Some pictures here.
Of all the regular annual events, this has to be the one I have participated in most consistently. The weather has usually - if reluctantly - turned the corner and the chance to get out on the bike can't be ignored. Plus there's fish and chips at the other end.
Meeting up at the Pied Bull were about a dozen bikes of all persuasions. Included in our number were Chris B, Bob, Ian and Julie, (BMW) Ray, Tom Friar, Ian P, Andy, Phil, Barry with Paul and Alison joining us along the way. (Apologies to those I've left out!) We set off following Barry who was promising a variation on the usual route, which I must admit has got a bit same-ish over the years. We were not to be disappointed!
This route took us through Hildenborough, Chiddingstone, Penshurst, Fordcome, Langton Green, Groombridge Hartfield, Forest Row, Lewes, Rottingdean and finally into Brighton from the East. It was a most scenic ride, enhanced by some clear sunny weather.
Somewhere along the way we stopped for BMW Ray (on his new BMW) to get petrol. In the process Barry's Tiger started behaving in the most strange manner: first it dumped a load of coolant out of the breather pipe onto the ground. Then to our collective surprise, all the cooling system hoses lost pressure and went flat, indicating some sort of vacuum inside. A bit of fiddling with the header tank cap and revving of the engine and it seemed that pressure was restored, but there was much head-scratching as to the cause.
Once in the vicinity of Brighton, we took the road down to the Eastern end of Madiera Drive where there was adequate bike parking. One indication of the clement weather was a sizeable contingent of very shiny (and mostly very new) Harleys coming in soon after us.
Having parked up we wandered casually along the seafront admiring the usual display of highly polished but also highly eccentric machinery from bygone days. Our destination however was the pier for some fish and chips. There we encountered Chris Wallacher and friends who were snacking al fresco.
A fine fish meal was enjoyed (apart from those who had chicken etc.) and we then strolled back to our bikes past the ranks of old bikes, which were thinning out a bit by that time, and who can blame them. Now near the end of our meal a decision had been reached to take the opportunity of a fine afternoon to go home via the White Horse at Sundridge, run by former landlord of the Pied Bull, Jim and family. Ray described the best route back there with some authority, not revealing that he was not proposing to come with us!
Therefore, many miles up the road on the M27, with Ray leading, much confusion was experienced when he did not take either possible turnoff for the A25 but carried on to the M25 and home. Only Chris B had the conviction to turn off and head for the agreed objective, so it was a rather sheepish group of us who called him from the Pied Bull, our fall-back option, to see where he was.
After saying a brief hello and goodbye, Chris got back on the road and was with us after a short while. The missed opportunity was unfortunate, so those of us still around agreed to have an ad-hoc run over to the White Horse a couple of weeks later on 2 April, which was another enjoyable outing blessed by good-ish weather.
Thanks to Barry for leading this run and giving us a different route to enjoy.