This weekend with ‘The Ride of the Valkyries’ at full volume (check this link from Apocalypse Now to hear Wagner’s rousing tune) the Animal Bike Tour blasted into RAF Fairford with the sun on our backs for the Royal International Air Tattoo, the world’s largest military airshow!
Arriving the day before the event opening to setup, we were excited to find the road leading to the airport lined with crowds and photographers waiting in anticipation of our arrival – luckily they had been kept entertained by various aircraft taking off and thundering overhead at crazy proximity on practice flights.
Then whilst setting up we even had a visit from Secretary of State for Defence, The Right Honourable MP. Dr Liam Fox, who had popped down to see how we were getting on and make sure we were integrating well into the TRI@RIAT.
“Do something different” was the central message of TRI@RIAT, located at the heart of the showground, which alongside the Bike Tour was Andy Gwynne’s Rally Drift Display, Field Gun Competitions, Broke FMX, and a ton of interactive activities.
We woke the following day to the sound of traditional English summer rain! But with spirits not as easily dampened as the clothing we were sporting, we prepared for a day of tricky shows. Low cloud meant Aircraft aerial action was postponed, the same applying for Blake! When it rains things get wet, when they’re wet they get slippy, and there are few in the action sports world who’d perform to audiences clutching at umbrellas…but Martyn Ashton, with skin as water resistant as a Kodak Play Sport (3m), stepped up where most would curl up and weep (which as Mart knows, in these circumstances only adds to the traction issue) and gave an enthusiastic audience a hot cup of sick(ness) to warm them up!!
Come afternoon things had cheered up a touch (unlike Blake who was gutted about the strong wind now effecting his performances), and the sky started to fill with the screams of fighter planes and synchronised aerial routines. Umbrellas were now abandoned and the event began living up to its reputation as one of the UK’s best events.
Sunday, although interrupted by sudden down pours, was much better and the best shows of the weekend went down as the planes and helicopters went up. My favourite was the Dual counter-rotating Chinook Helicopter (the only vehicle in the world which can literally crash into its self), Blake liked the F-16 best, and Martyn and Robin were fans of the Volcan Bomber. Alongside these the sky and runways were filled with Red Arrows, Frecce Tricolori, Wingwalkers and literally hundreds of others.
“It all turned out really good in the end – it feels great to make a real effort to perform in hard conditions as people really get behind you and show a lot of appreciation…it’s very rewarding! To be getting told by the crowd that we are the best thing here, amongst all these awesome planes, is very flattering.”
Martyn
“What a great weekend, so much action in the sky, my ears are still ringing! Definitely a challenge at times but it’s better to have battled and won, than never to have battled at all! Or is that love?”
Blake
James Thorne
