BEN
Charity Ride Through Windsor Great Park
Saturday
28th June started well with a little sunshine as I headed
for the start of the run. We set off from Ascot Race Course car park
and wend our way along some pleasant country roads to enter the Park
and then a ride along roads that are not normally open to vehicles.
At the start there was an exceptional collection of veteran, vintage
and classic cars and motorcycles. While at the start the rain clouds
gather and just before we set off it starts to rain.
The clouds are
black and it rains so hard drops splash up from the puddles. It was
wet! I was on the Valiant and surprisingly it ran quite well in spite
of the heavy rain. I had a minicam with me and when I have time I'll
upload the video to youtube so you can see how wet it was. I was
drenched inside my over-suit. The zip leaked! As usual I hand out
fliers at the start and again when at the destination which is the
Sunningdale recreation ground where we all congregate to show off our
polished machines for the concours. It was a difficult afternoon and
I did not manage to hand out many fliers as there were not many
people there because of the weather. A little disappointing for
everyone with so much effort that goes into the event. At the end of
the show vehicles are judged and prizes are handed out. The event
finished early. I was in a flower stall tent waiting for the rain to
go off when I heard my name and had won something for the Valiant. It
was another second prize! It was worth getting wet!
By the time I had
collected my prize and made my way back to the Valiant there were
only three bikes left. An unusual 1939 side valve BMW, a 1954 Vincent and me. Geared up and ready to go I was asked by the BMW man to help
him get his bike on a trailer. I only had to steady it while he tied
it down. The Vincent man was also leaving. He had an assistant and
was still kicking it over as I returned to the Valiant. After a
couple of kicks it fired up and I was away. I had twenty miles of
rain to go through to get home. Easily accomplished! It finally
stopped raining when I got home so I chamoised the bike down before
putting it away. So it would be clean for when I used it next.
In
between it has been a busy time with visits to bike shops, namely new
rear tyres for both the Buell and the Kawasaki and MOTs so Snobs at
Hangar Lane for wheel bearings, HGB in Ruislip who have done me some
deals on tyres, Jack Lilleys for MOTs and Wycombe MAG for a very
pleasant evening out. I've also been out to Newlands Corner to hand
out fliers on Sunday morning. A couple of weeks ago we had a few
members of the Royal Enfield Club turn up at the Museum and last
Monday we had another visitor from New Zealand.
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