Sunday 29th June -Didcot - Cheddar Gorge

[Frankie]

This guy looked to me to be texting, he pulled straight out on the main road, did not even look, or slow down... Total knob !

Anyway we all got home after a cracking days ride, so its all good

[StMarks]

You didn't respond with another one of your stoppie stunts did you Fkkr1s.?

[Frankie]

You didn't respond with another one of your stoppie stunts did you Fkkr1s.?

No, once I had avoided the plum, I showed my disgust with a few hand signals, and promptly had a 10 mins manic, red mist, angry ride

[Kwacky]

[Frankie]

Ok I will do a little write up with a cup of splosh, before its back to it, will be a long night tonight I think.

Anyway I arrived a few mins early at the meeting point after almost being taken out on the M4 10 mins prior, car just pulled out from the middle lane into mine then rapidly back again when he saw me!!! bit bloody late I was braking quiet hard by now (Muppet 1)

In hindsight I should have seen what was to come later in the day, this was a reminder. Anyway got to the meeting point and Jon was there already, obviously sh1t the bed or was thrown out the house, he is never on time

A few mins later Nik and his mate John turned up, a few introductions and we were off to Didcot for the next meeting point, where we would meet the masses coming down from the midlands.......err, oh wait only one turned up Kwacky, the threat of must have scared them off
I know, I know there was lots going on, people had other plans, before you jump on me... ha ha.

So Jon headed off a warp speed, next thing I am being attacked by a load of tissues, his pack was unzipped, I finally got him to pull over to find out it was nothing important like a wallet just snot rags. Seemed like 5 mins and we were at Didcot. Lawrence and pillion were on site already, Then Kwacky rolled in and then Dani on a sweet looking RSV4 and Owen on the Dark. A nice number for a ride out, so all fueled up and ready to roll.

All was going ok until we had a couple go MIA, we hung about in Devize's for a while, then we discovered Niks pal stopped for petrol I believe, they said crack on we will meet in Cheddar. So we then headed out again this time with two men down.

All the while the weather was lovely, got a little cool in places but most of the time was great. Somewhere on route I had a little issue with my rear brake, it jammed on... Oh bugger, I wont go into detail, but 15 mins later I had managed to free it off and we were up and running again. Only to have a slight confusion up the road where we lost each other for a few mins and ended up, going up and down a high street somewhere? a few two many times for the poor folks outside on the pavement drinking coffee . We did a quick comfort break in Trowbridge (I think it was anyway) then It was out on to the main roads for some more hooning, not before a quick stop at a pub for a swift soft drink.

The roads from now on were a mixed bag, some really nice roads for biking, except they were 30MPH, they would have been something else at a little more pace, and the traffic. In fairness the traffic is traffic, but for some reason the people down here on that day were tail gater's the lot of them, very hard to take one car at a time, you needed to pick you spot to get a few in one go, not so good when you have a few bikes at it!!!

Quick stop in Cheddar, after all that was the plan, then someone suggested Lucy's place in Stow for Tea and cake, well it was and the lure of cake was enough to swing it. So Jon led off and we were on our way. Someone after Bath, just outside Chippenham, I took the lead and let Jon have a rest. We had a pretty sprightly run up to Stow, some nice open road in the main, then out pops the start of the nutty drivers again, we were on a nice wide road, when I made an overtake, for some reason the car did not follow the line of the road, but decided to vear into my direction... Muppet number 2 he was. Then going up the hill (dual carriageway) Into Stow, I had two people start to cross the road in front of me, if that was not enough an estate car was half on / half off the path, also started to pull out.... Ok where the bloody hell are they going? I will class that a gaggle of muppets (3)

We are outside Lucy's place, straight out the garden out back and placed our orders for Cake, and then some more cake (I know this is Pizza) buts that how fast the slices went down ha ha.

So we say farewell to Rich and head off on our adventure back down South, before we know it we are in Burford, wow that was quick... then its no long before Muppet number 4 shows up, this was the worse of all, I saw it happening, but I did not think for one second he would do it... well he did!!!


If you imagine a road and a slight angle to the main road, so not a T junction, more of a Y in position to him joining the main drag, he was going at quiet a lick, and I was watching him all the way, dust flying up behind his car as he flew up the road. He did not look around once, he was too busy looking down as far as I could tell, but yet he still kept on coming, still not looking and then bang, onto the main road, so i then maneuvered around him, I looked in the window at him, he did not even looked up and even across, he was texting or looking at his phone, but not at the road thats for sure.

I used a few hand signals to show my disapproval, and left it at that, being Muppet number 4, I could not be arsed to get into one. I was feeling knackered by now as most of the day was either spirited or stuck in slow zones, my body was feeling in need of a rest. So much so that I decided that I would just do the M4 for the last stint when we left Jon. So now is just me and Lawrence and his Pillion on the M4. Traffic was doing my head in so I took off at reading and did the back roads home from there. What is it with Sunday afternoon traffic!!!

Got home, stabled the bike, drank loads of water and crashed on the sofa, I was knackered, great days riding with good pals. Roll on the next one.
Managed to snap a few pics as well.


Quick Edit > I did not thank Nutz for the route and leading all day.. Cheers mate

[Frankie]

[Cavetroll87]

Great write up Frankie, cheers!

Once again sorry for holding the ride up while John got petrol without letting us know, was nice to meet some new people and see a few again, was awesome following you guys, you are all rather quick, made me learn that a) Im still pretty slow and have work to do and b) on a 600 with the litre bikes unless I was already quite high in the rev range you guys left me behind very quickly as soon as the roads opened up so needed to alter my riding style and wring its neck a bit more to stay anywhere near you guys.

Next time I promise no dramas on my part

[Frankie]

Sorry Nik, I blame Nutz.... You did not hold anyone up mate. Ride outs like this are great ways to improve your own riding, I learn something every time I go out with these boys.

Thing is nobody gets left behind, so even if people fly off on open roads, they will always be there at the end of it, crawling though villages or stopped at a change of direction. The key is always to ride at your own pace that feels good for you, weather that means you are back down the road a bit or flying out in front, if you do that you better had know where we are going ha ha ha

[Kwacky]

Don't worry mate, I did the 600s proud.

[Cavetroll87]

Haha cheers I guys nah I was happy with the ride out part, and happy with my pace, yeah I was slower but I wasn't prepared to push any harder, just sorry about the gettin seperated part but thanks again anyway!

[rocket]

Nice write up and sounds like you had a cracking day......