Wales Day 3

Got up early and checked out of the hotel at about 9:30am. Then off up the A48 into Chepstow to visit Chepstow Castle(have you gathered the main theme of the weekend yet).


From there we took the A466 to Tintern Abbey, potentially a really nice twisty road but spoiled by slow cars and double white lines.

After we had been to Tintern Abbey it was back on the bikes and up the A466 Monmouth, then we cut across country on the B4347/B4233 in search of White Castle, but because it wasn't signed we missed it and time was getting on, so we gave it a miss.

We then carried on up the B4233 to Abergavenny. Got on the A465 to Merthyr Tydfil, then jumped onto the A4077 at Gilwern to meet up with the A40 to Brecon. Due to heavy traffic we left the A40 and headed up A479 to Builth Wells and pretty much followed our route coming on Friday to get back home.

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Wales Day 2

I had planned a really good run for today but in the end we didn't get to far.

Up and out for 10:30am then down the M4 and A48(M)into Cardiff to visit Cardiff Castle, managed to find motorcycle parking spaces nearby after a bit of a search.


Then off from there up the A469 to Caerphilly Castle. By the time we had finished looking around Caerphilly Castle it was 4:00pm and time to go back to the hotel.


We took the A468 to junction 28 of the M4 then up the M4 to junction 24 and then the A48 back to the Hotel.

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Wales Day 1

Myself and Helen loaded up are bikes this morning and set out for Chepstow. It is the first time I have had all my hard luggage on the VFR. I could feel the extra weight on the bike so added some preload on the rear shock. At first the front felt a bit unsure of its self, but I soon got used to it and by the time we reached Chepstow I had almost forgotten I was carrying so much extra weigh.


We set out at about 8:00am and hit heavy traffic almost immediately, but on a bike it doesn't matter so much and we filtered through the traffic on the M60 and M6. We then got onto the M56 and got off at junction 10 and headed down the A49 to Whitchurch. We then jumped onto A495 and cut across through Elsemere and Whittingham to the A483 and stopped at Oswestry services.

After a brief stop we continued down the A483 to Newtown briefly stopping at Montgomery Castle on the way. Then after Newtown down the A483 to Crossgates and 22 glorious miles of bends. Then the A483 again to Builth Wells, then A470 to Bronylls where we visited our second castle of the day.


After visiting Bronylls Castle we headed down the A479 to Tretower court and Castle, then proceeded down the A40 to the A449 to Usk via Raglan Castle. At Usk we took the scenic B4235 which we enjoyed until we got off at Shirenewton and took some goat tracks (much to Helens displeasure) to cut across to the A48 where our weekend hotel the Marriott St. Pierre Hotel & Country Club was located on. A total of approximately 209 miles.

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North Yorkshire Dales Blast

Myself and Helen went on a run today with NUKB led by Pabxxv and Matt. Route was as follows: Skipton, Grassington, Pately Bridge, Masham (lunch at the Kings Head Arms), Hawes, Settle, Hawes, Kirkby Stephen, Sedburgh, Devils, Forest of Bowland, Clitheroe, Sabden and then back home.

Shot quite a bit of video today see below and had nice weather all day although it was very overcast and breezy for the majority of the day.

Hawes to Ribblehead Viaduct on the B6255.


Hawes to Ribblehead viaduct from Cavturbo on Vimeo.

Stainforth to Ribblehead Viaduct on B6479


Stainforth to Ribblehead from Cavturbo on Vimeo.

Ribblehead viaduct to Hawes B6255.


Ribblehead Viaduct to Hawes from Cavturbo on Vimeo.

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Saddleworth Moor Camera Test

After finishing with Helen's bike I messed about with my new bike camera again. When I was happy with it I had a quick blast up and over Saddleworth Moor. I am pretty happy with the results and feel the camera and microphone are currently in their best positions so far. See video below of run from Newhey up to the top of Cupwith Hill on Saddleworth Moor. I have also experimented with different setting in Adobe Premiere screen size, compession etc.. which also seem to have yielded better results.


Saddleworth Moor Run from Cavturbo on Vimeo.

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Fettling with Helen's Bike

I have been messing with Helen's new bike today. I had the dangerous task of drilling holes into the fairing to fit a set of R&G crash bobbins to the BMW. Can you imagine how much trouble I would have been in if I had put the hole in the wrong place. Thankfully my usual time consuming carefulness made sure that the holes were in the right places.
 
After fitting the crash bobbins I then installed Invisible Film to both sides of the tank to protect it from Helen's knees scratching the tank when cornering.

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Experiences of new work carpark

Went to work on bike twice this week after receiving permission from on high to park in an un-used corner of the carpark. Unfortunately it's under trees so is covered with moss, has yellow paint markings all over it and is slippery as a slippery thing!

There's also 2 large vehicles (bashed and dented Toyota Hiace people carrier and a Passat) allocated the spaces either side of it which means when I arrive at 8am with nobody about it's fine parking up, but leaving at 4pm it's a struggle to get through the gap which is bike or Helen sized - NOT bike PLUS Helen sized!!! After going nose in on Weds and ending up with pulled arm muscles manoevering him out, I fiddled about getting parked bum in today which looked easier to get out sitting on and padding out but they'd both left by the time I went home so didn't get chance to see. Thought today was supposed to be fine, hence using the bike, but oh no we had a monsoon in Middleton after lunch and heavy drizzle on my way home. Will this rain ever stop??!!

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Normandy

I have recently booked a trip to Normandy with British Bike Tours. I will be going to Dover on Saturday 4th October, then up early and over to Calais in the morning returning via Calais/Dover on Thursday 9th October.

The brief itinerary is going to be as follows:

Sun 5th Oct – Day 1 Calais to Honfleur
Mon 6th Oct – Day 2 Honfleur to Bayeux
Tue 7th Oct – Day 3 Bayeux to Ducey
Wed 8th Oct – Day 4 Ducey to Bagnoles
Thur 9th Oct – Day 5 Bagnoles – Home

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