Arran at Easter (Again) 1999

Friday 2nd April

Hoooobloodyray. Holiday time.
Lindsey and me meet up with Andy and Jo and we're off. It's dry but cold with occasional patches of freezing fog and odd brighter spell. We take the A68 and A69 route to Carlisle, police everywhere and those blue camera things line the A69. Anyway we seemed to get away without incident so all in all I guess that counts as a fun ride up.

Once on Arran we ride down to Lamlash, pitch camp and cook some food. Later we walk to the Pierhead Tavern for some beer and to see the band who sounded good but looked terrible.

Saturday 3rd April

We're all awake quite early and as it's such a nice day Lindsey and me go to the cafe for breakfast. Later we meet up with Andy and Jo and we all head across the String Road and up to Catacol Bay for lunch having a pleasant blatt on the bikes in the process.

We are expecting various people to turn up today so we head back to Brodick to see who gets off the ferry. Dav and Sue emerge on an old Z750, the Turbo having finally died after years of faithful (ab)use.

Mark the Idiot and Carol eventually turn up at the site, they've wimped out and are hoteling it.
Again the evenings entertainment is the Pierrehead Tavern. By 10:00pm there is still no sign of Glen, Sue and VFRJohn so we conclude something hideous must have happened to them. Dav's theory is that they missed the 6:00 ferry and that there is no 8:30 ferry.
Guess what, he's right.

Sunday 4th April

The weather is looking shite by the time we finish breakfast. Entertainment is then provided by the arrival of VFRJohn with news of Glen and Sue. Glen's blade has snapped a clutch cable and needs to be pushed onto the site.
They then give us a tale of missed ferries and B&B's in a provo bar.
Me and Lindsey go for a ride round the south of the island which turns out to be cold and foggy, the road is covered in loose gravel and farm shite and we're not a happy pair of bunnies. Cafe, visit the stones then another mad bounce across the String Road and back to Brodick and Lamlash.
Just as we're finishing tea we hear the unmistakable farting noise of a twin, it's Jamie and Helen on a GPZ500.
Sunday evening finds us all early in the pub to drink beer and watch a folk band. Towards the end of the evening we started to play with the whiskies until eventually, utterly drunk, we all stumble our various routes back to our respective beds.

Monday 5th April

The day starts dull and miserable - perfect going home weather. However we're not all leaving, Jamie, Helen, Dav and Sue have decided to stay a little longer and apparently get rewarded with extra rain.
Everyone is setting off as and when they get their acts together. We set off with Jo and Andy and meet up with the Idiot and Carol at the ferry.
Once back on the mainland gentle rain continues across the best roads not deserting us till we're back into Cumbria and the gatso infested hell that is the A69.

With a cast of thousands
Lindsey P - CBR600
Andy B and Jo - CBR900
The Idiot and Carol - GPX600
Dav and Sue - Z750
VFRJohn - VFR800
Glen and Sue - CBR900
Jamie and Helen - GPZ500S