Swindon's only jogger

The bus tour has always been a popular event - an opportunity to visit some Ffordian landmarks.

The first tour was the year of the Ffestival.  We had an open topped double decker and fortunately it didn't rain. 

Highlights included Goliath headquarters, the SpecOps building, the Brunel Tower and the Double Helix of Carfax.  We also stopped at the site of the Cathderal of St Zvylkx.  We caused a bit of a stir, about thirty of us piling off the bus in the carpark and taking pictures of Tescos.  We also took in Thursday's mum's house...only a drive past, but I can just imagine a rather bemused householder having a stream of tourists wander into his garden like migrating mammoths, peer through the windows and examine the garden shed.  Although he did miss out on the opportunity to get some extra electricity generated to run his TV as we went through the gate.

Somewhere between the roundabout nursery (where they grow baby roundabouts) and Goliath we passed a jogger.  'Oh look' said Jasper 'there's Michelle - Swindon's only jogger'  Of course, who should we pass just around the next corner, but another jogger - apparently Michelle's understudy.  For some reason we passed a seemingly unending stream of joggers and Jasper's explanations for their presence grew wilder and more desperate.  We had the understudy's understudy, an imposter, a rival from another town and so on.  I think he was extremely relieved when we arrived back at the hotel.

At the 2008 Ffiesta we had relocated to the De Vere and the tour followed a somewhat different route although we managed to take in many of the same sites.  We had a much snazzier bus though - a vintage model which was very reminiscent of the Austen Rover on the cover of 'First Among Sequels'  In fact it drew quite a lot of attention - especially when we circled the magic roundabout several times.


Last year, due in part to the absence of a Fforganiser on the ground in Swindon and in part to our inabiliy to source a suitable affordable vehicle we didn't run the tour.  This year, due to popular demand, it is returning.  Derek is busily working out a suitable route and checking it out for timings (I wonder if he's jogging round it?) and to make it all that bit more enjoyable we shall be selling refreshments on the coach.

I'm looking forward to it.  At least it's an opportunity for me to sit down!