Just one of those rides you wish to forget, all was going well, even though it was raining with sleet and hail mixed in until just after Junction 3 on the M5 where I joined a queue. So got off the M5 and took the scenic route (not) through Dudley and Wolverhampton to join the M6 either just above or just below the M54 thinking it would be cleared by there. Wrong, still queued, but it did start moving plus I was getting off the M6 just below Stafford, simply suffer it I thought. After that delightful tour the rest of the journey was OK, just had to dodge all the potholes.
I arrived at Bamford around 5pm, there was a splattering of tents a handful of outfits and some wet early attendees. Not the best of weather for pitching your tent, but it had to go up. Once sorted, got the heat on by way of a Heat Pal, cooked tea and dried out a bit. I then headed up the pub, The Anglers Rest, nice and warm, 5 good beers on tap. Got the rundown on opening times and food so I could let the Rally organisers know for those attending over the weekend. When I got back from the pub there was only Mark sitting in the club house, everyone one else had gone to bed, I think they simply had had enough of the dire weather. Except for John, who had to go back home and get his inner tent as he had assumed it was in the tent bag, but not the case when he went to pitch his tent.
Friday morning and the weather was much better and it was a case of watch those arriving, I had booked a table up at the pub for the evening for a group of us, except Michael who was going to be having a video call with a lady in Canada and he was turning up early Saturday morning.
So on to Michael’s report.
WUTHERNG HEIGHTS ISDT. This Easter weekend we have a window for 2 days of fine weather so come Saturday morning at the crack of dawn we are crossing Beeley Moor in the early morning mist with the ever-present chance of a HOPPING WHOPPING WALLABY standing in the middle of the road
Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus STATUS : Unknown.
l safely arrive in the village of Bamford, Derbyshire and rally field of the South Yorkshire Sidecar Club. l quickly unload my bag and tent and leave it with members of Sidecar Ramblers.
Then my ride takes over the Strines – The Final 40km of the Tour de France 2014, … to sprawling towns of Huddersfield & Halifax to Bingley on the banks of the River Aire.
The Parc Ferme HQ in Bingley. See the HISTORY of the 1974 ISDT Camerino, Italy Video 1 of 2 – YouTube
The sidecar is the Ewbank made in the IOM About Us waiting final commission.
The Parc Ferme with riders waiting the start and FINE TUNE their engines and themselves for a ride out.
Only 250 years old these 5 locks. Bingley | Places to visit
Your first problem is at this location our ISDT Tour Leader BINNZY 150cc MZ just will not start again. and is abandoned for collection later in the day and the he walks back to the Parc Ferme for his 250cc MZ (On Sunday l get a text saying it was not a broken engine but a broken fuse)
Our TL takes us into the heart of Bronte Country and then into the area of my ancestral home lands on the moor at Home | Wadsworth Community . We descend from the moors-land into CLOG TOWN at Walkley Clogs then what comes down must also ascend again up to Widdop Moor and passing theThe Packhorse Inn just before the border with Red Rose of Lancaster .
Waiting at our lunch Pit Stop was Phil from sunny Walkden ready to join the second leg after dining. Lakeside Cafe | ColneFacebook · Lakeside Cafe3.2K+ followers
After my great Lancaster Hot Pot l can now face the return journey via West Yorks South Yorks and back to Hope Valley Bamford. I had received a text that Sidecar Ramblers had caught a bus to the pub. So now plan B put up my tent and then get my yomping boots on and walk was just over 2.5 miles to the Home – Ye Olde Bowling Green – Hope Valley for our Gala Dinner.
In November 2021 they did actually WALK. Classic Lucozade ad starring Daley Thompson – YouTube
I walked into the pub just before sunset and nowadays my preferred ENERGY drink is a DOUBLE G & T. which just works wonders. We all arrived back in Bamford at 23.00pm on the BUS and my dome tent was covered in FROST so a FROZEN IGLOO awaits my slumbers.
Sunday morning and the first day of British Summer Time.
Its only thirty miles from home for me so l take my time packing up and return to Bradwell and I find a NAME CHANGE of the cafe.
Steve at the KZAZI CAFE and now under new management after COVID.
It’s gone PC and renamed the Brook Café however still a great café with the constant sound of running water.
An ideal spot to stand and stare.“Leisure” by William Henry Davies – Narrated by WarmVoice
Bye for now and a very Happy Easter holiday. Michael
Most left Sunday, due to the impeding rain heading in Sunday night and Monday, just seemed to make sense, so to speak. Sunday was the never-ending raffle, with loads of prizes, plus the awards. Tri Anglia Wheel got best club turnout and I got longest distance (furthest travelled with an Outfit). The ride home was a lot better than the ride there, we did stop for a break and Lesley said she thought her heated grips were not working, yep correct so a job on the list when we got home.
Thanks to the South Yorks crew for running the event under what was challenging conditions for the start of the rally, to say the least.