A nice ride out

Handed my drum to my fellow Bandie and had a nice ride out today to meet fellow band members to play in a Pass Out Parade for new Police Officers at a lovely location called Loseley Park in Surrey, UK. Had a nice gentle ride back through the countryside, nothing to beat that.

Too right, a bimble through the countryside in the sunshine is always good.

Exactly Steve

That's why I like this site so much. I learn something almost every day.
I never heard the word "bimble" before and had to look it up. I guess I've been on bimbles before and never knew it.
Thanks Steve!

You ALWAYS have to have a "Bimble", every now and then Dale

As far as bimbling goes, it doesn't work for me unless there's a destination and purpose, I've no interest in getting the gear on to go aimlessly riding about.

I have places to ride to for specific things here in North Yorkshire, over in the East Riding, or in West Yorkshire. There are various pubs I go to to try their pies, deli's, farm shops with eateries, a pie and mash shop in the Dales that does it far better than any of the traditional places in London, specialist groceries, and if I fancy getting my fress on, I know a very nice Jewish sandwich place to get a salt/corn beef sandwich with all the trimmings. The Black Sheep Brewery and Visitor Centre is on the list too.

Of course there's the usual biker greasy spoon hang outs up here, they've never appealed to me (or my fellow ex-Silver Wing and now new Forza owner Brubaker) that's why we started ticking off all the various branches of Bettys Café Tea Rooms here in Yorkshire.

I've just bought the Yorkshire Gin Map to plan rides to some the 45 Yorkshire gin distilleries displayed on it. I'm sure not all of them will be open to the public and I've already been round the Beefeater distillery in London, and The Lakes Gin distillery in Cumbria so I don't need to see how they make it.

I'm then not tempted to try the gin samples at the end of the tour , but some of them might have a nice eaterie attatched or a shop where I can buy a bottle, a miniature, or some branded merchandise.

In the past I've been to various Scotch and Irish whisk(e)y distilleries and try as l may I've never liked the taste of the stuff. I never used to like gin either when it was just plain old London gin andthe explosion in popularity means there's now a flavour for every taste. I've been to a few Gin Fairs and tasted a lot of them, I'm partial to rhubarb, raspberry, gooseberry, and Plymouth gin.

The golden rule being alway use a Fever Tree tonic or mixer with your gin.

Meldrew
That's fair enough, each to their own in doing what they want in life, having a final destination is good but also a Bimble is good too, just end up somewhere you were not planning on, nothing like a surprise in life. So whether it's a planned journey or just a Bimble, everyone have a SAFE RIDE.

Kev

Unlike Meldrew I go for a ride just to ride, the destination is not important to me. I ride every Wednesday to the coast (Southport) I do not particularly like Southport but, the ride there takes in country lanes dual carriageways and long stretches of straight roads, I go ever week of the year in winter,only me there, in Summer had to find somewhere to park. Most days if I go out it is "around the block"that is a ride of fifty miles or less. Sunday I usually ridef One hundred to to hundred miles. Normally I ride alone,but, my son in law asks to come with me if the weather is fine he has an XFR 1300.

I tend to ride 'to' somewhere (cafe or whatever) but don't take the shortest route.
It's purely because I get anxious if I'm not sure where I am or where I'm going.
I'm very comfortable riding with someone who bimbles, though.

I do that on early evening rides mate, the Howardian Hills, Sutton Bank, etc. Once the massed car commuters are safely back home tucking into their McCain oven chips. I even ride up to a motorcycle dealers in Thirsk when it's closed. Just for a look at the various Italian exotica through the showroom windows then I ride back home again.

I was thinking about going up to the Tan Hill Inn in the near future, highest and remotest pub in England , star of the Everest Double Glazing ads etc. Nice ride up over the Pennines where the old boundary’s of Cumberland, County Durham, and North Yorkshire join up.

Haven't been up there for at least 30 years, when I rode there from Cumbria on a MZ ETZ 250 to see all the old vintage bikes and cars going past on the annual Beamish Run. What's holding me back is reading mixed online reviews about their steak and ale pies.

I'm not telling anyone what to do on a ride, neither do I care much either, just mentioning there's more to getting out on rides than riding aimlessly about on the off chance of seeing something interesting, or getting dressed up at weekends to ride in a pack somewhere to eat a fry up.

I also cycle a few miles each weekday morning to and from my local health club/spa/gym for a class, so if I want to go off somewhere I have to cancel.

I'm retired of course, and when you're working you always think you know what you’re going to do when you retire. Since then most of the stuff I thought I'd like to do longer interests me. Hence no aimless riding about, I can do that on my push bike and get the benefit of some exercise.

I'm bunking off today’s class to go off to Leeds to look at bike gear in the newly opened Sportsbikeshop. I'll eat some ramen, noodles or sushi, browse Waterstones, look at hiking boots, look at the foodie stuff in Harvey Nicks etc.  

All part of the rich tapestry that is retirement.

Meldrew
Enjoy your day mate and the food. I too am retired now and also been riding bikes (almost 50years) and have done some long stints in those years on rallies in the 70's, 80's & 90's, still doing some longish trips now ie Ypres with the boy's to lay some wreaths and try out the local beer's , but I do like a bimble at least 3 or 4 times a week, especially in this glorious weather. maintenance day today and stripping down the old Vespa PX ready for the summer. Safe trip