Indians return triumphant - the tour winds up - 8&9 August

We made the Eurotunnel passage on the 12.50pm train again the usual dramas with the bookings - this time with little assistance from the French and an outlay of several hundred Euros to get a bike and a van on the train. Jim, Peter and Mason missed the train but caught the next shuttle 15 minutes later. After fuelling and eating a sandwich we all headed off up the motorway to get caught in one of the London rush hour traffic jams. After nearly having a meltdown on our bikes from sitting in the stationary traffic we decided to lane split and finally made it safely "home" where we started from 4 weeks ago, to our initial lodgings at the Quality Hotel Slough at about 4.30pm. Brett has since had his advance/retard ziptied by Peter B who accused him of excessive use of his wrist on the freeway!
Mason and Peter had stopped at the shop and got some "Gunk" remover (aka degreaser) and so a bikewash was set up in the carpark - you know how it is - have a beer, wash a bike, have a beer etc.
Saturday started at 8.30am leaving the hotel for the final ride to the freight company in Feltham to crate the bikes. Everyone pitched in and the job was completed by 12.45pm. Many used the afternoon to chill out, have a nana nap (Neville!) or finish their sight seeing. Sharon and Peter were off to Windsor Castle and Annie, Stella and Dorothy took in a WestEnd musical matinee - Priscilla Queen of the Desert. The Birthisel Clan found themselves 130 Euros lighter at LegoLand. Today's Blogger spent the day on the computer and used up all her internet download time constructing this blog so had to buy more Mbs.
Dinner this evening was at the local Toby Carvery - where we all enjoyed a final meal together, had some awards presented, Dorothy sang us the final stanzas of the now eagerly expected Tour Song and Peter B gave his Presidential Speech thus rounding off a fantastic day, week, and month of being together riding our Indians.
Brett received the final Princess Award for YET ANOTHER ride down the road with his stand down as well as sitting in the far right hand side of the lane down the freeway and nearly having his block knocked off when a bus passed him.
A big thank you to the Organizing Committee who committed themselves wholeheartedly and happily to the planning and organising of the tour for well over 2 years:
Jim Parker – had the idea, got the ball rolling and worked like the blazes to make it happen.
Toni Birthisel – held the purse strings tight and whipped the other committee members into shape regularly.
Peter Birthisel – worked tirelessly to ensure every stage of the tour from the inception of the idea to the riding was trouble free and enjoyed by all.
Conor Murphy – planned and organized a fantastic leg of the tour in Ireland and maintained a clear sense of direction in all that we did.

John Wright - for organising the UK end of the tour and spending hours on his computer and phone developing the longest, most detailed spreadsheets in the world
And most important:
The Tour Members – our Indian Tribe – safely riding their indians and driving the iconic backup vehicles the 2500+ miles harmoniously and at all times maintaining that sense of FUN, FUN, FUN.