RBLR1000 – Report by Dave & Toni Bayliss

The ride for us being on 3 wheels as to a solo was just as exciting. We tootled over on the friday, and installed ourselves in the hotel. Meeting with the team at 6.30pm friday night, to get some more paper work to fill in and hand back got quite chaotic but never-the-less form filled in and handed in we made our way back to the hotel and ordered tea from the bar and waited and waited……….crezz and co came in and did the same but got there food first!! thought at some stage they were growing my chicken from the egg but the food came. Watched the England game too. We bid each other good night and went to our various rooms – for a sleep, alarms set for 3.55am and 4.10am, so as we could prepare for this epic calmly in the morning and not rush!!! The alarm broke the silence and the heart began to race a little faster as the minutes ticked by – even the morning coffee did not seem to calm us down – 4.55am approched and we left our room and made our way down the reception to meet with crezz and the others, as we were only a couple on minutes down the road we did not need to race. We were met at squires cafe by a sight of bikes awaiting the 5.30am start the whole car park seemed to be full, and marshalls were coming down checking paper work and preparing for the mass exit of man and machines at 5.30!!! which now in hind sight we should have left later – because at birch services ( the first offical stop) there must have been a mass of bikes waiting to fuel and ONE lady serving so we were there at least 45 minutes.During that time we had decided to let Ted take us to his breakfast stop in scotland which turned out to be a fantastic cafe run by a scots lady who could take your order and serve it rapidly. At this point in the report I must admit it was just ride,fill tanks and eat or thats what it seemed like as I was not taking much in where we were!! As morning came and went and the miles were being clocked up was feeling great, toni and I removed helmets and put on flying gear, it was better and a lot cooler, paid a heavy price later on in the dark with a black visor, the scenery by now was getting stunning and the places to visit also getting clocked for a later visit. Then it happened – had to go to Wick which I thought was just round the corner – 97 miles round the corner thats when my heart sank – the road was good for solos but not trikes, and then the wind picked up and the road got even more bendy – but we carried on to Tesco at wick and got fuel and a bite – went to the next offical stop which I think was closed! so had to detour to Aviemore. Thats where the trike teams problems began with gear. We had only got summer weight jackets and up there its bloody (sorry but it was) freeezing and my black visor on my helmet. Ended up wearing both coats and praying it did not get any colder. At one of the a1 stops Ted had advised us to try and pick up the pace as his satnav told him we were cutting it too fine to arrive back before 5.32am. So we opened the old girl up and played follow my leader in the dark, I hope Jimmy was ok travelling so fast in the dark – did not look round to find out was too busy trying to pass lorries on a single road littered with speed cameras!!!!!! The last 2 fuel stops were a blur but all praise to my pillion she paid everytime andgot the right receipts and filed them in the wallet, whilest making sure I was fed and watered and pain killered – woman are such heros!! 26 miles from the finish I was ready to call it a day if we had stopped again for fuel, but Toni kept prodding me – like they do donkies – and the squires turn-off came in sight – oh boy what a welcome sight, coming into squires the marshalls clapped us and I cried going over the line to go and park up. All of us had began together all of us finished together. It was an epic ride with lots of sights too many to write down but will stay with me and the wife for a long time to come. Just by way of a footnote – any wing 15 or 18 solo or trike can make it round would suggest you try – believe me you will not be disappointed. To conclude we went to the sunday meeting – not for any reason jst a cuppa and a cake. I hope more folk do this its for a cracking charity and the ride will leave you breathless……………..