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A trip to Welsh Wales

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pepperami
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PostPosted: 19:56 - 12 Jul 2013    Post subject: A trip to Welsh Wales Reply with quote

So old Pepperer`s decided to have a few days in the Welsh Wales.
A friend said he wanted to come along, so I had a co-pilot to collect from West Bromwich.
Day one : leave Ipswich late in the afternoon and make my way to West-Brom via the A14 and the M5.
first boo-boo was that the camera had no card in it? Doh! .
Into Brum and a stop for the night.
While we were in Brum, we went to the "Sportsman", a local venue used by locals?.
However , the curry was gooood! and I can certainly recommend the "Sportsman" for some good scoff.

Day two : Fuel up in West Brom
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0166_zps369959b9.jpg
and head towards Hereford/Leominster by using the A49.
I remember Leominster from years ago as a charming small town.
Now it appears to be just another rural expanding town full of brand name shops Sad .
on the plus side we did find Dom`s Bike Stop.https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0168_zps628cc53f.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0174_zps799ce5bc.jpg
Glad I didn't need a poo! Shocked Laughing
there was some interesting tourers parked up and this one caught my eye.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0170_zps9b640d47.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0172_zps67b9c29b.jpg
It`s a nice place to stop and I could of quiet easily stayed there for a couple of hours.
They had Mochiba on the stereo which was good for me Thumbs Up .
On to Ross-on-Wye and the toll bridge.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0180_zps033ac9de.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0183_zpsb37b872e.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0179_zpse1b4840d.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0186_zps6c39a55d.jpg
20p Shocked 20p bloody 20p they charged us to get into Wales?????.
Then on to Brecon to the Gospel Pass, allegedly the highest road in Wales.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0206_zps70855b94.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0203_zps6a93f3bd.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0201_zps8d6dc21b.jpg
Now on to Abergavenny Shocked Hmmm? nice?
We got to our stop for the night? The Hotel Grot!
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0219_zpsb696d806.jpg
This hotel appeared to be run by a grumpy little China-man whose very first words to us was "you pay me now" Shocked .
His loss as we went into Abergavenny to eat instead of eating at the hotel.
The problem with that is we ended up at the local Weatherspoons Laughing on a Saturday night?
Now that was interesting and sadly I didn't take the camera.
Day Three : Abergavenny to Malwyd using the A40 & A479 & A470.
The A470 was crawling with piggies , so no blasting down that road.
Good info on where they were hiding was to be had at the local bike stop
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0221_zps56b6d86f.jpg
Although it has to be said that a couple of riders were really being knobbers, but that`s their choice!
However if the Knobber on the red and white VTR that overtook me on a blind bend is reading this Middle Finger Middle Finger Middle Finger Middle Finger .. can I have your bike stuff when you`re dead?
Then we got on a small road up to and passed Aber Cywarch and Pennant before we got to Bwlch-Y-Groes the highest road in Wales allegedly?
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0237_zps413438e0.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0236_zpsb8940220.jpg
My co-pilot nearly lost his bike over this ledge!
He parked his bike on it`s side stand and walked away from it only to watch in horror as it toppled over Shocked Evil or Very Mad .
The tarmac was hot and soft and the side stand dug in Crying or Very sad
Luckily the wall stopped it tumbling down the mountain?
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0240_zps02a145f1.jpg
Now onto Carno and a stop for the night.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0242_zpscd36eed1.jpg
This Hotel was a lot better with good food and good beer Smile , they even had a few good whiskies behind the bar Smile .
The landlord & landlady/Barmaid? were very friendly and made it a nice place to stop.
Some and only some of the locals were not so welcoming.
We were in one bar and they were in another part of the pub.
We could hear them and they were all talking English until we walked in , then all of a sudden they were all speaking Welsh.
One thought he could get rid of me by giving me an evil stare Laughing fat chance of that!
An interesting view from the room?
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0243_zps98f4ea41.jpg
Day Four : Carno back to West Bromwich via Newtown and Shropshire and Bishops castle and Much Wenlock.
We used the A489 & A49 & A4117 amongst many other roads.
I thought these roads were worth a mention.
We stopped at Much Wenlock to get our bearings and my co-pilot said that after all the time we had spent on his bike, his bum hurt Shocked .
I told him to tell the world , so he shouted out " MY BUM HURTS!", and a quiet voice came from behind the hedgerow "take it to a doctor" Laughing Laughing Laughing
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0253_zps6ed76e97.jpg
On to Shropshire and the Gaskell Pub for a drink and 15 minutes rest.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0256_zps1234c6a1.jpg
The landlady was nice and had an interest in bikes.
From there it was back into Brum Sad ,.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0248_zps675c2d69.jpg
although some of the minor roads were quality, the M5/M6 are what they are.
Day five: Was Brum back to Ipswich.
A dead easy run= M6 --> A14 all done in one hit without any stops .

The bikes never missed a beat during the trip Thumbs Up
It didn't rain Thumbs Up
When we needed it , Tom Tom never let us down Thumbs Up
The beer called "Welsh Smooth" was good and not expensive Thumbs Up .
My co-pilot on his GSXR was able to keep up with my Hyosung GT 250efi Wink

Some of the roads and view were well worth the trip but you cant keep stopping or you`d never get anywhere.
So here I`ll post a few additional pictures Thumbs Up
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0215_zps3207a810.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0214_zps28fe0a3b.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0194_zps148b24a7.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0198_zpsacc086f8.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0202_zps7ef9f0f0.jpg

I hope you find it of some interest Thumbs Up
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Kradmelder
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PostPosted: 20:14 - 12 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

distance?

You had to pay to be insulted by some rude chink, and didn't put his rice bowl over his head and tell him to fark off back to china?

Some sheep shaggers spoke dialect so you cant understand? Next time call them fokken skaapnaaiers and tell them to speak the Queen's English to a white man. No manners in these Joneses. They cant play rugby, cant be polite, and cant even keep their sheep off the road. Good only for shovelling coal. Laughing

Those roads look quite empty.
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 20:26 - 12 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

700 miles.

Telling the Chinaman to ferk koff might have resulted in nowhere to sleep and it really wasn't that much of a big deal.
He was the one that lost business (we bought our meals elsewhere) and got a bad review on the internet.

As for the Welsh Nationalists? they wer`nt that brave : there were more of them than us and we were up for it if they wanted a scrap?
It didn't happen and we all went our separate ways without any bumps or bruises and that's not a bad thing IMHO.
99.9% of the people made us welcome.
Blimey even some of the English hate some of the English if they come from different parts of the country (the north/south divide)

If you look hard enough, empty roads can be found in Blighty, if you like sheep-shit Laughing
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Howling Terror
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PostPosted: 20:33 - 12 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grand Thumbs Up Smile Cool

Wales has an abundance of those micro-cool areas, and like you I was too busy enjoying the riding to stop and photograph them.
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Kradmelder
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PostPosted: 20:35 - 12 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

pepperami wrote:
700 miles.

Telling the Chinaman to ferk koff might have resulted in nowhere to sleep and it really wasn't that much of a big deal.
He was the one that lost business (we bought our meals elsewhere) and got a bad review on the internet.

As for the Welsh Nationalists? they wer`nt that brave : there were more of them than us and we were up for it if they wanted a scrap?
It didn't happen and we all went our separate ways without any bumps or bruises and that's not a bad thing IMHO.
99.9% of the people made us welcome.
Blimey even some of the English hate some of the English if they come from different parts of the country (the north/south divide)

If you look hard enough, empty roads can be found in Blighty, if you like sheep-shit Laughing


Telling the chink to fek off may have got you a room for the night with the welsh nationalists and have them wave the UJ Laughing

quite interesting that brits from different parts have such hostility to each other. And they call us racist lol!

Just wait till the next rugby world cup!
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 20:49 - 12 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

EVERYBODY hates the English, including the English?
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Bubbs
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PostPosted: 09:35 - 13 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kradmelder wrote:


Just wait till the next rugby world cup!


2011 world cup, SA only reached the quarters! Wales reached the Semi's... so don't go talking about wait for the next rugby world cup, we will trounce you! Laughing

Pepperami that looked like a good trip, shame you missed out on the roads we all use down here. If you ever do a trip into Wales again then let me know and I can sort you out a route that will blow your mind!!
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Lone-Wolf
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PostPosted: 10:29 - 13 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wotcha.

Ah - some of the places I tend to spend a lot of time around Thumbs Up

The "interesting tourer" is a Royal Enfield Woodsman.
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 11:03 - 14 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lone-Wolf wrote:
Wotcha.

Ah - some of the places I tend to spend a lot of time around Thumbs Up

The "interesting tourer" is a Royal Enfield Woodsman.


I loved the technology that went with it on the handlebars, a great example of old & new tec coming together to make a great little tourer.
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 11:06 - 14 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bubbs wrote:

Pepperami that looked like a good trip, shame you missed out on the roads we all use down here. If you ever do a trip into Wales again then let me know and I can sort you out a route that will blow your mind!!


I will be going back Thumbs Up one day.

I`ll bear that in mind Thumbs Up
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Efes123
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PostPosted: 12:13 - 14 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like a real nice trip Pep, although you did miss out on chips at Felixstowe*

Actually, hot dogs, as the chips weren't ready
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 12:37 - 14 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Efes123 wrote:
Looks like a real nice trip Pep, although you did miss out on chips at Felixstowe*

Actually, hot dogs, as the chips weren't ready


I should of pm`d my address and you could of posted me a hot-dog Laughing second class of course Laughing
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Dischord
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PostPosted: 18:08 - 14 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool thread, you even made me Wikipedia something Razz Until now I thought the local (to me) Bwlch Y Groes pass was the highest motorable road in Wales but it seems with an altitude of 545m it is 4m short of the Gospel Pass (never heard of it 'til now Laughing ) I love high mountain passes so I guess that one is next on the list Thumbs Up cheers.
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Lone-Wolf
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PostPosted: 19:53 - 14 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dischord wrote:
Cool thread, you even made me Wikipedia something Razz Until now I thought the local (to me) Bwlch Y Groes pass was the highest motorable road in Wales but it seems with an altitude of 545m it is 4m short of the Gospel Pass (never heard of it 'til now Laughing ) I love high mountain passes so I guess that one is next on the list Thumbs Up cheers.


Wotcha.

I always thought "Hellfire Pass" ( English name for Bwlch Y Groes ) was the highest too. . . . . . time for another ride I think Laughing
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Bubbs
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PostPosted: 21:24 - 14 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lone-Wolf wrote:
Dischord wrote:
Cool thread, you even made me Wikipedia something Razz Until now I thought the local (to me) Bwlch Y Groes pass was the highest motorable road in Wales but it seems with an altitude of 545m it is 4m short of the Gospel Pass (never heard of it 'til now Laughing ) I love high mountain passes so I guess that one is next on the list Thumbs Up cheers.


Wotcha.

I always thought "Hellfire Pass" ( English name for Bwlch Y Groes ) was the highest too. . . . . . time for another ride I think Laughing


Do you mean what the people of England call it? As it's 'the cross gap' translated.
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Lone-Wolf
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PostPosted: 22:53 - 14 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bubbs wrote:


I always thought "Hellfire Pass" ( English name for Bwlch Y Groes ) was the highest too. . . . . . time for another ride I think Laughing

Do you mean what the people of England call it? As it's 'the cross gap' translated.


Wotcha.

Yep - that's what those English types call it Mr. Green
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Lone-Wolf
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PostPosted: 23:15 - 22 Jul 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dischord wrote:
I love high mountain passes so I guess that one is next on the list Thumbs Up cheers.


Wotcha.

Right - I decided to find this 'ere Gospel Pass, so I went and filled DOT up and sallied forth.
I managed to find the pass on my first attempt - on a solo motorcycle it would be fun . . . .on a two litre Ford trike it was hard work in places Very Happy - but well worth it

I have to confess, for steepness and scenery, I fear the Hellfire Pass is the winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFhKhTIBAg4
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 23:04 - 15 Nov 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lone-Wolf wrote:


Shocked On a trike, sod that, to much hassle from other road users Sad .
Thumbs Up it WAS much more fun on a solo bike Smile
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FrankGill
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PostPosted: 18:06 - 16 Nov 2013    Post subject: Wales Reply with quote

Loved riding thru Wales this summer too many places to photo. Not keen on the Welsh though had to work with 2 welsh speakers some years ago, as if I didn't exsist.
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