June 2024 - London to Barrow in Furnace. Not your everyday bike ride. 292 miles, give or take, three motorways and a couple of ‘A’ roads thrown in for good measure. On a good day, five hours straight, on a bad day, well, let’s not even go there.
Fortunately, for NSPCC Childline and the Institute for Cancer Research, around 20,000 motorbike enthusiasts did decide ‘to go there’, all in the memory of some bloke named Dave Myers.
Let me explain…
Barrow in Furness isn’t a place that’s ever really been ‘on’ the beaten track and not your everyday holiday destination either, despite it having a beach (Walney Island) and being close to the Lake District. Neither is it known for having had too many famous sons or daughters to garner our interest. OK, it’s had a smattering of people, but no real ‘A’ listers - although the bass player from Jethro Tull and the ex-head of MI5 might be up there? Maybe? Peter Purves is the only name I really recognised but he wasn’t born there. He just lived and worked there before his days on Blue Peter.
That was until Dave Myers appeared on our screens in 2004 as one half of The Hairy Bikers. The male version of Two Fat Ladies. Dave Myers and his mate Si King tearing around the country on motorbikes - one each, sidecar not required - talking to anyone and everyone who had a food related passion, a story to tell and a recipe to divulge, then they’d teach us how to cook it, with a few twists included to make it their own. The kind of cookery programme that even blokes could watch and the kind of recipes you’d dare to have a bash at, as there weren’t any daft ingredients, the kind of which you’d never find in Asda.
The best part of twenty TV series and two dozen cookbooks later, and Dave and Si were loved and respected for their passion and zeal for everything food and bike. Each of them the kind of bloke you could gladly have a beer with and be proud to have as a mate.
All was good in the world until May 2022 when Dave announced that he’d been diagnosed with cancer. Less than two years later, in February 2024, at the age of 66, and with his family and friends by his side, Dave died.
Not soon after, Dave’s family, friends and colleagues decided to organise the aforementioned bike ride in his memory. It would be known as ‘I’m Havin’ a Dave Day’, it would happen on the 8th of June, and it would go from the North Circular Road in London, picking up bikers on the way, as they headed 292 miles north to Dave’s home town of Barrow in Furness. It would be led by Dave’s fellow Hairy Biker Si King, and Dave’s friend Jason ‘Woody’ Woodcock. Originally, they thought they’d maybe attract 5,000 bikes and raise £5,000 for charity. The reality would be a whole lot different.
On the 8th, at the crack of dawn, Bikers started to assemble at the Ace Café on the North Circular, on the outskirts of London. A café with over 80 years history of being ‘a home for petrolheads, upholding the rich traditions of motorcycles, cars and rock n’ roll’, as they say themselves. By now, the word had got out that the ride would have twice the number that was originally expected. At 8 o’clock, they started their journey, heading out on the A40, before joining the M40 and heading towards Oxford Services and then the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull, to swell the ranks further.
I caught up with them at Knutsford Services in Cheshire, considered to be the half way stage. 185 miles done, 110 to go, give or take. It was evident now that there were far more than the original 5,000 bikes enroute and probably more than the revised number of 10,000. At 13.15 the Police and Highways Agency took the decision to stall the traffic at various locations on the M6 to ease congestion.
As they all entered the Services, the sight was something to behold. The amount of Bikers that sported moustaches and beards, a la Dave, was amazing, as was the number of Hawaiian shirts on display, some of which had been specially designed for the day.
The bikes kept coming and coming and soon the car park and the area around the petrol station was packed out to the point where any ‘non biker’ was stopped at the entrance and politely told that they could fill up with fuel, but they had no chance of food, or a toilet break as there was no chance of getting a parking space. Nobody argued, everyone could see what was going on and just gave a smile and often a contribution into one of the many buckets that were being brandished around for any donations that could be spared. I pity anyone that had kids in the back as the next stop was ten minutes away at Lymm Services – not that far, but long enough for a child not to be able to hold it in any longer ! !
Costa Coffee and Gregg's were doing a roaring trade providing much needed sustenance. Everyone spied their chance to get the numbness out of their backsides and stiffness from their knees, elbows and shoulders. Stories were being exchanged by many who knew Dave or had merely met him, all about bikes and food, along with copious amounts of banter about dress sense and how well the ‘taches and beards had faired on the journey. What was evident though was the amount of respect Dave had amongst the biking community. Nobody had a bad word to say about him.
Around 3.30, the deluge started to fire up their engines, ready for the last leg. The Police had started to stagger the departures to ease the pain on other motorists. It took around an hour for everyone to head off, the smell of the bikes was intoxicating and the roar of the engines deafening. A hundred or so miles to go, to Barrow, where the party of all parties awaited them in the town centre, with events, stalls and food, all laid on by Barrow BID, a concert at Craven Park, home of Barrow Raiders rugby league, and an appearance from Si King, and Dave’s wife Lili.
In the end 5,000 bikes was estimated to have been four times that amount and the £5,000 they hoped to have raised had been blown out of the water, with the total being more than £127,000. Just how good is that?
Dave’s fellow Hairy Biker Si King told everyone: "Dave would be enormously proud of you, you're a good bunch. It's a remarkable figure, that's gone to the charities. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Dave would be enormously proud of you."
There are rumours that this might become a regular thing so keep your eyes on social media around April time to see what happens. For the moment though, rest in peace Dave. Your work is done, and your legacy has been created.
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