Managing some motorcycling

 Saturday was good as we left Perth, the sun was shining but as soon as left the City limits heading westward the ominous dark clouds revealed themselves in the background. Just after Glenalmond the road was slippy with debris and caused a couple of loose sphincter moments for both of us, the Sma Glen was looking great although the usual potholes are starting to reveal themselves in parts of the road, just after the bridge we passed a tour bus coming in the other direction, that's what causes the potholes, green travel my backside. 

We took the Glenquaich road, quiet and stunning in the sun but always the threat of rain, stunning rainbow at the top and then after that very heavy rain, the run down the hill was tricky through the hairpins, like riding in a river bed, running water and the debris making sure we had to concentrate fully , the plan was to stop at Kenmore but the rain was heavy so we carried on through the village and turned left past Drummond hill, I notice this road isn't signposted with a road number and is on Google as National Cycle route 7, that is a worry, I will use it more in future although a boat would have been a better option than a bicycle on Saturday as large parts of it were flooded .

A stop in the nice layby overlooking Loch Kinardochy for a cuppa and our lunch (Which we had prepared earlier) and then on past Tummelbridge and Loch Rannoch and a run down the A9 from Pitlochry. A grand day out, some wind, some rain but on the bike whats not to like. 

Keep on keeping on.......

Rainbow, never found treasure though

Lunch

More rainbows 

In the wrong order, but going up the pass

Heavy clouds and sunshine 

Are we free?

 That used to be a catchphrase on a well known UK television comedy program and lately I have been wondering "Are we free" certainly not free to say what we want, the socialist government have put paid to free speech in just months in office, mind you the left of the right were slowly taking away the freedom of speech anyway. Any comments on your concerns will have you labeled with a whole range of titles you wouldn't be proud to have pinned on you. The state sponsored Stasi will question you if you put anything "they" don't like on Social media and have arrested recently some well known people for saying it as it is. Its very sad that the UK have sunk into this quagmire of filth so quickly and with nary a quiver of protest.

As motorcyclists we are at risk from non elected think tanks who would like to see us off the road or onto electric bikes as a minimum whilst the obscene spectacle of overweight Lycra warriors who pay not a cent for road tax or insurance continue to use our roads as a personal race track. Because of the Green lobby we pay more for energy in the UK whilst India and China keep churning out coal powered   polluting power stations daily.

Anyhoo, the good news is that at the moment we can do what we want (almost) and so I did manage a couple of days out on the bikes last week, Thursday a day out on the Airhead and Sunday a wee run on the 650 BMW's, its a great thing for clearing your mind. Thursday I stopped in to see an former colleague and friend who has just signed up for a 2 year lease of a new Norton Commando at a price that is scarcely believable. A brand new bike for £100 deposit and then £68 a month, hand it back after 2 years or buy it for £12K and that on what should be a £17k motorbike. I'm not sure what the scam is here, just like the abundance of Turkish barbers springing up in various town who never seem to have customers, anyway, rent a cheap bike and get a cheap haircut it seems like a no brainer, nobody can lose.......can they?

Loch Earn, cold but sunny

Glen Ogle

Glen Ogle (again)

And with a filter (Maybe I should get a filter for my brain?)

Sma Glen

Icy layby

Out of my depth

At last, motorcycling in 2025

 Although this winter has been mild there has been a lot of ice and a while of subzero temperatures. This last week however saw a minimum of 4 degrees and very dry so I got out to take advantage of the conditions. I must say the relief of getting back out on the bikes were needed for both of us, I've said it before not riding the bike for any prolonged period of time starts to get me down, I am not a fan of winter for that reason but the tangible benefit of clearing your mind whist motorcycling is for us anyway an essential part of life. 

Doctors should advise this to patients who are a bit run down, "When was the last time you were out on your motorbike?" "Not been out for weeks" " well go home, get your bike out and do at least 100 miles, you will feel better" " Oh and remember to take your vitamins as well"

I was out on the R100 earlier in the week and then the 650's Saturday and Sunday , even the roads weren't too mucky, brilliant.

Oh and I got a chance to try out my new drone , it has a "Follow me" option, it was like riding with a parrot behind you, quite funny, not so when I tried to get it to follow me into Perth, it decided to go its own way and crashed in the undergrowth in a nearby field, what fun.

Keep on keeping on my friends

Brilliant for January

Sunny

Not so sunny but no complaints

watching the river flow by

Action shot 

No action shot

Stopped for a cuppa, we were almost home but wanted to prolong the day

Last run of the year

 There was a plan to get out on Boxing day but overindulgence on Christmas day put paid to that, especially when it started to rain heavily. Saturday was dull but warm for this time of year so we made up sandwiches and some soup and the obligatory tea and set off, traffic was lighter than we thought it would be, a stop at St Fillans to get a dull photo of the Loch but the thing I didn't get a photo off was our old Cafe at Tullybannocher. The tree just as you go into the carpark had come down (To be fair Iain who lives in Comrie had told me) It damaged two cars and hit the cafe but the guys were dealing with cutting it up so I didn't want to be nosy although at a glance the cafe seemed ok. It is immaterial since I don't suppose it will open as a cafe again but I though you would like to know.

As we approached Glen Ogle it got wet, then Killin, wetter but It cleared to just a dull drizzle at Kenmore so we stopped to have our picnic, the roads were empty which was brilliant, something you never get outwith this period, we decided to go over Glenquaich which was wet but refreshing, all in all a grand day and good to get a run in at this time of year.

Now waiting for another "Storm" over the next few days and of course 2025 is just around the corner so let me wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year, my resolution is to do more miles and have more laughs, so should yours be!

David T from a while back, right where the Tree fell

Loch Earn, dreich

Fiona quite happy

Loch Tay Dreich

Bikes happy

Fiona happy

Always happy on the hill

Waiting for the rain to catch up

Fi having a rest

The road home 

Merry Christmas

 A merry Christmas to all our readers, its that time of year again, too much food and drink but hopefully meeting up with families. I hope Santa is good to you all and your stockings are filled with bike parts.

It hasn't been a good year  weather wise but we look forward to actually having a Summer in 2025 in Scotland. I think most of us motorcyclists would rather have a year of good weather and safe miles to look forward to instead of presents but that isn't an option on the list unfortunately so be happy with what Christmas day brings and as always keep on keeping on.

Some Norton Pics to keep you going

A Brace of Commandos at Queensferry

A brace of Rondellis

Fiona's Yellow peril

My JPN at the IOM

MVD at Brasov Castle Transylvania Romania

Returning from a party in Summer

December racing in

 What is there to talk about rather than the weather at this time of year? the good news is the Winter Equinox is Saturday the 21st of December which means it will soon be summer. Always glad to get that over with, we have already booked a ferry for next June and we have a plan to go up to the Arctic circle and then some of the former Soviet states just to have a look and see what they are like. Neither of us has been to Poland either so hopefully we will see parts of it as well. Of course this all depends on various people stopping blowing each other up and hopefully not starting fights with everybody else.

The Guzzi refresh has been slowed down whilst I wait for parts to get powder coated and so just like former work times everything goes into slow mode at this time of year.

We managed to get out on the GS650's on Sunday and had intended going over Glenquaich but the wind was very strong so we chickened out and went to our layby above Aberfeldy instead, a chance to look at nature and enjoy a flask of Tea. A short (60 miles) run but at this time of year it's enough to recharge the mental batteries. 

I managed to avoid weather talk and politics, must be getting better.

   

Some sunshine

Bikes looking clean (It was an optical illusion)

Big hill

An artistic black and white shot

A Little respite

 Last week was cold, certainly no surprise considering it's Winter in Scotland but the weekend warmed up nicely, Saturday was an "overtime " day, a bit of work in the garage and a visit from my brother John. Sunday was warm enough so we dragged out the 650 BMW's and managed a run towards Tummebridge, passing the "Queens view" on the way, we stopped for 5 minutes to take photos. The car park is owned by the local council (I assume) and they maintain it but it got me thinking who did they buy it from? With whose money? and worse who owns the land around there? How did they get the land? Did they steal it? were they gifted it for taking part in a battle? or by sacrificing "their men", ultimately I suppose all land has been stolen and over the years people managed to lay "Claim" to it by using lawyers who are in my opinion as trustworthy as a snake. This isn't going anywhere but it makes you think, it certainly gave me something to ponder.

The biggest question that prayed on my mind is how can the council who are funded by the local taxpayer charge me to park my bike on a bit of ground that ultimately I helped pay for and maintain, so I didn't pay on this occasion, what a rebel.

We stopped at a non paying layby before Aberfeldy that has nice views and yet another where we have our Norton meeting sometimes to take more views and to enjoy the rain because every time we stopped it rained but what a braw day, quiet roads and excellent scenery and the bike rolled over 54,000 miles just before we got home.

A day of quiet contemplation whilst riding the bike and I felt relaxed and mentally in tune with the Earth after it, try it, its excellent 

The Guzzi Spada is taking shape, not sure which shape but some kind of shape, I suppose a Guzzi shape, I have entered the putting things back on stage, very slowly at this point whilst I wait for things to come back from the powder coaters and clean various parts to make sure it is going together nicely, pictures soon hopefully 

Keep on keeping on 

The Queens view (Wonder if Queen Victoria paid to park her horse and carriage?)

Tea stop

A thing

Bonnie views

At the Norton car park

It was dreich at this point and there were no hills to be seen