(Yesterday) Day Trip to Cornwall.
Left home at 06:00 for an 06:30 petrol station rendezvous with my Versys riding pal Vernon. My local weather forecast was no rain until 20:00, so the fine rain forming on my visor, shouldn't have been happening.
After brimming the tank with some of Shells finest V Power, we were off, heading south down the A22 with clearing skies and on our way to a series of B roads to get us to the A272 west bound. This road is brilliant early in the morning with little traffic to get in our way. Soon, Billingshurst,Petworth and Midhurst, were in the rear view mirror, as we passed the Loomies junction heading for Winchester. A quick spell on the ring road section to skirt the town, got us back on the A272 until it met the junction with the A30, which we'd then follow all the way to Honiton.
A whizz down through Stockbridge, got us to The Haven cafe for breakfast, exactly 2hrs and 105 miles since we'd set off. The healthy option was the one to go for as we'd be having lunch at our usual Cornish pub.
With the scrambled egg polished off, it was back on the bikes westward bound. At West Coker there was a Triumph, maybe a Street Triple, laying in the east bound lane, seriously on fire. Nothing could be done as it was well alight. The east bound queue behind it was a good 500 yds long, but fortunately it didn't hinder our progress. Chard saw our first petrol stop with 180 miles on the tripmeter.
Skirting Exeter, we briefly got back on the A30, before taking B roads across Dartmoor and on to Gunnislake. This year there seemed to be an abundance of foals grazing by the roadside. They're not as chilled out as the adult ponies, so a lot of care is needed in getting past them as they're very unpredictable when they decide to run. Over the last cattlegrid and back into civilisation, the villages leading to The Tamar were quickly navigated, before we pulled up next to the Cornwall sign for the obligatory photo opportunity. Then it was on to the pub where I'd booked a table, gassing up at the village petrol station on the way, so that we'd be good to go after our meal.
A couple of chilling out hours flew by, before we were saddled up and picking our way through the sheep, ponies and cattle on Dartmoor, as we made our way home. Fine rain had started, again much earlier than forecast, but pressed on until petrol was needed, where waterproofs were donned and clear visors installed. At Stockbridge I gave my pal the option of the A272 or A30, to take us home. The latter wasn't a bad call as the rain would have made the A272 not so enjoyable. All went well until we were 200 yds from the A303 which bisects the A30 at this point. The access road was closed, with diversions signs which looked like they'd been thrown in the air and left where they lay. A guess was needed, which turned out to be wrong. Eventually we got back on track, and after saying our goodbyes at a traffic light stop, it wasn't long before I was pushing the bike into the garage, with another 513 of our lovely English miles, under the Fazers wheels.