K
kdblamire
Just visiting
It’s 6:45 am,I open my eyes and realise i’m in a tent, in Moffat,oh yes it’s the morning were doing this Midgie Masher thingy that Borderduc and myself have been planning for the last two months,what’s that noise?sounds like a Ducati going up through the gears, no , it’s Derek in the next tent getting some extra 120 db zzzzzz in, so decide the best plan of action is get up, take care of the ablutions then sound reveille, in a surprisingly short time the four Musketeers (Borderduke,Ranald,Derek and yours truly) are all up and tucking into bacon rolls and coffee.
8:15am Gentlemen start your engines,to the annoyance of 300+ other campers we fire up and ride on round to the prescribed meeting point where within 45 min we have a magnificent gathering of some 25 to 30 Ducatis with a smattering of some oriental ladies and gentlemen,we divide ourselves into 2 groups, Borderduc's who is taking a northerly route and my own group which is taking a southern rout to our intended destination Eyemouth on the east coast, so off we go, on checking numbers in my mirrors I count 10 good men and ladies strong,one more than expected but what the heck the more the merrier, we set off up the A708 I check numbers again bloody hell,lost one already maybe the magnetism of the Black bull was to much, oh well “you win some you lose some” the roads are a little damp from the previous nights rain but don’t trouble us, we make good time and soon catch up to our official photographer Scott and his “Joolie” south of StMary’s Loch, he was supposed to snap us as we past him waiting at the cafe but this wasn’t to be we later found out he managed a few shots of our four tail enders.
The road is dry now as we pass on the north side of Selkirk, as we pull up at the lights on the narrow Yair Bridge a quick head count says four of our group have gone A.W.O.L.after a couple minuets I decide they must have missed the left slot at Selkirk so decide to go get em as it’s only 2 or three miles back, on the way I get the expected phone call, it’s PaulV “were in the square at Selkirk” “i’m coming to get you i’ll be there in a couple of minuets” I say, and promptly arrive in the square to find my four lost sheep, Paul,Nic6196,Foxy and Tam,the problem was Tam’s neck was giving him trouble and was unable to continue, so plan B was put into action, Tam was given the directions and key to my house in S’tBoswells were he could rest up and be picked up as we passed on our return journey, as we had lost about an hour of our travelling time through this small hiccup a revised but just as exhilarating route was taken via Galashiels,Earlston,Gordon,Greenlaw,Duns,Grantshouse,Ayton and we arrived at Eyemouth at 11:30 am we partake of brunch and discuss the mornings exploits and we met up with our roving reporters Scott and “me Joolie while catching some rays on the upstairs balcony of the restaurant,who should trundle on down the harbour road?but two lost intrepid explorers of the Eastern Borders none other than (you’ve probably guest)Davieravie and Pibow, now no fault should be laid at Pibow's door as he was unlikely to know of Davie's lack of navigational skills, but they did at least find Eyemouth.
Now this is where the signs of mutiny started to rear it’s ugly head, Martin(of Ducati Glasgow) decided staying up until 3:30 am the previous night had not been conducive with riding 400+miles the next day and to say he was flagging would be an understatement so the consensus was that those who wanted to jump ship would do so when and if we returned to Moffat.
On leaving the restaurant we said a quick hello, good bye to Borderduc's group who were arriving as we left,12:45 pm all fed,watered and fuelled up we now head west,but first south to Berwick on Tweed, on entering Berwick the traffic seemed heavier than usual then I realised it’s Saturday, street market day, a U turn was in order so off round the bypass to catch the B6354 through Duddo and Etal across the A697 and onto the B6352 past Floddenfield towards Mindrum then Kelso, this stretch of road as far as Mindrum was littered with gravel traps but all were pre warned of the said hazard and we traversed it without problems we also rubber necked Carlos's off site as we passed, and yes it was a deep ditch,we arrive in Kelso and stop for a break at the side of the river Tweed in front of the magnificent Floors Castle where Martin immediately tried to fall asleep on the grass verge, also PaulV was dispatched onward to my house at S’tBoswells to prepare Tam for rejoining us, as we passed on our way back to Selkirk.
The smokers have had there smokes the sleepers are given a swift kicking to bring them back to the land of the living and were off along the A699 to S’tBoswells and Selkirk, Tam and Paul are waiting roadside as planned and tag on the back as we pass,we have a good clean run and arrive in Selkirk safe and sound,we point Tam in the direction of Moffat so he can have a gentle trundle back to base camp and we shoot back up the A707, then the A72 to Peebles and another fuel and rest stop, we encountered some rain but not so much as to stop us and home base was in site for those who had decided to leave us at Moffat.
The final run in of the first half was a fast but cautious (due to wet and damp patches) blast up the A72 to Blyth Bridge,A702,then down the A701 to base camp,”I counted them all out and I counted them all in” one missing but he was accounted for,resting in his B&B,well done Tam for doing the miles you did under adverse conditions and well done the rest of you for sticking with it this far considering all your individual ailments,Nic, aching shoulder, Foxy and the rest of the gang a bit tired,and last but not least Martin, just absolutely shagged,well done and thanks for making it work.
Now it’s about 4:00 pm and I say “hands up any masochist in this group?apart from me” Silence, nobody even moved,then to my surprise two tentative arms slowly started to reach for the sky,oh! a couple of the local institution’s inmates have infiltrated my group,what the hell better to be going to Port Patrick with a couple of nutters than one nutter going by myself.
so the question was asked,”are you up for some more?”they both,(realising that they had just admitted to being one socket short of a full set) reluctantly nodded there heads in unison,OK dinner in Port Patrick it is then,the two turned out to be ST4s-duc-996 (Gog) and his mate(you know who you are so please let me have your name so you can be mentioned in dispatches) at this point PauVl who by now had been joined by his pillion wife, (Muppet(Sue) who drove down that afternoon from Auldreekie) decided that he would like to join us for at least part of the way, I think his ulteria motive was that he was going to witness a unique event ie: three mental retards attempting mission impossible, we refuelled and set off up the M74 then down the A702, the sun came out and the roads were traffic free, Paul and sue abandoned us at Thornhill and went on down the A76 to Dumfries,we carried on the A702 to New Galloway then on past Clatteringshaws on the A712 Queens way, an absolutely perfect road surface still free of traffic fantastic scenery and the sun still shining,riding a Ducati in these conditions just can’t get any better,we thought about stopping for a bite to eat at Newton Stewart but my sat nav said we would be in Port patrick by 6:20 so we pushed on along an empty A75 arriving at the west coast town at 6:30 pm doing the last half mile in a cloudburst,Three steak dinners and a drink thank you very much, mission accomplished and the rest of the tale is as relayed by my very good co-conspirator your very own Borderduke, once again I thank you all for making it work,see you all at the next one, good night.
PS David, for next year “I have a cunning plan”:idea: ---------------------------------------------------------
8:15am Gentlemen start your engines,to the annoyance of 300+ other campers we fire up and ride on round to the prescribed meeting point where within 45 min we have a magnificent gathering of some 25 to 30 Ducatis with a smattering of some oriental ladies and gentlemen,we divide ourselves into 2 groups, Borderduc's who is taking a northerly route and my own group which is taking a southern rout to our intended destination Eyemouth on the east coast, so off we go, on checking numbers in my mirrors I count 10 good men and ladies strong,one more than expected but what the heck the more the merrier, we set off up the A708 I check numbers again bloody hell,lost one already maybe the magnetism of the Black bull was to much, oh well “you win some you lose some” the roads are a little damp from the previous nights rain but don’t trouble us, we make good time and soon catch up to our official photographer Scott and his “Joolie” south of StMary’s Loch, he was supposed to snap us as we past him waiting at the cafe but this wasn’t to be we later found out he managed a few shots of our four tail enders.
The road is dry now as we pass on the north side of Selkirk, as we pull up at the lights on the narrow Yair Bridge a quick head count says four of our group have gone A.W.O.L.after a couple minuets I decide they must have missed the left slot at Selkirk so decide to go get em as it’s only 2 or three miles back, on the way I get the expected phone call, it’s PaulV “were in the square at Selkirk” “i’m coming to get you i’ll be there in a couple of minuets” I say, and promptly arrive in the square to find my four lost sheep, Paul,Nic6196,Foxy and Tam,the problem was Tam’s neck was giving him trouble and was unable to continue, so plan B was put into action, Tam was given the directions and key to my house in S’tBoswells were he could rest up and be picked up as we passed on our return journey, as we had lost about an hour of our travelling time through this small hiccup a revised but just as exhilarating route was taken via Galashiels,Earlston,Gordon,Greenlaw,Duns,Grantshouse,Ayton and we arrived at Eyemouth at 11:30 am we partake of brunch and discuss the mornings exploits and we met up with our roving reporters Scott and “me Joolie while catching some rays on the upstairs balcony of the restaurant,who should trundle on down the harbour road?but two lost intrepid explorers of the Eastern Borders none other than (you’ve probably guest)Davieravie and Pibow, now no fault should be laid at Pibow's door as he was unlikely to know of Davie's lack of navigational skills, but they did at least find Eyemouth.
Now this is where the signs of mutiny started to rear it’s ugly head, Martin(of Ducati Glasgow) decided staying up until 3:30 am the previous night had not been conducive with riding 400+miles the next day and to say he was flagging would be an understatement so the consensus was that those who wanted to jump ship would do so when and if we returned to Moffat.
On leaving the restaurant we said a quick hello, good bye to Borderduc's group who were arriving as we left,12:45 pm all fed,watered and fuelled up we now head west,but first south to Berwick on Tweed, on entering Berwick the traffic seemed heavier than usual then I realised it’s Saturday, street market day, a U turn was in order so off round the bypass to catch the B6354 through Duddo and Etal across the A697 and onto the B6352 past Floddenfield towards Mindrum then Kelso, this stretch of road as far as Mindrum was littered with gravel traps but all were pre warned of the said hazard and we traversed it without problems we also rubber necked Carlos's off site as we passed, and yes it was a deep ditch,we arrive in Kelso and stop for a break at the side of the river Tweed in front of the magnificent Floors Castle where Martin immediately tried to fall asleep on the grass verge, also PaulV was dispatched onward to my house at S’tBoswells to prepare Tam for rejoining us, as we passed on our way back to Selkirk.
The smokers have had there smokes the sleepers are given a swift kicking to bring them back to the land of the living and were off along the A699 to S’tBoswells and Selkirk, Tam and Paul are waiting roadside as planned and tag on the back as we pass,we have a good clean run and arrive in Selkirk safe and sound,we point Tam in the direction of Moffat so he can have a gentle trundle back to base camp and we shoot back up the A707, then the A72 to Peebles and another fuel and rest stop, we encountered some rain but not so much as to stop us and home base was in site for those who had decided to leave us at Moffat.
The final run in of the first half was a fast but cautious (due to wet and damp patches) blast up the A72 to Blyth Bridge,A702,then down the A701 to base camp,”I counted them all out and I counted them all in” one missing but he was accounted for,resting in his B&B,well done Tam for doing the miles you did under adverse conditions and well done the rest of you for sticking with it this far considering all your individual ailments,Nic, aching shoulder, Foxy and the rest of the gang a bit tired,and last but not least Martin, just absolutely shagged,well done and thanks for making it work.
Now it’s about 4:00 pm and I say “hands up any masochist in this group?apart from me” Silence, nobody even moved,then to my surprise two tentative arms slowly started to reach for the sky,oh! a couple of the local institution’s inmates have infiltrated my group,what the hell better to be going to Port Patrick with a couple of nutters than one nutter going by myself.
so the question was asked,”are you up for some more?”they both,(realising that they had just admitted to being one socket short of a full set) reluctantly nodded there heads in unison,OK dinner in Port Patrick it is then,the two turned out to be ST4s-duc-996 (Gog) and his mate(you know who you are so please let me have your name so you can be mentioned in dispatches) at this point PauVl who by now had been joined by his pillion wife, (Muppet(Sue) who drove down that afternoon from Auldreekie) decided that he would like to join us for at least part of the way, I think his ulteria motive was that he was going to witness a unique event ie: three mental retards attempting mission impossible, we refuelled and set off up the M74 then down the A702, the sun came out and the roads were traffic free, Paul and sue abandoned us at Thornhill and went on down the A76 to Dumfries,we carried on the A702 to New Galloway then on past Clatteringshaws on the A712 Queens way, an absolutely perfect road surface still free of traffic fantastic scenery and the sun still shining,riding a Ducati in these conditions just can’t get any better,we thought about stopping for a bite to eat at Newton Stewart but my sat nav said we would be in Port patrick by 6:20 so we pushed on along an empty A75 arriving at the west coast town at 6:30 pm doing the last half mile in a cloudburst,Three steak dinners and a drink thank you very much, mission accomplished and the rest of the tale is as relayed by my very good co-conspirator your very own Borderduke, once again I thank you all for making it work,see you all at the next one, good night.PS David, for next year “I have a cunning plan”:idea: ---------------------------------------------------------
Last edited:
uke: in some cases...
Looking forward to next year already :thumbs:
