Thunderbird
Times
Newsletter of the Mighty
Apologies for the change in format.
I wanted to accommodate Joan Peters’ write-up of the trip to
Apart from
Unfortunately the weather was
less brilliant at the Claygate Flowershow where 15 bikes were on display last
Sunday.
Before I forget it … Welcome back Brian Benn. ;-)
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About the club:
Mighty
We are the founder branch of the
TOMCC, founded in 1949 by a group of Triumph motorcycle enthusiasts in the
For more information also see our website http://www.tomcc-msl.org.uk
or just come along to one of our club meets.
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Club Contacts:
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Chairman |
Mog
Pharoah |
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8947 7727 (day) |
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Treasurer |
Malcolm
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020
8640 2608 |
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Secretary |
Doddie
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8660 5227 |
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Membership
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Dave
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John
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8942 9976 |
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Bob
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Runs
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Brian
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01737 551762 |
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Robin Maynard
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8224 7421 |
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TT
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Claudia
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077
342 95737 |
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Website
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Bill
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MSL early summer trip to Bretagne – Joan Peters
Brian and I started our holiday
on Friday, 1 June with a day at Epsom Races - Ladies Day and came away from the
bookies in credit.
On Saturday afternoon we left
home for
Yogi and Jim travelled from
John, Mike, Gerry and Mack went
to
We decided to travel the direct
route from St Malo, which was about 90 miles to the gite. We stopped after about 65 miles for a coffee
and cake (not very nice and the toilets even worse).
We arrived at the little
The gite was about two kilometres
from the village, through narrow lanes -
this was literally green laning – the lanes were covered in grass.
Roger and Linda, our hosts, live
in a small manor house and the gite twenty yards from the house had been a
derelict stone out-building that they renovated to accommodate eight
people. Our gite was a little further
away but still within the twenty-eight acres that are part of Roger and Linda’s
estate. This gite accommodates six people. Although there was only one bathroom we had
no problems. That evening Yogi and Jim
cooked hamburgers on the BBQ.
The next evening Yogi decided to
cook a beef casserole. Just as well he
did. At about
The main entertainment was the
bar at Lanrivain run by Didier. Jim has
big problems with the French names and the bar owner became known as Didlies. We all had trips down there at various time
during the week and Didier would stay open all the time somebody was buying –
needless to say that he had many late nights that week with the help of the
MSL.
We could not believe how black
the nights were there, when we left the bar it was quite frightening until
somebody turned on the lights on the bikes.
However, on Friday night this was not so – they turned on the
streetlights. Obviously they take
environmental issues seriously or they are too mean to spend money on too much
electricity.
During the week Charlie and Chris
arrived in their camper and Brian and I went out with them in the camper – on
the day that it rained so we were all right Jack.
Roger took us out for a ride
around the area and we all had a good day – the countryside is beautiful and
lush.
Yogi did quite a lot of cooking,
either in the well-equipped kitchens or on the BBQ and on the Thursday night
Roger and Linda arranged for a night with both savoury and sweet crêpes and the
local cider. Didier’s girlfriend came
with her accordion and played Breton folk music and Roger’s daughter and Linda
showed us how to do the local dances.
All got up, including Yogi and a good night was had by all.
Charlie Goddard (Big Charlie)
loved driving combinations and as Roger had a couple of old ones Charlie, Chris
in the sidecar and Jim on the back drove down to the bar. As you are probably aware Charlie seldom
drinks when he is driving – not that night. He, Chris and Jim were all
extremely merry. Chris was giggling and
Charlie screeching, then they got onto the combination. Mog was going to lead the way as the lights
on the combi were poor; Mog never got the chance – Charlie was away, with Mog
and Brian, with me on the back, trying to keep up. After a few hundreds of yards Mog waved Brian
through. As Mog said it was like the
keystone cops. Charlie roaring with
laughter and Jim, arms and legs waving trying to keep the sidecar wheels on the
road and preparing to jump off at any time.
Mog’s excuse for waving Brian through was that he didn’t want to be the
first on the scene to pick up the bodies.
I was not comfortable on the back of Brian as he had to drive close so
as to give the combi some light though with hindsight I’m not so sure it was
needed, Charlie was well lit himself.
We all enjoyed the holiday
although it was not 4*. The accommodation was good, our hosts
friendly and bikers themselves. The
gites were well equipped and clean and the company pleasant. This area is ideal for driving on old bikes
as some of the roads are picturesque and narrow – not for superbiking.
We again started our homeward
journey on different days. John, Mike
and Gerry left a day earlier as they, like Mac, had found the outward journey
too long for one day and stopped overnight near
We left Yogi and Jim there as
their ferry was not until Sunday and Chris and Charlie stayed a few more days
before touring
Mack decided to return with us to
St Malo and we left early Saturday morning.
It all went well to begin with then the mist came down – you could not
see a hand in front of you. We mislaid
Mac but we all met up on the ferry where we had breakfast and a kip.
Everybody arrived home safely
after an enjoyable trip. We are looking
forward to next year.