A mixed day out.

Set off Saturday lunchtime with the ballast in tow to sample the rural
delights of Bedfordshire and its surroundings.

After asking "are you sure?" three times, we still took the CB1300 in
preference to the Wing.

Sure enough, we had to stop on the way to ease a numb bum.

Had a trundle through a few nice little villages, then somehow ended
up in Stevington, where I took a picture of the village cross.

Set off north to the boundary between Beds, Hunts and Cambs, where
there just happened to be a stone marking the division. Obviously I
took the opportunity to photograph this, too.

Returned to Bedford via Kimbolton (that's quite an impressive looking
school) and then off to Flitwick, where Linda picked up some property
papers. The plan then was to find a pub for a bite to eat.

As we set off home, the heavens opened, my jeans were soaked through
inside a minute. Luckily, we'd already decided to have a scout round
Hertfordshire, and headed away from the storm. We ended up in Hunsdon,
and saw some intrepid souls playing around in microlites.

Closer inspection revealed a war memorial to those who'd flown from
the base during WWII, so I took a picture of that, too.

A quick squirt down the A414 to the M11, then home.

Stopped at Asda to fill up again, 217 miles, and it only took 18.4
litres.

So, no great property purchases, no pub lunch, but an inadvertent
three bonus landmarks for the RBR. (now up to 20 got Wilts; B&NES;
Gloucs and Berks last week)

All rounded off with a very average Chinese takeaway - the hoped for
curry couldn't be delivered as traffic on the Highway was at a
complete standstill for miles, and the curry house wasn't confident of
getting to us in under an hour (it's under three miles away).
--

| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CB1300SA-9/CBX1000Z
_\_____/_| .106850../..08850.../..32457.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR Clues: 17 Pts:05 Miles:0406

 

[snip]

That's you off the Christmas card list matey.

 

You could have stopped in here for a drink as I live next to the
airfield.

--
Veggie Dave
http://www.iq18films.co.uk

"To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim
that Jesus was not born of a virgin." Cardinal Bellarmine

 

Yep, and mine too... for about the tenth year running

 

Sunny all day here on the beach, no sign of rain at all

 

Yebbut, it's well known SD never calls in on anyone when he's on a
mission - otherwise he'd spend all his time chatting.

Well, that's what I tell myself anyway.

 

I know, but it's fun to let him know what wonderful company he's
missing out on as he wafts by like a galleon under full sail.

 

I wasn't wafting, I was on a proper motorbike.

Well, I was on a proper motorbike, anyway.

 

If you'd have been sitting in the garden of the pub, you could have
told us how to find the entrance.

 

Salad Dodger posted:

That's also one hell of a corner, IIRC, especially for larger
vehicles.

 

Spes Durat Avorum IIRC

 

The corners at both ends of the High Street are not unintentional.
They were placed on what was the only road in and out to act as a
chicane, so that traders' carts, travelling in for market, could easily
be halted and tolls levied. No chance of charging through the toll
point with a 90 degree corner to negotiate.

If you look carefully at many old market towns, similar arrangements
can be seen - it's just that much more obvious at Kimbolton because of
that bloody great brick wall.

 

Sort of - but in this case the wall is on the outside of the corner.
It must be , ooh, fifteen feet high and it stretches many yards down
the street from its start against the side wall of a building, befgore
turning abruptly through 90 degrees and finishing against the portico
of the school gates.

Here's a link to google maps streetview:

http://tinyurl.com/2uqn4vg

You're looking at the corner, go up the road and find out how tight it
is: note the caution signs, especially for car transporters (which
carry a hell of a forward projection which is over the cab in straight
flight but projects straight ahead when the cab turns.

 

Artics are allowed through, but car transporters are specifically
excluded

 

I thought that too, until I looked at streetview:

http://tinyurl.com/2uqn4vg

There's a blue sign that advises extreme caution to drivers of
transporters.

 

PS. You at home right now? I could come up and collect that mouldy
old motor, if you are.

 

Along with a now you see it now you don't poster.

 

Heh, I recall that corner the day(1) you did a KSB and made a mother and
daughter jump quite high.

I also recall WUN laughing so hard that he nearly lost control of his
bike.

(1) on way to an *OSM

 

Poetry in motion ...

Paul.