Mid-summer madness but, of course, it was not mid-summer. September to be exact.
Someone explained to me that the name was referring to the crazy time when you have to get up to join the mad dash to Dover. Ah yes, I remember the madness also included all day riding. Now that was going to be a challenge for someone who thinks riding to Ashford from Sandwich is virtually going to a foreign country. Starting at the crack of dawn (4am in my case) and arriving at 5am at the entrance to Dover docks was going to be weird. Now, let’s be honest for most of us 4 o’clock is in the afternoon. You know, when we used to get home from school. Well, it was for my generation.
And another thing I realised was that it would be dark. Yes, the opposite to seeing where you are going. Streetlights and civilised things like that. Where I live, in the middle of nowhere, we don’t do streetlights let alone cat’s-eyes! So, riding bleary-eyed at silly o’clock in the morning was not exactly the best of things.
I wanted to go on the one in June but I was too late to put my name down. So, when I got an email from Sarah saying there were 3 places left for the September MSM I put my name down immediately. But you know they talk about buyers’ regret. Well, it wasn’t regret it was more apprehension. I was nervous. Why? I really haven’t done any long trips on a motorbike since my last MSM about 10-12 years ago. That was when I was younger, fitter and much more confident and I had a different bike. But the real issue was I hadn’t ridden a lot recently although I have managed to change my bike 3 or 4 times in the last couple of years.
All manner of thoughts came into my head. Would I be able to ride all day for about 160+ miles? Would I have the stamina? Would I need to go to the loo? (anyone of a certain age will understand that one). Would I be comfortable keeping up with the others? Maybe these things were not a question for many but certainly at this stage of the game, were considerations for me.
I look at Sarah’s list of ‘must haves’ for a trip like this and sort out my Hi- Vis, V5, insurance, first aid kit, UK sticker (blagged from a kind mate) helmet strips (blagged from same mate) and other bits and pieces...
Next thing a bag of tools, rain gear, puncture repair kit (yes, I was rider 27 of 27 with a puncture repair kit) and more. Small tank bag attached to the rear seat did the trick. Lesson learnt from a previous trip – secure tool bag to the seat with more than just bungy straps…….
Almost ready. Tyres, chain, oil, battery condition, fuel tank brimmed. Everything in order. A quick wash before I put the bike away (fellow EKAMER’s will be watching after all).
Next on the list was sandwich making and breakfast preparation ready for the next day. I really didn’t want to get up at the crack of dawn and not have any breakfast. Equally I know what P&O food or lack thereof can be like.
Now all I had to do was to have a good night’s sleep and set two alarms. I need not have worried about not getting up in time as my good lady always wakes up ‘in the middle of the night’ but Murphy’s Law of getting up in the early hours for planes, boats and trains says you will oversleep. Although the reality is you don’t really get any sleep anyway but hey, that’s travel for you.
The day finally came. Or morning to be more precise and of course it was very, very dark. “Am I really doing this I said quietly to myself”. Quick wash. Even quicker breakfast and grabbed my belongings. Garage open. Riding kit on and bike pushed out of a very empty garage into an even darker drive. This is it. Sorry neighbours but I need the choke on for just a little bit longer. Said goodbye to my dear lady and off into the darkness I rode.
On passing the Sandwich roundabout I heard a motorbike and was swiftly overtaking by two motorcycles making progress. I thought good God, I shall have none of this so I increased my speed to what I was comfortable with and was more appropriate for the road. Although I was moving quicker my fellow motorcyclists must have found their mojo as they increased their speed even more and were almost flying by the time we got to the next roundabout. Telling myself I was not yet awake I held back and saw our two wheeled friends vanishing into the distance.
Sarah had said that if anyone was unsure about going through Dover docks and the check in procedure to wait in the layby on the left once inside the port. This I duly did. No sooner had I arrived then Phil stopped in front of me, checked I was OK and handed me a peg to use on my screen. Thoughtful touch. Thank you.
We went forward and we were soon waved onto the vessel riding up the steel ramp. It looked a bit daunting with its large metal ribs but no one skidded or made a wrong move so we all arrived safely at the front of the ship. Or was it the back. Some bright spark said it was the bow, so I guess it was the pointy bit.
Now the fun and games really started with securing our bikes with broken straps and rusted ratchets. Obviously, a bit of a speciality a la P & O but did we really need the challenge at this time of the morning? Luckily for me another club member, a strapping specialist, was at hand to make sure my bike was secure. He did a brilliant job and I too wanted to help others. Phil was having an interesting time of it too. Broken straps, straps too short, frayed straps. You name it, he had it. Being a man who comes prepared, in his very neat and organised tool case he had a tool for almost everything. We grabbed a flat –headed screwdriver and I pushed and prodded determined not to be beaten at this time of the morning. Eventually after a couple of tries, having attempted putting it on the wrong way round, the strap was in the ratchet and quickly secured. Finally, we could get on with our day.
The new, quiet hybrid vessel glided out of Dover port and the ferry trip went very smoothly. Very impressive.
It was soon time for a briefing from Sarah and her team which I really appreciated; a reminder of EKAM riding protocols, info on where we were heading, fuel stops etc. All information given clearly and a chance for newcomers to see who the leader was, Tail End Charlie & other members of the team, and we were ready to roll.
And so, the adventure really began. A challenging and interesting ride for me and a trip more than adequately reported on in this article by others, but a great day’s outing. (Even if I do now think of myself as Captain Slow).