Wake Up Wiltshire 44

Another tour, Another Bike

Well by now most of you have seen Becks’s new baby and I thought I’d share this photo with you.

This was taken right after the birth. He handed over the cash and we put it straight in the incubator to keep it warm and safe until he got it home.

Within 24 hours it was taxed and insured. First outing was the Fat Ladies ride to Weston Helicopter museum but it was a bit drizzly and not the best day for it.

On Friday came the email from Mark for a rideout on Sunday, but having spoken to Neil earlier on I knew that “The Twins” were eager to get out, it was also going to be the warmer of the two days and we hadn’t been to Stockbridge this year………….So at lunch time on Saturday we met in Devizes for a two day tour of action. The first leg of the ride took us across the plain through Upavon and Luggershal. Now these were some of the roads we’d ridden on our last tour but when you ride them in the opposite direction they don’t seem memorable...or we’re getting forgetful! As we were passing Thruxton Circuit, Becks went into Moto GP mode and shot past me on the inside as he smelt the 303 ahead. We rode it for 5 miles before the Stockbridge turn off, which for me was enough of a blat at 80mph on my 750 but the warriors had only just gotten into 5^th gear. Then it was back to some more sedate riding, that is more fitting for gentlemen of our age on a country road leading to a quintessential English village. Once there were visited our regular tearoom, why they still let us in I don’t know, after previous visits have seen Terry throwing a hissy fit because he couldn’t use his credit card to pay for a cup of tea and Becks writing a rather rude “Tip” on the bill. I suppose at this time of year any business is better than none.

Our journey home took us through the Wallops, unfortunately it meant riding a few short miles on the 303, where once on the slip road Neil’s throttle jammed open and hard as I tried, I couldn’t save him from his fate as his Warrior went into psychotic mode. Fearing for his life we tried to rescue him but even when he’d turned off at Stonehenge it didn’t relent, inspite of the road surface being worse than any we’d ever experienced in Gloucestershire. How he survived is a mystery.

Thank goodness for Sunday rideouts where we get to ride with members of all riding abilities, not just the mentally unstable ones.

Some of us took the sensible option of wearing thermal underwear. Apart from those exposing their under garments there was also Padre and Bill Narramore there. Even though there was a chill in the air, the sun broke through just as we were leaving. Whilst riding up the dual carriageway it occurred to me that not only did I have two suicidal Warriors right behind me but I was following another one, even though I’d never witnessed it display those kind of tendencies, dogs in a pack cannot be trusted. Fortunately the 303 was many miles to the south of us. En route to Malmesbury we found Dave Halkier parked in a well-known Dogging spot, presumably waiting to join in with us, and as he stopped what he was doing and followed us I presumed right.

Today’s ride was to take us to Chepstow and join in with Hoggin’ the bridge, but to avoid all the chaos that goes with it Mark had planned a route through the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean that brought us into Chepstow through the back door. We stopped off in the Forest so that Becks could take his medication.

His new health regime involves drinking green tea, but I’m a little unclear as to the benefits of the pasty, beans and chips. He followed the same routine the day before, green tea and chips. I think it’s a new fad that he read about in the Daily Mail.

Once at Chepstow parking was a bit tight and the sun was a bit too hot for thermals. Lots of people there enjoying the day, we bumped into Archie and Sue who had organised a ride for Somerset but unfortunately for him none of them turned up apart from Cheryl and Karen who’d made their own way there.

Cheryl looked very content with the day and if you enlarge the photo you’ll see that Becks is doing exactly what you think he’s doing. He’s a bit of a media slut really and jumps into action every time a camera comes out.

No surprises to see some of the Welsh there as well.

Do you remember when we went to Scotland how Jock ended up in every photo?

And after that it was a good ride back along a new route that avoided the motorway completely.

As ever the sun was shining

Sorry if you couldn’t be with us

Blackjack.bob