The Cambs & District Looney Club started in October 1985 in the back room of the Crown Pub on Lincoln Road, Peterborough. In October 2006 the Club reached the grand old age of 21 years old. They celebrated by getting a party together which lasted 3 days and that’s when the ‘Out of the Asylum’ party was devised writes Roving Reporter Cathy Gibb.
The Club always generously supports charities of course, using their fun get togethers as fund raisers.
Into their 30th year of the ‘Out of the Asylum’ party the Club descended on Littleport Leisure Centre’s back fields where motorbikes of all shapes and sizes were to be seen and admired. It goes without saying that all the various makes of bike were caringly maintained and often embellished with extras by the bikers own fair hands. And when I asked the question,” If your wife and your bike fell off a cliff which would you save first?” to my surprise many of male bikers seem hesitant and reluctant to answer my question.
Leather vests and jackets, chains, beer, hot dogs and burgers, and blaring heavy metal music as evening entertainment at the Leisure Centre’s bar were the order of the day before heading back to their tents – some with only their treasured bikes as company.
72 year old Malcolm Taylor, one of the oldest bikers at the convention, loves showing off his 16 year old Harley Davidson bike (and buckle belt) confessed that he’d left his
wife of 50 years marriage at home in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, so he could indulge himself with a few beers and socialising with like minded people.
“I have been to Littleport quite a few times with the “Trikes R Us” event, (see Littleport Life Summer Issue) but you’re never too old to enjoy yourself. “I have been riding motorbikes since I was 16, but have never been abroad in my life. I like it when you had British bikes because you couldn’t afford mechanics in them days,” Malcolm said as his wife has repeatedly told him to “slow down”.
Land Rover Dealer cum leader John at 64 who was accompanied with his wife Carol love biking around the country and called his 7/8 year old Honda CX400 bike a “rolling restoration” even though Carol admitted that “It can be very bumpy ride because there is no rear suspension.”
Norman Norris from Billericay was involved in a memorial bike ride (the second one) for the murdered British Fusilier Lee Rigby which involved over 3,000 bikers, some service and ex-servicemen and women.
“Bikers still have such a bad reputation but we are always raising money for charity which people never hear about,” stated Norman.
The Club’s Chair Neill Magee who served in North Ireland and Iraq, but was discharged because of post traumatic stress was delighted to announce that this year’s event had raised £541.00 for the Air Ambulance Charity.
“Littleport has been such a great venue for us. They have been so accommodating we have already booked next year’s event for August 3rd 2016,” revealed Neill, who had been nursing a shoulder injury suffered from a “motorbike accident”.