Greetings Pembletoneers. It is 'I' Albert Crackleport…….at least 3 times retired from all things Pembleton but still feeling capable of making that last comeback. Knowing I still had life in me I needed to attempt a challenge that would rock Pembletoneering to the very core.
Yes indeed, I knew the grains of sand were running through the hour glass for the last time…….My time was nearly done……….The young Pembly upstarts were making their mark. Tales of derring-do in previous ePAGs were pushing boundaries of motoring endurance to unbelievable height………
How could an 'old has been' ensure that he left his mark for ever in Pembleton history? It was now or never…….
Read on…….for was my plan. A plan of unknown dangers, of extreme endurance, of navigational excellence……, of total madness…….
Who has heard of the Dusk till Dawn Challenge?
Not a new idea……... few have set off………..fewer have reached their destination.
The idea is to watch the sun set on the west coast and then speed across country through the dead of night and watch the sun rise on the East coast. I read about such an attempt in a classic bike club magazine. It lit a fire within me, for I would do such a challenge before any other Pembletoneer and claim the honours and whatever riches I could make from the publicity
I dare not tell anyone for fear of being 'trumped'. No, this was a mission that had 'Top Secret' written all over it……
The sands running through the hour glass ? That was time that was slipping by before my good friend Koen Guekens came back to Blighty and collected his L.B.P. (Little Belgium Pem). I was keeping LBP safe for him after it's MSVA. To give myself the maximum challengeness I decided to attempt the run as near to mid-summers day as possible………longest day…….but shortest night !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My westerly point would be overlooking Lake Windermere from the Kirkstone Pass. My Easterly point would be the cliff tops overlooking Filey Brig. The run between would be through some of most driveable roads of North Yorkshire taking in Masham, Ripon, Sutton Bank, and the North Yorkshire Moors.
Also out of retirement would be my co-pilot/navigator the Baroness Von Battenburg. How could a chap attempt such a momentous undertaking on his own… - impossible !
Vehicle preparation ? Hey, this machine has been built using Belgium's finest metals and salvaged scrap. What could be added? None the less, the boot space was crammed full of tools, ignition parts, waterproofs, camp stove and tinned soups…… - let's go !
It would have been a shame to go to the Lake District and not saviour the experience (and make a day of it) ……So first off, we crossed Lake Windermere on the ferry,
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