Red Knights Ireland 1
Following the ride into Bruges and meeting the Mayor we had an hour to spend in the centre of Bruges before riding back to Aan de Plas to freshen up for the main get together that evening. The evening started with the welcome speeches and deserved thanks to all who had made the weekend possible and such a success. Congratulations to Steve Williamson President of England II and Harris Puisais President of France 1 who both received the Red Knights International Presidents Award for dedicated service to the Red Knights MC. Pascale Fadier of Belgium 4 and Steve Mickle of MA 13 were both remembered as both had recently passed away as a result of motorcycle accidents. Amazing Grace was played by the band and Padre Rainer Lipp of Germany 1 read the prayers. Following the formalities everybody was treated to a wonderful buffet meal and wine. After dinner the entertainment was first class with a display of traditional Belgian dance, including cocktail juggling and an excellent DJ who kept the party going into the early hours, there was even a conga or two.
Steve and Harris with their awards JJ presents Buba with a token of our appreciation
Sláinte Not the last to leave but we were close.
After breakfast on Sunday morning it was time to pack the bags and head for home. Alan, Chris, JJ and Rory set off early as they had a long trip ahead of them to make the ferry at Cherbourg back to Rosslare. Barry and I were heading south to the Alps for the rest of the week and would not be leaving until lunchtime. Unfortunately for the four lads, due to circumstances completely outside their control( miscalculation of travel time, tolls , fuel stops, time difference...hahaha), they missed their ferry and had to spend an extra day in Cherbourg and catch the next ferry the following day. They made the most of their extra day by visiting St Mere Eglise and Utah Beach and did make the next ferry. Jacob, Steve, Sue, Alan and Ann went back to the UK via the ferry back to Hull. Barry and I said farewell to our hosts and set off south towards the Alps. Along the way we stopped at Xertigny to get my last letter for the Alphabet tour and Barry’s first. We had a fantastic weeks riding the Alpine passes including the Stelvio, Umbrail, Gavia, Furka and Grimsel to name a few. Leaving Switzerland we stopped off in Interlacken and met up with Natalie Rufener who we had previously met at the Ireland/UK meeting with her husband PeSche. We had a nice lunch and catch up before making our way to Bresancon in France to overnight on our way to the ferry at Roscoff.
Saint Mere Eglise Utah Beach
Xertigny, France Alphabet Tour complete
Furka Pass, Switzerland Grimsel Pass, Switzerland
With Natalie Rufener in Interlaken
Next years European meeting is being hosted by Switzerland II in DLZ Sumiswald near Bern on the 11th to 13th of September 2015.
Photographs also by Wesley Degrande, Steve Williamson and Buba Vice, with thanks.
Red Knights European Meeting
Bruges 2014
In the very early hours of Thursday 11th September, 6 members of Red Knights Ireland 1 gathered, bleary eyed, at a petrol station on the northside of Cork. We were setting out on our journey to Bruges in Belgium for the Red Knights European Meeting. We had a long day ahead of us, which would take us to Dublin, to catch the ferry to Holyhead in Wales and a ride across Wales and England to catch our second ferry of the day at Hull, on the East coast of England, a total of 600km(370miles). On our route to Hull we had arranged to meet up with Jacob Grosvenor a Red Knights, Member at Large from Wales, who rode with us and we also met up with Steve and Sue and Alan and Ann from Red Knights England II at the ferry port.
Waiting for the ferry in Dublin Waiting for the ferry in Hull with RK England II Jacob booking in at Hull
The Hull to Zeebrugge ferry is an overnight crossing and we all made the most of the on board restaurant, bar and entertainment before hitting the sack. The ferry arrived into Zeebrugge at 9am and we set off on the short journey into Bruges and the venue at Aan De Plas. On arrival we met with Buba and Christof of Belgium II who were busy preparing the site for that evenings opening of the meeting. They kindly allowed us to drop off our bags in one of the rooms and not wanting to get in the way we said we would be back later in the day and rode off to visit Ypres about 70km’s(45 miles) away.
Aan De Plas
At the end of World War One the town of Ypres was in ruins having been demolished by heavy artillery fire. In 1920 the process of rebuilding the town to its former glory began, the results can be seen in the beautiful town to this day. Our first stop was at the Menin Gate, a memorial to the British Commonwealth soldiers who died in the Ypres salient and who have no known graves, during the First World War. The memorial was built in 1927 and lists over 54,000 names of the fallen. Every evening since 1928 (except for a short period of occupation by Germany during WWII) the local Fire Brigade play the Last Post in honour of those who were lost. Red Knights Belgium II had the honour of placing a wreath at the ceremony on the night before we arrived.
Group at the Menin Gate , Ypres . RK Belgium II Wreath.
We also visited the Munster Fusiliers Monument near the Cathedral in Ypres, had a nice Al Fresco lunch in the square and visited the Hill 62 Museum which has sections of the British trenches which are untouched and in their original state.
Ypres Sept 2014 Chris and Alan enjoy the fine dining.
The Munster Fusiliers Memorial Inscription on the Memorial
Hill 62 Museum and Trenches.
As we arrived back to Bruges in the early evening the venue was a hive of activity with Red Knights from all over Europe arriving. All members of Red Knights Belgium II deserve huge credit for their choice of venue, the catering, the cheap drink, the activities and the ride outs, which were all first class and superbly organised. We made new friends from many Chapters from around Europe and met up again with some old friends from previous meetings, including Norm Beausoleil from Massachusetts 1, a founding member of the Red Knights, who travelled from the U.S. to enjoy the festivities. The Bucking Bronco was a huge success especially the later into the sociability. I managed a record breaking three minutes....I mean three seconds... on the raging animal of a machine. It would not be a proper Red Knight meeting without Looping Louie. For those of you who are not familiar, Looping Louie is a children’s board game, with Louie in his plane swinging around trying to knock out your three tokens. Red Knight Looping Louie has a forfeit when you lose all your tokens, which involves taking a shot of any number of different alcoholic beverages. As an Irishman, I didn’t really comprehend the thoughts of winning the game and not getting the drink, so became very uncompetitive and hence lost most of the time before stepping/falling aside. The music and games went on late into the night, although some fell asleep before it was over....not me this time.
The Raging Bull Losing at Looping Louie...again.
On Saturday morning the ride out set off from Aan de Plas in smaller groups of 15 riders meeting at the square in De Haan about 20km away. Here you could walk to the beach, relax in some of the cafeteria’s around the square or walk around the town. When all the groups had arrived refreshments and lunch were provided by De Haan Fire Brigade. Once everyone was fed and watered the main rideout began.The route would take us along narrow winding country lanes, through cobblestone villages and along beautiful tree lined avenue’s running beside canals to a fire station outside of Bruges. The weather was warm and sunny which made the ride all the more enjoyable.
Riders arriving in De Haan The Square in De Haan
Red Knights everywhere The Square filled up quickly.
At the fire station in Bruges we had some more sociability and a chance to rest the body for the coming nights celebrations while waiting for everyone to arrive. Next on the agenda was the group ride into the Square in Bruges. All 180 bikes together, under Police escort, would ride into Bruges, where we would meet the Mayor of Bruges outside City Hall.
Fire Station in Bruges Recovery time before riding into Bruges
JJ, Barry, Alan and Jacob riding into Bruges Chris , Barney and Rory on the group ride into Bruges
Bikes arrive at the Square in Bruges Meeting the Mayor of Bruges
Red Knights Ireland 1, European Meeting, Bruges, September 2014.
Group Photo outside City Hall Bruges
Group Leaving Bruges JJ and Barry
Six members of the chapter travelled to Bruges in Belgium in September to take part in the European Meeting.
JJ Meacle, Barry O Mahony, Alan Roberts, Ger Barriscale, Rory Kelly and Chris Walsh pictured in the Square in Bruges following the group ride into the city to meet the Mayor.
