Personal Rideout report, with photos

[JonB]

Hello,

Today I realised that as my Communication Studies teacher was away I didn't have to back to college this afternoon, so there I was sat at home all by myself. My Mum has been really poorly all day so I came up with the idea of dusting off the bike and setting off to take some photos of the house she lived in when she was a little girl. My Mum really liked this idea so I set off on about a 20 mile trip to a little village called Cotleigh in the Devon countryside.

So I set off, Life's pretty boring when you trundle along at 40 MPH on a main road but the trek on the A30 was alright, the rain had stopped a few hours previous so I knew that the road would dry up a little. It did get a tad boring trundling along by myself but I didn't need the company today.

Eventually after coming off the A30 I went onto some country lanes and this is where the fun began, even going along at 35MPH seems hell of a lot faster than when on a main road so I soaked this up, as well as the mud and started looking at the brilliant countryside around me. One of the advantages of living on the border of Somerset and Devon is that you have breathtaking countryside just a mile out of town so taking the digital camera with me was a good idea, I saw a break in the hedge and parked my bike up. Here are a couple of photos from that stop.

The first one is a few over the valley which overlooks a tiny village called Dunkeswell, as you can see even this late in the year a lot of the trees are still green and lush and this is what makes me feel very lucky indeed to be living in such a wonderful part of the United Kingdom

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/JonBod/DevonView2.jpg

This next picture is of my Bike, OK. It's not a bike it's my moped but still have to get around somehow at 16 and I notice a lot of abuse being hurled at ped boi's in a very stereotypical way. I still take pride in being on 2 wheels.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/JonBod/Bike.jpg

Next, I ventured on towards Cotleigh, the country lanes were very wet and muddy. I found it very hard to negotiate my way round an area I don't know too well myself and when I got splashed by an Audi another way I tried to not let it dampen my spirits. I turned into a very steep hill and made my way on the 1 mile distance to Cotleigh, when I got there my memories of visiting this place with my parents when I was young bought a smile to my face. This is a good sign, I have had quite an unhappy few weeks due to College pressures and just the weather turning all crap on me.

Here is a picture of the school my Mum used to go too, it is now a house but as you can tell it isn't that big.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/JonBod/OldSchool.jpg

Next I have a photo of a phonebox, not that significant I hear you say, but in this day and age we don't see too many of these red phoneboxes and so it was quite a pleasure to see one.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/JonBod/PhoneBox.jpg

After this I turned right next to the old School and I came to the Church, my uncle was buried here about 12 years ago, I was very young when he died, but it had some sentiment to take a photo of the church. At this point I was quite disillusioned because I never realised a place could be so tranquil, there was quite a chill in the air for Early October and it felt quite wintery.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/JonBod/Church.jpg

Moving on, I went down a very narrow country lane and almost came off as it all of a sudden, without any warning came to a hairpin, I very gently eased on the brakes, it was still very slippy and there was potholes everywhere, but I just made it through, I then saw my Mum's old house, I was greeted very disappointingly by a massive hedge that has since been erected and so I couldn't quite get a decent view of this magnificent place, it was an old cottage right down in the depths of a Devon Valley, with a stream flowing down the side of it. Since my last visit down here the owners have replaced the thatched roof with tiles and they have built a double garage.

I struggled to get a photo of this as it was well blocked off view so I had to try and take photos through hedges, though I did get a photo of the cottage name.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/JonBod/Viewsofhouse.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/JonBod/House.jpg

After this I made my way back home on a different route, I had to go up a 1:4 incline of which I only could travel at 20MPH up it, I thought the 50cc engine was going to burn out!!!

I got to the top of the hill and carried on along a roman road, I then had a chance to take a photo of some Somerset countryside and what a splendid sight it was.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/JonBod/FinalShot.jpg

I got home had a little incident involving a wasp in my helmet and I breathed a sigh of relief, it was nice to be back out on the bike again and I suspect it could be the last rideout of 2004 for me, seeing as the weather will probably be quite bad.

Anyway in hope I haven't bored you, I hope you enjoyed my account of my brilliant trip.

Jon.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[JodieWodie]

Aww...that was wonderful..you really enjoy that bike don't you ?...
You have such lovely little rideouts on it, and you tell the tale so well too

What a nice thing to do for your Mum.
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Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow"

[JonB]

Well...I don't love the bike, it was the only choice I had, it was cheap and well I can't ride anything bigger than a 50cc at 16 anyway, but I just love being out and about and telling people my experiences.
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[Kris]

Very cool.

We need more of this!
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[RiderOfTheSto...]

[stryker]

Its nice to see someone has had some fun today. Beats been stuck in an office.
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Now what?

[Ninja]

Thanks for that 5minutes of freedom...

20miles on a 'ped - good going!

Nice prose too...reminds me of the kind of rides I used to take on my first bike (GP100).

Ah well, back to work....
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James
4 wheels transport the Body ... 2 wheels transport the SOUL

[Inglesina94]

[Going2fast]

Great read, and also put a smile on my face.
Andy
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[Jebus]

nice little write up, cant go on rides meself need a job to pay for bike!

[Spiral]

Nice work, reminds me why i like the country so much.
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[Weed]

Nice one! Good to see that someone else is doing more than commuting on their bike. I make a point of going out every sunday, if i get the chance, i'll upload my pics and you can all see the sussex countryside.

You sound as if you really enjoyed your ride S.S. Hope you have another day as good as that soon.

Weed.

[hustler]

Nice one Somer, hardly recognise the bastard who carves me up no end on Moto GP 2!
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As I said to that guy with the crutches and full camouflage gear, you can hide but you can't run.

[JonB]

I'd have trouble carving you up on me lowly 'ped I'm afraid, so you can rest easy.
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[swaffs]

Thanks for reminding me why my move to London from Plymouth is only temporary.

I only got the bike after I moved to London but have all intentions of taking it down with me next year for some loooong ride out's around Dartmoor.

[Lone-Wolf]

[JonB]

[Lone-Wolf]

[iCraig]

Jon, very interesting little ride out, I wish I could be bothered to do that in this weather!

I'd hate to think where you'd go when you get a bigger bike!

We deffinatly need more of this kind of thing too!

[Ade067]

Nice little ride out there mate good on ya

I wish I could've joined ya but unfortunately was stuck behind the wheel of me truck all day although I was in Chard around 10 ish this morning.

I know you've only got a 50 but have you ever been along the West Bay to Weymouth road through Abbotsbury? thats an amazing road with fantastic views all along chesil beach,you see tons of bikers along there too if the weather is good.

I went along there when I 1st got my bike,I picked it up in Dorchester and headed straight into Weymouth and then onto that road to West Bay,it was something I always wanted to do on a bike and after reaching West Bay I turned around after having a burger and went back to Weymouth again just for the hell of it

[roozor]

As soon as you get a full liscence or nice 125 somerset, were gonna have to meet up! and you can take me out on one of your famous rideouts!

[tgabber]

Ah, Dunkeswell. It was from the airfield there that I made my one and only parachute jump. I can therefore verify that the countryside around there is truly beautiful.
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"It's all about dislocating expectation"
Kawasaki KMX125 -> Aprilia RS125 -> Kawasaki ZZR600

[Lone-Wolf]

[Josh]

I have headed that way a few times, mostly accidently, I just ride around Devon and into the neighbouring counties quite often, easier for me with my bike, although you seem to have more fun than me, not that I don't enjoy it, but yeah, nice write up, you should come this way some time, not *that* far
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[JonB]

Ade, I haven't been on that road, though I have been down to West Bay once, I like the old B3162 from Bridport all the way back to Chard, they have just resurfaced the road and it is a lovely road full of twisties.

I find a drawback of having a 50 is that I really can't go *that* far, in only 6 months of riding I have probably covered most of South Somerset and East Devon. When I have a bigger bike I am determined to do the A30 all the way from Land's End, straight into London.

Roozor, they aren't really that brilliant of a rideout, it's what you do in them that make them fun, it's not all about whizzing through the roads as quick as possible, it's about soaking up the atmosphere and taking a look at the world around you.

But most certainly, next year, I will definately want some company on my rideouts, especially since I will be able to keep up.
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.