Arrivided at Dobbies and just pulling up to a halt when I receive a call from John. ‘Morning John” I said, fearing he wasn’t going to be able to make it.
“You’ve just ridden straight past me!” He was in the lay-by at the entrance – observation fail number 1 of the day. Good catch-up while we waited for Robin, our third and final rider of the day. 09.30 comes and goes and I wonder out loud where he is. “I told you” said John, “he’s taken his name off the list.” Observation fail no.2.
So off we head in the direction of Balloch and on to The rest and be thankful, uneventful other than the temperatures have risen from 16C to about 24C! The first day this year I’ve started out in just a T-shirt under my jacket, all vents fully open too. Longer than normal tailback at the temporary (?) roadworks which turns out to be two mobile homes in a police led convoy. Probably rude to overtake. They pull over very considerately at the bottom of the hill and we’re off again. Nice ride down to Colintraive and only a few minutes wait for what must be one of the world’s shortest crossings. So short in fact that I don’t even notice we’ve started moving and are almost at the other side. Observation fail no.3.
Nice short ride into Rothesay, pick up the challenge site at the back end of town, fill up at one of only two petrol stations on the island (the other one was closed for lunch!) and off on a twenty mile loop of Bute. Our loop took in a lunch stop at the Killchattan Bay tearoom. Great spot and had our food outside in the sunshine which by now had soared to the balmy heights of 30C.
Tracing our way back to the ferry crossing we were asked if we needed tickets. “No, we purchased online. Want to scan them?” “No, we cannae, nae electricity!” He also gave us a heads-up to potential police presence on the mainland side as an earlier biker had been nabbed at 90mph heading into Colintraive – oops.
John took the lead all the way back to Lochearnhead where we’d take our separate routes home. Before that though we stopped for a wee refreshment at a very scenic R&B thankful viewpoint. Here John produced a bag of jam donuts and we chomped into these while also mingling with four, one gent and three lady, bikers from Germany. They were loving their time in Scotland and thrilled by the weather.
A good chat at Lochearnhead car park before departing then John and I were on our way home. Short in numbers today but high in fun and sun factor!
Run date 13.06.23
Ian McIntosh