Weemac 2013 write up with some piccies...

**MrNutt** Fri Apr 19 2013, 00:38

Well after much weather report watching, praying and dancing to the gods that keep the good weather the sun shone on Friday morning, just in time for my off up north to my first Weemac.

I was intending to meet Terry, the two Chris’s (eddie990, greencat), Rich (panzerbulder), John (yzfJohn) and possibly a few others at Kirkby Stephen just off Junc 38 of the M6….. well that was the plan, turns out I turned up in the town square 10 minutes after they all left! (all my own fault by the way)
I would tell you all about my really boring journey up the M6 but I am not that mean…..

Anyways I turn back to the M6 from Kirkby Stephen having phoned Chris eddie to find he is still at home fettling his new bike! But I do find out the group are stopping at Longtown on the A7, I checked my charts and thought I wouldn’t catch them up so just set off with the intent at making it to Broadmeadows and if I bumped into the chaps then it would be nice… especially as I planned my route on the basis of meeting these guys and being able to follow them to the venue…my notes ran out at the A7…well done dave special points for me there!

So finally off the M6 and onto the A7 bombing along enjoying flowing corners and no mega wind blast. As I work my way along I come into Longtown and just looking for a sign to follow and I see a silver Ninja 636 that looks rather familiar with a bloke standing next to it that looks even more familiar! I had some how managed to catch up with the group from Kirkby Stepehn, and there was john with his new bike and inside the pub was terry, Rich , Paul and Karina.. after a quick hello it was back on the bikes and following terry on the non A7 back road route towards Selkrik, was a cracking route so thanks to terry for leading us that way.
350 miles later for me, the group pulled up the drive to broadmeadows and its one hell of a sight! Turning the corner and following the track to the big imposing front was something else.
Out the front to meet us were Ross and DBD, we all parked up and got inside.

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The building was even more stunning on the inside and extremely grand, Ross gave everyone the tour then showed everyone where there rooms were.

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Once changed we all met downstairs in the mega huge and very plush kitchen for some beers and just in time for the tesco delivery… there was sooooooo much food! It was great to see people I had met before and was really nice to meet some others from the forum who I hadn’t met before, Martin and Euan, Mally more and more people filed in with Cath (littlecat) and Owen filling it followed by Chris (on his now fettled new KTM) with Katie on the back and finally Rob (Robcat).

DBD expertly cooked a massive stack of pizzas for everyone, much beer, wine and cider was drunk and much banter was had, was lovely to get the fire going in the main living room, Greencat chris bought out his rather lovely single malt, everyone seemed to enjoy it though it seemed to only do one thing to Ross…

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People filtered out off to bed at various times, the rooms and beds were very comfy so gave a good nights kip.

Mally cooked up a right storming breaky and I think everyone was rather full after that! We all geared up and some other chaps who were staying locally rolled up , Tim Pete, Bob, John and Christian ( if I remember correctly) Ross then gave us a brief for the day and we all headed off.
The roads were cracking ….. even if we did get lost and do a big loop right from the off haha, we stopped off at Hawick for fuel where in filling up his panigale DBD managed to put less than the required minimum amount in to!

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But as the day went on the roads and scenery got better and better, we headed off south towards the Kielder Forrst, with everyone finding their feet on the route everyone gave good space with the overtaking and was also great from my perspective to see some different bikes out and see some really good riders out to. The scenery was chuffing stunning and the roads were empty so was great to be able to let loose a bit after the boring motorway.
The day wound on (forgive me I can’t remember were we went I just followed the person in front of me!) but all the roads were good with a real mix of open sweeping roads to real up and downs and tight twisty single trackers really good stuff to get stuck into.

We all rolled into Moffat for some lunch, we envaded the local chip shop, though the bloke who was running it looked proper pissed that he had to serve people, though that may have been down to that he wanted to eat all the grub he didn’t look like one for diets!

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Cath, Owen and Chris (greencat) headed off on a quicker more direct route back to Selkirk after lunch while the rest of us headed off towards Glasgow way, with yet more stunning roads and scenery we made our way to our afternoon stop (bit late for tea as they has shut!) at Chatelherault, apparently Tomcom was sitting on the side of the road on the way into here, I shall have to check my GoPro footage to see if he got onto candid camera.
We all had a wee leg stretch and some of us wandered up the hill to the old but rather impressive hunting lodge to have a look at the views, and to take some obligatory silly pictures….

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Back on the road again we went for another fuel stop where ross decided it might be fun to walk part way into the car wash while it was on.. and of course so Dave could get enough fuel for his panigale to get out of the petrol station…..

We then road off towards peedbles on yet more cracking roads then wound our way back to Selkirk and Broadmeadows for an evening of beers banter and chili!

The chili cook off was a goodun with everyone round the main dining room table consuming it like it was going out of fashion! The beer and wine flowed and after a good pitch in with the washing up it was back in front of the fire for the infamous dice game it went on ….and on……and on and on, terry had his own special man servant in martin or Mevs as terry preferred to shout to come to his every need, but mainly to fill up his wine glass which was rather entertaining, martin even sat next to him to make sure everything was perfect for him! People retired as the evening went on and the poker set DBD bought along was cracked out and martins poker mode switch was flicked as he zoned into the game in the kitchen, rich, dave ross, martin and myself battled it out for the kingstakes of a tenner and dave came away with the spoils just pipping martin with ross in third, me in fourth and rich in fifth.

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Sunday breaks and its blowing a chuffing gale with sideways rain and the executive decision was made to call the rideout off and head to galashiels to the pub to watch the football. But before we headed off and after another stonking breakfast, martin, paul & karina, chis (greencat) , yzf john and mally all headed off home in the horrid conditions, we all bid them farewell on their journeys home and thankfully they all got home safely later that day. The remainder of us all headed off in our taxi towards galashiels, the driver obviously hadn’t been that good the night before haha!!

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We all settle down in the pub with the football on and not too long after outside has changed to bright sunshine blue skies and dry roads!
Ross ,terry, rich, bob,and john all decided to go back and gear up for a quick blast out, while dave, chris, Katie, rob, linz, ewan and myself stay behind to check that all the beer in the pub was of the right quality to serve to others.

After a few more beers we head back in a taxi to Selkirk and for the final evening at broadmeadows………. and my curry.
I think people enjoyed the curry, I’d never cooked on that scale before so I hope it was all ok and that people vaguely enjoyed it!

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Yet another evening down in the lounge by the fire for everyone with yet more wine and yet more banter, sadly terry didn’t have a Mevs to fetch him his wine this evening but I think from the pictures below he wasn’t too fussed!

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Another poker game started with dave, rich, rob, chris and myself playing, rob was rather bold in his play but it cost him dear in the end, it boiled down to the two daves, fighting for English and Scottish pride… scottishdave won yet again! So he would now have enough petrol money for his panigale to get to the end of the road for the ride home at least….

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Ross slumped out for the count for the second night in a row, and before 10pm!!

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But he woke from his slumber for some late night cards. Rob, linz, ross, chris, dave and myself all sat round the big kitchen island thing and Arsehole was the game of choice, I’ve never played before so I was a royal asrsehole for quite a while… though with some help from linz I slowly got to grips with the game and started to work my way up the ladder, rob and linz left us boys for bed and we 4 carried on till the wee small hours with banter, drinks and cards…. I did eventually manage to get some wins and won the final two games before we all decided to retire for the night.

Monday morning and after another cracking breakfast everyone was gearing up and ready for the road home, after saying our farewells, I tagged along with terry, chris/katie, rob, rich, bob and john, we headed for hawick for a quick fuel up before heading off on back roads through newcastleton back towards longtown and the A7.
Bob was going the same way as me towards Poulton and Fleetwood so I tagged along with him while, terry, rich, chris/Katie, rob and john headed off on their routes home.

Bob led as we rode down the last part of the A7 onto the chuffing gale force M6, was a right ballache that wind, was really really strong most of the way down the M6 and I took a right battering! Really felt it the following day.
We rolled down the M6 to the A6 for the last run in, I said bye to bob just before we got to his house in Poulton and I rode on to my aunt and uncles house in Fleetwood.

After a few days stop over, a very much needed stop over at that! I saddled up this morning and rolled out onto the M6 for the final stint home, the ride home was actually quite, the winds were strong but not quite as bad as the Monday motorway stint, the sun was out and it was warm. I rolled up the drive 3hrs 45mins after leaving getting in just in time as the heavens opened just as I wheeled the bike into the garage!

For me a 1000 mile journey in total (well 998.3 to be exact) and it was a complete hoot, big thanks to ross for organising it all and to everyone who turned up its always really great craic with a lovely relaxed atmosphere from the evenings to the rideouts and for me it means everyone can have a great time, as with all the other forum rideouts.

I very much look forward to next years installment and for the rest of the years rideouts, via a minor detour to Peru……

If I have missed anything out please add it in below and lets start some numpty point nominations going there were definitely a few this weekend!

**MevsyD** Fri Apr 19 2013, 08:15

Brilliant write up Dave, captured the very essence of the trip. Top class fella!

**Rosco** Fri Apr 19 2013, 08:48

Great write up Dave.

Exactly how I remember it too. Except the sleeping bit.

Cheers
Ross

**YZFJohn** Fri Apr 19 2013, 11:29

Missed out about me having to get up early, miss breakie and go to Gallashiels to get chain tightened.

Bikes in having a New DID X Chain fitted as I write.

Good right up and some nice pics of the digs.