Or “Day Trips on the XT660Z in Mid Wales”… Just down the road from the Overland Workshop is Llyn Brianne, test rides and day trips over the Epynt Army Range will lead inevitable to the circular route round Brianne, and in all honesty it is possible to ride a few hundred miles in 7 or 8 hours and avoid most of the traffic on the coastal roads running south from Aberstwyth. I have like many, missed the opportunity for overseas tours so have been making the most of what we have to offer here in the UK, which to be honest, is quite a lot. I dragged the XT660Z out of the workshop and loaded up the MetalMules with lunch and randomly set off on a back road bumble – 7 hours later I was back home… time flies for me on the bike – its a great mental health reset.
Tag Archives: Weather
Domestic Travel
With so many of us longing for longer distance travel options and with restrictions still in place for both EU and non EU entry and exit, let alone the changing dynamic of return to the UK – domestic trips are the answer. In November I was able to return to Scotland (still deep in area by area lockdown) and toured a little of the West coast (avoiding the NC 500) and the wild beauty of the highland uplands. After meandering up the A82 and missing my ferry for Skye, like many I chose the “long way round” and the 836 and one of my favourite roads via the River Tirry. Scotland has some amazing roads, fantastic food and lovely wild camping spots – reminded me of Norway in places and with lockdown continuing into 2021, I will be back this November.
The dip of the horizon
N26° 54.303′ E33° 37.230′ @ 03:41GMT
Photographs with no credits
Its one of those random odd photographs, riding for a few hours and stopping to tumble off the bike into the meadow grass and flowers, kicking back to take of my jacket and boots in the strong alpine sunshine, rehydrating from a bottle of water and eating a snack when I hear the shutter of the Nikon clicking away – turns out the weight of my Hein Gericke jacket has pushed down the release and taken a series of random images – this one just captures the whole day for me, all that’s missing is the smell of the grass and wild flowers and the continual drone of insects as they forage for pollen.
In the shade of plane trees
Continuing on my travels I am grateful of any shade or shelter from either the intense heat or driving rain, railway arches, drive through garages, shop doorways and the ever-present Plane trees all provide shelter and mental encouragement – and to quote my fellow traveller Glen Heggstad “I am not always sure where I am heading, but I am always exactly where I want to be”.
Storms a brewing
Having the freedom to travel by motorbike I can go left or right but sometimes there is simply no getting away from the inevitable – sometimes you just know your going to get very wet…