Sunday 21 Oct is  'Hogging the bridge' Well we in Wiltshire always do things different.

For our ride out we met up in Chippenham, 9 bikes this week, the 10.30 start might have had some bearing on this, it was still cold but the sun was out (just), with Mark at the lead and me back marker on to Cirencester (the jumbos parked next to the road at Kemble make us look small as we pass them) at a set of traffic lights in the town Merv’s bike decided it wanted a pit stop, the cars had to go round us for a change, he got it sorted and off we go.

Heading for Cheltenham, as we go by Redcome college, all the beach trees chucking there leaves down on us like it is snowing, on to the top of the Birdlip, sunny and warm, this is about to change as we go down the hill, cold and foggy ( been here before I think). It’s like this 'till we get to Longhop in the Forest of Dean. When we get to Mitcheldean the road is closed, so we take a division down through a lovely valley, through Cinderford for a coffee stop in the forest, as we pull in there are lots of husky dogs and sledges with wheels on ( must be a race on). So after coffee and cake and a warm up it was time to set off again, they all left, one missing, Terry! I look up the road and he is making cut throat gestures so I ride up to see him, bike does not want to play (I think about hooking up to some of them dogs) so I get off and give him a push, it starts easily. We push on to Cinderford where some got fuel, then on to Chepstow where we stopped for two hours to look around the bikes and the trade stands. The guy on the mike said 2.700 bikes was counted over the bridge.

Time is now getting on, four went home up the M4,  Mark now puts me to lead home, we took the back roads, made you keep on your toes as there are some flowing bends, but some very sharp ones in there also. We all split our different ways at Chippenham I took Beck’s home made him a cup of tea had a chat, he said he enjoyed 

the day I think we all did.

So the bike is to be put away now I can keep the fingers warm (heated grips) but the toes get cold so time for the car.