Riding The Crowman Back Home

When I moved to Seaham last year I left The Crowman safely locked up in the flats in Salisbury with a view to going down to collect it in due course.
The main reason for the delay was that there was only a single gate to get into my back yard and no other safe place to keep it.

In February, the builder came, knocked down the wall and installed a full-width (2.4 metre-wide) roller-shutter door.

The bike was due for its annual MOT Test so I timed my trip to get it done by my mechanic in Salisbury who had always looked after it then ride it the 300 miles back home.

It's all been a bit of a nightmare, the biggest bit being a totally flat battery.
However, it passed the Test so tomorrow, Friday, 13th. I set out to ride the first 150 miles to the hotel half way where I'm stopping the night.

I'm praying for clement weather, of course.

I've missed riding for the last nine months and look forward to exploring the wonderful countryside and places of interest in the North-East of England. Some people will be aware that there are some beautiful churches, formerly attached to monasteries, dating back to the 7th. Century, churches which are still used as regular places of worship, not just ancient buildings.

It's a lovely part of the world.

Hope you'll have nice weather for the ride tomorrow.

Thank you!
The Forecast is encouraging.

Friday - 154 miles.
I got a bit chilly but survived.
I spent the night in a pre-booked hotel and had a good rest.
Today was more miles - 194 - but the roads were quiet and I was able to 'make progress', covering the distance in 4hrs 30 mins including two proper rests at motorway services and two for petrol at roadside filling stations.
I took a longer route than absolutely necessary but the shortest includes two rather nasty roads and I'd have had to stop overnight anyway. I think I made the right choice.

The Crowman went like a dream.
Roll on the warmer weather.

Must have been a nice ride.

It was; it was a bit blustery but it is March!

9 months of not riding I would start to lose it. Flat battery is expected after some time. It's still winter in North but it's been a warm one over here on East Coast US.

A move to new place brings a lot of different places and sights to see. Enjoy .

Thanks.

Nice to hear Mike got his Silver Wing back up to County Durham.

But let’s get real here, warmer weather may be coming, along with this Coronavirus pandemic. One of my touring group pals has had to abandon his touring holiday in Italy as the country is on lockdown. Another was due to fly off to Australia in a few days on a holiday booked over a year ago and that too has been cancelled because Dubai, Singapore, and now Australia have put their own restrictions in place.

Back here in the UK apart from the panic buying, the Health Secretary has confirmed that the elderly WILL soon be told to stay at home for up to four months. This measure probably covers the majority of Brits on here and the other popular maxi forums.

Yet browsing random motorcycle and maxi scooter forums, it seems as if this very real threat to life is barely worth a mention, and it's business as usual for upcoming group rides etc.

Thank you, Meldrew.
Curiously, riding on my own on virtually empty roads made me feel detatched from all the upset about the virus.

The services were equally quiet so thoughs of positively keeping distance between me and other visitors were soon forgotten.

I'm sorry that so many people have been adversly affected; I live alone so spend much time in isolation although the opportunities to socialise are there for the taking. I have recently joined the Dementia Awareness choir, for example. It's a bit 'Army Wives', not what I'm used to, but it's good fun.
I have plenty of food, having stocked up many months ago when food shortages were forecast because of the then idea that exit from Europe was imminent. I don't want anyone worrying that I have or haven't got anything to eat; they have their own families to think about.

Without being in the least bit morbid, I've had my three score years and ten and if I succombe to the present plague, so be it. I could have been knocked off the scooter yesterday in spite of protective clothing and a careful approach (not necessarily pedestrian) to my riding.

I do hope to meet with riders up here but will be content to ride about solo, just for the hell of it.

I hope, also, that everyone here manages to weather the storm.

Mike......a "warm" welcome to the Northeast. I was going to say that we might be able to meet up sometime during the summer but now it's looking likely that us over 70s will be grounded for the foreseeable future. We can only hope for better times and pray that the death toll doesn't rise.

Den

Thanks, Den. It's most kind of you.
I have been overwhelmed by the kindness and friendliness of everyone here, friendly without being intrusive.
My neighbours are all just the same. The chap on one side, a former miner, invited me in very early on. In the course of conversation, acknowledging I came from down south, said, 'I bet you vote Tory, but it doesn't matter'!

I plan to side-step the imposed isolation as far as is decent. I have no family near to look after me and my neighbours have enough to do - most have families with children.
I will be careful, of course, but riding my bike keeps me isolated unless I meet up for a ride, in which case I will be extra-careful.

I looked at the Coronavirus fact-finder on the BBC News website earlier and determined that there is one known case in Co. Durham out of a population of well-over 500,000. I expect that figure will go up but who knows?
Let's take a risk and meet when the weather is warmer.

Mike

Ok Mike...........there's non in Northumberland yet either so fingers crossed !

I will, Den.