Pre-Christmas Meal 2014
When we might have been out braving the Christmas shopping crowds the 14th December saw Heart of England’s pre-Christmas lunch run on a cool yet beautiful Sunday. Barry organised a very sweet twenty mile run for us to the venue, The Anchor in Aspley Guise. Surprisingly, the run contingent was completely AMC bikes with the sole exception of Mr. U’s Honda scooter. Being generous metrosexual modern men we allowed him to join us on condition that he kept at least half a mile behind. Only joking…….. it was one mile actually! After a cracking ride through some of England’s finest countryside we arrived to find a welcoming committee. There were seventeen diners in total, almost breaking the record for our pre-Christmas. Sadly Bill wasn’t able to join us as planned, as he was feeling a little under the weather. He was missed. It was grand to see Peter there for his first ever Heart of England meal. A lovely chap who has settled in to the section really well and is much liked by us. He purchased the Lands End-to-John O’Groats bike and has already joined us for several ride-outs. Merry chat ensued as the excellent ale and wonderful roast dinner was consumed. There was even a bit of hanky-panky after the main course but (unlike early years) it was just the name of a dessert. Very nice it was though! As darkness loomed, Lawrence had to leave slightly earlier than the rest, due to his lights packing up on the run. It turned out to be nothing that five minutes, six inches of insulating tape and a 10a fuse couldn’t have fixed. It was probably Karma for him taking the mickey out of aforementioned Honda……. Thank you for Conway for organising a smashing meal.
Dean’s Dastardly Quiz Night
Thanks go to Dean for a superb ‘Dastardly Quiz’ on Thursday evening 11th December. It was very well received. Friendly joshing of him took place as he gave out the questions. Remarks such as “I think you’ve mistaken us for people who are intelligent” were rapidly counter-quipped by Dean giving us one of our most amusing evenings of the year. That man should be in stand-up. ‘Power corrupts’ indeed, I am still chuckling. There were some cracking questions over a wide range of subjects. The ancient myths and the phobia definitions went down exceptionally well but with a good ladies presence the most popular had to be the ones on chocolate. In a sure sign of a well thought-out test there were only three points separating the winning team from the last. At one point it looked as if Mighty John may be defeated on a music question, a most unusual state. He clinched it just before the bell went but clearly needs to do some revision on his trans-sexual videos…….….
Bits in a Bag Quiz Night
Thursday 27 November saw our annual Bits in a Bag quiz evening. Wrap some old bits up in a piece of rag for everyone else to puzzle over. There were twenty-three bags to challenge us and scores ranged from ten points to 100% correct. The master of identification unsurprisingly was our much loved Jon. Nothing on old bikes seems to stump him, a veritable mine of knowledge. Second place went to equally admired Eddie who was only stumped by three pieces.
Prizes featured some Oxford luggage, very generously donated by Mick and Ikea goods vey generously donated by Simon. Thanks Guys!
And the bits that stumped most? A guitar tuning knob and a rubber washer that HAD to be described as ‘Seating, rubber, petrol tank’.
Prizes featured some Oxford luggage, very generously donated by Mick and Ikea goods vey generously donated by Simon. Thanks Guys!
And the bits that stumped most? A guitar tuning knob and a rubber washer that HAD to be described as ‘Seating, rubber, petrol tank’.
Oxford Inter-Section Quiz Night and Autojumble
Oh Mother! Who knew that the AJS & Matchless Owners Club had its very own Jeremy Paxman? On Thursday the 13th November Oxford section hosted its annual quiz night for their motorcycle friends and neighbours which include us.
Questions flew at us. Who could have known that Barry knew what a spurtle was? How did Steve get acquainted with Tom, Dick and Harry? Pam and Jon also contributed immense knowledge to answer truly challenging questions. We were brilliant! Unfortunately the other teams got easy peasy questions so they were brilliant too! That’s our excuse...... Moving swiftly on……. To a buffet to rival tea at The Ritz! A fabulous array of home-made sandwiches, pies and cakes were laid before us and hungrily devoured by the members who could scarcely believe their luck.
The next segment of the quiz, a musical test, was a feast for the ears. Spinning some great sounds from the Fifties and Sixties era we were challenged to identify the artistes and titles. The section concluded with HoE not only still strong contenders but also having enjoyed some splendid sounds. Questions on anagrams of motorcycles and identification of national flags completed the quiz. That just left John and Dave to tot up the scores. We all waited keenly to hear the placings. By the end Heart of England achieved an honourable fourth position and were only two points off taking third place. Not at all bad for our first attempt. A raffle and autojumble competed the evening. Steve and Jon went home with enough parts to make another bike between them. We will be watching that space.
It was a great night. Oxford section deserves a big thank you for laying on such splendid and enjoyable entertainment. It was lovely to reacquaint ourselves with all the marvellous characters who are the backbone of the club. I can’t wait for next year’s event. I went home with a large box of chocolates from the raffle so I am pretty sure Susi will let me go……
Questions flew at us. Who could have known that Barry knew what a spurtle was? How did Steve get acquainted with Tom, Dick and Harry? Pam and Jon also contributed immense knowledge to answer truly challenging questions. We were brilliant! Unfortunately the other teams got easy peasy questions so they were brilliant too! That’s our excuse...... Moving swiftly on……. To a buffet to rival tea at The Ritz! A fabulous array of home-made sandwiches, pies and cakes were laid before us and hungrily devoured by the members who could scarcely believe their luck.
The next segment of the quiz, a musical test, was a feast for the ears. Spinning some great sounds from the Fifties and Sixties era we were challenged to identify the artistes and titles. The section concluded with HoE not only still strong contenders but also having enjoyed some splendid sounds. Questions on anagrams of motorcycles and identification of national flags completed the quiz. That just left John and Dave to tot up the scores. We all waited keenly to hear the placings. By the end Heart of England achieved an honourable fourth position and were only two points off taking third place. Not at all bad for our first attempt. A raffle and autojumble competed the evening. Steve and Jon went home with enough parts to make another bike between them. We will be watching that space.
It was a great night. Oxford section deserves a big thank you for laying on such splendid and enjoyable entertainment. It was lovely to reacquaint ourselves with all the marvellous characters who are the backbone of the club. I can’t wait for next year’s event. I went home with a large box of chocolates from the raffle so I am pretty sure Susi will let me go……
The Alternative Rally and the conquering of Snake Pass
In October a great run was had to The Alternative Rally near Preston. Barry set a course through the Peak District National Park and by golly it was a cracker. Our small group (Barry, Lawrence and Steve) met at Jack's Hill cafe near Towcester at 06:30 hours for a pre-trip breakfast. Unfortunately no-one had thought to check the café was open at that hour! It wasn’t!! Undeterred we set off up the A5 to Rugby services at DIRFT where we tucked into a hearty full English to set us up for some fun riding. Crikey those roads were a classic biker’s paradise. We wove round the bends to our hearts content and the scenery was gob-smacking. After a few lunch/coffee/loo stops we arrived at the site to be greeted by Paul and his dad Barry. Walking into the bar we were pleased to see Tony as well, effectively doubling Heart of England’s presence.
The runs on the rally were eye-wateringly beautiful with trips across the moors and views stretching to the Lake District and Morecambe Bay. The food was superb and so cheap we had to keep checking that the canteen hadn’t undercharged us. All this together with the comradeship that AJS&MOC rallies are renowned for made it one of the best Alternative Rallies since last October in Stoke Bruerne. Our contingent survived the frostbite on the Saturday night. In that chilly morning Tony pressed a cuppa into Lawrence’s hand to revive him and celebrate the splendiferous sunrise. Both were much appreciated. A great run back completed a memorable weekend and five hundred miles of trouble-free performance by all the bikes. Happiness can be found here.
The runs on the rally were eye-wateringly beautiful with trips across the moors and views stretching to the Lake District and Morecambe Bay. The food was superb and so cheap we had to keep checking that the canteen hadn’t undercharged us. All this together with the comradeship that AJS&MOC rallies are renowned for made it one of the best Alternative Rallies since last October in Stoke Bruerne. Our contingent survived the frostbite on the Saturday night. In that chilly morning Tony pressed a cuppa into Lawrence’s hand to revive him and celebrate the splendiferous sunrise. Both were much appreciated. A great run back completed a memorable weekend and five hundred miles of trouble-free performance by all the bikes. Happiness can be found here.
Salford Macmillan Breakfast Run 26th September
Sunshine of a fair and clement autumn morning variety fell serendipitously upon the forecourt of Pure Triumph this Friday the 26th of September. Gentlemen of ENCMCC gathered to celebrate their good fortune in being alive in such a spiffing era, one that allows a fella to go for a spin on his trusty steed whenever he jolly well wants to. Who cares what Ol’ Doc Threepwood-Fortescue has to say! Dodgy Doug (who I believe is possibly listed as something in Burke’s Peerage) was first there and set the tone of the day with his graceful salutations to all arrivals “Hallo Old Bean”, “Watcha Crumpet” etc etc. East Northants Classic Motorcycle Club are famous for their friendly and amusing manner and it is hardly surprising with such smashing crew. Mind you, they were probably making an especial effort as this is the week of the DGR. They were setting a fine tone and I consider them to be frightfully good eggs for it. The AJS and Matchless contingent were represented at Wellingborough by Lawrence and Simon who were greeted very agreeably. Rod expressed gentlemanly concern at the state of Lawrence’s Ajay and even proffered advice on keeping it clean but was mollified when assured that it was washed regularly, once a year, whether it required it or not.
At 9:30am, exactly on the dot, the ride set off. Jollity aside, it is worth stating here what a fine run leader Matt is. He set a perfect steady pace suitable for every machine and should be held up as an exemplar for how to make everyone riding feel comfortable. The route he led us on was narrow rural roads, a delight for classic iron. All went very smoothly until the snaking line reached Cranfield whereupon Matt waved a bemused Lawrence to the front to finish the guidance. I need hardly remind you that it was only last year that L gave us an extended tour of Beds, Bucks and Herts whilst trying to find Salford. We did arrive at Salford village hall but it was probably due to the road being straight with no potential for deviation rather than skill from Mr. H.
Upon arrival we were greeted by the massed ranks of Heart of England including some of our gorgeous ladyfolk. Even Conway had returned early from his hols to join us! The event had its usual carnival feel. Splendid food, cheery volunteers and lots to amuse us and give us all a hearty time. There was a temporary sausage scare but fortunately reinforcements were found and all present were fully sated. Just time for a chat outside then ENCMCC set off for a meandering run home leaving Heart of England to gossip briefly before doing likewise. It would be hard to find a finer finish to our daytime riding year. Yoiks, Tally-Ho and all that jazz (trad. obviously. None of that modern rubbish for we gentlefolk).
Upon arrival we were greeted by the massed ranks of Heart of England including some of our gorgeous ladyfolk. Even Conway had returned early from his hols to join us! The event had its usual carnival feel. Splendid food, cheery volunteers and lots to amuse us and give us all a hearty time. There was a temporary sausage scare but fortunately reinforcements were found and all present were fully sated. Just time for a chat outside then ENCMCC set off for a meandering run home leaving Heart of England to gossip briefly before doing likewise. It would be hard to find a finer finish to our daytime riding year. Yoiks, Tally-Ho and all that jazz (trad. obviously. None of that modern rubbish for we gentlefolk).
Shopping?? In a bike club????
Cublington Joy! Reeling and Rocking!!
Thursday the 11th September saw our first ever section run to The Unicorn at Cublington. This was recommended by Barry, following the closure of the Black Boy, and turned out to be a superb venue indeed. We were delighted to see Tripta return to our fold with encouraging news, following the start of her treatment. We hope everything continues to go well. Unfortunately we currently have too many members currently undergoing medical interventions, our thoughts are with them all. Tripta though looked fantastic and the turban especially suits her. Mind, she looks great in anything! Now she is returning to form it does mean Simon may have to start toeing the line again. At least he has his new twin (pictured) to console him. It is a little more sparkly than his Ajay one so we provided a cocktail to match…. It is so glittering that it was a job to find a photographic angle that didn't obscure the picture with reflected dazzle. We’re not jealous (insert green face here….)
Although fully back into daytime jaunts it was young Peter’s first night ride for some decades on his ‘end to end’ twin, now rejuvenated under his ownership. It was interesting following him as he practised some continental riding to get his hand in for next year’s International. Good to see that he is a man to set his own pace and not take silly risks with any herd mentality. If only more bikers were as sensible. Louise Marten was there too. She is doing a charity walk on behalf of St. John's Hospice, Moggerghanger for Sue Ryder. They looked after Rick in his last hours and helped Louise for some time afterwards. You can make a donation at https://www.justgiving.com/louise-marten/ Please do. It really does make a difference. Bob was also there after a lengthy absence so it was a great night for catching up
Although fully back into daytime jaunts it was young Peter’s first night ride for some decades on his ‘end to end’ twin, now rejuvenated under his ownership. It was interesting following him as he practised some continental riding to get his hand in for next year’s International. Good to see that he is a man to set his own pace and not take silly risks with any herd mentality. If only more bikers were as sensible. Louise Marten was there too. She is doing a charity walk on behalf of St. John's Hospice, Moggerghanger for Sue Ryder. They looked after Rick in his last hours and helped Louise for some time afterwards. You can make a donation at https://www.justgiving.com/louise-marten/ Please do. It really does make a difference. Bob was also there after a lengthy absence so it was a great night for catching up
Hinton Barbecue and Run to Farthingstone
The pilots at Hinton airfield invited the section to their barbecue in August. As usual it was excellent and great fun. The flyers very generously again took everyone up for a jolly in their aircraft. Once at a few thousand feet the world is transformed and it makes one appreciate how beautiful England is. And how eccentric! Who would imagine that anyone would display a Harrier jump jet in their back garden, or a full set of railway carriages? Thanks guys for the treat!
The run to the Kings Arms is generally one of our best attended but this year there were only Barry C, Barry P, Dean, Steve and Lawrence. This pub is a fabulously cosy venue and we settled in nicely. Fascinating reading local newspapers from the Sixties too while peeing. I am not sure if the ladies’ loo is as well appointed? We should be told!!
The run to the Kings Arms is generally one of our best attended but this year there were only Barry C, Barry P, Dean, Steve and Lawrence. This pub is a fabulously cosy venue and we settled in nicely. Fascinating reading local newspapers from the Sixties too while peeing. I am not sure if the ladies’ loo is as well appointed? We should be told!!
The Jampot Rally 2014
The 2014 Jampot Rally was a huge success. Turnout was massive. The Heart of England contingent arrived a day early to be greeted by an almost full rally field. Once settled and camped, the cocktail cabinets were unlocked and we glugged them into the early morning. Some people seemed less than keen to sample the Becherovka!
Steve and Carol played ‘mine host’ for all our needs and looked after us very well. Experienced campers Barry, Pam, Geoff, John, Martin and Tony showed the newbies how rallies should be done. I have never seen Lawrence run so quickly as when Geoff offered him a cuppa at daybreak. It was very pleasant to be joined this year by Barry and his son Paul, great fun guys.
Geoff and Martin reprised the action in films such as ‘A Fridge Too Far’ as John sang ‘Fridge Over Troubled Water’. I think they may have had a fridge. This was vigorously denied by them but their beer was remarkably cold. Fridges seemed to become a recurring theme but no evidence was found to prove that they did indeed have a fridge. Their beer was VERY cold though. They may have had a fridge………
Geoff and Martin reprised the action in films such as ‘A Fridge Too Far’ as John sang ‘Fridge Over Troubled Water’. I think they may have had a fridge. This was vigorously denied by them but their beer was remarkably cold. Fridges seemed to become a recurring theme but no evidence was found to prove that they did indeed have a fridge. Their beer was VERY cold though. They may have had a fridge………
Despite a grim weather forecast we had three balmy days and enjoyed exciting runs on all of them. Visit highlights included Dovedale, The National Brewery museum, Carsington Water, Ashbourne and The National Arboretum amongst many. Sunday it POURED but it is amazing how much fun we still had, even marooned together in our tents. With dancing every night we were all Kn…, er, tired by the last night but soon rejuvenated by Heart of England taking home another award. What a splendid group we are!
There, I got all that written without mentioning Carol and the safety pin scandal………
There, I got all that written without mentioning Carol and the safety pin scandal………
Trenchard Museum Run for Comely Codgers
Conway organised a ‘Comely Codgers’™ run to the Trenchard RAF museum on Tuesday 15 July. What a fascinating place! We were given a fantastic private tour. It was excellent to meet Phil there, lovely chap who we hope to see on more of our runs. Come over to the dark side Phil! Arrival was slightly delayed as, on the run from McDonalds to the museum, Steve’s chain broke. In usual Heart of England style someone had the required part and four people were able to advise the two people that actually did the work how they would be doing it differently. That is what clubs are all about.
Problem sorted and we were soon back on route with the satisfaction of knowing that very little ever stops us. The planned pub stop was closed causing severe distortion of the space/time universal field but fortunately we found another good one so the planet was saved from imminent destruction. By some sort of continuum vortex we practically all had fish and chips. In a parallel universe there is probably a group where none of them had fish and chips. Personally it is all too much for me to understand…..
Thank you to everyone in Heart of England for giving us a superb month so far. It’s been a ball!
Thank you to everyone in Heart of England for giving us a superb month so far. It’s been a ball!
Ton-Up Day 2014
Ton-Up Day 2014 exploded onto Northamptonshire on Sunday 13 July with all the energy and vitality of past years. Led by our engine and whisky guru Tony, Heart of England were there to celebrate! Tony set up the marquee at 7:00am and members were soon rolling in to help sell tickets for the club raffle bike. Special thanks to Peter, Dave and the many others who helped. Team of the day though had to be Tony and Jon. Other members persuaded punters to buy a ticket, took them for the ticket to Team T&J who promptly sold them FIVE! Total raffle sales for the day was an incredible £450.
A fun ‘Fifties’ day was had by us all as Rock’n’roll echoed from the café and Rockers strolled by in period costume. This event now surely rivals anything The Ace puts on. We even had a couple fall in love over our magnificent raffle bike and decide to get married! It would be sweet if they won it! On top of all this, due to an AJS&MOC initiative with Triumph Owners, we also collected £238.62 for Marie Curie nurses to look after people in their last days. What a result!
July 2014 gets off to a good start
What a busy July and it’s only halfway through! Sunday 6th July we made the grand trek to see Neil and Tangy. What a smashing couple. After wandering the grounds and shed Tangy laid on a magnificent spread for us. I think our bikes struggled with our added weight going home! Of Neil’s bikes his AMC chopper caught my eye. Made in 1970 with just the help of a propane torch. Those were the days. Get your motor running!! A long ride but well worth it. Thursday 10th July saw our evening run to Shefford VMCC concours night. Surprisingly we didn’t win a prize! I guess we like to ride our bikes too much in all weathers. However it was a pleasant evening and a chance to mix with lots of old and new friends. Lawrence proudly displayed the new Alton alternator on his AJS twin. He helped to have the design completely reworked and it should be a major advantage for AMC twin owners.
Bob and Lyn’s barbecue
‘pon my soul, I often times think that the Heart of England year is but a reflection of Bob and Lyn’s barbecue. ‘Tis a series of leisurely interludes shared with friends spiced with the occasional great excitement. Fortunately this year the keys of the quad bike were kept from Mr. U so he was denied the chance to attempt another assassination of Mr. H. Just to be on the safe side Lawrence kept well away from the Hodaka anyway…..
Tony once more demonstrated his mastery of the trail bike. When you hear it flying through the air with the engine at full bore you know Tony is aboard without even looking. I would love to have seen him riding in anger during his scrambles heyday! Simon and Tripta arrived but sadly not on his new adventurer. We eagerly await first sighting in the flesh of this machine. It looks gorgeous in the pictures.
Bob’s Grecian 2000 course seems to be rejuvenating him, see picture alongside, and it's done wonders for his bike too. I think I might try some!! The best part of the day though was seeing Lyn again. We all enjoy having her around, have missed her and send best wishes for her continuing treatments. We love you girl xx
Tony once more demonstrated his mastery of the trail bike. When you hear it flying through the air with the engine at full bore you know Tony is aboard without even looking. I would love to have seen him riding in anger during his scrambles heyday! Simon and Tripta arrived but sadly not on his new adventurer. We eagerly await first sighting in the flesh of this machine. It looks gorgeous in the pictures.
Bob’s Grecian 2000 course seems to be rejuvenating him, see picture alongside, and it's done wonders for his bike too. I think I might try some!! The best part of the day though was seeing Lyn again. We all enjoy having her around, have missed her and send best wishes for her continuing treatments. We love you girl xx
June is coming to a close......
Maybe it is the longer evenings but we have crammed in the events towards the end of June.
Sunday 22nd saw us on our Summer Stroll and Sunday Lunch. It was Heart of England’s first dog walk! Eight of us met at The Barley Mow in Cosgrove. Dave and Elaine were first there with Rosie their sweet Jack Russell terrier. The route was a pretty little stroll with a variety of features including a test of Carol’s nerve as we had to cross the canal by walking the lock gates. This was where we discovered Carol can’t swim….. After a quick drink halfway round we were back at the pub for a splendid lunch featuring some of the best crackling I have tasted in years! With gorgeous weather and good company it was a cracking day topped off by a cuppa and hospitality at Dave and Elaine’s new motorhome. What a splendid and luxurious vehicle. It might even tempt me to give up biking!
Sunday 22nd saw us on our Summer Stroll and Sunday Lunch. It was Heart of England’s first dog walk! Eight of us met at The Barley Mow in Cosgrove. Dave and Elaine were first there with Rosie their sweet Jack Russell terrier. The route was a pretty little stroll with a variety of features including a test of Carol’s nerve as we had to cross the canal by walking the lock gates. This was where we discovered Carol can’t swim….. After a quick drink halfway round we were back at the pub for a splendid lunch featuring some of the best crackling I have tasted in years! With gorgeous weather and good company it was a cracking day topped off by a cuppa and hospitality at Dave and Elaine’s new motorhome. What a splendid and luxurious vehicle. It might even tempt me to give up biking!
Wednesday 25th June was our mid-week ‘Curmudgeonly Old Codgers Run’© to Mr. B’s Workshop and pub lunch. Seven riders, no curmudgeons here though. A pleasurable day started at Frost’s Garden Centre where it was exciting to meet Dave on his ex-Hugh Viney twin ‘AJS 5’, a historic and beautiful factory test-bed machine from 1953. Here is footage of Hugh Viney in the ISDT in 1948. To forewarn you, it does show a nasty tumble for one rider. Luckily he had his cloth cap on and was not smoking his pipe at that section so all was well. Eddie led us superbly (is there a better run leader in the land?) through a wonderful route. John had the kettle on ready and Susi had baked some cake for us too. An enjoyable hour chatting followed and then it was ‘au revoir’ and off to the pub. It is Heart of England after all! The Bedford Arms was our chosen venue and we were soon settled in. Delicious food and beer served by friendly staff. We do seem to have a nose for these places…. Eddie then gave us a little tour of the Northamptonshire countryside, enchanting at any time of year but especially so now, and then we were off home celebrating a superb day out. Thank you to everyone who gave input.
For our penultimate event in June we rode to Rushden Historic Transport Trust on Thursday 26th. Six intended to make the run but two were unable to, due to illness, and Steve and John arrived at The White Horse to discover they were sans lights meaning their evening was cancelled. It would be a long way home from Rushden with no lights! Rich and Lawrence hurtled off to RHTS eager to see if the bar is as good as it used to be. Unfortunately the DoT were determined that our heroes should not get there and closed the A509 to them. Luckily Lawrence can always be relied on to find a way through, not necessarily the fastest…….. They arrived at Rushden station and were especially pleased to be greeted by the lovely Louise, Chris, Tony and Carl. Great to see them and it was enhanced by meeting Francois from TOMCC then topped by finding British Bike Bits Phil there too. Phil is not just a smashing chap but also the go-to guy if you need parts, advice or anything to do with classic Triumph. And the bar? Even BETTER than it used to be!
The International Jampot rally 2014
German IJR June 2014
Words and pictures by Steve Rogers
A rather depleted heart of England section began to assemble outside Steve and Carol’s house. First to arrive was Barry (minus Pam, as she is a little poorly at the moment) soon followed by Dave and Elaine. Barry had obviously put in some hours and spent a few bob on his bike as it was now sporting new tyres and inner tubes. Clearly a man not taking any chances. Steve and Carol were taking their motorhome, trailering their bike behind it. Their plan was to stay in Germany after the rally and do some sight-seeing.
We set off in high spirits for the Harwich ferry. After about 20 miles Barry (our leader) began to slow, then speeded up then slowed again and stopped completely. On a very narrow very busy road we all pulled up behind him to see what the problem was. He had a puncture! The air was blue so we guessed he was not pleased! So out with the wheel and off with the tyre. As luck would have it Steve had just purchased a new inner tube as a spare for the journey. Upon inspection of the new but now punctured inner tube we discovered the puncture was caused by something round with a hole in the centre. Yes; the dished washer that should have been on the tube valve stem must have fallen off as he was fitting the tube. After very carefully fitting the 2nd new tube we were on our way again. Delay only twenty minutes.
Words and pictures by Steve Rogers
A rather depleted heart of England section began to assemble outside Steve and Carol’s house. First to arrive was Barry (minus Pam, as she is a little poorly at the moment) soon followed by Dave and Elaine. Barry had obviously put in some hours and spent a few bob on his bike as it was now sporting new tyres and inner tubes. Clearly a man not taking any chances. Steve and Carol were taking their motorhome, trailering their bike behind it. Their plan was to stay in Germany after the rally and do some sight-seeing.
We set off in high spirits for the Harwich ferry. After about 20 miles Barry (our leader) began to slow, then speeded up then slowed again and stopped completely. On a very narrow very busy road we all pulled up behind him to see what the problem was. He had a puncture! The air was blue so we guessed he was not pleased! So out with the wheel and off with the tyre. As luck would have it Steve had just purchased a new inner tube as a spare for the journey. Upon inspection of the new but now punctured inner tube we discovered the puncture was caused by something round with a hole in the centre. Yes; the dished washer that should have been on the tube valve stem must have fallen off as he was fitting the tube. After very carefully fitting the 2nd new tube we were on our way again. Delay only twenty minutes.
The crossing to Holland was smooth and
un-eventful. The weather was gradually getting brighter and warmer and Barry
led us through some wonderful scenery before arriving at Borsfleth. Steve and
Carol parked the motorhome in the designated area opposite the main site and
Dave and Barry erected their tents alongside. The weather being in the mid to
high 20’s it was decided that a BBQ was in order for the Thursday evening as
the rally did not actually start until the next day
The rally runs were well thought out as was the organisation for food etc. Prices not too bad, fuel slightly cheaper than home.
The riverboat to Hamburg was a delight; a packed lunch was taken on board during the journey. The rally organisers had hired the whole boat exclusively for rally members.
The rally runs were well thought out as was the organisation for food etc. Prices not too bad, fuel slightly cheaper than home.
The riverboat to Hamburg was a delight; a packed lunch was taken on board during the journey. The rally organisers had hired the whole boat exclusively for rally members.
A great time was had by all, Monday came all too fast and it was time to pack-up. The temperature was now in the 30’s (midday). Dave, Elaine and Barry said their goodbyes to Steve and Carol and headed for the ferry.
Another rally over but not too sad as we still have the Jampot and Alternative rallies to attend.
Thank you Steve for the report.
Another rally over but not too sad as we still have the Jampot and Alternative rallies to attend.
Thank you Steve for the report.
Evening Run to Sherington
Our evening run to ‘The White Hart’ at Sherington on Thursday 12th June was great fun. It was excellent to see Darren at The White Horse again and meet his beautiful wife and daughter. They may also join us for our forthcoming summer walk. Darren has a lovely Matchless twin with original patina. Very nice! Simon and Tripta arrived on their latest acquisition, an AJS twin, freshly rebuilt. The bike looked sweet and sounded as good as it looked. Unfortunately the nipple fell off the brake cable as they rode into the car park. In usual section style there was soon a posse repairing it. Jon produced an emergency solderless nipple and Lawrence set to fitting it. In correct Heart of England tradition there was one person doing the work and half a dozen telling him how they’d do it differently. The nipple was soon mounted and promptly fell off at first application of lever. Undeterred, it was soon refitted per committee agreement and then proved secure enough to get S&T home. The ride to the Hart was superb with Conway expertly guiding us through the scenic route. The sun was very low though and a little dazzling occasionally. Safely ensconced in the pub it was agreed that all future summer evening runs would take place in a North-South direction only, er, possibly…. Barry was able to tell us all about his adventures at The International in Germany. It sounded like a splendid time.
The 2014 Weekend Away to Selsey
The Heart of England Weekend away from Saturday 24th May to Monday 26th was a rollicking success. Unfortunately Bob and Lyn had to pull out at the last minute but it still left a nice size group. Unusually for us there was only one AMC bike. Thank goodness for Barry giving us a token club machine showing. Lawrence had to travel there and back by car as his bikes were all in various states of dismantling. While at Selsey he travelled pillion on Simon’s Rocket 3 and found it necessary to re-arrange his internal organs after each trip. That is one fast accelerating bike! As always, Elaine was first in the sea and Dave showed off his eye-wateringly impressive pear drops. On Sunday the ladies shopped, the boys’ did Tangmere air museum. The curator there greeted our group and asked “all OAP admissions except the youngster (Simon)”? “I’m their carer” quoth Simon. Cheeky monkey! Mind it did get him reduced admission too. Tripta met us afterwards, carrying many shopping bags. No wonder he needs to economise.....
The food was fab and the venues we visited were fascinating. You can see photos in ‘recent pictures’
The food was fab and the venues we visited were fascinating. You can see photos in ‘recent pictures’
David talks us through Jerry Cans
The section was entranced by David William’s talk about Jerry cans. Ex-racer David held us spellbound with information and pictures about their development and production. He told an intriguing tale about an everyday item that one normally takes for granted. It was amusing to discover that the English were using German Jerry cans towards the end of WW2 and vice versa as the fronts ebbed and flowed and we each snaffled the others supplies. The talk was followed by a charity raffle for two Jerry cans, donated by David, and an engraved gearbox inspection cover, custom engineered and donated by Eddie. Such was ticket demand that Simon even phoned in for some! Mick, Eddie and Barry were our lucky winners and £83.00 was raised. David selected Marie Curie Cancer Care Nurses to donate the money too. This was duly done. This means that from the event Heart of England have paid for four hours nursing to make some poor soul more comfortable in their last weeks. Everyone was really pleased to see Mick back at section events and fighting fit again too. That made a grand evening even better!
Log Fire Run 2014 ~ Wot, no snow??
Against most precedent our Log Fire run was not cancelled due to blizzard conditions. Unbelievably it was SUNNY AND WARM! We met at a packed Jack's Hill cafe surrounded by a loitering load of sad old posers eager to be filmed by the BBC for a programme about ‘Mods and Rockers’. Still, there were so many people there that I knew, that I dallied a little, gossiping and enjoying the ambience, no other reason. When I looked around our group had gone! Hurtling onto my trusty steed I raced along, as in the movies, and using a secret short cut arrived at The Kings Arms before our motley crew arrived. Bob looked suitably astonished, “I could have sworn your Triumph was at the tail end when we set off” quoth he. A likely story as I was on my trusty Ajay. I know when they are trying to get rid of me. Ha, it’s not that easy when I have this to speed me along! So we supped ale in the secret garden at the pub and admired the strange and scary features all around us. It is a very unusual garden too (ah, the old jokes are the best……). It was hard to drag ourselves away from such a fine hostelry but Master Bob had a scenic run planned for us so off we went. By crikey, a beautiful run it was too! The English countryside is incredibly gorgeous and Mr. N knows how to find the very best. It made one feel like a bit like this. We got a closer look at the scenery too as, just turning onto the A5, Eddie’s clutch cable snapped. How many Heart of England members does it take to change a clutch cable? One person but he did need three toolkits! Mind, it doesn’t take long when you are as skilled as Ed. Once at The George no time was wasted in checking and reviewing the inn’s stock. I can report the beverages, provisions and company were fab! Too soon we had to set off home. The only downside to the day was that despite loitering and hanging around at Jack's Hill cafe I didn’t get filmed by the BBC..........
Thanks Bob for a great day. Pictures HERE.
Thanks Bob for a great day. Pictures HERE.
Annual Dinner 2014
Saturday 22nd February saw the Heart of England Annual Dinner at The Three Locks in Stoke Hammond. Gaye and Simon, with help from Conway and Tripta, made this a stellar evening. There was grand crowd and making it even more special was the presence of some of Heart of England’s early members and some more recent ones. Simon and Tripta had selected a superb venue and Gaye and Conway organised it very efficiently with lots of fun thrown in by them for good measure. Simon was our Master of Ceremonies for the night. He looked resplendent and did a fantastic job. Once the meal was eaten, his ‘hands’ game got the party atmosphere started beautifully. Barry made a hilarious speech with a lesson for us all at the start. Fortunately his voice carries well as he had to compete with a group of four ladies from another part of the restaurant who had the LOUDEST voices I have ever heard! Gaye gave the ladies’ reply and made many of the ladies weep with laughter. The chaps couldn’t really see what was so funny…… The 'Pist'nBroke' award was presented to ‘Team Plumb’ in grateful recognition of all Barry and Pam do for us, er, and also because Pam displayed excellent control in the ladies mud slalom event at Aspley Guise. As ever, the Secret Santa was hilarious. Who would have guessed there was a ‘Fifty Shades of Grey Crumpet Handler? I tried it this morning and can report that it works boootifully. I am very grateful to whoever gave that one! Simon ended the evening by giving everyone a ‘going home’ bag which was very well received. The night was over all too soon. Many thanks to Gaye and Simon for such a splendid time. Pictures here
Dean's Amazing Quiz
I always did have my concerns about Audrey Hepburn, and Dean confirmed these at his amazing quiz night on Thursday 13th February. ‘Cat’ indeed! Dean steered us through a jolly evening of fun, laughter and amusement as he took the reins for the evening. Please, please, please can we do this again? It was hilarious and educational, definitely joining the echelons of our favourite events. Who could have foreseen that HoE would struggle to recognise ‘pubs we have visited’? Mind, they do look different from an aeroplane….. The questions that taxed us most were the ‘Girlie’ section set by Lindsay. I did rather well on that section but before aspersions are cast I must say that, fortunately, it was with Susi's help. Beer and other prizes were dispensed to the winners. It was indeed an evening of mystery and enlightenment. Roll on next year!
Bob's Music Quiz
There was an exceptionally large turn-out on Thursday 9th January for Bob’s Music Quiz. It was a very jolly evening as Bob led us on a merry jaunt through the music of 1965 to 1969. The tales members told of the memories evoked by the tunes were eye-opening. Who would have guessed one of us spent many weeks of his pocket money feeding a jukebox so he could hear ‘King Midas in Reverse’ by The Hollies over and over again? Why would he want to? Who had their first kiss to ‘Just One Look’? I wonder if he got that look…..
The quiz was a closely fought battle but there can only be one winner. Actually, there were two as Barry and Tony triumphed over all the other teams. They carried off the prize of a pack of scented candles kindly provided by Simon. I would have done much better if I hadn’t been only six years old in the Sixties…….. Many thanks to Bob for another great evening. We have already re-booked him for 2015!
The quiz was a closely fought battle but there can only be one winner. Actually, there were two as Barry and Tony triumphed over all the other teams. They carried off the prize of a pack of scented candles kindly provided by Simon. I would have done much better if I hadn’t been only six years old in the Sixties…….. Many thanks to Bob for another great evening. We have already re-booked him for 2015!