The Manchester Honda
Owners Club 2013
Riding to find the owls
Falconry ride Report 17th March 2013
The first thing I must report, is that I (the leader), was most impressed with the riding skills of our all members, who contributed to our excellent day’s ride out.
Conditions were overall generally poor for the day, as there were periods were the roads were wet and then dry, the temperature varied from minus chilling 1 degree to a massive 3 degrees hot!, combined with of bad centreline road gravel and snow edging to the kerbs from the fields.
However, it was clear, never rained, and the welcome sun appeared quite a few times.
In conclusion, the pace was good and not slow, and we had neither accident nor anybody conducting a “woppy”. and all very much enjoying the challenge.
Setting off from my home, Southport, the weather was good and dry, but approaching Rising Bridge for pickup, I was surprised to be greeted with snow covered fields and a drop in temperature to freezing!
But the 13 bike meeting gang with 2 pillions were very eager to ride.
So, for the first part of the day, we set off pass Clitheroe, bypassed Skipton, north to Burton, through Hawes, and back south to the Falconry Centre just outside Settle – some 89miles nonstop and on completion with only admiration for the ride from all and our chairman, Alan, who arrived and met us at the car park from a “oversleep”!
The Falconry fed us well, and after lunch all were treated with the open-
We were impressed of the antics of the birds, which displayed many clever tricks.
But the highlight was that we were allowed to put the keeper’s glove, and the birds were encouraged to land on our hand, to catch their feed between our fingers.
Just to mention the star of the show was a young 8 month eagle owl, called Orville
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Then, it was onto to our return journey back up to Ingleton, towards Lacancaster,
through the Trough of Bowland, to our pub stop off at Longridge -
And thanks to Gary for being back marker.
Another fab great manhoc ride out – thanks to all.
malc