Well true to his word at exactly 0830 this morning Dodgy Doug promptly left Higham Ferrers Market square for his annual seaside trip - the difference this year is almost no one knew where we were going.........in fact rumour had it that this was a crafty plan of Doug's so nobody could make any suggestion that he had got lost en route.
Anyway 1030 saw 10 bike thirteen people leaving the square, only one in a cloud of smoke which was Richard on his Kettle which emitted just a slight trail until he accelerated away - still Rod who was riding behind him said he didn't mind the odd puff as it reminded him of when he was a smoker.
We took a more direct route than usual to our breakfast stop "The Green Welly" just outside Chatteris, It was here at around ten past ten whilst munching on his bacon butty that Doug got a phone call from one poor little lost soul asking "where are you" as he hadn't managed to make the start in time - why not and where are you asked Doug ......well err it was like
this....I only woke up ten minutes ago and I in fact still at home! At this point I was going to offer a prize if you could guess who this was but the only way I could avoid having to buy a prize was if I asked people that had never attended either the VJMCC or East Northants Classic Bike meets /events ..........of course it was our very own Andy Greenwood............................. a collective message from us all Andy is "WAKEY WAKEY!"
After breakfast some were still guessing where we were going - Skegness now having been ruled out and favourite was now "Southend" a few more miles down the road and signs were appearing mentioning Brandon and Milldenhall and still some were unsure more Suffolk roads and at around 1215 we rolled into "Southwold" directly opposite the pier.
Apparently Doug had never been here before which really does say a tremendous amount about his navigation sills, ably assisted of course by Rose who I am told instead of trying to shout through her visor and his crash helmet uses the
" Flintstone's Communication System" - hit him on top of the head + Straight, a whack on either the left or right shoulder (or dig in the corresponding side of the ribs) for left or right and as for do a u turn you really don't want to go there.
Of course when we arrived at the pier a certain young Mr Greenwood was sitting there grinning like a Cheshire Cat asking what's kept you?
A great adventure Doug with thanks I am sure from everyone - feel sure we will all be fast asleep as soon as we sit in down in a comfortable chair - I clocked a mere 273 miles but living in Irthlingborough I guess mine must be one of the smallest mileages...........enjoy your rest fellas I have now got
to cook the bosses roast dinner!
Matt
See photos on Gallery 2 of the website.
Anyway 1030 saw 10 bike thirteen people leaving the square, only one in a cloud of smoke which was Richard on his Kettle which emitted just a slight trail until he accelerated away - still Rod who was riding behind him said he didn't mind the odd puff as it reminded him of when he was a smoker.
We took a more direct route than usual to our breakfast stop "The Green Welly" just outside Chatteris, It was here at around ten past ten whilst munching on his bacon butty that Doug got a phone call from one poor little lost soul asking "where are you" as he hadn't managed to make the start in time - why not and where are you asked Doug ......well err it was like
this....I only woke up ten minutes ago and I in fact still at home! At this point I was going to offer a prize if you could guess who this was but the only way I could avoid having to buy a prize was if I asked people that had never attended either the VJMCC or East Northants Classic Bike meets /events ..........of course it was our very own Andy Greenwood............................. a collective message from us all Andy is "WAKEY WAKEY!"
After breakfast some were still guessing where we were going - Skegness now having been ruled out and favourite was now "Southend" a few more miles down the road and signs were appearing mentioning Brandon and Milldenhall and still some were unsure more Suffolk roads and at around 1215 we rolled into "Southwold" directly opposite the pier.
Apparently Doug had never been here before which really does say a tremendous amount about his navigation sills, ably assisted of course by Rose who I am told instead of trying to shout through her visor and his crash helmet uses the
" Flintstone's Communication System" - hit him on top of the head + Straight, a whack on either the left or right shoulder (or dig in the corresponding side of the ribs) for left or right and as for do a u turn you really don't want to go there.
Of course when we arrived at the pier a certain young Mr Greenwood was sitting there grinning like a Cheshire Cat asking what's kept you?
A great adventure Doug with thanks I am sure from everyone - feel sure we will all be fast asleep as soon as we sit in down in a comfortable chair - I clocked a mere 273 miles but living in Irthlingborough I guess mine must be one of the smallest mileages...........enjoy your rest fellas I have now got
to cook the bosses roast dinner!
Matt
See photos on Gallery 2 of the website.