We had all been informed that their triumphal arrival would take place at precisely 7pm... but as 7pm came and went people began to speculate on just what had caused this unwelcome delay. This ranged from “they had broken down” to “Doug had done a runner with the charity money” and the team were giving chase.
However at about 7:20... what sounded like a swarm of bees alerted us to their presence... and they were soon spotted at the far end of Spooner Row’s long but very straight main High Street. As they approached riding upon their ‘Mile of Glory’, the high point and climax of months of work, even towards an adoring crowd the atmosphere was electric...
friends where cheering, Mothers and Fathers overflowing with pride wiped away tears of joy and children were screaming with excitement when to everyone’s horror.... the level-crossing gates were closed only moments before they would have passed.
Ten minutes later, visors steamed-up and engines over-heating the gates were finally opened and a brave team were at last welcomed home! Well done lads.
I plan on putting together a full video of the trip, when all the relevant media has been handed to me, I’m not sure just when this will take place but hopefully some time soon.
And Finally
I have added an extra page to ‘The Trip Page’, it is highlighted in blue in the ‘sub-navigation bar’. If you haven’t, please click on ‘The Trip’ link above and then the ‘Finally’ link in it’s sub-navigation menu.
The River Avon
On Second DVD - 8:15pm - 30th of July 2011
Report from Ian... they’ve just crossed the river Avon and are on their second DVD, ’The Return of Thomas the Tank Engine’... looks like Div picked-up the wrong boxset from the house on his way out.
Don’t forget, all reports from tomorrow will be reported on ‘The Trip Page’. There will be no big rush tomorrow as it is by far their easiest day, with only the 60 miles to cover from Land’s End to St Austell they should be bedding down early Sunday night.
Click for larger version
Setting Out - 30th of July 2011
The guys set-off for Land’s End at lunch-time today. There was a slight hold-up at Attleborough but since they have been sailing along nicely. Ian emailed me this photo taken just before the off, with the guys loading the bikes. I like the way Markus gazing at the bracket starting to give over Div’s head adds to the sense of excitement and expectation.
Don’t forget, all reports of the trip home will be uploaded to ‘The Trip Page’ starting tomorrow.
A Big Thanks Too...
The guys want to give a big thank-you to Tufts Builders Merchants of Bradenham for supplying the ’high visability Jackets’ and to Peter Beales Roses for sorting the WWD Logo on the Lorry, Thanks guys!
The Crew
Click for larger version
The guys just sent me a photo of most of the crew, it was taken yesterday, the 26th of July at their last meeting. Unfortunately Div and David Abbs aren’t in the photo but all the rest made it for the shot.
From left to right we have...
Stuart Pearson with his Honda CL50.
Richard Allen, standing behind Div’s Moto Morini Corsarini.
Doug Evens with Slick’s spare 1973 Puch VS50D.
James Jones with his 1969 Puch MS50.
Tom Seaman, Div’s nephew the support van driver.
Markus Munford sporting his Puch VS50.
Ian Limmer with another Puch MV50 (1974.)
Lee Howe with Div’s spare Honda PS50.
Richard Rackman with his 1966 Motobecane.
As mentioned, David Nickalls (Div) and David Abbs were both absent.
Richard Rackman
aka: ‘Slick’
Div’s Moto Morini Corsarini
While Div is sunning himself in Turkey, he’s left Slick to sort-out his Corsarino.
With such a rare classic, Slick has needed all the help he can get, and thankfully Dave Casper of The National Autocycle and Cyclemotor Club has stepped into the breach, supplying all the necessary engine settings and much needed help with the UK registration... A big thanks Dave!
Some more news... Stu’s and Jay’s Hondas, Lee’s and Jay’s Puch’ have all passed their MOT’s! It is looking more and more as though the guys have pulled-off the impossible, and are all set for the off...
It’s a ‘Moto Morini Corsarini’ and lets face it, it looks fantastic... Well done Div!
However, I can see visions of Div having to be winched-off his steed like the Knights of old in their heavy armour, with a crick in his neck and his back gone, and that on the first day! For if those handlebars had been any lower he’d risk catching his knuckles in the front wheel or at the very least, knocking his glasses off with his knees... which could be just as disastrous!
A Big Welcome to Lee and Doug
No one is sure yet if Doug is bringing Keith along or not...
We’ve got two new riders joining us for the trip. Div has kindly given Lee his bright ’Tango Orange’ Honda PS50... he’ll be rolling out his new steed soon (he’s been trying to palm that off to someone for ages).
Lee is a bit of a mystery man, he’s really enthusiastic about something but we don’t know what it is yet, and Doug’s got a dog called ’Keith’.
The rest of the guys have been jealously guarding their bunks and marking out their territory... no one wants to get the short straw and sleep in the shower.
The ‘Yellow Peril’ goes for a check-up. Hmm... 15th of June 2011.
Ian picked-up ‘The Yellow Peril’ on Saturday... he says all it had done was a full service, new points, a condenser, a fuel tap and an oil change. However... there’s been quite a bit of discontent with the guys here at WWD. Sideward glances, things spoken in hushed voices and a flurry of late night phone calls.
Rumours abound that Ian has been seen struggling to keep the front end down, popping wheelies and snaking while pulling away. There’s speculation that far more has been done than Ian is letting-on. Possibly ‘reed valves?’, a skimmed head? internal expansion chambers? Some are even speculating, that it is no longer a 50cc moped but a fully fledged motorbike!!
I knew this would happen... their competitiveness is going to get very ugly indeed... I just knew it!
Here’s a photo of the team ‘tuffing-it-out’ last year, I don’t know how they cope with all the trials and tribulations that come with being on the road... especially when you have to eat in places like that!
Please download and print-off our flyer... Pin it up in your local pub billboard or chippie, in fact anywhere where there are people. It would be greatly appreciated, plus it is all for a good cause.
And if anyone has any Facebook friend’s in...
St Austell
Torquay
Poole
Hastings
Southend
Wymondham
Please post this Page on their wall, or email them the link.
Ian has just given me an update on his 1974 Puch (The Yellow Peril) MV50. Apparently it flew through it’s MOT (probably something to do with that £20 note pinned to the MOT application). He says all it needed was a couple of new tyres and a new fuel tap.
He’s still awaiting his shiny new logbook from the DVLA and still can’t get the turbo working . I think the only turbo Ian will get working on ‘The Yellow Peril’ is called ’pedal power’, he’ll have to bang-out a few squats to beef-up those spindly legs of his if his going to get that turbo working!
Gotta say though Ian... the bike’s looking good, well done!
Mark’s new engine. - 1st June 2011
Markus bought another Puch engine off of eBay for just a few quid, wiped the oil of the side... banged in into his bike, kicked-over and it started immediately!
Now he’s old engine is a spare for all those other Puch riders on the trip. However, just to be on the safe side he’s sent another engine away for a professional rebuild. And he’s made it quite clear that it is his... if anyone should so much as even look at it... you’ve got it, he’ll burst out crying.
