Yesterday. Losing an hour was a bit of a killer, as it made a 07:30 start stupidly early. Within a mile or so from home it became obvious that 2 piece leathers were not going to be ideal, as the cold and damp conditions didn't quite match up with the weather that had been forecast. Never mind, turn the heated grips up to max and think of the full sun that would greet me at Poole Quay.
Fortunately it was stupidly early for most folks, so speedy B road progress was made to the A272 at Cowfold, which would then take me down to Loomies for a cup of tea and a warm up. I'd read of extra police presence on the 272, but no doubt the early dull conditions had kept them somewhere else.
The tea having hit the spot, it was back on the bike following the 272 to the far side of Winchester, before picking up the A30 to Stockbridge and beyond. My favourite cafe,The Haven, had ceased trading at the end of January, so scoped out an alternative between Amesbury and Salisbury. It was ok, but not memorable, however the slight detour took me past the Secret Spitfire, which, until I'd planned the route, I'd never heard of. A petrol stop at Salisbury saw me back on B roads down to Wimbourne Minster, before picking up the A350 into Poole. The sat nav had me outside my favourite pub in no time, as usually I waste 10 minutes getting lost around some of Poole's finest back streets.
A quick couple of pics, then over to the Portsmouth Hoy for a pint of Badger. The downside of being on my own, is that by the time I got served, the only vacant bench in the sun was now taken by two women eating ice creams, having bought nothing in the pub. A seat inside it was then, and could have got really comfortable as my pint of Badger disappeared in no time. A half hour in the sun, sat on the wall alongside the quay, and it was homeward bound, virtually retracing my steps other than the Amesbury diversion. The Haven is now a building site, judging by the number of skips and amount of building material in the car park. The new owners are re-opening, in a different format, on April 1st......good luck with that then.
Other than a petrol stop just before Cowfold, it was home in one hit, with 333 of our lovely English miles recorded on the trip meter, as the ignition key got turned off for the last time that day.
Fortunately it was stupidly early for most folks, so speedy B road progress was made to the A272 at Cowfold, which would then take me down to Loomies for a cup of tea and a warm up. I'd read of extra police presence on the 272, but no doubt the early dull conditions had kept them somewhere else.
The tea having hit the spot, it was back on the bike following the 272 to the far side of Winchester, before picking up the A30 to Stockbridge and beyond. My favourite cafe,The Haven, had ceased trading at the end of January, so scoped out an alternative between Amesbury and Salisbury. It was ok, but not memorable, however the slight detour took me past the Secret Spitfire, which, until I'd planned the route, I'd never heard of. A petrol stop at Salisbury saw me back on B roads down to Wimbourne Minster, before picking up the A350 into Poole. The sat nav had me outside my favourite pub in no time, as usually I waste 10 minutes getting lost around some of Poole's finest back streets.
A quick couple of pics, then over to the Portsmouth Hoy for a pint of Badger. The downside of being on my own, is that by the time I got served, the only vacant bench in the sun was now taken by two women eating ice creams, having bought nothing in the pub. A seat inside it was then, and could have got really comfortable as my pint of Badger disappeared in no time. A half hour in the sun, sat on the wall alongside the quay, and it was homeward bound, virtually retracing my steps other than the Amesbury diversion. The Haven is now a building site, judging by the number of skips and amount of building material in the car park. The new owners are re-opening, in a different format, on April 1st......good luck with that then.
Other than a petrol stop just before Cowfold, it was home in one hit, with 333 of our lovely English miles recorded on the trip meter, as the ignition key got turned off for the last time that day.
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.