On the Road Again!

The usual start time of 10am. I left home around 9.40am and arrived just after 10am. Quite a few bikes on the recently concreted "motorcycles only" parking strip. I was at the end nearest the café . Cal already there with a tea. We went in and ordered.  Neil turned up and we ate, drank more tea/coffee and it rained. We've barely had anything for around 5 weeks! The problem we have, and no doubt other countries also have, is "summer ice". It's the rubber build up on the road surface that becomes slippery when wet. Just like the Bon Jovi song!!! Luckily, it wasn't too bad apart from the roundabout at Brenzett. More due to a diesel spill. You could smell it. We waited for the rain to pass and the sun came out again. Then left. So that's another 30 miles on the odometer.  July total 46!

The idea was meet around 10, have breakfast and then take a ride around. Casually past the Biker Pics guy nearby.  The 10 bit worked. We sat talking until 1pm. Then went home!! In the end another 20+ miles on the clock. Now Vera has 388 since the mot. Only 2 less than the entire previous year.... Follow me on my trip ‘Jo-s’ at https://www.polarsteps.com/PaulDevall/20622173-jo-s?s=f596a882-77c3-45eb-80fc-4f7e61d90715

A short run out to Jo's Cafe just off the A259 at Brookland in Kent. Just three of us! It was the first time I had been out since April 5th!  Once the bike started, third press on the button, the FI light flashed on and off. The engine light also on. I sprayed the exhaust valve with WD40. On the third engine stop start it cleared. Vera Strom ran perfectly after that. I saw another V-Strom parked up and went over next to it. I thought I had taken a photo but my phone thought otherwise. Luckily when Ian arrived he took one. I didn't spot the owner. In the past I organised a meeting for local V-Strom Club and was pretty much Billy No-Mates. The Meldrews seem to be going the same way. Attendance once a month is very low. After breakfast I took a couple that the phone did take! After this I took a longer way around to put some miles under the rubber.

Today was Suzi Triplo day to go out on a ride. As she hadn't been started for a few weeks it took a few stabs on the kickstart to get her started. Once on the road following Cal it seemed like she was unwilling to pull that easily. A little sluggish. We made it to Jo's and sat outside in the sun. Today there were five of us to enjoy a chat and a breakfast. Around noon we all set off for different rides around the area and home. My first stop was at the old church on Romney Marsh - Thomas Becket at Brookland.  The church and surrounding fields has been in several TV programmes and movies. Usually something by Dickens.  I turned around on the lane to get a good view of it in the background. From there it was head had to the A259 and home. Some roads are a little gravelly in the centre, some muddy and some in cow🐄 exhaust..... 😉 I managed to avoid any of the latter.  As I arrived in New Romney and filtered to the front of traffic waiting at a red light for road...

Today was a planned ride out to a new to me café at Brookland in Kent. It had been advertised on the V-Strom Club UK Facebook page and the club's forum.  It was a cold day. Dry but temperature hovering around 6°C but once on the go it was okay for a ride. I tried the Yamaha My Ride app and once again it didn't work. I am loathed to uninstall it as it has some historical rides on it.  I tried the new Detecht app. That worked in both directions, but doesn't have the same depth of data collection and presentation as My Ride. I suppose it's suck it and see. I arrived at Jo's just around 1030am. The car park seemed very full. The café though wasn't. It would appear all the cars were for the adjacent model car racing circuit.   On the way in there are two big potholes filled with water. Easy to avoid but might catch out the unwary. There were no other bikes. I went in and there were loads of tables. I chose one where it was easy to be seen. Ordered a coffee and a Tun...