Motorcycle Live - 28th November

Yesterday (fri) myself and my son William (who had a day off school for teacher training) took a trip over to Motorcycle Live at the NEC in Birmingham. This was a chance to try on some gear not normally available in local shops. The usual manufacturers were showcasing their latest models as usual and the small stands of traders were there selling everything from drill bits to handlebars. It was good to discover Brittany Ferries are doing a show discount off their ferry trips too - this will be good for a hopeful trip over to Spain next year. I got to sit on the latest BMW GS models as well as the new RS. Quite liked the new Triumph 800 XC too, and I think William had his eye on the Ducati's -the finish on that Panigale is something special. Bought myself one of those Knox Cold Killer mid-Layer under jackets, and caught up with Sam Manicom at the Overland stand againwhere I bought a signed copy of his latest book 'Totems and Tortillas', look forward to reading this over the winter Sam.

We met Charley Boorman on the BMW stand, where I entered the comp' to ride with him on the GS off-road training day. I decided to mock him a bit for setting the bad example and riding with Russ in baseball pumps on his latest TV series though I guess it makes it easier to ride side-saddle!! Got a signed autograph off him for Hayley, who enjoys watching LWR/D with me. I hope the autograph goes some way to making up for her missing this and being stuck at College. I was struck by how much shorter he is than he seems on TV. I knew Ewan McGregor was short, but always thought Charley was 6ft or more. This does make his riding the tall GSA around the world even more impressive. I wish I had asked him if he had it lowered first now though.

Me, Charley and William

Then later, we met the hilarious Henry Cole at his own stand 'Gladtsone Motorcycles' where he told us a tale or two about how he and Hamish decide on which of the 'Worlds  Best Motorcycle Rides' he gets to feature on the travel channel - it turns out he leaves most of It to Hamish as he said he is useless at planning! Also had a chat about his Bonnie  salt flat experience and he settled the argument I had with Helen where she was convinced he had got divorced for clearing off on bike trips away, she said his hair got longer over successive series due to his single life. Well, he did show me a picture of his Mrs on his phone to prove it and Will took a photo of his phone too. Great chap, as funny in real life as he is on the telly.

Henry Cole, Me

Henry's Mrs ?

All in all a great day out and as Henry would say .... great to mix it up with Kindred Spirits !

End of Season Ride ... Skenfrith - Sunday 26th

So today with the mild weather, and British summer-time coming to an end (oh no we're back at GMT again) I decided to take advantage of the extra hour and make an early start to  take a ride south into Herefordshire and then south-west across the border into Monmouthshire for probably the last big ride of the season. On the road at 8am making good progress on these  quiet roads, winding my way down to Bromyard, then on to Ledbury where I must stop sometime and take a look at that impressive viaduct - can't quite find a convenient place to stop and take a photo. Anyway, on the way the road took me past several apple orchards, with perfectly planted apple tree rows.  This is Cider making county, and being on the bike I could smell the vivid apple aroma. Sept/Oct is harvest time, and even on this early Sunday morning I found myself pulling up behind tractor/trailer combo's piled high with apples and rounding the odd bend I find a stray apple or two right on the riding line causing a quick re-adjust as I dodge them.

I made Ross on Wye in good time, a quick fuel up, and then on toward Goodrich taking the hill overlooking the (river) Wye Valley, then on to Skenfrith for a stop off and  mooch around the castle. There used to be a little cafe here, perhaps only open in the summer, but today it was shut, so I took a walk down to take a look at St Bridget's church - grade 1 listed 11th century. I really like the wooden bell-tower and noticed the large buttress designed to hold the bell tower in place - the best way to provide the space required for the bells without compromising this with internal structures I guess. While walking around I could hear a service taking place and later the peel of bells to signal it's end.

Moving on from Skenfrith north toward Hay on Wye through some fantastic scenery, real twisty roads void of traffic. I really enjoyed this ride while following the River Monnow, along the B4347, through the villages - Grosmont (I thought that was in N. Yorks ??), past Pontrilas where I used to visit the big Timber company there as a System Engineer back in the '90's, Ewyas Harold, Abbey Dore  and Peterchurch, eventually crossing the River Wye near Eardisley. Heading toward Leominster I decided to make a stop at the Monkland Cheese Dairy - I had always meant to stop here on past journey's but never quite got around to it. There is a cafe, and you can buy the local cheese and Cider, I did buy some of their Monkland Blue and their take on Soft Camembert cheese before heading home via Tenbury Wells and Pensax.

Total Mileage: 150  

Wye Valley

Skenfrith Castle

St Bridget's

River Monnow

Mitchell's Fold .....Autumn Gold - Sunday 20th October

I recently discovered there is a Stone Circle in Shropshire, apparently over 2000 years old, dating back to the Bronze Age. Since myself and Mark went out to Avebury Stone Circle earlier in the year.. I've become quite fascinated by these ancient structures, and despite Shropshire being on my doorstep I had no idea this existed. It's called Mitchell's Fold, where local Folklore involve a Giant, an Over-sized Cow and a Witch.

Lindsay gave me a call on Friday suggesting a Sunday ride somewhere. We didn't fancy Hoggin' the Bridge this year, so .. with a quick Google and a download of the TomTom POI's for English Heritage I plotted a route avoiding the usual A49 to try and find Mitchell's Fold. The route would take us over Wenlock Edge, and then out towards Church Stretton taking in tiny small Shropshire villages as we wound our way around Stiperstones to the little village of White Grit at the foot of nearby Stapely Hill.

(click to enlarge images)

Shropshire Ride To Mitchell's fold and on to Clun

It was a 9 am start, on a mild Autumn morning - quite windy as the UK starts to feel the effect of Hurricane Gonzalo, we make our way through some traffic free roads. The roads through these valleys are one lane wide, covered in leaves and debris. At times it was like riding through a blizzard of leaves, the usual autumn colours of  golden yellows, browns and oranges. There was a good deal of mud on the roads this time of year, recent rain and tractors in and out of fields leaving a scary brown patch as we entered and exited bends. Rear brake, and engine brake riding is the order of the day.

So, eventually we found White Grit and the rough farm-track up to Mitchell's Fold car-park. Lindsay on the Bandit cautiously attempting to follow on road only tyres. Amazing to think these stones had been carried down from the hill in the distance, and placed in a circle some 2-3000 years ago, and they remained upright in all of those years !

Back on the road we stopped at Harry Tuffins Cafe in Church Stoke, bite to eat and a cuppa tea. Then a slightly wet ride across the border into Powys through the Vale Of Kerry (Ceri - Welsh) before cutting back across the border and past the 13th Century Castle just before the village of  Clun. 

While following the river valley, we passed through the tiny village of Aston on Clun who uphold an annual 'Arbor Day' tradition around their black poplar tree we passed, still decorated in flags from the festival in the Spring. 

Finally, via the A49 down to Ludlow and over Clee Hill back home. Really nice ride.

Cheers Lindsay. 

See this Wikipedia Article to find out more about Mitchell's Fold.

Total Mileage: 120

Two horse riders on the horizon.

Views across Shropshire and into Powys

Lindsay, with a Bronze Age styled beard!

Dead Bracken - rolled for Animal Bedding?

Stapeley Hill - the source of the stones.

Rutted tracks through dying bracken

Shropshire Summits

Clun Castle

Autumn Gold

Why we ride !

Ride to Bala - Sunday 28th Sept

With my GS serviced by Clarks on Saturday (12k at 13.2k), I met the Brayf' at Cleobury Mortimer 9am Sunday with a quick last minute Tyre Itinery plot out to Lake Vrnwy to Bala in Gwynedd, Wales via Craven Arms and Church Stoke.

Route from Church Stoke to Bala (click to zoom)

Sun was shining, quite mild yee haa on we go. There's some amazing roads thru Shropshire into the Wales. We passed Powis Castle on the way, I must stop there one day looks great. We had a none stop ride to Lake Vyrnwy, a Victorian reservoir that supplies the City of Liverpool with drinking water.

Stopped for a chat and to take in the views, and then up and over the mountain road to Bala. The TomTom took us up some crazy single track roads with plenty of shale gravel in the middle getting the back wheel spinning on occasions, amazing remote countryside with stone wall cottages too, some of them looked quite derelict. Great fun!

Bandit Brayford

The mountain road.

So on we went around Bala Lake, finishing up in the town at a great little cafe in the main high st. Sat outside the sun shining and an all day breakfast for about a fiver including black pudding! Got chatting to a couple of chaps from Burnley on their Kawasaki's. Compared the merits of riding abroad, the Timmelsjoch, Stelvio and Spain. They had ridden Italy and told tales of a cramped auto-train from Den Bosh. Interested to learn how confined to the cabin you are for 24 hours as I've considered this journey myself - £700 return though .. Hmm. We also met a Greek lad on his KTM 1190 Adventure - nice looking machine, apparently working in London, and had ridden his bike from his home in Greece - I hope today was a separate journey for him, or he was way off course !!.

So after lunch we took a fantastic road from Meifod to Welshpool then on thru Montgomery, Church Stoke, bye to Mark at not far from his folks place north of Craven Arms and back to visit Dad in Droitwich hospital. Gotta do this run again, those Welsh Marches get my vote every time! 

200 miles+