Travel Tales from the UK

[Charlie G]

Nice story thread Charlie........now I feel homesick !

Mark

Yes Mark, I know how you feel. I'm going back. I still need to see Wales and the North West Highlands, and...........

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Vallhalla! Again!

Vallhalla! Again!

Wonderful journey Charley.

Certainly a well developed skill for the Irish, riding a bike fast on wet roads.
Thanks for the tire answer Johnny, Avon Roadriders are recommended by some of our members. Seeing them on Irish race bikes justifies them for me. I think I see Dunlops on some as well, and on the modern sport bikes I recognize Micheline Pilot Powers.

Bill

 

[Johnny Drummond]

No problem Bill, glad to help.So when will I see you????,the racers in the last photo are Connor Cummins (purple and green paint job closest to the right hand edge) leading Ian Lougher(yellow helmet,black,green and white paint job) Connor is the rider who slid off the side of Snae Fell at over 100mph in the TT 2 years ago-how do I know?lots and lots of practice,and the fact that the purple and green is a particular sponsors colours and Ian always wears a yellow helmet!,just to also mention there was another doctor that day also mounted on a bike,it's just he went past so fast poor Charlie couldn't get his photo-although he tried at least 15 times!!!!.The XN85 Turbo in the photo is a production bike that had a very limited lifespan of (I think 2 years) but I am pleased to be corrected on that ,they were imported here when the whole turbo thing was at it's height-think GPZ750T,XJ600 Turbo and CX650 Turbo they are really rare even here as in 25 odd years of being around bikes that is the only one I've ever seen.One last thing,the island you see in the photo is the Ailsa Craig which was visible from my kitchen window when I was a kid.Okay Charlie,you know the bed is here just let me know

 

[Charlie G]

No problem Bill, glad to help.So when will I see you????,the racers in the last photo are Connor Cummins (purple and green paint job closest to the right hand edge) leading Ian Lougher(yellow helmet,black,green and white paint job) Connor is the rider who slid off the side of Snae Fell at over 100mph in the TT 2 years ago-how do I know?lots and lots of practice,and the fact that the purple and green is a particular sponsors colours and Ian always wears a yellow helmet!,just to also mention there was another doctor that day also mounted on a bike,it's just he went past so fast poor Charlie couldn't get his photo-although he tried at least 15 times!!!!.The XN85 Turbo in the photo is a production bike that had a very limited lifespan of (I think 2 years) but I am pleased to be corrected on that ,they were imported here when the whole turbo thing was at it's height-think GPZ750T,XJ600 Turbo and CX650 Turbo they are really rare even here as in 25 odd years of being around bikes that is the only one I've ever seen.One last thing,the island you see in the photo is the Ailsa Craig which was visible from my kitchen window when I was a kid.Okay Charlie,you know the bed is here just let me know

Is Connor Cummins on the Macadoo team? Thanks for the info on Alisa Craig. My picture dosen't do it justice.

cg

 

[Charlie G]

I believe this purple plant on the mountian side is heather.

A glimse Cairnryan as we begin to dock.

We dock about 12:30pm and I head off to my rental car. I use the remote to open the lock and it dosen't work. I try the key in the door, it opens. The battery is dead. I left the lights on as the car seemed to have auto shut off, WRONG! No problem, I call emergency road service. I 'm on the phone with a nice lady, and I'm telling her where I am and she asks if I'm in Startford county or......The phone goes dead. WTF! My daughter lent me this phone and unknown to me it's a pay as you go phone, the concept is totally unkown to me. 2 1/2 hours later, after getting ahold of the road service again. topping up the phone, and having the (friendly)road service remind me that manual transmissions can be bump started, I was n the road. I never condisered pushing the car by myself in a slightly uphill parking lot. I doubt I could have. Off to tour west Scotland.

After using Glasglow as a testing ground for my ability to drive on the left hand on the road, I decided to take the coastal route and head north to Loch Lommond and Fort William.

It was getting toward late afternoon and really wanted to find a place to stay the night. It rained most of the way and this is where I say so many eople riding two up in the rain on twisty mountian roads along Loch Lommomd. I came to the intersection below , which had a hotel. I got a room.

Good food, clean rooms and the cost was great at the time, but yesterday I looked at the cost converted to dollars....well I enjoyed staying there.....

 

[Charlie G]

Morning in Crainlarich.

Near Glen Coe, Scotland. The drama of this area rivaled Yosemite in my mind. I'm not a fan of Yosemite. Too many people.

Loch Ness...ho hum

Wiskey in the river?

Rothes. Stopped to visit a friend of a friend at the Eastbank Hotel. Nice people.

Met Jason77 along the way.

I camped at the Lazy Duck Hostel near Aviemore. Of the 9 people staying there 7 were Americans. We chatted around a campfire until midnight under a full moon. No rain....nice.

 

[Guest]

More Charlie! This is great

I'm guessing old Nessie didn't poke her head out of the water then?

 

[Charlie G]

More Charlie! This is great

I'm guessing old Nessie didn't poke her head out of the water then?

I think Nessie was possing for tourits snaps for 10 lbs a piece somewhere.

cg

 

[Guest]

I think Nessie was possing for tourits snaps for 10 lbs a piece somewhere.

cg

Hahaha I see! Didn't want to part with the hard earned hey?

 

[hampshirehog]

I think Nessie was possing for tourits snaps for 10 lbs a piece somewhere.

cg

Or was he busy spinning some spanners on a GS? Whoops - getting confused - I was think of Nessism.....

That purple stuff was indeed heather. For some reason it's a rare habitat internationally and the UK has a high proportion of the world total. It grows where the soil nutrient level is very low.

I used to stay in the Crianlarich on business by the way - but not for years now. And you're right about the scenery; I spent a lot of time up there years ago and never got bored of it.

 

[Johnny Drummond]

Yes Charlie, Winston has been a good sponsor for a very long time,he worked with Ryan Farquhar before Connor.I agree with Hampshire that area is beautiful and the roads are stunning( if the liquid sunshine stays away!),if you go back to Crainlarach, turn right at the post office signposted for Killin follow it until you get to the Landrover dealership-its easy to spot as they have an ex mountain rescue landy with 4 sets of caterpillar tracks instead of wheels.Turn left and follow that road till its end, if you have a bike it is nirvana,smoooth tarmac,a mix of wide open sweeping bends and a few tight turns,lovley scenery(but you will only notice this when you turn round to ride it again which if you have any soul YOU WILL) and best of all NO f"^%*ing CARAVANS!!!!. Keep the pics coming as I haven't been up that way for years.Johnny

 

[Charlie G]

Or was he busy spinning some spanners on a GS? Whoops - getting confused - I was think of Nessism.....

That purple stuff was indeed heather. For some reason it's a rare habitat internationally and the UK has a high proportion of the world total. It grows where the soil nutrient level is very low.

I used to stay in the Crianlarich on business by the way - but not for years now. And you're right about the scenery; I spent a lot of time up there years ago and never got bored of it.

If it had been Nessin, he'd been stopping all the bikes telling them to do some basic maintaince. The guys taught me alot.

I enjoyed may stay at Crainlarich. I had A Gueiness and a local one on the recomendation of the bar tender. Something pale with a sweet aftertaste, like honey. Good food and friendly staff. I watched a little UK TV which was a treat. I could spend more time there. I can't go anywhere with out looking at the local trees and flora. The heather and thistle were beautiful.

A local girl in at the hostel said this tree was a Scot Pine. What do you think? I know it may be impossible from my shot.

Yes Charlie, Winston has been a good sponsor for a very long time,he worked with Ryan Farquhar before Connor.I agree with Hampshire that area is beautiful and the roads are stunning( if the liquid sunshine stays away!),if you go back to Crainlarach, turn right at the post office signposted for Killin follow it until you get to the Landrover dealership-its easy to spot as they have an ex mountain rescue landy with 4 sets of caterpillar tracks instead of wheels.Turn left and follow that road till its end, if you have a bike it is nirvana,smoooth tarmac,a mix of wide open sweeping bends and a few tight turns,lovley scenery(but you will only notice this when you turn round to ride it again which if you have any soul YOU WILL) and best of all NO f"^%*ing CARAVANS!!!!. Keep the pics coming as I haven't been up that way for years.Johnny

I need to go back sometime on a bike and explore these roads and the highlands to the north. I caught a little of the Edwardian Farming program on one of the TV stations while I was here.
I read last night that the young man that won the 650 twin race at the Dunrod 150 was killed riding at the Manx. What a shame, 22 years old and wooped Farquar. Wayne Hamilton, I think?

I don't remember caravans so much, but there were many tour busses from Fort William to Inverness. I tried to stay clear of where they stopped.



Thanks for the comments. I'm enjoying sharing, but it's nice to know someone is watching.

cg

 

[Leigh]

Fantastic, Charlie..
If I was any more envious they'd stick a Kawasaki badge on me.

Johnny, thanks for pointing the thread out to me.
Brace yourself, mate, I'll be coming over..

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Wow! Humbling!

Wow! Humbling!

Wow, Glen Coe Scotland sure blows away Glencoe IL, USA!
You got some lovely pics of some thistle too. We got plenty of that growing in Michigan.
Bill

 

[Suzuki mad]

Hey Charlie. Fowey is a beautiful harbour to stay in. You needed to be there on a Wednesday evening to see the small boats racing. Its amazing.

And as for turbo props, they are used on short flights rather than full twin engined jets here. Well, so much is close rather than the USA.

That XN85 was a model Suzuki sold here duirng 1985-1986. Had an issues with blowing turbo's so wasn't popular but went well. Plus you saw the other UK issues with bikes. RUST!

 

[Charlie G]

Hey Charlie. Fowey is a beautiful harbour to stay in. You needed to be there on a Wednesday evening to see the small boats racing. Its amazing.

And as for turbo props, they are used on short flights rather than full twin engined jets here. Well, so much is close rather than the USA.

That XN85 was a model Suzuki sold here duirng 1985-1986. Had an issues with blowing turbo's so wasn't popular but went well. Plus you saw the other UK issues with bikes. RUST!

In some of the first photos I posted there is a group of small, single mast sail boats. At one point over the weekend they came from all over the harbor and started sailing around. I know that most seaside villages have a style of boat design that is unique to that location and I assume that this style was Fowey's. I was told the name of the style, but it has slipped my mind.

The small turbo props are used here to feed into the major hubs. I flew in one from Oregon to S.F.

I've lived places along the coast of the US, where the ocean causes anything to rust up in a few years. Luckly, where I live now, rust isn't so much of a problem.

 

[hampshirehog]

A local girl in at the hostel said this tree was a Scot Pine. What do you think? I know it may be impossible from my shot.

That is indeed a Scots pine - Pinus sylvestris. One of our 3 native conifers (the others being yew and juniper). The red bark is the giveaway. We would call the one in your photo a granny pine because of its shape - it's old and twisted (and there's no money in fellin' and sellin' your granny).

 

[Charlie G]

That is indeed a Scots pine - Pinus sylvestris. One of our 3 native conifers (the others being yew and juniper). The red bark is the giveaway. We would call the one in your photo a granny pine because of its shape - it's old and twisted (and there's no money in fellin' and sellin' your granny).

I love the Granny tree saying...no felling or selling your granny. I have to be careful here not to get to off topic as I'm a carpenter who loves to talk trees, wood and their uses. I live in a community surrounded by forest, of which the local people used to derive a major part of their income from logging until enviromental concerns outweighted economic exploitation. I would have really liked to have seen a native Yew while in England. The local tribes here used the Pacific Yews (taxus brevifolia) for bows and was surprised while doing reasearch this year that England depended heavily upon your yew for the same. I've turned wooden bowls from both. Eyes glazed over and falling asleep yet?

cg

 

[hampshirehog]

Charlie - you must have driven by a churchyard. Every one has got a yew tree in there somewhere - a link back to a heathen past and evil spirits for some reason.

 

[spyug]

Wonderful travellog Charlie. One day I'll get back there mysel'. I especially like your pics of the hallowed grounds of Glencoe. A sad chapter in our history and one of the reasons we (Scots) still aren't owr (overly) friendly with the Sassenachs ( except our friends on this forum, of course ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_Glencoe

Thanks for sharing.

cheers,
Spyug