cuppa on the Downs.

Sunshine, a beautiful view and tea! What more could you ask for  we didn't have  chairs but we did have a couple of sacks of Chook feed so we improvised. This wasn't really a day out, but a Chook and Cat food run out to Winchester with a bit of a scenic detour and cuppa on the Downs.

Southampton & District MCC

Today was the first proper day out with Phoebe for us in a awhile, as last weekend was cancelled as we were both ill with a rather unpleasant bug. This morning was a quick run into town to pick up a few bits. I was nice to note that she is now running so much better after a fiddle with the timing and a new set of plugs. Back home for a spot of lunch and then off into town again to have a look in at  Southampton & District MCC's 70th Anniversary do and the opening of their new clubhouse by Murray Walker no less. Who at 90 is still quite entertaining and interesting speaker. Phoebe got the usual interested, amused, curious, and mildly horrified reactions and comments. We chatted to a few mates and met and chatted to a few other folk as we walked around the eclectic collections of bikes in the car park. We decided that we would take the plunge and join the club as A, they had a special deal on for membership (and we're cheapskates) and B, the club holds a social night on a Friday night with a cheap bar (told you we're cheapskates!). They also get involved in runs out, trials and racing events and a lot of other stuff so we thought it might do us to socialise abit. A very pleasant afternoon.
Lew

Communication Breakdown.

Just a quick trip into Southampton today so we decided to test-run the Android Intercom app we've both downloaded on our phones to see if a degree of 'bike to sidecar communication is possible. We'd already played with the app at home and it worked fine, but as we only have the standard headphones that came with the phones we weren't sure how it would cope with wind, road and engine noise whilst travelling. Soon found out... Lew's side of things worked fine - he could hear me with only a minimal amount of engine noise from time to time. From my point of view things weren't quite so good - any speed above about 10mph and the wind noise from Lew's mic sounded not unlike a Vulcan bomber taking off just behind my head! (and yes, I do know exactly what that would sound like having grown up under the flight path of Woodford Aerodrome, home of Avro, in the 1960s!) Of course this degree of wind noise made it totally impossible to make out what Lew was saying when he tried talking to me so it's back to the drawing board as regards our communication issues.
Never one to be deterred by the small difficulties life seems to throw our way, when I turned the app off and got rid of the deafening wind noise in my ears I thought I'd leave the ear-pigs (that's ear phones to most normal folk) in place to see how well they muted Phoebe's engine noise and all the other related cacophony I suffer in my sidecar. I quickly found that ear-pigs reduce everything to a much more comfortable level and make no difference to my ability, or rather total lack thereof, to hear when Lew tries to talk to me. I then decided to go one step further as said ear-pigs were still plugged into my phone  and turn my music player on. Bowling along in the sunshine with Phoebe's racket now reduced to a much more civilised level and Robert Plant gently singing in my ear, Bliss!  

Minstead Motorcyclists Social Night

Last Wednesday we thought we would have a run out to the Motorcyclists Social Night at Minstead Social club, in the New forest. Got home from work and after a cuppa and giving Phoebe a quick check over and pumping up tyres and such we set off for the wilds of the forest. Although its quicker to head down the motorway from ours we chose to go out through the villages along the A and B roads as this is what phoebe (and us) is happiest doing. Once through Romsey and over the A36 island we were in uncharted  territory. We found signs to Minstead eventually and follow them nearly to almost to Lyndhurst and them tuned off and crossed one of the gated and cattle gridded entrances to the Forest proper. The road wound through the forest for a few miles  passing the usual New forest Pony's and a few random cows, who seemed to take the sight and sound of a strange pink camo beastie rumbling and rattling  though their domain in their stride. Unlike Dogs apparently two of which Were straining at their leash and barking madly at use as we rounded a corner. Perhaps the took the low rumbling growl of Phoebes exhausts as a challenge, or it could just have been because they were Jack Russell's. After a bit more lovely New Forest scenery we arrived at Minstead. We could see the pub and village stores and other prominent village amenities.but no social club. I attempted to cheat and look it up on my phone sat-nav...and failed of course( so I'm a technophobe, the fact I ride a Ural should be a clue,so live with it.) Lou on the other had sorted it immediately  and efficiently and we were soon on our way down the narrow road out of the Village. After the first hundred yards or so we encountered a group of slightly surly pony's grazing on the hedgerow who eyed us suspiciously, but grudgingly moved over to allow us to pass. Fifty yards further on we saw another Big chestnut Pony/horse giving a car a hard time. the car eventually got by and it was our turn. This fella  meant business,not just surly but downright bloody nasty. We manoeuvred to go round him. he moved across to block us again, we moved again, so did he. We were now nose to nose with him, all rolling eyes and flattened back ears, him not us. Having grown up with horses I decided to call his bluff inching forward and using ancient horse whispering phrases like "Get out of the way you daft bugger!" this seemed to work and he stomped of to the side of the road and let us through. Arrived at the social club with no further incident, pulled in and got a few surprised looks from the crowd gathered outside a few people came over and chatted, a nice friendly bunch We ordered an excellent burger from the barbecue and strolled round looking at the bikes. some nice old Brits, some beautifully restored Japanese stuff and a good smattering of other makes as well. It did strike us that most of the people there were 50 plus old farts like us, a dying breed perhaps. Walked into the bar and ordered some tea. (wow aren't  we the wild ones.lol.) wandered round for a bit more then decided to leave. Oops, found we were blocked in the car park, but a quick word  with one of the organisers and we were soon on our way thanks to a couple of blokes kindly moving their bikes to let us out. Instead of heading back the way we had come I thought I'd go the other way and join back onto the A31, which we did......But heading the wrong way towards down a duel carriageway to Ringwood so after a mile or two I saw a turning back into the forest and took that as that seemed to be our best option. We came out onto a long road across one of the more open heathy bits of the forest. Phoebe's off road biased suspension came into its own on the undulating poor road surface and the lights were more than adequate to bowl along  at a fair clip.suddenly every thing lit up and I was convinced we were about to be beamed up by aliens! as it turned out Lou had switched the sidecars swivel mounted spotlight on, which was aimed just in front of the bike. With a bit of adjustment Lou got it aimed down the left side of the road well ahead of us, ideal for picking out errant wandering cattle and horses. I kind of came to the realisation that this was probably just what our Pink beastie  was designed to do i.e bang roads similar to, or worse this for miles across the wilds of Russia. we soon got back to civilisation and passed through a couple of small villages  the last of which was Minstead! fortunately, we didn't go past the social club as that would have been embarrassing. we returned back the way we come and did a raid on our local garage to get beer and food. A good little expedition as I've not really ridden Phoebe at night much and as a lot of sidecar steering and control relies on reading the road and anticipating the cambers. At night this becomes more difficult so some good practise was had.