Very hacked off ...

One of the things that I love I knew would more or less be sacrificed once we left the UK for good. That one thing has been a fervent passion for more than fifty years now, the love of sidecar racing. It began as a spectator in the 50s, then continued as a marshal at race meetings. Even better was when I raced as a passenger for a number of seasons, that was an unbelievable experience. Later I owned my own sidecar and drove for a while, that was even better than being a passenger. It was such a buzz, a high that is impossible to describe.

Latterly I retired from racing but helped with a famous club in organising meetings and as the club sidecar rep. Work commitments eventually stopped active involvement but my interest, nay passion, still burned. Circumstances eventually changed for the better and I was able to get to a good many meetings each season.

Came the move from England to the beautiful southwest of France, only some two huundred miles from the Spanish border. Chances now to get to meetings were, and still are, few because the majority of circuits are in held in the mid and northern part of the country which would involve considerable driving and expense. Not all doom and gloom, however because A point was made each year of attending a specific and big end of season meeting in England.

Flights for this were booked some months ago and friends offerd to put us up, great! Then followed days of anticipation and quite excitement, not only at seeing and hearing sidecar racing again but also meeting with many friends both old and new.

We were due to fly out in forty eight hours time with RyanAir from Bergerac airport to London Stansted. Mid evening there was an email from our carrier with the message that our flight had been canceled due to an air traffic controllers strike on that day. The next available flight is not an option as during the winter period there are only two flights a week between Stansted and here, the next one being on Tuesday, the day we were due to return; It is not the fault of RyanAir but the the French traffic controllers protesting in unison with millions of others about proposed retirement age changes and pensions.

To say that I am disappointed, annoyed, upset and deeply hacked off is an understatement. The only positive is that there is always next year ...