsory rest stops) in a navigation type rally.

I think the planning of the best way to reach all the required check-points within your desired distance was almost as much fun as the actual riding.

I did it, four years running the last two times finishing at Donington Park (the first time getting to ride some of the start/finish straight and being REALLY tempted to disappear for a quick lap ).

The last year I did it though I failed to finish in time. During the night in the Derbyshire boarders a guy caught up to me and rode with me for a while. He stayed behind at a junction but must have needed to go the same way. A little way down the road I stopped to see what happened to him but couldnt see him at all.

I was on the verge of pressing on but, couldnt see any headlights anywhere, something very wrong I thought. When I turned back, I just to say saw his tail light on the wrong side of a stone wall.

The poor guy had plowed straight through it and hurt himself quite badly. A trucker came along with a new-fangled 'mobile phone' and we managed to get the police and ambulance quickly for him. Needless to say my spirits were very dampned by this so, I decided to go straight to the finish at Donington Park as it was on my way home.

Those and other 'safety' type rallies seem to have bit the dust a little. Shame, as I used to enjoy some of them.

Anyone got any good memories please?

Frank