11th July

Woke up on Sunday; cloudy, keep our fingers crossed for the weather...

I was somewhat apprehensive, as on the Friday I had filled the Beemer up and the **** thing refused to start (battery). Took it home and left it on the Opti-mate until Sunday morning, got ready, pushed it out of the garage and it fired up first go! When I arrived at the club house in Compton the sun was out with a vengeance – “Good” – and as I waited to see if anybody would turn up, the familiar sound of an Africa Twin was heard and Jessica Mittler arrived. She was followed by Graham (Alec Jay’s friend) on a Triumph Trophy; next to sweep in with panache! was Alec on the combination, together with Steve, Dave Kav, Paul Jay – then we heard the UN-familiar sound of a two-stroke: Derek Prior on the Yamaha! We waited a little longer, as Alec said Marc Combstock would be joining us with some friends. Paul said that there were some bikes over the road outside the hall on the main Compton road. Alec went to investigate, just in time to see the bikes pulling away. So we set off all going smoothly, after Dave Kav had pushed me down the car park slope...

As we were going around the one way system in Petworth there was a loud bang, so we cleared Petworth and waited with Alec, Steve and Graham missing. We decided that with Alec’s help they would be fine, so we pushed on to Goodwood to the tea stop. As we waited, Alec, Steve and Graham arrived. “We swapped the battery from Alec’s combination onto Graham's Triumph” they said.

With drinks and ice cream consumed, we set off again, all going well – apart from the kamikaze car driver who decided to pull into the car park as the majority of our party was pulling out. Luckily no incidents!!! The section from Haslemere to Dunsfold was a bit narrow, and we had to pull over for a Sunday driver (and in Alec’s case find a wider bit of road to get the combinationthrough). On we pressed; I pulled onto the Alfold road, we were all together and as the road was straight to the Onslow Arms, I kept going to their car park. Is this getting familiar? Alec, Graham, Steve missing... Eventually they pulled up, with the combination missing badly – who says old British is best?? Then Marc C and friends arrived.

The food was somewhat slow in coming – this was not the case when I did a dry run earlier, so sorry about that. After we were all fed and watered, we made our way home. Paul Jay did ask if we had a map back to the club house. I did not provide one as I innocently thought that as it is a straight road back to Guildford, it wouldn't be too much of a problem. If you will ride off towards Dunsfold Wood, Paul and Jess, then complete a full circle – better than Michael Palin, what can I say!!

Hope you all had a good time – the weather in the end was “brilliant”, a little too hot at times (shouldn't really say that!) Thanks to Dave Kav, Betty and Derek for waiting to see if the Beemer fired up – it did and Dave followed me back to Guildford. Alec left his combination at Pete Crummett’s and got a lift back, so will be no doubt be carrying out an operation to make it better soon. See you at Club...

Sammy Miller Museum Run

Time for another road run – it’s on Sunday 5th September, so as to try and get the better weather???

We will set off from Compton Clubroom at 10 am. The idea is to have a group run to New Milton (New Forest). I will provide a route, but if individuals wish to find their own way, we can meet them there, so that we are all together on site. We would then look round the museum and have lunch together. The idea is a run for road riders and also to look at some interesting bikes, hopefully a good day out for the Club.

I would like an indication of how many are coming, so if people can tell me at Club night that they are interested, I will make a note of the numbers.

Graham Ford