Dave Dowling

In 1996 I entered the RBR for the first time and I quickly realised that this was an event which gave me more enjoyment than all the previous Rallies I had entered . I was hooked and although I have only achieved a 100% All Rounder on one occasion ( 1997 ) I am determined to manage it again one day.
I love the feeling of freedom and adventure which I feel every time I get out on the road to do some more clues particularly if I am on my way to Scotland ( what wonderful motorcycling roads and fantastic scenery ). Every trip out is a new adventure and despite all my planning and organisation I know that something unexpected will happen every time.
I remember riding towards a beautiful sunny sky last year on my way towards Crows n Wra in Cornwall having spent a wonderful warm and sunny day in the saddle. I arrived at the clue took my photos and turned round to be faced by black skies as far as I could see. To the west it was a lovely day but to the east it looked horrible and I had no alternative but to go that way. Within minutes I was in torrential rain and it stayed like that until I got home in the early hours of the morning. We certainly get variety in this wonderful country of ours! I had been in East Sussex the day before looking for the White Horse at Uckfield and when I could not see it a local resident ( he looked and acted like a Major in the army ) walked down the lane with me to his favourite vantage point only to discover that the sun was so low in the sky and directly above the white Horse that it made the clue virtually invisible. He was quite surprised and told me that he had never seen the sun so strong and in such a position.
That was no help to me and I took 6 different photos desperately trying to get the clue on celluloid. Little did I know that less than 24 hours later I was going to be battling through torrential rain!.