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Shropshire Shananigans. [/center]
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It has been a cold and dreary few weeks with some funky and unpredictable weather! Snow storms out of the blue and then lashing rain that seems to be followed by intermittent sunshine. So I had no idea what the Feb ABR rally was going to bring but I did know that it was going to bring the best of human nature out in whomever came along.
It was looking a quite affair and with the weather as it was who would blame them? There was also the MCN weekend event on down South that many people book in advance. The party was none the less for numbers that pitched up, I laughed until I cried and my jaw hurt. Here is how it went.
Get Going.
Packed up and the usual fight with bungee cords before hitting the roads down from Lancaster towards Bishops Castle. The roads are nothing special and the main route down into Wales before poking back out into England again.
We are right on the border and the town, not village as we are informed that the place has a Mayor and a Town Clock, is picturesque, nestled in the middle of some odd formations of lush green hill tops.
Bishops Castle is home to the oldest brewery in England and the lads all had a sample of the beer on the Friday night. When I arrived there were only two other riders that and it looked like it may be a sparse affair indeed. As the day went on more and more turned up until we had double figures and plenty of handshaking going on.
The camp is rather exposed but the weather gods are being more than generous to us, they must be bikers also, we always seem to get away with good weather. Of course there is the exception that proves the rule and Ullapool was that exception. Hot showers and toilets on the camp and as much room as we wanted.
Let’s all go down the pub.
As mentioned, Bishops Castle has the oldest brewery in England and just a half mile stole to the town. All down hill and we made light work of the plod and end up in the Three Tuns. Busy for a Friday night in a small arse town but we get served quick enough and settle in for some chat. We do not really know where we are going tomorrow, other than we will be going, no one really that fussed and a few ideas are marked about. I want to get over this Bur Way, reported as one of the steepest roads in the UK and from there then it is down to the group.
Plenty of chat about racing days of old and carbs Vs injection for tours. Each man having his own opinion on the matter and where to go with the said engine of choice. One rider is looking at heading over to Mongolia but for tomorrow we shall settle for a good breakfast and a tour of Shropshire.
The walk down was bliss, the walk back was hell! The youngest of the group is 36 and the oldest is still able to join the WWII honour parade I think! Almost halfway up the first hill back to camp and the banter turns to a heavy breathing phone call competition. Paramedics on standby and ‘oh my god has this town not got a taxi?’.
A rather frosty nights sleep - in my seriously over sized tent - I had been working on imperial when I bought it and it turns out that 2 metres high and 4 metres long is a lot bigger in reality than on the internet.
What’s the story morning glory.
We are up, we are sober and we are ready to rock and roll! Well, we are when all the bikes start that is - god bless the Triumph Tiger and those frosty starts.
First things first and we set off for a cooked breakfast and a coffee at Harry Tuffins! A supermarket, a petrol station and a café that does the traditional breakfast for £2.99 - bargain!
As planned, we head out down to The Port Way and the Bur Way. Back lane heaven and the track is sealed but broken in places to add a bit of funk. It took the pace slow as I figure the tyres are going to be cold and we have a Moto Guzzi in the mix having a pop at the ride.
The Port Way takes you up, dramatically up, I’ve only seen this sort of climb on the Hardknott pass before. The sign at the top states 25% climb and there is no barrier on the left as you climb, a bit of target fixation here will see you and your bike bouncing down the hill for quite some time. I’d not take this on in the snow or ice but the ice had gone and the reader on the Vstrom was at 4 degrees in the plus.
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Stopping to have a look at the gliders taking off and of course a smoke, we think about where to go next. Gary steps up with some great ideas about a rally location that we are camping at later in the year, Rhayader.
We took the Bur Way over to the Carding Mill Valley and the Shropshire Hills and we’re treated to the amazing view of looking down into the valley and over the tops of the hills as the snake of brake lights cut into the landscape. There are plenty of walkers and there are plenty of sheep - both tend to share the IQ and you have to take care on the bends - yes it is a tarmac road but we all know that a walker sees all as a footpath and they do make a right mess of your headlights with all that tweed - so ease down on the throttle.
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More to follow.