Following a hard days graft I legged it back to Durham to get changed and collect the bike. Lindsey has set off during the day with Emma so the evening run up consists of Giddy and me.
We meet up at the Weardale Cafe and then set off up the A68 at a sedate pace into glorious evening sunshine. After a few miles we pick up another bike also luggaged up, he keeps checking his tank, or something, so been the good Samaritan I follow ready to offer assistance. After a few miles of this nonsense giddy come barging past - game on...
Ghost Riders doing their stuff
Once past the A69 things start to improve; very little traffic, good clear roads and a chance to see how well a well loaded up GS can go. Pretty well is the answer, just some delay in pick up due to the weight and the occasional shake of the head when a accelerating hard over bumps.
North of Carter Bar we enter gatso alley and slow down to a legal 60 and enjoy the views all the way to Jedbrough then give it a bit of welly from there to Kelso.
Once on the campsite we settle down to a beer or two before wandering in to the show barn. It's all new this year, stage at one end, food at the other and bar in between and loads of tables and chairs.
The band are called "Ghost Riders", they are all fresh faced and extremely talented - absolutely brilliant, someone please book them for a MAG gig where more people get up to boogie. Still by the end of the night plenty where leaping about. Err, me included. There we where, minding our own business when Lindsey and I where dragged onto the dance floor by another couple (never met them before either). And that did it, I was off into boogie mode, bouncing about like an idiot and have a great time. Thanks whoever you are.
Giddy, pint and protoplasm, Emma looks on, perplexed
aturday dawns early bright and clear. We wake later and notso. But off we go to the cafe for breakfast which sorts us out enough to go out on the bikes, Emma off home to do some work, Lindsey, Giddy and I to St Mary's Loch for a scratch.
Clear traffic as normal out to the Loch leading to mucho fun then to the cafe for lunch. A different route back is sought, so it's over some twisty back roads and onto the A7 to Selkirk and then the final blast back to Kelso is a bit naughty. Why? Cos it is that's why.
Parked up again we settle into a couple of beers before walking into town for more beers. All of which leads us back to the barn for yet more beer and a nosey at the band who turn out to be quite good (but not as good as Friday's lot). Lindsey crashes out quite early, I attempt to retain some sobriety by refusing a last pint only to be presented with whisky (cos we're in Scotland) which starts me off again leading to yet more beer and dancing.
Sunday is the day of the Kelso Bikeshow (think mini BMF), it starts off too hot and gets hotter. This does not help my hangover.
... and I'd bought a GS to be different, there where herds of the buggers ...
Shortly after breakfast Giddy heads for home leaving Lindsey, myself and several thousand show go'ers in the searing heat. So we wander about for a bit, buy a couple of things then retreat to the barn to escape the worst of the sunshine. It's blissful in the shade.
By late afternoon it's tolerable again so we wander back to the tents. I try for a shower where the water is too hot. Why? Every campsite throughout the land has tepid showers down to a fine art so why when you need one you can't have one! Rant over.
Early evening and most of the day crowds have gone and those that are leaving the site have likewise cleared off. Not many left.
We go into town for a pint and a meal, I think we're both suffering heat exhaustion and can't get up the enthusiasm for a drinking session. We're asleep in our tent before 10:00.
Still this gets us up quiet early on Monday morning to pack before the heat is on. Once ready it's off into Kelso for an early breakfast and then home via Keilder Water.
Another brilliant do at Kelso, why more people don't camp is beyond me. Still I'm sure they where more this year and at the present rate I'll soon be complaining that it's too crowded.
Good fun, get yourselves there next year.
Kangaroo Kid misses stunned photographer by inches.
More of the Ghost Riders
Drunk dancing, a very popular biker passtime.