Hundreds of thousand motor fans gather for the spectacle that is MotoGP Assen (The Dutch TT)

When the alarm goes off at 5:15am, I'm normally not excited. But last Sunday called for celebration. I was heading to the MotoGP Assen (Dutch TT); a race/spectacle that attracts hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the Netherlands, along with the surrounding countries like Belgium, Germany and France. And even Canada, of course.

It’s not my first MotoGP excursion. In 2013, I had the pleasure of viewing the race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and that was a rush.

But this was an animal on its own.

Even though the GP race didn’t start until the afternoon, it was paramount to leave at the crack of dawn. Literally. There’s only one way in and one way out of the track. And with all the traffic funneling in at once, it can become and is a nightmare.

As I write reflect on the day’s adventures, I write it with a somewhat heavy heart. A recent bout of sickness only left me with two race day options: take the car or don’t go at all. So I took the car, even though my intentions were to ride a Monster 1100 Senna edition that I’m currently babysitting. And there was no way I was going to miss it! I’d waited all year for it.

Though the spirit of riding there never left me. I saw it manifested in the flocks of bikes that surrounded me on the road. Even at 6:15am.

What amazed me more were the spectators on the side of the roads and on overpasses. Kids and adults lined up along the motorways – where safe – to wave and smile at the bikes riding by.

It didn’t matter if you were atop a sportbike, a cruiser, a tourer, a resto-mod or anything in between, everyone welcomed them with open arms. And when the riders honked or waved, the devout crowd went crazy.

Heck, even the fuel stations were prepared for the madness. After all, it’s not their first rodeo. All hands were on deck and there was even a system in place so you didn’t need to get off your bike and go inside. Cashiers were readily available at the pump to take your Euros or even pump the gas for you to keep the line moving as efficiently as possible.

Those not in a rush convened with other bikers over a cup of coffee, Redbull or their handheld breakfast. I was still disappointed I couldn’t break bread with the riders that day, but my Yamaha Factory Racing sweater indicated where I too was heading.

As expected, the traffic was abominable, though it seemed to be under control. We parked, and set afoot to the stands where we’d be stationed for the day.

I love live races, though sometimes watching them from the comfort of your own home really allows you to see what’s going on. But nothing can really compare to the energy you feel from the hoards of fans that dawn their preferred rider’s numbers or team garb.

The day’s conditions were horrible. Well, at least for the GP race. The Moto3 and Moto2 riders had it “easy!” The weather stayed stable enough for them. But by the early afternoon, the soaked masses showed their true colours. The race started under wet conditions. It dried up and then the torrent came back with its full wrath. Soaked to the bone, the shivering of surrounding spectators refused to let their enthusiasm die down, even though the race was stopped because the track soon turned into a concrete swimming pool.

At the end of the day, Rossi, who I was/am rooting for, took a spill – like multiple riders – and didn’t finish. It was so sad. Jack Miller took top honours, followed by Marc Marquez and Scott Redding.

The mayhem leaving the track was everything I feared it to be. We sat idle for over an hour and a half, only to move 30 metres and put the car into park again. The on again-off again weather didn’t deter the many riders from making the trek to the Assen circuit.

And even in the late hours of the day, with the sun slowly setting, kids and adults alike stood steadfast in their positions on overpasses and beside the motorway, to get a last wave or honk from fellow motorcycle enthusiasts.

Was I a little sad I couldn’t be on two wheels that day? Of course. But that outweighed the energy I got back a group of people that makes me proud to be called a rider.