RTW with Noah on a KTM 690

[RoninMoto]

Originally Posted by Barman

BTW, to get back on track here, where's Noah?

I'm in Inverness Scotland. Heading south. The weather turned to shit on my when I was camping last night so I am going to go south and get off this Island. I will have a good report about the last week in the next day or 2. The plan in still to go to Norway and Sweden but I'm not sure how far north I will make it. Cold is fast approaching.

[aspirinikus]

Go to the south my friend go to the south

[pdxbrit]

Originally Posted by aspirinikus

Go to the south my friend go to the south

Love that movie...

[pdxbrit]

Originally Posted by RoninMoto

I'm in Inverness Scotland. Heading south. The weather turned to shit on my when I was camping last night so I am going to go south and get off this Island. I will have a good report about the last week in the next day or 2. The plan in still to go to Norway and Sweden but I'm not sure how far north I will make it. Cold is fast approaching.

My grandmother lives very close to there in a small town called Forres. If you drive through make sure to give her a wave!

[kwakbiker]

Well the weather is good here in birmingham and meant to be till tuesday.....enjoy the ride south....shouldnt take long

[RoninMoto]

Originally Posted by pdxbrit

My grandmother lives very close to there in a small town called Forres. If you drive through make sure to give her a wave!

I waved at every old lady I saw.

[Leminkainen]

Originally Posted by RoninMoto

I waved at every old lady I saw.

You are just the NICEST random stranger they will ever get waved at by.... I am sure they would just pinch your cheek!

[zadaleko]

Sorry for taking you back to a sad story, but how this happened that GARDs recovered you bike?
Glad to know that you back on the road

Never give up!!!!!!!

[PaulG]

Hey Noah, did you find so where to place the two stickers on the new KTM?

Good luck with you trip and, as others have said, start heading South soon before the winter sets in.

Oh almost forgot, I saw your old 690 earlier this week, she's not looking too bad considering what she has been through....

[GSF1200S]

Yeah, im curious to know the condition of your recovered bike. Looks are one thing, but id be worried about the motor if they thrashed it. Since youre rolling another 690, I prolly wouldnt worry about it until later, but still..

[Dubble0zero]

Originally Posted by RoninMoto

I'm in Inverness Scotland. Heading south. The weather turned to shit on my when I was camping last night so I am going to go south and get off this Island. I will have a good report about the last week in the next day or 2. The plan in still to go to Norway and Sweden but I'm not sure how far north I will make it. Cold is fast approaching.

So far it the autumn is still not here around lake mälaren yet, the last days of summer still sticks around, at least for a while, the temps have been dropping quite rapidly, but if you don't mind it beeing around 10-15 degrees C (some days it is allmost 20 degrees) then it is no problems, and it will probably take quite a while before the snow comes.

Send me a PM if you end up around Stockholm or Eskilstuna. I would love to ride with you, I am not sure if I can offer you somewhere to sleep because of my living situation right now, but I can sure show you some nice roads and nature.

[RoninMoto]

August 31. Rushden (Northamptionshire) to Hathersage. 127 Miles
I was trying to make it to the Adventure Spec shop to pick up a few needed items but Travel is slow if you are stopping to take pictures. I stopped in Hathersage for the night at a pub that had rooms. 50 pounds got a pretty nice room at the Little John. I met some nice People and learned how to play UK rules pool. There are red balls, blue balls and the 8 ball. (Like solids and stripes). If you don't hit your ball first, scratch or miss your ball completely, its like a scratch and the other player gets 2 shots. One from the kitchen then another shot. Its quite fun.





September 1. Hathersage to Leyburn. 116 Miles
I woke up to an alarm so I wouldn't miss breakfast. I was definately feeling to hungover to face the day. I went north to Mytholmroyd but Adventure Spec is closed on a Saturday. On the way north I stopped in a town called Oxenhope for lunch and caught my first cricket game. I am more confused now after watching for a while then I was before. The Rest of the day was spent on single track roads in the countryside. I even found a bit of dirt. I stayed the night in Leyburn at a Pub for 30 pounds. (Closer to my price range). At another pub, the cute bartedner told me she used to be a horse jockey. I replied I've never ridden a horse in my life. "I've been you've ridden plety of horses!" She said.




Volkswagen actually sold the polo like this one year..


This is the Ladybower reservoir. It was built a long while ago then rebuild larger during WWII to test the "bouncing bomb" on. From what I can gather, there are 3 other reservoirs that the RAF used to test the Bouncing bomb.


I met a bunch of guys driving old Austin 7s. They have a 12 hp 4 cylinder flathead engine 700cc I think. Top speed of 40 mph.




Easy to change the starter...


Lovely rolling hills in northern England.


Don't ask me whats going on in this picture.




I think I need to make a turndown for the exhaust.


Gassed up at this very need garage. This guy had a bunch of toys that I wanted. Like this fully race prepped ford escort. You can have it as is with everything to complete for 10k pounds. I am keeping his number.




This is an old toyota rally car. I love it also.




South of Leyburn


This looks more interesting than it actually was.




Others enjoying the road.


I'm not sure if this is natural or man made. Every angle seems to be 90 degrees.








All good roads must end :(

September 2. Leyburn to Arrochar (near Loch Lomond). 256 Miles
First time in Scotland. I see a change instantly when I cross the boarder. In small towns now when I wave, people wave back instead of look at me funny. Lots of rolling hills and finaly some good views of mountains and lochs once I got through Glascow. I had to use the heated grips for the last 1/2 hour of the ride. The local pub had some guys playing music. It was great fun. And an old Scottish couple kept buying my beer.




Alaskans have their Extratufs. I guess this is the British equivalent?


Should I not be here?


The highest I saw was 22% grade.







An old church in Arrochar








Toggle switches for lights. YES!

September 3. Arrochar to Glenfinnan. 163 Miles
Sun in the morning and rain in the afternoon. I was trying to make it to Isle of Skye but the Mallaig to Skye ferry was not running due to the wind and rain. So I spent the night in a B&B and watched it rain most of the night.




Rasta cows.




The town of Inveraray




The forest is actually quite thick where it hasn't been logged.


Just a castle on an island in a loch. I took a ride on my but down a muddy slope trying to get a good picture of this.


Scottish meat pasty. Was very good.

September 4. Glenfinnan to Applecross. 207 Miles
Once again, sun in the moringin, rain in the afternoon. One of the most interesting parts was riding over the pass into Applecross. It is the highest pass in the UK. The wind was so strong at the top it blew me and the bike over while I was sitting still. I got the Scotland midge experiance camping in Applecross. How to deal with midges: 1. Wear long cloths. 2. Apply a thick cover of DEET over everything.








The town of Mallaig. On the ferry to Isle of Skye




More castle ruins. This is on the Isle of Skye


This picture doesn't represent just how blue/green the water was. It looked tropical even though it was quite cold.








HUGE fish and chips.


Skoda caddy. I've never seen one before.


Loch Carron


Partway up the pass










Up on top










Drying

September 5. Applecross to Loch Meadie. 239 Miles
Great breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. Loving the smoked salmon in Scotland. The story of the day: You can go anywhere in Scotland on foot because there are no tresspassing laws.. just don't try to fish that river or loch you find. Those are private. Most of my day was spent trying to figure out who to ask to fish. The route I planned on taking was on an "estate" and they didn't want me to take the moto over because people were "stalking" deer. Grrr. The road shouldn't have been in the map book if it was gated. The loch I camped next to had trout in it. I'm not going to tell you how I know that.






Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs!


The planned route. I probably could have gone around the gate pretty easily but it sucks being honest. So I asked permission and was denied.


Nice beaches up north.




Amazing river, no one around. Great access to it. Not allowed to fish it.


Campsite for the night


Midges! They bite and the bite doesn't itch until a few days later.

September 6. Loch Meadie to Innverness. RAIN
I woke up to some pretty strong wind and had to add extra stakes to the tent. One corner was staked and the other was tied to the motorcycle. I didn't realize at the time but when I opened the tent, a thousand midges came in. Luckley the wind was strong enough to keep the holding onto the screen and not going after my face. I slept the rest of the night with a t-shirt over my head and just my mouth sticking out. I woke up to very very strong winds and hard rain. I hate packing away the tent wet but there was no other option. I was soaked by the time I started riding. Warm soup, a BLT and Coffee was welcomed in Lairg. They had wireless so I caught up on some emails instead of going back out in the rain. Stayed the night in a hostel in Inverness to dry out.



September 7. Innverness to Edinburgh 200 Miles
I went down the south side of Loch Ness to Fort Agustus then worked my way back to the motorway to Edinburgh. Just when I had given up on Scotland it was sunny the whole day. I will probably spend a day exploring the city before heading south again.




Loch Ness


Foyer Falls


A jet fighter cruising along Loch Ness. Hard to see in this photo.


The channel south of Fort Agustus


Unimogs can do anything!

That is all for now. I am in Edinburgh with some friends. Time to get out and see some of the city.

[RoninMoto]

Originally Posted by Dubble0zero

So far it the autumn is still not here around lake mälaren yet, the last days of summer still sticks around, at least for a while, the temps have been dropping quite rapidly, but if you don't mind it beeing around 10-15 degrees C (some days it is allmost 20 degrees) then it is no problems, and it will probably take quite a while before the snow comes.

I did a google image search for lake mälaren. If it is anything like the pictures I will make sure to go there!
Google lake mälaren

[tvbh40a]

Great photography, can't wait to read the book. You are keeping a journal I hope, and plan on writing a book. If the rest of your trip is anywhere near as interesting as it has been so far it will sell to us M/C enthusiasts.

[kwakbiker]

great stuff, glad scotland was relatively kind to you weather wise, still meant to be dry and sunny till tuesday down here in the 'midlands'......make the most of it