A motorcycle parked in front of a tent on a pleasant green campsite

Home Travel StoriesDarcy's Days And Squires Café

Darcys Days And Squires Cafe Part 2

By Ren Withnell

It rained during the night. Occasional hard and blustery showers that brought back fearful memories of endless torrents in France but each squall passed quickly to our relief. The big double airbed though proved to be not so comfy with too much rolling together, we really need to sort out this airbed issue properly. I am, as usual, up far too early and by 0600 I'm walking around looking for something to do.

Down on the car park there's a motley collection of bikes all looking mileage dirty. Around them stand, sit and sleep an even more motley collection of weary bikers. These are the RBLR 1000 survivors, these people have travelled 1,000 miles in the last 24 hours (hopefully) and they sit around and talk with dazed expressions. Among them are a few organisers, making tea and filling out paperwork. They too look equally fatigued as they've been up all night as they've returned. Talk is of rain, terrible rain, dodgy car drivers and stiff joints. I admire their tenacity but 1,000 miles in a day? Far too much for me.

a very loose chain on a bmw gs 800
I figure he didn't have the time to stop and adjust the chain. Yikes!

When the gf surfaces we head into the now open Squires Café and order breakfast. We dine on bacon butties while a rider espouses with bloodshot eyes that he's fine and he's ready for the 3 hour ride home. He's wired. He's had a shot of coffee, no sleep, 1,000 miles and is now functioning on adrenaline and caffeine alone. A few others and myself try to persuade him just a few hours kip may be a good idea but he's having none of it as his eyes swivel around in their sockets, unable to focus or concentrate. It doesn't strike me as a healthy state to be in.

an rblr 1000 rider lies alseep on a bench still wearing all his bike gear and helmet
Aaawwww bless. I reckon he probably deserves a rest.

The rideout for Darcy is not until 1130 with a 1030 gathering time. I need fuel to be sure not to hold anyone up so we pack up and head out. After filling we return and the car park is now bustling. My friend who suggested the ride, CW, and PS from the club are here. They enquire about the rain, it seems Wigan and Bolton suffered heavy and long lasting downpours last night. For once I'm right, Lancashire has taken the big hit and here in Yorkshire it's not been too bad. This morning although the skies are heavy with cloud the rain is holding off.

After a brief lecture about safety and an introduction to the marshals it's time to head off. It's a good turnout. Around 100 bikes I'd guess, maybe more and it's an impressive site to behold. Up ahead and in my mirrors all I see is a line of bikes in all shapes and sizes. There's scooters with excitable youths, cruisers with be-tasselled riders, sports bikes with power rangers and everything else between. There's a smug satisfaction when riding like this. I feel part of a gang and a community and I like the way everyone stares as we go by. We make sure to wave to the kids.

It's a slow ride, that's inevitable when there's so many. The marshals do an excellent job of keeping us all together and on course. It's hard work but I think they like zipping around with their flashing lights and waiving their fingers at impatient drivers. It's also quite a long ride. My maps suggested 28 miles and at 15 to 20mph at best it takes over an hour. The weather is dry and warm and even the road surface has made the effort to be free of water and I'm perfectly comfortable.

Eventually we're all turned into a gap in a fence and onto a perfectly manicured field. This is a cricket club and although the pitch is cordoned off I imagine the groundsman wincing at the tyres clawing at his beautiful grass. There's a trailer set up ready for a band to play, bouncy castles, burger vans and stalls complete with a healthy number of patrons. It seems as though Darcy's Day is burgeoning into something of a success.

2 lines of motorcycles parked at wombwell cricket club
Look at the beautiful grass being abused by the naughty bikers.

We spend a while there. We queue for a brew and chat between ourselves and an ex army friend of CW joins us. We're also briefly introduced to Darcy's mother. This is an awkward moment. I'm happy for the success of the day and I hope it helps Darcy enjoy what remains of her life, but what do you say to her mother? Being firmly British I smile and avoid saying much at all because nothing seems appropriate. I imagine she gets a lot of that especially on days like this. I try to imagine how I'd feel if it was my child but I can't and I hope I'll never find out.

It's 1400 when we leave. CW's got good instructions on how to get to the Woodhead Pass then I'll lead us the rest of the way home. The Woodhead Pass is what the Woodhead pass always is, bleak. After the bleak section across the tops the rain returns now we are back west of the hills and in Lancashire. It's been a good few years since I did this road and I've forgotten how picturesque either side of the bleak part is. Soon enough though we're on the rain soaked motorway and riding back along all to familiar black top back to Rivington for another brew.

Addendum

Many thanks to the organisers of both the ride out and the event at the Cricket Club. I'm glad it all worked out so well for you all and I hope you raised a small fortune. To join the rideout a £5 donation was made which also included a raffle ticket. I thought nothing more of it until I received a text message stating I'd won a small compressor! It's one of those 12v plug into your lighter tyre pump types. I had another good ride over to Wombwell to collect my prize. Wahoo! Many thanks again.
 

Darcy's Days And Squires Café Day 1 The gf and I spend the night camping at Squires Cafe. I didn't know what to expect bu thankfully it all turned out rather well!
Darcys Days And Squires Cafe Part 2 After a night of on/off rain we hope Darcy's Day remains dry. We also meet the most wired biker who's just covered 1,000 miles in 24 hours.

Reader's Comments

Latchy said :-
Very interesting mate! You are getting good at this writing lark aren't you?.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC

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