Managed a wee hurl in between storms

 It has been very gold and the roads a bit treacherous but suddenly by Saturday it cleared up and more importantly warmed up. We took the opportunity to get out and visited Cupar Motorcycles, its been years since I've spent a Saturday in a bike shop and we both enjoyed it. Susan in the parts department helped us try helmets on and was full of knowledge you don't get on the interweb, more planning our options than buying on Saturday but she will get the business when we make up our minds. I think the online service you get from Sportbikeshop and their competitors is excellent but you cant beat a local bike shop and I suppose if we stop using them then we'll lose them.

What else would you do on a slightly dreich day but get the bikes out for some fun anyway? We wobbled around the roads less travelled taking a very convoluted way to get home (Some would say we got lost) but we enjoyed being out and made the most of it. The roads were still worth watching though and I actually got stuck in a bit of ice, Fiona, cleaned the section but I jumped off and tried to push through and Fiona had to come back and push, the shame! I also managed to get her covered in dirt from the rear tyre, I'm good that way!

The only downside was the length of time it took to clean the bikes but as they say thats the price you pay for fun.

Posing

Fi took the left side and cleaned it , I got stuck in the pothole and failed

Dreich but good to be out

Avoiding going home by having a cuppa at the side of the road

Note my bike and me clean

Whilst Fi's bike is dirty from following me and muck on her jacket from helping me !

A Wee hurl

 Saturday looked like the only opportunity to get out so we got the G650's out, Fi spent a while getting all her heated gear working, well actually not working, it's funny modern gear makes riding in the winter more comfortable but it can stress you with the technology. Happy to say we stopped at the Sma Glen, and Fi was warm and happy so that was good.

We met Simon there on a 750 Ural, I jealously looked over the outfit whilst reminiscing about when we were Sidecarists too. A blether and a cup of tea with someone who had been a stranger until we met, that's what I love about motorcycling, meeting people (and a cup of tea at the side of the river isn't to bad either.) We completed the lap around the Sma Glen avoiding the potholes and the ice. Soon  after  we got back Budge arrived for a blether which was great, mair tea and talking but eventually we had to clean the bikes before the salt dissolved them. First proper run out of the year! Come on the Spring! 

It was chilly but braw scenery anyway

Simon's Ural

Fi's bike, note the ice on the verge

And ready for the rest of the lap!

2024

 

Happy new year! I hope you all have a wonderful 2024. I know sometimes life throws up moments of sadness but we should all try to remember the happy times, always looking back at the laughs and good times we have had and looking forward to the Future.

My new years resolution remains the same as always, to enjoy myself, especially my motorcycling more.

My wishes for 2024 are that the clowns, thieves and vagabonds in both the Scottish government and Westminster go to jail for stealing from the working man and lining their own pockets.

In a worldwide context my wish is that the rich people who cause wars and misery and deaths the world over have an epiphany and realise that they are only here for a short time, the same as the rest of us and get a grip and do good not evil.

Enough of my political pontificating, when’s the weather going to warm up? I did manage a wee run out on the R100 last week which was great but it’s been dodgy since.

We went to France to bring in the New year, driving in the car, no real issues (Apart from Fiona having to save a wiper arm that sheared on the A1 by hanging out the passenger window) and the run was actually good. France as always was brilliant, the wine was good and reasonable, the food excellent, and the people friendly. It was windy but we did spot a few bikes out and about which made us feel jealous.

Lets all look forward to 2024 with a veil of optimism, see you on the road....somewhere     

Nice Scooter Display

Very nice place

No vandalism here it would seem

Fiona posing for the camera 

To windy for dinghy's thankfully

Church

Motorcyclists , dont you hate them when you are in the car

Nice motorbike roads

The Germans had a gun emplacement here during WW2, what have we learnt?

Cool sailing ship statue

Always the weather suits someone

Like last week when it was only wet

Sunday and our Buddha had grown a mohican

As did the Tin Man

Loch Earn looking good

Like I say everybody likes the weather sometime

Fi Enjoying the sun

The Falls 

And finally, I like this one, the mist on the fields and the mountains in sunshine