Living on a lighted stage. Approaches the unreal ...

Just as I was beginning to look forward to a new year and getting back out on my motorcycle again, I have been left reeling with sad news of the passing of Neil Peart after his private three year battle with brain cancer age 67. To many, Neil will be remembered as drummer and lyricist during the last forty years for the rock band 'Rush'. For me Neil was and always will be a great source of inspiration, not only as a fan of the band and his wonderful contribution to their music, a great drumming style and a poetry of song lyrics, but in later years I've enjoyed his excellent book writing journals about his motorcycle travels around the world on various BMW GS Motorcycles. 

My first introduction to Alex, Geddy and Neil's music came while at a school friends house one lunch-time in late 1978 listening to their first live album 'All the Worlds a Stage'. At a time when the Punk Rock wave was still at its peak along with Police and Blondie in the UK charts, I became hooked on this relatively unheard of Rock band from Toronto, Canada. After my brief introduction to their prog rock classic '2112' and the heavy 'Working Man/Finding My Way' medley that launched Neil into his incredible drum solo (a staple of every Rush gig for the next four decades), my entry into this sub-culture as lifelong Rush fan was sealed. I soon bought their latest album  'Hemispheres' after hearing the amazing instrumental 'La Villa Strangiato', and next what I consider their Punk/Prog influenced album 'A Farewell to Kings' (both on vinyl of course) along with taped copies of their back catalogue on loan from our small school fan-base and local record library.

Thereafter, what followed was and still is my complete fascination with three of the best Rock musicians in the world, and a real appreciation of Neil's thought-provoking poetic lyrics that wasn't all about 'I love you yeah yeah' and more about Sci-Fi, Science, and Socio-Political subjects based on his bookish knowledge of authors like Ayn Rand, George Orwell and Coleridge to name a few. Back then at age 15 with the song lyrics printed on the inner sleeve of a 12" it was possible to really enjoy some of Neil's song poetry - 'The Trees', 'Xanadu', 'Circumstances', 'Closer to the Heart' , 'Lakeside Park' while being astounded by Alex's guitar solos, Neil's majectic percussion/rhythm and Geddy's thundering rumbling bass riffs. This was much  more fun than studying poetry and English Literature at school at that time. Over the years Neil had a great way of melding Science with Humanities something that is so rare in music.

"The whole wide world
An endless universe
Yet we keep looking through
The eyeglass in reverse
Don't feed the people
But we feed the machines
Can't really feel
What international means 
In different circles 
We keep holding our ground 
Indifferent circles 
We keep spinning round and round"

(Territories, Rush, Power Windows)

It would be a year or so later, June 1980 before I finally had my chance to see Rush live for the first time at Birmingham Odeon just after the release of their next Album 'Permanent Waves' and the UK chart success of the 'Spirit of Radio' single. A group of us bunking off school and missing a Maths lesson, heading off up to the Odeon by train to queue and buy the ticket, and then suffering school detention the following evening as punishment. It was all worth it, to get my hands on that long awaited ticket, and a few months later attend this gig with such excitement to watch them open with almost all of '2112'. I recall the three of them shrouded in a cloud of a dry ice mist revealing Alex and Geddy with Neil centre stage sat within that huge drum kit consisting of his trade-mark gilded cage of cymbals and tubular bells. My favourite track off the 'Kings' album has always been the double-neck guitar classic 'Xanadu', so seeing this performed live for the first time as the chorus line "Xa .. na .. du" echoed back by us fans punching the air was incredible. During the show Neil would launch in to his trademark drum solo, one of many I would witness over the years. 

"Xa .... na .... du"

Rush music would change over time, moving away from the '70's Progressive Rock whole side of an album epics, to explore different subjects with different instruments and later synthesisers giving us such classics as 'Freewill' about our spirituality and beliefs, 'Natural Science' the similarity of human lives and those found in tidal rock pools, and then that well known classic 'Spirit of Radio' where Rush introduced a Reggae section that shocked most die hard rockers at that time. If you listen to the album Permanent Waves now, it's easy to hear the influence of Stings band the Police who were high in the charts at this time too. It's no coincidence that Neil became very friendly with their drummer Stewart Copeland and remained so for many years. 

"When the ebbing tide retreats
Along the rocky shoreline
It leaves a trail of tidal pools
In a short-lived galaxy
Each microcosmic planet
A complete society
A simple kind mirror
To reflect upon our own
All the busy little creatures
Chasing out their destinies
Living in their pools
They soon forget about the sea"

(Natural Science, Rush, Permanent Waves)

I was able to see Rush live in concert several times during the eighties, and back in those days Stafford Bingley Hall (the county showground cattle shed) would be a popular Rock concert venue, basically a huge mosh pit of fans. At the front of stage below Alex, Geddy and Neil during 2112, the crowd would sway so much you could lift your legs with the fans compressed together shoulder to shoulder would be carried twenty feet in either direction. 

Jump to the ground

As the Turbo slows to cross the borderline

Run like the wind 

As excitement shivers up and down my spine 

Down in his barn my uncle

 preserved for me an old machine

For fifty odd years

To keep it as new has been his dearest dream

I strip away the old debris

That hides a shining car

A brilliant red Barchetta 

From a better vanished time ...

(Red Barchetta, Rush, Moving Pictures)

When the band released 'Moving Pictures' in 1981 now considered their most popular album, I couldn't get enough of it. So many great tracks, musically brilliant, lesser hard-rock but still with Neil's drumming in-fills, triples and Geddy's incredible base line and synth' work. Not just following the song lyrics now but also memorise Alex's riffs copied with 'air-guitar' and Neil's in-fills and drum rolls by 'air-drumming' too. The album introduced us and many new fans to 'Tom Sawyer' about a modern day warrior, decisive and determined go-getter ('80s yuppie) and other favourites tracks from their 'Moving Pictures' album 'Red Barchetta' a futuristic song about a young kid driving a sports car given to him by his uncle where motor vehicles are now outlawed, and the classy 'The Camera Eye' a track I constantly had in mind on my first visit to New York only a few years ago. They even took a cue from their coming home signature beacon of Toronto airport 'YYZ' into an instrumental that extended out in live shows to combine Neil's solo.

 

 

 

Spanning 40 years of Rush, my programmes, LP's and ticket stubs. 

Sadly, I no longer have my original Moving Pictures tour sweatshirt not that it would fit now anyway!

On each successive tour his drum solo would be re-composed into a different theme and given names like The Rythm Method,  O Baterista,  Moto Perpetuo, and Der Trommler He later brought along a Jazz/Swing element while sat higher on spinning drum riser. The incredible thing about Neil was his constant learning and re-invention. Not being content with being voted number one rock drummer in the world year after year he changed his style, studied the great Jazz drummers Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa, learned how to play traditional, and contributed to the Buddy Rich tribute project. 

All this machinery
Making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted
It's really just a question
Of your honesty, yeah your honesty

(Spirit of Radio, Rush, Permanent Waves)

More albums would come throughout the '80s and '90s, ranking them 3rd behind the Beatles and Rolling Stones for most consecutive gold or platinum albums by a rock band. Some of my favourites tracks during this time include 'Big Money', 'Analog Kid', 'Territories', 'Marathon', 'Bravado' and 'Test For Echo' to name just a few.

Neil's introduction to Motorcycling came after he decided to change from a bicycle taken on the tour bus used for fitness and exploration to trailer his BMW R1100 GS behind the bus to explore further distance while travelling between concert venues.

Sadly, around this time just after the Test for Echo tour in 1997 his daughter and only child Selena was tragically killed in a car accident, and within a short time after, his long term partner and mother of his daughter died of breast cancer. At the time I can remember reading about this double tragedy in Neil's life, and like most fans thinking that was Rush finished wondering how anyone could live with that situation. Thankfully, Alex and Geddy decided to support him and simply wait it out for a few years causing a hiatus in their Rush career to explore other personal projects. 

From first to last
The peak is never passed
Something always fires the light
That gets in your eyes
One moment's high
And glory rolls on by
Like a streak of lightning
That flashes and fades
In the summer sky

...

Incredibly in 2002, I heard Rush were back, they had released a new album 'Vapour Trails' and were on tour for the first time in South America as captured in their live DVD 'Rush in Rio'. In 2004 their 'R30' tour followed to celebrate the past 30 years, and thankfully I was there back in Birmingham to see them again. With my own life commitments, marriage, family and work I hadn't seen them live now for many years so the 'R30' show was a real treat.

A few years later just after I got back into Motorcycling, I discovered purely by chance while looking for books on motorcycle touring a book called 'Ghost Rider, Travels on the Healing Road' by Neil Peart, obviously I recognised the authors name but had no idea he had become such an enthusiastic rider. Ghost Rider is about Neil's healing as he embarked on an epic lone tour from Canada through the US and into South America between '1998-2000'. The book is a good adventure read as a travel log and a very open and honest account of how travel helped him cope with such huge personal trauma and loss. 

...

You can do a lot in a lifetime
If you don't burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance
First you've got to last

(Marathon, Rush, Power Windows)

Later books would follow, 'Far and Away', 'Far and Near' and 'Far and Wide' these would be written in an autobiographical travel log style with pictures of his motorcycle touring between concert venues to include other aspects of his life. The bike would be transported in trailer attached to his tour bus, after a show he would spend the night on the bus, often camped in a Walmart car park (he refers in the books amusingly as Chateau Walmart), the following morning he would set off with his security guy and fellow GS rider Michael, or close friend Brutus. They would often ride a fair distance of 500 plus miles between cities finding unknown by-ways and back-roads across the USA, Canada and Europe arriving just in time for the next gig.

When I ride my motorcycle I'm glad to be alive.

When I stop riding my motorcycle I'm glad to be alive.

(NP)

I have now read several motorcycle adventure books over the years by a variety of authors and Neil's are up there with the best of them, not just because of the connection with Rush, but because they are so well written and represent a unique way of around the world touring by someone who could ride in all weathers, huge distances all with a great sense of adventure. In all, Neil covered over 250,000 miles riding several models of the BMW GS, and at the end of most rides he would take to his drum stool and complete a two hour concert behind Alex and Geddy! Many bikers believe all GS riders want to emulate Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor after their Long Way TV series, but for me the reason I ride a GS these days is probably more down to inspiration born out of reading books and blogs about Neil's latest rides.

The 'R30' show was spectacular and it felt like being back amongst old friends again. Rush were always a bit of a cult band and now the audience consisted of middle age rockers like me with the odd youngster in tow (probably one of their kids). On the way to the gig a young girl approached us walking in the opposite direction asking fans on the way 'who the hell are Rush? Never heard of them'. Quite amusing at the time I thought, platinum albums, countless world tours. At least Rush won't sell out and go to Glastonbury! This was the first time to see Neil on the revolving drum riser performing his solo too, it was good to see him back in action and the chance to hear the new Vapor Trails tracks 'One Little Victory' and 'Ghost Rider'.

I would get to see them live a few more times afterwards, the fantastic Snakes and Arrows tour in 2007 and then the Time Machine Tour in 2011 would provide most of their older material using a clever HG Wells 'Time Machine' backdrop as we travelled back in time to select songs. The real treat was seeing them play the entire Moving Pictures album from start to finish in the second half. Soon after Rush were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by the Foo Fighters, Dave and Taylor being massive fans too. See their tribute here

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech. Alex's is the best!

And then a strange thing happened in 2015, the band announced their final tour 'R40' and at the time I felt a little disappointed they finished up in LA and didn't come over to the UK too. After 40 years I found it odd they would not at least tour parts of Europe to say farewell. By now Neil had married Carrie, who he met at the end of his 'healing' Ghost Rider motorcycle travels and they now had Olivia their daughter, so it was understandable he needed to spend less time out on tour and more time with his young family and perhaps as we know now his illness maybe the reason 'R40' stopped in LA near his home.

A few weeks back while on holiday in Florida, I heard the unmistakable riff from Alex and the opening bars of 'Limelight' on the car radio, a Rush song from Moving Pictures album Neil wrote to reflect on his shy persona struggling with fame and recognition as the band found their popularity. It's a great song, probably his most personal. I turned the radio up to listen and wondered what bike he was riding these days without knowing that very day would be one of his last. 

RIP Neil and thanks!

 

"Living in the limelight

The universal dream

For those who wish to seem

Those who wish to be

Must put aside the alienation

Get on with the fascination

The real relation

The underlying theme"

(Limelight, Neil Peart, 

Rush, Moving Pictures)

Golden Brown Shropshire Lanes

An end to British Summer Time today, and an extra hour in bed before watching the Rugby World Cup second semi final where South Africa just about beat Wales for their place in the final. So pleased England beat the All Blacks yesterday, quite convincingly too, superb match so roll on next Saturday - can't wait !

I couldn't resist a ride into Shropshire, a late morning start out to Bridgnorth then along the Wenlock Edge road to Church Stretton via that golden tree lined Sanders Road for a small breakfast sitting in the sunshine outside my favourite cafe at the foot of Long Mynd. 

 

Quite a bit of loose stuff on the top of the Mynd caused by last weeks rain, so plenty of water run off on the way down. I pulled on to the grass to let a car pass and almost dropped my bike as the front wheel slid in the sodden grass. Wonderful clear sunny view up here, with golden brown colours everywhere with dying bracken lining the road. I'm always a bit cautious passing farm entrances especially this time of year with plenty of tractor activity, mud and now and again the odd dog leaps out as you approach to chase you down forcing an involuntary pull on the brake and possible slip on the gravel. Not so today, but better safe than sorry. 

On the other side of the Mynd near Bishops Castle the roads were part covered in several inches of water with the rest of the road caked in mud, but with a bit of care not too much of a problem as I spotted a narrow mucky lane down to a 12th Century church. I turned around and decided to investigate. Quite a view as I parked up outside the church. I was now at Myndtown, where I later discovered quite a bit of historical information on their website about the church itself, its preservation and the village being so old it had been recorded in the domesday book.

 

While admiring my mud spattered bike I noticed in the distance a few parasailers high above. They looked like they were having a bit of fun, and imagine the views are spectacular from up there. By now, with time pressing on and losing light much earlier now, I decided to press on to Craven Arms. The roads were really bad toward the town, and on one left hand bend the whole bike went out of shape as it started to slide. Not sure if it was mud, gravel or just my worn tyres but quite an adrenaline surge as I felt the ABS and traction control kick in a little. With my warning well heeded, I returned home via a careful run back down to Bridgnorth in time to get the pressure washer out while I still had the light to give my bike and boots a good rinse. 👍

Late 'Autumnal' rides ..

A busy time since the tour around the Lakes and Dales, I haven't ridden my bike that much this summer. Myself and Helen chose to tour the West Coast of the USA California along the Pacific Coast Highway, out to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park and Las Vegas over a wonderful three week car journey instead (see the blog here). On our return, low on funds with a low appetite for any form of long distant travelling meant I was forced to stick to enjoyable local weekend rides instead to include Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire, the Welsh Marches and just across the border into Powys.

Somewhere out near Machynlleth

Those Bridgestone Battleax A41 tyres I had fitted earlier this year are now just about shot with my 2018 GS having now covered over 8.5 K Miles in 12 months. Also, my Bluetooth helmet Intercom System (Schuberth SC1.2) stopped working too having been subject to a downpour while riding over to the BMW dealer to get my loose left grip combined control unit tightened so I have been quite happy to give the two wheeled adventure a rest for a while. 

Thankfully, the issues were all fixed under warranty to include a replacement comm's unit supplied by Moto Central, but alas no chance to ride for weeks on end due to several weekends of rain. Instead, along with Hayley and William I headed for the Tamworth Snowdome for ski lessons in the hope I can resurrect 40 year old skills and the two of them can have some fun too. All good so far no broken legs, and we all completed level 3 ski so maybe I now have an alternative adrenaline fix option for up-coming Winter months. 

Avro Anson one of three left

So, here we are now in October just a few weeks away from mothballing the bike with a break in the rain I met up with Mark yesterday at Clows Top for a sunny ride out to Shobdon Aerodrome. A bite to eat and catch up while watching the flying activities that include this visiting D-Day liveried plane neither of us recognised at first but Mark later identified as an Avro Anson. Originally built for transportation and later used to train Lancaster Bomber Pilots in WWII its seems.

After light sustenance, it was a make it up as we go affair, riding out to Kington, then Knighton on some great twisties back to Ludlow and the puddled back-road to Bridgnorth and Kinlet down through Button Oak and Bewdley. Good fun, with me getting in a bit of a mess going around corners feeling a bit rusty and those A41's getting a bit twitchy in the wet sections now. All good though but sadly one of the last rides of the year. Where did that summer go ?

Far and Near : Lakes and Dales

A weekend trip had been on the cards with Mark, touring somewhere up North for quite a while, unfortunately I had little holiday available out of this years allocation for time off work, so Friday to Sunday evening would be my only time suitable for a trip away. Looking at the weather forecast a rare rain free time in the Lake District would be possible this weekend with time to ride the Yorkshire Dales and maybe at a stretch the North Pennines too.

We both started looking on-line for cheap hotels or Bed and Breakfast accommodation but soon discovered the prices per night at £80+ single room in high season would bump it up to an unacceptable price and eat into valuable beer money. The solution? Well, load our tents and sleeping bags on the bikes, and find a decent camp site of course! 

The River Lune

 

In the end we settled on the Rugby Club campsite in Kirkby Lonsdale, the small but popular town in Lancashire. An easy reach given the time we would leave after work on Friday afternoon, and ideally positioned between the Lakes and Dales. We soon realised the North Pennines might be a stretch too far when we started planning our weekend rides using the Ride magazine routes as a guide, so decided to drop the Pennines to get the most out of the Lakes and Dales. Mark was super keen to ride the Lakeland area and some of the passes, I wasn't so sure since in July I had visions of it being overcrowded with 'bobbly hat' walking types and families driving around aimlessly in their cars. For me I was more attracted to the Dales with a visit to Ribblehead Viaduct as a must visit. 

Mark won out and convinced me the Lakes would be worth it, so with our routes loaded we met at Quatt Cafe near Bridgnorth around 3.30pm for a ride up through Shropshire and on into Cheshire, fuelling up with Samosa sustenance for Mark to aid the drag racing we would join in with versus Porsche GT sports cars near Oulton Park before joining the M6 near Warrington. On the way we became a bit concerned over the sudden transmission whine Mark was hearing from the Versys, and wondered if the weekend would end with his bike on the back of a recovery truck. Nonetheless we took it steady and left the fairly free moving M6 north of Lancaster for a wonderful evening ride into Kirkby Lonsdale and onto the campsite by 7.15. We had soon pitched up by 8.30 and took a walk into town near the 'Radical steps' by the River Lune. A few beers later and a good curry, we retired to our tents for the night. I can't say I had a great night sleep getting used to my lightweight cot again, and I'm sure the sleeping bag had shrunk since I had last slept in it - ouch! 

Saturdays Loop around the Lakes

Download Kirkby-Lonsdale-Lakes-loop.gpx

Saturday morning after a trip to the very basic shower facilities we headed out with lighter panniers to the start waypoint at Sedburgh, only to be confronted with a sign saying the main road was closed. I somehow felt confident that on a Saturday we could get around the blocked road but after about five miles was forced to turn around and head to Kendal instead. We had more trouble on that route too, there was rolling road resurfacing that had us waiting for a while before riding on newly dressed roads at a very slow pace in traffic. As we turned off in toward Windermere we were following even more slow moving traffic in what was great countryside but painfully slow. The route took us on to the Ferry crossing Windermere to Far Sawrey just as a ferry was coming in so we decided to board and pay the fee - a relief off the bike for a bit and good to see Windermere. After we docked we took a short ride to Hawkshead, Mark being more familiar with the area than I, suggested we get Breakfast there. We parked up paid the parking fee (just in case) and found a great cafe sitting outside on the street to devour a long awaited Full English with tea. 

 

Windermere

By now I was getting a little dismayed with the traffic and road obstructions and did think my fears of riding around the Lakes in high season were proven, but just as I was getting frustrated behind cars again, the road opened up as we passed the top part of Coniston Water and up the Wrynose Pass. The road surface is not the best, very bumpy and a bit narrow, but no real issue on a GS, before opening up, smoothing out as we climbed up the Hardknott Pass. This was great fun, wonderful scenery, fantastic roads a bit 'nadgery' not like an Alpine pass, but wild and typical of UK mountain roads. Lots of livestock around, sheep and cattle so take a little care rounding bends but great to ride up here at last looking down to the lakes in the distance. Now we were moving, and with great weather had a superb ride up and down the valley roads of the Hardknott I was feeling much better about today's ride, pleased that Mark had got it right. We pulled up near some cattle to get photos and admire the view from near the top. A few of the cattle seemed a little 'spooked' by us wandering up to their hill, and I wasn't too sure if they would tolerate us being there so we scuttled back down and rode off quick before their patience ran out.

Cattle on the Hardknott
 

Looking back down the Hardknott toward Wrynose

 

Wast Water

The route took us further North and up to Wast Water via Santon Bridge. The road smoothed out a little by now and we stopped briefly to enjoy the serenity of this smaller lake, with Mark reminiscing over family holidays in the area. I've only ever really been to Windermere and Coniston and never really visited any of the other lakes, so Mark pointed out the highest peak in England Scafell Pike I had never seen before. 

   

Mark at Wast Water and later looking back down the Kirkstone pass from the Inn.

Mid-afternoon we were riding right out West and could see the Sea appear from high up above Sellafield. Quite amusing the area reminded me of that Ready Brek spoof advert back in the 80's of the Nuclear plant that was once called Windscale but renamed for obvious reasons due to the reactor fire there in 1957. Nice roads and area, we stopped to refuel and a break before heading down to to Buttermere. The area around Egremont and on to the next lake of Buttermere is so great on a bike, wilderness roads, topping out on valleys with big skies one minute and narrow stone walled lanes the next. I'm sure I had been along some of these roads before but in reverse - maybe on past trips on the Harley. Eventually, we came back round to Keswick, and passed Derwentwater and then South on the A591 down to Ambleside before taking the back road out up the Kirkstone Pass to stop for a drink at the busy Kirkstone Inn. Quite amusing following Mark, who was rising up over the brow of a hill, then suddenly disappeared as the road dropped away giving the impression he had suddenly fallen off.

 

Just above the M6 valley on the way south

For our ride back to Kirkby Lonsdale we were keen to avoid the roadblock we had encountered at the start of the days ride, thankfully Mark had identified that we needed to approach on the other side of the river to avoid it, so we chose a point on my Navigator that should force us the right way. This took us down some narrow, high hedged lanes for quite a way, and by this time of day flies and midges seemed to find their way under the visor somehow, so quite a relief to get back to the tent. A quick change and back out for a few beers and arriving just in time before they stopped serving for another good meal. 

What breed are these sheep in the field at the back of the tent? 

Sunday morning we packed away the camping gear and loaded the Dales route to start at Sedburgh using the reverse of the route we did last night through Old Town and past the electricity windmills again that over look the valley and can be seen for miles around. At Sedburgh we found a great cafe, this time I had a light breakfast - poached egg on toast with bacon and sausage while Mark went for his second Full English. The weather forecast was good so we hoped to ride most of the route but knew at some point we would have to start tracking south to get home. The plan was to skip the Middleton section and drop down into the Forest of Bowland on the way to the M6.

Sundays Route around the Yorkshire Dales and Bowland

Download Route Sedbergh-Dales-Bowland.gpx

Parked up in Sedburgh

 

In the toilet at the Cafe I noticed this 'toilet twinning' sign (pictured above). Could this be for real? I thought, I must look it up 😳 Anyway, soon enough we were in the Dales and enjoying the roads and wild scenery. The route took us out toward Kirkby Stephen via Castlethwaite and Nateby then on to Thwaite past the amusing village named 'Crackpot'! We then cut back in across the heart of the Dales back toward Hawes.

  

The wilderness of the Dales and roads cutting through them are simply stunning, and a lot of fun to ride. Being a Sunday morning there were plenty of kindred spirits out too,  motorcycles everywhere! I guess you are spoiled for choice if you live near these parts to get your weekly ride-out fix. Didn't see many bikes with touring gear, so my guess is the local bikers are out having fun and who can blame them. 

We pulled up on the top of a Dales peak to admire the view and I couldn't help thinking I'd seen the view before but puzzled since I'd never been here, so couldn't work it out. I took a photo (above), where had I seen the two offset farm buildings at the side of the road? I did wonder if I'd seen the picture in a book and sure enough it came to me later being the cover shot for  one of Neil Peart's motorcycle ride series of books. Neil the Drummer and Lyricist for the rock band Rush is a keen motorcyclist and also rides a BMW GS. On my return home I grabbed the copy off my bookshelf displaying the same picture almost identically framed, what a coincidence! 

At Hawes we spent a while trying to find a suitable parking spot, the little town being overrun by bikes. I was thinking that if you came here this weekend for a quiet time in the pretty village you would be out of luck with loud Harley custom bobbers pulling in to ruin a Sunday morning lie-in! Some old classic Jap bikes here too like the Z1000 pictured below in front of Mark's bike with a chunk of wood on the back seat to strap on the camping gear in a makeshift manner.

 

We left Hawes after refuelling at the little garage there, again all the pumps were packed with bikes and I reckon the garage would soon run out of petrol so glad we filled up as we were both running low. We headed out to Ribblehead Viaduct next, and the straight bit of road nearby was packed with cars and the ever present speed camera van. We parked up and laughed at how the sports bikes were hitting the brakes just yards from the camera van, almost lifting the back wheel up to avoid getting a ticket.

Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle to Carlisle line has always fascinated me for its sheer expanse and engineering quality. In 1876 it solved the problem of bridging the span across the valley because there was no other way to get the line through other than build this amazing structure. Great to get up close at last. I wasn't interested in walking down the lane to see it really close up though since seeing it in its entirety is much more rewarding. Mark went off to grab an ice cream and left me to marvel at it and grab a few photos while also wondering how on earth this was ever built without the much needed EU contributions we can't seem to live without nowadays?

The next leg took us across country in a South Westerly direction through the Lancashire countryside known as the Forest of Bowland. While riding I wondered where the 'forest' was as it seemed more open countryside than trees, yet we had a most enjoyable riding as we headed toward Slaidburn to our next waypoint destination Dunsop Bridge. The weather still ideal, not too hot and cool enough to ride with vents open, the route took us over quite a few small bridges and land features that had my backside leaving the seat, and on occasion the wheels leaving the ground too. At one point we came across a sports bike wreck near a bridge by a bend with Police attending the scene. Obviously someone had over cooked the run in, there was a guy stood up who I assumed was the rider, look like he had got away with it even if his bike hadn't. 

 

The Bowland countryside is different again, some great vistas as we rode up high above. We stopped for a late lunch at a great Cafe that I should mention  with great service 'Puddle Ducks' in Dunsop Bridge - right near the bridge, I had a superb Prawn and Mayo' sandwich on local 'Barm' bread. As we left it was now past 4.30, so we joined the motorway at Preston and got off at Whitchurch for a pleasant evening ride home through Shropshire - the reverse of the route up.  Thankfully Mark's Kawasaki gearbox noise didn't get any worse since Friday, and we got to ride most of the roads we had hoped. Excellent weekend away in an area that was 'Far' away in scenery but really quite 'Near' for a great weekend ride.

Thanks to Mark again for his company and navigational knowledge of the area.  Suberb! 👍