The Kings Motorcycle Club Camp 2001
14/15th of July 2001
The Ride down to the overnight stop was started at 11:45am Saturday morning, the route we took was through Congleton, toward Leek, and then continuing on to Ashbourne.
This is the watering hole we called at on the way down through Derbyshire, The Jervis arms at Onecote. Superb garden with a river running through closely mown lawns, very friendly, even to bikers, and good food, top marks from the KMCC.
After duelling with the speed cameras around Burton and Ashby de la Zouch, we arrive at the Lonely Lion Inn at Swepstone at about 3:00pm.
The adjacent camping field has been recently cut and is better suited to caravans than tents.
Anyway we all dismount to have a roll in the hay, and the members toil with their erections!
What's that red monster in the middle?
Once the tents are up, thoughts turn to refreshment, so its back on the bikes to search for trading posts.
The Club buys up the local Co-op stock of Alcoholic beverage, and needs a car to drag it back to camp.
Jimmy's exhaust nearly claims a couple of the more elderly locals, but they're stronger than they look.
Most of the members adopt a safe position before beginning the drip-feed of alcohol.
The beer tanker is parked out of shot.
The first round of games in the afternoon are the least strenuous, such as the -
Biggest beer-belly final; silhouette against the sun contest
We re-live our childhood for a few hours in the afternoon, but find we're not up to it anymore.
"When the gun goes sprint for it - Dave's on his way back"
A game of Rounders (er- baseball ahem) nearly brought Jimmy to his knees, bruised ribs and shins after one self-inflicted injury and a member of his own team (me) tried to take him out with the bat.
Here John deals with the deadly under-arm delivery of Steve 'Whirlwind' Crich.
The result of the game is still in dispute ("but we won" - team 1)
7:30 pm and its into the Pub for dinner.
The Lonely Lion Inn providing the catering facilities, 7/10 is generous for the food, but they must supply a chisel for getting the utensils off the sticky tables in future.
He's feeling much better after his dinner, bless him.
More dissatisfied punters
The evening did turn out all right in the end though, after the model behaviour of the club resulted in our invitation to attend the 60th birthday party of a local chap, who's party needed a dose of viagra.
We retired with dignity (just) and the local police were allowed to step down from DEF-CON 3.
8:00 am - Will somebody turn off that light!
A welcome return to camping (Joke) in my antique ridge tent, I must get a bigger bike to the carry an airbed, pillow, kitchen sink etc.
The morning after the night before, only a few survivors at the early morning meeting.
Most of the club makes it back into the Inn for a fairly light 'full English breakfast'
After this the site demolition gets under way, and the bikes are re-packed - we depart about 11:30am.
Bike of the Meeting
Sorry, the Judge's decision is final
(The author has a soft spot for VFR's, and he's the Judge)
We stopped for a tea-break/lunch in Matlock. A constantly changing tide of Bikes lines the pavements.
Regrouping in Middlewich before we all head our separate ways.
John's TRX and Jimmy's Bandit12 in the foreground.
By the way, who's Jimmy chatting up now!
Nearly home - Last stretch of the legs overlooking the Menai Bridge, before the last part of my journey home to Amlwch. A lovely evening for a ride.
Sorry again, just had to squeeze in another picture of my bike.
Not very desirable but it got me there and back in one piece.
To finish, much thanks and appreciation to everyone who worked hard to make the trip the success it was, especially the committee without whom etc.
Oh and by the way, I still owe £4 (The cheques in the post)