A visit from the deep south of Yorkshire by Jas & Sue to the sun kissed slag heaps and steelworks of the north east.
Around midday the first of the expected phonecalls was
received, although this was not the "we're lost somewhere"
but the old yorkshire favorite "we're stoppin' for cup o'
tea".
Sometime later and without further ado the intrepid pair make
their appearance in cloudy Durham, Jas on his VFR and Sue on her
Hornet.
Following the traditional tea/coffee and doorstep butties we
decided to take them for a short ride round some of Weardale.
Out via Lanchester and Consett and onto the A68 to Corbridge.
from there to Alston and then back down Weardale to home.
On the A68 we are in sunshine, but back west of it towards Crook
we're under cloud again and the temperature drops.
Back in Durham we go out for a couple of pints then back to the
house do the usual beer and food routine, to which we must say a
big ta very much to Lindsey for cooking such a yummy tea.
By mid morning we're all up, fed and ready to go. It's still
cloudy over the east but we don't care cos we're off north west
to Keilder.
We've decided this was a must-do ride, neither Jas or Sue has
been up here before so they are in for a treat.
As predicted we soon ride out of the cloud. We go north on the A1
then pick up the A696 at Newcastle. Lindsey leads the way, with
Jas in hot pursuit and Sue and I bringing up the rear. From the
tail end it's an impressive sight watching those three lunatics
arcing their way across the empty moor roads at speeds that may,
or may not officer, have exceeded 60mph.
I of course had my manservant, Squallar, walk in front of my
machine carrying the obligitory red flag so as not to scare the
horses.
Shortly after the A696 joined the A68 we stopped at a cafe for
tea and sticky buns. Thus fortified we return to the road and
give the bikes a reet good thrappin' up to Carter Bar on the
Scottish border.
As usual there is a man in a skirt strangling a haggis at the
border, but, that aside, it's a great place to stop to admire the
view before plunging into Scotland.
Almost immediatly we turn onto the ever so sexy A6088. Jas and I
soon f off into the twists amd turns wearing huge grins until we
pass through the very so pretty Bonchester Bridge and I realise
we've missed the turn for the A6357.
With horror we realise the girls are now far far ahead. There is
only one available course of action, Squallar is summarily
dismissed, his red flag shredded and the proverbial large hand
applied to the throttle.
This is no bad thing, the A6357 is a stotter...
Later at the Keilder Visitors Centre as we scoff lunch plans are
made for the remainder of the day. First a look round the castle
(small) then we decide to call in at an interesting looking
penninsula. The dirt track leading there becomes trials course
and my name is mud for a while.
Back on terra firma the fun continues and off we go, haring off
down the twisties towards Hexham. Once there we eventually find
an open petrol station thus proving that Hornets can do 126 miles
on a tankfull if severly thrashed for only part of the way.
From here it was back to cloudy Durham and then, for Sue and Jas,
the long haul back down south to the land of high density traffic.
Hope you enjoyed ...