Sofia

10 minutes ago, Buckster said:

I have plenty of photos of it in America, that’s where I lived when I bought it.

Cool!!!! I didnt know! 

1 minute ago, Six30 said:

National motorbike museum is not far from Triumph factory  , we went there , couldn't believe the amount of bikes in there.... never seen so many baking trays either, if you bought a British bike new i reckon you got a baking tray as part of the deal

Yes, they are handy things!! 

I visited that one 2x, once by myself and another when running the Rat Pack. It was before the fire, so 2008 I think. Was amazing! Sammy Miller also has lots and lots of character.  It's a weekend away we'll spent, visiting the New Forest and Beaulieu and Sammy's

2 minutes ago, Buckster said:

My bike was made in York, Pennsylvania. Except the engine which was made in Milwaukee.

Seeing it will be tricky to take it to the States to photograph it in its homeland, maybe the American Embassy will do?

6 minutes ago, Six30 said:

is the factory tour worth doing ? .. we went there earlier this year couldn't get on the tour though, fully booked 

It is very worth it. It was the 2nd time for me, had gone round in 2005 when the factory was working, very cool to see it all going. This time was Saturday so all quiet. Loved the fact there were engines on pallets on the floor, bike frames kinda lost around the place, almost felt like a gigantic bike shed!! They also have an exhibition area with bikes chronologically organised, very cool. 

We hadn't managed to get tickets online, so I did my best puppies eyes to the lady selling tickets and she got us in. Or else, the lad doing the tour happily accepted 2 more because we were from far away. It was lovely! 

Thank you!! 

a British bike, in Britain makes me super, super happy!!  And we found out it was really made in Hinckley, so 100% gravy!! 

5 hours ago, MooN said:

Im still not very confident on gravel with this bike to be honest, though its better now ive solved the throttle “snap” .  

It's a Triumph, they have plenty of gravel DNA!! That's why it's impossible to go out on the Speed Triple and not end up off road, somehow she sniffs it out like a Beagle! 

16 hours ago, Pedro said:

Why would you tick that box on good weather? That looks just lovely!

France is lovely on a motorcycle 

1 hour ago, Buckster said:

Well that's never going to happen. 

Stranger things have happened before...

55 minutes ago, busabeast said:

Hmmm someone with no eyes you mean, the bike only a bus driver could love

Are all Americans bus drivers?! And Hell Angels????

12 hours ago, Pedro said:

and alphabetically organized too, like it should be...

Attention to detail, the most beautiful thing you do!

12 hours ago, Six30 said:

what an improvement BOTM is now , a brief  description of each picture , no silly rules , how it should be , , good job

Love you more everyday! You have a gorgeous bike, anywhere with scenery and you can win!!

On 29/09/2023 at 17:08, Six30 said:

Got some artwork in the shot  and some Mini Cooper wheels … 

effort and planning .

 

Deserve to win on effort alone! Might get my vote....

I wish to seriously apologise for all this altercation, because the issue was with what I wrote and not Pedro. It was my post that seemed to have trigger Caroline. In my line of work I always think first for the Why, so I dont tend to assume or judge situations on face value. I confess I have no clue why it triggered her to go down the road of "bollocks" and a defensive attitude, but its not important at all!

I am super happy for her and everyone, seeing them super content with their lives and enviournment and how things work around them! That is amazing!! 

There is nothing wrong with thinking different and having different views at all, healthy debate is most welcomed and important to bring people together. But semantics matter and In this situation there is a stark difference between the very nice way Fred expressed his feelings and Caroline's. For sure there are no bad intentions on her part, that's what we believe. On the other hand if someone throws "bollocks" in the air, in a written form where its not possible to understand if its banter or not, one just desingages and moves on. Life is too short.

It's a great shame, I am very sorry I caused all this and I hope you can forgive my intromission. 90% of what I wrote is about love, unfortunately the 10% triggered a big reaction.

3 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

The only thing that I can say about the Leatherman was that I was searched on a Brittany Ferry to France and I had to take mine out of my pocket and put it in my bike luggage otherwise they were going to confiscate it .

Uau, there seems to be a great confusion with letherman's at security... so, going to the IoM the lady sent Pedro's one for destruction immediately.  I had one also, but no issue there. With Brittany ferries, all bikers were stopped and the guy asked us "do you have Swiss army knives? Yes? That's fine. Do you have multitools like Letherman? Yes? OK, that's fine too" basically it depends on the bloke or gal asking. Interesting way to do security checks, but not surprising seeing its all outsourced staff. 

Still, good to know the law is enforced and applied correctly and properly, no more dangerous multitools for me, I don't have a clue what to do with  it anyway!! Rather call recovery! 

1 hour ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

There are some great statements and some utter bollox in that post but I suppose whatever opinions you've formed you're free to have so enjoy. 

Just for example the extreme control you refer to is our law against 'entrapment' they are legally obliged to tell you where the cameras are, even the police are obliged to release where they'll be with their mobile speed traps, this is more freedom than in other countries, no nasty surprise points or fines unless you speed without taking heed. The only place I have been caught out speeding is in Spain with their hidden cameras.

Unlike many other countries, where you are unaware you're being checked upon, no nasty surprise points arrive in the post, in the UK they must by law let you know before you hit a trap or camera, people generally know they've stupidly been through a camera.

See the pic below for a part of my trip from the Pyrenees' very soon. It's a camera hell on that route, not that you'll get any sort of warning while there unless you use the correct GPS.

From what I can see, you did a great job on the guiding, some refining needed maybe but overall looked like you did a lovely job. 

 

ps seasickness pills need to be taken an hour before boarding, after you feel sick it's just not going to have the same effect. 

 

Thanks for your thoughts. 

I take the tablets as prescribed, w hours before boarding. 

5 hours ago, Pedro said:

The last night in the little pub was a nice way to say goodbye to the UK, people were as nice as they could be, great sense of humor, good happy vibe inside, great food, all the right things and that made us happy. Riding from there to Plymouth was but a 20 or 30 minute ride, we had plenty of time and took a little detour, rode through lovely little valleys and past hidden streams, entering Plymouth through residential streets. Stopped at a pet shop to buy a pair of toys for the puppies waiting at home and just like that we were in the Port.

We were asked to be there at 12:00 or sooner, and we were the first bikes to arrive at little past. Nobody in sight and only a couple of cars there, this was going to be a long wait.

 

Check in eventually opened and by 12:50 we were in the proper port, still no boat in sight and quite an empty parking lot, I struggle to find a reason they try to make people arrive early if it's just to sit around for hours. A very interesting group of bikes showed up, a BSA4, an old BSA and a new BSA, first time I saw one of the new ones in person. They look alright. I found it funny that the new one had canvas luggage while the old one had a plastic top case 

 

By 14:00 it looked like a boat full of bikes in the parking lot

 

Eventually we did board, and being one of the first bikes on board, we made it to the cabin in time for a quick shower and then a walk around the ferry while cars were still driving in.

 

We did have a little sunshine on the port, but the winds were picking up substantially when we were leaving, the sea looked sloppy and Sofia, 2 pills into her sea sickness management wasn't looking too happy.

 

The rugby was on, Scotland vs Toga? I don't really know anything about rugby but it gave me an excuse for a couple of pints. Sofia retreated to the cabin, as laying down helps with the sickness. After a while I felt guilty and joined her, outside it was looking very different to the blue skies and sea we had sailing here, the wind was really very strong and I had to hold onto my phone with both hands to take a picture.

 

By dinner time we did brave it to the restaurant, I went and picked a couple of salads and a couple of pieces of bread, it was a little bit of a challenge to carry that tray without bumping into stuff, the boat was rocking a fair bit. Sofia quickly regretted her visit to the upper decks and ran to the cabin to throw up, leaving me with a vast amount of salad. Again, the one with the burrata is the only edible thing in this boat apart from the breakfast croissants, there had to be an advantage of sailing on a french company and it surely wasn't the friendliness of most of the staff.

While I'm eating, a huge amount of plates crashes in the kitchen, two or three people tumble and drop their dinner plates, and people were all walking crooked. Back in the cabin, I hear the announcement that outer decks are to be closed until the morning in Spain, I can't go outside and look at a stormy sea in the dark of night, judging by the way that cabin rocked through most of the night I don't think I would want to either.

In the morning all was better, we were up and about, breakfast was consumed, everyone feeling better and relaxed. We had clear blue skies in Spain, and it was supposed to be warm too. The boat started unloading cars at 14:00 Portugal and UK time, and that took forever, then they signaled for bikes to go, it was only by 14:40 that this mayhem was going on:

 

In chaotic situations like that I usually take it calmly and let the chaos dissipate instead of joining in, having been the first ones to go in my bike was parked at the corner the farthest away from the ramp outwards, we were amongst the few last ones to leave the boat. Exiting the port was another long task, but at least here they had 4 people checking passports. I was a little miffed they didn't have a clearer path for EU passports though.

Out of port we were straight onto a gas station to fuel up, a little chat to acclimatize to being on land and we were off. I had booked a little room in a small rural home next to the restaurant we both had dinner in when leaving Portugal. The plan was to make it there on that same day, enjoy dinner back in the homeland and then ride to my parents' home through smaller country roads the next day. This meant jumping on the motorway and cruise down with just one break, which we did.

Bugs were all in force, bikes and helmets got pelted with them, here I'm waiting with an already low sun for Sofia to return from cleaning her visor.

 

19:30 and we're exiting the motorway to the last 30 or 40km to our destination, nice roads there, for the first time ever I felt like going a little fast at night time, I didn't as Sofia was having visibility issues, plus a deer had just showed himself as we were moving off after taking the picture above.

Home for the night, in rural Tras os Montes:

 

We were tired but happy, the room we were staying in was like what you would have if you went to visit your portuguese grandmother in the countryside, a very comfy bed with heavy blankets and a simple but cozy house. I loved it.

Dinner was magnificent, a simple coal grilled beef chop, salad, fries (a portion for a family of 4), and their special treat to me was their vegetable rice, with sweet Tras os Montes cabbage, it was what I wanted for coming back home. Total including wine and a 7up, and coffees, 25€. It isn't, but it felt cheap after Britain.

I was very happy:

 

We only had a 2 minute walk to bed, should have been more as it was a lovely night.

 

Next morning, we get up earlyish and make way home, my mom's 71st birthday was the next day and Sofia wanted to spend some time with her before going home, so we were to arrive today.

Not many pictures were taken, although the northern Portugal scenery did call for it.

 

Better grip than it looks:

 

We were enthusiastic about using a little bit of an A road to cover 50 or 60km and thus gain some time, the deserted road with nothing but the odd car, the absence of speed camera warnings (they do hide them here, to trap you!!) after the control in the UK, and we might have been a little too fast through there. 

Arriving home after riding most of the Douro valley, I ignore a closed road sign only to find a road closed for construction ahead, usually they forget about these signs. We were turning back but the guys in charge of the works eagered us use the gravel footpath circling the construction. It was a bit of a tight squeeze for the GS but all went well, they did that out of just wanting to help and not worrying too much about regulations and stuff, it was a stark contrast, maybe somewhere in the middle we would be able to find an adequate balance.

 

 

This concludes my report about our trip to the UK, it was a culture shock for me in many ways, but a culture shock that I did enjoy. You grow when you see how other people live, I think I did as just this morning I was listening to traffic outside and people beeping horns while stuck in a minor 10 car traffic jam, and wondering if they couldn't be more patient, like the brits when they cope with such stuff.

Thank you for a super good report!! And for being top travel companion, super patiente and calm inspite of my anxiety and repeated sea sickness!! 

You have made a few new friends on this trip and for sure we are both very sorry to have missed the forum members we also wanted to meet. Must go back with better planning!! 

I returned with extreme emotions, from sadness for the state of affairs in the new version of Britain, but also with a heart full of love from the people that have always understood me the best and accepted me the most. And I dont just mean my wonderful friends, I mean the People from Britain. 

I return also with a new apreciation for Portugal and the freedom we still enjoy here, where the chaos I so struggle with, is now the protection against the extreme control Britain is under.

Rules are important, but they should never be used for harassment or oppression. 

Britain is the land of fearless explorers, by land, sea, and air!! The paradise of motorsport and bike sheds full of character and quirkiness, now taken over by nanny-state/woke and being killed off by fear, excess hipsterism and, frankly, intolerance, which was never my experience while living there. As a girl, I always felt free to be and do whatever, as a biker even more so. 

Fortunately, there is the Isle of Man and the Sammy Miller museum and a few old geezers still being rebels like they were in the 50s and 60s, role models to follow when the government oppresses its people in a way that is simply shocking. 

Only a stupid Man doesn't feel fear, but fear is the biggest killer, not speed!!! 

We never feel more alive than when the possibility of death is imminent, something that bikes are very good at giving us!! 

Will always be in love with England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, The Channel Isles, The IoM... all of it, because love never dies, it just changes and now you need love more then ever to come out of the age of successive beligerante governments that cared only about their big fat bank accounts then the People that make Britain.  We are here for you as always! 

The Moutain!

40 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

Look at this @Sir Fallsalot , they went to Baffle Haus and didn't even tell us

 

 

What you say @Sofia  ??

 

 

I apologise profusely... 

On 20/08/2023 at 16:06, Six30 said:

x2 peak district, lovely area, and good roads

Peak District is my absolute favorite 

On 20/08/2023 at 08:59, Pedro said:

Don’t know, but on the way north we’ll sleep twice more or less close to Santander to go ride around the Picos for a day, and Bilbao is a town I really dig. Maybe something to do with boarding on different places in the uk too.

I don’t really know why any of it is actually happening, I’ll basically be tagging along with @Sofia as she revisits some of her favourite places while also trying to keep to the appropriate side of the road. 

@Pedro, Love you!!

Thank you for joining!! 

Finally @Pedro, I mean, his friend, is going to be educated in the best things in life and see the light!! 

I have recommended @Pedro, oh bugger, did it again!  I mean, his friend, takes waterproofs, boots and all the rest, but there is a slight reluctance to accept the inevitable,  it will rain! 

3 hours ago, boboneleg said:

I hope you purchased one of these bottle openers for @Sofia 

One doesnt need a bottle opener when one can have the real thing! 

On 13/07/2023 at 12:12, Six30 said:

Got it 

like it 

end of ride report .

Totally love it! Great choice.

On 24/05/2023 at 09:09, boboneleg said:

I apologise Sofia , that certainly wasn't my intention when I started this post.  We only have two females posting here now, we could do with more female input so that there isn't so much talk of fanny, boobs and cock

On 24/05/2023 at 22:29, Buckster said:

Did you just tell the poor thing where the thermometer goes?

 

Actually yes!!