weekend ride around the world

[UK Bike Forum Member]

I spent this weekend in a tent, in a field, surrounded by people who'd ridden to every continent on earth. Horizons Unlimited had their Autumn UK meet up in the Mendips, just round the corner from Cheddar Gorge and riders, about 200 or so , had gathered to share experiences, hone plans and generally swop tales and relax.
Honda C90s that had been to Gambia, GSes of course, a couple of Harleys and lots of home made lashup adaptations to smaller dual sport bikes, even saw a VFR and a couple of race bikes that were muddied up after some off-roading.
What at first seem odd choices become a perfectly obvious selection when you get chatting to the owners.It's a broad and very eclectic church.





And as has been pointed out in a recent thread here, adventure /ride outs mean different things to different people. This scooter rider gets to the same places as the fully decked GSers, just takes more time... and that's not a bad thing either.


Bikes stop being something you show others and become something you've developed that just suits you and what you are doing, like this one...



Sometimes there's not much that you need to change to make it fit for a ride of 4,000 miles across the desert, just a bit of dead sheep.

And here's all the kit you'll need for a six month ride to Russia, plus a helmet and a roll of loo paper of course...


In fact, I carry exactly the same kit for a weekend as I'd use for a six month ride, it just gets used far less...


So, this weekend, although I only rode a few hundred miles, courtesy of the folks I met and the presentations I saw (and hopefully from the one I gave), most of the world was revisited in memories refreshed, challenges to be planned and places actually visited... I'd not ridden in the Cheddar Gorge area, nor visited Weston Super-Mare before, so there was my personal new discovery and just as worthy in its own way of discovery as somewhere many, many thousands of miles and cultures away...





I gave my presentation in a sheep shearing shed, which was a first, having had to dash into Bristol to get a different connector cable for a Mac rather than PC, but even that was fun, as I chatted to the parking warden who was going to ticket me, until we saw Santa Claus getting into a jeep (strange but true) and then she was so happily distracted she just let me park up on the pavement and chuckled her away into the distance... things happen when you ride a bike that don't when you are in a car, don't you find?

Anyway the presentation must have been okay as I didn't have to buy a drink all evening, so that was another unexpected bonus.

All in all a very happy weekend, which got even better when it had just finished and I'd unpacked the bike and made my first cuppa back home... only then did it rain its first rainy drop and there's something especially rewarding when even the weather joins in with your adventures.

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Brilliant write up there, sounds like you had a fantastic weekend and Im glad the rain stayed away for you to 

[UK Bike Forum Member]

I see you were in my back garden this weekend, having your own adventure... I must get you to ride the Devil's Staircase at some point; the road to it and around it are quite simply as good as any anywhere in the world, from a scenic point of view and it's only if you look at them with your perspective tainted by the fact that they are "local" which could spoil that.

[UK Bike Forum Member]

I see you were in my back garden this weekend, having your own adventure... I must get you to ride the Devil's Staircase at some point; the road to it and around it are quite simply as good as any anywhere in the world, from a scenic point of view and it's only if you look at them with your perspective tainted by the fact that they are "local" which could spoil that.

Where is the Devil's staircase? I'm not sure if you've already told me once. And yes I was in your neck of the woods yesterday, left early to avoid the rain and had a fab run out. 

[UK Bike Forum Member]

excellent Weekend by the looks 

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Not far from the West End Cafe, but a world away from there as far as riding goes, not a sports bike sort of place, well some of it isn't, but your bike... no problems at all. And on the way back there's a small tea room where they double jam their scones, top and bottom, so that you can split the cream in the middle and still enjoy the full jammy, cream scone combination that is the epitome of a cream tea. PLease pass this message on to all cream tea emporia, "double jam your scones and don't be mingey with the cream". It's a mission I'm on.

[UK Bike Forum Member]

You'll have to show me where it is then one day  plus to much cream = loads of calories 

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Devil's Staircase looks amazing,just Googled it and added it to my list of places to visit.

[UK Bike Forum Member]

where is it sound interesting

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Thanks ohmistagee  just googled it to, is it from Tregaron to Llanwrtyd Wells    next on list then 

[UK Bike Forum Member]

In the cycling world it's one of the top five most difficult accents in the UK. On a bike it's not, there are a couple of tight switch backs and it's steep. I do find it easier to go up it than down because of the camber, plus the ride in along the single track on the valley wall is better from the east to west.

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Just been for a wonder along the devil's staircase with that little man on Google, the views are amazing, not the best of roads for the bike if its a wet day but it's defo on my list  thanks lamble

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Just been for a wonder along the devil's staircase with that little man on Google, the views are amazing, not the best of roads for the bike if its a wet day but it's defo on my list  thanks lamble

just a small vid of riding down the staircase You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

it was with a few triumph members last year.

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Thanks for that Dave, it does look pretty steep    I was trying to look around your leg all the time  will defo give that road a go, hopefully soon.

[UK Bike Forum Member]

I just bought the Tiger a few weeks possible only 2 weeks before, so a bit nervous going down there, think its 25% down with the bends.

if you look at the crash barrier it gives a better idea of the angle.

I have now moved the camera from the rear peg to the handlebars.

its easier going up rather than down, think Tim has ridden the staircase a few times.