Aldershot to Stroud

Setting off from Aldershot, up the M3, then the A332 to Bracknell, then M4 towards London, before reaching the M40 via the A404. On to Oxford to meet yet another pal for lunch. Barton, where we attempt to get fish and chips, but the chippy is closed. 

So, a bus ride to Headington, where we eat fish and chips in the park. Disappointing fish (no salt or vinegar and bland), but good chips.

Walking back this time, we stop off at a neighbour, Kirk, and I admire his old original Mini Cooper (1000cc) in very good condition, we chat about SU carbs and unit Mini engines (with shared oil across the engine and gearbox). He's a volunteer marshall at Silverstone and travels there many weekends to help manage the track events.

Leaving Oxford it's a run along the A40 towards Gloucester before turning south to Stroud. There's traffic in Gloucester and crawling along where you can't go around the outside my bike overheats. I can hear the fan go on and feel the heat on my leg, but it's not enough to cool the engine, which starts cutting out. It's doing it a lot so making progress difficult. I stop for 15 minutes to let it cool down, but still, getting up the hill to Stroud is hard work. Eventually I make it there and hose the bike with cold water in an effort to get some heat out of the engine quickly. 

A short while later I ride to another relative who I haven't seen for years and who has been unwell. He looks on the mend, which is a good sign. In fact, this relative was a huge contributor to the BikerDom blog in that he helped edit my early writing pieces, which led to the blog style you're reading now. He was big in publishing and is an NLP master, which he still teaches. 

Fish and chips for dinner, which I collect from a local chippy that cooks haddock, The Nippy Chippy. Much better than the lunch version. 

The following day, after yet another fish and chip lunch, I take a photo with my hosts, and then talk bikes - Triumph Tiger 1050 in this case. I depart shortly after.