Gael back in Africa.

Drumacoon Lad.

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Many of you will have followed Simon(simondippenhall) and my trips around Africa in recent years. I returned to UK on March 11, 2020 having completed a 12,000 mile trip from Congo to Tanzania via South Africa on a Suzuki EN125(partly documented here (https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/516136-In-search-of-Father-Jack ). Simon and I arrived in Namibia in September 2019 and he headed north, then up the east coast as far as Sudan and took a ferry to Saudi, then rode to Isreal via Jordan, completing a round trip of Africa. He then loaded his bike on a ferry to Greece, flew to Greece and rejoined the bike, to ride to Motorcamp in Bulgaria. His bike has returned to UK recently and I helped deliver it to Steptoe this week, to have it serviced in preparation for furthers travels. Simon's trip
from Cameroon onwards is documented in this link where I make a cameo appearance again for a few countries https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/491947-Gael-warning-in-the-Congo .


You will now notice I'm diverging from the title temporarily and if the odd meander is not your thing, then maybe this is the not the Ride Report for you. However if you stick with it, we'll get back on track, eventually. I once had a job where I had to explain difficult problems to customers. My predecessor gave me one piece of advice, which was that I should not be a slave to the whole truth, but what ever I said I needed to leave a path back to the truth, just case that later proved necessary. So with your agreement I'll adopt a similar approach here.

As we all experienced, the last 22 months has probably been the strangest in our lives. The UK entered lockdown soon after I returned from Africa and motorcycling for any reason was discouraged, as deemed risky and as we may put the emergency services under further strain if an accident occurred. So my 2 wheeled outlet was via push bike, whether MTB on local trails, electric bike for longer trips, then a road bike as I got fitter. Things eased for a period in the summer of 2020 and an excuse for a trip presented itself and also chance for the Simon and Jim team to reunite. My family have a house in France and because of lockdown in Ireland, they where not able to visit the property, so I volunteered to ride down there and tend the garden. I had an R1150R which needed to have its legs stretched and Simon had his trusty R1200RT. The 1150 had its legs truly stretched keeping pace with the RT, but we covered the 610 miles, including Channel crossing to arrive in time to shop in the supermarket and have a stroll around the small town of Argentat on the banks of the Dordogne. We spend an enjoyable few days, cutting the grass and shrubs of the overgrown garden and visiting local towns.

Photos below show the condition of the French garden when we arrived, the gardner, the gardners surveying their work and one of the 3 trips to the dump, then a stroll to take in a view of Argentat and the Dordogne.

The next day a cycle to nearby Beaulieu and then an outing to Rocamadour to meet two French biker friends who were touring the area.

Finally a view of the finished garden.




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Simon returned via friends near Paris and I called in on Mainz, Germany, on the Rhein, before riding back to UK. Not a major trip you'll agree but in the context of some months of lockdown it was great to be back on a bike visiting other countries.

A view of Mainz old Town below.
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The next "adventure" was an informal camping trip to the New Forest in June for around 12 members of this forum, organised by The Other PaulG, Simon and I went down there and a great time was had by all, swapping stories, eating and drinking. Thanks Paul!
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With no long distance trip in the offing, Simon suggested going to the Irish GSer doo in Lennane, Galway in September. I also noticed that the Scottish GSer event was a week later in Portsoy, East of Inverness and a plan was hatched. We both had family to visit in Ireland, as I'd not seen my siblings for a couple of years. Afterwards, Simon and I met in the middle of Ireland for the ride to Portsoy. Simon was on his new sizable 1800cc Honda Gold wing and me on my recently acquired R1200R LS, not ideal vehicles for a GSer(Adventure bike) event. The ride over to Leenane was a revelation for me with the excellent quality of the roads and a general air of prosperity in the towns we passed through. The venue for the meet was excellent and in a stunning location on the shores of Irelands only fjord.

Some views along the route to Leenane and the view of the fjord from Leenane hotel.
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The ride out on the Saturday was interesting and geared up to GS bikes, but we hadn't bargained for boreens(small Irish roads) with grass growing up the middle and Simon and I had a fun time on our big tarmac bikes, but managed to keep up with the group. There may have been a sense of seeing if these guys who write the Ride Reports about travelling in Africa, can really ride. Simon and I explored the limits of our road bikes, both new to us, and our only regret is not to have more time to admire the wonderful views. We did get our fill of great scenery when Jockser led a small group of us around Achill Island in the afternoon, which we'll remember for some time. Thanks Jockster for a great event and the ride around Achill.

A couple of sketchy photos from my helmet cam on the ride out and then a few photos of the subgroup around Achill.
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Leaving Leenane the next day, Simon and I headed north early as the weather was closing in from the south west. Our destination was Derry but we stopped en route to pay out respects to WB Yates at his grave in Drumcliff, in the shadow of Benbulben mountain.
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We didn't hang about as the rain was catching up with us and we found our way into Derry and to a hotel just inside the famous walls, perfect. That evening we walked the walls, viewed the cannon and looked down on the Bogside and saw some of the wall murals. That evening over dinner we considered our next move.
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Before moving on, we decided to return to the Republic and explore the Inishowen peninsula, sticking to the coast, along some of the Wild Atlantic Way and ending up at Malin head the most northerly point of Ireland. The scenery was stunning and the roads were wonderful, if at times a handful for our less than nimble bikes. At one point, going up a pass I saw, with some alarm, Simon and the Wing disappear into low cloud, a picture I'd love to have captured. Coming over the pass, the sunlit view below was breathtaking. Malin Head allows great views over the coast to east and west and was a good place to catch our breath. It had been an important WWll observation point, tracking planes returning from patrols over the Atlantic.
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Afterwards we headed south from Malin Head(the only choice) and aimed for a scenic road to the east of Derry. This road led eventually to Bellaghy and the museum of Seamus Heaney, poet and Nobel Laureat. Simon and spent a relaxing few hours reading and absorbing the atmosphere in the museum, a contrast to the active day on the bikes. The museum is highly recommended.
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We then had a short ride North to our hotel close to Bushmills, but closer to The Giants Causway. The hotel was on the grounds of the causway and after a relaxed evening Simon and I took an early breakfast and walked down to the Causway before the visitor centre opened. It was great to be there just sharing the space with the member of staff picking up some litter. He suggested we enjoy this quiet time, as pretty soon the coaches would disorge their passengers and the Causway would be very busy. We'd both been here before but it still has a special magic. I understand the science of why these pillars are formed from molten rock but they still fascinate.

We didn't tally too long as we planned to be sleeping in a different country that evening, and there were lots of narrow twisty roads to negotiate first. As we walked back uphill to the hotel, the predicted stream of visitors were on heir way down to see this World Heritage Site.

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Leaving the hotel with the loaded bikes we picked up again on the coastal road. We didn't go too far before turning left down to the delightful little Ballintoy Harbour and relax and take in the wonderful scenery.
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Back on the coast road we passed through Ballycastle and continued on the coast road. We stopped at a junction pointing left down a narrow road closer to the coast in the direction of Torr Head. I looked questioningly at Simon, realising our bikes were not ideal for this kind of road, and he nodded with a look of resignation more than enthusiasm. The signs warned against the use of caravans but I had been along this road before, in a campervan, so felt it couldn't be that bad.

Well it proved to be up there, as the most challenging road of the trip. It was narrow, but it was the extreme climbs and decents coupled with the sharp corners and occasional mist, which tested us and our road bikes, particularly for Simon on his Gold Wing. We met cars and the occasional tractor to add to the challenge and when we stopped at Cushendun Harbour and had an ice-cream, we were still tingling, reflecting on the little road and shaking our heads. After ice-cream we rode south again keeping close to the coast. The road from Cushendall to Larne is the definition of a coast road. It follows every inlet giving uninterrupted views of the sea. It was a challenge at times to keep our eyes on the road and a delightful way to end our riding in Ireland, before we took the ferry from Larne to Stranraer.
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We landed in Stranrare in drizzle and had about 45 mins to ride to our hotel. As we climbed and rode North, the drizzle turned to mist and visibility was poor. I was glad of Simon taking the lead and I focused on his tail lights. While following Simon in Africa I learned to keep a safe distance as his brake lights were permanently on, a result of an African repair, this time it was good to know they worked well on the new Honda. It was an unpleasant ride but we arrived safely at our B&B.


I'm conscious that this is a prelude to a trip in Africa so will move swiftly on to the the next day when we left in sunshine and along another coast road. I'd asked Simon that we could stop at Largs, with the inducement of an excellent ice cream at Nardini's at the harbour, I know Simon's weaknesses. The ice cream did not disappoint and we were entertained with the arrival of the Cumbrae Ferry and also spotted the Waverly paddle steamer moored close by. I knew Largs quite well, as I'd lived here in the early '80s and while Simon finished his ice-cream I nipped off to see the house I lived in nearly 40 years ago. It was virtually unaltered, even with the same shrubs growing in the front garden. The outlook from the house afforded a great view over the Clyde, to Cumbrae, Kyntyre and the Isle of Aran. When I joined Simon we continued north, again along the coast, through Greenock and on to Glasgow.

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For those patient readers who have stuck with this, we come to a link between this trip report and my "In search of Father Jack" write up. We were heading for a graveyard outside Glasgow in search, not surprisingly, a grave. The grave was that of Father Jack's father, who died in 1915 during WW1, 3 months after joining the Royal Engineers. I had searched this enormous graveyard twice before and failed, the horizontal rain on those occasions did not help. This time I arrived at the graveyard in sunshine, with more information and an able assistant, Simon.

We initially searched two areas of the graveyard which were possibilities, without success, but in the third of 24 areas, we found Sapper Edward Sherry's grave. It was a great relief to find and as I was the first in my family to visit the grave, quite a moving experience. He died in service during WW1 and has a military headstone. Edward Sherry's brother, my grandfather, lived with us till I was about 10, so I knew him well. Father Jack is buried in California, so I hope to visit there some time in the future.
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Nice report. Glad you enjoyed Ireland.

I am delighted and a little intrigued at your comment "general air of prosperity in the towns we passed through". It is a great little country. :thumby::aidan
 
Now that I think about it I was chatting to you in Leenane.... or maybe more accurately getting in your way outside the hotel. I was the guy trying to get a bit of air into my back tyre beside your bike! :D
 
Jim: great update and well penned….spoilt only by the large white Honda in the pictures 🤔😁.

Looking forward to the next episodes in your adventure. Not jealous at all!:green gri:blast
 


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