On the Road Again!

Looking forward to wrapping up in the FT and Cube outfit that served me so well on the Ring of Red. I probably won't go on the run again this year.  I prefer to meet some other Meldrews for breakfast and drop off some toys or cash and then watch them all leave.  I'll maybe charge up the Sanyo movie camera and get to the front and video the parade as they leave.

Only week away. This weekend it is bitterly cold. I went to the football at Arsenal yesterday and it was cold and wet. On the way home Storm Alwen had hit further north with snow and the usual traffic and rail disruption. We had high winds that trimmed trees if their dead branches. So it's 🤞 for next week. I have already  bought some Lego toys and today added a couple if teddy bears. Kids love a teddy 🐻 don't they? With the amount of salt and grit on the roads the Kettle will remain garaged. So it will have to be Vera Strom on the road. I'll need to get the hose out to wash the corrosive crap off the bike when I get home. The forecast for next Sunday is for an 8ºC high and a low of 4ºC.  No sun just murky, cold and cloudy. Need to wrap up warm and give one of my base layers a go! Monday 29th Bears are ready to be collected from Argos in Hythe. The weather forecast has changed slightly and the chances of precipitation have dropped but temperatures still the same 8ºC to 4ºC...

Saturday we had more snow. Although we didn't get too much but what we did have froze overnight before it got topped up. On top of that I had an overnight pukathon that left me feeling pretty shoddy. So I didn't go. The run actually went ahead with a vastly reduced turnout due to the awful weather. At least today I should have lost weight (!) as I have not eaten.

Already looking at bike things to do in the few months ahead. Before we know it the Whitstable Toy Run will be upon us and of course, the day before is the St Nicks Rally in Ostend.     Last year I was Billy No-Mates and went on my own. Without the aid of TomTom I was unable to find the new rally site and ended up having a drink and lunch in pretty much a bikerless city centre! The Toy Run had a turnout of three from the Kent Centre / Meldrews.... So what else is there?

Sunday 13th April.   This was the 30th Anniversary run organised by the Whitstable Toy Run Association.  And it was another good turnout. Both for the WTRA and also for the Kent Centre. The Kent Centre was possibly due to the NC making an appearance at the Blue & White, and also due to some new members of the SOC coming along to meet us. We set off later from the B&W than usual, and had only gone a mile or so when the "drop off" system had been forgotten.  I was playing tail-end Charlie and caught up with Norman and James (from Dorset) at Ashford's "magic roundabout", where traffic lanes change from traffic lights to traffic lights and no one makes much progress. I slipped to the front and led them up the A251 towards Faversham and then down the little spurt on the Thanet Way into Whitstable and the Gorrell Tank Car-Park. The rest of the group were already there by the time we turned up. Not all of us were goin...

Official Poster

After a day on my own in Belgium yesterday, I thought I'd chivvy Claire into getting her gear out of the wardrobe and get ready and come with me today. It was quite chilly when I pulled Dora out of the garage. I left the panniers on as the toys I bought a few weeks ago needed to go somewhere. The plan was to go to the Blue and White and meet other Kent Centre members. After yesterday's no show from anyone, I wasn't expecting much!  In the end when we pulled into the parking Graeme came out and we parked alongside his SV650. So at least there were three of us.  Graeme led us the Faversham route and we dropped onto the M2 and then Thanet Way to get into Whitstable.  We were quite early and the parking gradually filled up.  Someone later counted 242 bikes on the run, There were about a dozen left after they had left. Me and Graeme I didn't take as many photos as usual as I had the Sanyo digicam rather than a proper still camera. I did get one or two. The Vintage Club ha...

Things have been very quiet lately. I haven't had much opportunity to get out for a ride and hopefully that will be resolved tomorrow if the weather holds off. Forecasts are for half a month's worth of rain in a weekend; so not looking too clever. On the horizon though are two regular runs I go on. Sadly, they are always the same weekend! So about of a double header!! Firstly,  the Sinterklaastreffen. I have been most years since 1984, missing a few due to being in Czech working or bike breakdowns and last year snow. We used to go for the weekend, but once our favourite (and quirky) hotel, the Polaris,  closed, we started only going over for the day and sometimes, not even joining in the run itself! So what does the St Nicks Rally (as we call it in English) entail? For the day tripper it is an early ferry across to France and then a ride along the coast to Ostend. It's about 60 miles from Calais to the parking up place in Ostend. It is usually either very cold or simply w...

It's that time of year again when we tog up into the horrible conditions and go on the Toy Run. It is the same date as most years on the first Sunday in December. Hopefully it will be a mild day and people will turn out as usual in the many hundreds to make the day a success.

Whitstable Easter Egg Run 2009 Mosaic originally uploaded by Devaldinho . A few of the pics I took.   Old BSA at Whitstable , originally uploaded by Devaldinho . I was lucky to get this at all as I couldn't see anything in the camera screen even with the sun to the front!

After a year off last year when I couldn't be arsed to chivvy the rest of the Kent Centre into action I am suffering from bike withdrawal symptoms! So. Meet at the Blue and White Cafe on the A20 for a 1230 departure for possible scenic ride to Whitstable. The WTRA organise one of the largest runs in the South East and every extra rider that turns up swells the numbers greatly and increases the coffers of local charities, plus of course the main aim of collecting toys for under privileged kids. Go on. Get to the shops and come and join us.