2014 Meet in Scotland

[mat-tiger1]

Come on guys, anymore for anymore?

We've only had 5 vote on this, let's try & get it locked in! 

[blacktiger]

Come on guys, anymore for anymore?

We've only had 5 vote on this, let's try & get it locked in! 

Oh, OK then. I voted August so long as it's the last weekend.

[Bixxer Bob]

Just as an update, my wife has furnished Sin with some likely looking accommodation links, he's working on ideas right now while he's away (assuming he has internet access of course).  We can't really nail the date until he surfaces again.

[Sin_Tiger]

I pitched my vote for July as I think I'll not be back untill right at the end of June, that also means I should be there in August, so AC/DC 

Hope that means I'm not holding things up.

[Bixxer Bob]

I think we'll be a bit late to book anything if we leave it that long.  Lets get busy via email and I'll keep this up to date as we go.

[Sin_Tiger]

That's a bit more like it 

What say you to calling the month based on the votes by th 31st Jan latest, then we can get down to the nitty gritty of the weekend by mid Feb.

At the moment we are looking at base camp options in two areas. Great Glen and Cairngorms, thats West (Fort William up Lochness side to Inverness) and East (Newtonmore, Aviemore and Granton on Spey) for those directionally challenged.

Either of these two centres is going to be about 4 hours (a bit over 210 miles) ride from Gretna

Ride out possibilities to get your juices flowing  :-
West
I have a couple of ideas to the coast at Applecross and return by another route. Ride will be mixed medium speed A roads with about 20% single track, taking in some spectacular lochside scenery, yes even if it's wet it's still guaranteed spectacular 

East
My learned colleague has a few ideas in the pot, more of the same but mountain roads, perhaps over the Cockbridge / Tomintool road and Braemar.

We've been looking at accomodation, both B&B and camping in both areas (if you're really hell bent on fighting with midges)

Now all I have to do is find a ford and incorporate it for Bixxer's Bike Wash 

[blacktiger]

Now all I have to do is find a ford and incorporate it for Bixxer's Bike Wash 

Yeah, that's tradition. 

[aesdj]

We've been looking at accomodation, both B&B and camping in both areas (if you're really hell bent on fighting with midges)

Now all I have to do is find a ford and incorporate it for Bixxer's Bike Wash 

Your all scaring me with the midge quotes so for me Fri + Sat in a B+B is sounding dam good. I don't mind sharing to keep the cost down and to help with booking some were.

I'll be setting off early Friday so if anyone wants to get in touch to arrange meeting or planning the ride up then feel free. The more the merry I say.

Also for anyone traveling up from down south, I've got a couch and the living room floor you can use Thursday night (2 people max) and I'm sure I can squeeze 2 bikes into my secure shed (top locks and alarmed)

Bixxers Bike Wash  , love it.

[Bixxer Bob]

I seem to remember that it wasn't MY bike that got washed.  Ever. Was it H? 

If however you're going in for the biggest Horlicks made of a crossing   

[mat-tiger1]

We've been looking at accomodation, both B&B and camping in both areas (if you're really hell bent on fighting with midges)

Now all I have to do is find a ford and incorporate it for Bixxer's Bike Wash 

Your all scaring me with the midge quotes so for me Fri + Sat in a B+B is sounding dam good. I don't mind sharing to keep the cost down and to help with booking some were.

I'll be setting off early Friday so if anyone wants to get in touch to arrange meeting or planning the ride up then feel free. The more the merry I say.

Also for anyone traveling up from down south, I've got a couch and the living room floor you can use Thursday night (2 people max) and I'm sure I can squeeze 2 bikes into my secure shed (top locks and alarmed)

Bixxers Bike Wash  , love it.

+1 on the "Luxury" of a B&B after all those miles! I'll be prepared to share to lower costs or maybe there's a bunkhouse or similar we could find once the weekend is chosen?
I'd be up for a bit of company on the ride up, so maybe Gretna services could be a potential meet up place? Unless anyone wants to pop in to mine for tea a bicckies on the way up from the south & then we can all ride up to meet those further uup North? :-)

At least we've got some video footage of Bixxer's attempt eh H??  Lol...

[Bixxer Bob]

Yeh,  clever of H to drop his when no-one was looking  -  no-one saw so it never happened   

[aesdj]

Maybe there's a bunkhouse or similar we could find once the weekend is chosen?

Good idea Mat. A lad at works got big into walking the last 6 months and used quite a few Youth Hostels and they sound very fair being honest. Never used one but some are very plush and a good price from what he's said.

[blacktiger]

Yeh,  clever of H to drop his when no-one was looking  -  no-one saw so it never happened   

Quite right. In my defense the surface under the water was more slippery that greased Teflon!

[mat-tiger1]

Yeh,  clever of H to drop his when no-one was looking  -  no-one saw so it never happened   

Quite right. In my defense the surface under the water was more slippery that greased Teflon!

    I'm sure Sin will find something suitable to test our fording skills!  (Scuba gear at the ready!)

[Sin_Tiger]

Don't worry too much about the midges, there are strategies to deal with them but they are locked in the same vault as the haggis DNA  :icon_wink:

Anyone thinking of coming up on the Thurs after work (and doesn't mind a slight detour to the west coast) is welcome to stay over at our place, two spare rooms, big sofa and enought room in the garden for a couple of tents if we get that crowded.