22nd July mileage 400 miles Lewis Sussex

Left Jack's at about 1:00pm and set off for Watford to spend time with Joanna, Emma, Glen and the grandchildren in a park with paddling pools and play areas etc.  Weather when in London was thundestorms so waited for these to move over and then the weather improved and we had a lovely time in the sunshine playing with the kids.

Arranged to go and see Kalina in Brighton before moving on to Lewis to spend the night with Jan and John.  I hit the rush hour on the M25 and we crawled along interspersed with periods oh speedy progress.  I watched the motorcyclists wizzing along between the lanes of slow moving traffic and thought this is the life, I can do that.  All progressed well untill a VW Sharron Taxi pulled up very sharply and in so doing veered slightly to the left.  I braked hard, but had to swerve to avoid him, unfortunately my off side pannier clipped his bumper and the panneir shattered, and all my belongings were sprayed along the fast lane of the M25.  The traffic was not going fast and the taxi pulled up in the outside lane, so I stopped in front of him.  Then as the traffic weaved around the taxi I proceeded to pick up camping stove, two pairs of shoes, locks, plates, cups and what seemed a mass of other miscellaneous yet important items I had carefully packed.
You can imagine how furious I was with myself.  Anyway we exchanged details quite amicably, nobody was hurt just his bumper dinted and me minus one pannier.  The taxi driver was taking people to Gatwick and was wanting to get going, and so only now realising that it was a mistake I said he could go.  At this point I had to pack three panniers of goods into two panniers whilst parked in the small strip of land to the right of the fast lane on the M25.  Of course when the taxi was there all the traffic was going around him very slowly, but once he had gone, the cars started to pick up speed and whizz past me.  !!!   Not a comfortable position.  I cut off the damaged lid of the pannier that was still attached by some sort of high tensile umbilicle cord.  First use of the Leatherman that I had purchased as a retirement gift at Harry Varleys Outdoor World just yesterday.
Anyway it's amazing what you can pack when you need to and with everything seeming secure I was ready to get out of the fast lane.  Now here's an issue, with the bike all kitted up the only way I can get on is from the near side, so I have to wait for a gap in the traffic just to get my leg over (so to speak).  It came and now I eventually get the bike started and wait for another gap, and zoom I'm away and somewhat flustered but grateful to start to put this all behind me.  Before you all start trying to figure out who's fault it was let me tell you it was mine.  It was the first lesson in not being a d******d and I have learnt it well !!!.

Got off the M25, notified the insurance company, no problems yet anyway.  Told Kalina I won't be calling tonight, and made my way to Jan and John's.  What a strat for the first day !! Surely it can only improve !!!


Sorry no photo of the M25 incident, somehow I didn't have the forethought to take a picture of all my belongings being scattered and the traffic swerving around my stove.  The Colemen stove by the way stayed in it's plastic box and has dufferred no harm

TOR