InvictaMoto's On The Road Again!

I had an email today from the Somme Association, the organisation that is organizing the commemoration at the Ulster Tower, to say that our last minute application had been successful. We had sent our details inc passport numbers to them and they have sent a new form to us to ask pretty much the same information, plus a signature. I have sent a copy to all those going and we have until March 16th to get them back, signed. Some links! http://www.greatwar.co.uk/somme/memorial-36-division-ulster-tower.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_Tower http://www.visit-somme.com/somme_tourisme/decouvrez/les_sites_de_la_grande_guerre/tour_d_ulster http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/thiepval/ulster-tower.php

On Saturday I went to Tesco to visit the opticians. For non-UK readers that's a little like Walmart. Except Tesco don't sell guns and ammunition. The eye test was free, and as I am over 60 now, it would have been anyway. They were very thorough and my prescription has changed a little. The right eye needing a slightly stronger lens than before.  I've not had a new pair for quite a few years and as we pay into Simplyhealth insurance I thought I'd splash out on a decent designer pair. There is an offer of buy one pair get another free.  So I have opted for a pair of Oakley's with plain lenses and a pair of Ray-Bans with sunglass lenses. As I need reading glasses I opted for a cheap pair. No designer needed. Ray-Ban RB5814 Oakley OX8026 Currency Ordered on Saturday and I had a call tonight to say two pairs are ready. But which two?

In the week the weather forecast for today was dry but dull and 14°C. The reality was mild, very dull and drizzly at times.  The road was dry in places but mostly wet and the mud spread on the centre was pretty awful. The ride up to the Blue and White for the breakfast meet was a bit hairy on the muddy bends, and the wind was a bit gusty. I rode past another biker meeting the, the Airport Cafe, where there werenobikesbut a car park filled with four wheel boxes. I was the second bike at the B&W. David already there but also in his car. Cal arrived soon after and we had a good chat over breakfast about all kinds of things including the Somme and Railway trips. After a couple of hours we went our separate ways. Shame there were only the three of us. The ride was okay, but not much to have done more than get mud on the bike.

After 16 days on the road, including a few rest days, the Challenge has been aborted. Not due to any of the guys having a problem, but a strange dispute about liability insurance between the Veterans for Veterans that are doing the walking and the Garrison Girls charity that have been collecting the money. It all seems very nasty at the moment so it means that my out-riding debut is cancelled. Hopefully they will manage to get something sorted with another charity umbrella and try again later in the year.

This year it looks like two trips away. A short one to Oldham and a longer one to Brno. The Devall Boys

Had no idea what a meme is. Although it seems like a picture with captions? Maybe this is one?

I sent a group request to the organisers of the Newfoundland commemoration at Beaumont- Hamel  as a backup to the ballot entries at Thiepval back in December.  Once we knew that only two of us were successful for that ballot, I asked the remaining members of the group to send a group email to the Newfoundland organisers as well. As we hadn’t heard back, and we had covered our bases with a group booking to the Ulster Tower event, I dropped an email to Paulette in Canada. She replied last evening, office hours over there, and said that they were finalising details with the French for park and rides and security on the day.  I went straight back to ask whether we had been successful and she said that everyone had been accepted on the list….   At the moment I have no idea if that’s just my entries or all the entries we sent in!  Wait and see I guess.

Although I was unable to go on the bike run, I did get to go for a walk with Claire and Reggie to the White Cliffs. Now that we have started to name storms, it was apparently Imogen that was bearing down on us. The sea was rough and the wind blowing a gale. Langdon Cliff Claire and Reggie But nothing can stop a break for a cup of tea and a scone.

Sadly I didn't go. Apart from bad weather I wasn't feeling too good.  Every so often as a result of my low heart pumping capacity, I have bouts of fatigue and my day is ruined, or at least the early part is.

Movember wristbands There can't be many people that have never known anyone that has died from cancer. There will be others that are lucky enough to know someone that has recovered from cancer. There will be others that have survived the illness themselves. Days like this are to bring awareness to the world. A wristband won't help find a cure but it will raise money to fund research into fighting and eradicating this some time in the future. It will no doubt be too late for people of my generation, indeed it may take several generations before the battle is won. The ball is in our court.

As we are into the centenary year since the Battle of the Somme,  I have changed the URL to reflect that the blog is about many trips and not just the 98th. That meant the title and the description needed to be changed as well.   I hope that if anyone that was a follower will stay followers! http://somme-anniversary-trips.blogspot.co.uk/

The good news is that The Paulster and  Pepe le Rouge  have been chosen for the outrider duty.  Good news.  The walk started on time and for the first few days they have made progress and are on schedule.

Ici la route pour “Shuttle Un”.

With the main focus of the trip being the commemorations on Friday 1 st July, the day to get down there, Thursday, has become a day for different groups to make their own way to Amiens.  The meeting place being the Hotel Central & Anzac in the afternoon. I have planned a substantially off-motorway run down there from Coquelles to Amiens for the group to be known as “Shuttle One” that will include a lunch break. “Shuttle One” will be crossing over a little later than usual as Claire and I have to get Reggie the dog to the kennels near Wye for his weekend break. So I booked the 1120 out from UK.   We have been joined on this team by Ken Fulton and David Robinson. This poses a problem for lunch!  Our arrival time will be about 1300 French time. So I have been looking for a lunch spot.  A popular "routier" for us is near Abbeville but it will be far too late by the time we get off the train and ride there. I have however found another in Boulogne.  M...

With the Thiepval tickets sorted the next thing was for those that were unsuccessful to try again, at another site. First up was the Canadian commemoration at Beaumont-Hamel where we went in 2015 on the way to Amiens. I passed an email around the Meldrews to register us as a group. This was way back and as yet we have not heard back. Then last week I saw on the Irish Brigades site that we had until January 31st to enter the process to get to the commemoration at the Ulster Tower. I quickly emailed around for personal details and passport numbers for the Meldrews and Sunday morning that went off.  On Feb 1st I had an acknowledgement that our entry has been received. So now we wait.

There is a group of veterans doing a charity walk from Land’s End to London via the entire south coast. They are walking under the banner of “Veterans4Veterans”. They approached the Royal British Legion Riders for some help with providing outriders for their walk. Needing two riders a day to lead and Tail-End their walkers along mainly A and B roads. They are hoping to walk around 20 miles a day and this will bring them into Kent on Day22, or February 22 nd .   I am an RBLR member and contacted the local rep to volunteer my services, if needed, on Day 23, when the walkers will go from New Romney to Dover. They will pass my house, or at least 200 yards from it and although I won’t walk, I have volunteered to do my bit and be one of the outriders. Waiting to see. I have the day booked off work to take part.   It is a good cause, raising awareness and money for military charities supporting our service personnel suffering from PTSD and homelessness.

The Fred Hill Run is this coming Sunday.  Hopefully the weather will be kind to us this year.  I have been a few times before but  missed last year as I awoke to ice and freezing conditions so Dora stayed in the garage!   I led the 2014 ride from the famous Ace Café to Pentonville Prison and so this year it falls to someone else to lead.  The route looks to be A40 to Kings Cross and then up Caledonian Road to the prison.  It looks as though I will be the only Meldrew on the run, although our Midlands member, Elaine, might have a run down to meet us. I must ensure the battery on my camera is charged up and I remember to insert a memory card this year (!) to make sure I get Pepe le Rouge pictured outside the café! The last time with Döra was a foul-up. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Hill_(Civil_Rights_Activist) http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/default.aspx