what did you do with your fazer today ?

[esetest]

As I am annual leave today , and it is mild and dry , went for a bimble on the Fazer , headed out  to Longleat via the Mendips and came back home via bath, stopped for lunch at the Little chef.

[esetest]

Pics

[nick crisp]

[color=rgb(24, 36, 48)]Mini adventure today. Lured by the promise of some sunshine (I must be looking at the wrong weather sites or something :rolleyes [/color][color=rgb(24, 36, 48)] ), decided to go see what was accessible in the Lakes. Zapped down the A595, then A591. After that I didn't really have much of a plan, so when I saw signs for Bassenthwaite lake, I thought I'd turn off for there as I haven't been down by that lake shore before. Nope, road closed :\   Ok, into Keswick, and head for, er, what's that sign say...Borrowdale, that'll do. Loads of little streams running across the road along Derwent Water shore, and material washed out from the hills above, so taking it carefully, but quite passable. Stopped at Grange:[/color]




[color=rgb(24, 36, 48)]The wind was really beginning to pick up here, coming off the fells above and rushing along the valley, and it didn't look too promising as I looked towards Castle Crag, the guardian of Borrowdale:[/color]




[color=rgb(24, 36, 48)]The higher hill tops lost in clag, and looking pretty threatening. But sod it, I'd come this far, I'll press on. So through Seatoller and the climb up to the Honister pass. Looking back:[/color]




[color=rgb(24, 36, 48)]Just after cresting the top of the pass, stopped for a tricky shot; perched on the bike at the roadside, pointing steeply downhill, right foot firmly on the rear brake, I fumbled the camera out of my pocket while the wind tried to blow me off the road towards the drop into the beck, but got the shot [/color]




[color=rgb(24, 36, 48)]Further down, and the wind was really howling down the slopes on either side now, but thus far it was manageable...until I stopped and wandered down to the beck side for a quick snap. Here, I could barely keep my feet, and had to brace with feet apart just to stay upright, constantly glancing back at the bike to check it hadn't been blown over.[/color]



[size=1em]Then when I got going again it was at a very sedate pace, fighting the gusts to stay on board. Just before Buttermere, got caught behind a couple of cars who were being really gay about a little bit of flooding on the road here and there - three of em stopped at one point, and got out to discuss if they could drive through a particular mini lake. I went passed em, ploughed straight through and waved them a cheery thumbs up[/size] :b

[size=1em]Stopped next to Buttermere lake, I think the pointy bit is High Seat:[/size]




[size=1em]And stopped for a cuppa at the empty tea room, where they looked shocked to have a customer [/size] :lol




[size=1em]Then turned around and took the pass that cuts across the fells between Buttermere and Stair. Just as I took that turning, there was a sign warning of ice, "Route Not Advised"...no danger of that today! [/size]




[size=1em]But much of the road had gravel, larger stones and vegetation washed down from the fells strewn around on it, and parts were like riding up a shallow waterfall, with the run-off streaming down it, so care was needed:[/size]




[size=1em]And the view looking back showed that rain was fast approaching, in fact the first heavy drops had started to spatter my visor already:[/size]




[size=1em]And the hillsides were everywhere alive with waterfalls:[/size]





[size=1em]Further along, a bridge had been washed away, so took an alternative route, a little lane down to the Newlands valley, where there is one of my all-time favourite Lake district views:[/size]




[size=1em]That's Hindscarth on the left, with Scope End in the foreground, Robinson on the right. Not the best light for it today, and I really want to get this shot on a crisp, clear day with the snow lying on the fells, but still couldn't help stopping for a snap. Then back into Keswick, where the rain started to hammer down, and did so all the way back to Carlisle giving me a good soaking, until I got home, took my lid off...and it stopped[/size] :rolleyes 

[slappy]

Some nice photos there, you are braver than me, got up to Kendal myself last Sunday to visit the inlaws, would not have even considered going further up.

[dazza]

Nice one Nick, may be time to add an enduro to your collection.

[HarryHornby]

Looks like a fab day out Nick.  top pics, thanks for sharing.


My day wasn't as good but I did get to go for a ride, first time in weeks!  Totally bonkers, 1 week before Christmas and there I was in Tshirt, normal jumper and leathers with summer gloves, this weather is nuts, but meant I got a ride.


I popped over to Sheppey via Dazza's favourite drag strip (I was going to give you a shout Dazza but we had guests arriving this afternoon and I only had a quick 45 mins).


Great to be on the bike again though, blew the cobwebs out the carbs and gave myself a big grin :-)

[joebloggs]

Good reply hedge

Nice roads and the A72 that runs along the bottom of that triangle is great too

If you find yourself up near Inverness you've got to take the road to Fort William, follows the contours of Loch Ness, blinding road.

[dazza]

I've been laid up with an extreme strain of manful since Tuesday Mr Hornby plus had quite a hard off on the DRZ before that so been nursing an extra nobbly kneecap but yes, this mild weather is amazing. As soon as I can stop coughing for 5 mins, I'm going to venture out on the Fazer. 8)

[NorthWestern]

Fitted an R1 rear wheel, disc, caliper and hanger.

[nick crisp]

Nice one Nick, may be time to add an enduro to your collection.

There were a few times where I thought a dirt bike would be more suitable, but the Fazer took it all in it's stride 

Some nice photos there, you are braver than me, got up to Kendal myself last Sunday to visit the inlaws, would not have even considered going further up.

It was only the unseasonable temperatures that got me to chance it really. To think the A66 was closed briefly due to snow just a short while ago, and now, no trace of it, even on the tops.

[nick crisp]

If you find yourself up near Inverness you've got to take the road to Fort William, follows the contours of Loch Ness, blinding road.

I've been up as far as the turn-off by Loch Garry for Glen Shiel a couple of times in the past, but not further towards Ness. All in good time 

[downey]

class shots you got hedgetrimmer,good on ya for being brave with those floods ,,i took a chance myself last week and wrote off me dads jeep  :'( ,,and i agree the road from inverness to fort william is good but the road from fort william to lochgilphead is better then again the road from lochgilphead to arrocher is better again aghh i miss the highlands gotta get back this summer for a blast

[red98]

[quote author=sinto link=topic=6412.msg218989#msg218989 date=1450199995]
Good reply hedge

Nice roads and the A72 that runs along the bottom of that triangle is great too

If you find yourself up near Inverness you've got to take the road to Fort William, follows the contours of Loch Ness, blinding road.
[/quote]








that will be the A82 mr bloggs,rode it back in 2013.turned right half way down onto the A887 then A87 to skye,missed out on applecross as short on time,skye well worth a visit,back to mainland via the ardvasar/mallaig ferry great view of the mainland...another excellent road,the A830, from mallaig back to fort william.camped at glen nevis that night,great site,missed ESETEST by one night  :lol ...........will be back there next year weather permitting  [size=78%]  [/size]

[red98]

[quote author=joebloggs link=topic=6412.msg219390#msg219390 date=1450553689]

If you find yourself up near Inverness you've got to take the road to Fort William, follows the contours of Loch Ness, blinding road.

I've been up as far as the turn-off by Loch Garry for Glen Shiel a couple of times in the past, but not further towards Ness. All in good time 
[/quote]








nice pics mr trimmer  :thumbup ...well done for keeping the biking theme going on this BIKING FORUM  :rolleyes :rolleyes [size=78%] [/size] :rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes ......... :lol
off out shortly.see if i can get some BIKING piccies of my own to post  [/size][size=78%] [/size]

[joebloggs]

that will be the A82 mr bloggs,rode it back in 2013.turned right half way down onto the A887 then A87 to skye,missed out on applecross as short on time,skye well worth a visit,back to mainland via the ardvasar/mallaig ferry great view of the mainland...another excellent road,the A830, from mallaig back to fort william.camped at glen nevis that night,great site,missed ESETEST by one night  :lol ...........will be back there next year weather permitting  [size=78%]  [/size]


I was doing the J Ogroats to Lands End so only in Scotland for two days, didn't get to check out any other roads but the A82 was the only memorable piece of tarmac for me. Was on my 9 and went hell for leather down there, passed about 30 Harley riders in about four corners, don't think they would have been very happy with my overtaking, underneath, round the outside, far to aggressive but they were never going to catch me.
Would be worth looking up Skycat and Kamchat on the MCN forum, they seem to arrange some very popular ride outs in Scotland.

[esetest]

Had to clean it due to it looking like a dirt bike after Thursday's ride , washed it , chamoised it , used silicone  bike shine on the plastics , GT'85 on the metal bits and the chain , metal polish on the down pipes and the link pipe , took the battery back off .

[dickturpin]

Good shots Nick...that's one of my favourite circuits round by Honister mine....also like the back road through Portinscale to Grange

[red98]

Took advantage of the mi.ld weather and took a bimble round oxfordshire, from high wycombe to stokenchurch, testworth, oxford , brekkie at burger van just west of cassington, whitney, brize norton, abingdon, dorchester and "H"s cafe for tea, shillingford bridge hotel for toasted sarnie, not keen on food at "H"s, onto henley, marlow and back to high wycombe, a good mornings ride 105 ish miles.....a bonus at this time of year  :thumbup

[red98]

.

[nick crisp]

Took advantage of the mi.ld weather and took a bimble round oxfordshire, from high wycombe to stokenchurch, testworth, oxford , brekkie at burger van just west of cassington, whitney, brize norton, abingdon, dorchester and "H"s cafe for tea, shillingford bridge hotel for toasted sarnie, not keen on food at "H"s, onto henley, marlow and back to high wycombe, a good mornings ride 105 ish miles.....a bonus at this time of year  :thumbup

Ah, the old hunting ground  :lol


Us old uns still show the younger folk the way...gotta get out when the weather permits 


Had some nice sunshine here today, but the wind has been howling with some heavy showers, so just a relaxing Sunday indoors for me today. If the wind is like this here, what will it be like among the hills?!  :eek


Dick, we'll have to get together for a spin some time  :thumbup