Home from JR17

[adbru]

No prizes for guessing I would be first home

Thats it for another year, no doubt the stories and pics will start soon.

However as an appetizer.

One member might now be known as XXX
Another almost lived up to his name.
44% of those that started todays run finished with the run leader.
The run leader/back marker/ middle of pack thoroughly enjoyed himself.
Todays run was 222 miles.

Adbru

[teejayexc]

May 28, 2017 19:05:42 GMT adbru said:

No prizes for guessing I would be first home

Thats it for another year, no doubt the stories and pics will start soon.

However as an appetizer.

One member might now be known as XXX
Another almost lived up to his name.
44% of those that started todays run finished with the run leader.
The run leader/back marker/ middle of pack thoroughly enjoyed himself.
Todays run was 222 miles.

Adbru

Please don't tell me there was a rusty tool on show !

[leatherbabe]

Can't take him anywhere but time will tell.

Meanwhile....

Rustytool reports: Still not home....

[Flymo]

Just back, M40Man ( i don't do stupid early ) woke me at 4.30 this morning and told me hurry up we are going

Many Many Thanks to Adbru for leading and backmarking a task that only the true run masters are able to acomplish! The selection of roads was as fabulous as the scenery and country side. choice of stopping places was also good.

Thanks to Mac and Debs for planning and good conversation and the almost legendary anecdotes in the evenings.

Muchas gracias to M40Man for sorting our accompdation that almost went without a hitch but turned out right in the end.

Rustytool great company looking forward to the next run out, bring biscuits

Gav again great company hope you and your bike get home safely.

Nice for Chris and Inez to join us at Thurso, and as always a pleasure to share a twisty road with such a gent.

I was one of the 56% that didn't finish with the run leader .... in a simple misunderstanding i took off when in fact the group were stopping for a cuppa, M40Man galantly came after me, however i knew where i was going, just every body else was going a different way

I have some pictures but have yet to sort them out so that will follow.

AND.... the weather gods were very kind to us, fabulous ride up on thursday all 450 miles in glorious sunshine, Friday was glorious all day, saturday very much a repeat apart from the last 40 miles or so, sunday started dull but very soon brightend up and only continued to get more and more sunny...

So sunny that at one point i found myself totally blinded but skillfully managed to not only keep the bike upright but also never more that a foot away from the tarmac i didn't even get the oportunity to go grass cutting The bike however was less than impressed, as she refused to start for a few minutes, however it appears as though i have been forgiven as she then started and has run fine ever since.

Much fun was has in the twisties that i now need a new rear tyre.

Once again thank you to everyone for making these get togethers most enjoyable.

[ContourMac]

Debs & I have made it back ok around 2pm having left at 4:30 this morning. (atrb_partsz)

Our thanks go out to:

Adrian (Adbru) for being an excellent host and organiser.

Martin for not thrashing the van as much as his bike,

Chris and Inez, Debs loved having some female company

Adrian (RustyTool), Great to have you along but you must bring LeatherBabe next time.

Flymo, For pretending to listen to my evening anecdotes

And to Gav (Vin) who despite suffering still from his WWW injury (and Black/Green colour blindness) kept up admirably.

It was a pleasure spending the weekend with you all.

JR18 cannot come soon enough

[m40man]

Trixie & I got home around 6:30pm - trust the heavens to open on the final leg, the A43 & A34! Washed off most of the fly spatters though .

Where to start ...... some thanks...

Thanks to Adbru for hosting & occasionally leading this spectacular weekend runs . Brilliant roads. Just brilliant.

Thanks to Mac & Debs, without whom I am certain I wouldn't have made this weekend - Trixie also says thanks as her tyres are still nicely rounded, & not squared-off by a long haul up there.

Thanks to Rustytool for the company on the way up, from Rugby, thanks to Flymo for the company on the way back as far as Mansfield.

Thanks to Gav for making the supreme effort to attend & then maintaining a happy disposition regardless of any unfortunate misjudgements!
Way to go, ramming that Cagiva into your tiny van!

Also, Gav, thanks for the hilarious lift back from the golf club eatery to the hotel.
A short run, to be sure - but I think you could tell I was enjoying it .

Thanks to Speighty for his good company at the stops & on the twisties, & nice to meet Inez - she of the toasty tush.

Thanks to all for the fun riding & essential pub & grub evening jollies.

Trixie was a joy on the selected roads (& the bit not selected by Adbru . I eventually gave up trying to catch Flymo after he went AWOL. )

One night our accommodation was double-booked, despite me ringing to confirm it last week. So I got to share a twin room for an extra night with snore-monster flymo, instead of the separate rooms we should have had. But fair play, the next night he made a supreme sacrifice in order to let me get some much needed shut-eye - only for me to then rouse him at 4:30 in the morning for the run home!

I hope Rustytool Ade - sees this - my map got a bit soggy on the last leg from Mac / Debs to Groovy Grove - pick me up another, there's a good chap . Hope you enjoy your extended jollies.


Some spectacular views - I'll check my camera & get some up soon.

[GAv]

Martin the fact that youre slightly inebriated state was making you laugh so much-first you lie prone on sporty job called Trixie, then on your back in my liccle van? set me off-
I'd to say a word for the Cowboy , The Road he takes is difficult and Stony, he rides fur days on end with just a pony fur a friend(Gloria Graham's voice cc?) I sure am feel'in sorry fur the pony-

forgive me I drove all night, almost none-stop probably a bit high off the fuel coktails mixed in the Cagiva tank,
and still havent been to bed-nope I'd actually like to say a word fur the Kangaroo, it didnt miss a single beat in all its travels, and apart from the front seat back breaking under the stress of a 1000cc bike's front wheel resting upon it and until I put a pucker amount ofcheap oil into the 1.9 Van Diesel, so on corners and anything remotely up hill or down dale, and OK some nifty gear changes, she ran like the proverbial top.

Having finally collected the bike from my Good Samaritan new found friends after making one or two detours traversing most of the West Coast, even welcome to Sky at one juncture, albeit it still said the Bridge was 3 miles away, the thing ran faultlessly.

After finally establishing the exact fishing Loch area my bike was @ marked by a signpost I ignored once at least,(through the Hotel letting me usetheirAdbru, whom as it was his day off had offered to come with me to help, until it was suggested with the bike aboard the only real carryall left was the roof bars(ok made that last bit up as I really didnt want to push my luck with the ever cool Adrian )and now t'other Adrian, Rusty Nail what the hell time did you get up man, or couldnt you sleep so went a wandering.

Makes mental note dont take 3 mobile phones if none of them work.
Youre Bandit apart from another Diesel guy with a Beemer, in the car park was the only bike I recognised so was hanging about hoping for the name of the place where you did kindly come back and see if I was OK, seriously hope you had a good extended trip too.

Deciding after finding said place through our long suffering leader, got the bike aboard and heading for Perth saw a services sign, and it turned out to be a bit of a poash town with locked urinals and two garages with no pumps and wire fencing surrounds.

There was a sign for the Beatrice Potter Gardens yeha, and two too swanky O'tels and a B&B, however really was wanting to press on, inwent into a quicky mart to get provisions and a lady was asking Abrohow far her car would go with an orange light, sohoping to do one's good deed offered to follow her into Perth and if her Granada conked out would get some fuel but clearly on the basis that my passenger seat was taken(by the bike)It turned out her hubby was with her so we convoyed into Perth after which tanked up made tracks for Glasgow, then toward Carlisle and it had started raining hard at but let up a bit and in a Scotch mist the last view of mountains was discernable, however the rain barely let up and the heater was on warm, plenty of CDs, by Birmingham I had to stop ,got terrible thigh cramp, ever time stopped had another Costa Mungars cost a fortune caffeine fix , and a few more by the time I got home in the daylight.

All in all it was thoroughly enjoyable, lovely folk met and remet, and forgetting some minor glitches full of wonderfull memories

The chap I bought the Kangoo off was delighted when I told him it had run like a top and probably a hire van would eventually cost more.

[bev]

I'm beginning to wonder if anything runs smoothly for you Gav. You seem jinxed.

[adbru]

Delighted to hear that you made it home safely Gav.

I thought you were going to spend some time on Skye to finish the trip off?

Just Chris and Rusty to hear from then we are all home safe :-)

I would like to add my thanks to the participants, I can truely say that it would not have been the same without you lol.

Now that the mutual appreciation posts are over the p*** taking can begin in earnest !!

Lessons I have learned....
Everyone should have passed their (working) mobile number to at least two other people in the group.
Scottish Scampi don't have tails.
Everything is cheaper in Rugby
It is a special skill to be run leader and back marker on the same section of road.
The Sheiling in Gairloch obviously don't want our business
I really should pack factor 50
There should be a 'Give way to Ducks' sign in Wester Ross.
Flymo has special camera skills
Martin doesnt agree that because the cow was veggie that meant my burger was a veggie meal.

To be continued.... :-)

[GAv]

Yep that was one idea Adrian however maybe better to leave something for a next time.
also by the time my kind good samaritans had helped load the bike, with nothing arranged apro po Skye and the weather was closing in again, I figured to have had despite the glitches, really enjoyed the trip so no regrets on that score. thanks a million once again.

ps the bike and friend, Chris the chap who came to my aid wants to make a Trike with this shaft drive Kwaka, looks a bit like one of my proposed long termers

[Flymo]

Glad you made it Back Gav, it's amazing how you calmly you carry on even thought its seems like calamity is all around you, get the bike sorted, and hope to see you on another run.


Pictures from friday can be found --> Here
Pictures from Saturday can be found --> Here
Pictures from Sunday can be found --> Here


Flymo

[speighty]

Hi all,

Arrived back around 8.30pm last night, after a leisurely trip to take Inez home first, then back to Chez Speight, just over 400miles for the day.

Thanks yet again to Adrian for giving us all an excuse to spend time in the Highlands!

Thanks to all from Inez for making her feel so welcome, it was her first YDC weekend away and she enjoyed it immensely.

Great to meet up with the attendees, as usual we managed to have a good time dispite the heavy strain of sun, beer and excellent food.

Been a long time since I went on tour with a pillion and on such a big bike. However, the RT lived up to its reputation, handling the vastly different road conditions, 2up and fully loaded with ease and comfort. Certainly not the fastest bike Ive ever had , in fact the sat nav says the highest speed i hit all weekend as 95mph. But it hustles all that weight with ease ..... Im very very impressed.

If anyone has any video of RT, let me know, I'd love a copy!!

Pictures and video will follow once I;ve had time to process it all.

Roll on JR18 !!!

[spike240]

Excellent fotos Andy. Sorry I missed it - looks like you had a cracking weekend. Scotland is a fantastic place, but you do need the weather Gods on your side - and you certainly had them! Anyone got a photo of Gav puttin his bike in the van? Cos I'd like to see how its done. And gettin out for that matter.

[Flymo]

May 31, 2017 7:29:57 GMT spike240 said:

Excellent fotos Andy. Sorry I missed it - looks like you had a cracking weekend. Scotland is a fantastic place, but you do need the weather Gods on your side - and you certainly had them! Anyone got a photo of Gav puttin his bike in the van? Cos I'd like to see how its done. And gettin out for that matter.

Thanks Spike, you should have come, fabulous weather ( mostly ), fabulous scenery, fabulous roads, fabulous company.... just an all round fabulous long weekend quite possibly going down as my favorite divvy get together so far.

Flymo

[leatherbabe]

May 30, 2017 13:52:09 GMT adbru said:

Just...Rusty to hear from then we are all home safe :-)

RustyTool is still roamin' in the gloamin'.

Weather turned a bit soggy so he decided to rest up & stay on an extra day at the B&B & then today decided to do the Applecross route so he's been winding about with Suzy Bandit this afternoon - has always wanted to ride that road so hey why not, be rude not to

Making his way back - got him booked tonight at the place he and Martin stayed in on the way up and should land back home tomorrer.

Off to look at Flymo's pics now....

PS I had the best birthday card EVER

[leatherbabe]

Well, seems Ade has turned this into a mini June Jolly as he stayed over (reaching the hotel in time by the skin of his leather salopettes) after an enthralling ride over to Applecross and then riding XXX miles in a day to make the stopover.

Love your pics Gav and yours are amazing, Flymo. Fab pics all round making us all Wish We'd Been There.
Some unusual camera angles that I'd possibly tried myself so am well impressed.

Mac & Debs - I just LOVE your number plates! Cool or what?

Martin - Have fallen in love with Trixie, what a bike. Was eyeing one up just before the run and Ade said that was what you have.  

No doubt The Wanderererer will check in as soon as he's landed, unloaded and had that all-important cup of tea and 2 x biscuits. You know wot I mean.

[rustytool]

Hi all, Home safe & sound. Got internet probs at home so had to use local library computers.

Many thanks to Adbru for Organising JR17, wish i'd done some previous JRs.

All been said already but thanks to all for the company, witty banter and humourous anecdotes. (pilots flying into LAX reporting seeing a man on a deck chair with an air rifle at 20,000 feet, still brings a smile). Think my attempts at witty banter may have offended the northern section as he flatly refused a nice warm hotel room for a night under canvas when it was heaving down. Then the next day proceeded to discard of as many southerners as he could.

Thanks to martin for disrupting my plans to head north early on wednesday. As it happens M6 was closed northbound and all surrounding A roads were gridlocked. Thanks for the company on the way up.

Thanks to Mac & Debs for the use of the van.

Have a few more Maps. I called into the visitor centre in Loch Carron on my way to Applecross and they had loads, so grabbed a handful.

I may have some video, might take me a while to get it sorted.

will post more when i get internet sorted.

[Flymo]

Jun 5, 2017 11:51:09 GMT rustytool said:

Hi all, Home safe & sound. Got internet probs at home so had to use local library computers.

Many thanks to Adbru for Organising JR17, wish i'd done some previous JRs.

All been said already but thanks to all for the company, witty banter and humourous anecdotes. (pilots flying into LAX reporting seeing a man on a deck chair with an air rifle at 20,000 feet, still brings a smile). Think my attempts at witty banter may have offended the northern section as he flatly refused a nice warm hotel room for a night under canvas when it was heaving down. Then the next day proceeded to discard of as many southerners as he could.

Thanks to martin for disrupting my plans to head north early on wednesday. As it happens M6 was closed northbound and all surrounding A roads were gridlocked. Thanks for the company on the way up.

Thanks to Mac & Debs for the use of the van.

Have a few more Maps. I called into the visitor centre in Loch Carron on my way to Applecross and they had loads, so grabbed a handful.

I may have some video, might take me a while to get it sorted.

will post more when i get internet sorted.

Ah ah so it was a ploy huh.... well i guess as a true run master Adbru has to aquire many skills....

Glad you made it back, looking forward to any video you may have.

Flymo