Ladies of Harley Cruise

What a night it was it really was!  Do you know those nights you sit at home and think do I really want to be on a boat on the Tyne on a cold, wet November night or sit by the fire with a good DVD, Pizza and drink?  But you've made the commitment, you drag yourself up, get those glad rags on and make the effort; blow me; every time you do its a result and that's just how the Ladies of Harley Cruise was for me.  What a stupendous effort many of my fellow Chapter members had made too.  It is so true in that the more you put into something the more you'll get out and as one of our Past Directors used to say "Do not ask what your Chapter can do for you; but what you can do for your Chapter" and the rewards are plentiful, take Sally and Nige:

They made the ultimate effort and not only had a great time but won two fantastic fancy dress prizes each, from Just Harleys and Bill & Carol at the Poachers Cottage, Callerton, examples of people putting into the Chapter and getting back priceless memories.

Julie once more went the extra mile to ensure that each and every voyager had a memento of the trip in a 'professionally' taken boarding photo, with the Chapter flag as a suitable back drop.  Here is Mick and Carol's mug shot; don't worry you'll all get one.

Leaving the Tyne dead on time (Time and Tide wait for no man) not even Scary Ron who was 24 hours out of synchronisation with the rest of us!  It was all aboard the Skylark, first was to see the Blinking Eye Blink for us, way cool.  Then it was hard about and head for the open sea.  The beauty of the Tyne at night was lost by the condensation on the portholes and the avoidance of frostbite by staying below decks where the bar was inviting and the company convivial.  Julie, our Director, was ensuring her charges were happy even to the extent of leaving her sidekick Joe's sick bedside, what a girl.  She could relax as it was obvious Geordie Chapter were ready to Party.

I personally could not wait for the buffet to open, I'd had no tea and it was nearly 8pm!  Silly me though does not like to queue and knowing there were a few spare places thought waiting would mean I'd score on the extras!  Wrong.  I'm sure the Fat Friar was filling poly bags under his habit; its not just me is it; he does look shifty for a man of the cloth?  But what I had was brilliant and very very tasty.  Could it get any better?  Of course it could, free raffle, fun prizes for those dressed up (anybody know why the Milky Bar Kid was there?) and just general bonhomie.

Our erstwhile Captain must of thought he was back in charge of Jupiter and appeared to be heading to Bergen, then luckily for us the swell in the North Sea reminded him it was a River Cruise and not The Harley Cruise!  More than a few green gills could be seen before our second about of the night had us speeding back up the river.

So all in all a brilliant night, obviously a big Up to all those involved in the flawless organisation of another wonderful Chapter event; oh by the way the 'professional' photographer only had one refusal for the boarding picture (did have one hard time girl too!) but got the shot on the way home under a ploy of capturing the Sage!  Gotcha!