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Fearby Weekend and Northern AGM

5-7th June 2009

Having seen the reports of the Southern weekend in Marlborough the previous weekend and watched the weather worsen during the week, it was perhaps inevitable that the rain would find its way to Fearby this time!

Pauline and I were preparing to load the bike and set off when Swalla rang to arrange a meeting point for him and TC to join us for the ride across to The Black Swan. Although it wasn’t their chosen route, we agreed to meet at Burton-in-Kendal services at 2pm. In the end it was more like 2:30, so we didn’t set off until 3pm.

With the torrential rain battering TC & Swalla in their open-face crash helmets (especially TC with no Snood to protect his lower face), speed was limited to around 40 mph, which meant more than 2 hours to Fearby. A stop to get warmed up in Hawes was prevented due to The Penny Garth Café being closed, so we pressed on, arriving at The Black Swan around 5pm with two cold and miserable bikers in tow (I am having second thoughts about ditching the full-face helmet after this)!

Putting up tents in heavy rain is always great fun! We had our own indoor paddling pool by the time all the gear was stowed, then it was up to the pub in all our wet gear to get warmed up and say hello to the lucky ones who’d arrived and set up before the rain got there (strangely enough, the rain arrived minutes before we did!)

We had a great evening talking bollox, drinking & eating in the bar, with a brief interlude eating Hot Dogs served from Bill & Kaz’s motorhome, finishing once again in the bar. The pool sharks were in action all evening, culminating in an extended game of Killer, won strangely enough by Sean the chef (yes Swalla, he did have two lives left!!), who obviously spends a fair bit of his spare time at the pool table, as indeed does Sean the landlord! Pauline and I were ready for bed before midnight, having drunk a little too much and with me having been working nights and not having had much sleep before setting off, but the die-hards kept the bar working for a while and then carried on at the VRA motorhome club!

Despite assurances that Saturday’s weather would be better, the rain that had fallen throughout the night persisted through the morning, rendering the planned 11 am rideout less than ideal. A quick check with interested parties determined that we would postpone until early afternoon and decide where to go during lunch. The rain continued on and off until 1 pm, when the sky showed some signs of brightening, so we decided to set off for a shortened ride at around 2 pm, Richmond being the new destination. After the usual hanging about while people decided that they would join us and then had to find keys, gloves, wallets etc. we set off for the long trek to Masham (2 miles) to fuel up. Another ten minutes milling around the petrol station and we were off en route to Middleham, Leyburn & Richmond.

Strangely enough, after a few minutes in the saddle, the rain found us again. By the time we had passed through Leyburn, we had had a good soaking, as well as one stop when, on a stretch of road with no junctions, we lost contact with three of the six bikes in the party. After a couple of minutes stopped at the roadside they appeared and we carried on, although I still don’t know why we lost them!

Once through Leyburn and on the scenic route to Richmond, we left the rain behind and the roads began to dry. Into Richmond to the market square, we were directed to some bike parking spaces by a kind official who saw us about to park up in a disabled bay (it was not clearly marked, honestly Officer!). As a true bunch of traditional hard-core bikers we were soon ensconced in a small café with coffee and cakes (and for one who shall remain nameless, but who rides a pink Nomad, a special hot chocolate, complete with flake and marshmallows). Clearly a bike gang to strike fear into the hearts of the locals. The return ride saw us back at the camp site still dry, quite a novel sensation by then!

Just time for a shower and change of clothes before joining the gang for a splendid barbeque, cooked to perfection by Klingon, ably assisted in the preparations by Dawn and Kaz. Thanks to you all for all the work that you put in for us.

There followed a bit of a sing-song, led by Paddi on guitar, accompanied by Bongo on spoons. Sadly, Pauline and I were feeling the cold and decided to sneak off to the bar to meet Phil and Kathy (who had wimped out and got a room, lucky devils) and have a drink or two. Over the next hour or so the rest of the group filtered into the bar and it was soon situation normal, with a fair bit of drinking and talking bollox, interspersed with an ongoing pool tournament that seemed to mostly feature Bongo beating all-comers (I let him win a couple of times myself!).

Paddi was soon playing guitar again and leading a rousing chorus of Wild Rover (the only song we all know, even if there were several different versions at once!!). The evening was further enlivened by the arrival of a very tall and striking-looking “lady” in a leather mini-skirt, fishnet stockings and fm boots. Photographic evidence (see web site gallery) is available of Acidman’s interest in this new arrival, further intrigue perhaps only prevented by the fact that “she” was clearly too tall to fit in his tent!!! (In order to avoid a law suit or personal injury, I have to confess at this point that the photographs were procured at the cost of £20 donation to the Air Ambulance fund, the result of an impromptu collection amongst our members, well done Andy for being a good sport.)

Once again Pauline and I failed to stay the course, heading for our tent some time after 1 am (I had to be fit for the AGM, didn’t I?). Reports from a reliable source (Lucy, Sean’s Manager, who didn’t get away until after 3 am and was back taking breakfast orders at 8am!) indicate that there were some still drinking until almost 3 am. There was some very loud giggling and commotion at about this time in the vicinity of a certain Skulls’ tent, followed by more of the same form Hotlips & Pikeys’ van. Any further noises that may have been heard will not be recorded here!

Any thoughts of a lie-in on Sunday morning were soon shattered by Heater’s usual early departure, there’s nothing quite like the sound of a very lightly-silenced 1500 being started and chugging off uphill! Once awakened by such a sound it becomes very difficult to ignore the deafening snoring and other bodily noises emanating from adjacent tents, especially suffering somewhat from alcohol-induced headaches, nausea and dizziness!

So it was time to get up and pack tents etc. on bikes ready for the journey home, and for those of us who stayed it was soon time for the Northern AGM, held at approximately 10:30 am in the bar of The Black Swan. Minutes of this meeting will be presented separately from this report.

It only remains for me to thank you all for attending the 3rd “Not The Northern Rally” we’ve held at Fearby. Special thanks to Klingon, Dawn, Kaz & Bill for the food and drinks served at the NVRA Caravan Club. Thanks also to landlord Sean and his staff for looking after us. Thank you and Good Night!

Tom