Meeting at the dealership for a 10.00am start, 20 bikes turned out for the ride over to chesterfield dealership. As the weather forecast was poor for up north, the planned trip to Ravenglass was cancelled with arranging a trip to chesterfield instead. Trev leading the group up the A6 towards Buxton/Chesterfield, the road was closed at the roundabout on the dual carriageway by the police, we had to take a detour. We were making our way up long hill! When we turned left on to a B road (short cut maybe) then a few hundred yards down the road we turned left again on a very sharp corner with just enough room to get the bikes round. If you want to know just how tight the turn was ask Mandy "as she was uttering I will kill him" as she tried to get round, the tight turn was bad enough but to make matters even worse it went down a very steep hill with loads of twists in the road. All this was bad enough but just to add a bit more of a challenge It got very narrow
and was covered in horse Sh*t, we all made it safely back on to the main road. Now we turned right and back down the long hill the way we had just come!
Must get one of those sat navs they are great "for getting you lost" we did eventually get back on route and made our way over the tops and on to chesterfield without any more detours.
Spending an hour or so at the dealership before having a ten minute debate about where we should go next, eventually deciding on Matlock bath "because it has chip shops" so off we went once more over the hills along some great roads that lead us into Matlock. Traffic being the usual royal pain in the backside, where some filtering was the order of the day as the traffic was nose to tail trying to get into Matlock. Then the next problem finding somewhere to park 20 bikes together! Not problems for the hatters as we now have our very own car park where we are allowed to park for free.
Spending an hour here to get some food and drink.
Keith now leading who knows where we will get to now? "We can kiss the early finish goodbye I thought it will be bloody dark by the time we get home". We headed out onto the country road heading who knows where, along the route Trev turned into a farm yard Keith shot off into the distance some followed Trev, some stopped on the road looking confused, we had stopped at 8 balls paint shop. Keith did realise no one was behind him eventually and turned round and joined us, no one at home so we continued on our way making our way onto the cat and fiddle. Stopping at the cat and fiddle pub for one last drink and a rest and of course a good chin wag before heading down towards
Congleton then the silk road and towards Stockport, where people left along the route.
It was great day out and we never got the forecasted rain so that was a bonus thanks to Trev, Keith & Meg all the road captains and marshals who as always did a superb job of looking after everyone.

Paul. One day, one day I will retire may be!

The lost Hatters

As the official run lead by Trev was going to Devils Bridge and few of us had been there before and didn’t fancy it, we did an alternative ride to York. Meeting at the dealership for a 9.00am start, 7 bikes and 9 hatters lead by Keith & Meg made our way up the M60 /M62 /A64 into York stopping at McDonalds along the route. All had gone well until we got into the centre of York, arriving at the planned parking spot only to find a No Motorcycle parking sign (way to go York council) so we all turned round and headed out to find somewhere else to park. We should have rode on and spent our hard earned cash elsewhere! After a few hundred yards Tom and me got caught in traffic and lost sight of the pack with my radio playing up I couldn’t give Keith a call to say we are stuck and hang on for us. We followed the route we thought they would had taken “wrong “ there was no sign of them anywhere, so we did a couple of laps around York to see if we could find them “no chance” they could have gone anywhere by now. I gave Tom a blast on the horn to signal I was pulling over! But he mustn’t have heard me or spotted me pull over in his mirrors and he carried on, the last time I saw him he was heading off in the distance the opposite way. I rang Keith to see where they had got to but his phone just kept ringing so I figured he was still riding, so I did a couple laps of York “I know it very well now” nice city lots to look at, I looked in the more obvious places and car parks etc but still no sign of them or Tom. Ok that’s enough I said they must have parked in the most obscure place in York! Or they were hiding from me? Probably the latter. Another call to Keith success this time where the **** are you? “Follow the ring road till you come to the art gallery and we are parked on the pavement “ No wonder I couldn’t find them they were tucked away in a corner in front of the gallery, I just spotted them as I went past, I’m sure I saw them all duck down wouldn’t put it past them! Still no Tom, Keith had rang his mobile but his wife answered, he had left his mobile at home so we couldn’t contact him to tell him where we were, That’s why you should always have a mobile with you and have the head road captains or road captains, marshals number stored in it, Tom did ring later in the afternoon to say had gone home and was safe.
Spending a few hours in York to have a wander round, do a bit of shopping, eating and a bit of sight seeing, watching the street entertainers etc. Around 3.00ish we set off for the journey home via a more scenic route than the one taken in the morning heading towards Knaresborough, Harrogate along the A59 to Skipton. Stopping in Skipton for one last break, staying around an hour, where most people not me I must add, dived into the cake shop to feed their faces .We had a job finding a café that was still open we did find one, run by a how can I put it rather out of the ordinary family, very friendly and made a good pot of tea when you eventually got it! . When someone asked where their pot of tea was the waitress replied it’s coming he’s just messing about in the back? We didn’t dare ask! On towards Keighley, where for the fist time that day we had to put on the wet gear just a bit of drizzle didn’t really wet the roads, Todmorden, Littlebrough and onto the M60 and home.
Left at 9.00 and got home around 6.00pm not to late for one of Keith’s rides, great day out could have done with being a bit warmer and sunny but you can’t have everything.

Thanks to Keith for leading (even though he tried to lose me in York)

Paul

Meeting at the dealership on a Sunday morning in yet again lovely warm sunshine for the charity ride to support the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust in Lymm .The ride was organised by Colin, a Biker himself for 35 years, around 30 to 40 bikes turned out not only the hatters turned out Aire valley chapter rode down to give there support (Well done to them for that) all types of bikes tuned up from Sports to a trike.
Leaving the dealership at 11.00am for a short ride out lead by Colin with Keith, Norman and myself marshalling, blocking traffic etc, to keep the group moving .We made our way towards Wilmslow – Alderley edge area eventually making our to Lymm riding along some great roads. Arriving at the Children’s Adventure farm Trust around 12.45 where we parked the bikes on display with the vintage cars. Having placed our £10.00 on the tree of life board for which we received a badge and a free burger and drink, so it was off to the burger bar for us. Once fed and watered we had a wander round the many art and craft stalls, there were side stalls, rides all sorts going on, live music and a beer tent. Later we were taken for a guided tour of the farm to see the facilities they have on site, the farm provides holidays and activities for terminally ill, chronically sick, disabled and disadvantaged children. Its a fantastic place with loads of things for the children to do, see, touch and generally have fun as well as being very well cared for by people who really care.

After a few hours we decided to end the day with a ride out to the ice cream shop Snugburys, where around 100,000 people visit the farm each year and enjoy passing their time with an ice cream. No prizes for guessing whose idea it was to go there, so with Keith and Meg leading we made our way towards Nantwich, the route was a great ride through the country lanes on a lovely sunny afternoon. Apparently Snugburys is only 15 miles from the children’s adventure farm! Since when has it taken one and a half-hours to ride 15 miles!! I think Keith’s Miles and Keith’s Times are completely different to earth time and miles as it was the longest 15-miles I have ever ridden. We did eventually get to Snugburys we all knew we were getting near as Keith rode faster and faster the nearer we got! The place was packed and the there was a very long queue for ice creams, but it was worth the wait.

The return journey being along a similar route, it was brilliant cruising along the leafy lanes with the warm afternoon sun on your back, no one seemed in any hurry to get home as we wound our across the countryside eventually getting on to the M56 / M60 and home.
It was a fantastic day out, and well organised, the open day event being a big hit with bikers, the ride out in the morning was great and a cracking ride out in the afternoon all in great weather made it a perfect day.

Thanks to Colin who organised the charity ride out and to Keith and Meg for leading and Norman who took on the role as tail gunner for the day.

Paul

Rain What Rain?

Meeting at the dealership on a very wet Sunday morning, 6 bikes and 8 hatters turned out , leaving around 8.30 am lead by Keith ( ratty ).We headed down the M60 –M61 –M6 in heavy rain for most of the way and intothe tickle trout services ,where unbelievably 3 bikes and 4 hatters were waiting for us. After a short break to decide whether to carry on or not,with a vote taken we carried on well it had stopped raining! And we were keen to get going. So with Gary now leading and Sara navigating it was a short ride down the motorway towards clitheroe for our first break of the day at McDonald’s arriving just in time as the rain was now torrential. We took refuge inside for a while to see if the rain eased off after about 20 minutes of heavy rain it was decision time! Carry on or cancel it there and then, 3 hatters took the sensible but not necessary the right decision to ride home. The remaining 6 bikes and 8 hatters decided we would forget harridans wall and head towards the lakes with the understanding if the weather got any worse (how it could had gotten any worse I don’t it was already torrential rain) we would turn around and head home.
This is were those who chose to ride home from McDonalds will kick themselves as after half an hours riding the rain gradually got less and less until it stopped somewhere near slaidburn .The route Gary had planned for us was a cracking route that took us along little known or used roads which took us along some brilliant country roads, at one point Sara had to get off the bike and open gates then at the back Ann closed them once the
group had gone through (that’s a first for the hatters). The following roads were fantastic to ride with plenty of twists and turns, some very challenging corners at times and having the added bonus of some stunning views, but plenty of lose stones and horse/cow muck to keep it interesting.
Stopping at the little village of Dent for a short break, were we could now take off the water proofs as they were patches of blue sky and sunshine, it was now warming up nicely and I think it was here the decision to carry on with the original ride out route was taken. Stopping in Kirby Stephen for lunch and a break before heading on up north riding along more superb roads with great scenery and with the weather improving the further north we went (how unusual is that). Reaching our goal of Chester fort and Hadrian’s
wall around 4.00pm, spending time to have a good look round at the remains and explore the site.
Paul’s Interesting facts
The fort was built to guard the roman bridge that carried Hadrian’s Wall
over the river.
It has the best-preserved remains of a cavalry fort in Britain.
The commandant’s house had under floor hot air heating system.
It had a complex of rooms in the bathhouse that offered customers hot, cold or steam baths.
Established first as a station for cavalry, later foot soldiers who were capable of making rapid strikes into the barbarian north.
All this culture had made the hatters thirsty, no not for more history! But for tea and coffee so off in search of the café we went, where a buxom young lady in a low cut top was serving. Where one hatter kept asking for items off the bottom shelf just to have the poor girl bend forward to get them I of course averted my eyes to save the girls embarrassment. I am surprised no one made the joke one lump or two! Who was that hatter well it was! I can’t reveal that! But if that hatter wants to buy my silence with a brew and a cake next time out!

Heading towards Carlisle along the A69 military road, wow what a road, one straight road with some outstanding views along its route, making our way on to the M6 and home. This wasn’t the route Gary had planned for our return journey he had another similar route via A roads and B roads, but it was the quickest as because we had lost a lot of time due to the weather in the morning it was now getting late and people needed to be home.
We left the shop at 8.30am and rode over 300 miles and arrived home at 9.15pm where after a bad start to the ride out due to rain and looked like it may become a wash out! it turned out to be one hell of a good ride out along some great roads with some truly beautiful scenery along the route and from slaidburn to home we never got a drop of rain .

Thanks to Gary for all his hard work planning and leading a brilliant route
and Sara for navigating, ratty for marshalling.

Note = Gary has said he is willing to run it again if there is enough
interest from any hatters who missed it

Paul