Bike taxed just before midnight, ready for first ride of 2020 today.
Got my chores done and waited for the noon day heatwave to ease off and headed in one of favourite directions - St Mary’s Loch. Many years since I’d seen Talla & Megget so looped round there to St Mary’s & Moffat. I’d forgotten there was such a steep climb on that wee road.
Absolutely fuckin’ brilliant.
Mostly had the road to myself for 150 miles. After stopping to picture the “we’re shut” sign at the Dumfries & Galloway county line towards Moffat, I did a 180 and enjoyed 5.5 miles back past the loch. And of course heading back again to Moffat let me have 3 runs on one of the best bits of road in the land. After the first pass I had Mrs Sheep and her lambs sussed. Sheep & pheasants were the biggest hazard of the day, followed by a few areas of melting tarmac FFS.
Twats of the day were the van driver and Porsche driver who blew past at silly speed on the A801, leaving me to pass them a minute later on the short dual section into the next roundabout.
As the bike and I have been hibernating since end of October, both were in Rain mode to start, just enjoying the trundle until half way then switched to Dynamic mode as I was getting back in the groove.
Although a few people were enjoying the popular parking areas, there was no crowding at all.
Was still 24 degrees at 6pm. Astonishing.
As my 10 day May trip to Germany & Belgium (Spa) had been blitzed it was a good start to the year as I could have wished for. Roll on summer
ps - the String Vest on my seat was recently acquired after reading a recommendation. Can only say that I wasn’t uncomfortable so maybe my erse was being Aircooled. Will have to fully test it in rain next.
Got my chores done and waited for the noon day heatwave to ease off and headed in one of favourite directions - St Mary’s Loch. Many years since I’d seen Talla & Megget so looped round there to St Mary’s & Moffat. I’d forgotten there was such a steep climb on that wee road.
Absolutely fuckin’ brilliant.
Mostly had the road to myself for 150 miles. After stopping to picture the “we’re shut” sign at the Dumfries & Galloway county line towards Moffat, I did a 180 and enjoyed 5.5 miles back past the loch. And of course heading back again to Moffat let me have 3 runs on one of the best bits of road in the land. After the first pass I had Mrs Sheep and her lambs sussed. Sheep & pheasants were the biggest hazard of the day, followed by a few areas of melting tarmac FFS.
Twats of the day were the van driver and Porsche driver who blew past at silly speed on the A801, leaving me to pass them a minute later on the short dual section into the next roundabout.
As the bike and I have been hibernating since end of October, both were in Rain mode to start, just enjoying the trundle until half way then switched to Dynamic mode as I was getting back in the groove.
Although a few people were enjoying the popular parking areas, there was no crowding at all.
Was still 24 degrees at 6pm. Astonishing.
As my 10 day May trip to Germany & Belgium (Spa) had been blitzed it was a good start to the year as I could have wished for. Roll on summer
ps - the String Vest on my seat was recently acquired after reading a recommendation. Can only say that I wasn’t uncomfortable so maybe my erse was being Aircooled. Will have to fully test it in rain next.
