On the Road Again!

After a week of scraping ice off the car and -4C (24.8F) mornings I decided that if I was going to be going on my own that I would abort. Too cold and miserable on your own. As well as that "fair weather biker" excuse I got a real one. Trying to catch the dog in the garden I twisted the end joint on my left index finger, making it so painful I couldn't even pull the zipper on my jeans left handed!  I am left handed BTW!  So pulling the clutch was o-u-t! So with Meldrew's clubmate Cal pulling out with a knee injury I decided that abort was best. Oh well!

After a couple of years as Johnny No-Mates,  I again put it on the Meldrews Facebook page to see if anyone wants to go this year. So far not many takers. This year will be 30 years since I went for the very first time....... I have a spare crossing on Eurotunnel to use, one that I originally booked for the Charles Devall Memorial Ride  and then changed when we went as a family in the car. I still had the motorcycle booking to re-use. The plan is as usual. An early but not too early crossing to Calais, either by Eurotunnel train (me and maybe others!) or the ferry (others), and ride along to Ostend where the local club, Motor & Toerisme Vrienden Oostende have hosted the Sinterklaastreffen for over 45 years. Once again the rally will be over a weekend but we have begun going for just the day over the last few years. Sometimes we go and join in the ride around with St Nick, other times we go, have lunch, buy chocolates and watch them ride past.  It depen...

My first St Nicks was back in 1985. I went with my then partner Audrey on my MZ250ETZ and Tony and Heather Young on, if I remember rightly, a BMW R100RT. We went for many years and stayed at the Polaris Hotel. Then with wife Claire we went until it closed we dropped weekends to become day-trippers. The last few years have been less good, breakdowns, sickness and bad weather have all stopped me from going. I booked on Seafrance for £12.50 return and will go over and see how it is. Billy No-Mates?