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

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

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...........

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

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

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!!