Day 1 -Wednesday 9 July 2008

Stuart and the support vehicle team set off from GT Motorcycles in Elburton Road, Plymouth at approximately 0845 hours this morning.  The weather was atrocious with very heavy rain.  Last night we had he opportunity to meet Laura Pratt the South West Representative for DebRA and she very kindly travelled down from the Southampton area to see Stuart off this morning. 

These pictures were taken just before leaving GT Motorcycles.

They are heading towards Hayling Island today.  I will probably have a further update tonight.

Stuart has arrived safely at Hayling Island. En route they stopped off at the Sammy Miller Museum where they met Sammy Miller himself.  Then it was a case of back on the bike and heading towards Hayling Island where Stuart and his support team are staying the night.  Stuart said that the weather has been absolutely terrible all day and he has never ridden in such bad weather before.  Lets hope that the weather is a bit better for them tomorrow.

Stuart and the Support Vehicle Team with Sammy Miller at the Sammy Miller Museum

Day 2 – Thursday 10 July 2008

Just received a phone call from Stuart with an update.  The weather has been good to them today, it has been dry and sunny – what a change from yesterday.   They were one and a half hours behind schedule but managed to visit the Battle of Britain War Memorial at Folkstone.   They later met up with a lady, called Lady Sue (yes, a Lady) who was collecting for DebRA outside of Somerfields in Saxmundham near Lowestoft where they were supplied with chicken sandwiches.  They have now arrived at Lowestoft where they have enjoyed a home-cooked roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings. 

The Honda CG125cc motorbike gets a little rest tomorrow and is going in the back of the support vehicle, Stuart will then ride the Jailing 125cc for the day.

The team are meeting up with the family of an EB sufferer tomorrow in Cromer.

We were hoping to get some pictures to you tonight but I understand that there have been some technical problems at the moment; hopefully we can get this sorted soon.

Did you 'Pay & Display' like the sign says, Madrider?

With 'Lady Sue' (far right) and her helpers in the car park at Somerfields, Saxmundham

Thank you ladies for your support and plentiful supply of hot beverages and chicken sandwiches.  Delicious (the sandwiches).  And, they said he was tall, dark and handsome!   Now, who was it that needed to go to Specsavers?

Day 3 – Friday 11 July 2008

Stuart and the team left Lowestoft  this morning and en-route they stopped at Cromer and met up with a family who has a daughter who suffers with EB.  I understand that they hit some bad weather – rain again – on the way.  They then continued their journey and  headed up country to Friskney , Nr Skegness, where they are staying for the night.   Still waiting on the photos, probably flying around in cyber-space somewhere.

Stuart met up in Cromer with Veronica and her daughter Daisy May who is an EB sufferer.  Note they are wearing their DebRA T-shirts.

Day 4 - Saturday 12 July 2008

The team set off again this morning from Friskney, where last night there was a collection for DebRA in the local pub.  They headed up towards Skirlaugh where they are staying the night and met up with some of our biker/trike friends who travelled from Hull to York with them.  They all rode into the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington, Nr York, where they posed for photographs.   They had a bit of bad weather on the way, especially whilst going across the Humber Bridge, but mainly it has been good weather.   They are all meeting in a local pub tonight in Skirlaugh with some of the bikers/trikers who travelled from Hull to ride with them earlier in the day. It's an early start for them tomorrow as they are heading towards Edinburgh.  Well done so far lads, keep on collecting that money for DebRA.

Seems like we have sorted out the technical problem with photographs, so we hope to bring you lots more soon.

At Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, Nr York.   Pictured are Dougie, Fiona, Pug, Trikeskull, Stuart (aka Madrider1961) and other bikers supporting DebRA.

Bikers at Squires Cafe

Madrider doing something 'technical' at Squires Cafe

Day 5 - Sunday 13 July 2008

Happy Birthday Stuart, love from Linda and Bramble xxxxx



Well, it just had to be done! 

Now down to the serious stuff.   Stu and team set off from Skirlaugh  really early this morning and at 1200 hours approximately when the birthday boy rang me, they were 110 miles away from Edinburgh, so they are doing well.   Dougie in the Support Vehicle has never been to Scotland so he is really looking forward to this part of the trip.   They have viisted Goathland aka Aidensfield en-route, the home of Heartbeat and have met up with the real owner of the garage and have had their pictures taken.   The photos will be sent to me when they reach Edinburgh, so I will post them on here later tonight.   Stu is riding the Jailing at the moment and giving the CG125 a little rest. 

Thought I would be getting some photos on here this evening but there is a slight technical problem in that they are unable to send them from the location that they are staying at.  They arrived in Edinburgh at around 1600 hours today and I understand that they were going to take an amble over to Edinburgh  Castle.  Hopefully I will get the photos on here tomorrow night.

'Madrider' - you are being followed by a big yellow GT van.

Day 6 - Monday 14 July 2008

The team had an early start this morning from Edinburgh, at approximately 0900 hours they were in Dundee and arrived at Inverness at 1600 hours.   They have had a good trip up from Edinburgh.   The weather has been dry and the team are in good spirits.   They are staying at a Bed and Breakfast tonight which Stuart describes as 'absolutely lovely'.  After resting for a short while they decided to take a stroll down into the local village for something to eat.  However, they decided to ask for direction off a young lady in 'red wellies' (she must be expecting bad weather) and she sent them the wrong way and they ended up in a field (with a river in the middle).   Anyway they have now arrived at a local pub and are sampling the local fayre.  Guys, why didn't you use the SatNav?

Stu has sent me some photos from his mobile phone, so time dependant, I will see if I can get them on here tonight.   I realised today that my fleece jacket that I left at GT Motorcycles last Sunday (6 July) when Stuart and I helped out with the 30th birthday party, is still in Dougie's van and is currently travelling around the UK.

They are heading around the coast to Ullapool tomorrow. 

Day 7 - Tuesday 15 July 2008

Ok, here is the latest update.   The guys stayed in Inverness last night and headed towards Ullapool tonight where they are staying.   Stuart has said that the weather has been really bad today and that they experienced head-on gale force winds, then side-on winds, so they went through hell today as Stuart puts it.  Anyway, Stuart managed to stay on the bike despite the high winds.   Its an early night tonight as they set off early tomorrow morning for Patna, in Ayr.  So all is going well.

So who's the one that snore's then?  Have you tried Snore Wizard?

Hoping to get you some more photos on here tomorrow night.

'Madrider' pondering on the day's journey so far whilst taking a break at John o'Groats

Day 8 - Wednesday 16 July 2008

Stuart and the team headed off this morning early from Ullapool, their destination being Patna, in Ayr.  They stopped off at Fort William for a long break where it was raining,   They have met with road closures, diversions etc. today but they are all in good spirits but feeling a bit tired so I think they will all be getting their heads down early tonight.  They are staying on a working farm tonight, so will probably be up with the dawn chorus and the sound of the cockrel.

Day 9 - Thursday 17 July 2008

After an early night last night and an early start this morning, the team set off heading back into England, through Castle Douglas, Gretna, and the A6 to Kendall and Lancaster.  After being advised that a storm was blowing against the north west coast they decided to take 'route B' (there is always an alternative route mapped out) as they considered it unsafe and so headed off down the A6.   They have had rain today and it was so bad that Stuart's bike boots got drenched so they called into Lancaster and Stuart purchased a new pair.  They are staying the night in the Merseyside area where they intend to get an early night and to dry out their wet clothes.  Everyone is well and in good spirits.  

The photographs that I promised you were sent to me through a mobile phone, they are not sutiable for publishing on the website due to the distortion that occurs when I try and upload them onto the website and try to make them a reasonable size.  However, I have added two more pictures onto day 4, Saturday 12 July 2008.  Hopefully we will be able to post some more photographs here tomorrow night.   Come on guys, sort it out, we want some pictures - find an internet cafe!

Day 10 - Friday 18 July 2008

After spending the night in Southport last night, Stuart and the team headed down into Wales, where they met up with some bikers who rode with them into Stroud where they stayed the night.   Many thanks to those bikers who either met up with them or rode with them for part of the way, as they experienced rain all day.  Stuart has been warned to leave the rain behind in Wales and not bring it with him to Plymouth on Sunday.  They had a very long day yesterday and eventually arrived in Stroud quite late at our friend Manda's.   Tomorrow they head off for Penzance and then the homeward run on Sunday morning.  

Welsh bikers with Stuart at Burger King - notice Stuart is the only one with coffee

Day 11 - Saturday 19 July 2008

After a late night arriving in Stroud, they set off later than normal at 0900 hours heading towards the west country.   At 1345 hours they were at Bideford taking a break.   They have now arrived in Penzance where they are staying the night.   Anyone wishing to ride up to Plymouth with Stuart from Penzance tomorrow should be at the Lands End Hotel by 0900 hours on Sunday 20 July 2008.   There is a £5.00 charge for the ride-out.    Please do not bring any bad weather with you guys, we want a dry day for the bike meet tomorrow.

Day 12 - Sunday 20 July 2008

The final leg of the bike ride, the ride up from Lands End Hotel to Plymouth.   Whilst Stuart was probably eating a hearty breakfast at Penzance, his work colleague (Jason) and I were busily checking that we had everything we needed for the bike meet and loaded the car.  Stuart was followed by bikers from the First & Last MCC, Ride-out SW and individual bikers.  Although timed with military precision, or so I thought, Stuart was due to ride into the bike meet at 1400 hours, but alas it was not to be as he rode in 20 minutes early ahead of schedule.   This put my plan to spray him with a well shook-up bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling wine as he stopped on site, went right out the window.  

We had lovely weather for the bike meet and had a far better attendance from last year, when the weather was not so kind to us.   We had a few exhibitors who failed to turn up for the event but I understand that this is the norm.

We were entertained with live music from Masdevallia, Output, Syruss and Selwyn Froglet.  

We only managed to hold two auctions and the successful bidders were Thelma of Plymouth for the one nights bed and breakfast in the bridal suite of the Astor Hotel; and a very excited Elaine from Newton Abbot for the powerboat ride experience. 

Dennis Caldicott of Plymouth MCC won 'Best Bike of the Meet' and was presented with his trophy by 'Best BIke of Meet' Judge, Mark Freeman of GT Motorcycles.

We are still counting the pennies, pounds and cheques for donations raised both en-route during the ride and also for monies raised at the bike meet.   We still have monies coming in and hope to post a final figure as soon as possible.  Our 'Thank You' to everyone will appear in the next couple of days.

Just 'posing' for the photographer