The “Emitremmus” (Summer time reversed) Ride
Following John Rafferty’s excellent suggestion that we stick to tradition and have our annual clocks have been turned back to Greenwich Meantime ride, which John would lead out from Higham Ferrers this morning at 10 am – seven hardy individuals braved the early morning chill and assembled at the Market Square – alas no pictures of the intrepid bunch of stalwarts as our resident photographer, John wasn’t there.
The astute will realise but it was John who suggested the ride and was going to lead it........quite right but when I got in from the garage after trying to reassemble the Suzuki GS 550 last night I discovered an e mail from Linn advising John was poorly and tucked up in bed and asking whether I could stand in, so following a quick scratch of the head this morning I devised a 40 mile route to the Skylark Cafe taking in some interesting bendy country roads.
Well just as Phil Short arrived we set off from the Market Square via Chelveston heading out towards Hargrave, as I swooped round the bends in Chelveston a quick glance and everyone was in tow so I let the Guzzi have a little bit of gas and eased up on the straight towards the Covington turn checking my mirrors only to see nobody there....surely I couldn’t have lost six bikes in six miles? Eventually Short legs and Trevor both on 250’s came into view but slowed and stopped a few hundred yards away. I turned back as clearly someone must have dropped by the wayside 2 miles back I came across Phil waiting on his Speed Triple, then a mile further back Rod on his Moto Guzzi....a further 2 miles and I was back on the bends at Chelveston I met up with Martyn on his Beemer – he had in fact already retraced the route back to Higham as Steve Hoppe on his BMW R 100 despite having been part of the group as we entered Chelveston had become “The Invisible Man on a BMW”.
Nothing for it but for the “Magnificent Seven” to become the “Bemused Six” and on we went on the intended journey via Covington , Catworth, Old Weston, Great Gidding, Hemington, Polebrook, Oundle. Glapthorn, Benefield, Weldon and Sudborough safely arriving at The Skylark Cafe, where all were pleased to have a chance to warm up with tea, coffee and carrot cake apart from Rod who being on a diet (you’ve heard that one before) had a little something cooked.
There was much discussion about what may of happened to Steve Hoppe, Martyn pointing out that his bike had been a bit of a pig to start when we were leaving Higham Ferrers , appears to becoming a trait of Steve’s BMW’s , all thought he must have simply pulled off (or got lost) at Chelveston and took the Ringstead road. Following vitals Short Legs, Martyn and me decided we would go to Steve’s and establish whether he needed me to get the trailer out and rescue an abandoned bike from somewhere out came Steve who said it was a pig to start and needed full choke it was fine when we were moving but hunting like anything whenever I slowed so I decided to pull off at Chelveston and come home – you will never guess what it was......BUT I DID........and after being sworn not to tell so all I can say is perhaps he had been thinking about those 170 mpg Royal Enfield’s when he filled up.
Please John try and be fit and well next time you organize a ride as whenever you don’t turn up we manage to lose at least one rider or in my case mange to have my bike catch fire.
Matt
http://www.eastnorthantsclassicmcc.co.uk
Following John Rafferty’s excellent suggestion that we stick to tradition and have our annual clocks have been turned back to Greenwich Meantime ride, which John would lead out from Higham Ferrers this morning at 10 am – seven hardy individuals braved the early morning chill and assembled at the Market Square – alas no pictures of the intrepid bunch of stalwarts as our resident photographer, John wasn’t there.
The astute will realise but it was John who suggested the ride and was going to lead it........quite right but when I got in from the garage after trying to reassemble the Suzuki GS 550 last night I discovered an e mail from Linn advising John was poorly and tucked up in bed and asking whether I could stand in, so following a quick scratch of the head this morning I devised a 40 mile route to the Skylark Cafe taking in some interesting bendy country roads.
Well just as Phil Short arrived we set off from the Market Square via Chelveston heading out towards Hargrave, as I swooped round the bends in Chelveston a quick glance and everyone was in tow so I let the Guzzi have a little bit of gas and eased up on the straight towards the Covington turn checking my mirrors only to see nobody there....surely I couldn’t have lost six bikes in six miles? Eventually Short legs and Trevor both on 250’s came into view but slowed and stopped a few hundred yards away. I turned back as clearly someone must have dropped by the wayside 2 miles back I came across Phil waiting on his Speed Triple, then a mile further back Rod on his Moto Guzzi....a further 2 miles and I was back on the bends at Chelveston I met up with Martyn on his Beemer – he had in fact already retraced the route back to Higham as Steve Hoppe on his BMW R 100 despite having been part of the group as we entered Chelveston had become “The Invisible Man on a BMW”.
Nothing for it but for the “Magnificent Seven” to become the “Bemused Six” and on we went on the intended journey via Covington , Catworth, Old Weston, Great Gidding, Hemington, Polebrook, Oundle. Glapthorn, Benefield, Weldon and Sudborough safely arriving at The Skylark Cafe, where all were pleased to have a chance to warm up with tea, coffee and carrot cake apart from Rod who being on a diet (you’ve heard that one before) had a little something cooked.
There was much discussion about what may of happened to Steve Hoppe, Martyn pointing out that his bike had been a bit of a pig to start when we were leaving Higham Ferrers , appears to becoming a trait of Steve’s BMW’s , all thought he must have simply pulled off (or got lost) at Chelveston and took the Ringstead road. Following vitals Short Legs, Martyn and me decided we would go to Steve’s and establish whether he needed me to get the trailer out and rescue an abandoned bike from somewhere out came Steve who said it was a pig to start and needed full choke it was fine when we were moving but hunting like anything whenever I slowed so I decided to pull off at Chelveston and come home – you will never guess what it was......BUT I DID........and after being sworn not to tell so all I can say is perhaps he had been thinking about those 170 mpg Royal Enfield’s when he filled up.
Please John try and be fit and well next time you organize a ride as whenever you don’t turn up we manage to lose at least one rider or in my case mange to have my bike catch fire.
Matt
http://www.eastnorthantsclassicmcc.co.uk
