College ended in mid-June last year and I went straight to work offshore for 63 days. While away, I was hemming and hawing, hawing and hemming over where I could ride for September as college began again on the 29th. There was also a September 5th exam to take (and study for prior), a date that cut a few days out of the month.
I really wanted to get back to the Alps, but the heart’s desire was Spain’s Pyrenees AND Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Okay, that’s one ambitious adventure for 3 weeks, so I cut it to a ride through the Alps to Genova and the ferry to the islands. That too was really too much considering the days out to ride from Scotland and back.
In discussing this dilemma with my college pal Ray, he asked if there wasn’t something closer to home? Aye, Ireland – a place I always fancied seeing, but because it’s on my doorstep, I always reckoned I could do Ireland anytime.
When he said he’d be up for a week there = Done and Ireland it would be. Ray’s an experienced biker, covers a lot of ground in a day, is used to riding in the wet and enjoys a fine Irish whiskey and Guinness.
Ray resides in Troon, just south of Glasgow and is a perfect location for what was needed.
1/ Herman (Ducati Multistrada 1000) required a 12k service and Ducati Glasgow is the place.
2/ Troon has a super-ferry to Larne, N. Ireland twice a day.
I could kill a flock of birds with one stone = A great back road ride to from Aberdeen to Glasgow, service Herman and demo a Ducati 1098 on Wednesday, have an evening track day on the Multi on Thursday at Knockhill, then catch the ferry to Ireland on Friday morning with Ray. Perfect!
A quick phone call to Charlie in the workshop for the service and Kerrie in admin to book a demo 1098 ride and a track day the following evening was all it took to sealed the first few days of my holiday. Hell, I hadn’t even left Scotland the excitement was already beginning.
The ride to Glasgow on the Tuesday was the usual fantastic route of out the Deeside, over Glenshee, up to Pitlochry, Tummel Bridge, down to Glen Lyon, over Ben Lawers, race to Callander, up and over Duke’s Pass and drop into Glasgow – 5 hours of bliss, rain or shine.
Too many photos of this route posted already to put them up again or stop to take them a new.
Ray had written me with instructions on how to find his house and it was simple until I actually got there. He was renting a cottage on a huge rural estate that, once on the estate it took about an hour and a half to actually locate his house by seeing his bike.
Ray wasn’t home from work, so I took the time to wander about and take some pictures of this treasure he was living in.
Next day we rode into Glasgow to drop off Herman and demo the 1098. There aren’t many pics of this ride = too busy riding, but here’s one in Inverrary.
I had already mentioned to Martin (owner of Ducati Glasgow) that I needed at least 3 hours on the superbike to see if, at 60 I could handle the pocket racer position. He was not keen on doing this as a demo has limited miles before it becomes a ‘used bike’, but understood my position = if you want to sell me one, its 3 hours minimum. He agreed to 2 hours.
A blast up the A82 and Loch Lomond, then onwards to Inverarry was the better part of 2 hours (45 mins just getting out of Glasgow) and I phoned him to say that I’d be a bit longer.
I knew that in just phoning that he’d be thinking that I’d stuffed the bike somewhere. Kerrie told me later that she’d laughed at his cursing – 1 for scaring him, 2 for being so far from Glasgow and the miles on the demo bike, 3 because he’s an emotional dude anyway (in a good way) and needs to get stuff like this out of his system.
Demo done, I told Martin that I’d buy one in January after I went to work over the college Xmas holidays. And, I did – an S model and a best buy equalling the value per £ of the all rounder Ducati Multistrada, Aberdeen Angus sirloin, Scottish wild salmon and a just hair below Haugasand’s talented women.
Next day, Ray and I headed to Knockhill Raceway for my first track day. Great fun but a lesson learned = next time, take the goddamn centre stand off!
Herman leading the pack – uh, temporarily
Martin and track bike
Ferry from Troon to Larne only takes about 2 hours
Riding N. Ireland’s back roads is real treat, but beware – they are covered in cow shit and it rains a lot. Little wonder the Dunlop brothers were so fast, if you are behind, you are covered in it.
Loose plan was to ride Northern Ireland for a full day (8 hours), mainly the coastal A2 and offshoot roads leading inland about 20 miles. The A2 is heralded as one of the great biking roads and I can understand why it would be with less traffic.
Then cross into Ireland at Londonderry and wind our way around the north and west coast of Ireland.
Joey Dunlop’s Memorial Garden in Ballymoney – very tasteful, respectful
Ray and Joey
Joey’s Pub
The Giant Causeway, N. Ireland
Organ Pipes at the Causeway
We only did a day in Northern Ireland,
