Bridgewater, Minehead then Lynmouth. 27th-March.
We met at Fowler's, Nice and early for a 9:30 kick off, 9 bikes - Patrick, Mark & Shirley, Mike H, Malcolm, Paul G, Martin, Mand, Paul, Joanne and myself.
Joined by Mike M and Tracey later.
Mark in the lead, 9 bikes leave, Patrick joins us to the outskirts of Bristol and then leaves the group. Leaving Fowler's turning left towards St Johns lane, on to it, joining the A38, Patrick goes his own way, 8 bikes continue down past the airport, a steady ride and the sun's out, looking good traffic wise, we following the A38 down towards Battleborourgh where we are joined by Mike M and Tracey from Weston, meeting up in the Sanders Garden Centre. Back up to 9 bikes, no lingering we continue down the A38 into Bridgewater to the first pit stop for drinks and food, at Budgens services 1hr 14min.
Breather over, 37 minutes, we recommence the ride, continuing further down the A38, turning into Wylds Road, then turning right onto the A39, the ride was going well, traffic was moving well and was lighter than expected, we made good time, following the A39 up past Dunster, past Minehead, we now head towards Porlock Hill, testing everyone riding skill on the bends, that behind us, we continue to Lynmouth taking in the wonderful views, as we drop down into it turning left into Tors Road and into the coach park. 1hr 20.
Lunch time, we cross to the sea front to get food and drinks. 1 hr.
We depart but today instead of retracing our steps home, back via A39, Marks got a new route. Leaving, we turn left not right onto Tors Rd, following Tors road along the bank of the East Lyn river to the end which joins back onto the A39, turning left we follow it till we hit the B3223 turning left onto it, 30 minutes later we turn towards Withypool, 3 minutes later our next stop for more drinks and cake, Withypool Tea Rooms, 40 minutes.
Parking was tight and pointing down hill and we could only go in forward, we had to back up the bikes, so we had to help each other pushing the bikes backwards, returning our bikes to solid Road, that accomplished, we leave back the way we came, to the B3223, but not joining it but crossing it into Ash lane to Winsford, turning onto Edbrooke Rd, then turning left on to the A396, following that to Quarme lane, turning right onto it, following that until we hit the B3224 following that all the way down to the A358 turning right on to it, 7 bikes got out, Mike H and Malcolm, got held up by traffic, 200metres around corner, Mark turned left into Bishop lydeard, myself being the last bike turning into the road realised we were about to lose them as they wouldn't have realised we had turned off, so told Mark through headset and I stop at the entrance of road looking behind wait for them to come back into headset range and tell them to turn left, that done I move forward and realised Mark had vanished and the rest of the team, and I didn't see which direction he had taken as there was two roads off the junction, straight a head or bears to the right, and we had lost communication through headset to Mark, so now 2 weren't separated but 3, a quick discussion between Mike, Malcolm and myself ,it was decided they would have bared right, the other road was to small they wouldn't possibly have gone up there, so off we set myself in the lead with Mike and Malcolm's guidance on directions, if I was unsure, we turn on to Cothelstone road which turns in to Enmore road, the journey across was a quick ride with sweeping corners, very few vehicles so we made good time but we didn't catch up with Mark so we guessed he had gone straight on, we arrive back at Bridgewater services, the three of us need fuel so we go straight to the pumps, that done, coffee. In the mean time, Mark had rang Malcolm and arrived 10 minutes later, 1hr 14.
37minutes later we set out on our return journey, we depart leaving Bridgwater first to leave the group was Paul and Joanne as the dropped in to a garage and found there own way home from there. Next was Mike M and Tracey who dropped out at Weston, the rest of us continued up the A38 towards Bristol, Malcolm departing towards Blagdon lakes, the rest of us continue up to Bristol then along Airport Rd and up the back Roads to Riders dropping out onto the A4 and down to the ring road, at which I departed into Keynsham and there ends another fantastic day out. Excellent company.
With Paul and Joanne Handcock.
1hr 2minutes.
194 miles
Mark's Tale;
Yes Mark had taken the small road, he stopped once he realised we were missing. Paul G came back to see if he could find us but we had moved on so he returned to the group. When they met us, I think a change of underwear was required for a few of them, the road was not suitable for the bikes, the road was car width only with a mud centre and mud on road in general. Their bikes were slipping and sliding all over the place and if they had met anything coming the other direction they could not have passed, I believe it wasn't the best bit of the ride except for Paul G who's bike was suited to it and a regular on mud but they all arrived safely back in the end.
Pete
Joined by Mike M and Tracey later.
Mark in the lead, 9 bikes leave, Patrick joins us to the outskirts of Bristol and then leaves the group. Leaving Fowler's turning left towards St Johns lane, on to it, joining the A38, Patrick goes his own way, 8 bikes continue down past the airport, a steady ride and the sun's out, looking good traffic wise, we following the A38 down towards Battleborourgh where we are joined by Mike M and Tracey from Weston, meeting up in the Sanders Garden Centre. Back up to 9 bikes, no lingering we continue down the A38 into Bridgewater to the first pit stop for drinks and food, at Budgens services 1hr 14min.
Breather over, 37 minutes, we recommence the ride, continuing further down the A38, turning into Wylds Road, then turning right onto the A39, the ride was going well, traffic was moving well and was lighter than expected, we made good time, following the A39 up past Dunster, past Minehead, we now head towards Porlock Hill, testing everyone riding skill on the bends, that behind us, we continue to Lynmouth taking in the wonderful views, as we drop down into it turning left into Tors Road and into the coach park. 1hr 20.
Lunch time, we cross to the sea front to get food and drinks. 1 hr.
We depart but today instead of retracing our steps home, back via A39, Marks got a new route. Leaving, we turn left not right onto Tors Rd, following Tors road along the bank of the East Lyn river to the end which joins back onto the A39, turning left we follow it till we hit the B3223 turning left onto it, 30 minutes later we turn towards Withypool, 3 minutes later our next stop for more drinks and cake, Withypool Tea Rooms, 40 minutes.
Parking was tight and pointing down hill and we could only go in forward, we had to back up the bikes, so we had to help each other pushing the bikes backwards, returning our bikes to solid Road, that accomplished, we leave back the way we came, to the B3223, but not joining it but crossing it into Ash lane to Winsford, turning onto Edbrooke Rd, then turning left on to the A396, following that to Quarme lane, turning right onto it, following that until we hit the B3224 following that all the way down to the A358 turning right on to it, 7 bikes got out, Mike H and Malcolm, got held up by traffic, 200metres around corner, Mark turned left into Bishop lydeard, myself being the last bike turning into the road realised we were about to lose them as they wouldn't have realised we had turned off, so told Mark through headset and I stop at the entrance of road looking behind wait for them to come back into headset range and tell them to turn left, that done I move forward and realised Mark had vanished and the rest of the team, and I didn't see which direction he had taken as there was two roads off the junction, straight a head or bears to the right, and we had lost communication through headset to Mark, so now 2 weren't separated but 3, a quick discussion between Mike, Malcolm and myself ,it was decided they would have bared right, the other road was to small they wouldn't possibly have gone up there, so off we set myself in the lead with Mike and Malcolm's guidance on directions, if I was unsure, we turn on to Cothelstone road which turns in to Enmore road, the journey across was a quick ride with sweeping corners, very few vehicles so we made good time but we didn't catch up with Mark so we guessed he had gone straight on, we arrive back at Bridgewater services, the three of us need fuel so we go straight to the pumps, that done, coffee. In the mean time, Mark had rang Malcolm and arrived 10 minutes later, 1hr 14.
37minutes later we set out on our return journey, we depart leaving Bridgwater first to leave the group was Paul and Joanne as the dropped in to a garage and found there own way home from there. Next was Mike M and Tracey who dropped out at Weston, the rest of us continued up the A38 towards Bristol, Malcolm departing towards Blagdon lakes, the rest of us continue up to Bristol then along Airport Rd and up the back Roads to Riders dropping out onto the A4 and down to the ring road, at which I departed into Keynsham and there ends another fantastic day out. Excellent company.
With Paul and Joanne Handcock.
1hr 2minutes.
194 miles
Mark's Tale;
Yes Mark had taken the small road, he stopped once he realised we were missing. Paul G came back to see if he could find us but we had moved on so he returned to the group. When they met us, I think a change of underwear was required for a few of them, the road was not suitable for the bikes, the road was car width only with a mud centre and mud on road in general. Their bikes were slipping and sliding all over the place and if they had met anything coming the other direction they could not have passed, I believe it wasn't the best bit of the ride except for Paul G who's bike was suited to it and a regular on mud but they all arrived safely back in the end.
Pete