On the Road Again!

The trip is confirmed for 19th April and has been advertised on the SOC Discussion Boards as well as to the Centre. We have 8 or 9 bikes going across on the 0800 Seafrance sailing to Calais, returning at 2245. This gives us plenty of time to get to Ypres via the Trench of Death at Diksmuide, then a second stop at Canada Farm (where one of the guys on the trip has a relative to visit) and then on into Ypres to have lunch and look at the sights in town. (Click on map to see full size) After lunch we begin the afternoon trip round the Salient. (Click on map to see full size). The circuit goes clockwise calling in at few sites and a few Museums. This should take us up to about 6pm or so. After dinner or a snack we can then go across to the Menin Gate for the 8pm Last Post Ceremony. After the ceremony it is a more leisurely ride back to the ferry port to get home than our usual mad dash! As long as we take less than two hours we will be in plenty of time!

Had a good run across on the A25. It used to be scenic but not so much traffic. When I lived in Camberley and when I had just joined the SOC, we used to ride across the A25 from Guildford to Sevenoaks and then up to Brands Hatch. I'm sure there were more open limited sections in those days. Yesterday, there seemed to be too much hatching in the centre of the road and all too many 40 and 50 limits. It didn't stop the weekend-warriors overtaking us and the cars across solid double white lines. These guys are so much better riders than us. It's amazing none of them are in BSB or even racing at club level. Perhaps that would mean actually being able to ride? We had a bit of a detour around Shere before we found the ford. I was hoping to get a picture of Paul B and Ian G coming through, but a Freelander came along the narrow exit track and put paid to that. It's not very deep, but has enough water in it to wet the underside of the engine! After the...