On the Road Again!

Up early and off to Nell's Cafe to meet Neill, my brother, and Frank from the Kent Centre. I was first to arrive and got myself a mug of tea and a bacon sandwich. Service at Nell's is very quick! Neill arrived and ordered then Frank. By the time we had eaten it was getting on for ten and we set off. Booking in ends at 1130 and we we were well in time. Neill added his friend Bill to the list of riders that have died this year and when it came to Roar of Remembrance, most riders fired u the bikes. The air got a little foggy with all the exhaust. Pano of assemble bikes Me and Dora Rain was forecast for the day and we had avoided it during the day and as we turned into the cemetery it started and by the time we were at the ceremony, it started to rain hard.  We made it though under the thunder to the new visitor centre.  Out of the rain we could check out the displays. Very poignant.  It needs a longer visit to fully appreciate and maybe later in the year...

It's tomorrow and this year as always it will go from Cambridge Services on the A14 into Cambridge and out again to Madingley Cemetery. Madingley is the main cemetery for US Forces in the UK. The walls are covered with the names of 5127 airmen killed in WW2 and that have no known grave. Mostly from the Battle of the North Atlantic and bombing raids over occupied Europe. We owe these men our freedom. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_American_Cemetery_and_Memorial

Registration opened the evening and so I booked my brother "Woody" and me in.  It costs £5 a head and the funds raised go to Royal British Legion in the UK. The various US groups direct their funds to US charities. If you live near one of the Rides, sign up and go along. UK Registration Main Site

Another early date for the diary. The AMRR will be on June 28th 2014 and as usual the meeting place will be the Cambridge  Service area on the A14, to the west of this famous University city. Our local group plan to meet as usual at Nell's Café on the A2 at Swanscombe near Gravesend to leave about 0930 or so.  Depending on the traffic through the Dartford Crossing it only takes about an hour to cruise up there. The last couple of years have seen plenty of hot dry weather. Let's hope for more of the same in 2014. Compared to the Ride of Respect, the AMRR is a more intimate affair. Having done the first three ROR's at Wootton Bassett, I much prefer the smaller run to Cambridge. Same idea though to raise money for our ex-servicemen and to pay respects for their sacrifice. It's NOT about glorifying war at all.