Well, we're back from the trip, and it was fantastic. Wasn't without it's problems as I'll go into as we go, but we had a hoot.
First day, got the bike packed, then we made really good time up the A68, stopping at Jedburgh for a sausage sandwich. We then made our way towards Melrose, and filled up at Carluke. After the drudgery of the M74 for a short time then the M8 round Glasgow, we hit the usual traffic on the A82 south of Loch Lomond. Managing to filter thru the traffic with most people moving over to let us through (bar 1 knob in a 54 plate red Honda Accord who moved closer to the centre line to stop us, prick), once we cleared the first roundabout, it was no bother all the way to Glen Coe, stopping a couple of times for photos.
Red Squirrel Campsite at Glen Coe:
Day 2, we leave Glen Coe, call in McDonalds for some breakfast in Fort William, then head up on the route posted above, calling in at Gairloch for (supposed) Sunday dinner. Nathan had a lovely looking burger, but I dramatically lost my appetite not long before. We stopped at Loch Carron fuel station (a 1 pump place with a card machine for when the station is closed). There was a Ford people carrier just got to the pump before we got there. Well the couple driving it (in their 60's I'd reckon), took no less than 10 minutes to sort out how to pay with the card etc, absolutely ridiculous. I know not everyone is up with technology, but this was beyond a joke. They must have tried 3 or 4 different cards before they got sorted.
Anyway, I got off the bike just after I pulled up, took my helmet off and put it on the floor on the left hand side of the bike. A Corsa pulled up behind me, then 3 more bikes, then another car (shows how long we waited). The people carrier finally got sorted and sodded off at last, so I just pushed the bike the 3 or 4 yards to the pump. I then went to the card machine which was further away than the pump. Just put my card in, when I heard a crunch. Looked round, and the Corsa had pulled forward and ran over my helmet with his front bumper. Where I'd placed it, the driver couldn't see it for the bonnet, and it had wedged under the front bumper. My own fault really, I had already told Nathan to put his helmet on the pavement, but hadn't done it myself. D'oh!!
The Corsa driver went to reverse, but the helmet was just getting more stuck so I told him to stop. I got hold of the wing, and started to lift it. The driver grabbed the bumper and did the same, while his wife managed to free the helmet. It was scuffed, but the major problem was one side of the visor fixing mechanism was smashed and the visor was just flapping. Out with the duct tape, and that was the visor taped shut for the rest of the trip. The Corsa driver was more concerned about the damage to the bumper of the car than my visor problem, (fair enough, I couldn't give a toss about his car if I'm honest). So by the time we got to Gairloch, my appetite had vanished thinking that any visor opening or steaming up would be a major issue.
The Old Inn at Gairloch with duct taped helmet in tow
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View from our table at the Old Inn:
A couple of pints at the Am Fuaran Bar next to the Port-a-Bhaigh campsite:
Day 3, we woke up to drizzle. Excellent, bearing in mind my visor woes, couldn't have been a worse wake up. The weather so far had been spot on. Bit cold leaving Chester-le-Street, but got warmer the further north we went. Day 2 was red hot. This poor start to Day 3 was a bummer. We had the big loop of the north coast today, and the roads at the start were single track for a good way, and very twisty, so being slowed by visor and drizzle problems wasn't good. We set off for Lochinver, then the coastal route through Drumbeg. Some stunning scenery, and this is the 4th time I've rode this road, and I'm afraid it'll be the last for a long time. Had I only been doing 150 or so miles in the day, it would have been ok, but this was the longest planned day of the trip hours wise, and it was poor planning on my behalf as much of the route was single track (with passing places), and although some are very straight and you can toby along at a decent rate, the twisties are a pain with not knowing what's round the corner. We were on the road for over 8 hours, and it was a war of attrition at times. Looking back, it was still enjoyable, just needed to be shorter.
Also, when we pulled up at Lairg for fuel, I noticed fluid leaking from around the rear brake line. After giving it a press, it was spewing out of both the front and back of the pipe. It played no favourites, it went on the swingarm, the back wheel, the tyre and the floor. Mint. So for 3 and a half days I had no back brake. Now I'm not a "I never use my back brake" guy. I don't use it a lot, I'll admit, I mainly use it for "Holy 5h1t!!!" moments (there are a few on the twisty single track roads in Scotland when a Transit comes bombing round a blind bend
hmy: ) and hill starts. You don't really realise how much you use it until the pedal goes all the way down and nothing happens the first few times... Pics:
Viewpoint at Drumbeg:
Single track like this I like:
After our breakfast at The Anchorage in Scourie. I think Nathan thinks he's in the army:
It's cold up on the hilltops between Bettyhill and Strathy haha:
Never saw another car, bike or person in 30 minutes on this road, the A837 iirc:
Day 4 started out a bit dull. Heading east to Inverness then into the Cairngorms. Not much to write about here, just loads of great scenery, and roads like the A939 are brilliant.
A dull start:
Pitched up at Feughside Campsite near Strachan:
Day 5, we head back west through Glenshee, heading for Oban and a comfy bed in a B&B. 4 days camping is enough for us. In hindsight, if we do the same again, we'll be doing B&B's all the way. Camping is fine for 1 person, but for 2 on a bike, it's just too much swag to carry. Only 1 tent, but 2 sleeping bags, air beds, blow up pillows, double lot of clothes. I'm not a small lad, tho my son isn't big, but with the weight of the bike, me, my son, and all the gear, I reckon there's 400 kg minimum to manhandle, and at low speeds, it's a real nightmare. I'm not a great U-Turner, and I have to admit, I was very close to dropping the bike on quite a few occasions. I know without a lot of the swag on the bike, it would be a lot easier to handle.
We went past Balmoral, stopped at Glenshee Ski Resort for a sarnie, then loved the road (to and) from there. Obligatory stop at the Green Welly
then onto comfy beds, and a scran and pints at Weatherspoons in Oban 
At Glenshee:
At The Green Welly:
Oban:
Waiting for my steak in Weatherspoons
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A very happy lad to be in a real bed at last
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Day 6 was mainly uneventful, and I never took a single picture. A couple of things of note tho. We headed south from Oban on the A816, what a road!! Do it if you get a chance. This leads onto the A83, which, although not as good as the A816, is still a good road in it's own right. After that, we just wanted to be home, so it was M8 round Glasgow, M74 for 80 odd miles to Carlisle, then A69 to Newcastle (I hate this road, it's utter garbage). A1 to Chester-le-Street was rammed with traffic, I was too tired to filter so we went through Whickham and Sunniside to get home. Called into the local school out of term kids club where my wife works to see my daughter, where to say she was happy to see us would be a major understatement haha.
Sorry for the long winded and pic heavy post, but thanks for looking.
Andy
