Wednesday, 26 February 2025

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 

Monday, 10 February 2025

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