The Manchester Honda

Owners Club 2013

11 off to the seaside

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’ve had a lot of rain recently. So, I was not expecting anyone to turn up for todays ride to Whitby and I was pleasantly surprised when we had 8 riders and 3 pillions turn up ready to go. The meeting place wasn’t the best (in hindsight) for going to the East coast but Gary, our leader for the ride, made the best of a bad job with a very interesting, if at times slow, route.

So, we set off our customary 20 minutes late and onto the motorway for the first 3 miles. Then off and over the moors to Hawarth, Harrogate and all points East. After about 2 hours, we had covered a whole 60 miles and we needed a stop. So, a suitable pub was found and we piled in for a quick drink and a loo break. 20 minutes later, we set off again and meandered our way across the North Yorks dales to Pickering where we tried to stop for lunch. But since there was a 45 minute wait, we made the last mad dash to Whitby to get the fabled fish & chips (which was the original plan, of course). We eventually arrived at around 2:30 and proceeded in a mad dash to the chippie.

Lunch was actually very nice (if a little greasy) sitting in the blazing sunshine and we followed it up with an ice cream. Then, time to go. So, once we’d gathered the ladies (a little shopping was it?), we set off via a fuel stop to go home. Well, that’s what I thought we were doing until my Sat-Nav told me we were going North. It was the signs to Scotch Corner that clinched it for me. So, onto the radio - “A quick stop for a drink and then I need to head home”. Which was what happened. Mark, Tommy and I left most of the others (Dave and Paul and already zoomed off) and blatted down the A1 and then the A59 to get home. I have to say I really enjoyed the A59 apart from the bit where my top box came undone and I lost some clothing - but Mark was very kind and retrieved it for me (a drink awaits you, Mark).

I got home about 7:30 having done 286 miles. But it was a good day - not much rain and plenty of nice weather and company.