A last-minute decision to join in that I will never forget.
For a few months, I was keeping an eye on how the Dave’s Day plans, in memory of Dave Myers, were panning out spearheaded by Dave’s colleague and friend Si King and “Woody”.
It was only on Friday the day before, and asking Mrs. C if she minded me leaving her for a couple of days, that I said what the hell and booked a last-minute hotel room in the Holiday Inn Express.
Not knowing Barrow In Furness at all, I was not sure where I had booked, but more on that later.
Packing as light as I could, but taking enough camera gear to capture as much of the ride as possible, I set off to the Ace Café London, the official starting point, early to get fuel and get there before most people to have a nice breakfast to set me up for the 300+ mile journey ahead.
Well, looks like most people had the same idea because when I arrived the Ace was already PACKED with bikes and riders, so much so I was guided to park on the pavement with many others.
A big thank you to the Ace Cafe for being such wonderful hosts for the start of the event.
They opened the café early and helped in the marshalling of the riders at the London end of things.
Well done guys.
Got my breakfast, took a seat & tucked in.
A fellow biker was also fueling up.
He told me he had come down from Manchester to start the ride here in London and then basically ride all the way back with us, which I thought was just brilliant.
Below I have added a great video showing us all leaving the Ace Cafe curtsey of @yardleyski3167 on YouTube who filmed it on the day.
We were off on our 300+ mile adventure to Barrow In Furness and once we got out of London, passing by where I live in Northolt which is just up the road from the Ace Café, we settled into a steady stream of bikes winding its way north.
Very early on we started to see people take the time to stop on the gantries and overpasses that they could, to wave and clap us as we passed.
Felt like a rock star as I waved back. Such a wonderful feeling.
I have to admit that a couple of times this got me and had to hold back blubbering, as it’s not the best thing to do at 70mph on a motorway lol.
Knutsford Services was the only time for me and many others where the plans for the day went a little wrong.
For some reason, the police blocked the whole motorway right at the entrance to the services and for some reason, all the bikers were just waiting and hanging around
The inner “1980’s dispatch rider” came out in me and with others we filtered our way to the front.
To my surprise, we were waved onto the clear motorway but not into the services leaving the cars and lorries at a standstill. Bet they were pleased about that.
We thought we were ahead of the Si king and group, so cruised for a while at 50 to see if they caught us up.
After a while, it started to dawn on us that they were not going to catch us up and at the next service station we found out they were ahead of us and we had missed them.
This is where I would like to hand over too my YouTube video as trying the describe the feelings felt are hard for me to put into words.
The video is long, but I hope you will watch it all, especially the ride into Barrow, the longest part, as I hope will help you feel like you were right there with us and share the love and kindness the people of Barrow and the surrounding towns and villages gave us, as we arrived.
An added bonus is where Doris (What I call Google Maps) sent me off the main run of bikes for about 7 miles, into the stunning Cambria countryside.
I did not know where my hotel was so I stopped to enter the details to peal off at some point on the run-in.
I did not realize it would send me off so quickly.
I’m glad it did, as the beauty of the countryside was immense and before long I rejoined the parade of motorcycles into Barrow in Furness.
No need to fear that my hotel location would leave me with a slog into town.
I was smack bang in the thick of it all.
That’s right, my last minute booking on Booking.com had landed me right in the thick of the action, just yards from the bike car park and town hall where the stage was erected for the music and announcements.
Unfortunately, because of the issue at Knutsford Services, I missed Si King’s speech but found another YouTube video that captured it all for you & me to watch, and I thank @scottathomson for uploading it.
Before I leave you with a selection of photos from Barrow I just want to say a massive thank you to Woody and SI & their team for organizing such a day full of love for a man many of us never had the pleasure of meeting, other than through our TV sets.
45000+ bikers, 200,000+ people lining the street and motorway overpasses, and more than £50,000 raised for 2 charities all in the name of, and to show thanks to, Dave Myers who is sadly missed by all.
Dave, I hope you enjoyed your day, DAVES DAY, from your prime seat in Heaven as much as we did.
Wishing you all well
DC x
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