TZR on (a mini) tour

ms51ves3 · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Karma :

Warning: Very long post.

It all started on Tuesday when I read the summer weather thread in random banter. I’d been wanting to go to North Wales for a while, had a camp site lined up but was just waiting for a decent couple of days weather. The days had finally arrived. So on Tuesday I booked a pitch on the camp site and the ball was now rolling.

On Thursday I gave the bike a clean, adjusted and oiled the chain, topped the bike up with 2 stroke oil and she was now ready for the trip:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2345-1.jpg

Here’s a list of everything that I took:

The bike loaded up (not including my tent and rucksack):

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2349-1.jpg

On the pillion seat is my roll mat, sleeping bag and pillow, held on the seat with a tie down strap which is looped through the pillion grab strap, under the seat and tied in a knot on the top.

Set off around 8:30 on Friday morning heading for Bryn Glas near Porthmadog in Wales.

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/IMG_2752.jpg

The journey was pretty uneventful. The first problem I had though occurred when I pulled up just outside St Asaph and took this picture…

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2352.jpg

…I decided now was the time to connect up my sat nav. As it consists of a PDA with an external GPS receiver, it’s all a bit bulky, especially the splitter that allows me to charge both at the same time from my 12v socket. The splitter decided it was going to break into two pieces. Great. Luckily, I packed some superglue, so after opening that up, dripping some on my jeans Doh!

and spending 30 minutes faffing about, it was fixed and I was ready to set off again.

Once again, it was all pretty uneventful. I asked a farmer where a petrol station was just after St Asaph as I was worried the further away from the A55 I went the less petrol stations there were going to be and I only had 20-30 miles left in the tank. As everybody knows, all good things come in threes; it’s the same for petrol stations. About a mile down the road I pulled into a Shell station and filled up with jungle juice. It’s such a satisfying feeling knowing you have enough fuel to get to your destination.

The next and only other problem I had was noticed when I pulled over to take this picture…

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2355.jpg

…you may notice the wonky luggage on the pillion seat. The bumpy B road I had been on briefly before, with the weight of the luggage on the pillion seat had somehow made my seat unhook itself, at the time I didn’t know what was wrong, I tried my key in the lock but it wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t far to the camp site now though, so I decided to proceed and deal with the problem later as it had gone unnoticed until I got off the bike.

Finally arrived at Barcdy Caravan & Camping Park around 12:30, later than I had hoped, but we had made it. Rung the reception doorbell but nobody was there, so I decided to try and fix my seat issue. I tried my key again while pushing and pulling the seat in all manner of directions to no avail. I got my torch out as one side was completely unhooked so I could lift it up to reveal a gap big enough to look in. Still couldn’t figure out what the issue was. In the end I just pulled the seat and it came off, no damage to anything and nothing had broken. Strange.

Still nobody at reception but the farmer next door approached me and told me just to pitch my tent wherever I want in that field *points to field* and pay later on. I chose pitch 11:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2356.jpg

Got the tent pitched…

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2363.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2360.jpg

…and decided to have some dinner which consisted of a bag of crisps, and a biscuit:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2359.jpg

Plenty of bugs in Wales. At one point it was like riding through rain:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2361.jpg

After lunch (If you can call it that) I decided to take a walk into Bryn Glas as it wasn’t too far. I took no pictures of Bryn Glas because it consists of pretty much nothing, just a few houses but nothing of any interest. The only interesting thing was the dead headless snake on the side of the road.
Upon returning a guy on a Kawasaki ZZR1200 had pulled up at the entrance of the camp site. Asked him if he was going to stay and explained I was camping here and also on a motorcycle. He decided to stay.

It was probably around 13:30 by now, so I geared up and got on the bike heading for Abersoch.
Riding towards the toll bridge that goes across the estuary to Porthmadog, Portmeirion could be seen in the distance:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2508.jpg

The toll bridge was supposed to be 30p for motorcycles, but three of the four times I crossed the bridge, it was manned and they just waved me on. The woman I spoke to at the bridge just said it was too much trouble to get money off motorcycles. I was happy with that.

Riding out of Porthmadog towards Pwllheli and Abersoch, I saw something amazing:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2520.jpg

A Lidl, Aldi and Outdoor World all next to each other Laughing

I was in heaven.

I stopped in Criccieth briefly to get a picture of the castle from the ground as I had taken a picture of it six days earlier during my flight around North Wales:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2365.jpg

I didn’t walk around it though because it would no doubt cost money and castles are pretty boring.

Took a quick couple of pictures of the sea…

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2366.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2367.jpg

…and headed on my way.

Stopping for any amount of time was becoming very uncomfortable. It was so hot, I was sweating like I’ve never sweat before and great relief came when on the move.

Finally arrived in Abersoch after around 30-40 miles from the camp site…

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2382.jpg

…paid a man 50p to park and had a little walk around. Took some pictures…

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2369.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2371.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2372.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2373.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2374.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2376.jpg

…and finished with a well deserved coke with ice (focus fail):
https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2375.jpg

I filled up with petrol just outside Pwllheli on the way back. While filling up I heard what sounded like tyres screeching. I looked round for a car crashing, but clearly I need my ears testing as it was a jet fighter flying over.

I arrived at Portmeirion at around 17:30. It was a definite on my to-do list and was the reason I wasn’t camping in Abersoch, but close to 'The Village'. Parked up, got in as a child (half price after 15:30 as well so it only cost me £2 Shifty

), bought my sister a pin badge from The Prisoner shop (which I now realise is number 6's house but didn't then so never got a picture Brick Wall

:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2466.jpg

The pastry was hot but the sausage, only warm, so I took it out and cooked it separately…

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2467.jpg

…lovely.

Warmed the soup up, ate that and then messed about taking a few pictures:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2478.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2487.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2492.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2481.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2475.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2499.jpg

I talked a little to the guy riding ZZR1200. He was (I’m guessing) around 60, From Newcastle-under-Lyme. Really nice bloke and carried around The Pennine Tales with him as his travelling companion.

I settled down outside reading Dave Gorman’s Unchained America until around 21:30 when it started getting a bit nippy. I finally went to bed after, roughly, a 180 mile day.

Woke up around 7 the next morning as my tent slowly started to warm up:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2503.jpg

Another lovely day dawned:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2506.jpg

Ate my breakfast which consisted of a ham and leerdammer sandwich…

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2504.jpg

…showered, dressed and headed off into Porthmadog.
When I spoke to the site owner the previous day she said I could pack up and leave whenever I wanted. Said good bye to my ZZR1200 friend (I never got his name), as he set off around 8 heading south.

I left the camp site at 8:30 heading towards Porthmadog. Raced a train across the toll bridge and then arrived in Porthmadog. There really doesn’t seem to be anything to do though unless you want to shop or eat. Took a few pictures…

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2509.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2511.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2514.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2517.jpg

…then headed back to the camp site and packed up:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2523.jpg

Hot work packing everything away in the blistering sun.

My ride home was once again, pretty uneventful. The only thing I will say is ear plugs are amazing. I was riding along the A55 without them and it was just so annoying so I pulled over, had a drink and put my ear plugs in and the difference is phenomenal. They’re a God send when doing any kind of motorway work.

I stopped at a viewing spot near Manchester airport on the way back as I needed to rest my throttle hand. It was something like £3 to get in and look at planes Confused

I parked up in the no parking area Rolling Eyes

, had a drink and snapped these two pictures:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2527.jpg

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2528-2.jpg

Arrived home around 13:30.

And there you have it, my first taste of touring. It was great, could probably do with carrying less stuff, but once on the bike it was fine and I had no issues fitting everything in my tent. None of my equipment failed me apart from the charger for my PDA which was on easy fix.

Barcdy camp site was lovely. Very quiet, clean, massive pitch for a man on a motorcycle and really good for £10 a night. Only issue I would mention (and it’s only a small one) is that it’s next to a main road. I was never woken up though by any passing traffic so it’s a big Thumbs Up

from me.

Here’s the route I took on Friday and Saturday. Thanks to Kawakid for the software to convert the Inforad files so they are compatible with Google Earth.

Friday:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/PorthmadogTrip1.jpg

Saturday:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/PorthmadogTrip2.jpg

Total mileage according to the Inforad was 302 miles but I think it was a little higher than that at around 310-320.

Finally, a trip to Wales isn’t complete without a picture of some sheep:

https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a376/ms51ves3/Wales%20May%202010/DSCF2522.jpg

If anyone wants any of the pictures in full size, just say and I'll sort it out.

Swim41 · Trackday Trickster Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Karma :

Interesting stuff. Love the pictures of Portmerion. One of those places I mean to go but have never got round to.

Also using an entire disposable BBQ to heat up one sausage roll and a tin of soup! Laughing

Glad I read this though, I'm plucking up courage to go to Scotland on my tod soon. Been aboard twice no problem but for some reason a little apprehensive about solo touring the UK.

Thumbs Up

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ms51ves3 · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Karma :

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

£10 per night camp site?!? Laughing

ms51ves3 · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Karma :

Phoenix · Twisted Firestarter Joined: 01 Aug 2002 Karma :

Some good pics and looks like you had fun so Smile

Although I do agree that your dinner is the biggest 'fail' of the post, should've just got those 5 sausages and some buns or burgers, even steaks cook nicely on those disposable barbeques.

Looking forward to my (yet to be arranged) trip now.

UnspeedySam · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Nov 2009 Karma :

Really great post. Made me think that maybe it would be sensible to do something similar before I go on my epic scotland tour. Wales is closer and I really have no idea how my bike and I cope with days of long distance riding.
____________________
Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

Mudskipper · World Chat Champion Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

Howling TerrorOutOfOffice · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Karma :

^^^What born by the side of the road.....Hard times

Nice1 Chives Thumbs Up

Did you wear both pairs of pants?

Pat
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

Alexio · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Karma :

I like your work Cool

I hope to be doing this in the couple of months.
____________________
will never give up his CG. I look at my fuel gauge more as a progress bar than a fuel gauge.
G: With my GSXR I do often effectively use it as a scooter with a clutch in town.
ms51ves3: why does it need 500 miles? Are you teaching it how to be a piston?

ms51ves3 · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Karma :

pepperami · Super Spammer Joined: 17 Jan 2010 Karma :

A good write-up of your trip Thumbs Up

loved the bits about your meals Laughing

man those are some bugs on your bash-hat!
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

Alexio · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Karma :

Watdafukhappe... · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 22 May 2010 Karma :

Very interesting read, deserves a rating as and when I can. Thumbs Up

I would absolutely love to do this one day, although I have no idea where I could go.

Charlie · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 May 2007 Karma :

Looks like you had a good trip Chives Thumbs Up

Definitely picked a good weekend for it... it has been lovely weather. And that Portmeirion place looks very interesting Thumbs Up

Will probably make a visit when I can
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
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Gazz · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 May 2009 Karma :

I love these threads.

Even if the motorcyclist does go too far away from where they started, I still love reading what they have to say and view the pictures.

Thumbs Up

Post rated.

GPZman · Derestricted Danger Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Karma :

A good read glad you had a good time.

Howling TerrorOutOfOffice · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Karma :

Lets not let this thread get out of hand.
He rode for a few hours camped and had a wander.

He ate a meal that would starve a supermodel(cos he's a tightwad)
He didn't offer to pay tolls
Nor the planespotters carpark.
He waited till 3:30 and then made out he was a minor(takes some bloody front that does) just so he didn't pay like a grownup does.

I heard he pees in his tank to make it go further.

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

Alexio · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Karma :

Howling TerrorOutOfOffice · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Karma :

Yes, but i'm not proud of it.
He revels in his cheapness.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

kingsknight · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Karma :

Howling Terror you crack me up lol Thumbs Up

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Nai · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Apr 2010 Karma :

Love seeing these threads, nice one glad you enjoyed it Thumbs Up

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

I'm about to have my lunch and will eat more in one sitting than you had in this thread. Laughing

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ms51ves3 · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Jun 2007 Karma :

StevenF · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Apr 2008 Karma :