Basically this is a diary of the various Wetherspoon and Lloyds bars I visit and any adventures on the way, with maybe a few words about life as we know it thrown in for good measure.
I've been on Groupon again and booked myself and Mrs S. into a hotel in Derby. The general plan, as usual, is to get on the road early and arrive at the first pub on my list in time for breakfast. Unusually, for once things seem to go to plan and after an uneventful trip are soon parked up and sat in The Acorn Inn. Mrs S. opted for a traditional breakfast and a large latte and I, feeling in a not very traditional mood opted for the breakfast wrap with a large latte. The pub was one of those dark narrow ones but was very busy with a lot of people eating. We sat under a large round skylight which certainly brightened up the end of the room where we were eating. Much to Mrs S. dismay I had quite a few pubs on my list to visit today so we were soon back on the road.
After leaving The Swan Inn I set off for Petersfield, the long way round to take full advantage of the weather and the quiet back roads. As I entered Peterfield pretty much the first pub I spotted was The Red Lion and it also had a large pay car park which I assumed was free for motorbikes (and later confirmed by the barmaid). Another nice looking pub with a nice atmosphere about it. It was busier inside and much busier in the beer garden than the previous pub but I was served quickly and my Pepsi and gourmet hot dog (a gourmet hot dog, really, gourmet?) arrived quickly too. Fed and watered it was time to head for home, roll on the next sunny day.
The sun is shining, it's a bank holiday and I've not been out on the bike for a while so I get the gear on and ten minutes later off again as the bike does not want to start. After hooking up the battery charger for a couple of hours I try it again and success, the bike fires up. Five minutes after that I'm on the road and heading for Haslemere. After a very pleasant ride I pull in to a car park at the back of The Swan Inn, not the pub car park as there would have been a fee to pay but in the car park behind that one where there was some marked out motorcycle bays. The pub itself was very nice inside but not very busy. I bought a small Pepsi from the charming lady behind the bar and went and sat in one of the booths while I was drinking it. The question I was asking myself was whether to head to another pub or head back home. Silly question really!
Determined. If it involves a beer. This has led me to commit myself to a "Quest" to visit and have at least one drink or meal in each Wetherspoons pub in the UK. I have set myself no time limit, in fact I have not set myself any rules other than the most basic.
Never drink before noon,
(it's always after noon somewhere), when in doubt turn left and never run with scissors.
