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Andy - Suzuki Bandit 1200,
Through Perth where Andy performed a strange manoeuvre at traffic lights, on through Blairgowrie, Braemar into Aviemore, however en-route we drove through a horrendous rain storm for about 10 minutes. We were unable to find a camp site with spaces in Aviemore, so we ended up at a camp site in Boat of Garten.
We all woke up in a bad mood in drizzly rain and after that racket last night. Some breakfast to get us going and onto the bikes. We went through Inverness and then stopped in Alness to meet up with Graham who had planned to join us on there bang on time as well! Good meal in a pub with so much roast beef we could not finish it!
Up to John O Groats and booked into a rather bleak campsite, but it was dry and the sun was coming out! The local chip van did us a deal on grub for the evening and we had fish and chips with a can of lager included in the price! Off to the local pub and a good night of boozing.
So it was a bit overcast in the morning and we went down to the harbour for our pre-arranged fish and chip van breakfast, the two Andy’s dived into the full boona while I had a small latte and toast.
So off we set via Thurso to Tongue, it was still damp and not a lot to see. But we stopped off at Dunnit Head as it really was the top of maniland Scotland.
In Tongue we found a good hotel and after working out how to get in, we had a nice lunch and felt a lot better, the sun came out and we had a great run through to Scourie.
My chain was very slack so we managed to purchase a spanner and the VFR went a lot better! - well a lot less clanging! Graham lost a chunk of skin using a spanner that didnt fit and threatened legal action - sorry pal but motorcycling can be dangerous and if you had brought the right tools your hand would not have looked like a bag of mince..
Well it was sunny and this was a short run, so breakfast consumed, we took our time packing up.
Martin had one of the few “pick ups” near him and didn’t seem to be able to make a move so I offered the woman a can and gave her some of my lines - she pretended to be shocked and gave me a knock back! This caused much hilarity from the boys..
Big Andy and Johnny however spent their afternoon in a pub and we joined them for some grub - there seemed to be a fetish for trying to charge up mobile phones going on and I was so glad my phone just made phone calls instead of displaying graphics of things on the web - I must be at that difficult age.. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jqFcCrZnKg We stayed for a few beers and then went off to the Arch Inn for a change - I suspect we were all quite pished and once back to the campsite I heard Graham and Andy trying to order a home delivery of pakora from the local Indian to their tents..
Bit cloudy when we left heading Ullapool for Balmacara and a few of our squad were less than impressed with the noise from a couple of Power Rangers during the night. Martin left us to head home at Achnashene so we were down to five of us. There were some great roads- so of it even had two lanes!, inclines and decents and views to be had - it was just finding somewhere safe to stop, but knew we had plenty of time.
The campsite in Balmacara was fine and the sun was really out, so we pitched the tents and went for a run on the bikes, to Kyle of Lochalsh for some lunch, then we went on a run to Plockton where Hamish MacBeth was filmed, then off to Eilandona castle. Lots of single track roads from what I remember.
Andy had a go on Stephens bike as his rear tyre was done in, but he was not allowed to speed on it much to his annoyance. The weather was boiling and we headed back to the campsite. There was a wee shop next to the campsite and we bought quality cider and a few cans as money was starting to get tight!
So after a meal in the local hotel and a few pints then we found a picnic table over the road and started some open air drinking - well we all cumfy near Glesga and we toasted at all the tourist busses as they sped past.
Nice sunny day, and Stephen noticed his tank was being sucked in by the fuel injectors - so a blockage in the breather somewhere, great fuel economy though..
Now it was here that Andy misread the time of the next ferry as being at 14:00 from a notice board at the Skye bridge - in fact he made a complete arse of it, and we all hated him as we ended up at Uig 4 hours early! However we were indeed at the front of the queue.
However the views were stunning as we raced through Skye for the ferry and we made a stop at Portree for a quick bit of shopping and the banks. Anyway since we were at Uig very early.. we had a bite to eat in a cafe, and then into the pub at the harbour for a beer and constant hoochter toochter music
It was a 2 hour trip on the ferry arriving at Tarbert in Harris, so after stopping for food and cans of drink most of which ended up on my bike - loafs on the back of a VFR is not cool.
We ended up at a small campsite next to a beach and we made up some nice grub, plus Andy had his midge zapper to ward off the insects in operation. So it was al fresco drinking until Andy and Johnny went off for midnight stroll down the beach.. That’s how it starts I am told, I am sure there is an equivalent of Brokeback Mountain in Harris, but I cannot pronounce the Gaelic..
Well it rained through the night and it was misty when we got up, so for Graham, Big Andy and Stephen it was an early start for a run up to Stornaway while Andy and Johnny spent the day together and would meet us at the ferry. I took up smoking a pipe in case it was catching..
So Graham, Big Andy and Stephen set off for Stornaway and it was a nice run if a bit windy in places up there, plus the weather cleared up, so we filled up with petrol, Graham got his charger cable for his phone - oh the smile on his face.. We had venison stew in a nice bistro for lunch but we were really pushed for time.
After a few photos of Stornaway harbour, it was fast run back down the islands to meet up with Andy and Johnny.
Once there, we took a run to see one of Grahams relatives, then a run to the Co-op for grub and booze and then booked into a Bunkhouse at a campsite a mile out of Caranish - this was superb and it was good to sit down on decent seats and relax, everything was new and it could not be faulted. The existing two residents took a bottle of wine to bed with them and asked when we were leaving!
Well we had a good breakfast and everybody felt a lot better after a good nights sleep and we all agreed Andy won the snoring contest.
So Graham went to see his relations and the rest of us went off on a tour of Benbecula and tried to use up the day. We found a small cafe and museum and Johnny had porridge for lunch and Stephen had Haggis toasties.. I think the porridge won. After a look through the museum we set off and found an interesting area of Benbecula that was full of ruined churches and thatched cottages, and the sun was beating down so we took some photies!
So over the Causeway to Eriskay and onto the ferry terminal, Andy spotted some fishermen unloading their catch of lobsters and crabs and Andy took the opportunity to tell them of his Yamaha RS100S, one of them dived into the water to feign drowning.
It was a short hop to Barra and the issue was where to stay, this was resolved when Stephen asked the local policeman if we could camp on the grass at the back of the police station and we put the bikes in the police car park - sorted! So tents up, we had a pre dinner drink on the rocks overlooking the bay before big Andy cooked up one of his concoctions - was ok and it sure beat haggis toasties!.
So fed and watered we went to a big bar where the world cup game between USA and England was on, good game and got a lot better after USA scored! We met up with another couple and the girl seemed to take a fancy to big Andy, meanwhile Andy spotted German bikers having trouble with an oil warning light and went off to talk to them. No idea what Andy was talking about, but one of the Germans shot himself.
There was a rock band playing and it was a strange mixture with a bagpipe playing in its midst, however we were all getting merry and most of us made our way to the tents about midnight - some were later.
So it was a wet morning as it must have rained heavy through the night and we all slowly got everything packed away, no breakfast as we were a bit hung over! So down to the harbour and waited until loading time and the bikes tied down. This was a long sailing of about 5 hours and it was dead calm, with lots of time to kill.
Well there were no real fall outs, only the occasional huffs, Stephen toppled over in Crieff, had to adjust a badly stretched chain and a breather issue with his tank, Graham lost a rear footrest somewhere, Big Andy managed with a nail in his back tyre all the way round and a part of the plastic panel under his seat started to crack (I am saying nothing..), Johnnie was short of tread on his front tyre and Andy’s back tyre was shot at the end. Martin had left early due to his work, but gave up on his tent and binned it in Ullapool before heading for home. Special thanks to Andy for organising throughout the year. We haven’t forgiven him about Skye..
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Morrisons car park, waiting on Big Andy and Johnnie. Andy looks rather scruffy in this photograph, it was Andys signature style that never changed as the days passed.. 
Well packed up in Crieff, we had stopped at a cafe for lunch. Just look at that sun - it was boiling!
The John O' Groats bleak campsite! Strathgryffe MCC practice their formation bike unpacking..
And here we are, what a fine bunch of young men.. 
Dunnit Head right at the top of mainland Scotland 
Great views on the road to Scourie and thats Hoy an island off the mainland part of Orkney in the background 
Andy knew of a brilliant campsite in Scourie and we camped down near the bay, was right lovely! 
Not quite sure where this is, but it was en-route from Ullapool to Balmacara
Graham, Big Andy and Johnny consider the virtues of Bulmers cider
Not far into Skye and the scenery was superb, plus the sun was out again!
A very civilised bunch of Tea drinkers - this would rapidly change..
A very rowdy buch of drinkers in their natural state..
A quick flash of Stornaway, looked a nice place. 
Time for the next ferry to South Uist
The dining area in the Bunkhouse, it was a bit rough but we managed!
This is one of my more stylish photos, honest Big Andy really is enjoying himself!
There are about the ruins of six chapels all on this one site and there hasnt been an Orange walk near it for 150 years either
This is our "campsite", the local police were great, so no complaints!
Outside the pub in Castlebay - No I dont know whats up with Graham either! 
