All set and packed for TT next week my new mechanic gave everything the once over,he’s quite reasonably priced too,haribos and Dr Pepper are the going rate apparently
Set off early and headed south. First decent run in a while and going over the Stewarton-Muirkirk rollercoaster was feeling a little rusty and timid. East along the A70... ...then up and over the quick bit to Abington. West towards Leadhills(fantastic little road) until I came to a section of fresh road chips. ...which started right at the junction to the high road over to Crawfordjohn... (which has a sign that I'm sure has never confused anyone ) Up and over then west again to Sanquhar. Another fantastic little road - all the roads in the Lead Hills are great. Stopped in Sanquhar to fill up and hit the bakers then south on the A76 for ten miles or so in the first traffic of the morning. ...and bikes, bikes, bikes! Off at Thornhill and back into the hills and onto quiet roads again. Done this road last year on the KTM and yeah, it's definately more SuMo territory than Blade but was still fun. Stopped for breakfast on the way and washed the flies off my visor. Onto the Loch Doon road heading north again and must admit I was in naughty mode for a bit. Cars, trucks, groups of adventure trailies... Barely slowed down for any of them. Was feeling way too visible so cut off at Dalmellington and over to New Cumnock. Stopped for a quick smoke up top and to give myself a little talking to. Naughty, naughty, Very naughty! Down the hill singing Ebeneezer Goode and passed where the Blues were holding a meet or show or something. Toyed with stopping - would have undoubtably bumped into someone I know - but decided to just carry on. Pootled up to Cumnock on the A76 again. More traffic and bikes, bikes, bikes! Cumnock was heaving with traffic but once through it the A70 was clear all the way to Muirkirk. Back over the rollercoaster - not feeling at all rusty any more after a couple of hundred miles in the saddle. ...and home for lunch.
Decided to go for a ride to Somerset One of the roads was closed and no diversion set up so ended up going over Exmoor and came out above Porlock Nice place for a picture IMG_8625 by sandman73, on Flickr
Headed north with my camping gear - but ended up not using it. Up the lochside, Tyndrum, Bridge of Orchy... ...Ranooch Moor, Glencoe, Loch Linnhe... ...and along towards Mallaig... ...then south to Loch Moidart and the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Stopped for a meal at the Glenuig Inn which served up the best chips I've ever eaten in my life bar none. Carried on round to Acharacle where I discovered the local garage I'd seen on the map wasn't a petrol station. Had filled up in Fort William and was down to just over half a tank so turned back. No harm done - the single track road was bumpy as hell and starting to do my wrists in anyway. Filled up again in Fort Bill and the new plan was Loch Sween. I know a little bay there that you can get the bike down to. Never got far out of Fort William though before hitting a resurfacing works with a convoy system. Filtered past half a mile or so of queue then sat at the front of the line for about twenty minutes. God knows how long it'd been since the last convoy went through. Killed the engine and had time to stretch my legs, clean my visor, have a smoke, drink some juice... ...and realise that the road home would be empty of southbound traffic. Change of plan again. Have never had Glencoe to myself before - was an experience I wont forget in a hurry. ...and on and on and on! Didn't meet a vehicle going my way until Luss. Got home totally shattered with a head to toe layer of midgies. Coming off the motorway at Glasgow my legs were cramping up at every set of lights and for the first time ever was wishing I had a quickshifter because my clutch hand was aching something awful. Was only just over three hundred miles but felt longer.
A few pics from Knockhill. Had fun the first couple of days. Tickets were freebies after Bennetts made a minor mess of my flatmate's insurance. Bailed pretty early on Sunday though. Between a soggy ride over and even soggier spectating was just too soggy. Came home and watched it on the box instead with a beer or three.
My son on his way to work this morning on the smoker. There has to be certain cachet to using my minty GP replica for work commuting…. Some 21 years earlier Fish and chips in Ashbourne after work
Amazing you've had this bike for so long!! And you can't beat an Ashbourne Chippy Run, will have to meet up there one day !
You name the date and we’ll pop along. The smoker is a keeper. I’ve got more NOS to keep it on the road than you can believe. Never needed much beyond rings though.
We’re currently hatching plans to acquire a Vincent Black Shadow to go touring on the route des grandes alps. He’ll take his VFR as a kind of contrasting iconic motorcycle.
The boss had everyone finish early so they could watch the football Me I went straight to bike night at Whitby not as many there as usual but the roads were quiet had a lovely play against an M1000r on the way there
It is very pleasant. Far better than the former pub which seems to be run by a knob jockey. The Jazz is so much more civilised that sweaty biker gear too
