December 2021- A bimble through the Dorset Countryside

It was a chilly morning as I set off for a bimble on the XT.  I decided to take a few turnings I have ridden past on so many occasions and wondered "where does that go..."

I then stumbled upon what is left of an old WW2 RAF Airfield at Tarrant Rushton on the way to Blandford Forum.  It only closed in the 1980s.  I then stopped for a Covid spaced cup of tea at Compton Abbas Airfield which is just outside Shaftesbury.   Having slatted my thirst, I then rode over and around Salisbury Plain and then on to Salisbury for a meeting and another cup of tea with William Shakespeare.   Finally arriving home in the dark.  

Here is a finally picture of both bikes all clean and polished.   Of course the next question to be answered is:  which one should I take to the USA next year!!!

October 2021 - Weymouth Beach Race

 

September 2021 - Armchair Adventure Festival - Mount Edgecombe Park

A leisurely start from Ringwood saw David arrive from Hove and away we went heading for Plymouth for the first live Armchair Adventure Festival - last years festival was held on-line due to Covid-19 - hence the ‘Armchair’ festival .

The trip down was un-rushed (little did we know about the forthcoming chaos due to idiots panic buying fuel that was nofollow) and we stopped for a cuppa at Kilmington and made it to the Torpoint Ferry in good time and without incident.  I manage to take the road less travelled (very narrow) before arriving at Mount Edgecombe Park.   The site was great, even though most of it was on a slope, very interesting..  We met up with Colin Hitchcock on site.

 

The event was very well planned, laid out and organised with traders, information stands, a bar tent and food stalls.  There was a large Main Stage and unfortunately a fire pit quite close to the camping area**.  A good start was made with a visit to the pizza stall and then the bar.  The band later started up and after a few numbers, it was time for me to retire to bed!  The following days started very misty and it only cleared for a hour or so in the morning.  When it did clear the sun proved to be quite hot and we even manage a few of visits down to the beach and the shop which sold wonderful sausage rolls and Cornish pasties.

The Sunday morning was another early start as we now urgently needed to get fuel - I had just 65 miles worth in the tank and 125 miles to ride home.  We left the site just before 8:00am and managed to get some fuel near the Torpoint Ferry (limited to £10), and then after a few closed or overly busy petrol stations we finally found fuel at Kilmington (limited to £30). So following a wonderful cooked breakfast there we rode back to Ringwood.

All-in-all a good weekend but will have to think hard about attending next year..

** on of the down sides the fire pit was occupied on the Saturday night by a very loud group of drunk individuals who sang, shouted and talked exceedingly loud until 4:30am.  

August 2021 - Oxhill and the Overland Event 2021

I took off on the Bank Holiday Monday and headed North to ride around Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and even a little of Warwickshire.   I had to skip some of the tourist places as there were still very busy.

I then travelled over to the Shire Camping site at Oxhill.  A brilliant little site with very good facilitates (hot showers 24/7 were a definite hit).  Harry the owner was an excellent host and the site was now empty of Bank Holiday campers save for a couple of pitches.  Next morning (Tuesday) I did a bit more touring around after a quick breakfast in Banbury.  In the afternoon David arrived and we settled in with supper and a few drinks.  

The 3rd day (Wednesday) David and I did yet another loop of the countryside following a great breakfast at the Blue Bean Coffee Shop in Shipton-on-Stour.   On the way we had a cuppa at the Broadway Tower and yet another at Gilkes's Cafe in Kineton.  We arrive back at the campsite to find that we were the only campers left, so we rearranged the benches to get out of the chilly wind and awaited the arrival of Greg and Melanie who had been touring North Wales.

Once they arrive we lit a bonfire and cooked our supper and finished off any drinks left over as glass bottles were not allowed at the Overland Event next day.

An early start on the Thursday as we stopped for breakfast at McD in Banbury and then rode down to the event near Oxford.   David and I had volunteered to assist with setting up and then at 5pm we became paying event goers.   I met many an old friend during the event and made some new ones.  Its a great event with many traders and food stalls (I didn't cook a single meal) and I have a waistline to prove it.

Tiffany arranged another "Pimms Party" for those of us that were at the Overland Xpo Event in the USA 2016/18.   I even met with the irrepressible Mary Motorcycle (I collected her BSA in bits and transported to to Travel Dri near Okehampton where Craig and Maxx restored it for her.  She rode the bike around the world in 1967   ( introducing-motorcycle-may ).

I returned to Ringwood and Greg and Melanie followed on the Sunday and then they stayed with us until they rode down to Plymouth to catch a ferry to Spain and then rode to Portugal to store the bike before flying back to the USA.