Credit Crunch Touring 2009

[THE DOCTOR]

After Paulbde's Italia 2008 gig last year I had big plans for 2009.
Initially, just before Christmas 2008, I put my name fwd to join Sgt Bilco on his US 2010 tour then the banking crisis started to kick in & my savings & investments started to take a battering. My financial future was looking uncertain so I pulled out of Bilco's tour but still wanted some kind of biking holiday for 2009 so I started to arrange The Doctor's Credit Crunch Tour 2009.

The main criteria was it had to be UK based so no ferries or currency exchanges but I had to cover some serious mileage to make it feel like a 'proper' holiday. So, being based in the North of England it had to be.......The outdoor adventure capital of the UK.

Having done Scotland in 2006 on my Pan European & again in 2007 when I bought my current GS I knew what to expect & knew where to head for but this time I would spend more time there & explore further.

My Mum retired earlier this year & had booked a week in a self catering holiday house in Argyll so family members from across the UK could get together & enjoy some time together amongst the hills of Glen Finart and Ardentinny within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. I planned my trip so as to be with these family members on their 1st & last day.

On this trip I only had 3 fixed dates/locations - the family gathering on their 1st & last days and 1 B&B for the Bank Holiday Monday (in case I couldn't get in anywhere) the rest was going to be a camping 'turn up & pitch up a tent' affair.

Day minus 1
Finished my Thursday night shift, came home & tried to get straight to sleep.
Woke up mid Friday afternoon & packed my ARD Cases (expertly manufactured by redcap) & got the bike ready for a Saturday morning departure.
I thought long & hard but eventually decided not to take my Givi topbox & opted for a minimal look for this year's photos.

Saturday - Day 1
Took a leisurely ride up to The Lake District & set up camp in Castlerigg Hall.
I'd seen this campsite when I took a drive up to collect my Remus pipes & can from a fellow member last year & made a note to myself to return.

Castlerigg Hall, 1 person £6.75 - bike £1.50

The stone circle at Castlerigg.

& as I'm on holiday how about an ice cream!

Castlerigg Hall, nice site & well stocked.

I finished the day off with a fair amount of beer & listening to my ipod.

This was one of the highlights..

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If you're reading this after I've posted more, click this link to keep the music going & read on.

 

[neil 23]

Beer, Budgie, Breadfan Quality !

 

[THE DOCTOR]

Sunday - Day 2.

Woke up cold & with a 'slight' hangover!

The weather was OK though & I packed up & prepared to set off to meet family members from around the UK who are meeting up at the 'self catering' Culzean House in Ardentinny.

Thanks to Big Dave for his sticker!
& thanks to Redcap for his superb panniers.

Rode into Scotland & caught the Dunoon ferry.

& soon enough I rolled into Ardentinny.

Great feeling of anticipation as I pull into the drive & meet family members.

The house is set in a fantastic remote location with a pub next door & woods nearby. The hot tub & sauna had to be tried as well!

My brother, brother-in-law & I went exploring in the woods.

Thanks Mum,
That's my sister Kate on the crutches, she had a 'scary' rounders mishap!

Today's stand out tune on my ipod..
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Again, click here to read on & remain listening to the music.

 

[THE DOCTOR]

Monday (Bank Holiday) - Day 3

Hung on until lunchtime before setting off hoping to catch some dry weather.

No chance!

Ardentinny to Ballachulish, although I rode through some fantastic scenery it was too wet to stop.
I'll show you photos from here on the way back (it was glorious then)

Stayed at the Strathassynt B&B - £32

I'd been here before in 2007. Today it didn't stop raining so I was happy to be indoors. From tomorrow I'm riding north & 'looking' for camp sites.

Ballachulish, a store & a pub over the road from the B&B.

A walk around the quarry inbetween showers..

Watched DVDs, listened to music & had a few beers to round off the night.

Today's song from my ipod that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up...

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Again, click here to continue reading my report while still listening to the music.

 

[THE DOCTOR]

Tuesday - Day 4

After a full English breakfast & as much fruit juice as I could hold I set off from The Strathassynt.

It's still raining but there are blue skies up ahead.

I fuel up & look into the distance.

I've lost count of the number of photos I've taken here.

I ride on straight into a dark rain cloud..

..but ride out the other side into dry roads again..

Well here I am at the start of The Applecross Pass.

It's been a superb ride so far & this next stretch of road rounded the day off nicely.

Over the top & down the other side.

& I eventually arrive at Applecross.

& the campsite.

The road to the site was so good I decide to stay here for 2 nights & explore further.

Applecross campsite - £6.50 per night.

After pitching up I set off in search of food/beer/fuel.
Apart from The Applecross Inn I can only find this place, The Apecros Post Office.

I'm convinced it's run by the local mafia because they seem to have a monopoly on all the food & fuel in this area of the Applecross peninsular.
The power was off when I arrived, no lights, no fuel & all transactions were done on a calculator.

After half a dozen beers this was tonight's feel good song on my ipod..

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Once again, click here to continue reading my report while still listening to the music.

 

[THE DOCTOR]

Wednesday - Day 5

2nd day at Applecross

Big disaster!
Major problem!

I've heard stories of how unreliable these GSs are & today I experienced an electrical failure.
As I turned on my ignition the bike went through it's checks & a message came up on the readout.

Headlight blown!

Replaced it with a spare & the message was cleared.
Crisis over & I didn't even wet myself.

Today's plan is to ride around the peninsular & ride through The Torridon Mountains. There's only 1 road around Applecross so just ride & take photos.

Through Beinn Eighe & inbetween The Torridon Mountains.

I'd been here before in 2007 so I knew there was a petrol station at the end of the road. I planned to fuel up there & ride back.

One of two coincidences happened today, I met a fellow biker when I was parked up & we got talking. I later met him in a campsite I picked at random.
More of that later.

Back to the site for a relaxing few beers & supper. (sausage & black pudding batches)

Tonight's song that starts off slow then rocks...
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Again, click here to read on & remain listening to the music.

 

[Terry NW]

cracking pictures,

 

[LoneTiger]

superb report and pic.

 

[RideTheWind]

Enjoyed that. Top post. People in Scotland are truely blessed to have such top roads

 

[THE DOCTOR]

Thursday - Day 6

Packing up at Applecross.
The good thing about a tarp is - if it's raining you can pack the tent away under cover.

Today I ride to Glencoe & look for a site.
Visability is poor so I decide to leave the camera tucked away & just head for a site.

I find the Red Squirrel Campsite - £7.50, set up & make some food & crack some tinnies.

After countless tinnie mishaps I find a cure for 'tin tipping'

A few beers & my mind starts to develop cabin fever..

It was then a few bikers turned up & one of them was the guy I met in Applecross! He informed me there was a crackin' pub not far away.

Oh dear!

There's a real ale festival on...

My 1st

2nd

3rd

4th

..then I lost count & it all went pear shaped.

No music on my ipod tonight.

 

[Bengaz]

Brilliant...More...

 

[Chaz]

Great ride report

Nice sticker

 

[THE DOCTOR]

Friday - Day 7

Morning has broken & what a morning! onyack

Shame I've got such a banging hangover!

I've got to be out by 11am but I don't want to get up let alone pack up. The heat doesn't help at all.

I roll out at about 11:30 & head for Ardentinny again to meet up with the family.

There's plenty of stops to clear my head & I drink about a litre of water on route.

A shower, hot tub, sauna & soft bed await just down the road.

Ahh, bliss, not long now, I'll never drink again!

Didn't touch a drop of alcohol all day, now you know why Mum.

Feel a lot better now for the ride home tomorrow.

Been listening to this guy's new album this week & these 2 tracks are in my head all the time.

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[THE DOCTOR]

Saturday - Day 8

The ride home.

As it's a pleasant sunny morning I've decided to ride straight home, should take me about 5 to 6 hours.

I've got to admit, my Airhawk cushioned seat is fantastic & I've had no aches or pains all week (which is normally the case). It's even doubled up as a pillow when camping.

A short ride from base & I pass Loch Eck, Loch Long & Loch Lomond

I wonder if I'd be allowed to ride my DRz400 around here?

Over The River Clyde & the long drag down the M74 & M6.

onyack

Hoped you enjoyed my little ride report.

End of trip stats...

Sunday

Spent all day in the sun at home drinking beer & cleaning the GS.

 

[Uncle Ricky]

Brillant report, got me all excited, ................. I am off on Monday 8/6 down to Austria and Switzerland can't wait. onyack

 

[tinatrim]

Fantastic report. Glad you had a great time. Whens the next......love reading your reports, keep them coming please.

 

[THE DOCTOR]

Fantastic report. Glad you had a great time. Whens the next......love reading your reports, keep them coming please.

This trip was planned as my main trip for 2009 & I have no others in the pipeline yet although I've got a week off at the end of the month & Tom's Garmisch trip looks interesting. Having ridden with Tom before I know it won't be a mad dash there at breakneck speeds. (which is good )

Hope to meet you out on the trails again sometime soon Tina.

 

[Aidan1150]

Good report Doc. Thanks for posting.

 

[DaveR]

Great report and photo's. Can I check with you, that looks like a monster Tarp. What make is it/where did you get it? Thanks

 

[THE DOCTOR]

Great report and photo's. Can I check with you, that looks like a monster Tarp. What make is it/where did you get it? Thanks

It's one of those cheapo tarps (Adventure) from Aldi, I think I paid about £20 for it. It came with 4 poles so you could set it up with a pole in each corner or have 2 v.high poles at each end but I opted to leave 2 at home. Packs down to about half the size of my tent.

Tarp - £20, used 3 times.
Tent - £35, used 12 times.

Credit crunch touring!