Featured Touring Off For A Ride, Back In A Bit....

A great bike, vastly underrated.
I rode a brand new one in 1997 P reg and loved it. Divorced in 2010, so bought the one above and kept it x3 years, whilst I got back on my feet.

If they were still selling new ones, I'd buy one without a second thought.

 

That's not a bad shout actually @TRIPLE X I might just do that.

I'm currently catching up on Internet tasks whilst I have the hotel WiFi. I'm in no rush, have all day plus with a tent I don't have to be anywhere in particular, do I?

 

A little further down the road was an enclosure with a decent herd, probably breeding stock or venison meat supplier.




I think he's shouting " bugger off!"

 

Still on last night.....
From the deer I went to Shin Falls.
Park carefully, anpr cameras on the entrances will have you.







As you can see, the light is starting to fade and the first of the rain on this trip fell on me. Walking back to the bike, I was surprised when the phone rang, as I didn't expect any signal.
It was Invershin Hotel, just checking I was OK as it was getting late and they were concerned.
I thought that was a nice touch and thanked them whilst ordering a Tennents.

 

It always pays to find out who's about and have a chat. I ended up having a few pints with the chef last night, guess who got double bacon this morning?

 

Isn't it funny how the ( mine anyway) human mind works.
I wouldn't pay £1.50 to park at The Kelpies as I felt it was a rip off.
However, I do like to clean my ears out after a shower a sort of finishing touch. Obviously space is limited on a bike, so the other day I bought a £1.50 box of earbuds.

Job done, ahhh but how you going to fit them in to travel?

I'm not.

Told the owner, I've taken a handful, and the rest are for any future guests to help themselves.

 

Right, moustache, miles to munch and tyres to wear.

 

Invershin down to Aviemore, over the Viewpoint road @JackWS was talking about and then on a pleasant back road route to Kingussie.

Beauty and the beast.

 

I spoke to the x2 guys who'd used it to collect their lunch.
A strange combination in the load bed of a box containing a Rottweiler, Border Collie and a Ewe with a lamb. Initially I didn't notice the partition inside the box so I was amazed all hell wasn't going off.
Apparently they can only do certain corners in the village otherwise they need both lanes to get around
A choice of the rear 4 wheel or all 6 wheel drive, not the fronts on the road as it tends to snow plough corners and shred tyres. At the last estate he worked at, they had one and at one point he said he had 2 ton in the back, but it was on its arse

A proper tool offroad apparently.

 

A pint of milk and a bite to eat and I'm off.
Various plans in my head included Rannoch Moor or Bamburgh Castle as it's such a nice day, but the clouds looked ominous...... it started to rain at Pitlochry then stopped.


Short lived, and then the rain started again near the House of Bruar..... wow did it rain, to call it heavy did not do it justice!
Proper rivers across the road.
On the average camera 60 mph section, I was doing 50 and nothing caught me in about 10 mile. At one stage I think I was down to 45 but with the trucks spray going the other way I really couldn't see alot especially with a full smoke visor on.

The right boot started to leak, probably off the front tyre, a puddle developed and the left joined in. Under the conditions, the Richa goretex did an admirable job but nothings infallible. The neck hole dribbled a bit in and the front zip had a wet patch where I'd been leaning on the tankbag.

This continued all the way to Edinburgh which would put 200 or so miles in the bag and do for the day.
A coffee and change was required plus find a location for tonight.

 

I'm not sure if the locals enjoyed the free strip show but needs must.

I have never been so pleased to have a smelly, secondhand, pair of socks in my possession as I was then. The boots were soaked and so I didn't want to waste my last clean pair.
Top change, liners back in my Richa trousers and nip into Costa for a coffee.

 

I picked out a location for tonight and proceeded on my way.

The entry to a die hard offroader like myself looks nothing, but this is wet grass and far from good road tyres, they are now on (past) their wear markers and my arse has been twitching all day on tarmac...... here goes



Above is the front, a touch left in the middle but both sides have gone


The pink roads, plus mileage, plus enthusiasm, have certainly taken its toll and I look forward to changing them.

 

Camp set up, and now time for a pot of tea whilst watching the little fish in the stream.

 

Currently we have @TRIPLE X leading on one brownie point for his tyre prediction.
Who's going to tell me, for another wonderful Triumph forum brownie point, what is wrong with this camp spot?







Reasonably flat - tick
Water source - tick
Grass with some soil depth for pegs - fair
Access - just about ok.
Remoteness - tick
Flood risk - good

What other single factor needs to be always (now) considered to make a camp spot ideal?

Any guesses?

 

Nope, as good as it gets but good guess.