Welcome to the This Way Up Podcast! Two Christian biker blokes talking about our lives on two wheels as Christians. This is the first episode of monthly instalments, where we wanna discuss topics relating to riding, faith, life in general or anything else we can think of. We’d love for you to join us, get involved and come along to some of the stuff we do. Happy listening, happy New Year, and we’ll see you in 2024 for the next one!
Bikers Church Info:
Warrington: 1st Sunday 6:30pm every month:
St Martin’s Methodist Church, Gig Lane, Woolston, Warrington, WA1 4EE
Stoke: 3rd Sunday 6:30pm every month:
St. John’s Church & Welcome Centre, 30 Greasley Road, Abbey Hulton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 8JE
Youtube:
@BikersChurchUK (https://www.youtube.com/@BikersChurchUK)
I think we were that excited about the intro that we’ve actually we’ve forgotten to do an actual proper intro we’ve forgotten to [Music] talk oh dear no it’s all right it’s fine listen it let’s be honest about it we’ve just got through Christmas it’s been very busy we have and uh and also let’s be very honest about it we’ve been we spent 45 minutes playing around the technology haven’t we we did we did be there hey malk how are you I’m all right Andy how are you yeah I’m good mate I’m good excellent did you have a nice Christmas I did yeah it was busy um but it was great thank you yeah lovely about yourself yeah it was good I spent it with my family and it was just it was just us yeah couple of days it was just nice have you eaten too much I have me too I have me too I have I’ve eaten too much um I’m just overc consumed so well I know but you know it’s Christmas isn’t it and I just think TR I think trying to not do just makes it makes you a bit miserable actually so come on a few days and it’s not like we’re doing it for a month is it no you know it’s for a couple of days is it really although if I had my way I’d probably extend it I know you would but I’ve not I’ve not been massive I’ve not been brilliant throughout December what with Advent calendars and yeah but can I just say and we’re not going to we’re not going to turn this into a show talking about our food consumption but you you’ve lost a lot of weight you luk you are though aren’t you thank you doing well still a face for radio well haven’t we both T sh my friend so welcome to the this way up Podcast yeah with Andrew and Mal hello yes the first this is the first one that’s actually going to go live isn’t it that’s correct not live is live the right way no it’s not no that it’s not quite you know the first one to actually be hopefully enjoyed yes by listeners other than ourselves yes absolutely because we did we have attempted trade secret we did actually attempt a recording a few weeks ago didn’t we we did we did when it was it was Dreadful well no sorry it wasn’t Dreadful it was just a bit rambly well we we waffled didn’t we for an hour we did or even slightly over but there you go yes we did um I can’t even think of a single waffle joke oh okay well listen Andy I think as you settle into things the jokes will flow because you are renowned for it all right so well let’s hope so and we even have a button we have a button for jokes don’t we yeah can you just press it cuz I’m [Music] yeah anyway so yeah so guys just to say yeah so you have to excuse us with the technology CU we are just yeah we just pressing button with this new kit we got which is very very smart which Andy sorted by the way but anyway come on then let’s what we doing we’re going to are we going to introduce ourselves well yeah I mean we done that aren’t we I suppose really no we haven’t all right no we haven’t we haven’t even started okay no one knows who we are Mal okay who are you Andrew Well my name’s Andrew hello and I am a Christian biker I am a member of the Christian motorcyclists Association and also of bikers Church in in the UK BR and I happen to be the secretary of the local CMA one of the local CMA branches to me which is the staf shop share Branch SAS that’s the one even though we’re not special forces and we’re definitely the last time I tried to do an obstacle course it did not go well but that’s for a later episode we’ll discuss that another time um and yeah okay and I ride a Triumph Tiger 1050 yes you do good okay is it my turn or do you need to say more do you need to say what you do or anything or not Philly boots mate oh me okay all right so so I’m uh so I’m Mal I’m also a member of the Christian motorcycle association I’m actually I’m nearly three uh yeah well no I think I’m two years a member actually two years I’ve been knocking around with you guys for about three years but two years a member um also a member of bers church um in fact I guess I’m kind of on the leadership of bker chur in fact no I don’t think I am I am on the leadership of bker church you are um so there we go yes that’s who Am um I I ride well actually I here we go I I now ride a um a KTM 1290 adventuress um yeah I know I know but also at the moment because I’m greedy I’ve actually also got my tiger sport 1050 in the garage as well I have two bikes at the moment yeah only because you you used to ride a SL the newer version of mine I did the the facelift refresh one yeah and then you decided to defect yes I I have left well I haven’t because at the moment I’ve still I’ve still technically got a Triumph Tiger it’s still I’ve run it actually recently so I do I am still running it occasionally but yes but I can’t afford to keep two bikes and yes I have defected no I couldn’t have two bikes either no so so I just can’t afford two bikes but yeah so so yeah um so that that that’s me that’s the bike I ride objectively it’s a better motorcycle but well listen the the KTM talking can I be can I be honest with you the reason I I I got a new bike is cuz my wife said to me okay she said those words um are you thinking about getting another bike and of course the answer to that question is always yes of course I am darling um so there you go it’s all R out of the door when life gives you lemons go out and buy motorcycles absolutely clearly absolutely so there we go yeah well good yeah no KTM I mean I have actually never ridden a KTM well you can have a go of mine mate oh J okay no problem at all you might not see it again okay well I know where you live it’s true actually it is why would that not be true anyway fine good right so we’ve done that y you know ever so slightly more about us than you did five minutes ago absolutely so why are we here what is what are we doing what are we doing well we had a conversation what was it at the TT we had this conversation about starting a podcast or was it a little bit before that no it was it was an idea born on the on a beach at the TT it was yeah on the man yeah so we talked about having a podcast which basically is um two motorcyclists or bikers I don’t like we’re bikers we’re not motorcyclist um getting together talking about the bikes and bike stuff all right but also we’re we’re Christian motorcyclist so also I guess talking about our faith and how the two marry together that’s the plan I think which that’s the plan what it’s about so and our escapades what we get up to what we’re involved in uh and we also want to so we want to use this to broadcast what we’re doing yeah absolutely to let people know how they can get involved whatever it is we’re doing if they should want to yeah but also we want to use this as kind of like a discussion absolutely time where we can basically talk about stuff that we think is important yeah some of it might be some of it might be Faith related some of it might be just bike related yeah we want to try and we want to try and marry the two keep the two we do we want to try and keep it as coherent as bik themed as possible we do but we don’t just want to have every single episode be hard-hitting complicated topic to un no we no well I mean well for instance I mean to today we are going to int well we have introduced ourselves we’re going to have a bit of a Roundup of the Year aren’t we what’s kind of gone on that’s right what we’ve done and uh yeah and I guess people will just learn a bit more about what we’re about and and the kind offf we do and what matters to us as we talk about the year that’s just gone by yeah so um listen it’s going to be fun and we’re going to have um we got plans for guests haven’t we going to be on the show that’s the plan and even also taking the show on the road yeah so that’s probably going to happen in the future we have big ideas and big plans for this we do so we want to all this equipment that we’ve got is entirely portable and can fit in a bike paer yes if we need to so we actually want to take this on the road with us as Mark said we want to go to the events we do we want to bring it with us we want to do interviews on site if we can with people yeah um we also want to talk about great rides that we go on we we just you know one of the things that we love the most is just going out for a ride in our biks absolutely it’s a freeing it’s it’s good for the soul as it were it’s awesome it’s awesome it’s I mean yeah maybe not we’re recording this just after Christmas in the in very late December and it’s not the most awesome time to go out for for a ride it’s not although I am I am running to Devon tomorrow well yeah okay just rub it in so I sorry no it’s all right so I I am not currently on two wheels I do have a motorcycle um but I slightly injured my ankle to put it mildly in the summer not motorcycle related I I won’t go into a huge amount of detail now um but basically it put me out of action for half the year and given that by the time that I’m like I’m walking about and driving and stuff at the moment and you know I’m pretty much all there but uh I mean physically not debatable not yeah yeah be the judge of that mentally if you want um but I think it’s probably safer cuz my leg is still a bit weak it’s safer just to wait until spring wait until spring and then um there’s less chance of any slippery situations where I might need to rely on the stability of my leg yes and if it isn’t there CA my it’s a safety thing primarily mate listen you’ve healed well and you don’t want to mess that up do you so for the sake of a few months of just um yeah not riding your bike I think it’s very very wise I’m yeah so I’m I mean I’m I’m gutted that I’m not able to do a lot of the events but yeah hey you know we did we’ll talk about an event we did at Christmas we will um this year and uh because I wasn’t riding I was able to be the pack mule in the car you were and take all the stuff take all the stuff down in the car and and uh it was really it was you know someone has to do it someone has to make the ultimate sacrifice and abs it made sense for it to be me yeah so there we go so there are there are there are advantages and disadvantages there are but yeah so that’s why I’m not currently riding however if I were in a position to be I’d be out I know you would I know you would listen M you are you are definitely a biker you’ve ridden in every kind of condition we do we do ride all year round we in all weathers we’re not we don’t um For Better or For Worse we uh we sure we sure do it we we are we are those people those crazy people absolutely but it’s good but do you know what let’s be honest if you’re not going to rain if sorry if you’re not going to ride in the rain in this country you’re not going to ride a lot you to be honest with you that’s a very good point he does it’s how he does yeah right so that’s just a little bit about us Y and um so I think now we should probably explain what on Earth CMA is okay what biker church is I think you’re right cool so go on so CMA so Christian motorcycle association yeah should I do CMA and UD please that’ be great okay cool that’s fine it’s almost like we planned it I know we know what we’re doing we didn’t but then we right yeah so the CMA is the Christian motorcyclist Association which is a Christian Ministry dedicated to serving the biking Community as a whole and U there’s various different ways that form there various different ways that happens usually with us attendance at events we do we run cafes at events we have stands we are trying to attend as many bike rallies as we possibly can and basically we’re just we’re just there we’re there to serve and we’re there to speak to people get to know people um share our faith all that sort of stuff we have a wonderful primary missionary tool which is the biker Bible and uh if we had the video working which we don’t today but we will do in the future uh when we’ve got a dedicated location for this we’ll have a live stream we can hold up and show you the biker Bible um it’s a pocket sized version of the New Testament with um testimonies from actual bikers in the front and back um as well as some other stuff and it’s our basically we give them out and we encourage people to come to events come to bikers Church get involved and hopefully encounter God I think that was very nicely summed up Andy and we all go around with great big white crosses on our backs so it’s basically impossible to miss us can’t miss us can’t miss us that’s true and I’m actually wearing mine today CU I thought we’d I thought we’d be in the room we plan on doing this it ain’t your fault don’t worry about it but uh I was going to I was going to do a twirl for the ah going to do a twirl for the cameras next time next time despite the face for radio I was going to I was going to model the um I was going to I was going to I’m not going to go there but I was going to yeah so I’m wearing it for the benefit of of viewers that aren’t there brilliant imagine if you will a giant white cross on the leather on someone’s back and and there you pretty much have it absolutely yeah absolutely that’s it yeah and CMA is not just um it’s not a UK organization it’s actually a worldwide um organization International it started off in America and it’s got a big presence in Europe um Africa South Africa um the UK obviously um its presence is very big so yeah yeah and there’s branches all over the UK so if you see if you see people or a person riding about with a giant white cross in the back that’s why they’re part of CMA yeah yeah and uh yeah should go speak to them BR say hi brilliant okay so what’s biker Church all about Mark what’s B well B biker church is um it kind of does what it says on the 10 really it’s a church um and specifically for bikers but I also want to say that um it isn’t just bikers that attend so um it’s a church that I believe and I think I’m right and saying this Colleen Pell uh a minister brought kind of brought the idea over from South Africa I think actually I think he was the first one to set it up over here I’m pretty sure you’re right I think the idea started off in South Africa yeah um and uh it was Talent scouted I think it was and and and Colin’s a wonderful guy lovely Christian bloke and um he brought it over to to the UK and um so the one that I first attended was up in Warrington and that one’s still going and we’ll put the links to that won’t we up on the um the show notes you’ll be able to you able to see the address up on gig Lane and Warrington yeah so we actually do have the it’s Martin’s Methodist Church um so it’s gig Lane in Warrington and the post code is w14 e and that’s the first Sunday of every month first Sunday evening at halfast 6 yes 6 yeah that’s the one get there for six for a brew and a biscuit first though all right and then we also have uh one down here in Stoke where we are at the moment um St John’s Church in Stoke actually I’m the Vicor at St John’s Church and um this has been going now it’s getting up around getting up we’re in the second year aren’t we have bar church here in Stoke it’s fairly new still it is fairly new um and this is barus church Stoke is at the same time 6:30 but it’s on the third Sunday of every month um here at St John’s Church in abilon um that’s St John’s Church it’s on greasley Road in stoon Trent abilon and it’s st28 j okay and U I will have all of these in the uh in the bit in the description the show notes whatever they’re called I will have all the information required um should you wish to come along and a warm welcome is guaranteed it it is yeah I mean it’s Church listen it’s church so you know but it’s we we I think what what we say on the what we say on the advertising it’s a church where everyone fits and what that means is is that you know it’s just a very welcoming church and there are bikers there in their leathers and um yeah and but then again there are also people who turn up in they not bikers but they just want to be around us because it’s a very relaxed feel but you know what it’s um it’s Church there’s worship there’s you know read the Bible we pray together we do all that stuff it’s great it’s great the the ultimate goal is if you never been to church before and you walked in you’d feel welcome absolutely yeah I think you’re right you’d not be put off by the church yeah because let’s be honest about it church can be quite a scary place G it you know we I think we’ve identified that intimidating yeah I’ve experienced that yeah yeah scar is on whe that sounds like it’s weird but it’s not it’s just some actually are scary the old Gothic ones okay yeah true true Pig imposing building there can be quite scary it can but you know what I mean stepping foot over the church door over the sort of threshold can be quite a big thing it was for me when I first went to church so yes so it’s a place where hopefully people feel welcome and let’s be honest about it you know we hope people you know feel um able to come and visit that’s that’s the thing isn’t it you know it’s kind of you know come and see us um you know come and experience it it’s good so that’s par church I didn’t explain that very well but there you go I thought you explained it pretty well we’ll talk about it more and then because we understand inherently that if you’ve never been to a church before in your whole life m going to one is daunting we have a live stream as well we do yeah well well done Andy yeah I’m glad you’re here we do yeah well yeah the the Warrington the Warrington bers church is actually it’s streamed live isn’t it yes every um first Sunday of the month um so you can watch that on YouTube it’s streamed live and it’s also I believe it’s recorded so you can go in if you if you can’t watch it live but you think well you know what I think I will watch it and see what it’s all about yeah you can you can watch the recorded versions of it you can that’s right on the same YouTube channel again all the links and stuff I’ll put in them in the thing so you don’t have to go looking for it but uh so Warrington is currently Fully live streamed it is and Stoke is coming online soon yes so you you you can watch Stoke but Stoke is recorded on the night and then it’s posted up on YouTube Well normally that same night or certainly the next day so you can go and watch it and once again you know they’re there to watch you can watch them all all the ones that have been recorded they’re all there to see on on um that’s true on YouTube so so so do you know what yeah if you want to see what it’s all about go and watch one that would be the best thing won’t it yeah cuz then you can decide if it’s for you or not without even having to without even having to set foot through the door so yeah yeah that’s that but you know you said about CMA about it’s about service you mentioned that come across really well and and I think bikers Church actually is similar isn’t it it’s about it’s about just being there isn’t it be being a place where bikers um can come and know they’re going to get a warm welcome I I mean maybe may this this may be topical but I think bikers just tend to be a really friendly bunch in general to be honest my experience mine too um and um yeah there’s no kind of there’s no AES and Graces but they’re just really approachable and really friendly and I think I think I think that’s about bikers in general I tend to see that um but also I think the same goes for bik’s church as well so that’s what we’re about that’s what we’re about to agree that’s what we’re about and even though I mean I personally I’ve been I’ve been a Christian for a very long time it took me a while cuz I think my my so my my faith predates my bike enthusiasm yeah so I got a bike after having been a Christian for a number of years yeah I found out about biker Church through the grape vine a a leaflet in a cafe that I went to once I just saw it thought oh I didn’t realize it was a Bist church but so that point I was still a learner Rider L blades but it took me a while to pluck up the courage to go yeah yeah because I didn’t think I’d be welcome because you were Le is that what you thought cuz CU because I’ve I’ve only been doing this for a couple months and I’m you know I’m still stalling as I’m setting off from from from traffic lights you know I mean I’m not I didn’t feel like a biker yet yeah and I thought it’s got bikers Church on the name yeah so even though I’m a even though I’m a Christian and it it it’s a church so it should be all right I just didn’t think think I would fit in and I couldn’t have been more wrong yeah honestly I within 30 seconds of arrival someone would give me a someone had given me a hug and and you know a warm embrace and Mak me a cup of coffee and I thought all right okay this might not be so bad after this is all right this yeah and uh then it turned out to be um it turned out to be a wonderful church service and yeah I’ve been going pretty much every month since so it’s good basically I was I was completely wrong I had completely wrong idea yeah so and that’s from somebody who’s had years experience of going to a fair number of different types of churches even I was kind of yeah intimidated at the prospect of turning up somewhere but that’s interesting because it sounds like you were almost more intimidated about the thought of tur up to to to bikers because you know you were you’re used to church correct I mean your dad was a Vicor wasn’t he your dad is a Vic not was a Vic is a Vic um so you used to church but but it was the thought of well these bikers accept me that’s right cuz I’m only a ler and um yeah and it just goes to show how your brain kind of yeah plants the things in your red absolutely you just think things get planted in your mind and you think oh no don’t I’ll give that a Miss cuz I’m I’m you know of of various reasons and you worry about stuff we miss out a lot of things don’t we think in life because we just don’t we do we we don’t have the confidence something knocks us something yeah I don’t know puts us off anyway that’s that that’s there’s the topic possibly for for the future as well but anyway so CMA and VAR chur yeah the reality is very different a warm welcome is guaranteed absolutely and yeah it’s just it’s a great place it is it is BR okay so we doing right there we did should we talk about the year let’s let’s have it yeah cuz I think this would be really good because actually people listening to the first time will actually get an idea of what kind of CMA bikers Church kind of what it looks like you know what I mean because we’ve waffled on for about it for quite some time we have but it’d be good to actually talk about where the rubber hits the road yes fully intended than very much no I’m not going to do it cuz I’ll press the wrong button again okay right yes so so how did the year start what was our what’s our first thing on our list about last year well the first thing the first major event I mean so basically so as we kind of alluded to we try and get involved with as many motorcycle events we do as we possibly can in our particular area so our particular area covers basically Ally the area of kind of Warrington South to kind of stoke I mean yeah it’s it’s a broad area of the kind of is it the not the top of the Midlands wa yeah sto on TR clust is North Midlands okay so we are still north Midlands and like I said we go up into so I live on Mery side and Mal lives in Stoke I do actually in his house and uh yeah so that’s kind of a a gauge for the kind of the the patch that we specifically cover but we may do events further a field the bigger the bigger rallies um rallies are basically just meetups for bikers there’s camping involved it’s a weekend music live music um it’s a party it is it is it’s a weekend bash isn’t it really I usually describe them to my non- biker friends as like mini music festivals with motorbikes yeah effectively yeah absolutely um if people go what are you doing at rally for I was like oh it’s basically like a mini music f yeah we’re we’re not just walking around looking at motorbikes and things are we no anyway so aside from those of which there are many y we do a couple events ourselves which we organize and run um the first of which being um a blessing that we’ run out of bikers Church yes and the it starts in biker church and then there’s a little ride out over to a biker SLR Stop Cafe over near wit Church PRI Heath in wit Church oh well remember called the Midway yes M yeah Janette and the the team it’s a crack it’s a it’s a great it’s a great little place and if you come to it from the north you come come from from the from the north and you go south there a wonderful bit of Road yes yeah it is a nice ride yeah it’s a really nice ride actually to honest with it’s not a bad ride from Stoke either there actually to honest with you it’s not a bad ride from Stoke but you’re right it’s much better coming from the north but still I’ve only done it in a massive Convoy so I’ve not been able to focus on it I’ve been leading the massive Convoy so I’ve I’ve always been worried about the 20 bikers behind me not oh this is a nice bit of road yeah but I see your point actually look going through the going through the routes in my head ride we will get on to we will I’m I’m really wanting to have a dedicated episode just for cool little hidden gems oh love the idea with that I’m looking for to and like where do you want to go if I mean yeah know we’re slightly slightly Northwest Centric but there’s loads I mean yeah anyway I digress so we do this event what it is is basically we uh March is kind of is the start of the riding season at least in the UK and we want to try and Bless yeah as many people as we possibly can in advance of everyone getting back on the bikes which basically so basically what it looks like isn’t it okay we we meet at St John’s Church that you know down here in STO we meet at bikers church at bikers Church same thing sorry yeah yeah bers church is held at St John’s at bers church in Stoke we have a bacon butter in a brew we have a bit of social don’t we we do and then we go and then we actually go outside and basically a blessing is we we just we say a prayer don’t we we we pray for for everyone present and not just people present but for people who we know in fact in general for bikers for for safety um that’s what we pray for and we just yeah safety is the main one it is yeah and then like Andy said we then jump on our bikes and we head over to the Midway PR PR PR PR what is it PR Heath PR Heath oh well said PR Heath and actually we do the same again don’t we over there because then we have like we do Another Blessing over there don’t we so people who can’t make it down to sto we then replicate it there and once again we normally that normally involves more Cups of Tea and possibly more bacon butties well we we time it we time it just right so we can have breakfast at biker church and then lunch at the cafe yes it’s perfect yeah so but not for the wasteline No No but you know what but but we were talking before um the show weren we we said that actually it just kind of shows what we’re about doesn’t it exactly we’re about yes we’re bikers we love to we love riding our bikes but also um we care about other bikers and and we believe you know our faith that there’s a God who cares about us and loves us too we want to just pray for um yeah for ourselves selfishly but also actually all joking apart for for all bikers yes that’s what we do and it it’s a I think it’s a great start to the season and you know what it’s getting busier and busier I mean was it was it the second was it the second year wasn’t it I think this year was the second one we’ve done here in Stoke yeah yeah yeah yeah so second year on the row in the row that we’ve done it yeah so we do one in March for the start and then we also do one at the end the riding season in around November no October November yeah because it coincides with remembrance that’s right so we do a kind of a blessing SL remembrance yeah kind of combination and it’s also around the same time as the ride to the wall and um which is a massive group ride down to the National Arbor itum yeah to remember all of the soldiers yeah um all of the Fallen Soldiers yeah and uh that’s a very that’s a very sobering it’s event to take part in that is yeah I mean I’ve only been once I didn’t get to go this year for very for obvious for reasons out of my control but I went for the first time the year before and it was it blew my mind thousands it’s incred of motorcyclists gathering together to remember uh Fallen service people basically and it was yeah it was profounding I mean we we I’ve done it a few times um I couldn’t do it this year for ankle reasons yes of course um but uh otherwise I’ve done it pretty much every year yeah since I’ve been riding and knew what it was but we’ve been saying for a while that the national burum in and of itself is just a wonderful place to go I say wonderful place it’s a it’s a very worthwhile place to go and visit it is because it’s got memorials in there to basically every single conflict y every single thing since the second world war since 1945 I think young and old need to visit that place I really do I think it’s really important for young people to go and as well and just to yeah to understand what people have done for them it’s amazing yeah it’s Prof so so all so all sort of yeah all biker blessing remembrance it’s almost giving thanks isn’t it we kind of we start the season praying for for bikers ourselves and then we end the season just saying thank you really but also remembering listen motorcycling is a dangerous let’s be honest about it it’s it’s a dangerous sport isn’t it whatever you want to call it interest hobby whatever you want to call it okay depending what you want to say it can have its moments it can you know and people lose their lives every year so we just want to we just want to um give thanks for a safe year and also pray for those who have perhaps been injured or may you know sadly lost their lives um yeah yeah so that’s what we do yeah and I think um we would be remiss we forgot to talk about it when we when we started introducing bikers Church oh yeah on the subject of downed bikers injured bikers fatal injuries things like that we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the bikers Church benevolent fund absolutely that’s important which is something that we is a fund that bikers church has specifically for the needs to serve the needs of family members of and and actually the injured biker themselves yeah if they need it when they need it yeah and um it is able to provide Hospital parking um stuff like that um taxis absolutely we’re able to provide money for that if people have a need yeah and and actually recently just another example is recently there was a um there was a a man a guy in Stoke who actually had a very nasty accident paralyzed from the neck down um had to spend a long time in hospital and actually bikers the benevolent fund paid uh for the family cover the cost family to to go and actually spend a week or so local to where the hospital was do you know what I mean yeah um so it’s for various things or even you know to help I don’t know to pay towards the adapting the house to make it easier for somebody to get so it’s it covers a wide range of of things um but yeah that’s that’s I think that’s thank you that’s really important I should have mentioned that about bers ch well done mate well done thanks um appreciate it yes all right you’re great um I mean it’s radio so it doesn’t matter if I blush um what’s next on our list oh it says um the staf forare Classic Bike Show yes that’s always a good do a’t it it’s a really good do yeah love that it’s great um it’s a whole Weekender yeah and um it’s the clue is in the name it takes place at the Staffordshire County showr it does and it is a classic motorcycle show it is it Le the name leaves nothing to be desired it it’s the Ron seal of of names um yeah does ex if you need bits for a classic motorcycle you have to go there you do you will never see any like the amount of rusty bike parts assembled one place is staggering but it’s probably the only place in the world where you can find a gearbox or part of a gearbox for your BSA yeah like you know whatever like it’s there some obscure n or bolt you’ve been you’ve got to have and you’re you’re right you’re right yeah I’ve never seen so many plastic tubs full of Rusty bits of Bing me on entire life but I think it’s also fair to mention that it’s also that’s one aspect but there’s so much more isn’t it I was just about to say that the social side the you know the the famous motorcyclist who go there who you know give talks or R rev motorbikes that they’ve ridden round RAC tracks far too fast and quickly for you know what I mean it’s just it’s an amazing experience isn’t it I’ve done it a disservice by simply describing it as a well because can I be honest with you I I had images of there’s some dirty muddy field and a Lo of buckets of Rusty bits I thinking that’s not selling there is a bit of that there is there is that which is great yeah what I failed to mention is the enormous Halls yeah filled with incredibly incredible um people’s Pride people Prides and Joy or is it pride and joy pride and joy pride and joy plural of it don’t know Sor there’s a there’s a genuinely wonderful collection of um because people come from far and wide and bring around the world their their pristine restored beautiful Classic Bikes classic machines there are some custom work there some there’s some all sorts of incredible engineering there is uh big Brands turn up so you can get it’s not just it isn’t just if you need parts for an old Triumph or an old BSA there’s you know it’s just a it’s a fantastic event um we have a stand we do um we have a stand there uh where we give away OB try we give away Bibles we’re there for a chat we’re there for a brew we’re there for literally anything people need us for absolutely we’re on the campsite we camp um which is jolly good fun oh yeah I have to say well sounded was slightly sarcastic there mate well no well wasn’t being sarcastic it is really good form but I was also going to say let’s be honest about it when it’s piddling down um it’s a bit yeah we we but but it’s but it is great for and actually I wasn’t being sarcastic it is great forun I love the fellowship and I love the camping I do it is great and So the plan is to do at least one episode at the event absolutely cuz the next one will be is it March NE next year that’ll be the one yeah looking forward to that so yeah so um The Diary yeah we do that um I can’t remember which way around they are there’s a British one and a Japanese one um I can’t remember if the AIL is the British one and the Autumn one yeah I can’t remember is the Japanese one there very similar um there’s a dirt bike one as well but we’re we’re not so we don’t know anything about dirt bikes really um or crosses or anything like that so it would be a bit have you ever done that one did you go to that one I have been once all right did did CMA go did they take yeah we did St all right okay BR Rob and I did it uh right I thought I thought I remembered you mentioning it so yeah good um okay but I sort of to me I don’t know the difference like I can tell the difference between motorcycles but crosses and dirt bikes yeah I’m not that I I struggled I struggle to see the the difference between one and the other I can identify the Riders can I tell you how can tell so I I find Let me let me explain okay I find that bikers all right wear beanie hats got let me just share this you’re only just saying that cuz you yourself are wearing a be I am and and people who ride Motocross okay tend to wear baseball caps or motorcycle caps I they just they they they just seem trend is the word rad they seem more trendier and I’m not taking the milk I’m not I’m not making fun I’m just saying that bikers tend to wear kind of bean ATS and also have lots of facial a very often whereas whereas mot Motocross just seem to be more trendy I just thought the beanie hats were for male patent boldness which is well yeah I’m not doing it I’m not doing it in my case but I’m down to the wood I’ve got a I’ve got a number one all over so that’s why I be here a lot you know I’ve gotten BN all over because it’s good we’re putting elet on and off doesn’t get mess me Point anyway sorry we’re doing it again we’re waffling let’s not waffle so it’s okay so we do the Classic Bike Show twice a year briefly tangential uh yes so we do that twice a year then a we’re presents aren’t we yeah we’re a Christian presence that’s what we’re about isn’t it that’s we can I and I just very quick want to say the conversations that we have with those things is amazing isn’t it do you know what I mean not just with visitors but also with the staff that the security and all sorts we’ve we built up some amazing relationships haven’t we with people it’s only because we’re guaranteed not to kick off when we when we are representing CMA and we’ve got white crosses on and all that we don’t drink we don’t there not so when we’re at these events um we don’t uh we don’t consume any alcohol or anything like that we are at these events we’re guaranteed to be sober absolutely um so if anybody needs help with anything anything like that we’re always we’re always usually um always usually that doesn’t make sense we are usually a point of call for people for help and assistance yeah precisely because they know what we’re about they know we’re not going to be um you know I I think that I think we respected for that very reason that we we don’t we we don’t we don’t we we really don’t force our faith on anybody but also we don’t hide from it so people know if they if they got a question or they’re having a problem they got a safe place to come that’s right and that’s what we’re about is that’s right yeah you know you know what everyone that weird again that you used at the start we’re there to save aren’t we about sa we’re there for exactly so nice one so it’s not I mean I’m not personally t total but so I know obviously I know yeah I yeah and there’s another episode I am t total for a number of years that’s another that’s another episode good we can get to that we can but no it’s it’s not a it’s not a hard and fast rule you know and it’s certainly not um a hard and fast rule about being a Christian common misconception no it isn’t um Jesus turned water into wine didn’t he he did he did yeah he did but yeah so you know obviously there’s when we represent cm it’s more it’s out of courtesy and respect but also in inclusion so we you know if you are if you are an alcoholic or whatever it is um you don’t have to worry absolutely um yeah you don’t have to you don’t have to check yourself in the same way because you know that when we’re out and about on these events we’re not we’re not doing it no that’s right yeah it’s important it’s important it is important yeah okay so so so we got the classic shows and then also and then we do we do the hospital visits don’t we which is a regular thing we do we do so it all kind of kind of three big events that occur around the same time it really depends when Easter falls because it does we um in addition to doing those things we also have um a great relationship with nurses at the Royal University Hospital Children’s ward in Stoke in Stoke yes and uh Leighton Hospital yeah um in crew yeah and uh they twice a year Easter eggs and things at Easter and um selection boxes it used to be toys um but we we gravitated to selection boxes um actually from the pandemic from covid um because we did toys before and it was and we’ we you know we’d have different age appropriate things and we we’d bring them along um but then the pandemic kind of scuppered that um so we had to bring um selection boxes that can be easily quarantined and blah blah blah blah blah and it kind of stuck since then um so it’s it’s transitioned to selection boxes um and chocolate eggs at Easter it’s good fun is it it’s great fun cuz Easter basically we take a big rabit around the ward if when we were allowed on which we have been now that CO’s out of the way and Christmas Santa turns up that’s right Triumph that’s right or KTM maybe that’s right but whatever and um yeah and we get to go on the wards and you know what it’s just good fun it’s great fun so you hopefully we’re a blessing to them but do you know what they are a bigger blessing to us there’s no doubt about that it’s it’s good stuff it is and there have there have been so it’s it’s a very emotional day yeah it is it’s a very emotional we try we do both events at the same time yeah um we do Lon we do we do crew and Stoke at the same time on the same day same day yeah it’s good and um it’s a very emotional it is thing um but everybody’s it’s a blessing to them it is well it’s do you know what it’s always lovely and once again because it’s what we’re about you know the the NES are always really happy and and appreciate that we pray for them there and then and you know what this year I have to say um a lot of the families wanted us to pray for them which was lovely so you know and and it give them some comfort I pray yeah and and it was a real privilege privilege yeah it was really cool really a very that’s a good word good way of describing it yeah it’s real privilege privilege so what else have we doing so what so so so in the middle of the year so we we went to the TT didn’t we oh be very remiss if we didn’t mention the TT cor TT it was can I just say it was I it was my first TT yeah can I say I’m I was a TT virgin I say on Christian motorcycle I just have yeah um I was a TT virgin and I had and I was spoiled because I was told that every time you go to TT it rains well I come back I come back looking like I’ve been I don’t know in Spain for a month I mean it’s best T ever it’s logic really it’s an island it’s a small island in the middle of the Irish sea it’s you’re going to have a bit of bad weather every now and again yeah and that’s me being optimistic so my my first time was two years ago um and actually it was last year but because it’s it was two TTS ago yeah so this year was my second one yes that’s the better way of describing it isn’t it it works right yes and um so even though my first one was AB incredible was last year we still had the odd Ry day okay and we had to days when they had to push practice back had to push races back yeah um you know because it was too wet to wet in the Mist on the Hills that’s exactly right the Mountain Road so you know I mean it’s it’s just one of those things I mean you know you don’t have a there don’t have a weather control machine and um I mean no one’s out there doing rain dances or whatever so it it’s um you know there nothing nothing can do about it yeah but obviously if it’s wet you can’t so you travel all that way I say all that way you pay significant amount of money on the ferry to get there and then there’s camping and you know whatever if it rains for two weeks yeah you’re not going to be very happy are you no it’s a bit of a pain it’s it’s the chance you take yeah um however so broadly speaking on my first time it was last year it was um absolutely fine had a mixture of Glorious sunny days we had a mixture of drizzly days and rainy days yeah as you do this year on the other hand it was absolutely incredible this is wall to wall Sun wasn’t it every single day it wasn’t massively hot or nothing it was wonderful but every single day was blue sky yeah um Blue Sky sunshine and um as a result we had record-breaking laps yes did um we had barbecues pretty much oh every day we had epic riding when we were that the road can I just say the roads are spectacular and also there’s no speed limit on some of them no which is slightly terrifying listen can I be honest with you I not the fastest Rider okay I’m not um but it was still really good fun to be able to just you know thrash the bike occasionally but that was good that was good one it’s very it’s a very odd feeling because you for those of you who don’t know um the aisle of man has no National speed limit as it were there are 30s 40s 50s you know where it’s sign posted you have to do that speed but when you see the National Speed limito there is no yeah succinctly woohoo there is no upper limit now you can still be done for Dangerous yeah it’s not you know if you drive like a complete word I shouldn’t say there’s one or two of them um yeah and there were quite a few crashes when we were there by by you know non Racers you know I mean um but the actual speed is not the problem and there are police that will sit about yeah and they’re not interested in how fast you’re going no no these a very odd and some of them they’re not they’re not Alam man police some of them come from Lancer and cuz they you know they they bring people in for the event cuz it’s a massive thousands and thousands of people descend on the island for the TT every year yeah the locals sometimes they appreciate it sometimes they don’t friend of mine on the other a man who really doesn’t like it um she you know she’s never seen it really just never watch Liv there all her life never watched it doesn’t want to doesn’t want to be involved in any part of it at all yeah well anyway I can understand that I can too I can too yeah yeah but uh when you get a national speed limit road on the Alam man legally and go as fast as you want you can crack on and do whatever you want do whatever you want within reason yeah and um the only downside is that they just aren’t enough of them yeah yeah but but but but I’ve got to what what struck me what amazed me was is just the beauty of the island actually you know the Titi I am not okay I am not massively into racing actually I I’m not either love motorbar love riding but actually not massively inter racing no but the island is just beautiful I mean the roads and the scenery were stunning to be hon so I would say you know I would happily take the family there for a holiday you know and watch some racing but also just go off and do stuff with with the family I would happily do that U it was a great place cuz I think I’ve when I came back from the TT the first time when I came back from the alaman the first time I recommended it to basically everybody I knew biker or not interested in racing or not it doesn’t matter I said if you don’t if you’re into the racing don’t go in the first two weeks of June absolutely go any other time and or the classic sorry the classic one is in September I think isn’t it so just just go in August yeah and um you might even get better weather and just enjoy it for what it is because it’s a it’s a truly is a um beautiful little place I I think there’s so much that happened on that TT this year that I think we’ll be talking about it definitely in other in other shows but just to say there was so many wonderful experiences and met so so many wonderful people it was just it was amazing you know um highlights we’re not going to talk about really as such but you know I remember you helping that um you remember those those German guys were they German roster guys you you a conversation and and you managed to help them and kind of um inter for the police can remember that that was really cool um that that was good um I did that yeah that that that was good and also experiencing marshalling on the on the race days you know that’s right yes as we volunteer we volun to be race Marshals really um now I did it last year and it was it was in my opinion some people don’t like doing it some people just want to chill out and watch it no problem I like the idea of because if you know they don’t M I say they don’t charge they do some places do you have to you know to get Prime Primo viewing spots you sit on a bench or something fair enough um but if you just want to go and sit on a wall you can go watch it on side of the road within within reason within re which is terrifying let me tell me you got a b game p you 180 mph about 3 in away from your nose awesome but scary and it is 3 in away it is it is it is it’s a you know it’s a Subway sandwich away oh it is between you and being paint on a fairing can I ask where did you take me that first time where I was over the W hillbury hillbury oh my goodness gracious me I will NE Michael Dunlop yeah okay one of the races because some of you all know some you say of course I know Michael but some of us say have no idea this guy is like so you know you got a wall and you got a white line which is like 6 in away from it okay he crosses the white line at 160 m an hour while you’re hanging over it yeah and it is it’s the most unbelievable thing in experience but anyway that I’ll never forget that in fact in fact I think you’ve actually got me on film I swore okay I’m a vicer yes and I was caught swearing because it was like this guy I almost knock my head off um it was amazing I’ll play it we can do that you can’t play I don’t yeah because there’s nothing I didn’t swear badly I just you know no I think I’ll just include the audio yes I’ll have it as a button on here like press it whenever I want just to show just to press it you know you can have one of me holy whatever something like that good there’s a lot lessen you know what I think no what happened in the moment There Was You encountered something for the first time that was objectively terrifying man there’s a there’s a bik screaming towards you at goodness knows how fast and your brain just made that kind of quick jump to ah it was and it was amazing it’s one of the most ridiculous things you could you could you could see it feels like if you watched old rally footage yeah where they’re all just like in the dirt road and they jump out the and the car and he’s not going massively fast but it doesn’t matter 40 miles an hour with that you know he’s going to you know you’re going to you’re going to have a bad day aren’t you if if you get trapped by even if you just clip him you are it’s going to it’s going to hurt but this is a fellow barreling towards you you know and um he’s going fast enough that yeah I think I think what’s interesting about a TI I I know so I think people I think the t is a bit more Mighty isn’t it some people love it and all for it saying yeah absolutely others think it’s ridiculous and should should never take place do you know what I mean that there’s two sides to it yeah and I get and I get I understand both if I do actually I understand both but anyway I think that’s once again a topic for another time but but just to say I have the most amazing time I I did as a spectacle as a thing to go and see yeah truly and there are you know people die they do people are willing to they people are willing to give their lives they did this year One racer died One racer died a Spanish guy yeah Spanish racer it’s incredibly dangerous but it is one of the most uniquely it is unique isn’t it exhilarating sporting events yeah you can yeah it doesn’t feel like it should be legal in 2023 no and yet yeah absolutely and uh you know and apart from that aside from the racing which was amazing it was great to just hang out with you guys oh it was oh listen it you know two weeks in the sun two weeks in the Sun and um with Al man son yeah alaman okay uh it was amazing though um with friends um camping having f it was just an amazing I I think that’s something we should say about kind of what we do you know CMA bikers Church um it’s just the fellowship and the fun um our interest of of bikes or faith and coming together is just a wonderful combination and uh it’s really special for me well I think that concludes the very first episode of the this we up Podcast I I think so yeah I think it’s been it’s been I think people got to know us we tell them a little bit about CMA about bikers church and really looking forward to kind of future yeah future episodes CU we want do this every month don’t we we do that’s the plan and uh we hope that you’ll learn more about us what we’re about and uh we want to talk about a range of things we want to get guests on we’ve got some interesting stuff lined up um with people that we know indirectly we’ve got we’ve had preliminary conversations with other Ministries and bits and pieces like that we want to get we want to get a lot of stuff in on this we want to get a lot of stuff out there with this we do and talk about a whole load of stuff bike related Christian stuff um just our lives AB BLS AB in the world trying to trying to be trying to be like Jesus effectively absolutely trying to save but but also en enjoying enjoying life enjoying life but also Mikes enjoying motorbikes yes that’s that’s the big thing oh yes yeah it’s been good Andy bless you bro it’s been great you mate you too mate see you later guys and uh thanks again for listening all right see you on the next one bye oh [Music]