• NEW USERS: If you haven't received your Confirmation Email: There has been an ongoing issue with the forum's send mail function and many new users haven't received the email to confirm their registration. I've done my best to manually process these, so there's a good chance if you've signed up in the past 30 days that you've already been validated and can proceed with posting on the forum (don't forget to introduce yourself!). If you still can't get in, please use the Contact Us link on the bottom of any page to send me a message and I'll process you manually. Thanks for your patience! ~Jerk

Grumpy Old Git goes North(ISH)

ChampRoyal

Well travelled
Location
North Essex
So I have 'followed' these guys since they went round the world on a Scooter & sidecar.


& really shouldn't share as the less tickets sold the better odds of me winning 😁

But today (Saturday 25/10/24 they attempted the world record for continuously reversing in a side car (can all be viewed on Instagram etc which I don't do)

PXL_20241026_083010148.jpg having started about half five this morning they even cooked a bacon on the move

So how is this a RR?

I got a 72 hour gate pass from the camp commander and having had grief with my sciatica for the last two weeks wasn't expecting to go but to quote Woody Harrelson 'its time to nut up or shut up'

So Thursday I packed the M350
PXL_20241024_124124484~2.jpgdoes my arse look big in this. Due to the time of year I over packed wet weather gear so as to have fresh gloves & layers daily.
Because of my back using Google Maps (love to hate it) tried to plot a route not using motorway (Google couldn't supply one 🤔 ) and using local knowledge thought if I take the East coast it was a two day + venture

My back dictated a direct route so riding slab it was.
A120 enough deer carcasses to make a heard (soap box moment but before hunting was banned and the local authority collected road kill it was never this bad)
Onto the M11 where keep two chevrons apart means hang less than 2 metres off the bumper of the vehicle in front so when we smash we can involve loads of folk & close a major route for hours

And so the boredom went on with the A1 franchise now apparently owned by Starbucks. I will say though modern clean facilities are a change from the grease joints of old.

At Blyth services I got a touch of fuel anxiety and decided to fill up.Ball ache services would be a better name with queues around the roundabout for overpriced nosh & fuel (15p a litre over the average) Fortunately being solo meant riding up the outside & onward before most had made the car park.

It's been a good few years since I've ridden this route but volume of traffic around Leeds & once I'd passed the Angel of the North was mind blowing with road works/ breakdowns/the frustrated 9 to sliders all bunking off early because it's POETS day.

310 miles at a predicted 6 hours drive took me nearly 8 + with stops. 100 miles/2 hours is about my max now before a comfort break.

Moral of the day. At what age did packing medication take priority over grooming products.
On setting off Friday morning the EML decided to stay on and using my years of mechanical knowledge thought ignore it and just rode (it's an RE, no high tech gremlins here to go into limp home mode

PXL_20241025_112751758.jpgAlong the first stretch of A1M the right mirror threw a hissy fit making the planned overtakes a challenge as moving the mirror with my left hand to get a view,life saver then manoeuvre added to the interest 😳

A local premier Inn was my crib for the night & Saturday morning I arrived at the venue for half 9.
Matt & Reece were already into their record attempt and apart from a few die hards folk where limited in number.

So part of today's ticket price (if you chose to pay) was an hour's experience on the outfit (and here's where it's relevant to this forum (if your not bored & asleep by now 😳 )

PXL_20241026_092208409.MP.jpgPXL_20241026_092158255.jpgPXL_20241026_092216188.MP.jpgPXL_20241026_092219876.jpg
So throughout the day folk came & went & I chatted to some serious ADV folk and it was wonderful to exchange stories.

PXL_20241026_105109269.jpgeven Dave the Dog (has his own Instagram page) got a chair experience, his owner also Dave does massive miles on a rig.

By 5pm I was cold & hungry enough to feel I'd thrown my weight behind the fund raiser & left with the lads still 3 wheels on their wagon rollin' along (in reverse still.

Tomorrow is another slab ride home so I shan't bore you with the eat/sleep/ repeat routine however I will say the lads are worth following,their book a nice Xmas ask from Santa and the sidecar experience worth booking
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom