Do it now.......

On the beach in North Wales .... And yes it's still raining

There is something surreal about riding a motorcycling in the cold, wet, misty, windy and awful weather of Wales while listening to the Beach Boys singing Surfing USA !

We hit the road at 7.45 am and rode the full distance to Ringwood with a couple of fuel stops and a tea break at some random Golf Club somewhere near Leominster ...

Even with the poor weather I did enjoy the trip... It was just a shame that most of the stunning views were hidden in the mist... But I now know why Wales is so green.....  I am now sat in a hot bath and writing this blog... Heaven..

North Wales - August 2015

Who would have thought that it would rain for two days straight in Wales !!!
OK the answer is everyone - bugger.

David and I rode up to the Haw Bridge Inn on the River Severn on Thursday night and spent a few hours talking bikes and having supper in the pub. There was a group on the site who had booked the whole site for the weekend but we managed to sneak in - and not pay for the pitch!!!

We made out normal 8am start and rode in the rain through Herefordshire and into Wales stopping for breakfast at the Honey Cafe at Bronllys - always excellent. Left there in the rain and rode up to Newtown and on to Llangollen ... Now very wet... We then took a short cut via Bala and arrived at the campsite at about 4pm.... We had now sat under the tarp on a table making tea and getting ready for our meal -- cooking tonight and we each have a bottle of cheap plonk to assist with any insomnia .....

More later maybe. Hic.

Llangollen in the rain

Bronllys for breakfast....

Adventure Travel Film Festival 2015

Thursday ...   It was a good ride until I hit the traffic at the North Circular, so stopped off for a tea at the Ace Cafe... Then it started to rain and rain and I managed to get my so called waterproofs on at Harlesdon without getting my wheels nicked !!!.. Arrive at the venue and pitched the tent in an empty field.   More rain... Then started to assist putting up signage and a pair of scaffolding towers for the Big Screen.  Yet more heavy rain and thunder .... Now totally soaked..   Mick O'Malley arrived and we manage to get a few beers sorted before end of play.....  So unusual being away on a school day, I just keep thinking it's a Saturday...

Friday ...  After a goodish sleep I awoke to thick mist... But the sun have just started to shine a little now and breakfast was sorted by 0900.    Going sort yet another cup of tea... while the world sorts itself out....   Then, we wee approached by a long haired bike in need of some assistance - it turned our to be Ross Nobel - looking for a puck - honest .....  Nice lad.

Mick and I decided that we need to erect the second scaffold tower and so set about it in the mist..  another job well done... all with my special Health & Safety, Toetechter Crocs, no gloves or protective glasses or ear plugs - or safety net or fall arrester cable .....

Saturday ...  It was was a fine day, the sun shone and we watch various excellent films throughout the day and basically chilled - there was a very relaxed atmosphere to the whole event.  I met with lots of great people and friends throughout the day - and received many a compliments on the XRV 750... and one adverse one: but he was a tosser on a KTM !!

We watched the starlight film and as usual they presented the "Nigel Grace Award" to the first person to buy a ticket to this years event (Named after myself as I was the first person to buy a ticket for the first event five year ago... at Appledore in Somerset- and I have been to all five now..

Sunday ...   a very relaxed affair and I left the site at about noon and fought my way down the North Circular to the M3 and then home...  Yet another brilliant weekend...

Over and out from No 1 Ruta 40



An excellent choice of Bike - USA here we come....



This is a brilliant photo - with Austin Vince addressing the assembled masses
for the Starlight film and London in the background..
 

 

Dartmoor at it's Best