From MasterBaker and myself..... a big thank-you for getting the 2009 GOC arranged in Ullapool. The venue was one of my fav places in the biking world..... been there many times before, but always am amazed and surprised by the many new places we visit.
Mrs Swollocks (yes she IS my wife..... no, she's neither my daughter , nor my sister..... )
hadn't been on the bike for about 3 years, so this was her getting back into things gently. Hence, we booked into a nice Guest house on the edge of town, with, her big Sis and her hubby (MasterBaker)
We left Norn Iron around 7.15 on Friday... getting to Troon at 9ish! We headed up the road for a bit before stopping for Brekkie!
Rather than do the Erskin Bridge, we followed the coast up to the mouth of the Clyde and hopped on the wee ferry over to Hunters Quay........ This by-passes civilisation and gets you straight into the Highlands
We met the infamous Scottish rain along the way.... found the road white, with slush and hail between Spean Bridge and the Commando memorial!
But at Fort Agustus, we stopped cause the swing bridge was open
Wifey almost had a fit..... she jumped off the bike and ran into her all-time fav shop....the wee glass shop beside the bridge. We were over that way in the car two weeks ago and it looked closed down.... I was there last month on the bike and it looked like all had retired..... we even took a big detour to visit last August and it wasn't open...............
We breezed on through the rain and ever dropping temperatures.... and arrive in Ullapool..... as ever..... stunning....
A quick change and the girls take the stroll into Town (between the showers)
Dinner in the Caledonian Hotel was pre-booked a week earlier...... they knew nothing about us, so we had to wait an hour and a bit... still...... we had Flash, Kev and Tuned to entertain us......... and yes we are married and NO I am not a Paedo!
On a serious note... it was Rhonda's first time finding out what a bunch of Tossers I like to call my friends.
Anyways, we left the Hotel about 10.45pm. This was a view of the harbour. It really doesnt get dark up there till VERY late
Next day, the girls hopped on the Inverness bus for some retail therapy... Colin and I binned our plans of mega mileage and settled for some sedate mileage out to Achabultie...... the views over to the Summer Isles were amazing...
We found one pub.... had some liquid refreshments, but learned that food was not available due to some grand opening of the local, lottery funded playing fields.... We ended up in the Michelin recommended Hotel/restaurant known as the Summer Isles hotel
Steak sandwich and cheeses were fantastic...., so we just stayed there in the sun for a few hours, supping the fine wines and Magners!
As we were about to leave, I spied a couple of faces I recognised..... Wullie and Fruitcake.... we had a great chat before saying our goodbyes...
Met up with the wives and took in the beautiful sunset
As for Sunday Morning..... sorry, but we missed the group photie...... met GC at the petrol station, but most of the other Tossers were long gone....
So we headed off onto the Wester Ross Trail..... Colin couldn't resist some wet riding on the "Bile Green 1100"
We got a mixture of weather on the run over to Inverness, but, the girls had opted for the Flybe option..... 16.05 flight home to Belfast at only £30 each....
Meant me and Colin could do some sight seeing and get some photos of local Scottish wildlife..
Then we did the decent thing and had to avail of the last two rooms at the Glengarry Castle Hotel........ As always, the best food I have ever tasted......
Up early next morn and a wee run up to Eilean Donan Castle.... followed by a very spirited return journey now that I had sussed the suspension settings on the GSA....
We headed down to the wee bridge that can be seen from the Invergarry viewpoint and visited Colin's old friend Geoff..... top bloke, who lives in the nicest place in Scotland...... house fronts onto the lough.... just at the wee bridge on the middle....
He took us out for a couple of hours fishing...... caught me my first pike.... about 5lb! (also had me a monster, but he broke the line in about 15 seconds flat!)
Then a wee trout........ all in all, the perfect ending to a fantastic weekend..
Mrs Swollocks (yes she IS my wife..... no, she's neither my daughter , nor my sister..... )
hadn't been on the bike for about 3 years, so this was her getting back into things gently. Hence, we booked into a nice Guest house on the edge of town, with, her big Sis and her hubby (MasterBaker)
We left Norn Iron around 7.15 on Friday... getting to Troon at 9ish! We headed up the road for a bit before stopping for Brekkie!
Rather than do the Erskin Bridge, we followed the coast up to the mouth of the Clyde and hopped on the wee ferry over to Hunters Quay........ This by-passes civilisation and gets you straight into the Highlands
We met the infamous Scottish rain along the way.... found the road white, with slush and hail between Spean Bridge and the Commando memorial!
But at Fort Agustus, we stopped cause the swing bridge was open
Wifey almost had a fit..... she jumped off the bike and ran into her all-time fav shop....the wee glass shop beside the bridge. We were over that way in the car two weeks ago and it looked closed down.... I was there last month on the bike and it looked like all had retired..... we even took a big detour to visit last August and it wasn't open...............
We breezed on through the rain and ever dropping temperatures.... and arrive in Ullapool..... as ever..... stunning....
A quick change and the girls take the stroll into Town (between the showers)
Dinner in the Caledonian Hotel was pre-booked a week earlier...... they knew nothing about us, so we had to wait an hour and a bit... still...... we had Flash, Kev and Tuned to entertain us......... and yes we are married and NO I am not a Paedo!
On a serious note... it was Rhonda's first time finding out what a bunch of Tossers I like to call my friends.
Anyways, we left the Hotel about 10.45pm. This was a view of the harbour. It really doesnt get dark up there till VERY late
Next day, the girls hopped on the Inverness bus for some retail therapy... Colin and I binned our plans of mega mileage and settled for some sedate mileage out to Achabultie...... the views over to the Summer Isles were amazing...
We found one pub.... had some liquid refreshments, but learned that food was not available due to some grand opening of the local, lottery funded playing fields.... We ended up in the Michelin recommended Hotel/restaurant known as the Summer Isles hotel
Steak sandwich and cheeses were fantastic...., so we just stayed there in the sun for a few hours, supping the fine wines and Magners!
As we were about to leave, I spied a couple of faces I recognised..... Wullie and Fruitcake.... we had a great chat before saying our goodbyes...
Met up with the wives and took in the beautiful sunset
As for Sunday Morning..... sorry, but we missed the group photie...... met GC at the petrol station, but most of the other Tossers were long gone....
So we headed off onto the Wester Ross Trail..... Colin couldn't resist some wet riding on the "Bile Green 1100"
We got a mixture of weather on the run over to Inverness, but, the girls had opted for the Flybe option..... 16.05 flight home to Belfast at only £30 each....
Meant me and Colin could do some sight seeing and get some photos of local Scottish wildlife..
Then we did the decent thing and had to avail of the last two rooms at the Glengarry Castle Hotel........ As always, the best food I have ever tasted......
Up early next morn and a wee run up to Eilean Donan Castle.... followed by a very spirited return journey now that I had sussed the suspension settings on the GSA....
We headed down to the wee bridge that can be seen from the Invergarry viewpoint and visited Colin's old friend Geoff..... top bloke, who lives in the nicest place in Scotland...... house fronts onto the lough.... just at the wee bridge on the middle....
He took us out for a couple of hours fishing...... caught me my first pike.... about 5lb! (also had me a monster, but he broke the line in about 15 seconds flat!)
Then a wee trout........ all in all, the perfect ending to a fantastic weekend..