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History Of Hoggin' The Beaver
In The Beginning
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Hoggin The Beaver 2004 was just a one night stand.
We didn’t call it Hoggin The Beaver I, because we didn’t know whether there would be another at the time.
We started the weekend on the Saturday morning July 10th 2004 at the Little Chef at Newark, Nottinghamshire, with a great
turnout of 37 people. John Harrisons of Lowdham gave us a van for the weekend so everybody that turned up could off load
their camping equipment and lighten the load.
It was time for Sam to take her first ride out, EVER!!!
With a very nice ride along the River Trent through to Gunthorpe and then on to the Vale of Belvoir. Meandering through
the lovely stone built villages, Harby, Eastwell, Eaton, Branston and Knipton to mention a few, set in some of the most
beautiful countryside in England. It took us about an hour and a half to get to the old main entrance to Belvoir Castle and
we managed to keep the Castle out of site right up till that moment. We went in through the old main entrance to the castle,
to the rear of Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir and Denton. We had been given the keys so Mark my brother, white van man, could do
the honours and have the gate open ready so we could keep on rolling. That was the surprise of the weekend, actually riding
through the castle grounds, going up to the castle’s front door for a quick photo shoot was a mistake and we did apologise
later that week and all was forgiven. Sally Ann, the car park lady put a good word in for us and that people visiting the
castle that day enjoyed looking at the bikes. (foot in the door there then) Photo shoot over and it was time to move on.
The castle caterer had parked his burger van on the lower car park for us so we could have a bite to eat. Time marched on
and it was off to the Dirty Duck, also known as The Rutland Arms, in Woolsthorpe By Belvoir, to claim our tents out of the
van, that’s if Mark hadn‘t sold them.
The weather was being kind to us and we were soon having a beer or two.
After dinner it was off to the function room and more beer.
Kev French supplied us with his own band for the night (Jester) and Barry his guitarist did the disco for us. The usual
raffle at the half way point, raising money for Cancer Research UK. That got us off the mark and with only 37
beavers we all managed to raise £300.00 in total.
We had no burger bar to fall back on, so most of us had ordered breakfast in the pub for the following morning and that
went down a treat, even Jethro turned up, what a surprise!
After breakfast it was time to say thanks to everybody for their help, support and generosity and a safe journey home.
Absolutely knackered we went home and didn’t bother with any beaver that night. Later that week, still on a high from
the weekend, not marijuana, next years planning soon got off the ground, with plans for a full weekend for HTB II.
Maybe someone will send in some scribblings and pictures of their weekend at Hoggin The Beaver 2004
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