On the Road Again!

I had an email today from the Somme Association, the organisation that is organizing the commemoration at the Ulster Tower, to say that our last minute application had been successful. We had sent our details inc passport numbers to them and they have sent a new form to us to ask pretty much the same information, plus a signature. I have sent a copy to all those going and we have until March 16th to get them back, signed. Some links! http://www.greatwar.co.uk/somme/memorial-36-division-ulster-tower.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_Tower http://www.visit-somme.com/somme_tourisme/decouvrez/les_sites_de_la_grande_guerre/tour_d_ulster http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/thiepval/ulster-tower.php

On Saturday I went to Tesco to visit the opticians. For non-UK readers that's a little like Walmart. Except Tesco don't sell guns and ammunition. The eye test was free, and as I am over 60 now, it would have been anyway. They were very thorough and my prescription has changed a little. The right eye needing a slightly stronger lens than before.  I've not had a new pair for quite a few years and as we pay into Simplyhealth insurance I thought I'd splash out on a decent designer pair. There is an offer of buy one pair get another free.  So I have opted for a pair of Oakley's with plain lenses and a pair of Ray-Bans with sunglass lenses. As I need reading glasses I opted for a cheap pair. No designer needed. Ray-Ban RB5814 Oakley OX8026 Currency Ordered on Saturday and I had a call tonight to say two pairs are ready. But which two?

In the week the weather forecast for today was dry but dull and 14°C. The reality was mild, very dull and drizzly at times.  The road was dry in places but mostly wet and the mud spread on the centre was pretty awful. The ride up to the Blue and White for the breakfast meet was a bit hairy on the muddy bends, and the wind was a bit gusty. I rode past another biker meeting the, the Airport Cafe, where there werenobikesbut a car park filled with four wheel boxes. I was the second bike at the B&W. David already there but also in his car. Cal arrived soon after and we had a good chat over breakfast about all kinds of things including the Somme and Railway trips. After a couple of hours we went our separate ways. Shame there were only the three of us. The ride was okay, but not much to have done more than get mud on the bike.

After 16 days on the road, including a few rest days, the Challenge has been aborted. Not due to any of the guys having a problem, but a strange dispute about liability insurance between the Veterans for Veterans that are doing the walking and the Garrison Girls charity that have been collecting the money. It all seems very nasty at the moment so it means that my out-riding debut is cancelled. Hopefully they will manage to get something sorted with another charity umbrella and try again later in the year.

This year it looks like two trips away. A short one to Oldham and a longer one to Brno. The Devall Boys

Had no idea what a meme is. Although it seems like a picture with captions? Maybe this is one?

I sent a group request to the organisers of the Newfoundland commemoration at Beaumont- Hamel  as a backup to the ballot entries at Thiepval back in December.  Once we knew that only two of us were successful for that ballot, I asked the remaining members of the group to send a group email to the Newfoundland organisers as well. As we hadn’t heard back, and we had covered our bases with a group booking to the Ulster Tower event, I dropped an email to Paulette in Canada. She replied last evening, office hours over there, and said that they were finalising details with the French for park and rides and security on the day.  I went straight back to ask whether we had been successful and she said that everyone had been accepted on the list….   At the moment I have no idea if that’s just my entries or all the entries we sent in!  Wait and see I guess.