Dream Machines summer evening bike meet Pool Quay.

This was our first trip in 2017, it is for charity and is run from late spring to late summer every Tuesday night. We now usually make the run once or twice a year, depending on the weather.

We had a great trip yesterday to Poole’s Dream Machines bike meet……

We four left K’town around 3 pm-ish, on a totally motorway-less cross-country route from Guildford along the A31, RVP was Farnham. After the smashing sweeping bends of the A31, we ducked under the M3 across to Romsey, to cut the corner off the M3/M27 sections, then charged through the middle of the New Forest. With a stop at The New Forest Airfield Memorial after 2 hours. Saw a flat-pack caravan folded up and liberally scattered along the Wessex Way (B’mth bypass), inducing a traffic jam all the way back to Poole (thankfully the opposite way we were travelling). We arrived in Poole at about 6pm. A really nice ride with just us 4 x BMWs, the perfect number and next to no traffic too, apart from filtering around Bournemouth, but they are such wide roads it was stress-free.

At Poole prob 500+ bikes all spread along the water edge on Poole Quay. We arrived just after 6 pm when it was meant to start, but was already probably 2/3rds full. In the future, we could easily plan on arriving a bit earlier and therefore the ride into B’mouth/Poole could be less traffic-jammy. The cost to enter was £1 (have a coin ready), but very well organised and slick with assisted and easy parking. We had a beer and a pub fat-boy burger and sat outside in the balmy evening sun. Ian’s mate joined us, he cycled in as he lives locally. Even I felt quite young compared to most of the tubby middle-aged or even older bikers. The majority of bikes were modern stuff and plenty of mid-life toys such as over-accessorised Harleys & Victories, the odd ratted bike, -some interesting older bikes. Quite a few quaint 80’s stuff and some silly trikes. The one made from a cut-up Porsche 911 rear end was especially surprising, it caused universal outrage. After the ride down it was nice to wander around and chat over the bikes, with the Sunseeker million-dollar boats bobbing about across the water. Despite John’s promise of a fight, Poole Quay’s reputation was a disappointment it was very relaxed and sedate. No agro, let alone the suggestion of any women fighting, although there was the promise of some when two mobility scooters were spotted on a collision course at one point. David left early for a hairdressing appointment, but we three left at 830pm having walked up and down, at this point probably half the bikes had left, clearly the norm is a short stay. Back home by 10 pm, a bloody smashing ride back along the A31 with next to no traffic, some very enjoyable swinging through the corners was had by Ian and me as we charged home.

It was a really nice trip, leaving mid-afternoon is a must. It will go on the calendar now as an annual summer treat. The event is held every Tuesday evening through the summer.  

Andrew

Cont’d