Post by breezer on Jun 4, 2012 10:54:38 GMT
Had a wee rideout York SC stylee last week.
Thursday after work head up to Carlisle (160 odd miles), night in a Premier Inn then up & out early doors Friday morning up to Ardrossan where we meet Mozzer (Sluice's pillion for the week) split his gear over the 4 bikes & caught a ferry to Arran
Waiting for the ferry at Ardrossan
Us at Arran - sweltering in the heat
Rode across Arran & caught another ferry to the Mull of Kintyre, no sight of Macca unfortunately.
The Highland Camel - Sluice's series 2, 2 up!
My p2 - fully loaded
About 3 miles & we're at the ferry port where we catch a ferry to Islay (island of distilleries) then 20 or so miles over to Kintra where we camped for 3 nights next to a deserted beach.
Stocking up on provisions at Bowmore (great whisky btw)
Private beach 50 yards from the tents
Saturday we had a right good ride around the island during which my p2's clutch started to die. Basically the clutch was slipping when trying to kick the bike off. It's got an electric start but I never use it, and as a result the battery was dead. We put a spare battery we had taken for the stereo in and luckily the leccy start hadn't seized. The bike ran fine once started but would only start on the button rather than the kick start.
We saw seals playing about in the harbour at Port Na Haven, visited a few war memorials then dodged a locals disco in favour of whiskey with the old blokes.
Another white sand beach with no one on it
Sunday, petrol station is closed and several of us are on reserve, so time to have a look inside a distillery. Arriving about 20 to 4 at the Laphroig distillery we had missed the last hour long tour and the 15 minute distillery dash doesn't run on a weekend. Bugger! The (frankly gorgeous) girl at the till / bar starts laying into us about how long it took us to walk there (in a jovial way) then says 'you all look like you'll cry, here have a dram' and pours us all a single malt. Then she says 'hang on, I'll get someone to cover down here & show you round myself'
So we get a tour round the distillery then she says 'lets have another dram - what do you all fancy' one of the lads says 'well we may as well try the 18year old' (@£70 a bottle)
We bought a few bits and pieces and then ask 'how much do we owe you for the tour?' 'What tour?' she says. I had to get my mate to pinch me to make sure I wasn't dreaming!
So hot the road was melting!
Just leave me here...
Sunsets by our tents were quite good too!
Monday, up & out to the ferry port, catch a boat back to the mull of kintyre & ride up to Loch Gilphead, camp for the night & a few beers on the evening.
Tuesday up & off to Oban. Get stopped by the police (5 - 0 with hand out in the middle of the road) They had had a complaint some motorists were struggling to get past us on some of the bends or hills or something. Dibble seemed shocked by the amount of stuff loaded up on the bikes and the lack of mirrors (we're not fucking MODS!)
We asked how far Oban was and he said 'you'll do it in 30 or 40 minutes lads' It was 8 miles - we were there in 10 minutes!
Straight to the post office, pick up a clutch Martin from Chiselspeed has posted on his day off (saviour!) and find he'd stuck a few extra bits in to make sure we had everything we needed to change it.
Breakfast & then ferry to Mull. Ride across to Tobermory & change the clutch in the car park. Back together & lap round the car park - no drive!!!
Clutch basket looks a bit dodgily machined & clutch had popped the circlip & exploded. We manage to make a good clutch out of the new centre, plates springs & the old basket & circlip. All good. Up to the campsite & tents up back into town for something to eat & a marathon flirting session with some local lasses in the battle cruiser!
View from our 'workshop'
Wednesday up & discover we have been eaten alive by midges - one of the lad was covered in golf ball size lumps. Into town & book a dorm in a youth hostel.
Tents down & bags dumped at the hostel we go for a ride round the north of the island - absolutely awesome, 1 in 3 hairpins & scenery to die for (thank fuck for the new clutch!)
Rebuilding a cairn we accidentally reduced in size a bit!
Waterfall #1
Waterfall #2 had a dip in the pool!
Scenery whilst brewing up at the roadside
Thursday up & back to the ferry port, ferry to Oban where we drop Mozzer to get his train home, pick up a new battery for my bike (the horn works now mr MOT man) and then 171 miles in the pissing rain to Kelso (up to this point we had had wall to wall sunshine) where we get a bollocking for turning up on the Thursday. Noticed when I got home my tax disc in a waterproof holder was still soaked!
Friday morning I say my farewells & leave Sluice, Circlip & Bellboy to the delights of Kelso rally & hot foot it home to pick up some brownie points from Mrs Breezer.
972 miles door to door.
As a footnote I took the clutch basket back to Chiselspeed and Martin was gutted & swapped the basket & circlip for me no questions asked.
Thursday after work head up to Carlisle (160 odd miles), night in a Premier Inn then up & out early doors Friday morning up to Ardrossan where we meet Mozzer (Sluice's pillion for the week) split his gear over the 4 bikes & caught a ferry to Arran
Waiting for the ferry at Ardrossan
Us at Arran - sweltering in the heat
Rode across Arran & caught another ferry to the Mull of Kintyre, no sight of Macca unfortunately.
The Highland Camel - Sluice's series 2, 2 up!
My p2 - fully loaded
About 3 miles & we're at the ferry port where we catch a ferry to Islay (island of distilleries) then 20 or so miles over to Kintra where we camped for 3 nights next to a deserted beach.
Stocking up on provisions at Bowmore (great whisky btw)
Private beach 50 yards from the tents
Saturday we had a right good ride around the island during which my p2's clutch started to die. Basically the clutch was slipping when trying to kick the bike off. It's got an electric start but I never use it, and as a result the battery was dead. We put a spare battery we had taken for the stereo in and luckily the leccy start hadn't seized. The bike ran fine once started but would only start on the button rather than the kick start.
We saw seals playing about in the harbour at Port Na Haven, visited a few war memorials then dodged a locals disco in favour of whiskey with the old blokes.
Another white sand beach with no one on it
Sunday, petrol station is closed and several of us are on reserve, so time to have a look inside a distillery. Arriving about 20 to 4 at the Laphroig distillery we had missed the last hour long tour and the 15 minute distillery dash doesn't run on a weekend. Bugger! The (frankly gorgeous) girl at the till / bar starts laying into us about how long it took us to walk there (in a jovial way) then says 'you all look like you'll cry, here have a dram' and pours us all a single malt. Then she says 'hang on, I'll get someone to cover down here & show you round myself'
So we get a tour round the distillery then she says 'lets have another dram - what do you all fancy' one of the lads says 'well we may as well try the 18year old' (@£70 a bottle)
We bought a few bits and pieces and then ask 'how much do we owe you for the tour?' 'What tour?' she says. I had to get my mate to pinch me to make sure I wasn't dreaming!
So hot the road was melting!
Just leave me here...
Sunsets by our tents were quite good too!
Monday, up & out to the ferry port, catch a boat back to the mull of kintyre & ride up to Loch Gilphead, camp for the night & a few beers on the evening.
Tuesday up & off to Oban. Get stopped by the police (5 - 0 with hand out in the middle of the road) They had had a complaint some motorists were struggling to get past us on some of the bends or hills or something. Dibble seemed shocked by the amount of stuff loaded up on the bikes and the lack of mirrors (we're not fucking MODS!)
We asked how far Oban was and he said 'you'll do it in 30 or 40 minutes lads' It was 8 miles - we were there in 10 minutes!
Straight to the post office, pick up a clutch Martin from Chiselspeed has posted on his day off (saviour!) and find he'd stuck a few extra bits in to make sure we had everything we needed to change it.
Breakfast & then ferry to Mull. Ride across to Tobermory & change the clutch in the car park. Back together & lap round the car park - no drive!!!
Clutch basket looks a bit dodgily machined & clutch had popped the circlip & exploded. We manage to make a good clutch out of the new centre, plates springs & the old basket & circlip. All good. Up to the campsite & tents up back into town for something to eat & a marathon flirting session with some local lasses in the battle cruiser!
View from our 'workshop'
Wednesday up & discover we have been eaten alive by midges - one of the lad was covered in golf ball size lumps. Into town & book a dorm in a youth hostel.
Tents down & bags dumped at the hostel we go for a ride round the north of the island - absolutely awesome, 1 in 3 hairpins & scenery to die for (thank fuck for the new clutch!)
Rebuilding a cairn we accidentally reduced in size a bit!
Waterfall #1
Waterfall #2 had a dip in the pool!
Scenery whilst brewing up at the roadside
Thursday up & back to the ferry port, ferry to Oban where we drop Mozzer to get his train home, pick up a new battery for my bike (the horn works now mr MOT man) and then 171 miles in the pissing rain to Kelso (up to this point we had had wall to wall sunshine) where we get a bollocking for turning up on the Thursday. Noticed when I got home my tax disc in a waterproof holder was still soaked!
Friday morning I say my farewells & leave Sluice, Circlip & Bellboy to the delights of Kelso rally & hot foot it home to pick up some brownie points from Mrs Breezer.
972 miles door to door.
As a footnote I took the clutch basket back to Chiselspeed and Martin was gutted & swapped the basket & circlip for me no questions asked.