Steve T
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2014
- Messages
- 1,490
First off, a HUGE “THANK YOU” to this wonderful lady for organising this years location and event . . .
Now for some word bollicks & pictures . . . are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin . . .
A long time ago (last week) in a land far, far away (Staffordshire/Cheshire border), a few like minded people (all mad) gathered in a field at the top of a hill to quaff ale (and amber nectar), talk the talk (bollicks) and generally put the world to rights. We were also there to say a last HURRAH to great friend now sadly riding high amongst the clouds, Andy McCowan aka Outrunner.
Being a fairly shortish hop for me from the true “up-north” (did 408 miles to get home on Saturday 7-9-24), I set off lateish – 8am – for a leisurely ride to Edinburgh to meet up with a few like minded (mad) riders, LowFlyer, Baz & Hudders).
This is the machine posing as it & I head out of the hills for the lowlands.
Having managed to meet up at the right place at around the right time (a theme that would NOT be repeated again in the following days), we 4 headed south for Dent and the wonderful campsite run by the ever smiling Margeret!!!
En-route at Langholm for a breather.
At Dent we were joined by Maurice and Jack. And now there were 6!
Next day, we 6, having nominated the member formally known as Hudders (from herewith known as “I relinquish all responsibility” – IRAR), we headed further into the lowlands that can be found south of the Great Wall!
A few pictures from the route – don’t ask where, (apart from the one showing its location) cos to me, these lands be full of Dragons and I know not where I am!
IRAR treats all present to a coffee at his place after we had enjoyed the delicacies delivered by a road side vendor of baps with meat inside. Both events were muchly appreciated by all.
We arrive at the selected campsite, after traversing its twisty & steep drive way. All is good and no one got lost. HURRAH.
The sleepy hollow the next morning . . .
A view from the nearest hill . . .
A pointer thingy showing a selection of things/places you can see from the nearest hill . . .
Me pointing to the campsite from the nearest hill . . .
There being no plan for the day, young Jack heads out solo to see how lost he can get in the lowlands.
His Dad & I chat about places nearby that we could possibly visit and decide on Matlock Bath as a destination. He & I don the appropriate attire and make ready to leave, only to find some other riders sitting at the gate.
Me - “Where you lot headed for?”.
IRAR – “Don’t know! We’re following you!”
Me – “Grrrr, Bastid”
So orf we head into what turns out to be a bit of a pee-souper – 50m viz if your lucky. I manage just one U-Turn and we locate a watering hole that IRAR had pointed out earlier in the morning when questioned about it. We walk in only to find IRAR groping the lady behind the counter! Must be a local tradition, so I give it a go. A slap is narrowly avoided (didn’t really happen, but that’s what was going through my mind at the time – go figure the insides of my head folks!). Great offerings, both hot & cold, at reet good prices (see how I dropped into local dialect there?)
I take up the leadership gauntlet, cos no one else was going to, and we head off into the mist – gorillas on motorbikes maybe? After a few too many REALLY narrow, dirty & twisty lanes, Baz takes over navigating through the mist, getting us to Matlock and a parking place . . . but only after riding back a forth through the place four times, just so us newcomers to Mattlock could appreciate the traffic light systems!
I get told to lead on the way back – like I know where the feck we are! But get us back to the campsite I do, so a HURRAH for me.
More attendees have sited their respective canvas caves on the site by the time we return – and then there were 14.
Photos of canvas cave dwellers and bikes . . .
And some from the evenings get together . . .
Friday arrives to the sound of sore heads (literally in LowFlyers case). But after the Settlers/paracetamol/ibuprofen and plenty of water take effect, someone remembers that IRAR had announced the previous evening that the very nice Mr Stanley had “volunteered” to lead a ride into deepest, darkest Wales (were there DO be Dragons), stopping at the Ponderosa for refreshments.
The Ponderosa car park infected by XRV/BT ers!
Soho & I parted company with the group at this point and wended our way back to the campsite.
Apparently, many more riders parted company with the group ride as the afternoons ride progressed, leading to 3 or 4 separate groups of returnees at the campsite as the afternoon wore on. Last in, of course, was the group leader, Baz and IRAR, bikes engines ticking as they cooled and tyres giving a sigh of relief after being abused!
I counted them all out . . . . and then lost interest and went for a walk!
A few more canvas caves are evident on the “group” rides return. Here we see the start of the evening gathering . . .
Then it got dark, so a small (well, it is small by IRAR standards) fire was started by the man mountain that is Jay. I have NEVER seen pallets bounced to bits before, but Jay made it seem like he was bouncing a ball.
Before it got TOO rowdy, we gathered and raised our respective glasses to Andy (Outrunner) and the others he has joined in that care free ride in the sky.
Ride true brothers – you are always in our thoughts.
LowFlyer had a date some 400+ miles north at a wedding feast, so he was heading out on the Saturday morning. Being a south southerner wot lives up north and seeing as Sunday was set to be foul weather wise, I did the honourable thing and ran away north with him.
Last photo of my trip – the return to the hills & glens of the northern uplands . . .
Thanks to the site owners for putting up with us and for sorting the ride out on Saturday. Loverly place in a truly stunning location – not camped that high since I was in Switzerland!
Thanks to Paul Stanley for not only providing the marque but for also putting it up single handedly on Wednesday, in between work appointments.
Lastly, thanks again to Debs – without you and the likes of you, these gatherings would not happen.
Roll on the 2025 gathering – we know when, but do we know where will it be?
Steve T
Now for some word bollicks & pictures . . . are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin . . .
A long time ago (last week) in a land far, far away (Staffordshire/Cheshire border), a few like minded people (all mad) gathered in a field at the top of a hill to quaff ale (and amber nectar), talk the talk (bollicks) and generally put the world to rights. We were also there to say a last HURRAH to great friend now sadly riding high amongst the clouds, Andy McCowan aka Outrunner.
Being a fairly shortish hop for me from the true “up-north” (did 408 miles to get home on Saturday 7-9-24), I set off lateish – 8am – for a leisurely ride to Edinburgh to meet up with a few like minded (mad) riders, LowFlyer, Baz & Hudders).
This is the machine posing as it & I head out of the hills for the lowlands.
Having managed to meet up at the right place at around the right time (a theme that would NOT be repeated again in the following days), we 4 headed south for Dent and the wonderful campsite run by the ever smiling Margeret!!!
En-route at Langholm for a breather.
At Dent we were joined by Maurice and Jack. And now there were 6!
Next day, we 6, having nominated the member formally known as Hudders (from herewith known as “I relinquish all responsibility” – IRAR), we headed further into the lowlands that can be found south of the Great Wall!
A few pictures from the route – don’t ask where, (apart from the one showing its location) cos to me, these lands be full of Dragons and I know not where I am!
IRAR treats all present to a coffee at his place after we had enjoyed the delicacies delivered by a road side vendor of baps with meat inside. Both events were muchly appreciated by all.
We arrive at the selected campsite, after traversing its twisty & steep drive way. All is good and no one got lost. HURRAH.
The sleepy hollow the next morning . . .
A view from the nearest hill . . .
A pointer thingy showing a selection of things/places you can see from the nearest hill . . .
Me pointing to the campsite from the nearest hill . . .
There being no plan for the day, young Jack heads out solo to see how lost he can get in the lowlands.
His Dad & I chat about places nearby that we could possibly visit and decide on Matlock Bath as a destination. He & I don the appropriate attire and make ready to leave, only to find some other riders sitting at the gate.
Me - “Where you lot headed for?”.
IRAR – “Don’t know! We’re following you!”
Me – “Grrrr, Bastid”
So orf we head into what turns out to be a bit of a pee-souper – 50m viz if your lucky. I manage just one U-Turn and we locate a watering hole that IRAR had pointed out earlier in the morning when questioned about it. We walk in only to find IRAR groping the lady behind the counter! Must be a local tradition, so I give it a go. A slap is narrowly avoided (didn’t really happen, but that’s what was going through my mind at the time – go figure the insides of my head folks!). Great offerings, both hot & cold, at reet good prices (see how I dropped into local dialect there?)
I take up the leadership gauntlet, cos no one else was going to, and we head off into the mist – gorillas on motorbikes maybe? After a few too many REALLY narrow, dirty & twisty lanes, Baz takes over navigating through the mist, getting us to Matlock and a parking place . . . but only after riding back a forth through the place four times, just so us newcomers to Mattlock could appreciate the traffic light systems!
I get told to lead on the way back – like I know where the feck we are! But get us back to the campsite I do, so a HURRAH for me.
More attendees have sited their respective canvas caves on the site by the time we return – and then there were 14.
Photos of canvas cave dwellers and bikes . . .
And some from the evenings get together . . .
Friday arrives to the sound of sore heads (literally in LowFlyers case). But after the Settlers/paracetamol/ibuprofen and plenty of water take effect, someone remembers that IRAR had announced the previous evening that the very nice Mr Stanley had “volunteered” to lead a ride into deepest, darkest Wales (were there DO be Dragons), stopping at the Ponderosa for refreshments.
The Ponderosa car park infected by XRV/BT ers!
Soho & I parted company with the group at this point and wended our way back to the campsite.
Apparently, many more riders parted company with the group ride as the afternoons ride progressed, leading to 3 or 4 separate groups of returnees at the campsite as the afternoon wore on. Last in, of course, was the group leader, Baz and IRAR, bikes engines ticking as they cooled and tyres giving a sigh of relief after being abused!
I counted them all out . . . . and then lost interest and went for a walk!
A few more canvas caves are evident on the “group” rides return. Here we see the start of the evening gathering . . .
Then it got dark, so a small (well, it is small by IRAR standards) fire was started by the man mountain that is Jay. I have NEVER seen pallets bounced to bits before, but Jay made it seem like he was bouncing a ball.
Before it got TOO rowdy, we gathered and raised our respective glasses to Andy (Outrunner) and the others he has joined in that care free ride in the sky.
Ride true brothers – you are always in our thoughts.
LowFlyer had a date some 400+ miles north at a wedding feast, so he was heading out on the Saturday morning. Being a south southerner wot lives up north and seeing as Sunday was set to be foul weather wise, I did the honourable thing and ran away north with him.
Last photo of my trip – the return to the hills & glens of the northern uplands . . .
Thanks to the site owners for putting up with us and for sorting the ride out on Saturday. Loverly place in a truly stunning location – not camped that high since I was in Switzerland!
Thanks to Paul Stanley for not only providing the marque but for also putting it up single handedly on Wednesday, in between work appointments.
Lastly, thanks again to Debs – without you and the likes of you, these gatherings would not happen.
Roll on the 2025 gathering – we know when, but do we know where will it be?
Steve T
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