More Photos Here

Friday:

We met early at the dealership. I’d already teed Laney up to open early so we all could get some breakie before the journey. So about 10.15am with myself leading and Trev running blocker, 11 Hatters set out for the Sherwood Rally. Not a bad ride there across the peak district towards our first stop at the Chesterfield Dealership. After a 30min rest and some tea’s we set out again for the Rally site located just west of Grantham.
Got to the site around 3pm, Trev found a good spot to camp, so we all set about making our little corner, home for the next 2.5 days. As usual we all retired to the pub for some afternoon Tiffin. We found some benches outside the main venue and socialized for the rest of the afternoon. Friday night is always “drink” in what you come in night, so no getting changed? But I did have to sneak off to wash my head after that long day’s ride. The on site food was great and the weather outstanding so we all ate and drank outside that 1st evening. The band came on at about 8pm that night I think, and played inside, all the hatters gathered out side on the terrace, (I think about 22 in all) all I can say is first night at a new rally for most of us it was really good, music beer and friends.

Saturday:

It was a slow start for many of us after the night before, but after a hot shower, and a good breakfast, we talked about what to do that day. It was decided that the organized ride-out was too large, and would take too long. So with my local knowledge we set out on our own ride to Lincoln Castle and Cathedral. We went through some lovely villages on the way, I think the 42-mile ride only took us 70 minutes or so. We had a very nice lunch just next to the Castle, and some Hatters went into the Cathedral to have a look around. After lunch we started our 42-mile ride back to the rally.

Getting back around 3.00pm we were met by some friends from Southampton that we first met at the Benelux Rally earlier this year. So we spent the rest of the afternoon catching up, may have had one or two drinks.

If Friday night was good then Saturday night can only be described as outstanding. It’s difficult to put into words how the night fell together like a jigsaw, with the 1st the weather hot and sunny, 2nd some friends we’ve made at rallies this year coming up from down south, 3rd the brilliant band setting up, and playing outside, and not forgetting how friendly the host chapter are. All the Hatters together again singing, dancing, and drinking in our own little corner of the terrace. Anyway as you can see I liked this rally very much.

Sunday:

A very slow, and foggy start with no rain at first! We spent all morning to packing our camping gear up for home as no one was in any great hurry that is until it started to rain. We mirrored the ride to the rally, home so we all found it very easy if a tad slow, and wet. Got back home around 4.30pm after a very good rally indeed.
Highly Recommended.

Words and Pictures By Lenny:

At Long Last I have updated the Benelux photos!!!

ENJOY

Photos Here

Weather permitting, Aidan and Trev will be taking a rideout to New Brighton.
Meeting at the dealership for 10-10.30, departure 11am.

Road marshall Norman Lee is organising Tameside blind run, this gives people who are blind a pillion ride, he needs at least 10 bikes that can take pillions, and anyone who would like to ride with them, he will be at the dealership at 10.30am, leaving at 11am.

Keith

There will be a ride to llangolen to join the parade of harleys going from the Hand Hotel up the horseshoe pass and returning to the hotel.
Admission will be £10 but you get a pin and the money goes to charity.
We leave the dealership at 8.30am and there is a pickup point at Chester Services at 9.15am.

Keith Burke

We need a new logo to replace the old porker in a hat image.

Your ideas can be in any format - crayon, felt tip or even sophisticated graphic art. The competition will close on the evening of the November Chapter meeting (Thursday 7th). All entries will be considered during that month and if there are a lot we may shortlist them before presenting the best entries for the members to see and vote on in December. A prize will be provided for the winning entry. You can hand your entry to any Committee member, email it to the Chapter secretary (who will be listing and co-ordinating the entries) or bring it to the October & November meetings. Don’t forget to include your name and membership number on the back of your sketch or in your email.

Anyone wishing to go to Hoggin the Bridge and Taunton Carnival, a group will be leaving Friday 17th Oct from Knutsford Service Station at 9.30 for a 10 o'clock departure.
We will be staying in a hotel Friday 17th and Saturday 18th of October, if you need further details contact Trev on 07748966730.

Click here for pledge form

The Reason For The Auction – To raise funds for Stockport & District MS Society which helps local sufferers and their dependants in many different ways, from support groups, counselling, respite care and medical equipment to name but a few.

How You Can Help – By pledging an item to be sold on the night. This can be as diverse as, Washing Someone’s Bike – Half A Days Gardening - Donating A Bottle of Wine - Obtaining Free Tickets To A Local Attraction - Donating High Street Vouchers - Donating A Meal For Two At A Local Restaurant - Donating Professional Services, Hair Stylist, Solicitor, Nail Boutique etc. – Use Of A Caravan Or Holiday Flat For A Weekend – Goods To A Certain Value If You Are A Retailer – Portrait – Professional Photograph……….. The possibilities are endless.

Please give some thought to items which could be auctioned on the night – the more diverse the items the more fun we will have (and the more money we will raise)

The Night – 20th December 2008 – The Christmas Dinner and Dance

How It Works – A list giving details of the items will be produced prior to the night. On the night each person will be given a list of the items up for auction. You then write on the list the amount that you are bidding for each of the items that you want to bid for. The sheets are collected in and the highest bidder wins the item. Nobody knows how much a item is sold for only the person who bid the highest.

If you are unable to attend the Dinner Dance but still want to bid for items then lists will be made available before the event but must be returned to me before the event.

This is an excellent opportunity to do something different and raise money for a local and very deserving cause.

More Photos Here

Meeting as usual at the dealership on a damp Sunday morning saw a turn out of 6 bikes - 10 hatters, Keith & Meg leading the group up the M60 – M62 then making our way over to todmorden and big Ds café. After we had been fed and watered we headed on to Shipley/Baildon arriving around 12.30 to find the place absolutely packed with people and bikes. There was every type of bike there but the majority were Harleys, it was so busy you had a job to walk round, as every inch was taken up with bikes and hundreds of people. The ride started at 1.00pm leaving Baildon town centre via the main street which was lined both sides with hundreds of people all waving and cheering as we rode past, with many taking photos/videos. Most of the route was well supported by the public some had even brought chairs on to the foot path and grass verges to watch us ride past, the marshalling was superb they had all the side roads blocked while the police blocked the major junctions and traffic lights. The ride finished at Hare House where there was plenty going on with a stream rally, classic car show, bit of a fair, and food stalls,we stayed for a couple of hours. The hatters didn’t ride round the arena as we didn’t fancy dropping our bikes in front of a big crowd as the field was very wet and muddy. So with the weather now being warm and sunny the hatters decided to ride on to Knaresborough rather than go straight home, stopping at our usual spot by the river in Knaresborough for a brew and a good old gossip where we stayed for around an hour.
Making our way back along the country roads at a nice relaxed pace we just cruised along in the warm sunshine enjoying the scenery. One last stop at Hebdon Bridge for the group photo and a stretch of the legs, what was supposed to be a short stop! Turned out to be a long stop as everyone stood around chatting with no one seemingly in any rush to get home. We eventually headed homeward Via the M62 -M60 after a great days riding and a brilliant day out.

Thanks to Keith & Meg for leading

Paul

More Photos Here

Meeting at the dealership as usual on a dull Sunday morning and saw a turn out of ten bikes with 4 of those being new members. Keith & Meg Leading us onto the M60 then making our way over woodhead and towards Sheffield then onto the A roads towards Hull .
We Stopped at a small café along the route for breakfast, where we upset the local ice- cream man! We thought he was upset because we parked across the road to his garage. We asked if he wanted us to move a couple of bikes so he could get in with his van NO came his reply “I’m just trying to get to work “ ? . He was upset because the hatters got in the café before him and he was at the back of the Queue! And had to wait well! Pardon us if we had known he was going to be there at the same time we would have waited till he had got his buttie so we didn’t inconvenience him, the Miserable so and so If only he knew how much the Hatters like their ice-cream .Heading on towards hull we rode along some brilliant roads through an area that looked like Holland, Flat with loads of ditches along the side of the roads and across the fields (Well it did to me) as we continued riding the Humber bridge appeared in the distance, it doesn’t look that big to me I commented . I’m not a lover of heights so I was happy it didn’t look to high, this changed the nearer we got and I started to get sweaty palms, I was nervous going over the bridge, especially as it was very windy and blew you about a bit this didn’t seem to bother anyone else, Just me then! .I still enjoyed it mostly the bit when we were over it! And the view from the bridge was superb; I even had a look down. It’s high and that was my one and only look down, we stopped at the visitors centre near to the bridge for lunch were some of us had a walk round we were going to go for a walk on the bridge but decided it was to far and uphill and we were just to lazy .
Paul’s interesting facts about the Humber Bridge
The bridge spans the river Humber uniting the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
The main span of the bridge is 1,410m the bridge took nine years to build and was opened on the 17th July 1981, there is an electric lift in one leg of each tower for maintenance. Each main cable consists of 14.948 parallel galvanised steel wires of 5mm diameter, the north anchorage weighs 190,000 tonnes and the south anchorage weighs 300,000 tonnes.
Making our along the A roads towards Beverley riding some great roads passing through picturesque old villages along the way. Parking up in Beverley, most of us had a short walk round the town centre, we searched up and down the high street for an ice-cream shop, and we were just about to give up when we spotted an ice-cream van. Happy now we had our ice-cream we left Beverley and headed towards Sherbourne and squires café or we thought we were when we turned off the A road and into a small village and parked in the town square .We were all wondering why we had stopped here ? when we were treated to a hail of abuse from the local drunken tramp sat on his bench complete with bag of clothes, bottle of white lighting .We thought the abuse was aimed at us but it was anybody and everybody who walked passed, so deciding this wasn’t a good choice of stops we continued on and made our to squires café .Spending an hour or so before making our way over to the motorway we made good time on the motorway and had one last stop at the services to say our good byes .We left home at 8.30am and arrived home at 6.00pm an early finish for one of Keith’s ride outs but it was a great days riding and we never got wet ! .

Thanks to Keith Meg & Gary

Paul