Hoggin the Bridge VIII - What an experience!
Steve Sullivan's reports on Hoggin the Bridge VIII from a participants point of view.
Having been involved in helping out with the organisation of the two previous Hoggin the Bridge events in Chepstow, and due to a chance conversation at the practice ride out of organisers and marshals the week before, I was offered the opportunity of to hitch a lift and take part myself this year.
So I found myself wandering into Aust Services on a bright, cold morning to a magnificent site of a sea of Harley Davidson bikes to search for my ride for the day.
Finally locating the silver beast that was to transport me to paradise (well Chepstow actually) I climbed aboard and off we went. Seeing the number of bikes in the car park I wondered how on earth they would all know when to set off but with the signal from Dave Holden, Bridgwater Chapter leader, engines sprung to life. I was fortunate enough to be in the first few bikes to set off and coming across the old Severn Bridge to see the Chepstow interchange bridge lined with people waving and clapping was amazing. In fact every bridge along the M48 was lined with people!
Eventually we reached the Magor turn off and the police outriders smoothly guided us off the motorway and into Magor where more crowds greeted us, ‘waving and cheering’. The same was repeated in the villages, and lay-bys all the way to Chepstow. The bikers responded with a tooting of horns and a revving of engines. As we drove over the M48 at St Pierre there were still bikes coming over the Severn Bridge making it a continuous stream of bikes for nearly 20 miles. It really made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
As we came into Chepstow I could feel the excitement growing. The crowds became even larger and as we turned up into the High Street we were met with a sea of faces.
Finally, we came to a halt and I had to dismount and say goodbye to my trusty steed … to the realisation of just why bikers have a strange walk as I discovered muscles in my thighs that I didn’t know existed before!!!
Steve Sullivan
Previous page: Join The Chamber
