Well after talking so much about the petrol tank I’ve almost forgotten how to write a ride report.
As ever I had a plan, a big old plan to be 100% honest about
it. I’d been looking at a multi-day ride and had drawn up an IBA UK Saddle Sore
3000 mile ride. The idea came to me after reading a few posts on the IBA UK
site about riding a 1000 miles in each of England, Scotland & Wales. Before
I could get off my backside, Kevin and Lynn Weller had bagged the Wales SS1000.
Top marks to them both for a completing a very intense ride covering two laps
which were roughly like a figure of eight. You can read the ride report on TheWellers Blog.
So meanwhile back at the old MapSource program I was beavering
away to sort out the logistics of covering the whole of the UK’s three
countries. It was all slotting together nicely with the Scottish leg starting
just north of the border at Gretna and through Glasgow up towards Fort William carrying
on all the way up to Durness up in the far north west then across the north
coast to Wick.
I then planned to tracking the coast line all the way around
the Murray Firth and across to Fraiserburgh, at which point I would head south
to Aberdeen down to Perth, Dunfermline and across, then crossing the Firth of
Forth to Edinburgh. Finally riding along the A1 as far as Bellhaven Bay were I
would back track and head down through Moffatt returning to the services at
Gretna. A very interesting and enjoyable 1033 miles door to door.
UK leg was very easy, Carlisle, South to Clacket Services on
M25 across to Gordano’s Services on M5 all the way down to Penzance then return
all the way up the M5 and M6 to finish just west of Chester a cool 1036. The
last leg of my trip would be a ride around the coastline of Wales, twice for
good measure coming in a respectable and all-important SS1000 beating 1056
miles.
How easily those routes have tripped of my tongue but I can
assure you getting a route that is both above 1000 miles and not madly over ambitious
and achievable within the 24 hour cut off time was not that easy. Then add in
the final requirement that each leg must finish as close to the start of the
next leg as physically possible you then begin to understand how much thought
and time I’d put into this ride. At the last minute after days of sorting cover
and working out when to start the ride to cause the least amount of upset on
the “home front” I thought why not do all four countries and added Ireland to
the mix. The route was very easy as Stena Line sail from Cairnryan just north
of Stranraer into Belfast. Perfect!
Belfast, Cork, Letterkenny job done 500 miles each way. A
quick email to Chris who advised me to ride
via Galway to ensure 1068 miles. I then emailed the routes to Phil to give them
the once over not wanting to waste 4 days riding.
Only to read Phil’s post on the IBA site a
little later
British Isles Saddlesore Insanity
FazerPhil Admin Group
Posted: 01 May 2012 at 2:34pm
“After discussions with Mike Kneebone IBA President I am pleased to announce the "British Isles Saddlesore Insanity"
The rules will be published on the website soon but the basis is to Ride and get verified a SS1000 in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland”.
You can then apply to IBAUK for a special "BISSI" certificate which will be issued FOC”
Posted: 01 May 2012 at 6:43pm
“You can collect them when you want as long as they are documented as separate SS1000 within each country. If course if you want to do one after another altogether that’s up to you as long as they are documented SS1000's with each of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Yes the reason we went for British Isles rather than UK was so the Ireland ride could include the North and South. It would be very monotonous to do a SS1000 in N. Ireland. I thank Chris for his previous advice on the title”.
So the challenge was
on 4 SS1000 mile rides back to back each being logged individually in
each of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom.
All ready for the "Big Adventure"
I’m not going to bore you with the sandwiches, drinks and snakes
plus my usual riding back up kit packed in the top box. Setting off from Kendal at 8.00pm on Sunday
night with my ticket for the midnight ferry to Belfast tucked away in my top-box.
The ride north was fantastic as my Garmin 660 is running on 2012 maps and route
was planned on 2010 maps. This resulted in a weird and wonderful ride once I had
left the M6 north bound heading towards Dumfries I was taken straight through the
Galloway Forest at dusk.
Riding happily along the A75 the “Garmin Lady” instructed me
turn right onto the A712. First thing I
saw was A712 Closed from Monday 8th May. Damn, “What date is it
Raymondo, is it Monday yet?”.
There is nothing worse than following the Sat Nav
instructions into a set of road works, not wanting to moan ,(having been
berated for it on line recently) I’ll just say the road surface was amazingly
smooth. Within 10 minutes the road began to twist and turn as the forest lay
down the rules as to where it would be allowed to run. The dark night started
to close in and there was a really thick mist settling on the road which
thinking back I should have stopped and taken a photo of.
The view took my mind straight to a scene from the “Robin of
the Hood” series introduction on TV a few years ago. The mist floated up from
the new road surface, the trees hung over me causing the road to turn into a
deep, dark tunnel. As the trees backed away from the road the whole area took
on a mystical feel and there I was all alone riding through this wonderful mysterious
land. I could have quite easily have been astride a mighty black stallion. The
mood overtook me and I just loved being there, my senses were working overtime
seeing all sorts of moving shadows and magical building appear and disappear as
I rode by. The road is called “The Queens Way” which just added to its
mystique.
Suddenly a huge black dear bolted across the road some 30
feet ahead of me, I really was part of Robin Hood’s wonderland. Shame it was totally
the wrong forest, Nottingham being a good 230 miles further south, I didn’t
care the experience was mystical and I loved it. (Note to self, return to
Galloway Forest as soon as possible).
Sadly, all too soon my magical ride came to an abrupt end as
I was thrown out of the forest, having not seen a single vehicle, back onto the
A75 to join the train of trucks heading north to Stranraer.
“Good evening Mr Walton, how are you tonight?”
What a welcome, I’ve never arrived at a dock where the staff
knew who I was before I’d even switched the engine off and lifted my helmet
front up.
“I’m fine thank you”
“If you would just like to ride over the my colleague at the
next gate we will get you loaded straight away”
Within 5 minutes I was watching the deck hand fasten Mr T
down in readiness for the 2 and half hour crossing. Finding a nice quite seat
near the front restaurant I started to get my boots off and get my head down as
it was quarter to midnight. No chance, the coaches had unloaded their teenage
contents and that was the end of the peace and quite for the entire trip. There
is nothing worse than a teenager drinking coffee at midnight, it was like
watching a human pinball machine on speed. They were everywhere, sleep? you
must be joking! Still the barman was kind enough to sign my start witness form
with a single word question “Why?”………..
Riding out of the docks I pulled into the petrol station to
fill up self-service. My card was rejected!
Pulling off the main road through Belfast I was lucky enough
to find a 24 hour service station but I had to pay for my fuel before he would
switch the pump on, a little like Spain really.
I only had £7.50 on me so that’s what I put in.
The route south was easily found and with next to no cars
what so ever on the M1 / A1 / N1 amazing it was just like being back in England
except the N1 name. The weather was mixed but the Gerbing Heated jacket and
gloves worked well when the temperature bottomed out at just 3 degrees.
I noticed just south of Dublin I’d only got half a tank of
fuel, so pulled off and filled up at 6.00am for the final hours ride down to
Douglas which is just at the back of Cork.
Riding through the town at 6.15am was really nice with some
amazing buildings lining the River Lee in the town centre. Again I just could
not be bothered to stop and take any pictures. Tank full I headed off towards
Mallow, Limerick and on to Galway where I required a receipt. As I didn’t need
petrol I just bought a bottle of cola- which is still in the garage! Then it
was off up the N17, N83 and then onto the N15 past Sligo finally arriving at
Letterkenny the turnaround point for lunch. Then it was back the way I came
back to Belfast via Galway and Cork, 1068 miles in 22 hours.
The south bound route is simply a dual carriageway motorway
so nothing I’ve nothing to say about that other than I just wished the UK roads
were so empty. 266 miles of simple riding with three 1 Euro tolls, if only
France was that cheap.
Heading north was a lot more interesting and fun with the
roads more akin to A & B road status in England. The mountains, streams,
villages, towns are so interesting and beautiful.
Riding back to Belfast my jacket gave up the ghost. The
weather was not great with everything from sunshine to rain and I even got
pelted with hail stones during the evening. The weather really got stuck in,
just north of Dublin. The rain was relentless but so was I and pulling into the
same garage in Belfast around 11.45pm Monday night the attendant was amazed at
where I’d been.
“You’re mad you are, so let me get this right. Since 2.15
last night till now you have been to Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Letterkenny
and back again, Mental!”
Then he signed my end of ride witness form. Nice lad and I assured
him I would be back as I really want to see Ireland properly next time.
So that was Day 1 SS1000 Ireland DONE!
Belfast by night
Lying on the floor at the side of my bike in the staff car
park from 12.00 till 2.35am was not great as it was still raining. My return
ferry was at 3.30am but the ferry was on time, empty and I slept all the way
back to Scotland where Day 2 SS1000 was just waiting for me to get on my bike
and ride. BUT!
Something happened on the return trip between Cork and
Belfast which I never thought in a million years would happen. I got bored, not
your run of the mill not impressed with the weather type of bored but seriously
board shitless (excuse my French). Jeannie had told me earlier in the day that
Ben had had a really bad nightmare about me, not going into details about what
but judging by the Back breaker hug I got when Ben arrived home from school to find me waiting for I can
only surmise the night mare was horrendous.
I realised that it wasn’t a challenge any more to ride 1000
miles in less than 24 hours and what was worse is I was doing it on my own
again! After the last couple of rides I knew and had promised myself that I’d
ride with a riding partner or pillion in future and here I was doing it alone
again. The question the barman had asked was screaming at me “WHY?”. You know
what I have no idea, I’d just been to Ireland one of the most beautiful places
in the world and all I’d visited and seen properly were 4 petrol stations. How
sad is that?
No, I didn’t think twice about what I was going to do at
5.30am on Tuesday morning, I was going home! The long way home too, so home I
rode. Taking in the entire south west coast of Scotland from Stranraer to Gretna. The scenery is magnificent, the
view amazing, the people so friendly and
I rode through some of the most stunningly beautiful countryside I have ever
laid eyes on. On road that can only be described as “Made for motorbike riding”.
I like my Castles!
East Stewartry Coast National Scenic Area
Calling in at “Devil’s Bridge” near Kirby Lonsdale I had a
nice cup of coffee and reflected on my decision. I would have ridden some 300
miles by the time I’d reach Rochdale, I could have been well on my way to
Durness. Did I regret my decision………. Not one bit! I belong with my family it’s
that simple. What a fantastic way to finish a brilliant couple of days in the
saddle.
So from now on when I ride any amount of miles I will be sharing
those miles with either a riding partner or a pillion or even better, both!
My days of solo mega miles have been drawn to a close. Will
I achieve the IBA UK British Isles Insanity Saddle Sore Certificate. Well with
England in the bag in the form of RBLR SS1000 South Route 2010 and subject to
verification by Chris at IBA Ireland that’s two down and two to go.
Wales is next but I’ve already got a group of 5 Manc Rider
including myself all gearing up for that.
The riding diary is crammed to the rafters as it is every
year and so here’s the next couple of months agenda
25th to 27th May - IBA UK Brit Butt
Rally
1st to 3rd June – Super Tenere.NetWorkshop Meet in Ashford in Kent
22nd – 24th June – RBLR 1000 at
Squires near Skipton1st July – Manc Riders North Yorkshire Ride Out
5th – 8th July – Horizons’ UnlimitedMeeting at Belper in Derbyshire
7th July – IBA UK Brit Butt Light Rally
4th August - Manc Riders Derbyshire Ride Out
So looking good to go, just need to sort a date for the
Welsh SS1000………………………..
Scotland at dawn is simply beautiful.
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