Your worst ever ride.

[Throttled]

Yesterday I had my worst ride ever. I knew it was going to be a challenge, riding from Lewis home, via the Uig ferry. I left my friend's house on Lewis at 1430. The first part included a ride over the A859, Bunavoneader, a mountain pass in Harris, in some very heavy winds, battling to keep the bike on the road and away from the bastarding sheep. The ferry crossing to Uig on Skye was fine, arriving at 18.00, as was the ride across Skye and the mainland at Lochalsh.

 

Then, about 20.30, on the A87, in Glen Garry, the rain started. It should not get dark until 2130, but the rain was so heavy, it went dark. My kit is all gorextex, but that does not stop driving rain getting in around the coat cuffs and collar and even my waist. My boots and legs, as well as my body remained dry and warm, but my hands got so wet I struggled to get the gloves off at a stop in Fort William. The hand drier in Macdonald's worked wonders getting them dry again. I had to ditch my glasses, due to them streaming up. I can see, but my speedo and dials are now out of focus. The helmet visor leaked a bit, but pinlock meant it was always OK.

 

I set off south on the A82, still in heavy rain, but stopped as something was not quite right. My dipped beam bulb had blown. Thankfully the running lights on the Versys are good enough not to draw attention from passing cars, but going from main beam to running lights and back again was not ideal. I hung back behind cars, riding on main beam as much as possible. The rain kept my speed down to 40-50 mph.

 

About 5 miles south of Fort William there had been an accident. Someone had ended up in the verge, so we had to wait for the recovery and an ambulance to take the driver away. A Porsche Cayenne, likely driven too fast, was driven away on a low loader, its front bashed in.  The delay for the first cars to arrive was about 1 hour, I skipped a lot of the queue and had to wait 30 minutes.

 

Sheep are bad enough, but in Glen Coe, I encountered a stag. It was on the verge and I hit the brakes, hoping it would not move, which thankfully it did not. The road was not too busy and I just let cars overtake. Bikes in heavy rain and wind, with the risk of animals, need to go slow.

 

The lack of a dipped beam caused more problems on the winding northern part of the road from the Drovers to Tarbet. I had very little light on right hand bends, so some were taken at 20mph. Thankfully no car was behind me the whole time. The rain also stopped and the last part home was fine, arriving at 0015. Ten hours and 281 miles. But, the satisfaction of getting home safely is immense.

 

 

[Steve_M]

I have yet to have a clear ride through Glen Coe. Rain, wind, punctures and a diversion via the B8974, only. No stags… That was on the Bealach Na Ba where it had also crapped all across the road. 
 

 

[Throttled]

Just now, Steve_M said:

I have yet to have a clear ride through Glen Coe. Rain, wind, punctures and a diversion via the B8974, only. No stags… That was on the Bealach Na Ba where it had also crapped all across the road. 
 

 

 

My nemesis road is Glen Garry. It either rains, is freezing or chocked with traffic. Glen Coe on the way up north was so busy, I twice came to a halt as tour coaches tried to fit into the lay-bys.

[husoi]

When I was supposed to ride to Faro to the Rally.

Then was "diverted" by the ex to spend 2 days in freakin' Paris, God's know why, Had to stop every 70 miles.

By the time I was supposed to be in Faro I was in Valencia.

Managed to spend 2 days in Lisbon and had to run back on time for the ferry back.

 

By far not only a horrible ride but the worst holidays ever.  

[Fender1515]

For me, this is easy, 

Back in 2003 Le Havre to Dordogne, Via Caen, Rennes, Nantes, Bordeaux, why was it the worst of the worst? 

550 miles, torrential wetness every mile, and one of the guys on a Firestorm with a tank range of 120 miles., stopping and starting off again, with boots filled to overflowing and togs completely sodden, complete sense of humour melt down!  

 

I have ridden over the Alps, in Snow, Vietnam, which is just plain bonkers crazy, but nothing comes close to that ride for 10 hours of pure misery. 

Being bikers, and therefor, of little brain,   we did it again in 2005, coz we could, and, we didn't get damp! 

[Bender]

In defence of Glencoe and Gary, I've been there many many times when it's been glorious, it's simply a numbers game, just go 4/5 times a year for 55yrs and honestly it is possible

[Steve_M]

1 hour ago, Bender said:

In defence of Glencoe and Gary, I've been there many many times when it's been glorious, it's simply a numbers game, just go 4/5 times a year for 55yrs and honestly it is possible

Some years ago we walked up to the Lost Valley and on to Bidean Nam Bian. The heat was tropical. So, yes, it can be glorious. 

[Bender]

I did west highland way yrs ago, I might as well strapped myself to the conning tower of a submarine it may have been warmer and dryer it's Scotland you get what you get.

[Ronnie]

2 hours ago, Bender said:

I did west highland way yrs ago, I might as well strapped myself to the conning tower of a submarine it may have been warmer and dryer it's Scotland you get what you get.

 Aye, cold and wet !   Had sixty years of it and gave up.  Moved to France, and my luck changed.

Edited August 21, 2023 by Ronnie
forgot a bit...

[geofferz]

Average 50 on the M4 for what felt like 3 days I reckon, without cruise control. 

[Bender]

8 hours ago, Ronnie said:

 Aye, cold and wet !   Had sixty years of it and gave up.  Moved to France, and my luck changed.

I don't like France, it's full of french and folk from Kent

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

My worst ride was a January trip from Chester to Anglesey via Birkenhead. It was heavy snow and visibility was horrendous. Going along the A55 there was no traffic and I was having to ride the white line down the edge of the road to see where I was going. It was a lonely place to be, I kept thinking that if I ditched it no-one would find me until to was too late.

 

When I got to Conwy the snow cleared and the temperature plummeted. I stopped at a cafe and found my left glove had frozen to the handlebars. It took a pot of coffee to defrost it but it was still soaked and bitterly cold. 

 

I got to the outdoor centre at Plas Menai after midnight and spent an hour in a hot shower trying to get warm again.

 

I rode over Glencoe once - and once was enough. Me and mate found another rider huddled behind a wall suffering with hypothermia. We got him going again - and down at the bottom found a police roadblock telling us the road was closed due to the weather. We'd obviously got through at the other end before they closed it. No wonder it was so quiet up there.