Report written by Ann Weir, WIMA GB.
The rally was hosted in a huge hotel in Zakopane, at the base of the Tatras Mountains. Given the weather, most of us were very grateful not to be camping! In fact, there was no camping. Rapidly renamed the ‘Thunder and Lightning Rally’, this first WIMA rally in Poland attracted 249 participants from 15 countries.
Monday was a day of exploration on foot into the very busy resort town of Zakopane. In the winter it comes into its own as a popular ski resort. In the height of summer, we found the local pedestrianised marketplace complete with horse- drawn carriages, stalls selling tourist gifts, and some local cheeses. We were grateful for the many ‘al fresco’ cafes with awnings which came into their own when the many downpours occurred, often in the late afternoon. Everywhere one looked, there were people wearing multi-coloured plastic ponchos with pointy hoods. Back at the hotel, dinner buffet was served at 7 p.m. which proved popular.
Wednesday was the day of the parade and guess what? Yup – more rain – this time in bucketfuls, so much so that the start was put back half an hour, not that it deterred us! Away we all went with a police escort to a pretty restaurant area, then on to a ski lift area by which time it had stopped raining. Off came the wet gear and up we went, two to a chair, into the clouds. At the top, we had just enough time for a hot chocolate or coffee from the log cabin before we were summoned back down the mountain and back to the restaurant as before. We took over the top floor of the huge place to order à la carte and once refreshed, we were treated to a display from a local dance troupe with participants of all ages – children, teens and adults – wearing traditional dress. Back at the hotel, outside the dining room, there was a big screen where we saw ourselves on the parade via national television plus Claudia, the International President, who had been interviewed at the ski place.
Thursday was the day of the treasure hunt, a kind of orienteering on bikes. First, we collected our map and instructions from the office, then we plotted our own route, to call in at the many checkpoints. We had fun touring the sights and finding the controls which weren’t always where they were supposed to be! Back at the hotel, I realised we had missed the last checkpoint, not far from the hotel but up a huge hill and by another ski lift. I shot off with the others in hot pursuit to find the control car, and here we found an added attraction – that of a fellow in a silly horse costume and the rally photographer taking as many equally silly pics as he could. The winners of this game were the first four girls who had zoomed around the course at break-neck speed to finish the route by 2 p.m.
After supper, the Dibley family had most of us Brits cajoled into their ‘band’ for the talent contest to be held in the bar, and boy, did we have fun with all the improvised instruments. We never found out if we had won the entertainment competition, but the applause was thunderous – no other country came close.
The last rally day, Friday and the Dibleys had arranged for all us Brits to have a ride up the Kasprowy Wierch via cable car. We left at 10 a.m. in fine-ish weather which soon turned misty and cloudy. After two cable car rides, we were well and truly in the clouds at the furthest peak, so we had to make do with postcards of the sights to remember the day. One thing cannot be controlled – the weather. And typically, once back at the hotel, we had a lovely view of the mountain in the afternoon sunshine.
Friday’s dinner was a sumptuous affair with the tables laid most elegantly and with four courses to go, we were well ‘stuffed’. A small awards ceremony followed, and the main Ellen Pfeiffer award was presented to GB member Anna Zee (previous Chair of the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) and later President of the Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA)). President Val accepted it on her behalf.
Those who wished to party did so in the bar afterwards, but for some of us it was an early night, ready for an early start the next day for the long ride home.
