Ace Café Kawasaki Sunday 28th April

Ace Café Kawasaki Sunday 28^th April

I woke to the sun’s rays burning through the gap in the curtains.  It was early and I so wanted to still be asleep after the week’s hard work, but now I was awake my mind was buzzing.  It was a nice a day and we were  going to be heading out to the Ace Café.  I was really looking forward to the ride.  They were holding their Kawasaki Sunday and apparently its Kawasaki 60^th anniversary and as my brother owns a Kawasaki it was a good reason for a ride, like I really need an excuse.   With the weather on the sunny side of nice I guessed it was going to be a busy day with a good turnout.

With time on my side a hearty breakfast was the order of the morning.  Sunday is a proper English tradition day for me it usually starts with a full English breakfast and then a proper roast dinner in the evening.  Despite the fact I do love my weekend treat I’m glad it doesn’t happen every day or I’d be the size of a house and would probably have to sell my bike and buy a Harley (only joking no offence meant).

Fed, watered and all pre ride checks done I was ready to roll by around 9.30am and guessed we would arrive at the Ace by around 10.00.  I like this time it allows people to arrive, they will have judged the weather like myself and decide their plans for the day.  I’ve notice that bikers like to turn up, stay for a cuppa or a little lunch then go for a ride.  So while there will be a reasonable turn out of an afternoon it’s not normally as busy as the morning.

The sky was blue and apart from an odd distant cloud it was turning out to be a glorious day. Although it was almost officially British summer time the hedge rows were still lying dormant and hadn’t change from our evening ride, only a few green spring shoots coloured the brown hedgerows and yellow primroses, cowslips and dandelions added colour to the green verges the deep, dark, rich yellow of the dandelions quite stark against the gentle pale yellow of the cowslips.  Also along with the white of the wild cherry was now the pink blossom of the flowering cherry, probably spread by birds into the countryside where they now have established adding brightness to the bleak bare tree line.  The fields were now too showing signs of life as small green leaves started to break through the brown crust.

We arrived at the Ace and as I had expected it was very busy with Kawasaki riders queuing up to get into the car park.  I knew that I wouldn’t be allowed in with my Triumph and had arranged with my brother that I would park on the other side of the road while he could park and show off his bike along with the others.  Veering off to the right to park I found a place at the end of a line of bike as I reversed in to the space I noticed my brother beside me.  What are you doing I asked, I thought you were going into the Ace? You must be mad, came the reply, I’d never get out again.

We parked up and went for a wander round first looking at the bikes parked on the side of the road we had pitched on, we had arrived just in time to see a large group of Harley riders thunder off on what I can only guess was an organised ride out. As we walked back toward the Ace a van pulled up, to view the event, behind it a people carrier pulled in. Then without warning the van suddenly reversed back hitting the car. The van driver got out accusing the car driver and I thought it was going to all kick off, but the van driver soon turned round when a guy the size of a house got out of the car. Despite an exchange of words there were no apologies forth coming from the van driver.

With the situation now calmed down, we crossed the road and entered the Ace’s car park which was now heaving with an array of Kawasaki motorcycles of all different shapes, sizes, colours and ages. From back road racers to motorway mile munchers. We wondered for a while looking at standard factory built bikes to custom built hybrids.

 After a good look round we had a welcome cuppa, sit down and chat. We then mingled some more chatting to other bikers, as midday came and went there was a lot of coming and going, we too had to make our way home and after one last look round we left for a quick motorway blast home.