A nice suprise from the missed Jack Taylor weekend

Early in September I unfortunately had to miss a ride that I had been looking forward to for a long time due to unforeseen issues on the home front. This was the Jack Taylor weekend down in Yorkshire, it was a long weekend/bank holiday with three day rides heading out from the same start point, that being the Rusty Bike Café in Swainby. I was only going for the Saturday ride what with just being back from Germany and then away for work, but sadly didn't work out. I made my apologies to all and wished everyone a safe and happy weekends riding.
I was looking forward to meeting up and riding with fellow Jack Taylor owners, most of whom I hadn't met before but had chatted to quite a few over social media groups and forums previously so it would be good to put some faces to names as well as meet and ride with new people. It was also going to be that bit special as Ken Taylor would be at the start each day. He was looking pretty good for a man over 90 years old.
Hopefully I will get down for next years ride or for any of the other day rides that may happen to be organised by Eric, the gentleman who put this weekend together.
The photos posted on the facebook group and flickr from various people show what a great weekend it was with some really stunning Taylors on show.
It wasn't all bad for me that weekend as I did get out riding on the Monday with Brian to Drumochter pass on the LHT so there was a bit of riding once sorted and of course the playing and building the sidecar with Caleb.
I was really surprised and touched when I received through the mail this week the ride handouts with map, route guide and a page of Ken Taylor bio all signed by Ken with his trademark signature of 'Have a nice ride', something he was famous for writing on the box's containing your new Jack Taylor bike or frame being sent out. This was really nice of Eric to organise and of course, for Ken to do as it certainly means a lot to me and I am very grateful and appreciative that you thought of me even though I couldn't make it.
I will do my best to pay it forward.

Jamie

2018 Aug 25 Taylor Brothers Cycle Ride (20) by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSC_0288 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

Re:

cooool!

just one question, were there any JT racing bikes, I've only seen tourers?

I did the ride
It was great to meet up with some good friends such as Paul Curran, who forwarded my cycling story that I published in 2014. I didn't realise at the time it was the first fictional road racing story published by anyone in the entire world for 40 years, but that is another story (forgive the pun!).
Of course it was wonderful to meet Ken who came across as friendly and welcoming; I thought being there with my relatively modern Trek might be a problem but obviously Ken wasn't bothered about that
There was one guy there who did seem bothered about it however, which was a bit surreal. I expected some light-hearted banter about having a bike there that was not a Jack Taylor or some other steel frame from that era, but he seemed genuinely annoyed that I had the audacity to ride with a modern bike. The fact that it was the first ever US Postal frame that came into the UK, it sported a Shimano Dura-Ace 25th anniversary groupset and had a very early set of Lightweight wheels which were made by Heinz Obermayer in his garage didn't seem to strike him as being a classic bike in its own right was a bit surreal!
Despite this it was a lovely day and hope it becomes a yearly event

Sounds good Simon and hopefully will get to the next one or even one of the smaller affairs down that way.
I wouldn't worry about someone with such a narrow focused field of vision, there's always one though no matter what you do
Having lots of rides going on all the time and usually having so far to travel makes it hard sometimes but this was one I was really looking forward to but unfortunately sometimes life gets in the way.
Next time.

I did get out on Wednesday for a good ride down Easter Ross way. Put a post up here:
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=344872&start=400

Jamie