Just as last year we decided to make a long weekend of it...and just as last year it was a wet Thursday morning...the only difference this year was it didn't stop raining all weekend...

two fully laden scooters...it's 7:00am and it's time for the off...

first stop for fuel...a service station on the M40...

these lads and lasses were from Walsall...a couple of them had provisional licences so they were destined for the nightmare that is Winchester...

Marvin with a smile knowing that the nightmare that is Winchester is a thing of the past!!..

waiting for the 12:00 ferry...that QB van flew past us just as we joined the M40...we actually arrived at the ferry port before 11:00 but decided to go to the local McDonald's first...

a few more of the early arrivals...