A date arose allowing me to arrange a post-Covid-restrictions Norfolk road run. The date chose itself; with commitments in August and early September and with Copdock, Coprolite and Whitwell’s big steam weekend following on, the only date left was the 12th September, so it was booked.
I'’d arranged a start time of 11am and we left Whitwell at 11:40 prompt. The route started at Whitwell Station and followed the course of the river Wensum. Some wide sweeping bends and some steep, for Norfolk, hills (more of that later in the report). The route also passed the ‘home’ of the Welsh Dragoon Guards at the ex-RAF Swanton Morley airfield. After the barracks the road followed the river Wensum then narrowed to single track and circled the airfield perimeter, tall ferns both sides of the road for three miles without a turning. The road then widened with a leg stretching run towards the pub stop. The bikes kept a good pace with just one unscheduled stop to clean Bill’s James Autocycle spark plug. The pub had outside seating next to the bikes, good beer, good food, & good service; and an interesting conversation while eating lunch.
The outward leg was 15 miles with a slightly shorter return with a long switchback uphill section that required plenty of LPA from Robert on his Mini-Motor. I hadn't expected a cyclemotor on the run, a pleasant surprise, but my choice of route wasn't sympathetic to low-powered cylemotors. Despite this the Mini-Motor ran well, its first proper long run, reaching 24mph on the sweeper van speedo. Only needing a fuel filter replacement at the top of one of the hills. The final run back was at pace, splitting the riders up, each going at their best pace following the route markers.
Thanks for all who attended and for their supportive words. I'll get this run organised as an annual event. Thanks too to Paul for supplying and driving the backup vehicle.
Riders:
Robert King—Trojan Mini-Motor
David Slaney—Mobylette AV44
Dave Arnott—Motobecane 51V
Bill Rogers—James Autocycle.
