BMW Club Oxford Section Ypres trip BBQ

The ride out, organised by Patrick and Nadine, on the Sunday included our only off-road part of the route! The group came to the edge of a small field and to our surprise, we continued down a short path to the entry of a small farm. This was our BBQ location which had been organised by Patrick and his friend and family.

The farm wasn’t too easy to find and we heard a few of our late arrivals pass-by before we actually saw them (a subject for the Sat-Nav group perhaps?) but soon everyone that was coming had arrived and the BBQ machinery was reaching optimum heat. All we needed now was some organisation, step forward Mr Tomlinson. Patrick’s friend had some experience of BBQ hosting and the last contingent of happy bikers had been a Harley Davidson group who apparently had over indulged so we would be organised, where is Mr Tomlinson when you need him, oh there he is..

So the system was, part with your money and collect your tickets, each ticket represented a drink and three meat items which were, an 18 inch long sausage, a chicken skewer and a half rack of ribs, two drinks and coffee, salad was on free issue. Soon everything was ready and we formed orderly queues and indulged with seconds for those that had space. The new system worked and everyone was happy and content. What a great afternoon, sunshine, great company and great food it was perfect until, yes, Wendy had an idea!!

For many in the club the usual reaction to “Wendy has an idea” is “don’t panic, don’t panic Mr Mainwaring” but we were in an enclosed space what could we do? The idea was simple and elegant but would depend on its execution for success and would need bikers with the suppleness of Olga Korbut, for those that remember her, not group members replete on 18inch sausages!

No doubt inspired by the 60’s hit TV show “The Monkees” we were to spell out the word “YPRES” by contorting our bodies into the shape of each letter, then an overhead crane would hoist a photographer to 50 feet so that we could get a landscape view of the result. So the first step is to begin shaping the letters. The “Y” and the “P” were first off the block and took most of the space available, the “R” was more challenging but the “P” had already set the theme, “E” was no problem with Rosemary at David’s feet and Lillian’s head somewhere else, which left the “S”. Slinky perhaps doesn’t do it justice but if you ever need an “S” contact Sally and Louise! So when does the crane arrive Wendy?

Originally posted 2017-07-06 22:41:42.