pepperami`s summer Trip 2014 (completed)

[pepperami]

Well I did it (sort of), I did LE - JOG in one hit! ,although I failed to do it in 24 hours , I did it in twenty seven and a half hours.
However there were things beyond my control that slowed me down.

So the plan was for me and my two co-riders to ride from Ipswich to Wincanton and stop for the night -> then on to Penzance for a couple of days to rest up and double check the bikes ready for the LE - JOG ride.
Then we would do the LE - JOG ride in 24 hours?
After JOG, on to Fort William and then on to Pooley Bridge in Englishland for the night before riding back to Ipswich.
So that is the rough outline of the plan.

Day one : Ipswich to Montacute (somewhere around the Yeovil area).
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0009_zpsa9db146d.jpg
My panniers were packed and I was ready to go.
As this was not the main ride we took our time and it was a fairly unremarkable ride.
Montacute however is a nice place .
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0018_zps78591401.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0017_zpsd33671ca.jpg
Our B&B for the night was a bit different and all the better for it.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0020_zps4c349d7f.jpg
Yes that was our B&B ? , it also had it`s own museum that was well worth a look and we spent a good hour in there looking at all the toys we had as a kid .

Day two: After a decent breakfast, we made our way to Penzance.
My co-rider was the navigator as this is his old territory.
He took us a route that I would not be able to recall again, but we got there in one piece.
His pillion was getting uncomfortable and saying his hip was hurting.
We were doing about an hour in the saddle at a time before we were stopping for tea and a rest.
I like Penzance and could happily spend a bit more time there.https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0033_zpsc20e56cc.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0039_zps93943ee6.jpg
Our room at our B&B was up in the attic and the stairs were a bit of a challenge to anybody with normal sized feet or anybody who was above 5ft
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0029_zps4c740852.jpg
That issue aside , we consumed much scoff and a good few beers and whiskies once we walked into town.
I`m not going to name the B&B , but I wont go there again .
After a couple of days in Penzance it was time for the big one!

I wanted to leave at 4 in the morning, but my co-pilots wanted to leave later and have breakfast before we started, so it was gone 9.30am before we started to leave Lands End.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0040_zps1464544a.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0042_zpsdadbd7de.jpg

We set off and again my co-pilot was leading/navigating as he knows this part of England better than me.
We used the A303 and believe it or not that went well.
leaving the A303 and getting to the A1 was a bit of a hassle and now we were starting to get behind.
My co-pilots pillion was in trouble with his hip and telling us he was in pain.
With my small fuel tank and his painful hip again we were stopping once an hour.
We did start to make some good time once we were on the A1 as the average speed went up, but not enough.
We got to the services just before Scotch Corner and we pulled in for fuel.
My co-pilot and his pillion decided that they had enough and booked themselves into the Travel lodge.
We decided to part company and I would go it alone.
I got to Scotch Corner and thought of a problem that was going to hold me back.
It was very late and although I could brim my tank here at Scotch Corner, if I rode on into the depths of Northumberland & County Durham I would not be able to get any fuel in the middle of the night.
So I was stuck at Scotch corner for a few hours until it was starting to get light.
I left Scotch Corner at very early o`clock and made my way to the A68 and towards Scottyland.
It was a good job I did`nt chance riding into the night as I was running out of fuel when I went passed the first two petrol stations and they were still closed.
By the time I was running on fumes, I found a petrol station that was just opening .

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0046_zpsc0f78587.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0047_zps31724583.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0048_zps3832181f.jpg
Any way onto Jedburgh/Scottyland and towards Edinburgh .
Around Edinburgh and I picked up the A9.
I find that once you get passed Perth , the A9 is`nt a bad road and time was made up (but still not enough).
At Wick I got onto the A99 and then to JOG
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0054_zps098b47a6.jpg
Boy was I tired.

I will add some more tomorrow/tired now

PART TWO.
So After staying at a Hotel? (Pub) for the night in Dunnet, it was time to move on to Fort William.
Although the purpose of the trip is now over and I am no longer tied to a deadline, I am now free to ride at what times I like.
An early breakfast and I`m off.
What a great result that was I now have the A99 and a whole chunk of A9 all to myself!
Now that`s why I come to Scottyland .
The sun shone, the road was empty, and I was having fun as well as making good time.
By the time I got onto the A82, it was still earlyish?.
So down along Loch Ness and not to bad.
It was interesting to come across barrier crossings on the road where the barrier comes down to let boats across the road.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0063_zpse392c53c.jpg
Along Loch Ness I decided to have a break and a cup of tea.
And as is becoming a tradition, I met some Germans riding on strange machinery.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0076_zpsc4267d7a.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0075_zps869568b1.jpg
1000cc Rotax engines apparently? very quiet.
And so on to Fort William.
I stopped at a hostel just out side Fort William.
No problem there and the woman running the show was nice and very helpful.
The idiots using a guitar body as a drum and also playing the bongos late into the night were`nt so good , but hey-ho live and let live?
In the end it did`nt matter as I was so tired that I fell asleep anyway.

In the morning, it`s time to make my way to Pooley Bridge just outside Penrith back in Englishland.
Going down the A82 at early o`clock meant that I got to the Glencoe pass early.
This was well worth it as I got to ride the pass without having to sit behind a lorry a great bit of road if you catch it right.
I continue down the A82 to Glasgow and cross the Erskine Bridge, then I pick up the M8 -->M74, this takes me all the way to Blighty where it becomes the M6.
Down the M6 to Penrith and across to Pooley Bridge.
I stayed at a pub/hotel called the Sun Inn.
I like it there and the food is good.
It`s not that expensive, and if you have spent a good few days on the bike in the wet , it`s nice to have a big soft bed with clean hot showers that actually work.
If you`re into the Lakes and walking, Pooley Bridge would make a good base for a few days.

Last Day: Not a lot to say about that as it was A66--> A1-->A14 to home.
I did pass a couple of scamera vans, so I will have to wait and see if I get a NIP .

A few pictures here https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0069_zps8120a2b1.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0066_zps1c8324ff.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0053_zpsf2e8a6ee.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/DSCN0088_zpsc3bf5d77.jpg
____________________
I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[nelmo]

Nice one - would love to do that trip - thanks for the report
____________________
Bike history: Suzuki GSXF600, BMW F650, Honda Varadero, Suzuki V-Strom, Kawasaki Versys
Current: Honda NC700X

[Efes123]

And where was my invite

Sounds a good trip, if you can do early starts
____________________
Honda Goldwing GL 1000 Current love
Honda VT500 ED - SOLD
Projects Suzuki GS125 Done, then stolen - Kawasaki GPX750R SOLD - Honda VF750S SOLD

[pepperami]

[Howling Terror]

Nice one Pep...
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[c_dug]

I've never really got the LE->JOG in under 24hrs thing.

I'd rather enjoy the roads in an area than rush from A to B.

Still, looks like you did some nice riding, and well done on almost hitting your 24 hour goal, 27 is hardly bad going!
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Howling Terror]

I get it.

Also enjoy taking it all in, but there are times (especially when you're touring for a few weeks) when the work like repetition of fuel-ride-eat-fuel-ride-eat is satisfying.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[Efes123]

[i.p.phrealy]

[Efes123]

[evoboy]

The road past Loch Ness and onto Glencoe is stunning.

We did it last year on some old nails. Loved it, but it took us a good 22hours to get from Coventry to Inverness due to bike fatalities and other issues like my x7 needing a full tank every 80 miles!
____________________
Suzuki GT250 x7------- Fazer 600------CB250RS------Aprilia Rally 70----- Bandit 600

APT Motorcycles

[pepperami]

[pepperami]