Harley Cruise 2004 – 5th Anniversary
Could it really be five years we have been having the Harley Cruise? In 1999 it was not such a well-oiled machine as it was in 2004. In the olden days it was basically a piss up in the Silver Ring bar with Exotic Dancers – my how times have changed! Year two was a bit more sophisticated when the piss up moved to the Magnesia Bank! Year three saw us going out to Norway and the Harley Cruise as we now know it was born.
Sunday 23rd May the new
Fjordline summer ferry times were in operation and at 19.30hrs prompt 55 of us
set sail from the Tyne. Fjordline welcomed Geordie, Aire Valley Chapters and
the English contingent aboard MS Jupiter with a drink on the Helicopter deck
as we left the Tyne
A surprise waited in that along with Jono and Natalie there were Gill and Ian McLelland at South Shields Groyne to wave us Bon Voyage.
I had elected to pay the slight upgrade charge and was very pleasantly surprised to be the Captains next-door neighbour with three, yes three forward facing windows! A free mini bar added to my joy; this is the way to cross to mainland Europe. The pleasure was not over yet either as I had pre booked a table in the Bergen Restaurant and we were treated like royalty, best table, best wine and the very best of food set the tone for a week of ultimate pleasure as part of the Harley Cruise 2004.
The new ferry times meant we arrived in Stavanger at 12.30hrs to disembark and meet our twin Chapter members from Bergen. About seven Road Captains had ridden down from Bergen ready to escort us North back to Bergen to overnight on Jupiter which would cruise North and met us there. The ride was uneventful and within the mandatory 80kmp national speed limit. The scenery never ceases to amaze and delight those willing to travel to Norway. Each sweeping constant radius made for biking bend revealed another vista worthy of a roll of Kodak’s finest – no time for us to photograph as better and more awe inspiring scenery awaited our three main riding days.
Whilst contemplating the meaning of life and everything on the quayside at North Shields ferry terminal I had reason to notice my rear tyre at alarmingly low tread depth. To think I had checked the bike out following my packing list, obviously checking tyre pressure I managed to not notice the rear tyre at 1.2mm tread depth. This, as you’ll know is within the legal 1.1mm limit for bikes (and why for the life of me I do not know but is 0.5mm lower than the legal car limit; and they have four tyres!) and I usually change a rear at 2mm tread depth, but I had not realised the miles I had been piling on lately so a fully loaded glide, wet roads, hairpin bends and only 1.1mm of tread –it was not a tough decision to organise a new tyre at Bergen H-D and my good friend Kalle, a co-owner of the dealership would ensure I got the best deal possible.
Tuesday morning and bright and early we were all grouped on the quayside, met by the Bergen Road Captains and ably supported by three of Bergen’s bike cops we set off for the dealership. Norwegian prices, being what they are, not much was spent by English contingent but the dealer had provided excellent coffee and biscuits while I got sorted with the co-owner of the dealership mechanic the rest prepared for the organised ride to Vesterland. There was a secondary consideration in staying back and getting a new tyre in that I could set out a little after the main group and take the risk of using the roads, making progress and enjoying the riding whilst risking a speeding ticket! As usual, best-laid plans of mice and men and all that, my drive pulley bolts sheared whilst being removed to fit the tyre – yes all five of them – what are the chances of that? My experience made me realise my 1-hour job would now be significantly longer so I suggested me and Jen took a walk and furnished the guys at the dealer with my mobile number so I could be called in when and if the bike was sorted. Noon we were done. New tyre, new brake pads, lighter wallet and could we close the three-hour lead the main group had?
Kalle had decided to wait and help fix my bike so it was the two of us who set off from Bergen Harley Davidson at 12.30 to catch the main group at Vesterland. Even my lighter wallet could not detract from the excellent riding; we had lunch at the designated lunch stop and we had made up one hour already then an inspiring ride following the exact route of our riding buddies had made earlier; we enjoyed our selves, stopped as the mood dictated and rode at a good pace. Kalle managed a bit of stunt riding during a lapse in riding concentration – he was distracted by a phone call when an old lady driver stopped unexpectedly for a chat with a friend at the roadside – well we have ‘em in UK too! Kalle dropped his Softail, did a triple salco, hopped up, lifted the dropped bike in one humongous effort and was back on board riding and kicking parts back to their original positions without a pause for a kiss my arse – awesome what adrenaline can do!
The first night at Vesterland was the party and BBQ.
On arrival at Vesterland I was disappointed not to get a Hauteur (log cabin) but my disappointment soon turned to pure joy because our hotel room was fantastic; the piece de-resistance being the giant Jacuzzi bath. Close second was the giant TV and satellite system.
Wednesday dawned bright and warm, Jen
and I had decided to join the long route, about 420km. Because I am not big
on group rides and because the long ride had become more popular with the
improving weather I decided to set out half an hour ahead of the official
ride, but ride the full long route. What a good decision. Our first stop was
at the Glacier we had stopped at the previous year and get a moody shot with
my bike and the glacier but that was after the Kodak moment of the trip by
capturing the mountains reflected in the Fjord.
We had an early morning coffee sitting out in the brilliant sunshine, not a cloud in the sky when a postman approached and asked if we were part of the Harley group he had been listening about on his radio, obviously Espen and Morten’s early morning radio interview had been heard. The postie advised us that on the previous Friday only four days previously, it had been –1oC and snowing! Indeed we had heard that the Bergen Chapter had been discussing options on that very point because Friday’s weather was so bad as to make motor cycling not a pleasant pastime – but none of that today it must have been the best weather day we had ever had in Norway and the riding was pretty dam good too.
I wanted to make Lom for lunch, which we did. I had achieved 153km/hour across tundra like scene at Grotti, I was cookin!
The 420km route left Vesterland and
headed North West to Fjarland then more Northerly to Stryn, then running from
West to East through Grotti and the ton in the tundra for the lunch stop at
Lom. I have been to Lom several times, once quite late at night whilst racing
back to catch the ferry at Bergen and that time the ride over the highest pass
in Norway, the Songefeld Pass, was in atrocious weather and on a recently
re-belted FXRT – quite a challenge; but this day would be different. A 2003
Glide well on song, blue sky and 34 0 C weather meant for a
fantastic ride, topping out at 1450 metres. The main group never did catch
us; we cleaned, refuelled the bike, and met them just as they got back- they
had a brilliant day too, taking all that Norway had to offer in.
BBQ on the first night at Vesterland
and Wednesday we were treated to traditional Norwegian fayre followed by a
party in the main bar. Julie made a splendid speech to thank our hosts and
give them tokens of our appreciation of a job well done. But it was not over
because we had the run back to Bergen for the afternoon ferry and we were
scheduled to run through the longest road tunnel in the World. At 25kms this
recently opened tunnel has to be ridden through to be appreciated. We were
nocturnal creatures boring through the tunnel for half an hour. This of
course included photo stops in one of the three ’Blue Rooms’.
Arriving back in Bergen we could see the massed ranks of bikers waiting for the ferry check in. We had been met by the trusty Bergen Bike Cops who whisked us through the urban traffic safe and sound to our ferry. On board the real party was beginning. The tradition of using the ships garage as a Harley Cruise meeting and party area is brilliant, the tattooist was soon up and running and the Cruise packs were given out. Once again a t-shirt to behold reflecting all the elements of the Harley Cruise and this year as well as the commemorative pin all the Cruisers received a fifth anniversary engraved Maglite Solitaire torch. Stopping off in Stavanger the rest of the Harley Cruise Norwegian contingent joined in.
In no time we were once more in North Shields. I had given the safety talk on board to the gathered three hundred or so in the Viking Bar and the focus of the presentation was ‘Tour Pa Venstra Cida’ (spelt phonetically!) and supposedly meaning Drive on the Left side – good advise for those more used to driving on the Right.
Geordie and Aire Valley Road Captains were swarming over the ferry terminal and right on schedule the 350 to 400 bikes headed on South for York. We made an impression. The Tyne Tunnel Management team once more decided it was best to close the tunnel and rush us through 4 abreast – much to the chagrin of the Bank Holiday Friday night rush hour traffic! We made the TV news, local radio and press; we were a sight to behold and enough to spike the audio sensory systems of anyone within a couple of miles. Being our third ride down it went well and soon all were settled in the York billets.
Saturday was free with some organised rides. I opted for a little personal time with Kalle and Johan. We had a biker’s day in the saddle visiting local bike stores (Johan even managed to get a set of Santee short shots fitted at a considerable saving versus Norwegian Crowns). We also managed a bit of culture visiting Leeds Armouries, which has to be one of the best free things to do in the North of England. We had the good fortune to be around for the horse back demonstration of there historical horseback awesome systems of fitting power – almost as imprsssive as me Glide in full charge!
Elvington had worked well in 2003 and 2004 was no different, a selection of options for us all to pick, chill out, heavy metal, drink, BBQ, WW11 planes and American Iron. I saw many smiling faces, many unstable stumbling's – we partied – some to 6am!
With such a party there are casualties as can be confirmed by the official trip group photo at 9.30am Sunday:
Quite a poor turnout from the 400 or so delegates! Just six and me the Photographer – some time adjustment required next year? The mass ride north, from York to the Ferry terminal in North Shields via Hartlepool set off spot on time; no official count but at least 200. We took a scenic route North, passing Castle Howard and Helmsley following the euphemistically named North Yorkshire TT Course to Teesside. And again spot on schedule we met our Police Motorcycle Escort. The Police team of two bikes and three cars ably assisted by Geordie and Aire Valley Road Captains soon had us at our lunch stop at Hartlepool Historic Quay where lunch and a civic reception awaited, superbly choreographed by Paul Abbott. We were gob smacked at the turnout, many happy smiling people, wonderful. Spot on time once again back on the road North with Just Harleys and an International football match waiting. The weather closed in, wets were donned and the proceedings took on a damp spell – one good thing though the inclement weather meant the football was cancelled! Many ageing bikers were saved the humiliation of running, kicking a ball all whilst trying to breathe.
So an escort back to the ferry and bon voyage Norwegian friends, we’ll have to do it all again next year; tough life!
