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We did an Easter Egg Bike Run on Sunday, taking chocolate eggs to the sick kiddies in hospitals around here. It was great fun and very humbling see those children, so many smiles and cuddles – amazing what a bit of chocolate will do
The downside to the run.....we were all outside the hospital A&E mounting our trusty steeds in readiness for the next Hospital, the Harley was stuffed with eggs – Harley wouldn’t start! All the other bikers were revving up, looking at us for movement. The alarm was blaring, which meant that the bike would not start in a million years, nor could it be pushed cos the alarm immobilises it, clever alarm!!
So, the eggs are unpacked from the Harley and distributed out to any pillions so they could carry them, some bikers stuffing eggs between their legs because they had to crack (!) on as there was a deadline to get to the next Hospital.
We sit there looking at noisy unmoving bike, one that is still plonked in front of A&E and will not be moved – Oh No you ain’t nicking me matey says noisy Harley!
Very nice Children’s Nurse comes out and offers us tea and sympathy (she will go far in her career), she offered to call the local Sainsbury’s garage to see if they could get us a battery replacement for the alarm turn-off thingy just in case it was dead, being Easter Sunday the main store was closed but very kind Manager said he would go into the shop to see if he had any batteries that could help us. Off toddles Ian to get battery from very nice man whilst I sit with sulking bike still convinced some bu99er was trying to nick him – precocious bu99er (bike not me!)
New battery makes no difference. I take charge (oh yes I did!) and called the AA (as in cars not Alcohol although it was a close call) - I paid Ł150 to ‘join right away and get a Knight of the Road’ out to us cos we are still in front of A&E and the very nice Ambulance drivers are starting to get a bit bored with looking at a sulking bike.
Knight of the Road turns up, huge smile across his lips, says he is so thrilled to be coming out to assist a Harley as he couldn’t face another Ford Focus and he has ridden HDs across the US many times – yes, yes thinks I – crack on laddie.
Ian and KOTR spend much time looking at noisy sulky bike and do a lot of huming and looking as though they may be coming up with a plan anytime soon.
KOTR says ‘it could be down to mobile signal blockers’ (Tempest, Ian called it, seems it was a secret Military term until Maggie blurted it out!). I say ‘but I called you on my mobile standing right next to sulking bike?’ ‘Maybe so’ says KOTR ‘but it could be.’
After testing all batteries and drinking much tea (thank you, nice Nursey) KOTR started waving the alarm shutter-upper around like he was onto something. Well bugger me – he only ever was! It STARTED and stayed STARTED. Seems the emissions from the A&E (and probably those Ambulance Drivers!) was causing Harley to think someone was nicking him and that it wasn’t really ‘Dad’ trying to start him.
Moral of the story – RTFM children
Sulking Chaps and KOTR
Ambulance ready to ram us out of the way
We did an Easter Egg Bike Run on Sunday, taking chocolate eggs to the sick kiddies in hospitals around here. It was great fun and very humbling see those children, so many smiles and cuddles – amazing what a bit of chocolate will do
The downside to the run.....we were all outside the hospital A&E mounting our trusty steeds in readiness for the next Hospital, the Harley was stuffed with eggs – Harley wouldn’t start! All the other bikers were revving up, looking at us for movement. The alarm was blaring, which meant that the bike would not start in a million years, nor could it be pushed cos the alarm immobilises it, clever alarm!!
So, the eggs are unpacked from the Harley and distributed out to any pillions so they could carry them, some bikers stuffing eggs between their legs because they had to crack (!) on as there was a deadline to get to the next Hospital.
We sit there looking at noisy unmoving bike, one that is still plonked in front of A&E and will not be moved – Oh No you ain’t nicking me matey says noisy Harley!
Very nice Children’s Nurse comes out and offers us tea and sympathy (she will go far in her career), she offered to call the local Sainsbury’s garage to see if they could get us a battery replacement for the alarm turn-off thingy just in case it was dead, being Easter Sunday the main store was closed but very kind Manager said he would go into the shop to see if he had any batteries that could help us. Off toddles Ian to get battery from very nice man whilst I sit with sulking bike still convinced some bu99er was trying to nick him – precocious bu99er (bike not me!)
New battery makes no difference. I take charge (oh yes I did!) and called the AA (as in cars not Alcohol although it was a close call) - I paid Ł150 to ‘join right away and get a Knight of the Road’ out to us cos we are still in front of A&E and the very nice Ambulance drivers are starting to get a bit bored with looking at a sulking bike.
Knight of the Road turns up, huge smile across his lips, says he is so thrilled to be coming out to assist a Harley as he couldn’t face another Ford Focus and he has ridden HDs across the US many times – yes, yes thinks I – crack on laddie.
Ian and KOTR spend much time looking at noisy sulky bike and do a lot of huming and looking as though they may be coming up with a plan anytime soon.
KOTR says ‘it could be down to mobile signal blockers’ (Tempest, Ian called it, seems it was a secret Military term until Maggie blurted it out!). I say ‘but I called you on my mobile standing right next to sulking bike?’ ‘Maybe so’ says KOTR ‘but it could be.’
After testing all batteries and drinking much tea (thank you, nice Nursey) KOTR started waving the alarm shutter-upper around like he was onto something. Well bugger me – he only ever was! It STARTED and stayed STARTED. Seems the emissions from the A&E (and probably those Ambulance Drivers!) was causing Harley to think someone was nicking him and that it wasn’t really ‘Dad’ trying to start him.
Moral of the story – RTFM children
Sulking Chaps and KOTR
Ambulance ready to ram us out of the way
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