Hi,I didn't think it would be appropriate to put this in the forum as it might be seen as giving out clues, but we have just spent a thoroughly enjoyable Easter weekend doing the RBR in Wales. I thought you might like to hear of tales from a pillions' point of view as I think the forum's messages are posted by the riders themselves? (My other half is Shaun O'Brien by the way) I'd like to award a pat on the back to the person who found the Mosquito monument for us all to visit - what made it memorable for me was that whilst we were there, the owner of the farm below came up with some sheep and day old lambs to take back to the fields and he turned out to be a mine of information. He stopped and chatted to us for about 20 minutes, telling us the history of the monument. I dont know how much you know about it, but he told us that he was one of the three people who brought one of the two engines down from the hills 20 years ago, as the National Parks wanted all of the plane removed from the land and scrapped. He was totally against it and brought it down to be turned into a memorial to the two men that died. He said that the British Legion only found out about the monument recently and they in turn told the authorities - leading to the first memorial service to the two pilots in February this year 60 years to the day their plane crashed. A man from the Polish Embassy turned up too as one of the pilots was from Poland originally but fought as many did for the British. He also said that the other engine is in a garage in Dolgellau, awaiting to be placed by the side of the first engine. He is looking for some kind of funding from any government agency to be able to put up a basic slate apex roof over the engines. He was quite angry while we were there as the National Parks, in their indifference, had screwed a sign to the fence around the memorial, stating "no dogs allowed" referring to the track beside the monument. He kept trying to hoik it off with his walking stick saying "thats coming off too!" Another bit of trivia for you, the farmer said that since the plane crashed there 60 years ago, no grass has grown back on the land since. He said that another 50ft up and the plane would have missed the mountain top. I dont know if Shaun was going to write to you or not, but I was so touched by what we saw and heard that I felt I had to write myself anyway! This is our 2nd RBR and it's a fantastic way of getting around the country to find out little gems like the Mosquito monument (the farmer couldn't remember if his was only the 9th or the 11th WW2 monument in the country) So thankyou from a delighted pillion! p.s. I have a feeling all RBR participants who take partners/wives are like my Shaun, deliberately showing them a small map and pointing out the distances and saying "see, it's only a leeeetle way" 540 miles on the clock from Friday morning to Monday morning and I think I've had the wool pulled over my eyes (again) !! |