Cheddar Gorgeous 2009
26th September 2009
The Cheddar Gorgeous Mendip Chapter Ride Out, well what can I say !!! I think I would like to start by thanking all of you for attending, we had 22 motorcycles, 2 with pillions, so 24 people in total, 8 of which we civilian friends and 10 of which are potential new members, with 6 Blue Knight members being on the ride.
Muddy was handing out membership forms like confetti, I think he was enjoying himself.
The breakfast venue at Hartley's Kitchen was superb with lots of positive feedback, you'll excuse the pun.
The ride was led by the lathiathon of a Rocket III trike, followed by our President John Cooke's immaculately turned out Pan European, closely followed by two equally immaculate American "CHIPS" Highway Patrol Kawasaki Z1000's, ridden by Alan George aka "Poncharella" and his friend Glyn, they both had gone the full nine yards and even had the uniforms, it felt like being on a film set at Pinewood Studios.
We ordered the weather, it was cool to start and progressively warmed throughout the ride.
We left Hartley's and rode the back way into Wells, being diverted owing to hedge cutting, down a lane with huge clumps of grass growing in the centre, which my trike front wheel couldn't avoid, a lap of Wells, through Wookey Hole and up to Deer's Leap, where we stopped to admire the view, then on through Priddy (and its colourful farm equipment sale) and on to Chew Valley for tea.
We then rode Burrington Coombe, Charterhouse and stopped at Cheddar Gorge for a photo shoot, on leaving Cheddar we rode the peat moors through Wedmore and Meare, eventually doing a lap of Glastonbury and finally riding the A39 to V & J Superbikes at Bridgwater.
The drop off system worked well with all the riders who were unfamiliar with it.
During the 70+ mile ride a few of the riders had to leave, our President commented that we had not had such a large ride out since the KART rally.
I am pleased to say, it all went without a hitch, company, weather and food couldn't have been better, thank you all.
Simon Anderson
Ride Captain PHOTO GALLERY