What I did on my holidays (many pictures)

[stinkwheel]

Ok, well not so much of an adventure but I enjoyed it and it was on my motorbike.
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Loaded up the VFR and set off from Cumbria, headed to Perth to meet up with a mate around lunchtime. Gets the boring motorway bit out of the way if nothing else. Noticed there was a nail in my back tyre (again) but I had my plug kit with me so in with the plug. Three of those gas cannisters only put 26psi in the tyre so a gentle wibble to Blairgowrie where I added some tyre slime and pumped it up properly.

Had a fantastic blast over Spittal of Glenshee then cut across from Deeside to Strathdeveron to spend the night at my folks house.
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Set off early next morning and met one of the other guys just up the road for the whang up the A9 to catch the Gills-bay ferry near John o Groats. All got a bit silly once we got into the flow country, I was 'testing the capabilities of my vehicle' when what appeared to be a perfectly flat road suddenly sprouted a humpback bridge (think gentle hump at 60mph). Hard on the brakes down to 110mph then I had to open it up again or I'd have face-planted when it took off. Was totally airborne for a distressingly long time but managed to control the throttle enough for a textbook rear wheel landing.

Carried on and met up with the other two bikes at the ferry terminal. Olly had just got himself a brand new Triumph Tiger and because he works for Triumph, it was finished in metallic green. He'd ridden it straight there from the factory, come off the line two days earlier.

A calm crossing saw us on Orkney mainland. Crossed the Churchill barriers stopping at the Italian chapel on our way to Kirkwall.
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Stayed the night in Kirkwall youth hostel. Not recommended, the place is grim but needs must. Skinfull of drink and off to bed

Next morning caught the ferry to Westray.
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Again a smooth crossing. Now Westray is interesting on account of having no police. Saftey Nazis look away now .
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A ton-up blast with nae lid on certainly clears the cobwebs out and so off to the Bis Geos independant hostel. This is a five star hostel and deservedly so. REALLY comfy beds, proper bedding and en-suite shower room.
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Not a lot to do on Westray other than fishing, bird watching and drinking, so that's what we did.
https://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x88/Phil_Clarke/Shetland07/P6180119.jpg
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Also had a whang about on the bikes for a bit of an explore, and to ride to and from the pub which does SUPERB fish and chips along with a selection of Orkney Ales. Partook heavily of both then back to the hostel to carry on drinking.

Went down to the beach for a bonfire on the last night there where Chris found the offroad abilitied of his Tiger 900 slightly lacking.
https://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x88/Phil_Clarke/Shetland07/P6180126.jpg

After Westray, back to Orkney mainland and a few hours to kill before the next ferry. Went and looked round some stone circles.
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Midnight ferry from Kirkwall arrives in Lerwick (Shetland) at 7am. Got the bikes off the ferry then staggered into a greasy spoon near the harbour for a pick-me-up. After some wandering we headed for the passenger ferry to the isle of Mousa to go and see and Iron age Broch. Mousa Broch is over 2,000 years old and is made with dry stones. It's the most intact in the world and is a bloody impressive thing to see.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/summer%20run%202007/28550022.jpg

That evening we headed up to the campsite at Vidlin for the Simmer Dim rally and pitched the tents. The rally starts the next day so a few drinks and off to bed.

As the rally goers started to arrive next morning there was word of an accident. A local lad Mark Leask had crashed his bike and died on his way over to meet the ferry. Once everyone was assembled in the marquee, there was an announcement and a minutes silence. The lads parents had asked that the rally continue because it's what their son would have wanted.

The Thursday is generally taken up with people pitching tents and arriving from all over the place. The campsite and the marquee began to fill.
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Soon everyone was well refreshed and dancing away to the bands. One in three Shetlanders plays a musical instrument to a good standard so there is no shortage of excellent bands of all genres.

Friday saw more people arriving, including our very own Grav.
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We went for a whang about on the totally awesome roads on Shetland. Believe me when I say it is possible to own any sports bike you care to name and use it to its full potential on that island! I for one have never travelled so fast in my life and I now know exactly where the VFR tops-out.

When we got back, Olly did the first service on his Tiger in the field.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/summer%20run%202007/28500001.jpg

I got involved in a drinking game with some Shetlanders which invloved drinking random beverages from a relentless supply of glass boots and being fined (in aid of charity) for doing so incorrectly (holding boot in one hand, holding up the boot, passing the boot with one hand, not drinking enough, drinking too much, not finishing the boot, squint boot etc.). Now I can drink but I was broken in about ten minutes.
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Friday night saw more drinking and partying into the wee small hours. All the booze is included in the £60 ticket cost and they open the canteen at 11pm for school dinners, pies, peas and mashed potato served with an icecream scoop, just what the doctor ordered.
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Saturday, late morning, there was a mass ride-out. I didnae go because I don't like them but we met up with the rideout seperately at the top of some cliffs.
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Then back for some silly games which involved spinning people round on an electric roundabout called 'the lighthouse' while forcing drink down them. That device could take someone from sober to broken in two minutes! I declined to take part.
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In amongst this the local Viking Jahrlsquad turned up and stood round singing and drinking. Yet again everyone had far too much to drink.

Sunday saw everyone packing up, but not too fast bacause the ferry didn't board 'till 5pm. Awards and a Sunday lunch before heading off for one last flat-out whang back to Lerwick.

Got back into Aberdeen at 7am on the Monday where it started raining for the first time all holiday.

Some more pictures:
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https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/summer%20run%202007/28500019.jpg
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/summer%20run%202007/28520003.jpg
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/summer%20run%202007/28520021.jpg
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/summer%20run%202007/28520020.jpg
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Rookie]

Looks like a spectacular trip, great write up. Welcome back!

[Keef]

Superb

all that drinking n bikes , must put it down for next year

[phil2alp]

Nice one.

Cheers for posting.