No photos I'm sorry, my camera died
I was speaking to a friend of our esteemed club member Bruce last week. Bruce hasn't been well and is, at present, relying on help from friends and family to get to bike events. His friend (Ian) mentioned that the next event he would be going to would be this weekend's Panther Owners Club Winter Rally at Clee Hill near Bruce's Ludlow home.
Having missed Bruce at the Dragon rally I thought it would be a good idea to ride the 80 miles or so to the event. I decided not to publicise this on the forum because Bruce is a lurker and would have seen it. I thought it better to PM some of his fellow TC Dragon Rally chums. In the end Mark and Ifor also made the trip in Mark's van.
I set off late on Saturday morning and headed up the M4 and A449, which was boring but fast. I had chosen to head north at Monmouth on a nadgy A road and this was a good decision. The riding was enjoyable and I made good time with hardly any other traffic in evidence. On through Hereford and on to Ludlow and then off on another minor road to Clee Hill.
Ian had told me that the first pub I got to would be the venue, but the road I took brought me into the heart of the village. There was a pub nearby and as I pulled in I saw Mark and Ifor walking in. It turned out that I was in the wrong pub, but we were early and the lads needed to find a pub with a telly showing the Welsh game (which the venue pub wasn't).
I had a pint in this pub and was perplexed to see that the bar staff were taking bets on horse races from the punters and ringing them through to a bookie. Even stranger was a wall devoted to selling brand new electrical items. I asked about these things and the barmaid said "we do a bit of everything". I said "well give us a haircut then, my barnet is shocking". She didn't.
I left the lads watching the game and went down to the other pub. I had a very enjoyable time nattering to Panther owners and then Ian and (I think) his brother turned up. One bloke had a fantastic 650 Panther and single seat Canterbury sidecar, but unfortunately, as mentioned, my camera packed up.
Bruce arrived with his current/ex wife Mandy (it's a long story) and we had an enjoyable time talking bollocks about bikes and rallies. It was nice to meet up again and I was glad I'd come. However, unlike Mark and Ifor, who were staying over, I had to get back home. I left in the dark and had a fairly stressful time on unlit A-roads, but made good time. I got back at 9.00 and when my wife saw me she said "you look terrible". 80 miles with the visor up had made my eyes solid red.
My ER5 didn't display its bizarre starting problem and, even better, did the whole trip between 55 and 70mph and averaged over 60mpg.
I paid the price today though, I am absolutely knackered.
GC
