If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

- George Washington

Sunday 18 April 2010

First Spring Ride

Arranged via the wondrous interweb, I met some fellow Triumph owners today for a rideout around mid-Wales. And what a great day it was.

We met at the West End cafe in Llandovery, and rode up past Llyn Brianne reservoir, across the tops and down the Devil's Staircase to Newbridge-on-Wye, then a stop for lunch at The Halt in Doldowlod. After lunch, we went to Rhayader, then up around the Elan Valley reservoirs and across to Devil's Bridge. We headed back towards Llandovery, and I left the party at Lampeter to make my own way home through Newcastle Emlyn and Cardigan. The weather was kind all day, with sunshine and dry roads. It was still a bit too cool for leathers, however, and by the end of the day I was wishing I had worn my textile suit with a jumper underneath and some thicker gloves. But the reservoirs were spectacularly beautiful in the sunshine.



Llyn Brianne - sunshine, no wind, smooth as glass

I did a total of 210 miles, which has doubled my mileage on the Bonneville. I really started to enjoy the bike on the way home, when my growing familiarity allowed me to ride it a bit more - er - purposefully. The bike didn't miss a beat and was certainly quick enough for the roads we were on today. It's beautifully composed in corners and gave me a lot of confidence. And it sounds wonderful, without (I hope) offending anyone. One thing that wasn't good was the footrest arrangement. It has been fitted with aftermarket footrests which are further back and higher than standard, and they cramped my knees all day. I'm going to ask the dealer to return it to standard next week, something he has already agreed to do free of charge if I felt it necessary.

I've ridden new roads that needed a lot of concentration all day, and I have made four new friends. And now, not surprisingly, I am very tired.



Triumphus Bonnevillaurus, enjoying a well-earned break looking at something pretty.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comment is free, according to C P Scott, so go for it. Word verification is turned off for the time being. Play nicely.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...