Approximately 20 people turned up, 15 bikes. Weather was good, blue skies, and a nice ride to St Merryn. The £5 prize for longest travelled was won by Mark (Peanut) Corben.
Robin Wale

What a great afternoon we had at the Weary Traveller! The weather was dry and warm, for the 33 bikes that turned up, plus about 20 other guests who came on other makes of motorcycle and in cars. Thank you to the members who attended, and to the guests who swelled the numbers. Sally is giving the details of the winners separately. Congratulations to all who won a trophy, the members choice was a hotly fought 3 way split with the final winner being chosen with a draw from my hat by a lady sitting quitely relaxing in the beer garden. If you have won a trophy please remeber to return it to a member of the committee before next years event. Please get your details engraved on the trophy, getting a VAT receipt for the cost and send to John Robinson (section treasurer) who will reimburse this cost. To those who didn't win better luck next year, but console yourself at least the BBQ was excellent and was enjoyed by 37 of us. I have some people to thank, without whose help I could not run the event so here goes, Steve and the Weary Traveller team, Wally from C W Motorcycles who had the difficult job of judging the entries and then presented the trophies, also Sally and the voiceless Sylv for their efforts distributing the BBQ tickets, coordinating the results and getting the trophies in the correct order, and finally once more again thanks to all of you who attended and made it a memorable event.
Chris Crocker

See News and Notices for the trophy winners
Sal

Ten people turned up to fish+ chip night in Bude on 3rd August. Robin turned up with his minders and family and won five pounds for best milage. They handed it back so I put it in the lifeboat box. Robin had his shopping bag for his silver ware for best bike with elastic band. Tea and coffee was on tap for ride home. Hope everyboby had a good night.
Trev Martin

This should have been Dave Coopers run but as he was otherwise engaged I took it. We started at Whiddon Down with nine bikes and ten people. at 10-45am and rode across to Winkleigh then on to Torrington. Because of Road closure we rode across to Barnstable and then down the A39 to Westward Ho for coffee break and cake. Pete had a big cake but would not share,I think he is taking lessons from Brian?. It was quite warm in the sun but we moved on to Hartland Quay for Lunch. Andy and Brian managed to find a table and we all ordered lunch. It was nice and clear and you could see Lundy Island quite clear. After lunch we rode back over the moor and down through Kilkhampton,Bude and on to Widemouth Bay for cream teas. Hope everybody had a nice day out.
Trev Martin

Phil and I were pleased to welcome the two Daves,Robin,Paul and Peter, five men armed with tents on their bikes to our first ever camping weekend for our Section, at Harford Bridge Camping Park, near Tavistock,on the edge of Dartmoor. Lovely sunny weather was a great start on the Friday of arrival, perfect for pitching tents and erecting the gazebo adjacent to our caravan where we all got together in the afternoon for a tea and cake introduction natter, prefering to sit at the sites table and chairs outside, soaking up the warm sunshine. Later that evening the seven of us tucked into our local butchers[large!]pasties, my rubarb crumble, custard and/or cream, washed down with a few beers and more chat,a perfect end to a good day. Saturday morning saw three more men,Paul,George,Bryan and their bikes, arrive for our Dartmoor rideout,not forgetting Helen who called in to say hello but sadly had to leave again after refreshments,owing to other committments. This was reassuring given the weather forecast was for heavy rain coming in that day, but not perturbed by this,a prompt start at 11am of ten bikes left the campsite,riding past Princetown prison and village,Two Bridges then a lovely scenic narrow winding road towards Buckfastleigh, making our first stop at the car park opposite Venford Reservoir for photos, history lesson and leg stretch. Onward then to Buckfast Abbey where we spent an hour or so doing our own thing,whether it be lunch in the cafe,gift shops,inside the Abbey or a stroll around the nicely kept garden and grounds and no admission charge for the privilege! By 1-30pm, when setting off on Part 2 of the ride out, we amazingly had still not seen any rain, only the threat of dark clouds looming with even a glimpse of sunshine sometimes following us heavenly souls! A leisurely ride through scenic villages,Buckland and Widecombe on the Moor,Manaton,Ponsworthy,Dartmeet,coupled with purple heather/yellow gorse moorland as far as ones eyes could see, we completed our journey back at Princetown where a delish cream tea each went down a treat, in the Old Police Station Cafe. On return to the bikes in the car park around 4pm,we all parted company,some either headed for home, back to the campsite or to Morrisons for fuel and supplies. By this time,the rain could hold off no longer and continued into the evening but weren't we so lucky until then. With gazebo in place, table and chairs inside,no problem enjoying a takeaway fish and chip supper from nearby Tavistock [courtesy of the MX5!] more beer, wine and laughs and continual great 'Jethro' style jokes told by Robin and Dave C [wish I could remember them like you] Only the occasional interruption of rain puddles falling off the gazebo roof caused a stir as I did wonder if it was a horse that had joined us. You'll know what I mean,guys!!
Thankyou All for your support and good company of what turned out to be a great weekend. Do hope we can repeat the venue and another rideout next year, check out DOE 2012. PS: Hope your journey back to Aussie went well, Dave, it was really good to see you again.
Debbie Sampson

Weary Traveller Boxing Day Pub Meet - Well what a difference a year makes, last year the pub was frozen solid, today it was almost like a spring day, pleasantly warm with a light breeze. Thank you to the seven members who made the meet. We welcomed on his first visit to the Southwest Section, Nigel Macenzie from Cheddar. Although new to our section, Nigel has rejoined to the club having been a member of other sections in the past, as he has recently returned to riding BM's after a spell on Triumphs. The pub doesn't serve food on Boxing Day but Steve our host makes an exception for us and did bowls of chips all round. Hope you all enjoyed the break from the festive excesses of Christmas.
Chris & Silv.

Three riders met at Liskeard to ride on to Morwellham Quay,where we met with three more riders from various points in our section.The weather was really good no rain at all,even some warm sunshine,which lifted our spirits,going on the banter flying around everyone had a very enjoyable time.I have never see as many beards in one place,(other than a Father Christmass convention) Bryan Boothby leading the group. This was Paul and my first organised wednesday ride out,and we think it wont be the last!!! thanks to all who joined us. See you again soon. Robin and Paul.

12 turned up on a dry but crisp lunch time of lunch, we welcomed 1 new member Mike Cokes,from north Devon,and his new G650GS. All joined in the banter from Bryan Boothby. Hope everybody had a nice day out.
Robin Wale

We set out at 11pm from Morrisons Bodmin, the weather was sunny all day except when we arrived at Atlantic Village Bideford. The ride up was taken over by Andy Raper,who had local knowledge,and took us through some fantastic rides which would have suited GS riders, we even went through a water ford. Lunch at Asda,then a leisurely ride home. Another great day out!!!

Regards Robin.

8 members reported to Moto for the Mystery Tour. We headed east through Ottery, Beer, Seaton, Axmouth, Lyme and Wootton Fitzpaine to Chideock for lunch.... the sun shone, the sea views were cracking and spring in all its glory smiled at us along the way. Beaminster, Evershot, Frampton, Abbotsbury and on to West Bay for a cuppa, cake and retail therapy in Helmet City. Many thanx to those that came to play. photo taken at West Bay by a passing parking warden !
Helen Beer

Twelve of us met at the Woodleigh Coach House Cafe at Cheriton Bishop with the object of visiting a privately owned 'Norton' museum in Brixham as the owner Ian had invited us to his open day. We made straight for the South Devon fishing resort in fine weather and were rewarded by the most amazing collection of bikes of all types, sizes and ages, from a workaday RAC 16H combo to rotaries, OHV and OHC models, singles and twins. The exception to the 'Norton' rule which I spotted was an AA combination - by BSA, as they didn't use Nortons! Every bike was in absolutely splendid order and was displayed on light green carpet, albeit with drip trays and polythene sheeting under the engines. While lingering over lunch at a local cafe beside the 1000 yard breakwater, the skies opened and it gave our bikes a good soaking while we sheltered as long as we dared. Several of us turned for home at that point, but the remaining 8 rode on down to the higher ferry to Dartmouth, and travelled along the lovely coast road through Stoke Fleming, Blackpool Sands and Strete to the Slapton Line where the road passes over a 3 mile causeway between sea and fresh water. We had an ice cream break at Torcross and viewed the Sherman tank which had been erected as a memorial to the 946 US servicemen who died during the practice for the 1944 D-Day Landings having been brought to the surface in 1984 after 40 years in the briny, snagging fishermens' nets. The recovery was organized by the remarkable Ken Small who revealed the story of the disaster in his book, 'The Forgotten Dead'. We rode on through lovely villages to Kingsbridge and Totnes where we split up to go our separate ways, vowing to return in finer weather to see the country at it's best.

John Dyke

Well what can I say except a big thank you to the 8 hardy souls who attended, braving 50 to 60 mph winds, driving rain, bitterly cold temperatures, fallen trees and flood water. A ripple of applause greeted both Pete Fletcher and Ron Lydford when they arrived as they'd come on a motorcycle and a trike. Brave all weather riders. The rest of us had come in the car, although by the time we left the pub and went home a small boat may have been more suitable. Still we had a great lunch and lots of chat, catching up with friends etc. It sounds as though there is a lot happening in the section this summer, with pub meets ,Fish and Chip evenings, ride outs and rallies. Please don't forget the Summer Rally at Tiverton Rugby Club on the weekend of 6th, 7th of July, the cost is £14.00 per person for the weekend and this includes a fish and chip supper on Saturday evening. The BBQ and concours is at the end of July, can last years winners please ensure that the trophies you won are returned ready for this year. If your bringing a trophy back on the day please let our social sec or me know. Thanks again to those who came today, Ron I think the trike looks great, I look forward to being able to have a closer, longer and dryer look at it in the summer. Ride safe.

Chris & Sylv.