Scotland - (June 2015)
In June 2015, I experienced one of the best long weekends I have ever had.... motorbike riding in Scotland.
Seven of us on motorbikes (and 2 in an AUDI TT) travelled round Scotland over 4 days.
Friday -
The traditional Scottish weather greeted us when we arrived in Balloch around lunchtime...it was raining... heavily, but the forecast was that it would stop later in the afternoon and so it did. We managed a ride to Lochgiiphead and back in the afternoon / early evening.
Over the next three and a half days, we only had one hour of rain... just enough to make us stop and get out the waterproofs, but that was all and I would settle for that every time!
Saturday -
We travelled from Balloch below Loch Lomond, past the Bridge of Orchy and over towards Glen Coe. Razzed round 'The Scotsburgring' (road round Kinlochleven) then on to Fort William. Visited the Commando Monument near Spean Bridge before reaching Aviemore and checking in to the Aviemore Hotel.
Sunday -
We travelled over the Cairngorms National Park passing through Grantown-on-Spey, Tomintoul, Ballater, Spittal of Glenshee, Pitlochry, Loch Tay, Killin, Brig o'Turk and back to Balloch.
Monday -
We managed another spin round Tyndrum and Dalmally with a break at Inverary before returning to Ballock and then travelling back home.
This was an absolute cracking time with very good mates who made me very welcome.
We had a good laugh all of the time, and with the good weather, the roads and the scenery, it will be a weekend I will never forget. I can't begin to explain all the things that happened, so I knocked it up into a quick verse to remind us all of what we experienced.
(by the way... my new name is now Egolian... apparently!!!).
T'was the year of 2015 and
My mates said let's go roaming
So we scanned the atlas far and wide
And decided on the gloamin
We started off at Bob's house
Where we loaded up the van
But it soon became apparent
We could only get two in
So Bob and Jonathan pondered
What about Egolian
I know they said excitedly
We'll get a bigger van
The bigger van was busy
So we settled for a trailer
So when Egolian tootled up
We loaded up the tiger
We set off at the crack of dawn
And went to fill the tank
We filled the diesel to the top
While Bob went to the bank
A61 McDonald's
Was the meeting rendezvous
The bikers were all set to go
And Rick in his car too
We set off at 6.30
Creating a road train
We headed north past Scotch Corner
Right through the driving rain
We skirted right round Glasgow
After stopping for a bun
We then arrived in Balloch
And checked in the Tullie Inn
We waited for the rain to bate
It wasn't looking good
So we headed for the hotel bar
And ordered up some food.
T'was a couple hours later
That we actually got out
We rode around Loch Lomond
With fantastic views throughout
We traversed the A83
The roads they were sublime
Until we reached Lochgilphead
On the grand banks of Loch Fyne
We topped our tanks up once again
Then turned our bikes around
And rode the same road backwards
With great views that would astound
With the beemer RR screaming
And the triples close behind
They were playing leader hopscotch
With some riding unrefined!
Behind them was the big black pig
Then the Buell with no fear
Egolian kept one eye on things
Whilst bringing up the rear
Once back we had a shower
Forced upon us in a hurry
Then trundled right across the road
And tucked in to a curry
The next day we set off again
Heading for Aviemore
And once again the bends were great
With new roads to explore
Bob went to overtake a car
But the driver pulled out wide
Bob grabbed the brakes and clenched his cheeks
As Egolian flew by
Bobs death wish then continued
As he was about to prove
He danced and pirouetted
While his bike went down a groove
These incidents affected Bob
It really was a caper
Cos later when we stopped for food
He went for toilet paper
We turned onto The Scotsburgring
We'd heard from bike mag clippings
But the council got one up on us
They'd tarmac'd it with chippings
But round the northern side of it
Just as it was designed
Pure racetrack bends and humps and dips
With not a straight in mind
This biking lark's fantastic
In Caledonia
The straights, the bends, the scenery
It's bike utopia
Then later came the coach driver
Intent to block our way
But Egolian had other plans
And moved to save the day
He open up his throttle
And then passed the bus aghast
Then slowed it to standstill
Till the biker boys got past
On Sunday we arose quite late
And the sun it was still shining
So we rammed some brekky down our throats
As the road ahead was pining
Egolian and Jay studied
The map and all its assets
They wrote todays directions down
While the guys polished their helmets
We started travelling down the road
Then onto moorland high
The bends and views were stunning
As the miles just passed us by
Jon then said he'd an error light
Appearing on his dash
So we pulled into a garage
for his problem to assess
Jon had his mates there with him
And they really were the best
They changed his stop and tail lamp fuse
To lay his mind at rest
We soon came to Pitlochry
After flying down the roads
One hundred miles behind us
With one hundred still to go
Then teatime brought a section of
Some bends that made us grin
We had to stop to catch our breaths
And try to take it in
But then came Sunday evening
Full of smiling and good cheer
So we reminisced the days events
With fine wine, food and beer
I've tried to think and then describe
But cannot just because
No words can really justify
How good it really was
We now entered our final day
The time has gone so fast
So before we loaded up the vans
We had our final blast
But then came Monday lunchtime
And the trip drew to a close
But 'cos this weekend's been so good
I now have to disclose...
The three things that I noticed
While a riding round this land...
The people that I did it with
We're eloquent and grand (not)
A great big thanks to all the lads
For making me so welcome
Let's do it all again real soon
Not infrequent or seldom
A special mention unto Jay
His efforts were real ace
Cos without him sorting all this out
It never would take place
These memories will last a while
They'll linger on and on
But nothing more I'd ask of them
My 2 mates Bob and Jon
Thanks guys... all of you!
Listed below are the routes we covered over the 4 days in Scotland along with some photos of the great time we had.
