Aberystwyth 300907 Review and Piccies

[Radar]

Another superb inter-forum ride out started out quietly for me as I headed out from Kidderminster (the centre of the known universe) on the A456 towards Ludlow. I picked up the A49 and was quite enjoying myself on these sweeping sections of A Road. As I breezed through Craven Arms Andy Miles (aka “Red Leader”) joined me and we headed up towards Newtown on the A49 all the way. Not a bad section of road but much better was to come later on. We rolled in to the c*r park at McDonalds just on 11:30. We were first there. But it wasn’t too long before the rest started rolling in; first up was Thumper on his roaring Firestorm, shortly followed by the Team Gix, Scouser team, the Blade team and the BMW team! We had quite a line up, about 16 or 17 bikes! It was good to see Digger and Prezzo again for the first time since our French epic back in June.

Strong BMW turnout

Some of the bikes at Newtown

Smoking, munching, introductions and general chatting was done before the first really challenging piece of tarmac for the day was tackled; The sublime A483 between Newtown and Crossgates.

Everybody filling their faces at Maccy D’s Newtown

This is an awesome strip of tarmac and Gix and one or two others attacked it full warp speed while I tucked in behind Timmy on his Blade with Leggin (another blade) and Champs (ZX6R) also in my general group.

Crossgates was reached in very short measure and with everybody sporting huge smiles. We were already having a blast and we were not even half way through the day!
Here I avoided buying Gix breakfast successfully while enjoying the delights of a full English myself! B2BM and his daughter met us here on his GSXR600, and I also bumped into a colleague from work, and an old mate riding a rather tasty TT centenary GSXR1000.

Tasty TT GSXR

BK, Rob, B2BM and Daughter

Gix, Thumper and Digger

Leaving Crossgates

From here Andy on the F800 left us with the TT GSXR1000 rider to attack the A483 again, while the main group formed up for the attack on Aberystwyth. After a brief stint on the A489 the real fun began on the A470, a lovely road with plenty of fast open bends to entertain and some tighter sections to keep you on your toes. Again Gix led and the real flyboys tucked in her wake while I had Timmy, Leggin and Champs in my general area again.

At Llangurig we halted to reform and turn on to the A44 for the final run to the coast, Rob on one of the BMWs had gone AWOL and Thumper arrived only after having checked out the Elan Valley This held things up a bit, but hey ho,

Forming up at Llangurig

Once in Aberystwyth we managed to make a right pig’s ear of finding the seafront; and after much wandering up and down and at least two 15+ bike U turns we stumbled across it! Blimey ~ how many bikers does it take to find the sea! AWOL Rob had been there ages too!

By now the sun was well truly out, the weather had been kind to us all day and now I was beginning to cook a bit! Toggsy joined us here on his ZX9R and we all had an enjoyable hour or so by the sea, despite me getting beaten up by Gix!

Toggsy rolls up

That chip is apparently a piece of Cucumber…

Aberystwyth

Most of the crew

The Liverpool and Manchester contingents headed for home from here, with some cracking mountain roads to entertain before the boring motorway bit at the end of their journeys.

Digger and Prezzo

Leggin and his tasty early Blade

I will let you lot caption this one…

At this point Toggsy noticed that the bracket securing his brake master cylinder to his bars had fractured and the reservoir was just flapping about on the end of hydraulic line!
So we found a friendly petrol station on route and bought some insulation tape to hold it on as a temporary lash up. Here I bumped into a fellow Thundercat owner from Spain. Nice bloke and from the state of his tyres he was enjoying Welsh tarmac too!

Emergency repairs to the ZX9R

Spanish Thundercat man

We eventually got going and I really enjoyed the next section down to Crossgates. Once again Gix led with Toggsy in hot pursuit while I played a bit further back with Thumper (and BK), and Champs snapping at my heels. Great open sections of roads with some great sections where bend flowed into bend ~ superb stuff! I briefly sapped bikes with Toggsy and managed to have a senior moment on 9R wondering onto the wrong side of the road. Ummm….

Crossgates rolled up quickly, but all the little delays meant it was after 6 and I phoned Bladerider and Ludlow contingent to say we would be at least another 30 mins or so. They had to get back and couldn’t wait. Sorry guys, but thanks for making the effort to turn out and we hope to see you soon.

Back at Crossgates for the second time today.

From Crossgates we split up, with Gix, Champs, Thumper and Toggs heading for Tamworth while B2BM and I headed for Bewdly and Kidderminster.

I had an enjoyable jaunt home and it rounded off a superb day perfectly. I rolled up at home with 240 enjoyable miles added to the clock. Thanks to all who showed up!

Roll on 2008!

Can you put your names and bikes in a list down here so I can get your details right? Cheers!

1. Gix/BK Suzuki GSXR1000K2
2. Andy Miles BMWF800S
3. Vincent F Big BMW
4. Rob F Big off road BMW
5. Vincent’s mate F Big and Fast BMW
6. Pip R1
7. Digger R1
8. Prezzo R1
9. Timmy Fireblade
10. Leggin Fireblade
11. Another Chap Silver Fireblade
12. Champs Zx6R
13. Thumper VTR1000
14. Toggs ZX9R
15. B2BM and daughter GSXR600
16. Radar Thundercat

[Thumper]

Another great write up Radar! Thank you.
And nice to meet all you folks too…..some superb bends I’m sure you’ll agree.

[Radar]

Cheers Thumper!

The roads were fantastic pretty much the whole run

[Digger]

Still think Timmy should`nt have carried those planks of wood on his back in piccie number 7 as they did slow him down a tad.

[Author]

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