Day One…. Did you know that Pete is 50??
Bikes finally checked and all gear stowed and packed; we set out to catch up with Pete to celebrate his 50th birthday at the Plough in Farcet Fen. Off we head with sunny skies towards the good route… A6006 to Melton Mowbray and the A606, past Rutland Water, to the A1.
This trip, having splashed out on a pair of Midland G7‘s complete with headsets and PTT kits from Maplin, we have bike to bike communication. This proved invaluable for being able to talk while still moving in town, and gives two pairs of eyes for spotting cashpoints in Oakham. Not so good on the motorways or above 50MPH with the bottom end (cheap) mikes we have which came as an offer with the radios.
First issue found, the maps I had loaded on the GPS were not ROUTING maps! Bugger, means we can only tell where we are , and not depend on the magic box. No probs really,as we are loaded to the gunwales with Michelin maps…
First minor navigation problem was the road I thought I could take is now closed off due to a bypass being built! Diversion is in place, but signs run out… a quick u-turn and we are in territory I know and arrive in style… not too late and not the last.
Tent goes up presents are presented and we get stickered… boy do we get stickered. Dawn, Pete’s other half, has three times the number of stickers for the event she was expecting and they all have to be used. Great, stickers,kids and drunk bikers… what a combination for mischief.
Pete’s do coincides with a wedding and another birthday party that is a mini music festival. Apart from the wedding the guests mingle and get drunk together… the wedding guests are a wee bit discomforted by lots of people staggering round wearing yellow stickers stating “Pete’s not accident prone but a bit unlucky and 50!” And finding them on their cars…wonder how that happened….
We imbibe some of the local brew and after a brief torchlight lust session over the Wunderlich BMW parts catalogue with Bowser we head for bed… quiet start really.
