Rally Tips


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				Boothy’s Top Ten Rally Tips

	Rally’s are marvelous biking events. If you’ve never been to one you really should. Its the pure essence of biking. They range from cosy little rally’s, usually close to a real British pub with maybe fifty people, to things like The Farmyard Rally with nigh on ten thousand people. All types have their plus points. However a bit of pre planning can make the experience so much better. I don’t profess to be rallyist of the year, but I’ve been at enough rally’s to have learned a couple of things. He is my Top Ten Rally Tips:-


	1. Tents - Avoid one man tents altogether - far too small for normal people. There just glorified bin liners. Two man tents are still “cosy”. Three man tents give enough space for normal people and allow for “getting lucky”. They also mean you can use them for weekends away with the girlfriend/boyfriend.

Choose a tent which erects “Flysheet first”. Then if it chucks it down you quickly have shelter.

This is the one item that needs to be reasonable quality. Modern tents are fantastic and waterproof. Try to get a good quality tent, often discounted to ridiculous levels by October.


	Avoid ultra light backpacking type tents – you are just paying over the odds for exotic lightweight materials you don’t need on a bike. A cheap tent is Ok when its hot and sunny, but if it chucks it down all weekend its great to know your gear will stay dry.

2. Sleeping Bag – Performance rated by season.

Go for at least a Three Season. Four Season bags are a lot warmer, but in the unlikely event of it being hot are too warm. Most now are “mummy” style, which does not allow much room to move, but are much warmer than traditional style bags.


	3. Hip Flask – The most bloody useful rally accessory you can buy. Get a nice one, that will serve you for many years. Ten quid from Millets for a reasonable one.


	4. Blow Up Cushion - £4.99 from Millets – If you buy nothing else take one of these. Takes up no space and makes camping so much more comfy. You WILL thank me.

	6. Wet Ones – Get a small packet – Two days in a field and you know why these are indispensable.

	8. Pewter Tankard – Get one at the rally site for about five quid. Get it engraved and its the perfect receptacle for your favorite tipple for years to come.


	5. Carry Mat – Posh term for a bit of foam to lie on. When you camp, most of the cold comes up from the ground. All sorts on the market.

		7. Bog Paper – Take a supply – a thousand uses and you can also wipe your arse with it. Cotton socks are useful to for this purpose in an emergency(or so I’am told!)

		9. LED Torch – A million quid from posh camping shops, or about five quid from Wilkinson’s. Don’t leave home without it.

10. General
(a) Bits	Take a supply of aspirins, sweets etc. All useful things that don’t cost much but are as rare as rocking horse shit in the middle of a field.
(b) Booze	We tend to take a supply of spirits, as they are easier to carry than beer (up to you). Plenty of on-site outlets for booze at bigger rally’s, but bringing your own will bring the cost of the weekend right down.
(c) Water	A couple of small bottles of water can come in handy (Early morning drink while still in tent, helps the aspirins go down).


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