Lawride 2010
24th to 25th July 2010
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It really is surprising how quickly the Lawride comes around each year. Before we new it, we were gathering to ride up on the Saturday morning, 24th July, and unlike the two previous years, the weather was sunny. YES! Well, the odd shower on Saturday, but I didn’t notice it in the car!! This was also going to be the last weekend where we had to ride to Leicester before going to Stafford, so that we could attend the Members AGM at Leicester Police HQ.
To start, Pete & Kath came to my house so that Kath could ride up in the car with Tina and I. Pete rode in with Gerry and Pat. Shortly after, Glynn and Ruth came around for their first ever Lawride. We then headed off up the M5 and then the M4 to meet up with Muddy & Lesley on the A46 north of Junction 18, after a quick fuel stop for the bikes. It was then all systems go, with the car leading to our coffee/cake stop in Stow on the Wold. Well, it would have been our original intention. We met very heavy traffic. 30 minutes to travel half a mile to the traffic lights on the junction with the A429. The solo bikes had to go on as they were getting hot. Poor Glynn on his trike had to suffer with us in the car…… although he did not have air con, but that’s another story.
Having got through and meeting up with the bikes again, we suddenly lost Gerry, so we pulled into the Old Prison café at Fossebridge to wait. We soon learnt that Gerry’s chain had snapped, so he had to wait for recovery. So coffee and cake consumed was ordered and what a beautiful place the Old Prison is – never stopped there before. The only problem was the serving girls. We thought they were a tad slow, so slow that we couldn’t work out what they were doing. Perhaps it was a one off, and will compare next time we stop there, as it has great parking and convenient.
Well, from now on, Glynn will be known as "Badger". We were travelling along quite merrily, when a recently deceased badger was spied on the road. I, in the car managed to avoid it. But immediately checked my mirror to see Glynn doing either a full dance routine or was it a quick manoeuvre to avoid this badger, only for one of his rear wheel to go over it. This threw his trike into the air and the badger to be tossed up and into the path of Muddy & Pete who thought the world was coming to an end! So "Badger" He will be known henceforth :-)
We then travelled up the Fosseway to Leicester for the Members AGM, which is always poorly attended, and Saturday was no exception. It is the one opportunity where members can question the National Committee. The reports were given after tea and biscuits and we were soon on the road again heading for Stafford. We went back down the M69 to the A5 and followed that before going on the M6 Toll and the M6 and to the Premier Inn Stafford North Spitfire. After a rest and freshening up, we all met up for dinner and a good laugh.
Sunday morning the weather had improved and it was a beautiful day. We only had five miles to travel to the Staffs police HQ on Cannock Road, where we joined fellow Blue Knights from the UK and Europe. We also met up with Amanda and Holly, who had come from the COPS Survivors hotel, to ride with us to the National Memorial Arboretum.
Soon it was time to head off, and what a sight the bikes made, and unfortunately, a mistake occurred and our car ended up at the back, so occasionally we saw the convoy of over 200 bikes being escorted by Staffordshire Police Bikes and Marc Platt on his Met bike. It was Kath’s first time on Lawride, so she was enjoying herself. Ruth had joined Glynn on the trike for the ride and Gerry had made it having had his chain repaired. We were all there. Fantastic!!
Lawride was going to be 17 miles long this year, through a few villages where everyone came out to the sound of sirens and two tone horns from the historic police cars! It was brilliant, with everyone waving and smiling – we made someone’s day, that’s for sure. Soon, we arrived at the Arboretum, and the bikes headed in to ride past the survivors and the Chief Officers, whilst we had to peel off and park in the car park.
We then went over into the marquee for the Memorial Service, which as always, was funny, sad and very emotional, but none of us would miss it for the world. It was great to see the President of COPS, Christine Fulton resplendent in her Blue Knights vest, which she wore all day. For those who don’t know, Christine has been made an International Honorary Member, and she is so proud of it, as we are of her. Well done Christine!
The wreaths were laid, including the Blue Knights wreath, before we all adjourned outside to watch the police helicopter do its fly past along “The Beat” and pay respects to all there, before flying off. Health and Safety interfered with this as well. We all got held back from The Beat, so it could do its ritual as it’s not allowed to fly over people???? What???
We then all made our way to various Force trees, and I made my way to meet up with Paul & Carole at the Avon & Somerset tree. I really do look forward to meeting them each year, and I know others go to theirs. Tina and I also went to the Blue Knights tree to lay our wreath there and have a photo taken.
Once we had done that, all the Chapter members met up for a group photo, before going in for a carvery dinner in the restaurant. We also had a great surprise for Glynn, who was celebrating his birthday (how old were you again Glynn??). We had managed to smuggle in a surprise birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday to him, before we all enjoyed a slice of his cake. It was great to see him surprised, as no-one had mentioned his birthday to him, so he though he had got away with it. Wrong!!
Soon it was time to head back home, and we had a good, if not a hot journey home. Pat headed north to meet Carole, so we said our goodbyes. We did get caught in a small tail back on the M42 which didn’t last long, but gave Pete a chance to have some sweets, and for him and Glynn to drink some water, all courtesy of Tina and to the amusement of other motorists in the queue. Muddy had decided to miss the traffic, so took an alternative route home.
We made one stop at Strensham Services for much needed drinks, and for the guys to cool down, as they were very hot in the sun. Did I mention that the car we had air con, so were okay?? Back home, we all had coffee before Pete and Gerry headed off with Kath following in the car.
John Cooke
Secretary/Webmaster
Past President
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