Pictures taken on Branch ride-outs
Our first Sunday ride of the year wasn’t until 19 January because of really bad weather in the first two Sundays of the year. On 19 January it was at least dry, but at 2 degrees above freezing, hardly ideal biking weather. Nevertheless, five hardy members braved the cold for a ride out to the Court Hill Centre and had hot drinks and food when we got there. It felt good to be out on bikes again.
Here are some photos of the ride.
Our last ride of the year was on a cold Sunday morning between Christmas and New Year. Only four hardy Branch members set off for a ride to Bucklebury Farm Cafe. After a cold ride on damp roads, they then got to sit in the cafe in the warm and enjoy a breakfast together. Here are a couple of photos. Well done guys!!
It was a bit chilly and breezy, but don’t let it be said that would put the us off going out on a Sunday ride ending with a coffee and bacon roll at Popham Airfield Cafe.
The weather forecast was for dry and mild weather so we met up on Sunday morning and went for a ride to the H Cafe in Berinsfield. This is a popular meeting place for bikers and has an Infinity motorcycle clothing and accessories shop next door. When we got there the cafe was full, so we sat at the picnic tables outside which are popular in the summer. But the weather was not too bad and in a bike riding gear we weren’t cold. We then browsed around the shop next door and then split in various directions to go home.
This year’s toy run was another great success with over 1300 bikes and a huge number of toys donated to Dr Barnado’s for onward distribution to children. This is not organised by us, but as usual, we participated along with many others clubs and bikers in the area by: acting as marshalls, transporting toys in a van, riding as part of the run and donating toys.
Here are some pictures of the run.
We went on a recent Sunday ride to the Rowdey Cow Farm Cafe and Ice Cream Parlour. A popular destination in the summer with its outside picnic tables and locally made ice cream, the colder weather meant we were hoping for hot food and inside seating. Unfortunately when we got there, all the inside table were reserved for people having Sunday lunch. So we sat outside with coffee and cake. We still had a good time and a pleasant ride there and back. Here are are a couple of photographs.
About a dozen of us rode a scenic route to Thruxton circuit and visited the Jackeroo Cafe there. Thruxton has a special place in motorcycling history and today hosts one of the British Superbikes rounds which we attended early in the year. One of the bikes on the run was a Triumph Thruxton and we had a picture taken at the entrance a couple of years ago, so we gathered at the entrance for a few iconic photos. See below for some pictures.
On a dry, sunny and mild Sunday in late October, twelve of us met up to ride to TJ’s Cafe near South Marston. A flat battery slightly delayed the start, but luckily one member on the ride had a set of jump leads, so the bike was quickly started by a couple of people, with the rest offering advice and support.
Here are some photos of the event.
Dry weather attracted a good turnout of a dozen bikes for a ride to Choppers Cafe. We met some more of our members at the cafe when we arrived. This is great biker cafe that unfortunately closes on Sundays from November until next March, so it will be sometime before we can come again for a Sunday ride out. We had an enjoyable ride there and enjoyed the food, company and bikes at the destination before riding back home. See below for some photos.
We went on a ride to Rawles Open Day. Rawles are a classic car restorer who specialise in Austin Healeys. It’s something we’ve done for the last couple of years and its always a fascinating visit, both to see the fabulous finished restorations on display and also go around their workshop and see how they go through the process of restoration. See some photos below of our visit.
