Dougs seaside Run. Sunday 5th September.

5/9/2013

Doug’s annual seaside special is coming up this weekend.
Once more its that time of year when we follow Doug to the seaside for a day of motorcycle talk, fish and chips and sunshine. (?)
Dougs runs are usually reasonably brisk and best suited to modern solo machines. If you are on your classic or outfit please be prepared to make your way to the seaside at your own pace with your prepared route.
Our destination is Hunstanton where there is to be a “Mods and Rockers” bike event on the green – so loads of machinery and also loads of people.
I understand that the intention is to stop off for a breakfast en route possibly at the Green Welly cafe.
Meet at Higham Ferrers Market Square from around 9 am ready for that prompt 0915 ride off.
Date                            Sunday 8th September
Venue                          Higham Ferrers Market Square
Departure Time          0915 hours

2 Comments

Tail End Sweeper

8/9/2013 09:19:11 am

Another great seaside rideout by Doug with 15 bikes 18 people starting off on time as usual from Higham Ferrers - due to numbers Doug asked me to explain "Drop Off" system to everyone and I acted as Tail End Sweeper........Doug's attempts to use the system on VJMCC rides having never been a success,

Well a great ride over to Green Welly using the old B roads via Catworth into Ramsey and then through the Fens to Chatteris saw as all arrive at the breakfast stop without a hitch (drop off working perfectly) - the cafe' was busy and with our crowd arriving became very busy and the last chaps in the queue (ordering the biggest breakfasts of course) meant we were there a lot longer than expected.

The expected direct ride to the coast from the cafe' became another of Doug's "trips" in its own right as after using the A 141? and A10 we then detoured on to B roads through familiar sounding villages Narborough, Gayton, Houghton, Ringstead (where I had to go on reserve tank even though I didn't know the Suzui had one) into Hunstanton - total mileage from start being a mere 118 miles and as far as I was concerned without a single hiccup although apparently Andy took over for the last couple of miles and by all accounts started by losing people - but as we were stretched out a fair way it certainly never affected the route from the back.

Ride was fine and dry all the way and we all managed to have a couple of hours by the sea and took in the free bie show on the Green - I think everyone was impressed with the quality of the Scooters and I had great fun looking at the titles of the motown recorda that formed much othe art work on many of the show condition bikes- this was to the amusement of the owners and their ladies especially when I told them but I remember buying these when they were all hot of the press (the first time round) ..........Great Ride - Great Show just wish we had more time at the seaide - Andy was unable to get his bucket and spade out of his 12 gallon tanked BMW!

Oh yes when we got back to the bikes preparing to leave our resident photographer and his good lady appeared...........funny I am sure they weren't with us on the outward leg......sure they will tell us why.

The Sweeper

John

12/9/2013 10:19:00 pm

Dougs seaside run once again proved very popular. As Matt has reported fifteen bikes left Higham Ferrers for Hunstanton on the Norfolk coast at the appointed time.
I think people were grabbing what might be the last chance for a seaside run this summer in decent weather.
A sixteenth bike with two people aboard also did the seaside run. We set off about two hours later as we failed to get out of bed for the mass start. I think it was the wine the previous night.
We went the direct route including a stop at the Green Welly cafe near Chatteris. Here we had a mug of tea and a bacon and egg sandwich. The group had stopped here earlier.
As soon as we got to Hunstanton we were spotted by Mark and Steve and then a few minutes later Andy who all told us that the main group were parked up the road and leaving at three o clock.
It seems that they hadn't been in Hunstanton that much longer than us having enjoyed one of Dougs more meandering routes to get there.
We had a walk around the assembled machines which comprised mainly scooters on display and lots of bikes parked close by.
Despite our earlier visit to the cafe we decided to have fish and chips at the seaside just for the sake of tradition. They were delicious.
We caught up with the main group in the car park around 3 o clock to see them off. The talk was mainly about the route that Doug had led them on involving miles of twisty country roads. It seems the mileage they covered from Higham was close to 125 rather than the expected 85 or so, still they all looked pleased.
It wasnt long before every body but us had gone except for Phil and Dougal who's bikes were still in the car park. Walking back along the seafront we ran into Phil and Dougal who true to tradition they try to maintain were just emerging from one of the pubs.
Following another walk around of the remnants of the show we headed back to the bike and made our way home.

Dougs seaside Run. Sunday 5th September.

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