Sorry had to remove old thread and repost due to error with linking pix with Flickr So there I am minding my own business on Saturday evening when I get a text from Firebloke AKA Steve telling me a few 1000RR'ers are going to Whitehaven tomorrow (Sunday) and did I fancy joining them? Unfortunately I had to turn down his kind offer as I had plans for Sunday as Joanne and I already had plans co-incidentally to head in that direction and find an eatery we found when Joanne and I previously visited Whitehaven, all we knew was that it was somewhere near Crummock Water. So Sunday started like most Sundays do for me, get up early walk dog for an hour and a half, get back make breakfast then I casually enquire "what time are we going out?" The unexpected response was "I thought you were going out with your biking buddies." To which I reply "no, I said I couldn't go as we were going in search of the Tea Room." I was then told "You may as well go with them as we were going out that night anyway." We'll go on Monday instead. So a quick check of the time 09:45, Steve said he'd be at Devils Bridge at about 10:30ish. I could make that easy, it's probably less than 15 minutes from where I live anyway. Quick text to Steve, See you at the bridge. I knew Steve and the gang of three would already be on their way and hopefully they still planned to go via DB, Kirkby Lonsdale. anyway I turn up and sure enough true to his word Steve and the crew are buying their brew from "The Other" sandwich bar on the opposite side of the road, traitors. Steve was tucking into his black pudding sandwich and Marion was expressing her disgust by just managing to hold off gipping. I had not met Marion before so decided to break the ice by commenting that "If I'd known she was coming I'd have brought some ironing" if looks could kill I'd be dead by now. Anyway suitably fed and watered, (not me as I'd need to take a leak within 5 minutes, it's an age thing) and off we went, we being Steve, Andy, Marion and Matt. Unusually we were all on Fireblades of varying vintage, from 08 to 63 reg. We hadn't been set off 5 minutes when they had to wait for me. I thought start as I mean to go on. But as it happened I don't think they had to wait for me again, not because I'd got quicker but Squadron Leader Steve was having an off day. So off we went, I was the only one that had been to the infamous Anne's Bistro in Whitehaven before with Steve and it is a nice place to go and I can see why we like going there. It has decent food, at a reasonable price and you can sit outside on the quayside watch the world go by, tell the tale and take the p**s. there are some great roads around leading to Whitehaven and we didn't really have too much of an issue with traffic considering it was a bank holiday weekend. Progress was great and we made good time, one thing I remember from the first stint was that we passed a line of Scooters and a few were very kindly burning Castrol R, ahh music to my nostrils. I even considered following them for a bit but I didn't really want to go at 25mph. It didn't seem long before Steve was stopping for the first comfort break, we aren't as young as we used to be and those arms and legs do need stretching out more often than usual. So a few pix and off we went again, straight away I noticed something different about the bike, it seemed a bit noisy and I was riding along trying to suss out what was different, I'd done nothing at the rest stop, so what could it be? Eventually it dawned on me, I'd forgotten to put my earplugs in. Then I was thinking shall I stop and put them in, but decided not to. Anyway it wasn't long and we got there. But SHOCK HORROR Anne's was closed maybe even closed down, but we couldn't be bothered to get off the bikes and read the notice on the door so it was a quick scoot around the quay to the lighthouse café, I can't think why they call it that. So it was a cuppa and a piece of carrot cake for us all except Matt who had two pieces of fruit flapjack, when we commented on his extravagance he said he was hoping to have fish and chips. We're on diets Matt, well, sort of. Diets that include hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows and carrot cake We set off back at about 14:15 and we once again made decent progress without going mad. Matt, Marion and Andy left us at about 16:00 in favour of the M6 rather than more food and drink at Devils Bridge. I think Marion was afraid Steve would torment her with another black pudding sarnie. So Steve and I went to DB for a cup of Bovril and put the world to rights. One guy at DB was particularly annoying as we decided he was trying to impersonate a Police officer by having POLITE NOTICE THINK BIKE on the back of his fluorescent and checkered jacket, he was on a Gold Wing so enough said. Then one of the Gold Wing owners left his alarm going for ages, that was also annoying. Moaning, it's an age thing. Anyway here's a few pix for anyone still awake. Steve surveys his black pudding sarnie DSC00486 by rushforthk, on Flickr Marion and Andy getting ready for the off DSC00488 by rushforthk, on Flickr Matt and his baby DSC00489 by rushforthk, on Flickr Steve trying not to look Gay (and failing) DSC00490 by rushforthk, on Flickr First comfort break DSC00491 by rushforthk, on Flickr DSC00492 by rushforthk, on Flickr DSC00493 by rushforthk, on Flickr bad pic of Steve, good one of Matt DSC00501 by rushforthk, on Flickr where's the Repsol? DSC00502 by rushforthk, on Flickr ah there it is Snobby thing DSC00503 by rushforthk, on Flickr End of part 1
Part 2 pix DSC00504 by rushforthk, on Flickr DSC00505 by rushforthk, on Flickr DSC00506 by rushforthk, on Flickr DSC00507 by rushforthk, on Flickr DSC00508 by rushforthk, on Flickr DSC00509 by rushforthk, on Flickr Do you see evil in Matt's eyes? Scary DSC00512 by rushforthk, on Flickr Parting of the crew. Matt, Marion and Andy head for the M6. Steve and I head for a cup of Bovril at Devils Bridge, DSC00513 by rushforthk, on Flickr Andy DSC00514 by rushforthk, on Flickr Matt DSC00515 by rushforthk, on Flickr End of part 2
Part 3 Marion DSC00516 by rushforthk, on Flickr Kawasaki in disguise? DSC00517 by rushforthk, on Flickr The end
Few more pics of the day. Was a good ride out. Will bring my iron with me next time. Only to wrap it round your head if there are any more comments like that. Lol x Note the landscaped garden in the background on picture 3
Great roads too, had a blast but rain on the way back stopped me from getting my knee down Great write up Kev, i need to get me a decent camera...
Great write up Kevin and glad you managed a day permit .If you manage to get any more send one over to GaryB its looking like once a year for the poor dude.Looking forward to a few trips up there myself so catch you soon.Mike.
we had a few folks taking pix of the bikes from behind, when they were all lined up on the quayside. So they are probably posted somewhere else.
Just needed to make sure those putting faces to names were matching up the correct Matts and Andys. I'm Kevin1 and there's not too many Marions on here.
