Bikers at Prees Heath

Frank Wilson

Don't know if any one else cycles or drives the A41 near Whitchurch on a Sunday but hundreds of motor bikers come from miles around to congregate at the Prees Heath truck stop.

What do they do there?

Many years ago I could understand coming to this place when the Raven pub next door used to have it's Northern Soul all dayers but to sit in a car park, I don't get it.

ballysmate

For years they used to gather at the Stormy Petrel at Tern Hill. Don't know if they have just moved a few miles down the road.

Frank Wilson

Ballysmate wrote:

For years they used to gather at the Stormy Petrel at Tern Hill. Don't know if they have just moved a few miles down the road.

Yes the Petrel is now derelict I am afraid

fat daddy

Frank Wilson wrote:

What do they do there?

its just a place for a meet up of like minded individuals where they can chat about bikes and stuff and is sufficiently far away from where they live to make it an excuse for a ride out. Probably driven by being one of the few places where 100+ bikes can congregate where people don't moan whinge and complain about it.

Its bit like a stop at a pub for groups of cyclists .... only bikers have more friends because their skin tight clothing is a manly leather and not a leotard with arms and legs and thusly there are a LOT more of them in a group

fenix

Weird question there OP - why do we go out and congregate at the same cafes ?

Frank Wilson

Fenix wrote:

Weird question there OP - why do we go out and congregate at the same cafes ?

Not really Fenix, if I stop at a cafe it is to have some refreshment to help me with the next leg of physical exercise on my push bike. I certainly wouldn't cycle to and make a cafe my point of destination to talk with a load of other cyclists.

fenix

So you just sit in the cafe alone - thats fine. I'm sure bikers might do that too. You don't know though if they all went out together and are mates. They're pretty similar to cyclists but a bit faster.

capt_slog

I used to ride at some very silly speeds to Matlock Bath in Derbyshire. One of the draws was some cracking roads to get there, and as mentioned above, is far enough to call it a decent ride out.

I recall one Sunday that a group went there taking "Jim" as a pillion passenger. A walk around Matlock Bath, comparing bikes, perhaps an icecream or a hot dog, and then back to Derby. Then someone asked, "Where's Jim?". No, he hadn't fallen off, his lift had just forgotten that he was with him on the way out, but apparently he managed to get a lift back from one of the many hundreds there.

Frank Wilson

Fenix wrote:

So you just sit in the cafe alone - thats fine. I'm sure bikers might do that too. You don't know though if they all went out together and are mates. They're pretty similar to cyclists but a bit faster.

Yes usually sit on my own Fenix, to quote John Cooper Clark

Here he comes now....
The fast fingers, the expert eyes
And the same old 'how'd you do'
Disgust is just his dumb disguise
He wants a word with you
His problems are the end
His mouth needs exercise
The last thing I need is another friend
I don't want to be nice
I think it's clever to swear
Better seek some sound advice
Better look elsewhere
Your face is an obvious case
You shouldn't put it about
This is neither the time nor place
To sort these matters out
What you see is what you get
You only live twice
A friend in need is a friend in debt
I don't want to be nice
No we never met before
I'm very happy to say
Far from perfect strangers
I'd like to keep it that way
I'm not your psychoanalyst
I'd rather talk to mice
You're so easy to resist
I don't want to be nice

priory

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/inquest ... story.html

I learned to stay away from matlock at the weekends on the whole as this sort of thing was a regular event all summer before the cameras and helicopter made recklessness less usual.

tlw1

Frank Wilson wrote:

Ballysmate wrote:

For years they used to gather at the Stormy Petrel at Tern Hill. Don't know if they have just moved a few miles down the road.

Yes the Petrel is now derelict I am afraid

Yep, can't understand it, loads of bikers and by an army camp and yet didn't work

Went there once for a kids party - it was rather odd

DeVlaeminck

priory wrote:

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/inquest-motorcyclists-deaths-untimely-unfortunate/story-25641543-detail/story.html

I learned to stay away from matlock at the weekends on the whole as this sort of thing was a regular event all summer before the cameras and helicopter made recklessness less usual.

Jesus 130 mph 2 up at night down Slack Hill - my son has started talking about getting a moped when he's 16 and whilst I have a full bike licence the thought of him getting up to this kind of stuff makes me hope it's not an interest he pursues.

As a kid I remember some of the mentalists on the A6 going up to Matlock on a Sunday treating the roads as a racetrack - I think the fact bikers tend to be older these days has helped reduce that kind of stuff - that and speed cameras and reduced limits.

Frank Wilson

TLW1 wrote:

Frank Wilson wrote:

Ballysmate wrote:

For years they used to gather at the Stormy Petrel at Tern Hill. Don't know if they have just moved a few miles down the road.

Yes the Petrel is now derelict I am afraid

Yep, can't understand it, loads of bikers and by an army camp and yet didn't work

Went there once for a kids party - it was rather odd

I suppose the army camp will have a NAAFI bar where the prices would be subsidised I would imagine.

BelgianBeerGeek

Nah, a 'Spoons in Market Drayton is all you need...
And Frank, a thanks to you for posting some John Cooper Clarke. Made my day.

tlw1

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

Nah, a 'Spoons in Market Drayton is all you need...

what a horrible place spoons is