AlanAce1967
Registered user
Its that time of year again, my countdown has finished and its time to go again !
The Plan, ride round Scotland and take some nice photos.
The bike - R1150GS, mint, nice and shiney etc. (To start with anyway!)
The Camera - Canon 40D 16-35 L Mk2 F2.8
The weather - changable (As usual!)
Friday.
Packed and ready to go, 0700 hrs, sun shining.
Left Yaxley 0700 hrs in perfect weather, rode up the A1 and cut left through the Yorkshire Dales to break up the journey. Missed one of my turns so i stopped close to the side of the road so i could do a U turn, went to put my foot down and ...... couldn`t reach the floor properly, CRASH ! I dropped it for the first time. I couldn`t believe it. I couldn`t pick it up either and had to flag down a passing motorist to help me. Luckily no damage except for a few marks on left hand engine cover. Bad start really.
Anyway, put that behind me and off i go again, great roads and some good riding. Stop at Bainbridge for fuel and off i go again. Just a few miles down the road i come to a set of temporary traffic lights so i stop, and the bike leans to the right, and guess what ???? Yup, i dropped it again !
This time however, it seems we had not shut the fuel cap properly, petrol pours out of the tank, under my tank bag and cover and out onto my hot exhaust and engine. I feared the worse and got my camera bag off the bike quick, grapped a passing motorist and after a few attempts picked it back up. The was petrol all over the road, i was covered in it, if it had ignited i would be toast ! Anyway, apart from that there was no damage. I decided to ride it several more miles and if there were anymore problems at all i was going home.
All seemed ok so i pushed on. I joined the A66 and headed for the M6 and up to the A74 to Glasgow.
Drove past Glasgow, up the side of Loch Lomond and to a campsite near Tyndrum on the A82.
There is a nice river running down the side of this place with some waterfalls so i thought i would get some pics, the midges however had other ideas and i got mobbed by a huge cloud of them !
Saturday.
Up early, very cold, drove up A85 then turned right up the B8074, Bridge of Orchy road. Great road with a fantastic river running alongside with loads of waterfalls.
Then rejoined the A85 Glen Coe road. this is one spectacular road when the weather is nice.
I then turned left into Glen Etive. Its a dead end road about 12 miles long with Loch Etive at the bottom, its popular with wild campers and its great.
Got to Fort William, went to b&b then out for a meal.
Sunday.
Up 0730, breakfast at b&b and headed for Applecross.
Now we have all seen this picture before ..........
Do you ever wonder what is down there ? What is there past that bridge ? Well i can tell you and show you, it is the most amazing road, it goes for 23 miles to Loch Hourn, the road changes from open, to forested to windy, to well, everything. Its great, go see for yourself.
This is the bridge up close !
And then............ on to Applecross, and it was a bright clear day this year !
There was this handsome chap at the top !!
I chose to stay in a wigwam this year, they are really good.
It was a great day and i was getting over dropping my bike the day before, the weather was great and all was well. I packed so i could get an early start Monday and got an early night.
Monday.
Woke up, coffee, shaved etc, loaded up bike, just putting last bag on the tank and guess what ????????
The bike needed a lie down !!
I was not impressed. This time there was noone around to help me pick it up. Eventually half an hour later a chap i had been speaking to the night before came and helped me pick it up. This time i had smashed the right front indicater, broken off the r/h engine protector, ripped the HT lead out of its socket and broke both front clips off my tank bag !
I was really not happy.
After half an hour with some insulation tape and a few cable ties i was ready to go.
I went from Applecross via the coast road up to Durness where i intended to camp.
Then the weather turned really cold and wet and windy. I decided i would head back to Fort William for the night and return home Tuesday.
Got a really nice room in the b&b.
Tuesday.
The weather has decided to stay, i decided to go !
I left at 0800 and drove through Glen Coe in an absolute rain storm and didnt stop till i got home at 3pm. Scotland is great in the sun but miserable in the rain.
I have decided a few things on this trip.....
My tent is too small.
My sleeping bag is too small.
I hate camping !
I carry too much stuff !
From now on its b&bs and just a few clothes !
Oh, and only if its sunny !!
Hope you enjoyed this, please leave a comment, thanks for reading it.
Alan
The Plan, ride round Scotland and take some nice photos.
The bike - R1150GS, mint, nice and shiney etc. (To start with anyway!)
The Camera - Canon 40D 16-35 L Mk2 F2.8
The weather - changable (As usual!)
Friday.
Packed and ready to go, 0700 hrs, sun shining.
Left Yaxley 0700 hrs in perfect weather, rode up the A1 and cut left through the Yorkshire Dales to break up the journey. Missed one of my turns so i stopped close to the side of the road so i could do a U turn, went to put my foot down and ...... couldn`t reach the floor properly, CRASH ! I dropped it for the first time. I couldn`t believe it. I couldn`t pick it up either and had to flag down a passing motorist to help me. Luckily no damage except for a few marks on left hand engine cover. Bad start really.
Anyway, put that behind me and off i go again, great roads and some good riding. Stop at Bainbridge for fuel and off i go again. Just a few miles down the road i come to a set of temporary traffic lights so i stop, and the bike leans to the right, and guess what ???? Yup, i dropped it again !
This time however, it seems we had not shut the fuel cap properly, petrol pours out of the tank, under my tank bag and cover and out onto my hot exhaust and engine. I feared the worse and got my camera bag off the bike quick, grapped a passing motorist and after a few attempts picked it back up. The was petrol all over the road, i was covered in it, if it had ignited i would be toast ! Anyway, apart from that there was no damage. I decided to ride it several more miles and if there were anymore problems at all i was going home.
All seemed ok so i pushed on. I joined the A66 and headed for the M6 and up to the A74 to Glasgow.
Drove past Glasgow, up the side of Loch Lomond and to a campsite near Tyndrum on the A82.
There is a nice river running down the side of this place with some waterfalls so i thought i would get some pics, the midges however had other ideas and i got mobbed by a huge cloud of them !
Saturday.
Up early, very cold, drove up A85 then turned right up the B8074, Bridge of Orchy road. Great road with a fantastic river running alongside with loads of waterfalls.
Then rejoined the A85 Glen Coe road. this is one spectacular road when the weather is nice.
I then turned left into Glen Etive. Its a dead end road about 12 miles long with Loch Etive at the bottom, its popular with wild campers and its great.
Got to Fort William, went to b&b then out for a meal.
Sunday.
Up 0730, breakfast at b&b and headed for Applecross.
Now we have all seen this picture before ..........
Do you ever wonder what is down there ? What is there past that bridge ? Well i can tell you and show you, it is the most amazing road, it goes for 23 miles to Loch Hourn, the road changes from open, to forested to windy, to well, everything. Its great, go see for yourself.
This is the bridge up close !
And then............ on to Applecross, and it was a bright clear day this year !
There was this handsome chap at the top !!
I chose to stay in a wigwam this year, they are really good.
It was a great day and i was getting over dropping my bike the day before, the weather was great and all was well. I packed so i could get an early start Monday and got an early night.
Monday.
Woke up, coffee, shaved etc, loaded up bike, just putting last bag on the tank and guess what ????????
The bike needed a lie down !!
I was not impressed. This time there was noone around to help me pick it up. Eventually half an hour later a chap i had been speaking to the night before came and helped me pick it up. This time i had smashed the right front indicater, broken off the r/h engine protector, ripped the HT lead out of its socket and broke both front clips off my tank bag !
I was really not happy.
After half an hour with some insulation tape and a few cable ties i was ready to go.
I went from Applecross via the coast road up to Durness where i intended to camp.
Then the weather turned really cold and wet and windy. I decided i would head back to Fort William for the night and return home Tuesday.
Got a really nice room in the b&b.
Tuesday.
The weather has decided to stay, i decided to go !
I left at 0800 and drove through Glen Coe in an absolute rain storm and didnt stop till i got home at 3pm. Scotland is great in the sun but miserable in the rain.
I have decided a few things on this trip.....
My tent is too small.
My sleeping bag is too small.
I hate camping !
I carry too much stuff !
From now on its b&bs and just a few clothes !
Oh, and only if its sunny !!
Hope you enjoyed this, please leave a comment, thanks for reading it.
Alan
of it.Pity the weather cut short yer trip.
But maybe not so much fun in the rain...
though
