And it's raining, so Lindsey and I load up the bikes and set off into the murk towards the Weardale Diner. Stevie is already there with tea and waterproofs, looking keen and ready to go. Shortly the rumble of V twins signifies Jo and Andy's arrival. And it looks like that's it.

The ride north is wet and remains that way. The majority of the way the spray reduces visibility to bugger all but at least I'm warm and dry with the exception of my feet and hands.

A sign of thing of come. Are Ducati's allowed out in the rain?

It's not a particularly happy bunch who arrive in Glencoe so tents are put up in unseemly haste and we all scurry off to the pub. Others have got here before us; Bren, Harley Dave, Mike, Dav, Sue & Courtney which results in a most entertaining evening. The bar is full enough and a folky type band keep me entertained and drinking.

Lindsey and I emerge from our tent to find a dry day with sunshine. Most of the others are still snoring but Steve is awake and virtually hangover free so we set off towards Fort William in search of breakfast.

Once fed and watered we decide a blatt up to Loch Ness is in order. Steve and I are both on new tyres so a scrubbing in session is in order. Nuff said. It's good fun, reasonably quiet and sunny which leads us, grinning, to Drumnadroichet in time for lunch, tyres now scrubbed in to their edges.

Feeding time

After lunch we are joined by Andy and Jo which delays the return trip by another hour or so, this is not a problem considering the continuing sunshine. But ride back we must, Andy scorching ahead on the 916 and Jo pootling behind on the 535. In the ensuing chaos we loose them both but Steve, Lindsey and I stay in touch for the final treat - the Kinlochleven loop.

By the time we've finished it's started to rain and by the time we're back on the site it's lashing it down. Oh well off to the pub.

Due to work commitments Lindsey sets of early for home while the rest of us consider the Oban loop. It starts dry but looses the plot by Oban leaving us to surf back to Tywndrum and swim over Rannoch Moor.

Pub again due to lack of drier options. There is a folk band giving it big licks in the bar but due to total apathy I spend most of the evening in the Lounge. We're then subjected to a surprise visit from Joe who is up on his own for a bit of walking prior to a trip to Inverness. It's a good drunken evening.

We manage to get up and packed before the rains return with a vengence. The ride south is soggy but gradually picks up the further we get - sods law I guess - and by the time we're back in the north east it's sunshine and looks like it has been all weekend.

But it was worth it.

After much perseverance there was a fire. Then it went out again.

Andy in snooze mode

Stevie in snooze mode