RAFFS R.A.T.

Contact: Mike Spencer-Hicken

Location: Fareham

Tel: 07759 530667/02392 613121

Details:

Meeting point for all runs is at Rafferty Newmans shop in Fareham. Meeting/Departure times are as per the Diary of Events on the Rafferty Newman website www.raffertynewman.co.uk and the Rideouts chart in the shop by the coffee machine unless otherwise stated on the group site. Any problems contact Chris at the shop on Tel: 01329 232424, E-Mail: sales@raffertynewman.co.uk or Mike on his mobile or email address.

Latest News: Highland Raid, July 2007

Summary:-

Thursday - Fareham to Leeds....247 miles.

Friday - Leeds to Aviemore....354 miles.

Saturday - Loch Ness Run....185 miles.

Sunday - Aviemore to Fareham....580 miles (10 hours).

Total....1,366 miles.

Thanks to :-

Dave Jones & Judy P - Rocket Classic

Pat Tudgey - Trophy 900 (old nail with 60k miles!)

Ian Neil - Sprint ST 1050

Nick Fay - Rocket 111

Steve Foster - Tiger 955

Bob Deakin - Tiger 1050

The sun shone for most of the trip up to Leeds on Thursday, however, Friday's weather was pretty awful and set the tone for the remainder of the weekend! First favourite road...A68 Otterburn - Corbridge This section is very straight and very hilly. As the landscape is not heavily vegetated it is possible, at several places, to see the road carving a path over several ridges ahead, dead straight.

However, the blind summits make this a trap for the unwary, who are tempted to overtake at inopportune moments, and dire warning signs are provided to make this point, needless to say we behaved, made me feel sea sick though!!

We arrived at the Aviemore resort at 5.30pm on Friday and booked into our hotels & guest houses and met up again at the resort conference centre for a well earned meal and a beer or two (resisted having too many after Thursday night!)

After breakfast Saturday we headed to Loch Ness on a short run of only 185 miles....very tame by our standards, but extremely scenic.

That evening we were piped into dinner by 'Spud' a chap famous for playing his bag pipes.....I've never heard of him?!

After breakfast on Sunday, most of us packed up and headed home. Nick, Pat & I decided to blast it back via the motorways, we left at 9am and I arrived home at 7pm.

After 10 hours in the saddle the Fire Brigade had to winch me off the shop's demo Tiger 1050 with the seat still attached to my bottom! I had a soak in the bath for 2 hours and and it still wouldn't budge so I had to go to hospital to have it surgically removed!!

Despite the weather this was a fabulous weekend with lovely people, now looking forward to possibly Wales next year??