Passing Places Tours.

I've set up a new venture, Passing Places Tours! For a while I've been offering folk advice on where to go in Scotland for the best motorcycle holidays, so I've started a motorbike tour company. The way I see it, I've gained enough knowledge and experience over the years to offer a great wee trip without costing people a fortune.

I've got my first trip coming up, so I'm getting a wee bit nervous. I'm taking 14 folk away on a one night trip to Applecross. I'm charging my clients £85 for this first trip. The cost covers a night's accommodation at Hartfield House in Applecross, a three course meal in the Applecross Inn and a guide to show you the way, me. 

I must have done something right, because all my spaces sold out within a week! So if you want to come on one of my planned trips, or you'd like me to show you around, check out my new website, www.passingplacestours.com.

Mike

Africa Twin. Running in and pimping out.

There's a lot of shite written in the internet about running a bike in. Ride it hard once its warm, only use so much throttle, only take it to whatever number of revs etc etc. What I do is try and go on a few runs on twisty roads without revving the arse off the bike but making sure I'm not labouring the engine either. When I picked up the Africa Twin I booked it in for it's 600 mile service 3 weeks later. 600 miles in three weeks? Easy peasy. Or it would have been if the temperature hadn't dropped making the gritters come out and cover the road in salt. A few heavy downpours washed all the corrosive badness away and I got out for a few nice runs.

I've also ordered a few accessories for the bike. I've got the Touratech luggage rack and tankbag and panniers. I'm still waiting for delivery of the crash bars and pannier rails, this is a bit of a pain in the arse as I had a trip planned for the start of April and having pre-ordered my stuff in January I was sort of expecting it to be here by now. credit where credit's due though, Touratech UK gave me a loan of their prototype pannier rails so I made the trip, but I'll write about that all later on.

Accessories haven't been the only stumbling block. The Honda heated grips are crap and my left hand switch gear had a button pack in. Honda are on these problems though, the bike's getting new switchgear shortly and we're waiting to hear back about the heated grips. This aside the bike had been great fun, I'm getting more used to chucking it about and I've made a few minor adjustments to the suspension. It's more than quick enough for what I need and pretty comfy on a long journey. I'll let you know how I got on with it loaded with luggage and camping gear but so far I'm a happy bunny.

More soon.

Mike

Proper winter. Braw.

England went into fucking meltdown at the weekend. They were hammered by extreme and treacherous weather. About 2cm of fucking snow. There was one woman on the news banging on about how bad it all was, like the world had fucking ended. She was really worried that all the snow they had would freeze and she'd be doomed. There was still grass visible in the park behind her for fuck sake.
Up here in Scotland we also had snow but we embraced it like true people of nature. It was fucking quality.
my Pugsley was originally designed as a snow bike, it just happens to work really well on sand and other soft places. So it was great to get out in some proper dry powder snow.

Friday night the snow started to fall so I went for a short spin around the village before going for a pint in the Winton with Faithir.

The snow fell for the rest of the night and Saturday was nice and bright with plenty gid snow. It was pretty warm too, I had a really nice cycle on my own around Saltoun. I never got many miles in though, I was feeling pretty fucking out of shape since not being on the bike much recently from being fucking ill all the time., so it was Saltoun and hame. 

Even with the floatation from the tyres the Pugsley broke through the ice here on the Saturday and on Sunday.

Saturday's spin was followed by a Sunday spin with Paul and Peter. We followed a similar route but added in Kinchie, Woodhall and the Winton woods. Still lots of nice snow and a wee bit deeper than Saturdays cycle. It was good crack getting out in the snow with those roadie bastards, and Paul even managed a fucking awesome jump of a wee bridge but the Gopro's battery died just before he pulled it off. (the jump)

He'll be converted soon.

Caption on a postcard to......

Caption on a postcard to......

I had the Gopro with me on both days and I made a couple of videos. They're nearly identical apart from the music, leave a comment to what you think is better. The Vimeo one's music is Orbital and the Youtube one has Leftfield. "Both are pish" is also an option.

Snowfuds from yodagoat on Vimeo.

Orbital

Leftfield

The snow fell heavy on Monday but that didn't stop me and Gary getting out for a spin that night. Not many miles covered again though. This was fucking hard going, some of the deepest snow I've cycled through. Even with the Pugsley I was struggling to get though. 

We headed back up the hill to Saltoun, the first bit was shite and slushy and I thought it was going to be a pish cycle, but only a few metres higher and the snow was getting deep and drifting. I got about three quarters of the way up the woods before I had so walk and push. If I was a bit fitter and stronger I could have maybe made the top but it was seriously hard going. If I stopped to catch my breath it was fucking hard to get going again, plus the bike had picked up loads of snow as had Gary's. It was tough going and cold but we still had a good laugh and finished the night off with a pint and a pie in the Winton. Fucking quality.

At the bottom of the woods.

Halfway up.

At the top.

Braw.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year! Aye, I know its a bit late but better late than never.

We'll start with a few drinks. Faithir and I were round at Dave's just before Christmas and he brought out the big guns, some Ginger Tam's and a bottle of Tactical Nuclear Penguin. Ginger Tam's is a whisky, honey and ginger liqueur and at 48.5% its got plenty kick. With a few ice cubes it's fucking tasty too.

Ginger Tam's

Tactical Nuclear Penguin is a different kettle of fish. It was classed as the strongest beer in the world when it came out. It's 32% and an acquired taste (fucking boufing). It's sort of a mix between cough medicine, treacle and marmite. This shit will put fucking hair on your chest for sure.

Tactical Nuclear Penguin. For the dedicated.

Between Christmas and New Year (and between two fucking colds, I'm fighting part three off just now) I was out with some of the folk from the ELMTB pussbook page for out annual Christmas/New Year cycle round the local woods. We met at the Winton where the barman Jamie gave us a few ports to set us up. Most of the trails were really gloopy and muddy and half way round it started pishing down with rain, so by the time we got back to the Winton we were all ready for beers and the five massive pizzas we got delivered to the pub from Dino's in Haddington.

Mind I was saying that Tactical Nuclear Penguin was the strongest been in the world? Well Lee brought a bottle of Sink The Bizmark to our Hogmanay party. This shit will fuck you up good and proper. Its even more of a joy to drink than the Penguin and its 41%! The party was pretty good, plenty food, booze, laughs and fires.

Fucking hardcore.

After Hogmanay HB and I took the Fiat 500 north to visit her Dad and her Bro. I managed to get the crack with Drew, Ferg and the rest of the Caithness crew which was good. We also had a wee explore around some places. There's lots of stuff to see and visit hidden all over Caithness. If we'd had a bit more time I would have taken the Pugsley. Next time though.

Crossing the Forth Road Bridge

Ferg and HB

Ferg the sexy bastard gave us a surf demo. It was epic.

Dunnet beach. I'll return here with the Pug for sure.

I got out to the beach on the Pugsley for what feels like the first time in ages. Dave and I cycled to North Berwick from Gullane and back. There's quite a few of us with fatbikes in East Lothian but this was the first time I've met someone else out on the beach. Dave and I met Gary coming along the beach before we spotted some Nate tyre tracks and sent Bruce a text saying we were following him. He came back along and met up with us and we headed along to North Berwick for some posh coffee and cake. We nipped into Law Cycles for a chat with Dave McH before saying cheerio to Bruce and heading back along the coast.

Dave and Gary

A leftover from a Hogmanay party?

Dave and Bruce

Dave havin' a go. It was steep as fuck.

A gid day oot! Now to get this cold to fuck off and get back out.