Previous
ride outs at Motoeuro....
28th
June 2008:
A bit last minute but what the
hell..... A Saturday afternoon blast up to Matfen,
through the back roads to Longhorsley, Rothbury,
Otterburn, and Belsay. Marvellous. Dunno how
Geordie remembers the route, I'd be still lost.
On the down side, we both need new rubber and
the Tuono needs a service and the valves done.
Nice cheap job then. Good job we're all rolling
in cash. Oh, hang on.....
19th June 2008
You see, in
my book if you drink when taking antibiotics
it just stops them from working, you don't pass
out or throw up. Wrong. According to a couple
(yes, I had to make sure) of medical websites
the tablets I am on for a gum abscess are geet
strong and will make you sick, give you the
'trotts' and you will obviously pass out and
your brain will melt. Sounds like a normal Friday
night out to me.
Resisting temptation to ignore advice, I filled
in my Friday night by cleaning the chain on
the Viffer, managed to 'stretch' it out for
and hour and half, avoiding contact with the
fridge at all costs.
So, all sorted for Saturday's planned ride out.
Magic. Err..... No. Rain, rain, more rain with
a dash for rain. Oh, for the love of God, and
it's the summer solstice - First day of British
Summer Time - who's taking the pi*****
9th June 2008: Looking
over the rolling countryside in 20 degree sun,
I could have been anywhere; France, Austria,
Germany.... The cooling breeze with half un-zipped
leathers reminded me of scorching heat in the
south of France back in 2005. Biking is great,
innit ?
Rolling off the A69 to Corbridge, I picked up
the back roads to Hexham and on to Hartside,
past Alston. Hartside Café was more like
a Moto GP grid than a place of terrible coffee
as the twisties, dry roads and hot sun was too
tempting for most - everyone was out, from 20
year old Bee Emm's and trikes to cutting edge
Blade's and race bikes. Marvellous. Back in
time for the Moto GP highlights and a couple
of beers but I must take the time to rid the
Viffer of all those dead bugs.... 1,000's of
the little buggers - a true sign of summer.
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14th
May 2008: Always promised myself
I would try more to get out after work, at 6.15pm
we rolled into Belsay ready for the off. Just
a quick blast on our favourite roads in the
evening sun, but for some reason was bloody
chilly. With family holidays looming for the
boys it could be June before the next ride out....
or even Motoeuro 2008 before the four horsemen
meet at Armageddon.... Oh, shut up, fool. Incidentally,
even more of the A696 and the A68 have been
resurfaced, but at the moment its all 'shiny',
like riding into a pool of diesel.
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Even
at this distance you can feel the heat
off that Tuono's pipe. |
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10th
May 2008:
Scorching summer sun, dry roads and an early
start for Saturday. We're off to Otturburn to
see if the crappy tarmac has been repaired yet
on the A696 (and it is ! Whoohoo), then over
to Bellingham to Kielder. Magic.
It's been at least 18 months since we're been
this way but the roads are still as twisty and
as fun as ever. We ride to the very top of Kielder
crossing into Scotland and through tiwisties
to Saughtree and on towards Bonchester Bridge
but decide to leg-it over to Carter Bar for
a hoot on those dry twisties too. Back in time
for a late lunch and over to Sparkos for oodles
of food and beer for the birthday boy - oh,
happy days :)
The tarmac on the A696 has
all been repaired and renewed in places. It's
way better than it's been for ages. But beware,
a word of caution if you lust knee-down action.
The damn stuff is so shiny and gravely as it's
just been completed, give it a few weeks before
you stick you're leg down or it'll be leg, shoulder
and head down. |
3rd
May 2008: Embarrassingly
reminded that we've only managed about 6,500
miles in 18 months, we must start to make amends.
Sunny Bank Holiday ride outs are essential to
gather post-ride motivation to cut the grass.
Unbelievably, after a couple of Dave hiccups,
Mark, Geordie and me get together for a blast
up the coast. As we head off it's reminiscent
scene for Star Wars as the KTM and Tuono disappear
at light speed..... A missed turn and frantic
arm-waving later we're heading for Rothbury.
Lots of bikes out on this sunny warm day, shame
the coffee was bollox, hey-ho.
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| 17th
April 2008: With
all this heavy liquid sunshine we've been having,
biking has not been the first thing on our minds.
But just as the sun does come out for the most
glorious of evenings, daft-boy here has no leathers
as they in getting repaired. For goodness sake......
At least Geordie gets out, off to Alnwick via
some nice roads and back via the coast; Alnmouth,
Warkworth, Amble back to Morpeth. But hey, It's
a bank holiday soon.............. |
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At
times it was nice and dry, even warm.
C'mon summer. |
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13th
April 2008: With Geordie nursing
a monster hangover, I'm out on my tod. The sunniest
Sunday for months wasn't going to be lost -
Just in case Geordie did get my text I went
to Belsay for a coffee but I know he's unconscious
so I'm off to the Borders. From here it's north
to Jedburgh to warm up as it was so bloody cold
on the higher ground. Followed the blue skies
to Newton St.Boswells and on to Galashiels (those
sweeping corers are way, way too tempting),
and then up the magnificent A7 towards Edinburgh.
I find myself half way up the A7 at Fountainhall
at 12.30pm with a promise to the missus I'd
be back for 1.30pm as we're 'going out on such
a nice day', oh, pap. That's about 90 miles
back in an hour....... So that's roughly 170
miles, an hour to wash the bike but then rewarded
with a few drinks in front of the Moto GP, marvellous.
Take it from me, the A696
surface is crap. The corners after Ottercops
heading north are so patchy and crumbly the
back of my bike was all over the shop, long
gone are the days of leaning over in these corners.
Same again on the next set of twisties heading
to Otturburn, awful. Joining the A68 things
heat up until Catcleugh Reservoir where the
entire road is being resurfaced and your bike
takes no notice of rider input, it just follows
those grooves cut in the road.... Thanks a lot.
Even Carter Bar is looking worn and crumbly
in some corners. Heading into Jedburgh it's
fine and thereafter through Gala onto the A7
it's back to good tarmac. Only 2 months before
Motoeuro and I notice my back tyre is on the
limiter..... Pap x 2.... |
22nd
March 2008
Easter Egg Run - Northumberland 2008.
As I was heaving the
Viffer out the garage, there was still snow on the
ground. Are we mad ? Turns out that me, Geordie and
another 500 bikers are.
The Easter Egg Run (Organised
by Northumberland Bikers) is an opportunity for
all bikers to get together in aid of local charities.
As we rode through Blyth it was pretty cool to see
so many people lining the streets cheering and waving
at all kinds of bikes; from Harleys, Guzzi's, sports
bikes and trikes there was a good turn out considering
it was bloody cold and bad weather was forecast. Soon
enough we had sleet, hail and snow but then it became
sunny... Odd. Repeat this process 2 or 3 times and
by 2pm many had drifted off home.
However, the pubs we stopped at where on hand with
tea, coffee and sarnies. Nice, ta very much. Despite
the crappy weather, it was good to feel part of something
- a rather different kind of ride out that was good
fun.
23rd February 2008
It seemed dry when we set off.....
A whirlwind tour of
the north east coast but rain came our way at Alnwick.
Compounded by crappy tarmac, blustery winds (excuse
me ?) and good old fashioned mud on the roads, Geordie
and I stopped at Rothbury for grub but all exits to
Alnwick, Otterburn and Scots Gap looked wet and 'missley'.
We ended up in Rotchester, north of Otterburn. By
now we're wet, bikes are covered in crud and we're
not over the moon with that damn blustery wind forcing
our bikes all over the shop, mind you, in a silly
endurance kinda way its entertaining..... Could have
made use of a nice GS or KTM Adventure mind. Time
to call it a day at just over 100 miles.
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Rain.
Wind. Mud. Joy. |
It
was clean for a whole 10 minutes. |
Dave's
usual parking skills. |
Insert
funny caption here. |
16th & 17th february 2008: With
his Tuono back, clocks fixed and all well, Geordie's
up for a spin on Saturday but thanks to an organisational
cock-up he's out on his tod. Away up the coast to
Amble, Warkworth, Alnmouth, Alnwick, Rothbury, Otterburn
and back to Belsay then Morpeth. Nice but 'chilly'
apparently. 24 hours later, I am thinking of a Sunday
blast but it's a tad too cold, roads a tad greasy,
and I am tad hung-over feeling a tad tired. Nahh,
bugger it. I'm away back to bed....
Meanwhile, John's been out a few times round the doors,
it's still too wintery for us lot to meet up in Edinburgh
or the borders but with Spring just around the corner,
we'll be back to our usual silliness in no time.
Not
the most exciting of destinations, but she gets
rewarded with a wash anyway - and I found a
few bugs - Summer is coming ! |
9th
February 2008: Every silver
lining has a cloud. Saturday was the first day
in months I dare venture outdoors without a
jacket, so no big surprise I am itching to get
the Viffer on those dry roads. As usual it's
the short-notice that cocks things up so no-one
is out. After my Saturday battle at Tesco I'm
back on the bike and for some odd reason heading
for the Tyne Tunnel..... Eh ?
In the darkest corner of my mind I am up for
visiting Whitby. Half of me wants to check my
stamina on the longest runway in the North -
The A19. I don't exactly have time on my side
so when I get to the North Yorkshire Moors at
Hill Top, it's getting bloomin cold and I only
have about hour left to make it back for yet
another alcohol induced coma. Luke warm, horrible
coffee - check. Smokes - check. Silly sunglasses...ch....eck.
Back along the A19, but cut over to the A1M
(nice wee road from the A19 to the A1M). Back
to Washington Services for a smoke and my legs
are aching. Sorry, my legs, arms and the small
of my back are aching. Oh, god. 125 miles and
I am falling to bits, how the heck am I gonna
managed the 400+ to Portsmouth in June ? Let
alone the additional 2,200 round Europe. Feck,
feck, feck..... Double feck..... |
Nice
bike, crap hair.... |
By
complete fluke (not good judgement I assure
you), my bike was in tip-top riding condition
thanks to the week before bleeding the Scotty,
checking tyre pressures, oil level and a general
look over. So when Geordie's text arrived, I'm
up for a ride out even if I was a bit dizzy
from the night before.
It's been some time since we've been out so
our riding skills were not exactly polished
perfection. Damp roads, rather chilly temperatures
and my new, mad hair style couldn't dampen our
spirits on our 102 mile dash round the Scottish
borders. Magic. It's the hit we needed to kick-start
2008 - Don't you just love motorcycles?
However, all is not sweet in Geordie's camp,
his 18 month old Aprilia still isn't registered,
has and oil leak, cracked clocks and now the
indicators have stopped working on the dash.
See the news page. |
V-Strom
During
the darkest, coldest time at Motoeuro that northern
chap on the V-Strom has rode he 320 mile round trip
from Dundee to NCL, then been round the doors too.
Meanwhile, we've all been stuck at the bar or in front
of the T.V. Oh, the shame, the shame.
28
Oct '07 - Keep the girls running
Winter
is a bugger on bikes. Can't leave early
morning as it's too damp and cold, late afternoon,
it gets too dark and cold too quick. Cheesh. So Geordie
and I are off round the doors just to keep the bikes
running and manage around 100 miles. Getting towards
Rochester on the A68, there's police and bikes in
a pub car park, 'Bikewise' Meet ? Err.. no. Later
we found out that the local fuzz were handing out
points like smarties to any biker 'bending' the rules.
Off to Carter Bar to get our last coffee of the year
from Mrs.Caravan, and I get the pegs on the Viffer
scraping along that ShellGrip - After soiling my pants,
I am sneakily chuffed.
Sun is going down, time to head off as the Borders
in autumn are not the best place for summer bike attire.
Geordie tells me he'll 'catch me up' after a stop,
and sure enough, 5 miles later an orangy-red thing
flys past at hyperspeed sounding like he's upset the
gods. That'll be another pair of undies soiled today......
1 Oct '07 - KTM to the
coast
In true Motoeuro style, you've gotta come out when
someone gets a new bike. See the news pages for a
wee coastal trip on Marks new KTM.
16 Sept '07 - The coast
As the trees were touching their toes in the wind
and the sky looked like Mordor, I admit I had second
thoughts about this afternoon ride out. But, armed
with unfounded confidence, it was worth getting out
as all 3 of the Northern lads were out to play. Bike,
mobile, cash, smokes... Top.
Marks list was more like.... Bike, MOT, Tax, oh shite.
Needless to say just Geordie and I managed about 80
miles round the coast getting rained on a times but
generally OK, retiring in Costa Coffee in Morpeth.
Chessh, roll-on summer 2008.
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August 2007 Bank holiday..... |
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With 3 days
off work it would be a crime not to get out....
We're away to the Lakes and I have a plan born
from blind stupidity to miss most of the traffic
(yeah, yeah) and take in some great roads. Off
to Hartside via Alston, loads of bikes landing
but bloody freezing.... Down to Rheged
back to sunnier conditions. We take the A592
to Ullswater and ride the length of the lake.
It's warm, dry but very busy with cars full
of day-trippers 'ooowing' and 'aaarring' at
the shiny watery thing.
As soon as we can it's off the beaten track
on the Kirkstone
Pass. Twistie, yes. Fast, no. Definitely
GS / V-Strom territory. |
Joining the A591 we're at the
bottom of Winderwere where we ride towards Rydal and
then on the Keswick for fuel. By now the traffic is
bloody mental so fuel up and we're away to join the
A66 to
Barnard Castle - A oldy-worldy town that happens
to serve rather nice chocolate cake...errr... I mean
bloody red steaks dipped in lard for us hard bikers.
We take the A688 to the A68 and back to the A69 where
we end our day's ride out with 235 miles gone. Sweet
:)
Zip....
Bugger all in August with the exception of John
managing a few local rides. Lack of activity mainly
due to most of Motoeuro being on holiday (yes, again)
and, of course,
the liquid sunshine we're having. Bank holiday soon.....
anyone ?...anyone ?...hello....
Loch Lomond and beyond....
Leaving Newcastle on a Friday afternoon I rode the
A68 past Jedburgh but a strange attraction made me
take the turn off for Galashiels... oh yeah, the A7
North..... Yummie.... Arrived in Dundee for beer with
my brovva early evening. Next day we're off to Loch
Lomond, with the weather on our side we left Newport
for Crieff
(along the A85) and Loch
Earn, we were blessed with surprising good roads
and lots of twisties. At Loch Earn it's coffee time
and then we're away to the top of Loch Lomond to ride
down the west side to Inverbeg.
Riding the top of the Loch was superb, amazing roads
made the ride even better than we thought, the sun
on the Loch gave this trip a real 'touring feel' but
heavy traffic in places made the ride slow at times,
overtaking is done by closing your eyes and opening
the throttle.... . Picking up the A82 we ride down
the Loch looking for out hotel in Invebeg. A few beers
later and after our grub, the 'band' arrive to entertain....
well, the band turns out to be one bloke and his guitar
with backing CD's, but if fairness, he was pretty
good. Naturally, we gave him 'Motoeruro' support after
a few jars of that Stella stuff....
Next day, we literally ride the same way back to Loch
Earn as the roads were so good and the sun was out
again. Here we depart company and I head back along
the A84 through Killmahog (!), Callander and Blairdrummond
to Stirling. With the sun out so were the 'rozzas'
as this is biking territory alright...... great, smooth
roads lend themselves to 'enthusiastic' riding......
I pick-up the M9 to Edinburgh as time is now against
me, but as I pass the sign for Falkirk I can't resist
as I've never seen the Falkirk Wheel. A few piccys
later it's now 3pm and I've still got 140 miles to
go. Fuel up on the ring-road and head for the A7 South,
then it happens..... needles from the sky......got
soaked in about 2 mins, but managed to ride out the
rain in another 10 miles, time for a smoke and a change
of gloves. (Impressed ? second set of gloves eh ?)
From here the usual place names fly by; Galashiels,
Jedburgh and Carter Bar, Byrness, Otterburn, Knowesgate,
Belsay and then I'm back home for 6.30pm with 565
miles of rubber gone. All in all, a superb weekend,
couldn't have gone better really, although the holiday
traffic did slow us down in some of the twisties.
I would recommend this part of Scotland for biking
as it does rival the best roads I've been on, but
in the damp or wet, it would be terrifying at speed.
I have to say I was shagged when I got back, sore
neck, shoulders, legs... bloody hell Jock
and I managed 702 miles in 36 hours to Invernes
in 2005 and I felt OK. I am getting old or what.....Answers
on a postcard please.
15
July 2007
With next to no hangover (for once) Jock and I get
out on the spur of the moment and plan a day in the
Lakes (Alston then Rheged to Keswick). Couple of riders
we got talking to in Belsay reckon the West was rather
wet so we headed North to Gala and ran over to the
A7 North to Edinburgh ring road. That A7 is just soooo
entertaining, corners go on forever. Back down the
A68 and a breather at Cater Bar. Unfortunately, our
'Cafe lass' reckons the lad from last week's crash
had died in hospital from his injuries. Flowers at
the scene proved she was right. Our thoughts go out
to his family and friends. Rumour also has it that
his R1 was his first 'big bike' and with 150bhp at
the back wheel, looks like he has simply over-cooked
that awful corner at Carter Bar.
8 July 2007
With John visiting Newcastle, it was a perfect opportunity
to ride back to Jedburgh with him. Got a bit wet towards
Bryness, but a nasty smash at Cater Bar left two bikes
in a head-on collision in bits on the road. Looks
like one bike has over-cooked the corner and hit the
other on the wrong side of the road. Local gossip
reckons that one lad was OK-ish, the other, not well
at all. Got to Jedburgh and then returned to Newcastle,
canny ride but cant help feel really sorry for the
lads in the crash.
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Ah....
bollox, tits, cock.....
With such a sunny day I couldn't resist getting
out early evening after work. Whitby was a
thought but don't fancy the Tyne Bridge at
rush hour etc, so Hartside it is. On the A69
I could see clouds over Hexham, don't worry
they'll clear - wont come to anything... By
Alston, it was lashing down. Now, I don't
have a KTM or GS so I'm out of here. Back
to the A69, off at Stagshaw, up the A68 to
Otterburn. So far so good, by the time I was
close to Byrness lashing rain again. Oh FFS.....
Off home with pretty dry roads all the way
but back at base.... Rain.
Is it me or is this the wettest year yet ????
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The
force is withn you young Jedi....
There's been a few ride outs
so far in 2007, but we're limited to weekends and
at the mercy of weather and hang-overs. May we're
away to High
Force near Bishop Auckland, the A68 but south
bound this time. Good roads and Dave gets Jock's
Tuono for the ride back - if only the front wheel
would stay on the tarmac........ Top machine but
a licence eater.
Another sunny day in April and we're away round
the top of Kielder and Newcastleton,
back via Hawick and Jedburgh. Spot on !
Probably
one of the last ride outs of 2006
Over the past few weeks the ride-outs have been
pretty poor. Jock has been carrying the Motoeuro
flag for us getting out on his tod to keep the bike
running. But this weekend those lying bastards at
the BBC website bragged of sun, blue sky and dry
roads.... Lets go !
The Viffer started after 3 months on neglect - I
am a bad man and when meeting at Belsay the dust
on my bike was still there. I'd managed to write
'Hello' on the tank but at least the torrential
rain washed it off at Knowsgate...... Sigh :(
Leg-it to the coast and then to Amble for chips
where it wasn't too bad. Took in the sites of Morpeth
Motorcycles on route and ended the day with another
80+ miles on the clock. Nice, but fecking cold.
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Previous winter-ish rides.... |
There's been a few odd ride outs towards then end
of the summer, but we haven't been able to get together
for a weekender or whole day for bloody ages. Ride
outs have been round the doors so to speak; Scottish
Borders mainly, which is great fun, but with no camera
and only a few hours each time it's more of a blast
than a tour out.
The last big ride out was Dave and Jock's efforts
to get away after Moto-no-go was cancelled.......Read
the Sunseekers Return.....
A visit from Steve is always a good reason to have
a ride out and shown-off beautiful Northumberland
on our doorstep. Scorching hot, the day went something
like this.... Off to the coast, first stop Amble >
Warkworth > Alnmouth > Alnwick > Rothbury
where there was some kind of Morris Dancing Competition
(I shit you not !) so off to the A68-ish coming out
at the top of Carter Bar, down and then up again (has
to be done) and that great ride back to Belsay. Top.
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27th
May 2006:
Dave's Viffer hasn't seem tarmac since Jock's
fall weeks ago (see below), imagine my delight
when John came done to NCL last Friday. Sat
pm off to the borders, but as I ride down
the street from my wee house it started to
rain, oh happy days. Met John at Belsay, suns
out ! Gerr-in. By Otterburn it was pissing
down and by Carter Bar we were indeed as wet
as a proverbial wet-thing.
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Odd as it may seem, 12 miles
later in Jedburgh, sun's out. After a coffee and bike-talk,
it's back home but this time Cater Bar is 100% dry
!! So had to do it twice... How old ? John made it
home with no more rain either. Perhaps we dreamt it
all..
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Well, at
least some people are having fun on their bikes......
John manages a trip to Glencoe with a few mates,
highlights included.....Grantown on Spey, Fort
William, Glencoe, Perth, Edinburgh back to Dundee.
270 miles all in, nice eh ? Of course, John
gave the camera to his missus to take this pic.
And then left without it....oh, how I despair.... |
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