NW200: Road Trip

Instead of our usual route across Wales to Holyhead for Dublin ferry crossing on way to NW200 decided to plan our route via Scotland.

Never use motorways on two wheels so five of us traveled up the centre of the country via Lincoln, Gainsborough, Goole, Sherburn, Skipton, centre of the Yorkshire Dales and Hawkes for lunch.

After a brew & teacake up to Penrith, Carlisle, Gretna, Dumfries, Balmaclellan, Newton Stewart, Kirkcowan, Culshabbin & finally Stranraer for the evening staying at Castle hotel.

Early morning ferry Cairnryan over to Larne before riding all the way round the gorgeous Causeway coastal route to our final destination for the week in Port Stewart.

Picked up the new company bike from Ducati, Multistrada 950, with an open mind and what a pleasant surprise. Plenty of grunt, very comfy, adjustable high screen and absolutely no vibration at all. I even had to stop and look down to see if shaft or chain driven, was so surprised.

After being treated to some Mediterranean weather all week and eight great races my trip home was to take a different route.

Belfast back to Cairnryan via the duel carriageway after indulging a little too much Saturday night after the races.

Cannot believe how many bikes were on the ferry and great to see so many local families waving to all the bikes making there way home along the coast.

Off the ferry after a welcome power-nap we headed back on the same route missing most of the A75 back to the M6. Had to be down in South Wales for a meeting early Monday morning, blasted J45 down to J22 before heading over Warrington, Chester, Wrexham and Owestry for a well deserved early night.

7am start in the morning for stunning ride down to my meeting near Brecon. Welshpool, Newtown, Llandrindod Wells, Bronllys and finally Brecon for Latte & meeting just as the heavens opened.

Time for home with rain fading away fortunately so headed back the same way to Bronllys, then up to Worcester, Stratford, Coventry, Leicester, Newark, Sleaford and home.

640 miles since leaving Northern Island on the Multistarda, sunshine, rain and plenty of wind. So impressed with the 950 and now looking forward to sampling the 1200!