Finally, with an easing of Covid Lockdown rules at last it’s time to head out on the ‘Perfect Vehicle’ in the Melissa Holbrook-Pearson sense and blow the ‘cobwebs’ away on a few sunny springtime weekend rides. Starting with Saturday afternoon I took a few hours ride around Herefordshire to re acquaint myself with some of those favourite roads and lanes. It’s been so long since I’ve been on my GS I really did feel ‘rusty’ and couldn’t get a smooth line through the bends to begin with. I’m either heading in too fast, or too slow or the wrong gear, but as I came back around toward Bromyard it all started to gel again. The quick shifter was my friend and this shift cam 1250 engine never ceases to make me smile as you get spinning up past 4 thousand revs it just takes off. As far as addictions go I’m hooked and having lost three stone in weight since last Autumn I can’t believe the difference being fitter makes while riding. Sure, I’ve lost a bit of ‘muscle memory’ too but with a few other life changes (new Job) after our sad loss of both Chris and Judy last year this latest lockdown has given me a renewed positive outlook ...good friends, family and motorbikes are all that matter ... of course!
Easter Sunday saw me head off toward the Welsh Border (no surprise there then). The sun was shining, it was warm enough with my liners in and winter gloves down to Bridgnorth, up to Craven Arms in Shropshire to find some new lanes around Lydbury North and then on to stop by the river at Clun. I parked up at the usual car park and sat chatting to a few other kindred spirits including a chap riding a very tidy Moto Guzzi Brevia. Without doubt the MG Twin Is a bike I really would like to own in the future maybe as a second bike, so too one of the later Triumph retro models after meeting the couple riding each of their own blacked out Triumph Street Twins. Very nice!
While sat in the sun I couldn’t resist talking to the owners of those five well behaved Welsh Spaniels. Considering the owner was eating a slice of cake they were quite happy to sit and enjoy the sunshine too without fuss and were allowed to pose for my photo. Myself and Hayley have this real yearning for owning a dog these days especially after a recent visit to my Uncle to see his new Jack Russell puppy. Such ashame the Mrs is a cat person .. bah!
So then, taking that road down toward Knighton hitting a few potholes I couldn’t seem to avoid (ouch) I was advised by my Guzzi riding comrade to avoid crossing the border and cut back along the lanes at New Invention which I did, and found a nice little route I hadn’t ridden before to Leintwardine, before riding back towards the Salwey Arms via Wigmore and more country delights. Motorcycles of all shapes and sizes were out everywhere, excellent afternoon, and back just in time to cook our one pot cassoulet and help Helen affix the brass plaque to the newly painted family garden bench in memory of Chris, one year on since his passing. A fitting tribute, to sit and have a nice cool beer in his honour after such a great ride.
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