Exmoor and all that

23rd April 10 – Exmoor

Good day – today was the start of the Shakedown run to the West County. Steve is still stuck on the rigs in the North Sea and is hoping to make it back for Saturday. Meet up at Ower and after comparing the relative size of our panniers and miscellaneous bolt on bags we set off in the4 Friday afternoon traffic for the West Country. Gertie Garmin skipped a beat around Salisbury and we ended up on a more direct route but picked up the track around Taunton. All bikes made good time, radios worked and nothing fell off en route.
  
And the beard in coming on well......


One stop for fuel – although Brian's BMW GSA has a total range of 430 miles and so won’t be refuelling until Monday week !!

Arrive at the first camp site and set up camp with no major hiccups. Cooked pasta – tasted good. The off to the pub for a few pints and quiz night…. Staggered back by the light of 3 head torches… Brian’s being so powerful that it that if could be seen from space – the rest of make do with it high lighting the road in front of us…

Bloody cold night, a very deep frost in the morning with ice on the tents and my nose…. Pack the bikes and waited for Brian to finish hoovering out his tent. And hit the road at 8.30 bound the the White Hart Hotel at Exford for a full breakfast whilst sat we sat by the river – how very civilised. Then back on the bikes again – rode to Lynton for a coffee stop – then on to Oakhampton via Barnstable. Some very twisty and almost empty roads.

Found the site without hassle and set up – then heard from Steve that he was home and would be joining us, and arrived with Dee at 6.30pm 

Visited the bar for a briefing and to prepare to Sunday's ride...