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Bikes, Beer and Bites

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 Topic moved: from General Bike Chat to Touring & Exploration by Korn (9 Nov 2005 - 19:02)
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stinkwheel
Bovine Proctologist



Joined: 12 Jul 2004
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PostPosted: 17:36 - 26 Jun 2005    Post subject: Bikes, Beer and Bites Reply with quote

Yet another run up North, just to make anyone who has been stuck on busy roads sweating like a pig for the last week or so even more sick Twisted Evil

Wednesday
Finished work at 8.45am so luggage on bike (GPZ500s) and off up the road, met up with my mate Al in Longtown (BMW F650) and headed up the A7. Stopped in Selkirk for breakfast then on up to Cupar Angus for lunch. Heading towards Aberdeen on the A90 (speed camera hell) when I saw a big silver BSA A65 parked at a cafe, that's my mate Niall, so we stopped for more tea and met up with three other of the lads, Rob on his T140 Bonneville and Zac on his 25 year old BMW R100.

Just a short blast to the ferry terminal at Aberdeen and we are on the boat, bikes well strapped down. Loads of other bikes there too, all headed for the rally on shetland. Met up with the rest of our group too so now add an RD250, H100, 600 Bandit, Speed Triple and an MZ Baghira.

The ferry is superb, brand new, all mod. cons.. The bar is well stocked and the water still as glass. The journey takes 14 hours so plenty of time for a good pish-up then bed down on the seats for the night. Cabins are available but the seats are comfy enough.

Thursday
Well, Shetland is rediculously easy to get to. A quick blast to Abredeen and next news you are getting off the boat in Lerwick. Time to follow the line of bikes to the rally. A few of the locals we were speaking to on the boat all appeared to have high powered sports bikes (Hayabusas etc) which was puzzling until we got out of town onto the main roads. The roads are mind boggling! You could own a bike like that on Shetland and use it, on the main North-South road it would be perfectly possible to get a superbike flat-out.

Anyway, make our way there int he sunshine and offload the luggage, everyone is fairly loaded down so it is good to get it all off the bikes.
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/gpzload.jpg

Couple of decent rock cover bands on in the marquee so beers in, setup camp and enjoy the meal provided by the rally organisers.

Friday and Saturday
Another cracking sunny day. Took a trip back into Lerwick for a wander about. No luggage so FLAT OOT! all the way in, bike running very well. Had lunch then back to the field.
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/tents_rally3.jpg

Rally entry was sixty quid but this included vouchers for 25 drinks and three meals. Got tucked in to the local breweries hand-pulled ales. A selection of bands on both nights, all local lads and of pretty good quality including the one on Saturday night who were obviously the local school band filling in for a no-show. Their lack of a singer didn't prevent them playing for about three hours, getting people from the crowd up to fill in the vocals as necessary.

Now this is the Simmer Dim rally. So named because at midsummer it doesn't really get dark on Shetland with it being so near the Arctic circle. This piccy was taken at 1 am.
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/simmer_dim.jpg

Silly games on Saturday which involved vast quantities of booze. Thought we should dress accordingly (I'm in the purple). Got rather badly sunburned that day!
https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=18441

Sunday
End of the rally and most of the lads headed home after we picked up prize for best club turnout, good show guys Thumbs Up. Myself, Al and Phil hung about on the island to explore some of the superb roads and do a spot of fishing.
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/cliff_road.jpg
https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=18447

Monday
A bit of a wasted day, having spent the night in the Youth Hostel in Lerwick, we hung about to catch the ferry to Kirkwall on Orkney. This lands at 11pm then we took a somewhat spooky blast along the Churchill barriers to St. Margrets Hope and stayed in a small independant Hostel there. Good to give the liver some time to recover from all that alcohol though.

Tuesday
Caught the ferry to Gills Bay (near John o' Groats) and time for the treat! Along the North coast to Durness then drop down to Ullapool. The finest roads in the country, absolutley mind blowing!

The GPZ told me a couple of times that I was going too fast for it, bottomed out the belly pan through corners a couple of times so started braking harder on the way in only to have my brakes start to fade. Oh well, joys of owning a 15 year old bike with far too much luggage piled on it I suppose. Didn't take too many pictures of the road, too busy enjoying myself.
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/onroad2.jpg

Still, looks like I wasn't doing too badly, the BT45s were working well, even the 16" front behaved itself when pushed right up to the point where bodywork was touching down. Twisted Evil

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/tyrewear.jpg

Caried on to Ullapool and checked into another hostel (getting fed-up of sheet sleeping bags and curfews by now but the others wanted a shower). Got tucked into the beers and some superb seafood at the Seaforth Inn.

Wednesday
A week into the run and time to meet up with another mate and his girlfriend, just a short blast across to the Black Isle along another excellent road. Off to the local pub then drank a carry-out in the garden of a friends house 'till the wee small hours.

Thursday, Friday
Phil had to go home but Chris and Janine (900 Tiger and CB400/4) joined myslef and Al for a trip back west. Headed to Achnasheen then along Loch Carron, weather started to break so decided to head back inland. Eventually camped up on the shores of Loch Arkaig for a couple of days. Took a big carry-out, lit a fire and chilled for two beautifully still, sunny days. It was so warm we even swam in the loch!
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/arkaig3.jpg

Only downside was this campste was utter midge death when the wind dropped, if you ever think of going take some PROPER insect repellant with you. If it is less than 60% DEET, don't bother! This piccy is the sleeve of Als black jumper, the grey dust is the midges!
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/midges.jpg

Saturday A long, boring but sunny ride back to Cumbria via Dalwhinnie, then the A9 etc. and a good nights sleep.

Visit Scotland! You don't know what you are missing!
____________________
“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.
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Major_Grooves
The Doctor



Joined: 10 May 2002
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PostPosted: 17:49 - 26 Jun 2005    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeez I can't take this. So many threads about beautiful Scotland. Hopefully I'll be flying home a week next tuesday so I might take a drive out somewhere northish.

Nice pics stinkwheel! Smile Thumbs Up
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