Relaxed Bank Hol Monday 27th May . Hawkhurst Fish Farm 1000

Looking forward to meeting up with you guys tomorrow.

 

Here's a possible route for tomorrow. Just a few C and B roads. Any other sugestions welcome?
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sadd...hjfRzET1REbyK7mmw&oq=Northiam&mra=ls&t=m&z=11

 

Well, another brilliant day (from the point of view of weather) and the goodly gathering at the Fish Farm in Hawkhurst (look, Guys, it could have been on any of the roads in Hawkhurst) suddenly became 5 only. Poor Keith apparently dropped his SatNav even before the first turning and we lost him; Dave (on The Beast) and Lisa decided to finish their teas before setting off at the appointed hour - although we did see them later (more anon).

I feel it encumbent upon me to make some comment about the food - except the 20 minutes I had remaining (after my unexpected tour of Hawkhurst) was apparently insufficient to obtain even some tea. Let that be a warning to all who arrive here starving hungry or gasping for a cuppa. At the point that Alan let out the clutch, Alex, Beany, Paul (FZR-Paul) and I were more or less still in touch with him - corners came and went, gravel, dust, locals with Slow Disease and Backwards Syndrome happened upon our path; the sun shone, hedges went by in a blur and after almost exactly an hour, we found ourselves in Appledore.

Appledore was having a Parking Festival. This means all the local residents and anyone in the locality all come to park closely together in the village, preventing thirsty bikers from stopping easily at the roadside. Somehow we shoe-horned in there and wandered into a pub which I remember serves absolutely gorgeous beer. Dammit. It is so embarrassing asking for three teas and a coffee when we should really be purchasing pints of foaming goodness... Never mind. Alex must have known this was about to happen since he legged it even before we started to play the Parking Game - I vaguely recall something about 'family activity', but I may have that wrong. Sounds like a euphamism to me.

Low and behold, I was the only one wanting food. As we sat outside, sheltering from the sun, a loon on a Ninja howled past, waving. Well, I'm sure none of us know anyone like that... Oh, it was Dave, followed at a sensible distance by his good lady, heading for Rye.

Here we are, happy as can be.

We remaining four then headed off [somewhere - insert later when somebody tells me where we were], pulled up at a junction we know not where and His MegaNess then took off, having remembered he has to see a man about a horse.

There ensued a counsel of war between the remaining 3 Green Bottles, Hanging on the side of the road. I had a map. It was even the right map (it had Appledore on it); FZR-Paul reckoned he knew various good roads around Rye but we weren't entirely too sure about where exactly we might be. There was a sign for Ham Street - I volunteered to lead the way there, turn left to Tenterden and we could all make our way homewards from there.

I do have the distinct impression that I got lost in Tenterden . At least, the others were not still at the junction where I had left them. Sorry, gents.

Everything else was good fun, though! Somehow I ended up in Wadhurst. Which was nice.

Thanks, Alan for getting it together.

 

Good to catch up again.hopefully more sun and riding to come !!

 

It was good to meet you guys. I needed to take it easy on the way back as my oil light had flicked on a couple of times and I ended up putting something like three quarters of a litre in it when back at home. Whoops, I never bother to check but guess I really should do. Think it is something to do with thrashing the nuts off the FZR at times . Shame as I would have stayed out longer but I have an aversion to blowing engines.

 

Good ride as always and sunny for a change

 

On the bike..?

 

Now

Now had i known that you could have popped in and helped me stain my decking in return for some bbq grub and a beer

 

Was a great day wasn't it? 8 of us for breakfast at the fish farm , 6 of us left and then by the time I stopped in Tenterden I was told that Keith had disappeared? We did the Wittersham and Canal roads and stopped in Appledore for a tea, thanks Richard. Alex left and we did the road to Brenzett and then when we got to the bypass, I pointed out the Ivychurch road to Beany, explained that I had to to return to Northiam and expected you to follow me??? I wouldn't have sent the 3 of you to do the Ivychurch road on your own as it is a fast, bendy , but potentially dangerous road to do for the first few times. I had a nice blat through Hamstreet and the B road through Woodchurch and into Tenterden. Was nice meeting Beany and FZR Paul, hopefully see you all next weekend or even Friday in Hastings?

 

Just uploaded a piccy of most of the peeps whe met at the fish farm;