The TOGS Pub Crawl - Tags Run

[Gin]

Hullo all,

After the TOGS meet at Walden Castle, we wondered how many more tags we could collect as a group. Seeing that our points in the pub category was sadly lacking, a pub crawl of sorts was organised!

Midday at the first pub, The Horseshoes, was the starting point for the four of us. Like all good plans, things go wrong..

Rant, on the smallest CC in the group, managed to turn up early at around quarter to 12 (beating the usually time efficient Hoggs by only a few minutes).

This however was where things started to fall apart. Upon checking their phones, they notice that Gin is running a little late... An hour later the red faced Sprint rider pulls into the car park , ready with the profuse apologies, only to see that there is still a blue bandit missing!

A well timed phone call soon comes in from Glorian himself. His new shiny Satnav, which he had so proudly wired in the night before, had died and dumped him in the middle of sodding nowhere! Rant is then thrown the phone and told that as he's the most "Local" he needs to sort out the directions.

With a sigh and a headshake, the three bikers wander into the pub to grab drinks and settle down on an outside bench with a good view of the road. Soon enough Bandit boy trundles down the road; from the complete opposite direction we had expected him to appear!

The first Tag is finally grabbed:

It’s about this point that we realise that our planned Navigator for the next 9 pubs, is at a slight disadvantage ; having no Satnav!

I have not lead many rides before, normally planning to sit at the back and “Herd” the group. However, I was the one who had originally planned the route and so it seemed to make sense that I would attempt this next step.

Onwards then! To the White Horse!

[Gin]

With one headphone in, under the helmet, and my phone safely stowed in my inside pocket we trundle out of the carpark and off down country roads to the sound of “in 200… Feet, turn… LEFT!”.

This is when my dear mother decides she’s going to start texting me, not just once or twice, but 8 times . (Which on an iPhone is about 16 alerts)

Poor Google is attempting to tell me where to go but is being constantly interrupted:

“At the roundabout, take the *BEEP BEEP BE-EEP*…”

Somehow we managed to get to the White Horse!

Only at this point does Hoggs proudly proclaim “I’ve already got a White Horse pub, but will take the picture anyway!”

That’s it madam, you show off!

[Gin]

Thankfully the next two pubs were across the road from one another and so we were able to get a round of pictures before wandering into the Waggon and Horse for lunch.

Cue first, awful, group shot:

At this point, google fails us. This pub didn’t serve food till 6pm..

With Grumbling bellies, we hop back on our bikes and travel on…

[RantMachine]

Spot the photographer in the group who understands lens compression...

[Hoggs]

Spot the photographer in the group who understands lens compression...

 

Spot the three other people who don't give a hoot

[Gin]

The George and Dragon had a mildly "Don't serve yur kind round 'ere" feel to it but for food, we'd endure any amount of odd stares!

Alas, another pub that didn't serve food .. They did tell us though that the White Horse did food, if we just wanted to go down the road...

Hoggs stands tall and proclaims "No Gin. We do Not go Backwards!"

Onwards then... To the Barely Mow.

Surely, this would be our salvation! The sign on the side proudly proclaimed that it specialised in Steak dinners and the pub garden looked spacious (even if the gravel car park scared the heck out of me.. )

I'm pretty sure the regular patrons must have thought we were insane. All they would have seen is 4 bikers stomp through the front door, see a small hand written sign stating "Kitchen Closed today, Sorry", Roar in unison and stomp out again..

F it then, there's a bloody McDonalds up the road. That'll have to do

[Gin]

The journey to the McDonalds was only hindered by a 1050 leading the group and mildly over estimating the overtaking power of an unfaired 250, with a rider on tall enough to be a sail in his own right

However, we somehow all managed to arrive at the same destination without bikers pinging off left right and centre and got ready for some good chow down.

Rant with his Happy Meal and toy!

This is when Hoggs managed to snap this beauty

After a quick stop for fuel it was time for the final run.

4 Pubs in quick succession!

Three Tuns:

We didn't even de-kit, however Rant managed to attract some attention at this point.. A young lad seemed oh so smitten with the 250 After a quick chat we bounced back onto the ring road.

Black Bull:

The Royal Oak (and it was at this point, I realised just how bloody short I am..) :

And Finally, The Exhibition!:

A drink was had by all in the beer garden while we waited for Hoggs partner to make his way over.

The night degraded Rapidly from this point on, as we trundled over to the Holiday inn, dropped out kit in our rooms, added Jay to the party and booked the Taxi into town for an evening meal and drinks..

Fanks so much for the awesome weekend guys and I can't wait for the next one.. Equally, SOO MANY TAG POINTS!

Edited June 20, 2016 by Gin

[Hoggs]

It was a lot of fun and awesome write up

Who's planning the next one! *looks at Gin*

[Gin]

Haha.. Alright, I'll go fish for ideas in the main thread

[MR_W]

Ah man that sounds like an awesome time. Glad you all had fun.

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[Gin]

We kept this one small as a demo run to see how a "Sleepover" forum outing would go, as normally the main over-night trips are just the Rally etc..

As this one went well, we're now considering more over-night trips in the next few months. which will hopefully mean more people could tag along at some point

[Throttled]

I have got Hoggs and Rants totals and added them to the scores. Please confirm the rest of you and what your score is now, thanks

[Gin]

I have got Hoggs and Rants totals and added them to the scores. Please confirm the rest of you and what your score is now, thanks

Oops! Just did in the other thread.. It's this lot + Walden castle a while ago, as a group picture, for me

[Glorian]

Sitting at a proud 180 now

Good weekend, lots of fun. Possibly planning to do a "Norfolk" run if oyu guys wanted to join. or we could do a south of london and hit up all the tags in the area, overnight it again, then head back day after (or split tag collecitng in 2)

[MR_W]

I might try tag along just for the ride if I can get permission from swmbo. Can always take photos

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[Throttled]

I have got Hoggs and Rants totals and added them to the scores. Please confirm the rest of you and what your score is now, thanks

Oops! Just did in the other thread.. It's this lot + Walden castle a while ago, as a group picture, for me

 

Is that 9 pubs plus one other tag so 100 points for you?

[Gin]

Wut... There should be all 10!

*Hurriedly looks over photos again*

[RantMachine]

Yeah, they're all there.

[Gin]

Yeah, they're all there.

 

Phew, I did think so!

So that's 100 for those pub tags, 50 for completing a set then 10 for Walden Castle.. 160

[Stu]

This is awesome

although on the other hand this is not awesome

More tags needed to beat Hoggs

[Hoggs]

This is awesome

although on the other hand this is not awesome

More tags needed to beat Hoggs

bring it on!

[Stu]

Some how I don't think its going to happen!

I need to double my points just to draw level and a week on Wednesday I will be out the country on the bike taking up valuable tagging time then its less than 5 weeks to the rally!!

I wonder if I can have bonus points for castles in Germany

[Glorian]

I'm beating Stu!

Wooo

NOOT NOOT

[Stu]

WTF!!

I think you are all cheating!

I am going to double check scores

[Glorian]

WTF!!

I think you are all cheating!

I am going to double check scores

 

You know what it calls for Stu..

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