TR Action Report London Group presented for issue 269

Well July certainly got off to a sunny blistering start with our camping weekend in the heart of the beautiful Mendips. A big thanks must go to Malcolm Dillaway of Somerset Triumphs who supplied us with a fantastic route for our drive out on Saturday through the gorges (complete with goats grazing on them! ) and round the beautiful lakes of that wonderful part of the world. We even managed to find the only air-conditioned Pub Restaurant in the Mendips for lunch and managed to have ice creams on the beach at Weston-Super-Mud, lovely. Although unable to join us camping, John & Erica Millward, the Route-Meisters themselves, had travelled early in the morning and so were able to join us on this drive out and our evening event. This I think is going to become something of a regular - We were joined by the Glavon Group for a skittles competition as not only did our chosen pub have a wonderful campsite (brand new shower block!) and a high class Bed & Breakfast (complete with Llamas!) as it turned out a 1 minute walk/2 minute stagger away but also had full-sized fully functioning skittles alley!! The evening got off to a fine start when on returning from our drive out we found the Glavon group already chatting merrily under our gazebo protecting themselves from one of the hottest days of the year. After a few beers and a lot of nattering, the serious task of the skittles evening began as all relocated to the skittles hall, drink in hand. Following the first round, food was served by our wonderful pub in the form of a magnificent buffet. After that we delivered a surprise. Despite arranging the teams by birth dates, most had failed to notice that Jean Parkinson was actually a Birthday girl, her birth date being 13th July (the actual date of our Skittles evening) so of course a cake with a raging inferno of candles was presented to the strains of Happy Birthday from the skittles revelers. Happy Birthday Jean I hope you enjoyed it. The second and third rounds "quickly" followed and at the end of the evening the prizes were presented; the prize (a fun sized pack of Milky way) for the highest individual score stayed within London, won very aptly by Nick King and Team 2 which was predominately London, won the Team prize (a fun sized pack of Mars bars). Finally to Team 1 which had a large showing of the Glavon lot, which included a skittles expert! - Well they won the third prize (a fun sized pack of Twix!). As I think you can tell, a light hearted fun event with a fabulous buffet that was enjoyed I think by all. Sunday, after yet more lovely showers in the new shower block and witnessing a herd of Hot Air Balloons passing lazily overhead, we were treated to yet another fine breakfast in the pub. After Camp breakdown, half of us head to the West Somerset Steam museum whilst the other half went to the Haynes Motor museum

Later in the month, our monthly pub run turned into quite a spectacle as our chosen pub, The Punchbowl Inn at Okewood Hill, was also hosting the V8 Mentalists and big bike nutters. Five TR's ranging from David and Sue Boucher's lovely TR3A to Jean Parkinson's TR7 (known lovingly as "Puddle") which she had very kindly lent me for the run all joined the display. Our London Group flag stood proud amongst all the American regalia and big 1950's Cadillac's, Buicks and Pontiac's not to mention Viper's and other strange preposterously large American marques. The Bikers seemed to have a competition doing burn outs on the road outside, before smartly visiting Kwik Fit for some new tyres, but the atmosphere was great and the food marvelous - just as we were all leaving I won a tasteless tacky prize in the raffle, which I shall treasure but all had a great time on yet another scorching hot, July day.

As I write of course we are now all back from the IWE but more about that next month

So if you fancy joining us for any of our activities or just fancy a natter over a beer you are all most welcome. You can join us on the first (1st) Thursday of every month at the Rose of York in Richmond or the third (3rd) Thursday at an alternative venue (keep an eye on the web site) - both kick off at around 9.00pm.