Photos and Video from the Halloween Run 2022

Bernard’s report on yesterday’s run follows.  Photos by Kevin Chapman, Ryan Jeffrey and Richard Hutson; video by Ryan Jeffrey.

I think the Halloween run was a success, weather forecast threatened showers, but 13 signed on and we had a dry run, that is no rain, but the roads were damp and there were puddles, autumn leave were lurking, not nice on the bends ! no issues though. The Grove Arms were most welcoming, always a gamble with a new start venue. Most of us had a coffee at the bar and there were no locals to upset. It’s also good if you make it there and have a starting problem as there is a lovely slope on the way out, a bit like Dikes in Stalbridge. I met Ryan Jeffrey in the car park he had a nasty work related injury to his hand, so was not able to ride with us, but as I hope you will see he took a video shot of us leaving, and maybe some stills. There was a pre was HRD in the carpark, I didn’t get the guys name, but he had a wiring issue inside the headlamp and being preoccupied was too late to sign on. He started the run, but I don’t remember seeing him at the Nunny Catch Café. I had a look at the signing on list and noticed under the “machine” heading, a “MASH” not a bike known to me, it was Keith Welch who normally we see on a Triumph Triple, evidently the Triple is undergoing some work. I had to google MASH to find that it’s a retro bike by a French company, but manufactured in China! I had an issue with my Vincent, It kept running on one cylinder and with the wet road I suspected the magneto which I had fitted as a temporary measure and left it without a protective cowling. Running on one cylinder I still kept up with the group, but it was a little worrying when it chimed back on two, especially on a leafy bend! But I made it to Nunny Catch OK, checked the mag, it was dry, so suspected a plug and sods law, I had been messing about with my tool kit and failed to carry a plug and spanner this time. Luckily VMCC member and Vincent owner Richard Adams turned up at the café, had the necessary, and all was OK. Also turned up at the café was Cliff Jones on his “stepthrough”. I am informed the last time Cliff came there he was too late to place an order, but OK this time. Most of us had a meal, it was a bit of wait, but genuine transport café nosh. I believe everybody enjoyed the run, so I am happy to use those venues again. It was a faster and cleaner road back, but most went their own way, rather than to the Grove Arms. Now enjoy your bike cleaning!