5 days in August

The plan was for my 1st long distance tour on my 1993 Gen 3. About 1000 miles over 5 days

Here's what actually happened

Day 1 - Home to Edinburgh

Rolled out the drive with 34803 on the mileometer and 8:03 on the clock - a good omen.

Knocked off the motorway bit with a stop at my stepsons house for breakfast at about 10:00

Then it was on A roads from Newcastle to Edinburgh via Jedburgh. Got flagged down a couple of miles short of Jedburgh by a French rider who'd run out of fuel. So a quick run in and back with a gallon can of fuel to get him on his way again. The roads were great with only a few minor showers of rain. Camped in the Lothain Bridge Campsite that night.

Day 2 - Edinburgh to Isle of Skye

Bike had a bit of a sulk having been left out in the rain over night. At least the idiot light I fitted to tell me if the RR had gone stupid did. Turned out after I bought a multimeter to check all was OK.
The A9 from Perth was a bit boring but once off that, fantastic riding roads. Riding up and over some of the passes was superb. The excitment for that day though was some Dutch guy having his wife pull their bike over onto her and the pump when refueling. Still the bike (and her ) were fine once 4 of us had picked the bike up. Rolled into the Torvaig campsite which was fantastic, quiet and about 10 minutes walk from Portree.

Day 3 - Edinburgh - Luss (Loch Lomond)

Well that was the plan.

The short ride to the Mallig ferry was great but then it started to rain. Just after Fort William ran into a long tail back of traffic. Decided to do what bikers do and filter to the front of the queue to find a car, van and a trailer in the ditch. About an hours wait - in the rain.
My idiot light then decided to show sulk again and instead of showing a low charge show no charge. So once past the accident stop on a garage under their canopy to avoid the rain (are you getting a trend yet :smile to stick my new multimeter on the battery - still all OK.
So after 6 1/2 hours on the road all in the rain I arrived in Luss. Talking to the people there I decided to try and break free of the weather and ride to my next planned stop in the Lake District.
So off I go through Glasgow (missed the junction) and down the M74.
What with rain warnings on the motorway gantry signs of "HEAVY RAIN AND FLODDING FORECAST" and wide loads on the road I arrived in Carlisle at 7pm.
Enough was enough by then so I checked into the Premier Inn just off J41. Even in my dedraggled state they couldn't have been more helpfull. Were even prepeared for me to ride the bike through the lobby to park it under cover. Fantastic.
Overall 288 miles in the pouring rain.
It then stopped raining

Day 4 - now well off plan but looking how to recover things.

Forecats was for rain all over the West coast, but I thought I head south and see how things panned out.
So started off and within a mile it started (yes you guessed it) to rain. So stop put all the wet weather gear on and off we go.
I surrendered to the inevitable then and decided to ride home. So 190 miles later in heavier rain than the day before, floods and rivers across the road I arrived home.

Parked the old boy in the garage and collapsed in the house. He'd never missed a beat despite the terrible conditions and I love him even if he is 17 years old.




Day 5 - the bitter sweet conclusion

Woke up bright and early with the plan to wash and clean the bike and generally tidy everything away.

Went to the garage only to find the door open and the bike gone. Some bastard had stolen him.

I couldn't (and still can't) believe how emmotional I became bursting in to tears.

The Police came and I resigned myself that I would need to start looking for a new bike - even going as far as buying MCN.


AND THEN

The Policeman (a fellow biker) rang to say that 2 dog walkers had reported a bike in a field. When got there, there was the bike completly un-damaged with the exception of the ignition barrel. The copper found it upright on its stand and managed to even get it started.
Me and him pushed and rode it out of the field and I took him home.

So 5 days of some of the greatest emotions I have experienced all together and hopefully a happy ending.

Unless they come back in which case hopefully I'll be there to greet them with a 6 foot length of 4x2 to hand.

Caio

 

Absolutely fantastic post with a great ending!

 

Holy Smokes!
What a ride, both physically and emotionally.

Wonderful that you got your girl back safe and mostly sound.
Thanks for posting the write up. We don't often get reports from folks on that side of the world.

 

Great write up and trip, kind of. Been in the rain for days so I can empathize with you. I'd be heart broken and in killer mode if my bike was stolen . Glad you found it and it was OK! Time to have a couple of pints.:drinker:

 

Thanks All

It was a bit of a mission but if nothing else I learned a few things

1) How attached I am to this bike which was a surprise.
2) I had an "Adventure" which is rare in the safety paronid country in which I live.
3) I can ride the best part of 300 miles in appaling conditions, so if I haven't come out a better wet weather rider I will be very disappointed
4) I need to go back and do the thing again but complete it. Watch thios space for round 2 in about 51 weeks time
5) Garages that open onto main roads need alarms on them. Mine does now.

Tris

 

thanx for sharing your adventure. glad it had a good ending. if i were there, i'd surely buy you a pint or two!

 

Thoroughly enjoyed your narrative, and the pics. I, too, have been caught riding in the rain all day long, day after day, and still thoroughly enjoyed myself. It's just simply amazing how liberating and therapeutic a motorbike trip is - each and every time! When I take my car on a trip, I can't wait to get out of it. When I take my bike on a trip, I don't want the ride to end. Nothing else comes anywhere close to two-wheeling it.

 

I love a happy ending!!