Suncream on the beach in October!

It’s the first Saturday of October and we’re slapping sun cream on and sitting on the beach at Brighton. The Indian Summer I predicted back in March finally arrived and wow did it arrive. The temperature peaked at a whisker under 30°C today!





Brighton Breeze is an ok show, but it can be stressful. The convoy starts just inside the M25 and winds its way down the M23 and onto the seafront. But you have to start early and with the queues to get parked its normally lunchtime before you get to see any of the show. These things are not one year old friendly, so in our own modern saloon convoy with Malcs, Georgie and Molly we set off at 8am for a nice carpark near the pier. By 10am we were wandering down the never ending line of campers that were still rolling in.







After a few minutes walk we bumped into a few chums who had air-cooled it down and stopped for a natter. A lunch date on the pebbles was sorted.











Getting hot and in need of a drink we spied the bar and rested our legs for a bit. Carrying on the warm walk back towards the pier end of the show. You could spend hours and still not see every camper.











With rumbling tummies and being at the seaside, Kim headed for the beach and I grabbed a couple of trays of fish/sausage & chips. Our little group slowly gathered and for an hour we chatted on the pebbles and played in the sea. My soaked jeans drying nicely in the hot sun!









Getting back on the tarmac we wandered up the final line of campers before hitting the pier for an ice cream.









It was really busy this year, well over 1000 campers, we walked half of the Drive before turning back.







In previous years we’ve enjoyed the art that is plastered all over the town, we didn’t do any graffiti spotting this time, but did see this on the wall of a shop!



There were a few bikes scattered around for the two wheeled fan.





On the pier we enjoyed the sea breeze and the shade while I spilt ice cream and chocolate sauce down myself!



Having seen all the show and needing to get back home to keep Lilys bed time routine in place! We took a stroll around The Lanes as we hunted for the Lego shop, at £80 its pricey and quite small, but I still fancy this really cool blocky camper.



Worn out we headed for the cool of the carpark, it was only 25°C four floors underground! Fired up the air-con and headed home via KFC. I’m sure the rain and cold of autumn will be here soon. But for today at least, it was a glorious summer.

The rest of the snaps can be found here

Steve.

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Festive Bracknell

With the sky still blue and sun still shining the temperature had risen to a balmy 4°C so it seemed rude not to head over to Bracknell and catch up with some friends for some festive snacks. Rolling into the carpark in the toasty warm Passat we headed for the grub and spied this amazing piece of art, too impressive to eat until Babs finally broke it up.



We hadn’t decorated the car, neither of us had a santa hat on but it didn’t matter as Lily diverted all attention away with her super cute Elf outfit.



There was a good selection of Dubs out in the cold, on the chunky side of the carpark Pete and Gren took up more parking spaces than most.



While Mandi & Dave showed off their shiny Split Crewie, jealous, me?





Taking shelter in the Gipsy, Kim and Lily had lunch.



Somebody took the time to decorate their van.



Having nattered to some friends we hadn’t seen for ages the sun was going down and the temperature with it so we loaded up and headed home, a generous slab of gingerbread camper in hand.



Theres a few more photos here

Steve.

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Reading Toy Run

Christmas is all about traditions, for the last few years we’ve wandered up the road on the first Sunday of December to watch the start of the Reading Toy Run, now in its 25th year it began with a small group of bikers taking toys to a charity school in Wokingham and has grown. Despite the best efforts of the weather throwing down snow and then ice in the week leading up to the event, somebody must have been looking down as Sunday dawned dry but overcast until the bikers started to arrive when the sky turned bright blue and the sun shone.

Following a breakfast date with Steve and Izzy we headed over to watch them arrive and park up, the organisers were expecting around 2000 bikes and trikes to turn out and they weren’t wrong. All sizes and shapes of superbike, cruisers, scooters and tourers rolled in, lots decorated for the festive season.







I was pretty impressed when this bike appeared with a small decorated tree on the back…..



however the rider was soundly beaten by this massive real tree strapped onto a bike that rolled in a few minutes later!









My favourite from last year the KawaRudolf complete with Santa rider was a later arrival.







With a constant stream of bikes coming in we made our escape before the roads were shut for the convoy. Later in the afternoon we got a few text updates from our friend Paul who was watching the arrivals at the school.

Once more the generosity of the biker community gave me goosebumps. For more photos from a brilliant morning have a look here

Steve.

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