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#Post#: 2493--------------------------------------------------
The death of summer
By: banquo Date: October 21, 2018, 4:46 pm
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October is the new September here in Scotland. Normally at this
time of year, the frosts have arrived, the roads are covered in
salt, and the bikes have pretty much gone to bed for the winter.
This year, although the weather has been mixed, it hasn't been
that cold, and there's been a welcome extension to the riding
season.
Last weekend was a visit to Kinlochleven with the Scottish
Branch of the Moto-Guzzi club, which I joined last year, having
enjoyed their Scottish Rally. Unfortunately, the Friday
departure coincided with the arrival of Storm Callum, with winds
of 70-80 mph, and torrential rain.
It also coincided with the funeral of a great man, one Tom
Murphy, who's been suffering from terminal prostate cancer for
several years, but didn't let that stop him from organising and
participating in the Killin Distinguished Gentleman's Ride for
the past three years. This year, he made it for the last time,
and as if it knew, his BSA A65 dropped onto one cylinder on the
way home, and Tom died a week later.
A very brave man, and an inspiration to all of us who took part
in his DGR.
HTML https://youtu.be/jlF5rnoHjbQ
Killin is on the way to Kinlochleven from my place, so it was an
easy choice to combine the funeral with the ride up.
According to the forecast, there should have been a dry window
for my ride from Perth to Killin, but as is so often the case,
they lied, and although I set off without the hated oversuit,
the rain came on shortly afterwards, joined by a brisk wind,
that turned into a howling gale as we approached the
destination. What I took to be fog, was actually the water being
lifted clean off the surface of Loch Earn, and blown across the
road which was also peppered with small branches from the
overhanging trees. I realised too late I was heading straight
into a flood, and raised plumes of cold water as we ploughed
into it, getting thoroughly soaked in the process, but managed
to stay on, which was some consolation. A small gaggle of bikes
had gathered at the Old Smiddy, where some generous soul had
provided very welcome hot tea, to warm the frozen fingers, and
restore some inner heat.
We escorted the motorcycle hearse down to the Kirk for the
service, and then, in torrential rain, to the cemetery, a
beautiful spot, overlooking the mountains and the end of Loch
Tay.
A fine place for Tom's final rest.
After the traditional funeral tea, and ignoring the second
forecast dry window between Killin and Kinlochleven, I donned my
wetsuit, and headed West into the storm.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1914/45479722401_d3623f50cc_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2chTsYRTom
Funeral
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2chTsYR
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
To be entirely honest, it wasn't too bad at first; windy, but
not the worst I've seen. However, as we climbed the Black Mount
onto Rannoch Moor, the elevation and lack of shelter made things
a whole lot worse, and sudden gusts would fling the bike
sideways, once taking me over the white line, although
fortunately nothing was coming the other way. Approaching
Glencoe, I rounded a bend and was met with the full force of the
wind into my face, as the bike seemed to come almost to a halt,
and I had to select 3rd gear to maintain any progress. Entering
the glen itself, I'd expected the glowering mountains to provide
some semblance of shelter, but they merely encouraged the wind
to whip around, and send gusts from entirely unexpected
directions, taking me by surprise. You can't see the wind in
this shot, but I was seriously concerned that even the weighty
Mighty Falcone might get blown over...
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1953/44564594085_ccb3cbfa04_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aU2cdrGlencoe
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aU2cdr
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1945/44753563484_37c544c3bc_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bbHHewGlencoe
3
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bbHHew
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
The roads were completely dry by this time, and although the
surface had been wet most of the way, it hadn't rained much if
at all. From this we can deduce that if Jake has his wetsuit on,
it will be dry, and if not, it will rain, possibly in Biblical
proportions...
After Glencoe, the ride along Loch Leven was relatively calm,
and I was checked in at our Log Cabin before the rain arrived
just a few minutes later.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1948/44754699674_b576fc353d_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bbPwZ1cabins
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bbPwZ1
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1909/44754699564_8c834189ce_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bbPwX7kinloch
friday
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bbPwX7
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
On the plus side, at this time of the year, the terrible midgies
have retreated for the winter, so at least we avoided the
hundreds of bites that usually characterise visits to this part
of the country.
I seemed to be the first there, but others gradually arrived as
the afternoon progressed, and soon we were busily attempting to
drink the bar dry of Trade Winds (Cairngorm Brewery).
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1924/31615809118_4a4c896f1c_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/QaMhzdPub
Friday
HTML https://flic.kr/p/QaMhzd
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
The storm had taken its toll though, and the Mighty Falcone was
one of only two bikes there, and the only Guzzi...
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1918/44564594245_2efde3ff6c_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aU2cgcbikes
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aU2cgc
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
It was a late night, and the rain never ceased, but suitably
anaesthetised, and tucked up in our cosy shed, that was no
problem at all. Saturday was another matter, and when I awoke
with a stinking cold, and it was clear the rain was on for the
day, I took advantage of an offer to spend the day being
chauffeured around in the glaur, taking in the sights of Appin
and Argyll from the warmth of a car.
Choosing a tiny single track road from Oban towards Taynuilt
through Glen Lonan, we round a bend to discover the road blocked
by a tractor and farm trailer, grossly, and highly illegally
overloaded with a huge and filthy Portacabin. Forward planning
has clearly been far from the minds of the three burly men
attempting to make it turn into the tight farm entrance, but
they are undeterred, unhitch the tractor (which is left running
in the field for the next half hour or so - red diesel being so
cheap) and somehow attach the tow-hitch of the creaking trailer
to a tracked excavator which allows them to raise and lower it,
as well as push and pull... I don't imagine they carried out
much of a risk assessment first. We're stopped in the middle of
the road, the rain keeps teeming down, but none of the
participants in this Scottish Pantomime says a word to us.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1955/44575530115_c8c27ce870_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aUZf7Fporta1
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aUZf7F
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1922/30549093587_4c08270721_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw6d8porta2
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw6d8
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
Eventually, it becomes clear that the fence needs to be
sacrificed to the greater glory of the Portacabin, and several
rotted fence posts snap as the behemoth swings round to face the
entrance...
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1944/30549092837_96ec21116e_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw5Zcporta3
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw5Zc
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
Of course, the tractor is trapped in the field now, and can't
reach the front of the trailer, so they're forced to use the
excavator to crawl the outfit up the steep and muddy road.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1920/31615809348_b7a9066dc7_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/QaMhDbporta4
HTML https://flic.kr/p/QaMhDb
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1963/30549093437_ae37e5b2f3_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw6axporta5
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw6ax
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
We've been here about half an hour now, but not a single vehicle
has arrived in either direction, as the entourage reaches a
grinding halt at the top of the hill. It's not clear if it's
grounded, or they can't find any way of unhitching the crawler
without the whole shebang crashing back down the hill (into the
farmer who has placed himself directly in its path), but
activities cease, and the farmer, belatedly, apologises for the
hold-up.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1978/30549092707_b6b33a5267_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw5WXporta6
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw5WX
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
Although it's tempting to wait and see what might happen next,
the rain is running down our necks, so we pile back into the
car, and drive for no more than a mile before we find our path
barred yet again, not by machinery this time, but by a living
and breathing road block of extra rare steak, although it's
always hard to think of our Heilan' Coos as a source of food as
they gaze, genially, at the bulk of our ancient BMW 525, and
show no interest at all in moving.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1949/30549877667_367d67f78f_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NxA7hKcoo
screen
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NxA7hK
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1955/31604290098_18dcefc3d9_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Q9Lfnqcoo2
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Q9Lfnq
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1970/45489936461_815d531662.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2ciMPgkcoo5
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2ciMPgk
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
Eventually, coaxing noises out the car window persuade the
beasts to move on, and we get back to camp just as the rain
stops, creating a landscape shrouded in mist, followed by a
magnificent sunset
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1918/30549093737_fa0e279e76_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw6fHpap
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw6fH
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1950/31615808698_4ec485ef97_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/QaMhrYhigh
road
HTML https://flic.kr/p/QaMhrY
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1925/31604289938_119c5a3647_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Q9LfjEsunset3
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Q9LfjE
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1962/31604289628_ae3c9420fe_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Q9Lfejsunset5
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Q9Lfej
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
After another night of enforced alcoholic excess, we wake to a
crisp, clear morning, the remnants of mist clinging to the tree
lined mountains like a passing steam train, and the surface of
the sea loch like a mirror.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1970/44754699474_284a4a8c5d_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bbPwVymist
train
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bbPwVy
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1936/30549093167_c282492f10_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw65Treflect2
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw65T
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1973/30549093297_a09430025b_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw688reflect
HTML https://flic.kr/p/Nxw688
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
A perfect day for the ride home, and a whole world away from
Friday's 'challenging' ride.
#Post#: 2494--------------------------------------------------
The death of summer (2)
By: banquo Date: October 22, 2018, 8:09 am
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I arrive back home to a message from the 'seat man' to whom I
gave a blasted and powder-coated seat pan back in early May,
with a promise of a price by the following week. Of course I was
still waiting more than 5 months later, despite several visits
to chase him up, the most recent being just before last
weekend's trip, where I forced a price out of him, and secured a
promise that the job would finally be done.
And it was.
I'd had no intention of fitting the seat to the Mighty Falcone,
and it was instead intended for my Panther, whose dual seat is
both ugly and very awkward to fit and remove (and it has needed
fitting and removal far too many times of late). However, on
collecting the seat, in all its glory, and compared it with the
tape-covered magnificence of my stock seat, it seemed insane not
to at least give it a try.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1960/30551074007_798e15caa5_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NxGeVigaffa
seat
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NxGeVi
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
Note Nikwax waterproofer on the seams; although it's a lovely
job, he waited until it was finished before mentioning it would
leak through the stitched seams. Obvious really, but not to me.
We'll just have to see how it works out.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1914/30538291747_4e6765bc73_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NwyJcvnewseat
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NwyJcv
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
I'm surprised to discover that the bike is due its 3rd oil
change of the year, having been used somewhat more than most
years, and those 3000 km changes come around all too quickly.
It's a good excuse to ignore the stinking cold I picked up, pull
on the leathers, and head for the hills, resplendent in their
autumn finery.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1923/44564515685_f3379346c6_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aU1MUHblack
cloud
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aU1MUH
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1916/45478510841_85dc4b48dc_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2chMfPTFord
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2chMfPT
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1906/45478511211_a35fecb3fa_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2chMfWgNF
leaves
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2chMfWg
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1916/44564515185_c86a6d58d3_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aU1ML6NF
leaves2
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2aU1ML6
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
Oil changed, the bike sits ready for our final event of the
year, the 3rd Wee Smokey in Arbroath. The forecasters have
promised a fine day, but I wake up to rain battering off the
roof. Waiting until it eases a little, I finally wheel the bike
out of the garage, and apply a bright yellow polythene bag to
the seat. It's still raining, and I don't want the new seat to
get a soaking on its first outing, and the Nikwax mentioned
above is being brought to the event by another NF riding friend.
As is so often the case after changing the oil (why?) the bike
seems to be running well, and we make good progress out of
Perthshire, and into the rolling fields of Angus. It's tattie
howking time, and as we pull off the main road onto the maze of
back roads towards Arbroath, the surface is a sea of wet mud
dumped by the many tractors, punctuated by wet leaves, just to
make sure you keep your wits about you.
It's a very mud spattered Nuovo Falcone that arrives in
Arbroath, and you can tell just by looking at the bikes which
ones have chosen the cross country route...
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1942/30538292187_fecb4aba9b_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NwyJk6mud
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NwyJk6
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
There's a late Rocket III underneath the clag...
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1920/44764029154_d225d74d6b_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmj7rocket
III mud
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmj7
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
I spend far too much time socialising, and far too little
photographing, so there's not much to show for the 120 or so
bikes that braved the morning's weather, but here are a few:
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1917/45473621492_82b323fc7c_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2chmcoLMV
150
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2chmcoL
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1943/44764029254_50d1d25537_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmkQMarion
A10
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmkQ
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1976/44764029404_10c38702c3_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmoqGoldie
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmoq
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1909/44764029624_00be547f0c_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmsdFirebird
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmsd
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1948/44764029764_d971b7304b_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmuCAndrew
V7
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmuC
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1959/44764029474_0b384fa5ed_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmpCAlan
Panther
HTML https://flic.kr/p/2bcDmpC
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
By the time I'm ready to head for home, the sun is beating down,
albeit a bit wanly, on the tarmac, and I decide to take a more
indirect route to make the most of this unseasonal weather.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1959/30538291547_c77721d663_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NwyJ94NF
Danger
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NwyJ94
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
These plans are somewhat dashed when I discover that the reason
for the excellent performance on the way to Arbroath was a stiff
wind at my back, and that's now right in my face, turning the
Mighty Falcone into a dull sluggard. The low sun is also in my
eyes most of the way home, and I end up riding one-handed for
much of the way, the other acting as a sun visor. We stop at the
Beech Hedge in Meikleour on the way home, the tallest hedge in
the world, planted in 1745 and trimmed every ten years to 30m
tall, dwarfing the wee Falcone.
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1946/30538291987_862194821e_z.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NwyJgDbeech
HTML https://flic.kr/p/NwyJgD
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
Possibly that's it for another year, but perhaps the Gods will
smile on us a few more times before Spring finally lifts the
winter that inevitably will arrive at some point soon, but with
this in the forecast for next weekend, it looks like it's time
to tuck the bikes up for now....
HTML https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1931/43676946000_5578bd5018_b.jpg
HTML https://flic.kr/p/29xzLn7forecast
HTML https://flic.kr/p/29xzLn7
by bancquo
HTML https://www.flickr.com/photos/17279292@N03/,
on Flickr
#Post#: 2495--------------------------------------------------
Re: The death of summer
By: JamesNFalconaut Date: October 24, 2018, 7:17 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Banquo - fine tales yet again.
Scottish Tourism should have you on the payroll.
Coos 2 and 5 are blow-ups
#Post#: 2496--------------------------------------------------
Re: The death of summer
By: banquo Date: October 24, 2018, 7:35 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Glad you liked it James; we don't have inflatable coos up here
though.... ;D
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