GM IV Details & Itinerary

[sv4me]

Originally Posted by stuartyboy

SV4ME - we are doubling back rather than doing it in a single loop because there is a 30mph limit along long stretches between Grantown on Spey and Ballater. There is also Pylon/contra flow along the Tomintoul road. Lastly, there is now no fuel at the Spittal as the pumps have been removed.

Day 2 covers the best bits of this road

Ahh thanks for the heads up I may stick with you lot after all! Was just thinking i'll probably be too rough to do the sunday run and gotta head home afterwards unfortunately. I'll try and be up for the sunday ride though

So how come the roads have 30 limits up there? Are the roads knackered and getting repaired? Looks like nice fast open roads on google, whos bright idea was that!?

[MisterTommyH]

Bl00dy hell! Was planning to come back on Sunday, but that route looks good. Gonna have to see if I can book another day off now!

[Bibio]

to be honest i'm going to do the Lecht as i hate 'there and back' runs. but after ft billy i'm doing a little detour past Neptune's and the Commando then play catch up over the Laggan.

[christopher]

Originally Posted by TamSV

Don't be too hasty now. That route's too good to just do once.

Maybe. If there are large sections of contraflow and enforced low speed limits I'll probably stick with the group. Before posting up I did check Travel Scotland and BBC Travel News for Scotland and neither showed anything at all which is why I thought about it.

I mean I'm sure they're good roads on the route (wouldn't be picked otherwise) but travelling 300 miles to ride 4 roads in one direction, and the same again in another doesn't appeal much. I guess I just thought it would maybe show off some roads which you wouldn't necessarily pick from a map after people saying the GM is a riders weekend. Like showing off some hidden gems you wouldn't otherwise know about.

I'm not really one to speak as I've not done the roads before so they might be amazing and may want to do them over and over. But showing off a variation of what the area offers is my preferred way of doing things then people can pick/choose what they want to do again in their own time.

That's a bit longer and reads more rant like than I hoped, it's not meant to be too negative and it is just my thoughts - so not wanting (let alone expecting) anything to be changed. Just one to voice an opinion, whether it's taken as good or bad Sure it'll be a great weekend no matter what and I'm not complaining here!

[yorkie_chris]

I wouldn't worry about it mate, some of the "major roads" we've been on before have been bloody awesome. I can see what you mean but I am not concerned in slightest.

[Blue Flame]

Hiya,

Polls are now up for Friday night food and Saturday morning butties.

Please cast your vote.....now

I can't do that kind of mileage this time due to injury and my wife on pillion, and won't be able to hang around for the Sunday ride, need to get back home.

The A82 and A9 are both roads I know far too well from having to drive them on a far too regular basis for work in the car. They became personal hates of mine, a bit like the sound of your alarm clock going off in the morning. Wide, straight and busy trunk roads with tourist traffic in summer and trucks on the A9, they are the motorways of the north, but have fantastic scenery for the tourist, just that I'm not really a tourist, I've seen it a million times.

Given that Glenshee and Tomintoul are knackered, what I will probably do is come with the rideout as far as Kinlochleven loop, do the loop, then head back to the campsite via the Connel Bridge and Loch Awe, which willl be a 140 mile loop. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&so...,1.674042&z=10 Anyone who fancies that I'm very happy to lead the way back to the campsite, albeit at a very steady pace, but I guess anyone who wants to cut the ride that short will be a newbie or carrying pillion anyway.

Maybe I'll do some roads local to Loch Tay and up towards Pitlochry in the afternoon having dropped the wife off at the campsite, but I'll see how I feel.

After all that time, all I can say is- sigh. Seriously tempted not to bother at all.

[Blue Flame]

Just to add a wee bit of detail. The campsite are reserving an area for us that is nice wee spot with a couple of fixed barbecue points.

Maps and further info will be available from the Friday so don't worry about printing these off yourself.

Originally Posted by stuartyboy

OPTIONAL LOOP: (Kinlochleven Loop)
Wait point is North Ballachullish Services. This is approximately 30-35 min stop/detour. TEC will stay with this group.

route is there and back.

Originally Posted by Quedos

Apologies - didn't see this, though clarify for me are you doing it twice(leaving and returning to service) because that will be a longer delay than 30mins looking at the mileage and factoring in possible newbies that want to do it.

and yet we wait and yes i'm impatient.
simple enough question though I'm not sure whether stuarty is on 3-4 times a day or only occasionally as said in two different threads?