OK so I wimped out of the camping lark and I didn't quite manage to have the weekend free of 'duty' but all in it was without doubt the best I've been to.
The bunkhouse was warm and dry and plenty of space in the kitchen to dry out kit, needed on Friday and most definately needed on Saturday
The custom moulded sleep plugs stood up to the 'road test' of sharing a bunkhouse room with Gerry Huxtable - silver medallist in GSClub snoring championships, I never heard a thing.
Next week they will get the full test when I'll camp in the same field as Gold Medallist and white pannier God Mr Ifan.
I was roped into tail-ending the fords run and in the pissing rain, thick fog and cheering lightweight onlookers we set of, we lost the camera crew due to contact lens problems but 13 continued on across the moor in search of a break in the weather and some fording fun - we were not to be dissappointed.
Seven more later and we finished off with a nice run along a byway which after 24 hours of rain and twelve squirming bikes in front of me made the going soft to quagmire, in fact perfect going for fresh TKC80's which had already made short work of the rock strewn, shingle, sand and shale of the fords and the tank busted tarmac 'roads' of the Oakhampton ranges and suddenly the throttle is your friend
Back in time to shower and don shirt and threads for the Sat'day evening and a guinness or two then the marathon raffle - finally managed to get some scran down my neck some time well after 10.
Sunday awoke to bright sunshine where I set about reporting for duty as IC mushrooms, alongside IC beans (well one half of IC beans, the other struggling to find his way out of his tent much before the meal commenced
With meal duties complete and packing taken care of (with the usual assistance to Bakes and Baps with their radios again) I set off for home, gave the Burbidges a good half hour head-start and managed to arrive at their house an hour before them, seems Madmountainman knew a quick way (and they say he's supposed to be a quick rider
).
Got back here at 6.30, tired but still a stupily big grin on my face.
Dave & Val, you raised the standard again, Shaun yes I did register and buy some raffle tickets, thanks for asking for the twenty-odd times
Bill and Clive thanks for your efforts with the ford run, your enthusiasm and research was top-notch, more of the same please next time.
Kev, my inspiration in the world of fashion, thanks for the encouragement in helping me step out a little
Good to meet familiar faces, new faces and some very old faces, and Bakes thanks for including me in your feeding the five thousand exercise, though something kept bugging me about two seatings of 8 manifesting itself into about 30 and one Doberman Pincher.
I won't forget any of it in a hurry but if anyone took a pic of my bike on our return from the Saturday rideout, could I see it please as I will have to wash the mud off soon. Oh and Jim McSharry wants a copy of it for his desktop wallpaper
Lopwell, that's unfinished business pal!! D
).
