AN EVENING OUT WITH THE D.M.E.C.
Veni Vidi. Vici
Tom's evening runs tend to be, to quote a phrase, like a box of chocolates you never
know what you're going to get! So it was on Wed 3O th May when a dozen or so of DMEC 's
finest assembled at the Little Chef As it was such a fantastic evening our leader had planned
a long trip in the Bridport direction, veering off the main road along an old Roman road the
other side of Dorchester. Normal marshalling - There we are, sum total of information, and so
we set off, marshalls clicking in like clockwork at every junction and although well spread out,
we all re-formed at the start of the Roman road just short of Winterbourne Abbas.
Off we went into the hills along this old road heading due West, and it dawned on me that this was
an old military road, and it was incumbent upon us to salute every time we crested a rise or emerged
from tree cover. This must be so because everyone did it, riding to attention, left hand raised smartly
above the eye!
So we rode along, gradually getting higher to reach the zenith of our trip at Eggardon Hill and then the
descent to Powerstock. The roads now got even narrower with the grass and gravel in the middle assuming
strange colours under the influence of blue sunglasses and sun directly in front.. At the approach to
Powerstock there is a cottage that is so truly 19th Century Dorset that if Gabriel and Bathsheba
had leant on the gate and waved as we passed I would not have batted an eyelid.
We turned left at Powerstock not fun for the cruisers then right, then left, onto some of the
narrowest roads in deepest Dorset. Marshalling is still holding until we are out on the main road
in a layby gathering numbers till everyone is there but one guess who? Someone knew where the pub
was so we cruised back to Winterboume Abbas where some stopped and some of us rode back
a super
evening, thanks Tom.
Horses for courses it was not ideal for the tourers and cruisers, just right for the trailie,
but I think my choice for the night would have been the MZ never thought I would say that!
Country Correspondent
PS Val and I did the run again on the next Sunday morning fantastic views and the grass
is green in the middle of the road