Welsh wanderer returns.

[Steffan]

Well, I am back. We totalled three at the most and two most of the
time. Me on the Bullet leading from the front (I knew the route)
followed by my mate Keith on his W650 and a Steve D his DR
Big. Fantastic roads, rubbish food, reasonable beer,crap campsites but
all in all a good time.

Apart from the airbox coming loose on Friday night  the Bullet was faultless over the 500+
miles. Keith clocked the Bullet at over 80 on more than one occasion but most of
the time I kept her to somewhere between 60-75. Clutch would get tired by
the end of the day making neutral impossible to find with the engine
running. The miles and the bends swept by in complete comfort. The K70s
are outstanding, completely sure footed.

Clipping along on A-roads of course doesn't mean that we didn't spend
a lot of time at much lower speeds. Chugging up hills and holding our
breath through at least one mountain pass with a lovely fresh breeze
blowing and nothing but a two foot wall between you and a very long
drop.

We stopped off a Llechwedd slate mines which is a must see for anyone
in the area.

As to the campsites:

The one near Dolgellau was a last resort in the dark, had vans and was really expensive 11.00PN indeed
Dolgellau is nice town for a stop off but not really a night out. We
couldn't find the camp we were looking for but the road to it was up
was single track which ran along the most magical green swirling
stream/river amidst this woodland that transported you completely out
of this world - amazing. I will be going back at somestage to find the
site. No pubs for miles on this one though.

The second one was OK but the showers/toilets were rubbish and you had
to cross a the railway to get to them. This one had a pub as part of a
campsite which served several ales - always a bonus. They wanted 12
quid a night for one person with anything over a one man tent, so I
told them that you wouldn't get two men in my tent - well not if I was
one of them. So we got one pitch for our three tents for 14.60 It was
OK but....mostly pitched a shed draggers I think.

I don't know if you were interested, but hey this is the internet...lol

Steffan

[squirrelciv]

Don't care about the down side of your trip matey, I'm still pig sick jealous!! Crawling fit to bust to get away for a few days on the bike. I'd take a night in a swamp, with only white wine spritsers to drink!

[Steve H]

Pretty good weather as well.

[steveD]

Yeah, I set off from Hudds @ 11.00am and headed for North Wales but the wind was quite blustery and made progress difficult especially with the tin boxes on as I was blown all over the roads for a few hours! Programmed Llanberis into the GPS as I wanted to get some grub and forgot where we were meeting. Rang Steffan from Petes' Eats and he said that they were in Beddgelert so I belayed the food stop and headed over to meet them.
Met up with Steffan and Keith then we all went to find the capmpsite. Pitched up then went for a bumble over to Caernarfon. No chippie open, actually nothing open so we went back to the site, Kieth and me cross country(courtesy of GPS) and Steffan back to Caernarfon for fuel.
Few beers in the pub on the night time and a hearty meal which was good.
Up far too early on the Sunday for me and break camp. We set off together and rode as far as Betsy where we split and I went on down to Portmadog to see some friends. Cuppa there and then back home cross country, quite good really as I just looked at the map to find some obscure roads and fed the place name into the GPS and followed it but by early afternoon I had not yet left wales so set a course for home as straight as poss.
Stupid move as the bl***y GPS took me straight through the middle of Manchester, nightmare, not too much traffic but turn after turn and loads of traffic lights......and concentrating on lane position and other traffic some one in a nice yellow box took my picture twice (GPS said 37mph! ooops) is that £60?
Eventually got home quite fatigued and unloaded.
All in all a good weekend rideout and weather stayed good if not a bit windy


Here's to the next one!

SteveD

[Steffan]

Steffan

PS It was Criccieth we went to via Caernarfon