Why
I’m quite unqualified to write this account will become embarrassingly obvious
in due course. But in the meantime, let me tell you of what I can remember of
the Girder Fork and pre-1960 Run enjoyed on June 23. I’m greatly indebted to Darol for furnishing
his notes (akin to Aresti diagrams used in aerobatic sequences) which have
helped fill the large blanks attending my recollections.
Six
of us assembled at the Puffing Billy café near Great Torrington for a cuppa.
The Fab Six were Tony with his immaculately turned-out Square, Mike and his ex-Jack
Edney cammy Velo, Darol with his Triumph made acceptable by its Val Page engine
(!) and Darol’s friend, Justin, with a rigid Ariel powered by a 650 twin. Cyril
arrived on a non-eligible 400 Ducati at my invitation in case I felt lonely on
the 70 return miles from/to Tiverton. The Ariel trio was completed by my 500
single. Of this six, only the Velo and Triumph possessed the girders for which
the run principally was intended; a sad demonstration of the changes which have
taken place in the club in the last few years.
In dry but threatening weather, we left
Torrington at precisely, approximately, somewhere around 11,30 due to the
engrossing nature of the pre-run conversations. Darol imposed some discipline
and had us make a left turn and up the hill to get us started towards Taddiport
and then on to Hatherleigh. It was around here that I began to notice some
familiar landmarks; Peters Marland (6/7cwt), Shebbear (6/9cwt) and Sheepwash
(6/12cwt), all of which meant little to me as a motorcyclist but provided happy
memories of bellringing there. Of course, to motorcyclists, the tintinabular
details mean even less but it gives Gordon something to edit! From Shebbear on to Stibb Cross heading for
Badgworth with lots of signs to unknown places in deepest Indian territory – Holsery,
Tythecote, Woolfardisworthy, West Putford, Meddon – you name it, we went there!
There were a couple of occasions in which I thought I should return home to
collect the knobblies.
Anyway,
from Parkham we arrived somewhere else for a pub lunch. There was a minor
hold-up when Tony disappeared in unmentionable circumstances and was not seen
again until we all met at the boozer. Beyond that, it was an incident-free
outing. We enjoyed dry roads before lunch but then the weather broke and we had
moderate rain which caused us to substitute the afternoon’s programme for a
return home on dampened roads.
Otherwise
we enjoyed a very pleasant outing through places of historical captivation. For
example, there is an unusually interesting rood screen in Sheepwash church. And
did you know that the Torrington station originally was built to support the
local dairy industry which provided 2,600 gallons/day to the world’s largest
dried milk producer and another two trains of milk tankers per day to London?
Additionally, the station received clay from Peters Marland and surrounding
pits, delivered by the narrow-gauge railway which used to parallel the river
when men rode girder forks.
Special
thanks go to Darol for excellent routing and to Mike for bringing up the rear.
It
was not until a couple of days later that I remembered that I had absconded from
the lunchtime pub without paying for my meal. I had failed to note the name of
the pub, nor had I any idea in which village we were dining, although I did
recognise the church with its ring of six. Darol furnished the required
information and (wrong!) phone number, so I was able to make my apologies and set
the matter straight with the landlord of the Coach and Horses at Buckland
Brewer.
Next run folks July 14th from the Northgate Inn at Aller cross South Molton and not the Quince honey farm.
