Featured Touring Back Hame

Once more heading back north and homeward bound. Though I am regularly in Scotland (for work and family) via plane and automobile (trains I avoid), I haven't been back on 2 wheels since 2017.

2017 when I got hit by the beast from the east and closed the journey in one leg from Alness to West London. Not the longest ride I have done in a day but probably the worst. I had planned a camp out on Skye, something I haven't done in decades, but saw the weather coming in on the news. So I thought I would try and beat it home.

All was good down the A9 despite the new speed cameras. It was Leeds that got me. I knew I should have stopped in the Midlands and bagged a sofa at a friends but, ever the optimist, I thought I could ride out the other side of it. It just got worse and worse. In the end I was in pieces, threw away half my sodden gear, and swore off touring ever again.

So in 2 weeks I will be heading back. I have some work for a couple of days in sunny Aberdeen, so have packed shirts and decent shoes so as to clean up nice.

The camping gear is all stowed in a 65litre holdall to throw over the empty pillion. and I'm hoping I'll get the panniers fitted properly for all the other stuff. I have a new larger tent as I'm fed up of touching cloth at both ends and it's side entry so I don't have to do downward dog every time I enter and exit. Also for the first time I have the new fangled blackout liner so I won't be getting up with the sun.

The weekend will be in Skye but the rest of the week, bar a couple of days work, I will look up some old friends and generally bimble. I will revisit the the Struie, one of the best wee roads in the Highlands, with a great view of Dornoch Firth, somehow missed off the North Coast 500.

 

Thought I would put up shots from 2017. Of course I have more recent ones but I wasn't on a bike, so doesn't count.

 

I forgot I had put up a couple of vids from this trip.

 

Ah there it is, thanks

 

Sorting out kit, fettling the mounts and fitting new Dart Classic Screen. 11 hours of riding tomorrow. Early Start.