At 7-30am on a very frosty April (winter?) Sunday morning, 4 Triumphs and a Honda left the Carbrook for a run to the “Big Breakfast” at Prees in Shropshire, on what would prove to be a very eventful trip. On the bikes were, Mick and Heather (their two friends were on the Honda), John Simpkins, Chairman Pete, and myself. I was following Pete at a safe distance through Holmesfield on the outskirts of Sheffield when after rounding a sharp corner I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and calmly went down the box and applied the brakes fairly rapidly, with the following bikers thinking, “what’s the old fool up to this time?” As I came to a stop the two bullocks that had been pacing me down the grass verge, decided to dash across the road into the farmyard opposite! Gathering our wits we continued on to Owler Bar where we met up with Roger and his son-in-law Pete. The procession of 6 Triumphs and the Honda continued to wind it’s way down into Baslow where in the valley we could see a large sea of “mist”. As we got into Baslow the “mist” turned out to be freezing fog, which necessitated a stop in Bakewell to warm up a little, then it was on the way again towards Buxton where the weather cleared into a cold but sunny part of the journey. Before reaching Buxton there was the regulation stop for the youngsters of the group who suffered with weak bladders! (the first of many stops!) From Buxton it was on towards Leek, where when crossing the moors I was trying to make out whether the white on the hills was closely packed sheep or a covering of snow. After seeing “Caution snow” signs later on I gathered it was the latter. After Leek, on towards Stoke, I thought I’d seen all the places in the country that had blanket coverage of speed cameras but on the road between Leek and Stoke, someone must have thrown a quilt out! In our opinion this coverage was bordering on the ridiculous! After Stoke it was on to Prees and the Midway Truck stop but not before one of our group ran out of road at about two mph and laid his bike on it’s side on thick damp grass. Not too much damage only to his pride but no names will be mentioned to save further embarrassment. It could have been much worse. It could have been me!

The next problem was at the truck stop, which was that of finding a parking space. With about 1000 bikes (if there wasn’t that many, it seemed it) coming and going we had to park amongst the lorries on the muddy gravel but after parking up it was a quick look round to look at some of the bikes and then join the queue for the Biker’s Breakfast. Very nice too and not expensive (please note our “tighter” members, everyone participated!)

With the threat of rain we decided to make our way home but this time miss “camera alley” and head up past Nantwich towards Congleton and Buxton and take “the more scenic route. Not many incidents on this route, only when two Hardley Fergusons showed our well behaved group how not to do it, by noisily overtaking us at well over the 50mph speed limit on the wrong side of the double white lines, well two idiots in over 1000 bikers can be expected! When we reached the A6 I decided that I was going to make my way home towards Baslow whilst the rest of the group headed on into Matlock to spend the rest of the journey. All in all, a very good day out despite all that the weather could throw at us, can’t wait for the next run.

Any one who’s interested we’ve started up the Tuesday night runs, mainly starting from Tim’s at Maltby about 7 o’clock in the evening. Just give myself or Tim a ring, all are welcome.

Watch out for those stray bullocks!!!!! GLOVEBOX.