THE HOUSE OF RACING WIZARDRY
Good motorcycle events are almost extinct these days, and if you find one, every glittering ounce of them should be cherished and hoarded and worshipped and fondled like a priceless diamond. Last July, England´s Grimsthorpe Castle witnessed the celebration of the Malle Mile (One of the last surviving ones!) and the revival of ESMC´s ludicrous race “La Copita”.
Free and inappropriate riders from diverse nationalities gathered at the castle fields, drawn by the reputations of Malle London and El Solitario for pushing boundaries in this ubiquitous motorcycling world we are always striving to expand.
As the motorized party kicked off on Thursday, a pop-up village emerged, with the Wolf Van transforming itself into the Club House for the El Solitario House of Racing Wizardry. At night the festivities took an adventurous turn, fueled by the long years camaraderie of our bunch and/or (perhaps?;) a touch of mischievous behavior, fired by the copious amounts of lysergic acid diethyl-amide that was frantically changing hands all 3 days. For one reason or another, every morning we celebrated the sunrise in between the clouds still on full gas mode.
During the day all engines roared to life and in between the diverse motorcycle comings and goings available to all sports; (sprints… scrambles… hillclimbs… or the famous Moto Polo!); El Solitario´s La Copita took place. Introducing the first oval dirt track race at the festival, participants pushed their skills and creativity on the muddy course designed by the Malle Crew and spiced by Englands marvelous weather conditions…
Photography by @imvande
El Solitario tries not to do anything halfway, and anyone who deals in extremes is bound to cause trouble, whether they mean it or not. But despite the wild antics, we fortified our bonds with hundreds of beautiful riders, united by our passion for motorcycles and speed. After 1 day of clouds and 2 days of rain and no cell phone range, (best recipe for good times!), the moto-party of the year (on this side of the pond at least) concluded with cheers, applauses, and a tribal sense of accomplishment. El Solitario had left its mark in a truly unforgettable Malle Mile.
As all participants packed their bikes and camps, (covered in mud from heat to toe), and embarked on their respective journeys home, a sense of nostalgia lingered in the air. Just hoping that our psychedelic explorations only gave everyone something to laugh about. As we left the premises, the vow to collaborate again in the future was inherent. Unite our passion and creativity and make “La Copita” endure.
Dear Great Britain we´ve missed you so much.
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Photography by Shane Benson & Malle Mile