Weymouth
Week 14th to 21st May 2011
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photo to see a larger picture - then just click your back button
to come back to this article.)
Terry and Dilys Hopes, Bruce and
Diane Grant, plus Jean and I had all entered this event. We were taking
the
vintage
Indian to ride during the Sunday's Weymouth run and our Moto Morini for
the rest of the week. 
Terry had his Guzzi V50 and Bruce
his Honda 400
four. Terry, Dilys and motor home had arrived on the campsite at
Bagwell Farm on the Friday, whilst we didn't leave home until midday
on Saturday. On arrival at the campsite
we left our bikes and trailer with Terry before heading off to
check into our B&B. Back at the
campsite that evening there was a get together in the main marquee,
by
which time Bruce and Di had arrived. We had a pleasant social evening
and also a briefing on the week to come. The weather promised
to be
good for the week, which was nice to know. A bonus was
that our friends, Willy and Mady from Antwerp, were also at the event.
Sunday
15th
The day of
the 44th Weymouth Run and we all set off from the
campsite at 10am to head for the front of Weymouth and the start area
in front of the Pavilion. The run commenced at 11am and we were flagged
off by the Mayor of Weymouth who was ably assisted by our own club
President, Colin Bell. I had opted for the short route of 40
miles, as had Terry and Bruce, and soon we were away along the
seafront.
Within 100 yards Terry took the wrong turning and Bruce followed - both
last seen heading into the back streets of Weymouth. We headed
off along the 'proper' route and out into the country. It was a lovely
day and I did enjoy the ride on the bike. We passed through Dorchester
and then doubled back along the coast towards Weymouth.
With only 5 miles or
so to go Terry and Bruce had caught us up, so we stopped to compare
notes for 15 minutes and find out if their tour of Weymouth's back
streets was enjoyable, before setting off back to the Pavilion on
the seafront and the concours judging.
Some of the
150 or so bikes are in
the following photos:
Would you believe it but the Indian
was awarded the Best Vintage cup -
a rather giant of a thing and too difficult to carry back on the bike
so it was left with one of the organisers in the hope that we could
recover it later, which we did, of course.
The only
mishap of the day happened when we were about to leave the assembly
area. Having started the Indian, I promptly fell off it as I threw my
right leg over the bike. I unbalanced and my leg gave way and down the
bike went, taking the next two bikes in the line with it. Nothing
damaged apart from my squashed right knee and pride, of course.
The evening
consisted of a run out to Portland Bill and a stop
at the 'Codfather' for fish & chips.
Monday
16th
The "Marshwood Vale run" headed out
to the west and then turned north towards Somerset
and Ilchester. The lunch stop was at the Perry
cider makers in Dowlish Wake. Nice lunch, and many of us
bought some cider to sample later on.
On the return journey to Bagwell farm
we stopped at a craft centre. Ok, I can't remember where it was, but
the tea and cake was more than fine. Not sure about our look
around some of the craft shops though, as all the goods on offer were
well over-priced.
Now then, it
is our usual practice to call at the fuel station just a
few miles before Bagwell and fill the bike tanks so that we're all
ready for the following days run. I pulled in and stopped at the first
pump with Bruce and Terry fighting to be first to the remaining pump.
We filled our bikes and then Bruce asked "anyone seen my bike
keys?". The answer was no, of course. We all searched the
forecourt, the payment office, even going through all the customary
racks of sweets. Nothing for it but to search Bruce - the girls did
have a good time and I'll say no more apart from the fact that the only
key that was found on him was one that he didn't know he had - needless
to say, it
wasn't the bike key. Next job, and the one
we'd left till last was to go through the rubbish bin, all to
no avail. All of us reached the same conclusion - the keys must be in
the fuel tank. Don't ask!! we couldn't figure it either.
As luck would
have it Bruce had a spare set of bike keys in his camper,
so Terry and Di set off to get them and were soon back. The Honda was
then mobile again, but the mystery remained.
That evening
was spent in the Marquee downing a few beers and trying to
complete a picture quiz. With a bit of cheating we didn't do too badly
but there's always someone else who's done better, isn't there? Still
it was a good evening.
Tuesday
17th
This was the
day of the longest ride to Sammy Millers museum. All of us
having been there a few times before we decided that we'd do
our own thing and settled for a shorter run to Clouds Hill and then on
to the Swanage steam railway. We were joined by Edwin and Mary riding a
lovely 1949 350cc Matchless, plus
Willy and Mady on their Rotax engined Jawa.
Clouds Hill
was the home of Lawrence of Arabia and is now owned and
maintained by the National Trust. We found the site ok, but would you
believe it - Tuesday was the day when it was closed.
Nothing for
it but on to Norden and the Park and Ride for the Swanage
railway.
At the ticket office
Bruce tried his
charm. "Any discounts for senior citizens?", "No" was the
reply. "How about a discount for a party?", Bruce said, "No" was the
reply. "Any chance of a discount for a group of Vintage
Motorcyclists?", "No" came the final reply. Well we tried!!
We didn't have to wait long before the
train arrived from Swanage, pulled by 'Manston' a 1947 built Bullied
'Battle of Britain' class Pacific. I must say that I'm very much a
Great Western man and did feel that the pacific 'Spam can', as they are
nicknamed, was a touch too large a
loco to be running on a branch line. Still it was steam and the 6 mile
run to Swanage most enjoyable.
We meandered into Swanage and soon
found a nice pub for lunch. Afterwards an ice cream for those that
could manage one and then a walk along the pier, which has an
admission charge.
The train ride back to Norden was again
behind 'Manston'. Halfway back we were delayed for 15 minutes or so, as
the engine suffered a blow back, resulting in the canvas roof between
the tender
and engine catching fire.
The evening
entertainment was from Bonny Sartin. He was very much a one
man show and had been a member of the Yetties folk group who gave their
last show in April after nearly 50 years of providing entertainment.
Bonny beguiled us with monologues and a few songs for nearly two hours
- and good he was.
Wednesday
18th
The day of
the Jurassic coast run to Lyme Regis. The
night before we had been told not to stop at the Crown Inn, somewhere
or other - so, having completely forgotten that instruction we set off
on the route. After an hour or so we came to a pub with quite a few
bikes in
the car park, so, we stopped. You've guessed it, it was the Crown Inn
and it wasn't until we entered the bar and ordered coffee that we
were told that we shouldn't have stopped, as they had a big lunch time
event to prepare for - but our order and money was readily accepted,
along with everyone elses. It was a bit of a fight to get the coffee as
it was obvious that the pub was not ready for us at all. Anyway, on to
Lyme.
By the time we arrived in Lyme Regis
the weather looked a bit dark - so it was straight into the
nearest pub for lunch. Bruce and Di had done their own thing that
morning and had been off visiting friends, however, they soon found us.
As we ate we watched the umbrellas passing the window and as luck would
have it things looked a lot better when we left the
pub. The Town Crier was in attendance and posed behind the best looking
bike in the car park - what more can I say? The run back to Bagwell
followed the coast and we had to negotiate some real thick low-lying
cloud that not only reduced visibility but was also quite wet.
The evening consisted of another quiz and a hog roast - which I must
say was good, the hog roast that is.
Thursday
19th
Before setting off
we all had a go at fishing for the Honda keys with a couple
of bits of bent wire, all with no success. So it was declared that
perhaps the keys were not in the tank - but where on earth could they
be? However, Di was convinced that she could hear them rattling in the
tank.
The
Blackmoor Vale run this day headed North towards Shaftesbury. The
coffee stop was at the Hambro Arms in Milton Abbas, but before
getting there I turned us into Milton Abbey. 
Now a private
school, we were able to visit the abbey and have a look around. It is
used by the school as their local chapel and when we arrived and
entered we found a lady teacher seated at a grand piano and coaching
a student in the singing of 'Bring him Home' from Les
Miserables. It sure was a haunting sound to be heard in the acoustics
of the abbey and one that I stood and listened to for quite a while.
The teacher herself had a beautiful voice and there was a temptation to
ask her to sing the song on her own - but we didn't interrupt - and
just enjoyed listening to the rendition.
Time
was
getting on, so we set off for the coffee stop at the Hambro
Arms and it wasn't
long before we were there. From the pub we set off for Shaftesbury and
the designated parking area in the town for the bikes at Abbey Walk.
You can't go to Shaftesbury without a
look at Gold Hill. Used in so many TV adverts, and in particularly the
Hovis ad. Quintessentially England and one that I had to photograph
myself. Then it was into a pub for lunch. Please don't get the idea
that we spent a lot of time in pubs, just a bit, that's all.
We had a stop at the viewing point for
the Cerne Abbas giant on the return to Bagwell Farm and took the
opportunity
for a bit of a photo shoot, before heading back on the final leg to the
camp site.
As we all had
to return home for the following days section
dinner/dance, none of us bothered to refill the fuel tanks before
getting back to Bagwell - so, back at base, Bruce took the opportunity
to try
fishing for his keys again and this time he removed the tank and after
turning it upside down - out they came. Mystery solved!!
Jean and I
returned to South Wales that evening whilst Bruce and Di
along with Terry and Dilys came back home on Friday morning. All in
all,
a super week even though we missed the Fridays ride out.
BP
Top of page
Terry had his Guzzi V50 and Bruce
his Honda 400
four. Terry, Dilys and motor home had arrived on the campsite at
Bagwell Farm on the Friday, whilst we didn't leave home until midday
on Saturday. On arrival at the campsite
we left our bikes and trailer with Terry before heading off to
check into our B&B. Back at the
campsite that evening there was a get together in the main marquee,
by
which time Bruce and Di had arrived. We had a pleasant social evening
and also a briefing on the week to come. The weather promised
to be
good for the week, which was nice to know. A bonus was
that our friends, Willy and Mady from Antwerp, were also at the event.
With only 5 miles or
so to go Terry and Bruce had caught us up, so we stopped to compare
notes for 15 minutes and find out if their tour of Weymouth's back
streets was enjoyable, before setting off back to the Pavilion on
the seafront and the concours judging.
Would you believe it but the Indian
was awarded the Best Vintage cup -
a rather giant of a thing and too difficult to carry back on the bike
so it was left with one of the organisers in the hope that we could
recover it later, which we did, of course.
The "Marshwood Vale run" headed out
to the west and then turned north towards Somerset
and Ilchester. The lunch stop was at the Perry
cider makers in Dowlish Wake. Nice lunch, and many of us
bought some cider to sample later on.
On the return journey to Bagwell farm
we stopped at a craft centre. Ok, I can't remember where it was, but
the tea and cake was more than fine. Not sure about our look
around some of the craft shops though, as all the goods on offer were
well over-priced.
At the ticket office
Bruce tried his
charm. "Any discounts for senior citizens?", "No" was the
reply. "How about a discount for a party?", Bruce said, "No" was the
reply. "Any chance of a discount for a group of Vintage
Motorcyclists?", "No" came the final reply. Well we tried!!
We didn't have to wait long before the
train arrived from Swanage, pulled by 'Manston' a 1947 built Bullied
'Battle of Britain' class Pacific. I must say that I'm very much a
Great Western man and did feel that the pacific 'Spam can', as they are
nicknamed, was a touch too large a
loco to be running on a branch line. Still it was steam and the 6 mile
run to Swanage most enjoyable.
We meandered into Swanage and soon
found a nice pub for lunch. Afterwards an ice cream for those that
could manage one and then a walk along the pier, which has an
admission charge.
The train ride back to Norden was again
behind 'Manston'. Halfway back we were delayed for 15 minutes or so, as
the engine suffered a blow back, resulting in the canvas roof between
the tender
and engine catching fire.
By the time we arrived in Lyme Regis
the weather looked a bit dark - so it was straight into the
nearest pub for lunch. Bruce and Di had done their own thing that
morning and had been off visiting friends, however, they soon found us.
As we ate we watched the umbrellas passing the window and as luck would
have it things looked a lot better when we left the
pub. The Town Crier was in attendance and posed behind the best looking
bike in the car park - what more can I say? The run back to Bagwell
followed the coast and we had to negotiate some real thick low-lying
cloud that not only reduced visibility but was also quite wet. 
Before setting off
we all had a go at fishing for the Honda keys with a couple
of bits of bent wire, all with no success. So it was declared that
perhaps the keys were not in the tank - but where on earth could they
be? However, Di was convinced that she could hear them rattling in the
tank.
Now a private
school, we were able to visit the abbey and have a look around. It is
used by the school as their local chapel and when we arrived and
entered we found a lady teacher seated at a grand piano and coaching
a student in the singing of 'Bring him Home' from Les
Miserables. It sure was a haunting sound to be heard in the acoustics
of the abbey and one that I stood and listened to for quite a while.
The teacher herself had a beautiful voice and there was a temptation to
ask her to sing the song on her own - but we didn't interrupt - and
just enjoyed listening to the rendition. 
You can't go to Shaftesbury without a
look at Gold Hill. Used in so many TV adverts, and in particularly the
Hovis ad. Quintessentially England and one that I had to photograph
myself. Then it was into a pub for lunch. Please don't get the idea
that we spent a lot of time in pubs, just a bit, that's all.
We had a stop at the viewing point for
the Cerne Abbas giant on the return to Bagwell Farm and took the
opportunity
for a bit of a photo shoot, before heading back on the final leg to the
camp site.