10am start from Birch Services West - how hard can that be if I only live 5 miles away. Well, it all depends on what time you get up. I made it with time to spare - but only because I missed breakfast. No problem, a quick bacon buttie from the shop will cure that. £3.99 later and I was fuming - 3 slices of bacon and 2 rounds of bread. Someone is having a laugh !!!!

About this time, the heavens opened. So, we sat around for another 10 minutes till it eased off - then dashed for the bikes and the wet weather gear. All apart from Gary and Malcolm (more of that later). Around 10:30 we finally set off - 8 bikes and no pillions (the ironing got in the way, so I was told). Given that Newark (our final destination was SE of us, heading West did seem a bit odd, but once we got off the motorway, it did make more sense. The roads were OK, the traffic light but the win howled around us bring squalls of rain. This was the time when Gary decided that maybe he should put on his waterproofs. A quick stop and we were then all ready for the rest of the journey - which was very pleasant and got up to 24c at one point.

So, 2 hours later we arrived at our destination with no wrong turnings, no u-turns and only one slight detour via a back street - well done Gary.

The air museum was very interesting. Derek was knowledgeable about some of the aircraft which made it pleasant to understand what had gone on. I can recommend it to anyone interested in old planes and the people who flew them.

The return journey was fairly quick - we missed the Barnsley turn off and decided to hit the services at the M62/A1 junction and then head for home. Just as well we did; 5 minutes after I got in, the heavens opened again and it poured down.

So, a nice day out, if very windy and a bit wet - a good test for my new waterproof jacket (yes, it is).

Some pictures: