Portpatrick, pub to left out of picture
Jas - Hornet, slightly tweaked.
Granny Sue - Hornet, not slightly tweaked.
Lindsey - Sprint ST
Myself - Tiger.
Friday 13th April
It's a gorgeous sunny morning when I open the curtains.
Perfect. As the bright daylight gradually filters from my
reteners to my addled brain I realise I'm a bit hungover.
By about 10:00 we've loaded up the bikes and we're ready for the
off, destination the Little Chef on the A74 to meet up with Sue
& Jas. The ride up the A68 and A69 is cold but fun, catching
the views and squirting past cars, more to alivate the bordom
rather than any urge to get somewhere.
We're making good time so stop for a warm and coffee then on
towards the motorway.
We can see as we approach that the M6/A74 north is stationary, we
join the fun and start filtering, within a few minutes we're at
the services. I've just finished putting the locks on when two
his'n'hers hornets whirr into sight, it's Jas and Sue. A feeding
session follows ...
Jas, big grin. Or perhaps just the result of an unfaired bike.
The ride from there to Dumfries in increasingly heavy traffic, the final mile or so stationary. Then things cleared up nicely, the holdup been due to a foot & mouth disinfection mat, and we made nice progress till we turned off onto the A712. And a very good road it is too, nice'n'quiet'n'twisty - perfect for tiggers. Many giggles later we're back on the A75 and starting to feel the cold. Tea time see's us in Portpatrick and settling into Melvin Lodge Guesthouse. The weather has done us proud staying fine, but cold, for the whole journey. To celebrate this event we go to the Harbour Side Hotel to drink scandless quatities and stuff ourselves sensless. Coffee, bed, z.
Lots of cars huddling together for warmth on the A75 into
Dumfries
bikes of course aint welcome so we sneaked down the outside.
Saturday 14th April
A fine but slightly cloudy start to the day so we tour the
shops - it don't take long. After a coffee break we're awake
enough for a ride, it's starting to drizzle when we set off and
it's pissing it down by Stranraer so we turn round and squelch
our way back.
By now, midday, Jas of the ballistic metabalism, is demanding
more food. As the rain pours the temptation for a pint, or three,
is strong, but I manage to convince all concerned to leave it for
a while. And quite rightly so, by the time we've finished lunch
it's looking distinctly nice.
Somewhere, stopped for coffee and sticky buns.
The girls don't want to play so it just Jas and me for a blatt
down towards the Mull of Galloway. The roads are still wet, but
drying so we take it easy and do the tourist bit. But on the way
back things change, the road is dry, the sun is out and other
traffic scarce. It's blowing a gale mind so 60 feels like 90 but
this doesn't spoil the game at all. By the time we're back in
Portpatrick we're both grinning like idiots and all set for a
coffee. This plan is scuppered cos the girls have gone walking
and taken the keys, so we resort to plan B, the Crown Hotel for a
well deserved pint.
Much later we're out for our dinners and drinkies, all finished
off with an Oban whisky. Jas, whose previous experince of whisky
seems to have been off the surgical type, is now getting exposed
to, and possibly developing a taste for, the finer things in life.
The "care in the community" programme can be a wonderful thing...
Sunday 15th April
It's looking dry and sunny, unfortunately it's also a tad
windy. Jas has cricked his neck hanging on into yesterdays
hurricane and Sue is full of cold, but Lindsey is keen so the two
of us head out for a ride. Eventually we land in Wigtown, famous
for it's book shops, today however it looks like a ghost town,
even the tumbleweeds have left.
Amidst all the fading glory we find a cafe, with attached
bookshop of course, so in we go and have one of the most
incedibly scrummy soups ever. Wigtown went up in my estimation.
From there we worked our way back to Portpatrick as the wind was
now starting to get silly. The A75 is very exposed in parts, so
right hand bend became terrifying and left handers taken
virtually upright. Actually I was getting to quite enjoy it after
a while.
Once back we twiddled our thumbs then, deciding a little exercise
was in order, we had a walk up to Dunsky Castle and Gardens,
which was largely shut due to F&M, so we had a coffee and
sticky bun each in the cafe.
Off to the Harbour Hotel again for tea and beer before an early
night for the ride home tomorrow.
Lindsey was ever so happy with her new hat.
Monday 16th April
The wind has dropped, which is good, but so has the
temperature which is a bugger. Never mind these things are sent
to try us. Soon the bikes are loaded and we take our leave of
Portpatrick, Jas' Hornet spluttering on low fuel, Sue spluttering
on cold and low vodka levels.
Due to assorted female ailments the decision to taken to stick to
the A75 rather than an extended exploration of back road. Despite
impending hyperthermia we make to the Dumfres Little Thief for
lunch and to prepare to go our separate ways. Once on the A74/M6
traffic again builds up to near stationary proportions, Jas and
Sue continue south, Lindsey and I head off to the A69 and home.
First holiday of the year over and plenty more to come, lets just hope it warms up bit.
Pissed up, new hats and stopping the pub falling over.
(at least that's the story we where given).
The inevitable "arty" shot
Another pic of Portpatrick
... and yet another.