So this morning I woke up early, still suffering with man flu, opened up a can of “toughen the fuck up”, downed a black coffee and geared up to ride to the Peak District.

Today was the inaugural ride for the BMW R1200 GSA & Friends UK Riders!

A few months in the planning after starting the FB page last year, and we have a ride with 6 guys of various adventure bikes getting together to have fun!

We all ended up meeting at the South Mimms Services and riding up to Matlock in the Peak District together.

At Matlock we were due to meet 2 others but due to other circumstances they could not make it.

So we pushed on and ride the Cat & Fiddle together!

3 GSA LC’s 1GSA airhead 1Triumoh Exploer & 1KTM 990.

We had a great ride up through the Peaks. Past reservoirs and rolling hills of desolate baron land. At one point we found a forest trail and went off road for a few miles back around the reservoir and up in to the Praks again to the Cat and Giddle Pub. Which was sadly closed for the foreseeable future. The view was amazing. You could see for miles around.

We made a plan to ride on to the next pub we could find for food and drink. What a lovely place it was. Amazing steak and ale pie, beautiful bacon sandwiches & top beer.

After which we made our way slowly back through the Peaks to Matlock! Around 70 miles of fun with chaps I hardly know.

It’s amazing how motorcycles can bring people together across the globe. Let alone in one room.

We checked in to the hotel and met up for beers, walked into town and had a lovely meal together, having interesting conversation, getting to low each other a little better, basic good fun all around.

Couldn’t have asked to meet a nicer bunch of folk. What a privelige to ride with them and enjoy it so much!

Tomorrow we ride the Snake Pass from Matlock and then back to out repetitive homes!

Let’s see what’s in store!