Saturday, 16 November 2024

A little bit of sunshine

 Ok then, a positive post, a week past Fiona and I managed to get away for a couple of days up to Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, we stayed in a "Shepherds" Hut, actually very loosely based on a hut and one which most shepherds would have been envious off.  We decided to take the car as the weather was not clear on its direction but as soon as passed Glenshee we were wishing we were on the bikes, the Sun shone until we passed Glenshee on the way home, damn, mind you if we had taken the bikes no doubt it would have been wet. We did get the bikes out at the weekend, just long enough to get them covered in muck!

That's us half way through November and I hope we will get more changes to enjoy motorcycling this side of Christmas. To keep me amused I have started work on the Guzzi I bought 2 1/2 years ago, the fairing is off and I'm giving it a service and oil change to see IF it runs and then decide what to do with it, progress will be posted on the blog and maybe Youtube.

 I keep asking myself what was I thinking off when I bought it, this was just a week after I bought my Velocette  and 2 days before I suffered a Stroke, so my excuse is I must have had brain damage before I embarked on this spending spree. Luckily I have recovered quite well because I dread to think how bad I could have ended up, maybe so bad I could have ended up a Politician!

Keep on keeping on people, one life , don't waste it

Oh and Fiona is now a photographer as well, the good Photos are hers , mines are the useless ones........


Idiot on a bridge
Nice scenery
Braemar
A Sheep (More to follow)
Burning Heather
Idiot as always
Artistic stones and trees
Self portrait
Quiet and peaceful
Path
Sunset
Mair sunset (I like this one)
Single sheep
Two Sheep
Coo's
Rising moon
Outside fire, braw


Misty but braw
Quiet roads
Muckart Cafe, recommended!
Sma Glen
Different view

Looks better with the fairing on, Honest

Monday, 4 November 2024

November and a different bike

 So that's it, November before we got even a week of good days in 2024, the weather has been as depressing as the news this year, but enough negativity, I prepared the 650 BMW's as always for the Winter. Now it may seem a bit unfair on them, the have taken us all over Europe including the Ukraine (before the madness stated) they took us from Argentina to Alaska through South America, Central America and over countless states in the USA and all they get is more poor treatment by using them as a winter bike. The only respite they got was preparing them for a trip from East to West around the world before Covid (Allegedly) and the various Governments got into a power trip and stopped us going anywhere and now of course the Russia / Ukraine thing has made it slightly difficult to do our originally planned trip so Winter bikes is what they are for now.

I managed to get the R100 out for a hurl last week which was good and then a very nice day out on Sunday on the 650's including over Glenquaich , Kenmore and Killin and back to Perth , stopping for a cuppa and sandwich in the layby between Comrie and Crieff (Maybe a spot for Winter meeting if anyone is up for it?) We were impressed by the number of bikes out making the most of the roads before they become too bad, almost as busy as Summer.

Despite the bad news everywhere motorcycling helps you concentrate on whats important in life, having fun and living the dream, it works, try it!!!



R100 Posing
One of my favourite views
These sheep were following each other in single file, funny to watch
Bikes at rest
And Fiona at rest

Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Tattiehowkers Norton meeting

 Almost the end of October and it feels like a long winter already, a fair turnout for our last official Norton meeting of the year this time back in the layby because our choices of cafe's are becoming more limited. After tomorrows Budget there will be even fewer I think as the Labour Government as well as stealing the sugar out of pensioners tea are putting the minimum wage up by 3 times the rate of inflation and increasing employers National insurance., who can afford to pay the extra? the only places left open will be the very expensive places which we can't afford so the normal plebs suffer whist the politicians get richer, oh and Petrol is going up as well, thank you all for voting for our Socialist masters.
The good news is we can still enjoy ourselves which we might as well because when we die the state will steal all our money anyway so get out there, ride old oily and smelly motorbikes, and enjoy it.

Pictures tell a story better than I can (Well at least pictures don't rant)


Bikes ready for the off, unfortunately Fi took hers back home and rode up on the back of mine
John Hymans Commando
MVD
Davids Ducati
Peters Morini
And Alans Winter bike
The shortlist for our Santa competition
Hector appeared quite cold on his Fastback
Drinking tea by the roadside, Bill and John discussing nonsense
Lesley on her Triumph
And Alan explaining how to trim facial hair to the ladies
Bill telling my brother that he has dandruff

Wednesday, 23 October 2024

Surprise Video

 Our KZ1000LTD, got it from our good friend Alex in a sorry state and its taken a while (about 4 years on and off) and a lot of work and money but I'm pleased with the result. This should have been a step by step Video but life got in the way and its just a strip and then it magically appears complete! Sorry if that disappoints you, but you can send your complaints to Complaintsdepartment@Idontgiveaf**k.com

Anyway, enjoy or not...........


Tuesday, 22 October 2024

Wimping out

Its funny how life changes all the time, I was a Yes voter when Scotland tried to get independence and was very disappointed when we didn't, roll forward a decade and I'm glad enough sensible people saw that it could be a disaster and voted No. If you look at the cretins and weirdos running Scotland now I'm very grateful to the No voters, who'd have thought a once proud nation would degenerate into the mess we are in now. Don't get me started on National politics, they are almost as bad, as I've said before out of 650 MPs there are perhaps a handful that aren't on the take and try to do good for the people. The Idiots who are taking us down the green road, war with whoever road, locking people up for saying stuff on the Internet, they are all guilty of treason to the common people. 

Once again I digress, I was going up to Lochinver at the weekend but the weather forecast was horrendous and to be honest despite the thought of a good run up on Saturday I couldn't be arsed with the stress of fighting my way home for 5 hours on Sunday so I wimped out (Sorry Ali and Ian).

We went up to Glenshee instead and had a cup of tea and Roll with Wilson and then came back through Moulin Moor, the Autumnal colours were fantastic and we had a great day out and I felt I'd made the right decision. I am a believer and indeed an exponent of just getting out there and doing it normally but sometimes you just think, no, not today! 

In other news I have managed to get the Z1000 running on all four cylinders and hopefully soon that will be it ready for next year, it has been a long and expensive restoration!

Keep on keeping on but occasionally, just occasionally have a day off.......


Stopped to visit, naebody in
Nice colours and I thought I saw the curtains twitching, a cup of tea would have been fine !!
Glenshee, fine place to stop
Towards Pitlochry, nice colours
Moulin Moor
Deserted Hoose
Deserted Bikes
Sun over Pitlochry, it was heaving with tourists so we didn't stop

Tuesday, 8 October 2024

A wet weekend but great motorcycling and scenery

 This time of year comes round even quicker than before, I am glad it does come round because most of the tourists have buggered of so there are less camper vans which makes life better, but it brings coldness, I think I would rather put up with cold and quiet road to be honest. Basically we had trip around Perthshire and to Alloa for a Guzzi meeting we also had a run out in the van after the rain went off, I know it makes no sense but that is us, the No Sense Rondellis. I had a wee upside down whilst I was on foot trying to take some photos, of course had I been on the bike the bike gear would have saved me but it was when I was in the van, I think I will start wearing Bike gear all the time, only a knackered elbow trying to save my camera, hopefully it will get better soon, the camera was fine!!!!! Oh and yes I was sober! Oh and the good photos were taken by Fiona!


On the very slippy Glenlyon road
Loch Earn
Dampish
Lady looking at nature
Kenmore/Loch Tay
Ace photographer
Dunning glen
Our new friend Matteo from Sardinia on his Stelvio
Guzzi
Alans mk2 cali
Breva
Poor turnout but I suppose the time of year didn't help
Flicking back to Loch Tay (I couldn't be arsed putting the photos in order)
Nice
Buchanty Spout scene of my fall
I should have paid attention