Home again

A great weekend overshadowed by the lurking cold, Saturday was great, sunny,nice and a really good run but still cold. As Anne and David arrived the hailstones started along with the snow and it kept up until Sandy, Bert and Laurenne arrived also. A great night on Saturday with all the usual nonsense and then a early start for some reason on Sunday. Frost greeted us as we went outside but the sky was blue and not a cloud to be seen.
We set of around 10am and enjoyed the first part of the A9 down to Inverness, stunning views and it really brings home why Scotland is such an amazing country to visit. We lost Sandy and stopped just South of Inverness, no signal at all on my O2 phone!! get your act together O2, no signal on this main trunk route, it would never have happened if I was still there! Luckily I had a Vodafone phone as a back up and found out Sandy had broken his chain and was waiting to be picked up by the breakdown truck. We headed on for what must have been my best ever run down the A9, quiet and no idiots. It did get colder as we dropped into Edinburgh but then we were home dry, great weekend and thanks to all who turned up and made it so good.
I must mention the accomodation in Rogart, Sleeperzzz is set in converted railway carriage's next to the Railway station, £15 Per person a night gets you a bunk, cooking and washing facilities in a great setting, shop and good pub nearby makes it the ideal stop off in this part of the world, perfect for the John O groats baggers! Thanks Kate, we'll be back!

Alex walking trying to Save petrol!

 Frost on the Bikes

 Fiona getting ready for the off

 Laurenne wondering if the tractor will start.....

 You even get a ticket!!

Nicer today

After a few bottles of wine all seemed better last night, we awoke this morning to a nice sunny day which was a bonus. Headed up past loch ness then the back road to dingwall for lunch before pushing on the last 50 miles to rogart. Its still chilly on the bike but nice in the sun now we've stopped. Its funny the Norton seems to go better the more you use it. Waiting for the rest to arrive now.

Very cold

So tonight after work we headed Northward to Invergarry . Alex and I on the norton's and Fiona on the kawa. I realised soon after leaving i'd forgotten my fleece, it was bloody freezing! So we had torrential rain, snow sleet and also got blinded by the sun. At one point a car moved over to let me past at a particularly wet bit and the norton went onto one cylinder. Luckily it seemed to clear after a mile or so. Thank god because i'd no feeling in my hands! Here now, cooked tea, now having some wine and the feeling is back in my feet and hands so life is once again good.

Progress

Some progress tonight in the garage, Fi busy cleaning the ER6 (after its abandonment for a while) and I was spannering Nortons, preparing the Yellow 750 for its MOT later this week, all good now, new Mikuni fitted and running and starting well, Fiona trying it for size as hopefully it'll be her mount for the Rogart weekend at the end of the month and for Ireland and the TT trip later in May. Fettling the MK3 as well, surprising that when you look there's always jobs to be done, when they go well its very satisfying and relieves the mind of work nonsense.

Classic club meeting

This was the Scottish Classic club's first meeting of the year, we had a run over on the Mk3 Commando celebrating its first run of the year. Gill joined us for the banter and to share the freezing cold (but sunny and dry) conditions. As has been the case all winter the road past Knockhill was in shocking condition , more like a gravel road than a main highway, Fife Council get your act together!!!!
As always good banter, plenty nice bikes to look at so a good day out really, David made the trip over from the West so undoubtably won the imaginary long distance award on Smokey Joe. A grand day out (and a quite successful late afternoon in the garage)
The Mk 3 Commando out for its first run of the year!
Eric's BSA, made it all the way frae Arbroath
Sandy's Dommie



Snib's 400/4, overtaken by a Trabant en route I believe

Same Era different bikes, a Commando shares a parking place with a KH750

Smokey Joe Looking forlorn in the corner
Robbies nice Fastback

Well that was Easter

A good weekend all in all except of course for the weather but then again thats what we expect here, weather by the bucketload. Good night in Killin camping on Sunday, we managed to get a heat up in the on site cafe which made a difference. All good practice for camping when the weather isn't good!!
The photos are stills from a video Fiona shot whilst travelling through Ardnamurchan on Friday, you can get an idea of how wet it was!

Rain rain rain.

So we left eventually today and headed south in the cold and rain to just outside Killin
where we're camping tonight. We stopped for petrol at Ballahulish and met 53 people all doing a John o Groats to Lands End run all on 50cc bikes. Ranging from step through twist and go scooters to fs1e's even more bizzare is the back up was all older VW van's and campers. The team looked a bit wet and cold but seemed to be in high spirits, rather them than me!

Happy but cold

My mother always said there was a bit of a tink in me because of my love of camping. Sitting just now trying to get some heat from the stove in the front of the tent. Having a dram listening to Bob Dylan life at its simplest , perfect, well if it was warmer it would be.

Ardnamurchan lighthouse

Today after breakfast/ lunch with David templeton and Wally we headed in the mist and rain to the most westerly point in the Uk. Mind you the last time I was there I left in an ambulance so it was a case of being careful as I didn't want a repeat of that. Still wet here but not a bad place to be wet!

Scotland is back to its wet season.

So Easter weekend and with is rain, we had a good run up through Glencoe despite the clouds being down to road level. We're in Ardnamurchan the most westerly point in the uk. The rain I suspect is coming straight off the atlantic. At least the tent's dry and as there's no pub or facilities here its just as well we're stocked up on essentials, wine, beer and whisky, oh and we have some food so alls well.

Damn Snow

After an incredible last week in March with record temperatures and great bike weather we awoke this morning to Snow!!
Rather than be dissapointed I suppose we should be happy we had some sun last week, often its been snowing since November till past now so no moans, the forecast is looking a bit better for the weekend so it'll be out with the tent for another adventure!!

Huntygowks success

Today was the Huntygowks (Huntygowks being a old Scots term for April fools day) Norton meeting at Comrie, an excellent turnout so thanks to all who came along and helped with the talking general nonsense about bikes, plenty nice bikes to look at and generally just a good day out. Happy birthday to Alex who Celebrated his birthday today, we had a wee celebration for him last night hence the photo of him with the wig on!.
Norton Commandos seem to be breeding around those parts, buy one now before you can't! Bill got into the spirit of things with his Not on sticker on his Yamaha!! How long before his Ducati single sees light of day?