Weekend Report

[Richard]

I worked.  Nothing else, just worked.  The sun was shining, every motorcycle in the U.K. seemed to be riding through my patch of mid Wales and I was insanely jealous.  Yesterday I managed to concrete some smelly drains down the side of the house, the source of a mysterious whiff..

Got to speak to some bikers doing the off road routes today which just made me even more jealous..

Pah !

Richard

[Steffan]

Laid up with some sort of lurgie.  Managed to cobble my MZ's Bing back together on the kitchen table.   Ring ting moves a step closer.

Steffan

[Steve Lake]

Actually managed a bit of biking....not far...but rewarding....took #4 out for a ride, called in at 4 tyre suppliers, none of which can balance bike wheels.....whats the point of selling bike tyres and not being able to balance the wheels?....finally found a guy not too far away who has a dynamic balancer....and while i was there some bloke came over and admired #4, asked if it was for sale....so, if negotiations go according to plan #4 will be in a new home soon....sad to see it go.....probably the best so far.....still, it'll give me the bunts to get the 'ex Andy230' srx sorted,  soon to be #5....and i'll have the track bike wheels balanced.....AND i've found a useful bike workshop.
various bits of family arriving shortly for family weekend, so that'll be the biking over with....just watched motogp qualifying on BBCi....it's starting to get like F1 gawd help us.....

[guest7]

See my weekend report HERE

Sorry to hear about you fellas being confined to barracks 

GC

[KirriePete]

Nothing much here - went for a wee run on Miss Whiplash the Dominatrix on Saturday with one or two chums - clicky for home movies - that's her centre shot at 27 secs in (fame at last!).

Sunday fettled Arfur the XBR into roadworthy condition, so I had to take it for a test run, didn't I?  The missus fancied some chocolate, so I went off to the local petrol station for her - it's one mile from my front door, so why does the tripmeter (zeroed before the run) read differently?



Must be broken .... 

Thought I'd spend Sunday evening watching some bike racing, but they seem to have put on a rerun of the boat race .... 

[guest40]

Its very obvious innit, really??
The petrol station is across the other side of the main freeway/ M1 or whatever, and you needed to travel along the highway to the next off ramp and then work your way back to the petrol station and then return going in the opposite direction. No one here would ever accuse you of going for a fang through the twisties,would they?? HMMMM 

[guest27]

Alzheimer's - he went out and forgot where he was going - seems to happen a lot on a bike.

Weekend spent in garden with family, avoided burying them too.

Bugger I want a bike that works

R

[themoudie]

If its Kirrie? We didnae see or hear you passing! This chocaholic affliction/motorcycle meandering is not uknown or unheard of in these parts!

"Going out to get a Press & Journal", under two hours later rang from Dingwall at the brother-in-law's just say I would be a little while longer! To which the reply was "What's the weather like?".

After accompanying Pat on his End to End run, the solo departure from Caithness down the A9 on Sunday morning was glorious. Turned up at the brother-in-law's to find a Bros parked outside and my wife inside blethering, "Went to Tesco to get some shopping, but the weather was so nice thought I'd come out for a run!"

It's an affliction, not to be missed. 

Keep boppin', Bill.

[Bruce]

Friday afternoon rode from home to near Blakney south of Gloucester to the Glos Mag Rally good weather and company won a prize not for the shinest bike, photo taken on Sunday afternoon over looking the Severn River,

Monday morning left at 7-30 to ride to Coleford for their Transport Show all in all a good weekend

[Mark]

I went to the Glos Mag Rally and met an old guy with a knack for telling jokes as old as his Norton which picked up a trophy for 'Best Rat Bike'.

Bruce, did you have a good day in Coleford?

Mark

[steveD]

Worked on the Friday and had an early night as I was up for 7:30 to drive through to Hull to go yacht racing, down river to Spurn and back. Got back to the marina for about 5 ish and decided to go straight back to Hudds as I reconned I could pack the bike up and be at Dent by 9 ish, in the pub by half nine. All went to plan and I managed a good fewe pints in the Suun pub. Woke early in the morning and saw another bike with very familiar panniers! Metal Mules on a Suzuki Freewind, a guy called Steve who also has a nice DR350 Suzuki (some of you have met him at previous meets). We had the obligatory brekkie in the farmhouse and as the weather was so good dedcided to have a rideout, which entailed packing up and heading NORTH!. We went right up to the borders in the area of Moffat and Peebles, absolutely fantastic weather and riding country. We searched for a camp site near to a pub to no avail. Asked other bikers but still no luck. We had earlier on in the day been to a small cafe alongside St Mary's Loch and had noticed some tents there so decided to return. There is a small Pub with accommodation and camping alongside the Loch around the back of the pub and you can have an open fire! Bliss. Pitched up and a good meal in the pub, the obligatory drinking session and back to the tents to end the evening around a small fire and more beer.
A good nights kip but very cold (read had to get up about six ish for the usual early morning pee and everything was white! over) Sun came up early and brekkie in the pub. We decided to have a rideout on the way home, again trying to keep on 'B' roads and had a terrific time on nearly empty roads. Managed to get down to Tebay nr M6 without hitting any traffic before going our seperate ways as Steve was going down the M6 to Derby area. I continued on my way in the general direction of the A65 and hit serious traffic and then police and ambulances passed me. In the distance I could see standing traffic so decided to back track and go into and through the Forest of Bowland, just plugges in the GPS and went on any road generally heading South. Had a brilliant ride and possibly a good fifty miles out of my way but the sun was still out and I wasn't  in traffic. Got home without any mishaps and put bike to bed, will clean tomorrow.
Covered about 550 miles, all in superb sunshine, but most importantly came upon possibly one of the best campsites that I have ever been to. £4 per night run by a biker who used to perform stunts on old Brit iron, like 500 Triumphs for riding through fire! Says he has about 25 different bikes but insurance is too much these days.
I can thoroughly recommend Tibbie Shiels Inn on St Mary's Loch if you get into that area.

[002]

Packed the Bike Friday morning and pootled off to Llanthony.
Tent up and supping first beer by 1.30pm.
Camp site was quite a full,lots of families there this time.

Boyd turned up around 3ish.Had a good chat and lounge around in the sun.
Jules tuned up a little later.Had our Lamb cutlets and a few more beers.And a couple of Moscow Mules provided by Boyd.
Off to the Priory for a few more beers and a chat to the barman that remembered us from other trips.

Up to a bright and sunny Saturday bit of breakfast Boyd nipped off to Blackwood to see his folks.
Jules and I went for a stroll and found a Burger van open in someones garden.
She had the brain wave to give it a try at weekends and school holidays.
As she is next to The Priory and quite a few foot paths she decided to open up as a lot of walkers go past during the day,and passing traffic.
If it takes off she will open up one of her out buildings,put in a stove for warmth along with tables and chairs for customers.

Back at the tents generaly people watching and listening to the bikes go past on their way up The Gospel Path we heard the rumble of a Hardley,as it turned into the camp site we noticed it was our mate Tim.Ridden over from Poland for some buisness in Bristol and to spend the weekend with us.
BONUS ! So we had a good chin wag with Tim.

Wandering up to the Loos we bumped into Dave and Pat Keeling,so the weekend turned into a right social gathering.
When Boyd returned,had our Venison and wandered up to the Priory once more for more Beer(Terrible it was !) and more chin wagging.Dave and Pat were staying at The Half Moon,but wandered up to be with us and we had a bloody good night.

And it was a different bar man and he asked how noisey we were going to be.
I informed him that would be in November !

Left Sunday as we all had things to do.
On the way back towards Llanvihangle Crucorney I did notice a red car and some fella waving his arms about to slow down.
I did wonder why ! Turns out it was Gareth.

We did stop in Abergavenny Bus Station........Bloody Hell ! Just because the Sun was shining it was over flowing with bikes.We had to park in the car park as there was so many there.

All in all a Good Time was had by All.
Good to see Tim,Pat and Dave as they turned up quite unexpected.

Jethro

[guest7]

Covered about 550 miles, all in superb sunshine, but most importantly came upon possibly one of the best campsites that I have ever been to.

Sounds fantastic Steve. And that pub campsite has been added to my 'to do' list for '09. Perhaps we can organise an informal little meet up there sometime soon?

I was thinking of your Ténéré on the weekend when I got to ride the 660 XT. I'm guessing that lots of it is the same as your bike, but Warren paid £2,700 for a 2,000 mile bike in pristine condition and with a mongo-priced 'Touratech' bashplate fitted. Are the bikes comparable and is the XT perhaps the cheaper option for Ténéré-aspiring poor bikers?

Cheers
GC

[KirriePete]

More video from the Saturday run - wouldn't normally have put it up (most posters here won't know/care about the DBF doing good work for 'Charidee'), but the first 10 seconds is priceless.

Click here for Matt and his mini-thumper making a grand entrance  Speakers on!

[guest7]

Superb! "Incoming!" 

GC