Hunstanton Light Parade - 19 March 2016 

 

March is always a dodgy month for biking as you can't even guess from one year to the next what the weather is going to be.  Nevertheless, Norfolk Wings maintain their steadfast defiance of the elements to present the first Light Parade of the year at Hunstanton each March, whilst many wingers still have their bikes wrapped in cotton in a warm garage waiting for the sun to come out and the salt to clear off the roads.  Well yours truly had decided to attend this year's parade come hell or high water after missing last year due to very high winds and biting cold.  The trip to Hunstanton at 09.30 in the morning was dismal to say the least.  Drizzle, rain, mist, wind, more drizzle and filthy roads all added up to a lonely ride.  However, heated seat, heated handgrips, a great big windscreen and rock and roll playing on the stereo all made it quite comfortable.  I arrived at the Green in Hunstanton to  find no-one there.  Damn, must read the brochure next time.  The static display didn't start until 12.00 so I wandered off to get a coffee and a warm seat until the fun began.

 

Arriving back at 12.00, Norfolk wings were already well placed down the front row so I parked up just behind them and started the foreigners row.  I was quite surprised to meet so many people from outside the region who had come to attend.  Visitors from Leicester, Matlock, the Midlands, Sheffield, Dover, Cornwall and even Southern Ireland, all came round to say hello and to talk about bikes.  Of course Paula and Roy Penn were there at inscription saying hello to everyone whilst we all tried not to shiver in the wind and the rain.  The day was pretty dismal throughout but we still had plenty of folks coming around to see the bikes and to ask questions - usually - how much does one of these cost?.  Well the day worn on till 16.00 by which time we cleared the Green ready to reassemble for the Light Parade at 18.00 in the Coach Park.

I skipped off to enjoy a nice cod, chips with mushy peas, bread and butter and a pot of tea.  By 18.00 it was already quite dull but funnily, it had warmed up to a toasty 8 degrees C  and the wind had dropped right down.  So conditions for the parade were as good as could be expected.  The Mayor took a walk around our bikes to judge the best bike and trike and then at 19.00 we set off around the town with 8 trikes and 21 bikes making up the parade.  Hats off to Norfolk Wings because they led a great parade at a steady 20-25 mph and with nice spacing.  They controlled each junction so we kept together and made a great sight for the crowds waiting around the town.  At the conclusion of the parade, we returned to Seers Camp Site but unlike previous years, the parade was led around the site and then back to the reception building before we broke up so it all made a nice clean ending to the event.  Many were staying on the site and so they set off to get changed and then enjoy the evenings entertainment.

Thanks to Norfolk Wings and especially to Paula and Roy for such a well organised event (including the discounts and free gifts that they had arranged with local vendors).  As I said earlier, the weather is always a risk in March, but despite a cold, wet and dull day, we still had a great time. 

Well Done Norfolk Wings.