AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND = OSWESTRY HDRCGB RALLY
THE HOGS BOOLOCKS WELSH EXCURSION
(ALSO KNOWN AS THEY CAME, THEY SAW, THEY GOT LOST)
We all met up at Robs house in Meir on a sunny Sunday morning for Mark Livingston Renolds to lead us on a grand tour of North Wales. Maps would not be required as we would be guided by space age technolon Sat Nav and all clearly communicated by Mr. T one small step for mankind and all that. Tom came to see us off on the Black Pig and Rob and Sue sent us off with a cuppa. The Magnificent 12 - Tina and Paul, Graham and Helen, Alex, Ian and Richard, Peter, Adrian, myself led by Mark and Bev- 10 bikes in all.
Out through Woore, and Audlem to our first stop near Whitchurch where John and Barb joined us. We set off again travelling smoothly through beautiful scenery to Llangollen via Bangor on Dee and Ruabon. Llangollen was very busy and as the rumble of our engines bounced off the shop windows (road legal exhausts honestly officer) as we turned many a head to smile and wave. We headed out on the A5 towards Corwen and our first stop at Betws y Coed. Progress was impeded somewhat by bloody caravans, why do they have to travel in convoy when there are lots of double white lines? Should only let em on the road between 11pm and 5am bah humbug, aaaaagh.
Feeling better now after two tablets and a lie down.
We arrived in Betws y Coed which was packed but we managed to find parking spots among the trees in a picnic area by the river. Everyone headed off to the excellent chippy nearby for dinner while I mind the bikes because Im on a f***in diet. Lots of people stopped to admire the bikes as we sat and scoffed. Once everyone was full and refreshed we got ourselves together and fired up ready to go but unfortunately Alex took a couple of tumbles manoeuvring back on to the road though luckily only pride was dented. After fuelling up on we go with Mark guiding us via the voice of the Mysterons.
Heading off towards Conway he suddenly took a sharp right off the A road into a narrow (read very narrow -E road even) lane with a strip of 9 inch high grass growing down the middle. We travelled slowly up this lane with our bar ends gathering leaves and brambles until we came to a wider lane (8 foot). We breathed a sigh of relief. We only went a couple of hundred before Mark U turned us all around because we had apparently missed an even narrower grassy lane which was twistier and was also steeply downhill this time. This one however had a brook running under its grassy central reservation which only served to pitch Alex off into the hedge bank. We finally got to some more civilised almost roads when after a good few miles we stopped in the middle of nowhere because the Sat Nav had decided we were in Denbigh which had been cunningly disguised to look like fields. Now we were all convinced Marks Sat Nav had been stripped off an Iraqi scud missile so we went manual and John led us to and through Denbigh and on up to the Ponderosa Cafe at the head of the Horseshoe Pass.
The road from Denbigh to the Ponderosa is a beauty, curve after curve of smooth black top. We went into the cafe for tea and a bun and a round of good natured piss taking reference Sat Nav, Dominoes and gravity in general. Revived once again we set off homeward. The run home was steady and uneventful, down the pass then back through Llangollen, Ellesmere and Whitchurch before getting back to Newcastle around seven clock. Just short of 200 miles through beautiful countryside with good company what could be better way to spend a Sunday.
ROCK AND BLUES 2006
After last years mud bath that was Rock and Blues, a brave few of us ventured forth again to sample this excellent event. What do you know - it was dry and hot, just as well as non of us fancied that hill in the wet.
Friday afternoon was spent pitching tents and having a few jars. Then off to listen to the bands, the highlight (for Graham anyway) being UFO, if he says "this is a proper band" again there will be damage done!!
Saturday was a heady mix of drink and retail therapy, before the evenings entertainment, the best of which (for me anyway) was M3, the original lineup of Whitesnake. Some of us brave souls went onto the fair, just don't ask what happenend, I knew I should not have had those noodles before I went on the rides. The rain put a bit of a depener on the proceedings late on, but still a most excellent evening.
Sunday the sun was shinning again, time to pack up and go home, or so we thought, Amy's bike had other ideas, still it gave us chance to sit and chill out in the sunshine before Lyn arrived with suitable transport, and a lot of rope!
Another excelent weekend, great bands, great food, great weather, but most of all great company.
THE MYSTERY TOUR 20th MAY 2006
Not a rally, just a gathering
Well, we all met between 11 & 11.30 in the rain. After a warming cup of coffee for some, we set off for the first part of the mystery!
We headed straight through Stafford and into Gnosall to the Royal Oak. The Royal Oak was holding their 2nd classic bike show. The first was held last Autumn but wasn't too successful due to the weather. The 2nd got moved to May for better weather!!!! Don' t think that worked. We all had a quick look at the bikes in the feild and in the car park and headed for the dry inside the bar. This pub needs another visit as it has some cracking real ales. In fact the Royal Oak has recently won pub of the month awarded by CAMRA.
After an hour we headed for the second part of the trip.
Next back through some lanes and through Gnosall, Knightly, Woodeaves and finally over the canal bridge at High Offley and we are there, The Anchor Inn (No mishaps were there Ian???)
We parked up and headed straight for the bar before pitching the tents. Good move.
The pub has been in the owners family for over a hundred years, lets hope it keeps going for another hundred and not change a bit. The bitter was poured straight from a jug that the landlady fetches from down the cellar. She must have covered some miles on that day. After a couple of swiftish ones, it was back to the feild to set up camp. Then back to the pub until it shut at about 3 (ish). Back to the field to struggle with the Gazebo. Next was a really good BBQ put on by Graham, Hot Plate, Fowler and his catering team. (Well anyone kind enough to help). The landlady's daughter and partner walked around the feild with me to choose the bike she liked best.
Next down to the serious stuff!! A quiz laid on by myself and my hostess Tina, between two teams. The Smoking Engines and the Wobbley Wheels. During the quiz both teams had to make an animal out of balloons for extra points. After the quiz and the marking it was very tight and the excitement grew to the marking of the balloon challenge, judged by Tina. It was a draw!! Then a tie break question between Gary and Sue, Gary won making the Wobbley Wheels the winners..... Certificates and prizes were duly handed out.
Back to the feild for Toms travelling game. Hitting 6 inch nails into a lump of wood with a hammer with one hit at a time. Sounds exciting (not), but actually went down really well, even with some nails flying out and hitting Gary (leg) and Richard (chest). Some cans and some of Mark's whiskey later, we headed back to the pub when it re-opened at 7 (ish).
Keeping the landlady fit, up and down the cellar all night, many drinks and laughs later, we held the raffle. Richard Cooper came to pick the first ticket, but there was a suprise for him and he was given the Best Bike on the feild with his 2001 Fat Boy as chosen by The anchor Inn. The expensive and much sought after raffle prizes were mainly donated by myself and Tina, with a few from Graham and Helen. I think their prizes were presents that they had lying surplus in their house (Love cuffs?) Only kidding. Next Tom gave Graham a football card to pass around, which he did with a vengence. All profits from the raffle and football card go back into the club.
I disappeared to cook some chilli ready for when the pub shut. When it did shut, people came and hovered round the BBQ with cans in their hands waiting. The rest of the remaining hours were spent eating the welocming chilli with bread rolls and drinking a concoction similar to Ballies Irish Cream that Tina made. I believe it went down very well and people even asked if we would take lodgers into our home???
I have to take your word for that, as I had had enough by then and collapsed inside my tent.
Morning came and we had coffee to drink and sausage baps, this time made by Richard Cooper Catering Services and his staff of Joy and Sue. People started to drift away. Tina and I managed to stay until the pub opened at 12 to have a quick pint and say thanks to the landlady, and that thanks came from all of us.
My thanks to all who came, and braved the elements, and helped out and participated throughout the day to what I feel was the best event I've been to for a long long time.