Dinner time

Just because one is campng, doesn't mean one can't eat well.

Pan fried lamb chops with boiled new potatoes with sweetcorn nibblets. All done on my borde stove and czech army mess tins.

Day 8

Well. Milford Haven was probably the worst place to go in this area. Found a much more pleasant campsite about 15 miles along the coast. A totally clear night, got some funy looks doing my washing but nobody likes a stinky biker. makes you wonder what caravan people do for clean clothes. Maybe they just stink which is why they never go out and socialise?


Woke up to another bright sunny day. Took a fair bit of mapwork and wrong turns to get there today. I could have just blasted along the A40 but that's pretty boring. Unfortunately, the councils in South Wales appear to have spent their entire roadsign budget on signs telling you to slow down, in both English and Welsh, some of which have flashng lights. As a result, there is nothing to tell you a) Which road you're on. b) Where it goes and c) How far away it is. So, I reckon instead of preventing accidents by slowing people down, they have caused them by making people do unexpected u-turns and loiter at junctions wondering where to go.

The memorial stone at Llandow was just on the side of the road, a wee bit treacherous if you aren't on a bike that can go on the verge. The Sigingtone one was tucked away round a corner a few miles down the road. Went in past the Enfield dealers at Llandow airfield. Jolly friendly chaps but unfortunately for them, the bike seems to be running fine with nothing having fallen off *touch wood*.

Might take it a bit easier tomorrow. I'm well enough ahead on ladmarks and I have a mate who lives in Newport which is just along the coast.

This coastal part of Wales seems very crowded. No big towns, just a constant stream of small villages and towns. I'll be glad then I get out of constant 30-40-30-40-30 speed limits. The choice seems to be either motorway or do 40. They even slap a 40 limit on any twisty out of town bits that might offer a break from the tedium and numb bum. There are enough speed cameras about that it's not worth the risk pushing my dangerous speed machine to its comfortable cruising speed of 50mph.

day 7

After a restful night atthe bothy, I headed back across to get a picture of a statue in Tergaron.

Next stop was Ceneth Falls. i was going to stop here for lunch but they wanted paying for everything. 50p to park the bike and another fee to walk down next to the river. Well, that's not the way to attract visitors so they missed out on one lunch and possibly a visitor the the coracle centre. Not going on general princiiple, good job my wallet is on a chain.

I'm on my way to Milford Haven now. Stopped for a McWireless. This area seems a bit grim to be honest. Not sure exactly what it is, just an impression. Lots of closed shops, no waves from people on the road, everyone going about with their heads down even thought it's a bright, sunny Sunday.

Maybe be a bit nicer on the coast.

Day 6

Just a quick post from Aberystwyth. Got 3G outside morrisons. Superb run through the Welsh valleys in the sunshine. the roads are well suited to the Bullet, lots of tricky sweeping corners, not too many straights. Boring checkpoint today but it's been suggested I try to make the pictures more interesting.

Off into the wilds now.

Day 5

No internet recception at the campsite but the pont y pair hotel had a wireless network. A different place to when I've usually been here in February for the Dragon rally.

Took a trip over to Anglesey today via Colwyn Bay to pick up an open face helmet. I'm sweating cobs! Bagged the landmark there and headed back away via the Menai bridge. I've always thought that is the most worthwhile thing to see on Anglsey, it's mostly just flat and windswept with a few exceptions round the South coast.

On the subject of bridges, the next checkpoint was a roman bridge near Capel Curig. I headed over via the Llaberis pass. Again, the Enfield waltzed up it but I'll need to check the oil tonight. It also sounds great going through the tunnels on the A55.

The Roman Bridge was cunningly hidden UNDER the current road bridge. It's a pretty impressive drystone arch made of flat stones.

Off towards mid Wales tomorrow, I plan to stop at Nant Rhys bothy, definately no mobile reception there so no updates tomorrow.

Forecast up to 30 degrees over the weekend!

Another absolute scorcher. I' REALLY glad i got a 1 season sleeping bag, it's been absolutely boiling in the tent and on the bike. Back into more scenic, pleasant surroundings. I've been to Worlds End via a very twisty hill road and I've been up horseshoe Pass. The bike managed no problem.

Slowing things down now I'm in a good camping area so 2 days at Betws y Coed, I'll pop over to Angelsea tomorrow ad have a tootle about Snowdonia.

There was a rally of citroen 2CV 3-wheeler conversions at the Lake visitor centre. They picked a good day for it!f

Day 3 continued

Lots of pictures so I can prove both me AND the bike went there.

Day 3

A lot of motorway and dual carriageway stuff today. The enfield coped very well with the Manchester ring road.

Two of todays checkpoints were nigh-on impossable to get up close to. The statue of Archimedes is in the campus at manchester Uni wich is all gated. I had to wait while a teacher discussed why Archimedes was the first forensic scientist but made a total balls of describing the principal of displacement, leading me to assume that she was a history rather than a science teacher.

The footpath up to the castle is being rebuilt but after having a word with the workmen, they let me go up and take a picture as they were knocking off for the day anyway.

The Mill visitor centre was a very pleasant spot.

I'm camped out the back of the Griffin Inn in Holt, North Wales. Not very scenic but a short stagger back to the tent. Into Snowdonia tomorrow so I'll get enough scenery then.

still day 2

day 2

Just a brief post so as not to be antisocial. I'm staying with Grav tonight.

Another fantastic day. Too hot if anything. Met another rallyist at the Southport checkpoint.

Went over Deepdale pass, ONLY just made it up, thought I'd have to get off and push!

Day 1

Day one sucessful. Bagged two checkpoints. A statue of a haematite miner in Egremont and some milestones in Alithwaite. The milestones were a stinker to find but a very helpful bloke pointed me in the right direction. The clue only gave the parish not the town.

Weather has been fantastic. I'm staying the night at Codnor farm campsite in Dent which is a short hop from tomorrows first point near Skipton. very basic but thoroughly pleasant campsite. We'll see how comfy this jungle sleeping bag is tonight.

Leaving tomorrow!

Well. I think that's me as organised as I'm going to get. All those years of minimal camping have paid off. I have managed to fit a huge amount of stuff on the bike, all of which I think will be useful and it's pretty much fitted in the panniers and one dry bag.

The washing up basin may look rediculous but it's a VERY handy thing to take camping. It's my bath, washing machine, log basket and oil drip tray.

Or course, there is always a spanner in the works. Today I woke up with a very swollen and sore big toe. A trip to the doctors revealed I have gout. A bit disappointing really because I haven't had the benefit of too much rich food and fine wines, apparently it can be sporadic and should clear shortly.

Any other bike but the Enfield and I couldn't have ridden it, it's my left foot and I couldn't have changed gear. Right hand gearshift to the rescue!

On board I have:
I.T. and navigation GEAR
Asus EeePC laptop with vodaphone broadband
Digital camera with spare memory card
Mini tripod
Mobile phone
OS Traveller road maps of the whole UK
Nyrex folder with locations of checkpoints
Various battery chargers
Map holder
compass

Tool Kit
1/2" drive sockets 10-32mm, spanners 8-19mm, pliers, mole grips, screwdrivers, allen keys, TDC tool, advance unit puller, feeler guages, plug socket, punch, tyre levers, cable ties, spare tube, points, condenser, clutch cable, brake cable, wheel bearings, fuses.

Camping kit
Tent, sleeping bag and liner, hammock, basha, therm-a-rest, head torch.
Mess tins, soap, stove, fuel, mug, swiss army knife, butter dish, brew kit, spork, condiments box.

Clothing
Thermals, waterproofs, spare trousers, lightweight trousers, 2x t-shirts, 3x underpants, 3x socks, jumper, sunhat.

Also a comprehensive first-aid kit in the respirator pouch on the back of the racks.

If there is stuff I find I don't need. I can always post it home.

One sleep to go!

Maps

Maps are going to be a big part of this. I'm not a great fan of GPS systems so it'll all be done using paper maps and good old fashioned route finding.

The shortest or easiest route is not necessarily the best one from my point of view. I have time and hopefully the inclination and I want to see the country.

In the words of Robert Frost:
"Two roads diverged in a wood,and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."


I've got 89 checkpoints to visit and I'm going to have to find some pretty out of the way places.

Not to say I haven't planned where they are and I'm not a total Luddite. Google earth has let me plot all the waypoints so they are easily viewed but I'll be relying heavily on the wonders of the British Ordanance Survey. I suspect most people don't realise how lucky we are in this country to have readily available, detailed and accurate maps of anywhere we want to go. A GPS will take you "To" and "From". A map lets you see what's on the journey.
Link to my google map.

A week to go

Well, I leave in exactly one week on my three month sabbatical. The intention of which is to visit as many places in Britain as possible on my Royal Enfield Bullet 350.

Still got a lot of sorting out to do, I'm not packed, the bike isn't ready and I haven't really planned where I'm going first.

This is all good though. I'm not trying to plan too far ahead, this is supposed to be relaxing.

The bike is coming on in leaps and bounds though. I've done a load of work on it with the intent of making it more reliable. Mostly this has involved taking stuff off which wasn't part of the original design.

I'm particularly pleased with my luggage system. I've fitted a single seat and some replica British Army pannier racks. Where the pillion seat was, I've attached a wooden shelf for my dry bags.

I just had to fit a £100 chain to this bike at the weekend because mine snapped and it was the only one in the shop. As someone commented, I'd better chain it up or someone will steal the chain and leave the bike.