Our intrepid heroes, left to right; Stevie, myself, the Idiot
Most of the day was spent bike shopping with Mother Superior
aka Bev.
After much looking about and sitting on things we ended up back
at M&S Durham to see what the deal was on a Triumph Legend TT,
the first bike looked at that morning.
Only it had been sold. We where now all concerned and stressed,
Bev was presently on route back with her old bike to discuss
numbers and has a frightful temper when roused.
Fortunately other bikes had appeared during the day, one of which,
a Kawasaki ER500 was destined to become the new Mother Superior
Machine.
As Bev, Heather, Lindsey and Tina set about removing the managers
teeth on the deal Mark, Steve and me slopped off for a bikes and
beer session.
The Waterside campsite.
Bikes loaded we set off. Hooned from Darlo to Staindrop,
thrashed to Middleton-in-Teesdale, bounced over the moors to
Brough, pootled legally up the A66 and scratched from Penrith to
Pooley Bridge and the Waterside camp site.
Here we meet up with Martin, Rick and Jo and head off to the pub.
Here a combination of Sneck Lifter and good food work their
wonders and result in Steve a) acquiring a new name, Squeazie,
and, b) having a pizza delivered at some time during the evening.
Having managed not to bring any torches with us the walk home was
hilarious...
Stevie's pile of vomit ...
After a cold night I wake to a warm tent, bright sunshine and
catastrophic hangover.
An hour or so's stumbling about see's us packed and riding,
carefully, off towards the Little Thief outside Penrith.
Ruinously expensive perhaps, but a Little Thief breakfast does
contain a fraction of the vitamins, protein and caffeine that a
body requires.
From here is was a case of:-
thrash along Ullwater,
scratch up and over the Kirkstone pass,
granelle (*1) from Windermere to Keswick,
pootle up to the standing stones,
meander along the backroads,
rocket up the A66,
and stop at the Rheged Centre.
It's a strange sexual thing
Best not to ask...
Having recuperated we set off for the Penrith roundabout and
then proceed, in a disorderly fashion, to hurtle up the Hartside
pass.
Shortly we received the thumbs down from a biker coming back down
and then proceeded with caution till we had found and passed the
speed trap.
Mind you I was not too impressed with the 20 plus other bikes who
gave no warning at all - bastards.
From the Hartside cafe we:-
thrashed across the moors to Alston
screamed down to Middleton-in-Teesdale and
road like twats on the ever to kinky Staindrop road
back to Darlington.
Apologies to anyone subjected to this utterly reprehensible
behaviour.
Once back in Darlo we had a short break before heading down to
Bev's for tea and indigestion.
Deciding the A1 would be a let down after all of that we pointed
the bikes towards Northallerton and back thataway.
Once past Darlington I meandered up assorted back lanes pitifully
trying to drag out what remained of this wonderful weekend.
Never mind, plenty more to go.
*1 - To ride like a grandmother (*2)
*2 - Not Granny Sue obviously