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Leaving Ullapool in the wind and rain we headed towards Applecross. The weather was due to be miserable for the next few days with a storm due on the weekend. Not too many photos as it was raining for most of the day. More rain on the way. Arrived at Applecross and found a place with pods. I decided that I'd leave the bike in the car park. Fred was braver. Very wet field. Mine's the piss yellow hut. Better than a tent when it's pissing down. I had to share, with some residents. Fred has mice in his. And then we went to the pub.

In my opinion, this is the most scenic part of Portugal, I rather ride the plains of the deep Alentejo and the hills of Algarve, but there is something special about the Atlantic Coast of Algarve and Alentejo. If you're feeling romantic, you'll think of the old time explorers being trained in sea craft in this area, and the views over a wide open ocean make some Portuguese people feel very patriotic and adventurous. Vila do Bispo: And Sagres:

That was the last couple of days. Still showery overnight and although still wet decided to leave the gear behind and have a ride round the peninsula in the opposite direction to yesterday's ride. Bad effort at a panorama. Looking over towards Skye. View south towards Applecross. On the way up the Bealach na Ba Then it was a siesta before heading down to the pub. This was on the way by the campsite entrance. Left Applecross on another showery day, windy on the open unsheltered stretches of road. Fortunately only a few hours ride. Arrived at the rally site on Skye, more or less under the bridge. Early there, so got a couple of sheltered pitches before the forecast storm. Not to far to the bar, just around the corner. Found this weird fly on my tent but couldn't get a clear photo because he was on speed or something. Started as soon as the bar opened. Met some friends from Eye of Ra MCC who'd ridden up from Newport way. Somebody got tired. Then burst back to life. Was awarded a trophy for the furthest travelled. @Sir Fallsalot insisted that I should keep it as I'd been leading, fair play to him. Strangely enough I hardly used the Garmin. Spent the morning reading after waking up to this, and a hangover. Managed to dash inside for breakfast and then a quick stroll down to the harbour for some lunch and a beer. Then it was back to the rally for more beer and rum.. IMG_0793.mov

Tammy said i could ride one of her dirt bikes so in 2017 i rode the GTR as fast as i could from CT toPA. The GW bridge! The bikes! The vid! Have a great day!

All this lock down stuff has caused some financial pressure, so I've decided to set up a dating website for chickens. It might not make a lot of money but it should make hens meet

Having spent a day in the pub, the following was better so we decided to head west towards Ullapool. Loads of these rentals about. This was at Dunnet Point, the northernmost part of the mainland. J O G is further south. It's Orkney in the distance. Heading west. Fred adjusting his load. Hmmm. Coffee break not far from Tongue. This is why I usually stop there when passing. Another one of my favourite photo stops. Now if I ever come up on the lottery ....... Kylesku bridge. This bee took a dislike to Fred. He caught it before it could do too much damage. Another nice place to live. Plenty of colour here and there. It was a mad dash to Ullapool from here as it was trying to rain with the wind getting up. Managed to find a hotel with rooms but only for one night. The whole town was packed it seems.

Hello everyone!! Thanks for having me! My friend Pedro Rocha pointed me in your direction because he knows how much I love the UK and the UK bike scene and how much I miss it. From 2001 to 2009 I lived in the UK, it was where I got my first bike, and all the others afterwards actually!! Currently I live in Portugal and try to go out as much as possible, although haven't done a lot recently because I started my own small animal vet practice and have concentrated on that. I am also going to run a moto tours business, which is something I really love to do. Being a total numpty when it comes to off road ridding and half a numpty on the road , I am hoping to learn a lot of things here!! Again, thanks for having me!!

anyways, Jan has had some time with Ancestry so we've been tracing the family trees and getting our DNA tested. She's 96% English with a heavy IOW influence, as borne out by her family tree. Me? As usual for an American, I'm about a third Norwegian, 40% English and then some German. My aunt had told us that the English part was from John Lukins, who came here from Liverpool. Jan immediately called me a scouse, guarded her drinks when I was around, kept me out of the checking account and away from the local casino. Ahh, but Ancestry to the rescue! Turns out John Lukins got on the boat in Liverpool, but actually came from a long line of Lukins from Weare, deep in Somerset near Cheddar gorge. Salvation! I'm not a scouse, I'm merely a harmless yokel and cheese head. Once again I'm in good graces here. It's interesting to follow the tracks. We found mine back to 1500's Norway, hers well back into the 1800's, anyways the next trip to the UK will involve a trip to Weare and maybe a wander through the local graveyards.

We get by with a little help from my hens....

I don't know if it's me but that pub looks just like your sleeping pods

A few of mine that I'm still able to dig up..... Actually still have this little Beast.....

Wind and rain? I think not, the sun always shines in Scotland, It's like 30c or something right now in fact.

I broke my GS on a rough rough, not even off road. Came back from Dawson along the Taylor Highway and must have busted the rest drive there. Stopped for coffee at Gakona and heard a "bloop" which was the rear end puking up the gear oil.

Sofia is one of my best friends! I've told her you're a bunch of reprobates and not like the nice people she met while working the UK, but here she is anyway... ?

I see, adventure travel, World Wide! Makes sense. Yes, still trying to decide if I am a biking vet or a Vet biker! Its complicated!! For a while I was in charge of the RAT Pack at Jack Lilley Triumph and organized a few trips around Europe, discovered I liked it and after a few years dreaming about doing it as a business, decided to go for it! Haven't really finalized it yet, but hope to do two this year, near the end of 2020. Will post some pictures.

Not a complete list but just a few photos that happen to be accessible via my iPad right now.

My wife woke up with a huge grin on her face this morning I just love permanent markers ?

For some reason, Yamaha’s earlier machines don’t get the same name recognition as vintage Hondas (with the possible exception of the XS650 line). That doesn’t mean they weren’t important in the history of motorcycling, though, and it doesn’t mean they’re undesirable. Just the opposite, in fact. Because there’s less hype over vintage Yamahammers, you might actually find a good deal on one. Need proof? Check out this 1970 Yamaha HS1, for sale in New Hampshire. This two-smoker was built with a 90cc engine to get around the Japanese domestic market’s 100cc restrictions, or so the rumor goes. That might have endeared it to buyers in its home country, but in power-mad North America, a 90cc wasn’t the stuff of dreams for most riders. As a result, while Honda’s CB750 went down in legend as the world’s first Japanese superbike, this HS1 spent its days as part of a dealership collection. The tiny, mighty HS1 is powered by an air-cooled, 90cc, two-stroke parallel twin that breathes in through a pair of the smallest carburetors you’ve ever seen and out through a two-into-two exhaust. The engine is mated to a five-speed trans that delivers power to the rear wheel via a chain final drive. The suspension is pretty standard—forks at the front and two shocks aft—and the brakes are drums front and rear. This bike’s ad claims the machine was rated for 10 horsepower—not that you’re going to be buying this for drag strip runs or highway commuting. This particular example does appear to have lived an easy life, and it seems the dealership did a basic freshening-up before it went on the market. The ad says the carbs were cleaned, and the intake and breather hoses replaced. The odometer only shows 3,000 miles; visually, it’s obvious the bike has been used, but it appears to have been well taken care of. The ad also says the current seller, who bought it from the dealership collection, has ridden it, so it should be in running order, more or less. Best of all? The price is $1,000 at the time of posting. No doubt it’ll rise in the days ahead, but this is a vintage machine, in good condition, that almost anyone can afford. The classic motorcycle scene has seen quick rises in pricing lately, but for now, a clean machine like this is still within most riders’ reach. Let's block ads! (Why?) Source

You are the only one I've met here, Pete

Yep loved that bike. It was so much better than the Suzuki GSX1400 in my view.

@Specs you got to upload your videos to youtube or something similar and then copy the link to get them to work i done this one for you ?

One drunken night Fred let slip that he hadn't been to Scotland. Another drunken night someone told me about a September rally on Skye. A plan was hatched. The weather forecast was shite so abandoning our original plan to go north via Lake District, we decided to head north as quickly as we could in order to beat long days in the rain, and as it transpired, have shorter ones instead. It meant motorways to our B & B somewhere between Glasgow and Edinburgh - I forget where! I left Cardiff and met Fred up the road. Stopped for food and fuel on the motorway but almost fainted at the prices, something like £3.50 for a cupcake. Sandwiches were cheaper! Found the B & B and the landlord gave us a lift to the pub, as you do. Nice pint! Getting ready for the next day. Not much motorway thankfully, but speed checks everywhere. Stopped north of Pitlochry for a couple of snaps. That might be Ben Alder in the distance. Not far from it if it isn't. I can believe that I didn't take any more photos before we were well north of Inverness, where we stopped for a brew and a sandwich. Then it was a dash up to John O Groats before the bad weather was due to arrive. Then it was off to the pub, where we were stuck for the following day due to the wind and rain.

Spot on Pete. I also did that Ancestry test thing and am happy to announce that it's a crock of shite and doesn't work. How the hell can I be half fucking Ingurlisch, quarter Irish and quarter Jock? ?

That mouse was a bit annoying in the night. I went to let the girl behind the desk know so they could sort it for the next customer she was very apologetic and offered to move me but i said it's only one more night i'll be ok when i got back from the pub for the night i wish i took here up on her offer that mouse had invited his mates around i could hear him gnawing in the walls most of the night LOL Alan enjoying himself ? These guys turned up at almost every campsite we were on some nice old Landrovers there Always liked those 101s

@Specs You always seem to catch me at my best LOL

Fake news.

Ha ha I just can’t help myself! Here’s a list in chronological with some bikes appearing more than once; Yamaha FS1E Suzuki GT250A Honda CB900F Honda Africa Twin Yamaha FJ1300 Yamaha FZR1000 Exup Yamaha TDM850 Honda CBR1000 Suzuki GSXR750M Suzuki GSXR750N Kawasaki ZX9 B Cagiva Elephant 750 Yamaha R1 Suzuki Bandit 1200 Kawasaki KLR650 Suzuki TL1000S Suzuki GSX1300 Hayabusa Honda Africa Twin Suzuki Bandit 1200 Suzuki GSXR750Y Honda Hornet 600 Suzuki GSX1400 Suzuki GSXR1000 Suzuki GSXR1300 Hayabusa Suzuki VStrom 1000 Yamaha Fazer 1000 Suzuki TL1000S Honda CBR1000 Fireblade Honda CB1300 KTM 640 Supermoto Prestige CCM R30 Ducati Multistrada Kawasaki ZX9R Yamaha XTZ750 Super Tenere Kawasaki Z1000 Suzuki VStrom 1000 Yamaha WR250F Yamaha XT660Z KTM 400 EXC KTM 990 Adventure Honda XR650L Aprilia Tuono 1000 R Kawasaki Versys 650 Scorpa SY250 Suzuki GSX1400 Suzuki DRZ400S Kawasaki Versys 1000 KTM 690 Enduro R Honda Shadow Spirit 750 Royal Enfield Himalayan Suzuki VZR1800 BMW F800R Royal Enfield Himalayan (current) Suzuki TL1000S (current)

Yes, that's quite a collection you've had there. I remember your XR650L, was it you that sold me the side pannier racks ? Here's the XR650L I had..........

There were two five minutes walk away, with wonderful food and plenty of beer.

An eclectic collection there mate, like it ?

Yeah the bike does have a bit of a bad reputation but the one I’m getting has an R1 shock upgrade which makes a massive difference apparently.

Fucking hell I don’t feel too bad now ????

Ha ha no mate just a serial bike changer. I loved that TL and bought it new off my mate when he worked in a Suzuki dealership. If I remember it was a 1998 model and I've always regretted selling it so when the same mate said he had a 1997 model sitting in his garage that he was willing to sell I bit his hand off! It's in the UK at the moment and he's giving it a good going over and replacing a few bits and bobs like fork seals etc, he's given it a full service and making sure it's in top condition before I get it over here. Can't wait and it's worth the cost of getting it on Spanish plates.

Could do with some winter sun. Don't do hot!

Jesus! Are you a dealership? I've never ridden one, but the TL looked so cool when it came out, and I think it never lost it's appeal over the years.

What's wrong with it Tym, is it worn or just gummed up with all the shit they put in the fuel now. If it just needs a refurb then see if you can find someone who's got an Ultrasonic cleaner. We have one in work and they're ace, strip the carb, bung it in the cleaner overnight. Flush it clean in the morning and then reassemble with new jets and you won't believe the difference ?

That's what every teenager of my day dreamed of having, the DT50 LC, most sold 50cc motorcycle in Portugal for ages: It's tiny in real life.

Good area to ride in. On the second half of that video, that's the kind of terrain where low horsepower dirt bikes are so much easier to ride, old school sitting down type bikes are made for that!

Christmas days are supposed to be sunny, that's what needs to happen. We were both riding at the same time, Pete ?

Ok. Seemed to work! ?

Hello and welcome That's a beemer that has seen some serious action, for a change.

Still fancy a bit of off road but only at my speed.

Im not a big name in the marketing department butt listing horspower as "not available" might not be the best hook, esp for a Harley, just saying...?

This is my Honda CRF250 Rally. I usually by secondhand but this was the first brand new bike I'd bought for 35 years. I've had it for 18 months now and I'm really pleased with it, it took a bit of getting used to as you have to wring it's neck to go anywhere fast and works in a completely different way to the DR350's I'd been riding for 15 years or so. It's taken me to France twice already , done some of the TET and some other trail riding over there and down to my mates house near Brive-le-Gaillarde. I've modified it a bit to suit my trail riding, the main thing you need to do with these bikes is replace the rear shock as the Honda unit is awful. I put a YSS jobby on mine and it works great.

They loved me at ADV rider.

I hadn't done this rally since my last time with Fred which was 2017 (I think ??), anyway a mate of mine insisted that we should go so we put the word around and in the end six of us met up at Conwy YHA on the friday night before the rally and then went to the pub of course..... and then for a curry..... Now one thing you need to do in the week leading up to the Dragon Rally is to keep an eye on the weather forecast, when I tell you it wasn't looking good, it really wasn't . There was a storm coming in with 65-70 mph winds and torrential rain forecasted ? Saturday morning we assembled at the meeting point and were given the instructions as to where the site was this year (it's a different location every year), what a fine body of men ........ We got to the site and it didn't look good, it was just a farmers field up a track and at the top of a hill. I would much rather have been down in some sheltered valley out of the way of the worst of the weather. We picked a spot at the top of the field as it was obvious that by next morning anything down the bottom would just be a bog. It was a great laugh just trying to get to the top of the field as conditions were soft and it hadn't even started raining yet. We pitched our tents and then walked down to the marquee to collect our goody bags and have a nose at the other bikes