Wow, what a lovely weekend we have just enjoyed! Saturday dawned bright and sunny so Harley and I just had to get out on the road.

First off, a swift ride into the Plymouth Harley dealership to meet up with Three Cylinder Greg and chew the fat with fellow Chapter members.

Next we did battle with the city’s traffic and boarded the Torpoint Ferry for the short trip back to Cornwall. The crossing is worked by chain ferry, one of only 12 in the UK. Now figure this out: To cross from Devon to Cornwall is free for cars, but costs motorbikes 30p….however, in the opposite direction cars pay and motorbikes don’t!!! It’s pretty good value, which ever way you look at it!

Some of the Royal Navy were moored at Devonport as we crossed, this is HMS Somerset, a type 23 frigate.

Next we took a spin through Polbathic, Landrake and Callington to arrive back at Dookes HQ in time for lunch…many thanks Mrs D!

Suitably refuelled we headed to the former RAF airfield at Davidstowe Moor, about five miles away. This was a base built hastily during the Second World War for the use of aircraft from Coastal Command on anti-submarine patrols. It also played an important role in destroying German naval forces in Western France during the D-Day operation. After closure in 1945 the place enjoyed brief fame as the only venue in Cornwall to host Formula One motor races, where famously Lotus won their first race. Today the place is largely deserted, save for sheep and moorland ponies. There are still some old buildings standing and the mile long runways are largely intact. When the sun shines it’s nice enough, but when the mist falls it’s as bleak as anywhere you can imagine. There are definitely ghosts here.

The old control tower stands silently waiting for missing planes to return…Leaving the sheep and ghosts behind we set off westward crossing the Camel estuary at Wadebridge and picked up the coast road through Bedruthan Steps, Mawgan Porth and Watergate Bay to Newquay. This is a brilliant stretch of tarmac, not über fast but great fun and just the place to go and practice hairpin bends…hmmm, like you get in the mountains, now that gives me an idea!

The surf resort of Newquay was quite buzzing, when isn’t it? We parked up at Fistral Beach, famous for it’s surf, and hunted out the ice-cream parlour. Then shock horror, Dookes had left his wallet back at HQ, doh! Oh well Greg, looks like you get to buy the ices !!! Sorry mate…my turn next time!The water looks great, surf OK as well, but trust me it was ‘kin cold! I’m quite partial to a spot of surfing, but not at this time of year…the old blood/oil mix is far to thin these days!

Anyway, great to blow some more cobwebs away and rack up the two wheel miles. I’ve got a great idea for quick break before the summer harvest as well; let me just hint that it’s solid gold…more soon!

I hear that highway callin’, oh feel the breeze!

Dookes