15 riders made their way to Kirsty's Kitchen for todays end of summer run organised and led by Chris. On arrival at the café we were met by good old Mike who once again signed us on and turned us upside down to shake the 2 pounds signing on fee, as it was it was worth every penny as Chris had laid on a cracking route and good weather. I was riding a new bike in my stable, a Honda 400T which I had to use today as my TR6 is still ditching oil.
Darol's ego edged up a couple of notches when a younger lady told him he was 'cool' and wanted to know if he was single!, when the run started, I was concerned whether he would follow us or stay in North Tawton!. In the event he joined us to follow Chris back to the main road and head off to Okehampton. Once through the town, we were led on the old main road through Lewdown and Launceston, ( Lanson as cousin Merv would say). As I followed the ride, I must confess to musing about some of the place names, now the village of Portgate was transited through and I couldn't help wondering how it got it's name?, after all it's miles from the sea so no port and no gate across the road, perhaps then it was that Port was sold here in great quantity during smugglers times and the village was the Gate through which the contraband flowed!. Then I'm sure we passed through a village called something like Sourscott!, I did not see a miserable Scot or a set of bagpipes as we went through!, ah well on with the route.
After Lanson, we headed for Kilkhampton via Red Post which I was pleased to see back in full action once again, finally we pulled into our lunch stop The New Inn where we were well looked after with a varied menu some having just soup and others everything up to a roast.
As we got ready to set off for the run to Torrington, something happened which to me was straight forward but others couldn't understand, in fact Dermot says he is looking forward to my write up on the subject so here goes. When I came to sit on my steed, I noticed a pair of gloves on my saddle, I asked everyone around me but no one in the car park owned up to them so I surmised that one of the riders who had set off home must have forgotten them and I felt he would soon be doubling back for the gloves, so I told Ian that I was going to find who's they were and headed back toward Bude expecting any minute to see someone heading back to collect them, I would have stopped them, delivered the gloves and turned back, but by Bude there was no sign of a returning rider so I turned back and made my way to Torrington common arriving just after the run. As I was explaining my actions, Chris reached into my Hi Viz and pronounced they were his!, so mystery solved, it was a question of my knowing what I was doing and thinking that I had made the back markers understand that but perhaps not conveying fully to Ian and Dermot so they did as well!.
A great day out, well done to our Honda 90 rider who did not hold us up at all, to Chris and Mike and to Ian and Dermot for back marshal duties. Next run is October 14th for the Autumn run from Sainsburys Barnstaple.
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| The new boy ready to go |
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| Kirsty's Kitchen for coffee |
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| we fill up main square |
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| and the New Inn car park |
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| Dermot waves ( he's happy! ) |
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| Yes we were here honest! |
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| That's not a second ice cream Roy is it!. |
