Friday

It was a typical British Bank holiday with sun and showers forecast for the whole break.

Mike, Jan, Dave and Louise had organised the weekend based at the Hilton Central Hotel (on the out skirts of Newbury?).

On Friday when Roy and I arrived the others, being Mike and Jan, Dave and Louise, Phil, Richard, Pam and Mark (a late booking) and Allie and Jim were all washed and awaiting dinner. So Roy and I had quick wipe round and dinner was only delayed by 15 mins.

We all enjoyed the excellent food, what a brilliant salad bar and carvery. Jan piled her plate high with "bread sauce" and then was shocked to find it was a very hot homemade horse radish, her cheeks turned a bright red and her eyes watered, but being a lady she did not make too much of a scene. Jan and Ally then decided to attack the desserts and "stole" the large piece of pineapple from a top of the cheesecake. They thought they had achieved it unnoticed but for the waiter peering through the serving hatch just above their heads!!

After dinner we all sat around in our usual Elite circle, catching up on the gossip (when we could above Jan's snores) and being photographed by Ally who is a menace with a camera.

Saturday

We had a leisurely, late by elite standards, breakfast and after the shock of watching Roy wash Snowy, we all set off at 10.00am. Mike leading and Dave bringing up the rear. We left Berkshire behind and headed in to the beautiful Wiltshire countryside through quiet villages with neat thatched cottages and chocolate box gardens.

U turn number 1. In search of an elusive windmill we headed up a narrow lane, but there was not a windmill to be seen, so we did the standard elite about turn. Richard asked "Why is there always gravel and unexpected traffic when negotiating a U turn?", and we agreed with him "Why?"

Then we all followed Dave, who was now at the front, to the Crofton Beam Engine House, near Marlborough.

On arrival Dave paid for everyone, what a star and Mike had paid for the car park, this was going to be a cheap day out!! Mike Richard and I had reduced rate because we were the "senior" members. It was the first time I had been able to claim this honour. A cheery little man with a white beard and hair, wearing even whiter overalls gave us a brief introduction to the site, he explained that the Crofton Pumping Station was built in 1807 to provide water to the summit of the Kennet and Avon Canal and how today it had been restored by volunteers. All the men especially Richard who was retired engineer appeared to understand all the technical parts.

We were then allowed to go inside an view the pumps from several different viewing points, the huge Red nodding "beam" moved effortlessly causing various levers and shafts to move in unison dragging the water from the spring and pumping it into the canal at the top.

It was then off to the tea room for a quick cuppa and a piece of cake, while Dave stayed up stairs to watch the change over of the engines.

By now the weather had turned sunny and warm and so Richard and I sat looking at the canal and railway while the others milled around taking pictures and going to the loo. Dave laid on his back beneath the towering chimney taking photos of a structure reaching into the sky, I could say more but I am a lady and it would not be appropriate!

Once again we mounted our bikes and wound our way through the countryside where the woods had a blue haze at the feet of the trees where the blue bells were in bloom. In one wood there was a huge round tree with a large hole in it big enough to house a hobbit and around it were old wizen trees with faces and long branches stretching out like arms to catch you, just like trees in scary movies. We past some more beautiful houses and villages, this is certainly an area to live if you win the lottery.

Eventually we arrived at the Angel pub in Purton, with the usual gravel car park. Although not much to look at outside, the food was all fresh and homemade. The plough mans lunch which Dave, Jim, and Phil had were huge, the jacket potatoes done to a T with freshly made feelings and salads. Richard took the mickey out of Roy's "healthy" diet of chips ham and egg followed by fruit crumble just right for a diabetic! Richard had to wait for his cheese and tomato omelette as his tomatoes had to be collected from the garden, How fresh is that?

We did not rush lunch, as today was a real chill out day so about 3,00pm we left the pub and head back towards Newbury.

U turn number 2 With Mike leading we followed like a family of ducklings all the way down the lanes until we came to a wall of concrete blocks across the road, followed by a railway line and then according to the sat nav the road continued? The only way to get to the other side was via a step bridge over the railway, after much deliberation as to whether we could ride the wings up and over, we did a u turn and of course, as always the road or what was left of it was covered in gravel. Unperturbed Mike led us on a detour to where we could join the "pink" line again. Of course no one mentioned the second u turn on the CB in case Mike heard!!!

U turn number 3 Again we were riding through lovely countryside with very pleasant weather, when we came to a sign which read "Road Ahead Closed", now in our version of the highway code it means the road ahead is closed, but in Mike's version it must mean something else because we didn't stop, well not until we had travelled for a mile or two and came to another barrier blocking a bridge with flood damage, so, guess what we did another u turn!!! And Derek was not even with us.

As we entered Streetly, we pulled up at some temporary traffic lights, Richard pulled into a lay-by and said that he wanted to check his blood sugar, he also said he was okay and did not want anyone to stay with him, although we did all offer. As we slowly moved away Richard waved us goodbye, with a beaming grin and a thumbs up.

Richard passed away doing what he enjoyed, riding his motorcycle with fellow members of Elite Wings.