Sun appears in Scotland Shock
Yes it’s true after several
weeks of threatening the fair skinned amongst you have been going all red
because of a phenomenon rarely seen in Scotland, yes the Sun. We have had a good spell of weather
lasting almost a week and it was hot enough one night last week for me to
witness the snowplough out spreading sand on the Tibbermore
crossroads because of the melting tar. And no I wasn’t on the way home from the
pub! I don’t mean to moan but one day last week it was to hot to ride the bike,
it reminded me of coming back from St Pompom in the south of France a couple of
years ago when it was so hot Group Captain Duncan got all delirious and drove
his Norton into the back of mine. Luckily his insanity cleared up temporarily
but it’s come back because he has now bought a Honda Valkerie!
For those of you that haven’t seen one just think of a huge red & Chrome
public toilet, John likes it and unlike a public toilet it doesn’t smell of pish, it is pish! Only joking, its good to see that some people will not be swayed by
public opinion and buy a bike because they like it and to hell with what
anybody else says. Sorry John but it’s been a while since I had a public abuse
section in the newsletter. Over the next few months I will be picking on you
all unless you contribute something worthwhile to the newsletter.
Classic Club Run
I
have missed the Classic club run for the last couple of years due to clashes
with other events, this year I made it. The run started at the Baiglie inn which is at the end of the Bridge of Earn
to Glenfarg straight. I took the video camera and got
some good footage which I will share with you at a future club night. It was a
good day out in the blistering sunshine and in good company well except Abi & Andy….joking, the lunch
break was at Anstruther which by a quirk of fate I
had visited the night before. Far to much for any
grown man to visit Anstruther twice in two days. Try
and make the run next year, after a few years of the lunatic fringe racing
everywhere it’s now a nice gentle tour with much to commend it. (Yes I know I
was one of the lunatic fringe but I’m taking tablets now I’m much better.
Ardnamurchan
Now there’s a name, its gaelic for “painful fissures up your arse” well that’s what
it should mean, and after you negotiate the almost Motorway standard roads to
get to the most Westerly point in the British Isles on a wet day with suicidal
sheep. I was on a camping weekend there a couple of weeks ago looking for likely
places for a major tour of Scotland for my overseas friends. An excellent run up through
Lochearnhead (just like Lago di Como in Italy apart from the weather, the
architecture and the people) Glen Ogle, Crainlarich, Tyndrum (thankfully devoid of power rangers on a Friday
night) through Glencoe and over on the Corran Ferry (£1.50) the only bargain
you’ll ever get from Caledonian MacBrayne. Luckily
the Council had just chipped the road so it made it such good fun on the road
to Salen, just like riding your bike on marbles. It
is time they found another way to try and maim motorcyclists because this is
getting boring and predictable. The camp site at Resipol
between Strontian & Salen
is highly recommended, beautiful site with magnificent views, good toilets
complete with hairdryers so you can look your best for the midges. And an
excellent Pub/ Restaurant on site also. All this around two and a half hours
from Perth, we should have a camping weekend here at the end of
the season.
Saturday
we made our way to the lighthouse at the most westerly point, nice scenery in
bits and also rain wind and mist when everywhere else in Scotland was basking in Sun. There is a nice wee café at the
community centre in Kilchoan worth a trip for the
soup. We decided not to pay the tenner to go up the
lighthouse as we couldn’t see anything from ground level so paying a tenner to not see anything but the same mist 15 metres up
didn’t seem to make sense. We camped for the night at a nice rough camping site
overlooking Loch Sunart about three miles outside Salen. Brilliant night with a campfire, lots of smoke,
wind, wine & beer. A wee tip, when trying to get a campfire going, use a
£1.50 disposable BBQ under the fire, foolproof! Avon Skin so soft and the smoke
kept the Midges at bay for the night but the buggers got me in the morning when
I got up for a call of nature clad in only my underpants, they successfully
mounted an ambush and left their mark. Next morning break camp and in to the
café at Strontian for breakfast also recommended. A
good weekend in superb company and more data gathered for a special experience
for any of our visitors.
Ibiza Correspondent
Our Ibiza correspondent Lolo was competing in the TT again this year as a sidecar
passenger (well he is mental) He attended
the Island using his norton as
transport from Ibiza. I got a call from him on the Friday following the
races, he had a gearbox seizure and was looking for any contacts I had in the Portsmouth area. When he called back he decided just to take
the chain off and push his bike the 500 metres to the boat.
When he arrived in France he got picked up by his brother and set about the
repairs. The damage was actually a collapsed layshaft
bearing caused by the chain having a mega tight spot because his recently renewed
front sprocket was oval!
Something
to look out for if you’re changing sprockets
Forthcoming events
Camping weekend, Applecross 29-31 July, Be there or be square.
International Rally
August 27 -29 at Beerse in Belgium. Still time to book up!
And finally
It has been suggested that
the club hold a set of special tools for Nortons
(Commando’s in particular as the tools for this cover most heavyweight twins) We have money in the Bank so it will be up for vote this
month (NOC paid up members only)
The Small Print
The views and opinions contained within this
publication are not necessarily those of the NOC or of the branch but are
probably mine as I wrote it.
No one accepts any responsibility for
anything, if you have a good time don't say I didn't warn you.
Gino Rondelli
