NW500 by Moto Guzzi!

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Alan H
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Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
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NW500 by Moto Guzzi!

Post by Alan H »

We were going to do clockwise originally, but hotels weren't working out, so 1st night now in Dumbarton, then Invergordon, JoG/Thurso, Ullapool, and Fort William now, including mostly coast roads via Durness, Lochinver, Poolewe, Shieldaig & Applecross.
Over 1300 miles plotted, so I don't think there will be any problems sleeping at night!
Just praying for decent weather and few midgies. Got lots of Avon skin so soft 'just in case'!
1300 miles in 6 days doesn't sound bad if said quickly......  :roll:
Route 66 next year? On a proper V twin maybe, not a tractor.......  :?
More news 'soon'.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
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Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: NC500 by Moto Guzzi!

Post by Alan H »

Off today. 1st night stop Dumbarton, then Invergordon, Thurso, Ullapool, Fort William and back home Friday. Decided to go anti clockwise due to b&b situation t'other way as previously mentioned.

All packed ready, just need panniers & top box on the bike before I set off for a bacon sarnie at Sedbury layby on 'this end' of the A66. Two spare pairs of gloves packed as the forecast as far as Hamilton area is 'soggy', and the 'best' leggings are out of the cupboard too.. Good job the G has heated grips!
Got some Ibuprofen tablets (& gel) for achy bits, so should be ok....
Whistle see......
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
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Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: NW500 by Moto Guzzi!

Post by Alan H »

Station (pub) b&b tonight after a 180 mile ride.
Nice brekky at the Malt & Myre pub next to Dumbarton premier inn this morning, then A81 to Aberfoyle (nice coffee in the Station café there) after a short detour as the A81 was partially shut from Balloch.through Brig o' Turk, then A84 through Killin which was very busy with tourists! Onwards through the Tay Forest park - nice twisties there and eventually up the A9 to Aviemore to see the Strathspey Steam Railway there, which was shut for a private photo session. Great.
The bog on the platform was in the ticket office and that shut at 2.30, but we didn't get there 'til three and there mustov been a hundred folks waiting for trains there - some plaiting their legs no doubt! Great planning by the numpty in charge.
Anyway, as I'm a bloke, and there was plenty of tall plants in the gardens, there wasn't an insurmountable problem......
Decided to head straight to the pub in Alness after that and got there about 4.45.
Nearly teatime now, so al get me booits on and nip across t'rooad for sum nosebag.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
User avatar
Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: NW500 by Moto Guzzi!

Post by Alan H »

Today we set off from Alness and was going to call at the Glenmorangie distillery, but the forecast was for rain after dinnertime, so we went straight to Wick which was mainly shut...
So we ended up in tescos for a tankful of E10 as we didn't see any E5 there, then a coffee & bacon sarnie, then went to JoG for more coffee & pictures etc. Called in the distillery, but didn't have a sample due to plod in attendance, but bought a bottle for sampling later.
Left there & went to Durness lighthouse which for those who don't know, is the most northern lighthouse on the mainland. Nice proper ice cream there too.
Left there & now at the Weigh Inn at Scrabster 'til tomorrow then to Ullapool via Durness, Lochewe and several other places that I'll tell you about later.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
User avatar
Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: NW500 by Moto Guzzi!

Post by Alan H »

In the hotel in Ullapool now after a very tiring ride to the Kylescu bridge via the Smoo caves (I looked at it from the cliff top as it was a steep path!), Durness which was very busy so we gave it a miss, then the B869 which goes from the A894 and is all single carriageway with passing places, going through Drumbeg, Stoer, lots of little places that I can't remember, Inverkirkaig and back on the A835vnear Drumrunie to Ullapool. Very nice & sunny as the day went on, but bloody hard work! I reckon it's Ibuprofen time, then some beer & nosebag!
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
User avatar
Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: NW500 by Moto Guzzi!

Post by Alan H »

Looks like giving part of today's route a miss - weather forecast is monsoon horrible and I never did like wet weather riding. :(
After the ibuprofen kicked in last night, the aches went away, but I think another couple will be on the cards for 'breakfast'! :roll:
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
User avatar
Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: NW500 by Moto Guzzi!

Post by Alan H »

Really bad rainy forecast today, and I really didn't fancy doing the Applecross in another monsoon, so I decided to chalk a big F on continuing, and head back to civilisation in Yorkshire this morning. Set off at 10 and within a short time precipitation commenced. And then some....
Topped the tank off in Ballinuig services in Pitlochry after about 145 miles & 3 hours but could't get owt to eat or drink due to a long queue at the noshery, so had a free P and changed into dry gloves & headed southwards. Roadworks where the M90 starts, but nice drivers let me filter, so changed destination from Stirling to Biggar where I had a couple of Cappuchinos & a plateful of Haggis, neeps & tatties at the Crown Inn in there at 3pm ish. Chuffin lovely - still raining though....
Off on the M74 and the rain eventually stopped, for a bit - so the heated bar grips turned down to 2, rain off & on over the A66 & A1 and another P @ A66/A1 services, finally getting home just after 8pm after a final top up with E5 at last.
Shame I didn't do the full NW500, but not far off - I'll do the mileages tomorrow - but very entertaining, especially the idiots in cars (mainly audis somehow!?!?) that don't understand what passing places on single track roads are for, and that bikes are faster than cars even those without canoes strapped to bendy roof brackets.
Scotland is a land of differences - rain or sun mainly, but generally very nice. I think after this week, I'll have grown a few scales & fins after all the rain, but then, we all know why it's so green there, don't we?
Mate safe & sound in Fort William - homeward bound tomorrow - and my Guzzi performed really well - as did his beemer GS1250 Adventure with a 7 gallon tank ffs!
More pics very soon on the link above.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
User avatar
Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: NW500 by Moto Guzzi!

Post by Alan H »

Well, back home and ibuprofen is slowly curing the achy bits - neck, shoulders & legs - must admit that the bike is very comfy to ride, but it's been a very long time since I did any sort of high mileage remotely like that in such bad weather.
Sunday home to Dumbarton - rain & strong winds most of the way - 264 miles.
Monday - Dumbarton to Alness (Inverness) - lots of rain showers - 209 miles.
Tuesday - Alness to Scrabster via John o' Groats - sunny! - 120 miles.
Wednesday - Scrabster to Ullapool - sun & showers - 162 miles.
Thursday - Ullapool to Home - heavy/light rain but no sun - 463 miles.
Total actual riding time - about 31.5 hrs over 5 days, so average just over 6 hours a day.
Total mileage 1218.
No wonder I'm knackered!

Extras.....
102.9 litres of mixed E5 & E10 (some places didn't have E5) at a total cost of £155.83 gives an average of 53mp (imperial) gallon or 11.84 miles per litre. Set off with a brimmed tank, and brimmed it 2 miles from home on the way back.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
User avatar
Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: NW500 by Moto Guzzi!

Post by Alan H »

Updated pics on the NC500 thread 'elsewhere' here - www.kettleclinic.co.uk/kcforum/viewtopic.php?t=14041
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
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