Southern Route
We had Saturday, Sunday and Monday to enjoy ourselves so we did the Southern run for some Battlefields. Bill, Paul and Graham decided to join me. First up was PILLETH. Just on the border between Wales and England we had a lovely ride there. Firstly on Motorways but laterly a fabulous run from Chester south on the A483 that criss crosses the border. Next on the schedule was Fazer Phils 60th party at the Masonic Hall, Nailsea = but the place was desserted, now that was because we were a day early, doh!
Onwards and upwards to the second Battlefield of the day at SEDGEMOOR. Onto our camp site and the wonders of Jet Boil!
Sunday we were up at the crack of dawn, cleared the site and visited the pub and a mansion before we got back to the task in hand, STRATTON. The ride was absolutely brilliant, perfect weather, little traffic and twisties to die for. Now we had a long ride to HASTINGS. Hastings was a struggle to have a good night in!
The worst part of the three days was the M25 Dartford Crossing at 9am ona Monday morning, what a pain that was, the reward was to come later in the day though. MALDON is a difficult find and is just a plaque on a remote bird sanctuary area. WINCEBY is quite the reverse of MALDON an easy find and a lovely stone with a large information plaque further up the road. Now was the fun of the day in 'The Street', a wonderful biking road with wonderful weather and on song Harleys, Nirvana. All four on arrival at MARSTON MOOR had large grins from 'The Street' - finished the group ride with the final JetBoil cuppa.

The London Run
I missed three of the proposed Battlefields on our Southern Route due to the congestion at the Dartford crossing so I thought I'd try the Kawasaki GTR1400 I have. What a fantastic run down to BARNET, easily found and easily photographed at a rapid BBG pace, the Kawasaki love hi speed morning runs. Onto NASEBY, where a nice primary school teacher offered to do the photographic chores whilst taking a break from her 10 mile cycle ride. BOSWORTH was the final site of the day and the new £3m visitors center that is now reputed to have been built in the wrong place! The day ended camping with my granddaughter, daughter and son-in-law at Robin Hoods Bay, near Whitby (where Goth Week was in full swing!)

Scotland
During our Chapter kick off weekend in Scotland and my subsequent week in a cabin in Glenlivet I thought I'd get a chance to bag the Scottish Battlefields and FLODDEN was directly on our proposed route to Aviemore. Second on the agenda was to be Bannockburn but an iffy Mushroom Risotto put paid to that; food poisoning and motorcycle riding are not good bedfellows and Jen was suffering so much so we only made it to Perth and had to stay overnight 'till the massinations subsided. It took 'till Monday 4th May for my next site, CULLODEN. After which we visited Fort George a working garrison and home of the Black Watch, a brilliant visit.

GLEN SHIEL was a fantastic cross Scotland ride, I've always liked the road from Inverness down the North side of Loch Ness but lately it has been wet or covered in diesel or busy but today it was perfect, dry light traffic and cooking then of course better to come as I turned onto the road from Loch Ness towards Skye (the A887 then A87). The Glen Shiel is wonderful, fantastic road for the discerning biker and after bagging GLEN SHIEL we rode onto Eilean Donan Castle and of course back the same way; what a great 280 mile riding day.

Lunch in Nairn at a beach side cafe and a long time biker turned up on his Triton and what a bike it is, he at 73, rides it a cuople of times a week around the Morayshire roads and a gentleman to chat to, at almost 59 there is hope for me yet! Our last day and a ride home via BANNOCKBURN and SOLWAY MOSS, but first job of the day were two mountain passes and they were both freezing; Braemar and Glenshee and we were told that the night time low was -10C! As an added bonus we called in at Moffat to visit Clint and Polly of the IBA.

Just added Battle of the Boyne whilst on a Cirtcuit of Ireland.