Today, Sunday 12th May, presented a tale of two adventures for the Gloucestershire Honda Owner’s Club.
At the crisp hour of 9 AM, Chris and James – two valiant souls from our club – met opposite the Toby Carvery at Over, determined to ride to Devil’s Bridge. James, our resident meteorologist, had been warning all week about the potential thunderstorms on Sunday, but Chris, with classic British optimism, insisted, “It’ll be fine! We’ll outrun it!” Famous last words, right?
The day started deceptively beautiful. Sunshine, blue skies – the weather gods seemed to be on a coffee break. They stopped at Oakchurch Farm Shop, indulging in cream scones with jam and a brew, basking in the kind of morning that makes you think, “Maybe Chris was right!”
Fast forward to reaching Devil’s Bridge, with Wales looking like a postcard with its glorious rolling hills. They parked up, strolled down to admire the waterfall, and then stuffed their faces with sausage and breakfast baps back at the cafe. The mood was high; the skies clear. They even managed to laugh and plan future rides, thinking the weather app might just be a drama queen.
But oh, how quickly things changed. As they were gearing up to leave, James spotted a single, ominous raindrop on his fuel tank. Pointing it out to Chris with a “Look at that,” the skies chose that exact moment to open up. What started as a few innocent drops quickly escalated into a deluge of the biggest raindrops they’d ever seen. Chris was frantically wrestling into his wet weather gear, while James just stood there thinking, “Bloody knew it!” and “Well, might as well embrace the shower.”
They were soaked before they even kicked off, and as they rode back, even the skies decided to throw in some hail stones and a light show of lightning for good measure. Just when they thought it was over and the sun peeked out again, drying their jackets a bit, they stopped for a coffee at Crossgates. Chris, in a moment of sun-induced optimism, stripped off his wet weather gear, declaring, “May as well have not bothered with these, I’m soaked! Need to buy a better set!”
Sure enough, no sooner had they hit the road again, the skies opened up once more. This time, Chris got an even more thorough soaking, having abandoned what little protection he had. “Semi-permeable was an understatement,” he probably thought, as the rain mocked his earlier confidence.
After about 200 miles, filled with laughter, a bit of shivering, and the type of bonding that only British weather can forge, they finally made it home. A hot shower never felt so good.
Meanwhile, as very kindly reported by Keith, the other members of our club who opted out of the ride gathered for a different kind of gathering. Six members met at Friar Tucks to indulge in the world-famous breakfast. The gathering was brightened by the presence of new members Graham and Mel. Graham showcased his impressive appetite by conquering the large breakfast with gusto, while Alan turned heads with his immaculate, classic Triumph side car, leaving his Honda at home for the day. It was a morning filled with good food, great banter, and plenty of laughter, proving that you don’t need to hit the road to enjoy the friendship of the club.
Both groups, whether braving the unpredictable British weather on the road or swapping stories over breakfast, exemplified the spirit of the Gloucestershire Honda Owner’s Club. Adventures were had, new friendships were forged, and laughs were abundant. Here’s to more mornings like this, whether they involve gearing up for a ride or gearing down for a great meal. See you all again soon for the next chapter of our club’s adventures, rain or shine!
Cheers
Jimmy
