On the morning of Saturday 1 April 2023, Peter led us into the southern hemisphere … and the weather was glorious!
APRIL FOOL! … only joking … the weather wasn’t glorious … bit spotty but far from bad either. Dress code: waterproofs and winters (for traditionalists like me who don’t have heaters).
Thirteen of us assembled at the appointed time at Dreghorn filling station, south Edinburgh, to ‘blow off the cobwebs’. It was quite a crowd and in all the excitement, run leader Peter caught me talking as he was about to explain the route. Looking up, I found myself penalised with scribe. I protested but the court of ‘12 good men’ (yes, all men, which is already unfair) went along with the judgement, so here we are:
David Jerome (Honda NT 1100), Frank Dolan (Honda 750 DX), Neil Johnston (Triumph Tiger 900 GT PRO), Peter Johnson (BMW R1200 RT SE), Ian Ness (Triumph Tiger 900 GT PRO), Ed Mackey (Yamaha XJ6, ‘Babe’), Marc Elvin (BMW R1250 RT Triple Black, ‘Black Beauty’); Ian McIntosh (BMW R1250 RT, the ‘Bat Bike’), Ewan Ritchie (Kawasaki Vulcan S), Grant Powrie (Triumph Tiger 900), Antonios ‘Tony’ Tsikrikas (Suzuki V Storm 650), Brian Torley (Honda Pan European ST1300), Ian Jones (BMW S1000XR TE). Peter was Run Leader and Grant was TEC (Tail End Charlie / back marker). I felt lucky to be there at all. I HAD A DREAM! Not a vision for humanity as such, but that my bike was stolen. However, on opening the garage in the morning the bike was there, safe and sound. Whew.
Thirteen motorcycles is an impressive sight as we threaded east onto the City of Edinburgh Bypass and then, at the first off, down the A702/701 through Penicuik. A misty drizzle built up for a while but eased-off as we progressed south. Peter’s well-chosen ‘drop-off’ points gave security to those at the thrashing end of the tail. We could get quite strung-out and occasional temporary traffic lights at road works were an unusually welcome aid to re-grouping.
The rivers were bank-full, in high flow. We passed a salmon angler in mid-stream on the Tweed below Glentress, east of Peebles. Beyond Traquair we journeyed into ever-remoter countryside, scenic valleys and narrowing hill roads to St Marys Loch in the Southern Uplands. Pausing there for a leg-stretch, the weather was cool, calm and overcast. The loch was serene (no wild swimmers today). Logging was underway on the hill, with exposed tall pines standing straight as toothpicks for felling. Peter and Ian commented how toasty warm it was on their (heated) bikes.
Progressing south to Moffatt on the scenic A708 we passed the Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve and Carrifran Wildwood. In Moffatt we pulled in for lunch at the Green Frog Café. Straining to resist multiple temptations on the menu (inc mac’n’cheese’n’chips & fish’n’chips), I opted for a less indulgent soup. And it was jolly good. The Green Frog has a trout pond out back and I had to take a look: of limited appeal to able fly fishers but seemingly not so for poachers. Strolling outside triggers the tannoy, with a recorded voice message of a lady loudly proclaiming: ‘Hi, you are being recorded’!
Moffat was the southerly point on our journey before taking a westerly loop north. The wild A701 took us up to ‘The Devil’s Beeftub’ and then, crossing over the catchment, to the source of the River Tweed. The farming season was still early in those exposed parts but at one place lambing had started. Through Tweedsmuir we continued north on the A72 before a sharp left turn onto the A721 and then north again on the A702 to Edinburgh.
We had become joyfully accustomed to clear, if not bright weather, at times even casting weak shadows beneath the bikes. But 15 miles south of Edinburgh, passing signs for Penicuik, we rode back into grey mist and drizzle that seemed to have settled around the Pentlands. Peter pulled in at the Flotterston Inn for a final stop and farewells.
This had been a most enjoyable day, ‘blowing away the cobwebs’, on a wonderfully scenic route. A good time was had by all. Many thanks, Peter!
Postscript:
With refuelling and jet wash on the way home, for me it was 135 miles (confirming that fuel consumption on the XJ6 is ~ 50 miles/gallon giving 25 miles/’bar’ and 150 miles range). I’m still not used to having a ‘top-box’ and perhaps shouldn’t bring this up, but whilst unpacking I discovered the packet of chocolate eclair sweets that I had meant to distribute. Woops … anyway, as they say, ‘it’s the thought that counts’!