Our hotel was lakeside and had a view of the Sirmione peninsula where the Rally was being held. The peninsula protrudes several kilometres into Lake Garda and provided part of the route for the Parade on the final day. However, it was a ride from the hotel, although Jean did walk back one day in an hour.
Registration and entry was a bit chaotic on the first day, with slow movement until complete while sitting over a hot engine in warm temperatures. The first two days seemed quite thinly attended, but on the final day all the Italian Chapters were out in force and it was busy. The Rally side and organisation was a bit of a disappointment to us all, the site being rather fragmented and diluting some of the spectacle of such an event.
However, we convened and had another team picture. Jean showed interest in a Softail Cross Bones in the Exhibition area, which she found quite a good 'fit'! Interest in riding showing?
The Parade was quite something and Jean came with me along with a few other Chapter members. There were thousands of bikes and it doubled back on itself on the peninsula and again in town. This provided lots of rider rapport in addition to the interaction with the crowds lining the streets. the Police closed off side roads and gave priority to us at roundabouts and this made the thing flow so well, compared to the one in Killarney, where the Police had to stop it for a while to let traffic through the centre of the town. It lasted about and hour and a half and was well worth it.
Perhaps there were over 10,000 at the Rally. It is hard to judge, because so many were on pavements and outside hotels and restaurants around the town and places adjacent to the Rally site at any one time. The next one is due to be in Latvia for the first time, but there is cool interest because of the location in my local Chapter.
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