Saturday 7 September 2013

Vroom Vroom.....Phfttt Phfttt....Kaput.

Last weekend saw me enjoy my first ever motorbiking trip. To say that I was excited was an understatement. Apart from a trial run down to the Borders and back the previous weekend this was only my 3rd time being a pillion passenger on the back of a motorbike. The first was when I was travelling in the USA and my friends Dad took me out and about in Salt Lake City.

The thrill and excitement from that first experience had never left me, so when the opportunity arose to try it again, how could I possibly resist.

I was kind of gate crashing a boys weekend away so was hoping that I would not be too much of a hindrance to their wild, petrol head days!

As it turned out my rock 'n' roll motor bikers were less of the Butch and Sundance persuasion and a bit more of the Jack and Victor type. Which to be honest suited me down to the ground, it was fun times all the way.

 We were all ready and packed and ready for the off early on the Saturday morning. The weather was looking drier in the South of the country, so the route was planned and off to Port Patrick we headed.

 After a slightly drizzly ride down to Moffat via St Mays Loch the first tea and scone stop was much in need. Those boys know their tea and scones stops! I think they may even have mentioned a deliciousness rating scale, which I think was for the scones!

All was going well and we vroom vroomed our way down to our next tea stop in Newton Stewart before the final push on to Castle Bay campsite in Port Patrick.

After booking in and paying our fees for our 2 night stay, all there was to do was drive over to the tent site and set up our little homes. It should have been extremely easy, but sadly our bike decided that it had had enough for the day, in fact it had had enough for the weekend.

However this minor detail did not deter us from having a great few days, although it did make for a long day on the Monday waiting for tow trucks etc. Instead of more bike fun on the Sunday we passed our time by exploring, taking photos, playing mini golf, drinking, and eating. Happy days.

A funny little story from our holiday was being mistaken for a mystery shopper, because I asked that the chef be aware that my breakfast fry up was to be gluten free. Having been poisoned a few weeks ago, I have been overly inquisitive when ordering food and ask about cooking methods etc. Cross contamination is not a good thing when you are a Coeliac and not everyone is aware of that.

Anyway, the waitress in The Harbour House Hotel was extremely attentive and helpful and my breakfast was delicious. So much so that we went back the next day and ordered the same. The man who was the chef from the previous day, was in the bar  so he came over to speak to us. He explained that only the previous week he and his fellow chefs from across the area had been on a training course to explain all the ins and outs of cooking gluten free food. In his 12 years of cooking in the hotel I was the first person to ask for gluten free food, so hence he thought I was a mystery shopper.

Packed and ready.


Cliff top view.


Stream to the sea.


Dunskey castle.


Arty farty.


Daisy.


I won!


Set in stone.


Jack and Victor.


Campsite view.


Broken.

Peace x

All photos by Caroline Harvey.



2 comments:

Unknown said...

Didn't have you down for a 'petrol head at all. Had a hard time before my 50th choosing between motorbike and bicycle. Bicycle won as I thought I might just kill myself as as a born again 'silver top' biker. Thought the bike might help keep me alive longer.

Unknown said...

Probably a very good choice to have made Nick. I still love my push bike, and it's cheaper to run.