Wrestling match

Ahamay

The Joker
IBA Member
#1
0500 24th June 2017 Squires cafe Sherburn-in-Elmet this years RBLR 1000 ride for the second time first in the line to start my third go this time North clockwise to get that awful motorway drag to Glasgow out of the way first.
The weather looked good with high winds in the North of Scotland dry for a change, I managed to get lost in the Manchester road works and found myself on the M60 instead of the M61/M6 i was riding with a local lad of my age who had just passed his test and had got a Kawasaki 1400 GTR a good start to biking we got separated because of my little detour.
Once i got myself untangled from that cock up it was fine up to Glasgow where heading for the Erskine bridge a simple route M8 for Glasgow airport and you get signed for the Erskine bridge which i have done a dozen times and managed to get lost AGAIN and found myself heading for Stirling i can only put this down to a combination of advancing years and i retired from work on the following Monday 26th June anyhoo that's my excuse and i am sticking to it.
So safely across the bridge it was a good rapid ride past Loch Lomond, the Green welly, Rannock moor and Glen Coe and for once it was not raining with no wind to speak of more of that later.
At the fuel stop in Ft William i met the lad on the 1400 GTR again a good stop for a tea and sandwich onto Inverness i have mentioned the infamous four and twenty virgins before the wind was now rising the bridge across the Moray Firth was closed to high sided vehicles with good reason i was having enough trouble keeping the bike in a straight line.
The wind now was heavy on the north bound A9/A99 to wick if there was a bank or a hedge you got some shelter but with a gap a gale force wind hit you on the left side of the head and you were struggling to keep on the left side of the white line the road is on the coast so no shelter from the wind with an occasional gust almost pushed me into oncoming traffic.
At Wick a welcome rest that was round one of the wrestling match one nil to me, sitting in the shelter of the wall at the fuel stop having a drink and a snack upper body shoulders forearms and wrists were starting to ache a couple of paracetamol back in the saddle heading south.
This time the wind hitting me in the right side of the head and it was trying to throw me over the cliff which caused a couple of buttock clenching moments, this the longest leg to Dreghorn services including the A9 the only thing you can say about that bloody road is it improves your fuel consumption at one point in the road works it is 40 MPH stuggling to stay legal in fourth gear WTF, constant wind the tree tops being whipped into a frenzy wrestling a quarter of a ton of Germany's finest recycled u-boat it was a relief to get to Dreghorn after that battering i felt as i had gone ten rounds with Big Daddy all i needed then was a commentary from Kent Walton.
The wind died out there OH DEEP JOY two nil to me, so a pleasant ride back to Squires via Berwick-on-tweed even with two detours and the wrestling i managed it in twenty one hours much to my surprise,
back to the hotel at 0300 with the sun just peeping over the horizon.
 
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FJRPilot

Brit Butt Rallymaster RBLR1000 routemaster
Premier Member
IBA Member
#2
Well done John. :D

If my memory serves me right this is only the second year since 2009 that there's been really strong winds along the Inverness to Wick section. IMO by far the best bit of road of the whole northern routes. I can't recall any other 100+ mile road where I always look forward to turning around and immediately riding back the other way.

Hopefully by this time next year both the A1 and M62 will be free (ish) of major road closures and overnight road works :)
 

Ahamay

The Joker
IBA Member
#3
Erskine bridge to Ft Bill to Inverness comes a close second, i have not seen the M62 free of road works in the last five years we can but live in hope:rolleyes:
Clockwise north is a nicer way to go IMO, i would give the southern route a go but it passes a mile and a bit from my house at the Dartford crossing too tempting to go home for a kip.
 

Mike Strong

Premier Member
#4
Yep, I did anti-clockwise north. What a battering, the Pan was acting like a sail & yes it step from one side of road to the other more than once.

Crossing those 3 bridges twice was also interesting. :rolleyes:
 

Winglider

Ex-Wiinglider
IBA Member
#5
If my memory serves me right this is only the second year since 2009 that there's been really strong winds along the Inverness to Wick section. IMO by far the best bit of road of the whole northern routes. I can't recall any other 100+ mile road where I always look forward to turning around and immediately riding back the other way.
You have got to be joking !!!
Glen Coe is the best bit of the route, it may not be as long but is stunning what ever the weather. [well almost any weather, howling winds and horizontal rain, may not be to good. Or snow and ice.] But apart from those two and maybe thick fog, it cannot be beat. :):):)