Big Train set

 The weekend wasn't as bad as the forecast would have us believe, matter of fact it was as good as its been for a while, no rain and the roads dry. Sunday afternoon we decided to take the R100 out , just one bike and hence saving some petrol, of course we have to save money somehow, there doesn't seem to be anyone offering us Free clothes, Free specs, Free luxury stays in a top London apartment free 1.2 million pound loans or even free heating payed for by the taxpayer, of course even the Scottish Greens got into the act with free champers and food thanks to the energy companies, aye the Greens who want to stop all road building and no doubt send us back to the dark ages ( except we all have to be sexual deviants at the same time) , oh dear I seem to have gone off in a rant again.

I had passed a sign on the Gask road for a while which read something about trains and tea and cakes so yesterday being a day when we had nowhere particular to go we decided to stop, firstly for tea and cakes but then as we sat and watched the trains through the Gazebo windows we thought we had better pay our entrance  (£7 each, kids 4 and under go free and even I couldn't persuade them that Fi was only 4) I have to say it was worth it, after a week trying to avoid the bad news (It's impossible, it's everywhere) it was an hour well spent looking at nothing in particular and how relaxing it was. Afterwards we made up a circular route, just us on the bike enjoying the dry and quiet roads, not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon, no I'm not buying a train set but its worth it for the peace and quiet and the cake wasn't bad either.
Oh and we both enjoyed the R100 as well!

Bike at rest

Big train set

Cool

it didn't stop at the station, must be Scotrail

A Freight train which you never see in real life

Braw bridge

And of course Thomas the Tank engine

Wee Smokey video

 Last Sunday was cold but the roads were almost dry and a long overdue trip to Arbroath to see the famous Smokey Toon and the even more famous Eric, the organiser of what has become a staple of the Classic bike scene. The video gives a flavour of the event better than I can in words, and thanks to Eric for the tip on the alternative route to Forfar on the way home, I managed not to get lost which is unusual!!

Tullybannocher closed, last day Classic meeting

 Sadly one of our favourite cafes and meeting places has closed, greed probably from the site owner who wants to sell the site for £300K and depriving much needed jobs in the area. Now I understand that the owner probably wants to realise his assets before the Labour government takes it all away from him but I sense that it is a sign of the times, not a good sign, greed and a lust for continual housebuilding continues apace, considering the population of Scotland is shrinking I am baffled where all the people are coming from to fill the need for housing, Africa? Arabia? Eastern Europe? and more importantly who is paying? Certainly not the people who run this country who can't even afford clothes or a holiday it would seem even on their large salaries and expenses.

Anyway enough of that depressing nonsense, we (the little people) managed to have a great day out, the carpark and cafe was full of people and the bikes came out despite the constant threat of rain, a great day out, Fiona once again stole my T3 but I am getting it back sometime.....

Photos as always tell the story.....

 

Don's V65

Jakes Falcone

very popular for those who want a classic but without all of the hassle

Indian

David on his trusty Duke

And esteemed photographer Wally striking a pose

Marks Z1000

Lovely

Committee arrives

Modern Bonnie

Bills Duke, fresh after a previous midnight front end rebuild

Shiny 

Alans Commando

Budge getting on top of the Morini fettling

Mikes shiny LeMans

And Caths T3

Falcone again

Aerial

Georges V7 sport, very tasty

Nice trident

Sidecar makes an entrance

Bsa

times two

Clean RS

Born to be mild

Triumph

Another T160

Time to go

Regular attender

Not mine, pity, really tidy late T3

So small compared to the modern ones

Tidy

Frasers Hornet

Tidy Triumph

Another Laverda

Commando arrives

Old school

Plenty to see and talk about

A brace of Guzzi's

Norton meeting at Yetholm

 No sooner than we had arrived back from our Irish trip it was time to get the Norton's loaded and head down to Yetholm near Kelso for our September camping weekend. Budge and Johnny T came along for the ride but weren't staying. We set of in overcast conditions and it soon turned misty, that horrible Scotch mist that gets you cold and damp on a bike, the bridge and the bypass were ok and we set of down the A68 in the ever heavy mist. Lunch break at the cafe near Fala was good and we set off again with the mist finally lifting on the A697. We said goodbye to John and Budge in Kelso and headed down the very muddy and slippery road to Yetholm. Most of the crew were already there and were out on a run, we got the tent up and had a blether to Bill, down from Aberdeen on his Norton, not bad for a guy who is nearer ninety than eighty! The guys came back from the run including Russell who had bought a Domi from me a couple of years ago, great to see it looking nice and being well used. 

The night in the pub was like most nights in the pub and ended with us in quite a sober mood (Probably because the pub could only give us one glass of wine each, a pub without wine!!)

We awoke (thankfully ) to a very wet tent, raining on the outside and full of condensation on the inside, we were packed up and on our way by just after 8. Fi's bike had a misfire which made it quite dangerous to ride but she persevered and I eventually saw the culprit at he lights just after the airport, a plug lead had come off!! Not sure how that happened as it is quite a tight fit but I will check in future before setting off, apart from that both bikes ran well, photos tell the real story...

 

Two Nortons ready for the off

John ready for the off

And the bikes also ready for the off

In depth conversation

Very misty

Fiona trying on her new facemask

Tent up and ready to talk

Bill's Atlas

Russels Dommi

And from the other side

Bert and Laurennes bikes outside their Digs

John posing for the camera

Bar sign reflected on the back of an unsuspecting customer

Bill and Russel talking Nortons

Awakened by rain

And safely home