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Post by hodgy on Apr 12, 2016 11:22:35 GMT
Snack stop..before an excellent drop down to the forest road at Smales...   |
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Post by hodgy on Apr 12, 2016 11:27:45 GMT
A giant tree turd ...I wouldn't like to have been the conifer who dropped that ... Falstone in the distance where the tea room awaits ...  Russell & Jean  |
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Post by hodgy on Apr 12, 2016 13:17:18 GMT
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Post by hodgy on Apr 12, 2016 17:13:33 GMT
Slatyford was next most of us walked across..Ant tried riding and went down like a sack of spuds ...it's so slimy It had to hurt but he put a brave face on it ..  Paul got dressed in his frogman suit ...just in case  Ant walking a little gingerly after his swim ...he was soon back up to speed ..  |
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Post by hodgy on Apr 12, 2016 17:34:18 GMT
Having reached Tarset Tor ...Colin decided to have a nap..it had been an energy sapping ride ...the sun shines on the righteous...  A really nice evening meal followed at the Hollybush which after delivering our kit ..Gilly joined us for . A really nice surprise awaited as everyone chipped in to pay for both Gilly's and my own meal..I understood why they would treat Gilly after she gave up her weekend to ferry around all our kit ..but my treat came out of the blue ..apparently for all the organisation of this and other trips ..the mad fools,do they not realise that I enjoy this kind of thing! However we were both extremely touched and grateful for this act of kindness. Thanks again folks.  |
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Post by hodgy on Apr 12, 2016 17:47:57 GMT
Sunday came with the same weather as Kev experienced in Scotland ...snow and ice and rather gloomy conditions ..plus the pellet burner had switched itself off inside the bothy and we were starting to get really cold ..a quick call though and the owner came down and had it going again ... A few pics of the bothy Colin ( who decided to sleep on the couch) still asleep when I came downstairs  Dave & Jean.. snow on the hills and a soggy start to the day  Trying to figure out how the pellet burner works     j |
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Post by hodgy on Apr 12, 2016 18:12:22 GMT
Given that the weather outside was wet , miserable & extremely cold ..it was decided that our intended route would just be too boggy ( moorland ) to tackle in these conditions ..so the decision was taken to use forest fire roads for our return to Stonehaugh ..so an rv time of 12.30 was given to Gilly for the arrival of kit ..that gave us two hours as opposed to the planned full day of riding . Within 30 mins of setting off though the sun had got its hat on and clothing layers were being shed..still wet though and we all felt that the right decision had been made Misty   Los Endos  We arrived at the car park bang on time ..Gilly only arriving a few mins before. As always at the end of a short but fantastic trip I had an overwhelming sense of sadness that everything had come to an end.. The next mini adventure has already been discussed and is in the planning ..could even be before our Skye trip at the end of May Thanks again to everyone who was part of a terrific weekend which will forever be a treasured memory .. |
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Post by ant on Apr 12, 2016 18:48:52 GMT
Excellent photo,s and words as usual Neil, cheers everybody Saturday was mint
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Post by hodgy on Apr 12, 2016 19:21:46 GMT
One of the the things that both surprised and pleased me about Saturday was the fact that even you were riding on some pretty amazing tracks that you hadn't been on before ..just shows what is still undiscovered on our doorstep ...and how much more is there yet to discover ?
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Post by brakedust on Apr 12, 2016 19:54:40 GMT
Yes brilliant write up!
Would have loved this little adventure
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Post by andyr on Apr 12, 2016 21:35:23 GMT
That must be the best bothy in the land, looks like a holiday home.
Edit - just had a look on their website. They're a cross between the 2, and here's me thinking you were roughing it.
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Post by hodgy on Apr 13, 2016 2:27:59 GMT
The original idea was to stay at Wainhope bothy on the Saturday ...but we got warned that vehicles were not allowed ( any ) in that part of the forest due to the arrival of the Ospreys...so we then decided to "do" a modern bothy for the second night ...all previously explained earlier in the thread .
Have you just been looking at the pictures again Andy ? Lol
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Post by hodgy on Apr 13, 2016 11:00:12 GMT
Yes brilliant write up! Would have loved this little adventure Come next year Manf ...for there surely has to be a next year! |
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Post by brakedust on Apr 13, 2016 17:13:50 GMT
Cheers
It's a date !
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Post by gramish on Apr 15, 2016 13:48:26 GMT
Ok, the wounds have healed (mostly), the concussion was not as severe as could have been. I've been advised that drinking injuries don't count for Old Men Who Should Know Better even if it was a biking weekend. So I am happy (but not with any 'hero' tags) for the sordid evidence to be shared here for posterity. Many thanks for respecting my damaged spirit (!)..  but I will always blame the ghost..  The weekend will pass into legend, songs should be written and passed round campfires about the mysterious bloodstains and the ghostly pan of tepid water and the Riding of the Eight... salut to the one and evermore. |
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Post by gramish on Apr 15, 2016 13:53:43 GMT
Sorry if you are waiting for me to write something.... It was a brilliant weekend which had a huge damper put on it late last night and I'm just not feeling any enthusiasm about writing anything at the moment.... Sorry mate  |
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Post by hodgy on Apr 15, 2016 14:18:18 GMT
Nay bother ...that's what friends are for ...
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Post by Jimbo on Apr 15, 2016 14:33:25 GMT
Great write up and pics as usual
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Post by leedodds1 on Apr 19, 2016 12:47:11 GMT
Looks like you had a great time, some great photos too.
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Post by hodgy on Apr 19, 2016 14:00:59 GMT
It was a great weekend Lee ...sorry you couldn't make it in the end ..
I really don't know how some of us got on a bike on the Saturday !
Hope you had a good time too ...
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but I will always blame the ghost.. 
