A quick overview of the trip.

The date is 11Th July 2008. The time 18.30hrs. Our aging hero, aided by his faithful budgie Sheila, watches anxiously from the window for his missing team member and navigator SWMBO. The last he heard she was still tending to tarnished goldfish and hamsters with repetitive stress syndrome from too much wheel action, in her guise as Vet Nurse/Receptionist some six miles away at the local practice.

The motorcycle was prepared, the frugal luggage packed, the leathers ready to don and time was slipping away. An almost imperceptible frown creased our hero's classic Macam countenance, for a moment he almost looked his 55+ years.

WHERE IS SHE ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The idea was to farm out all the dogs for a week to friends and relatives, arrange the feeding of cat and budgie and take off to tour England and Wales on our trusty 9 year old Blackbird. ( Honda CBR 1100 xx ). A cunning plan was hatched that on the surface appeared to be a duty visit to as many of our far flung relatives and friends as possible. This in fact was a sneaky way of getting free bed and breakfast the length and breadth of England!................ Pure genius!

Would we make the approx 150 miles to our son and daughter-in-laws before dark? Would the bike be up to the rigours of some 1.5 thousand miles in seven days? Would the weather be kind to us?

WOULD SHE NEVER GET HOME ?????

To be continued...