Riverfurm

  Final Day – Scotland to Northern Ireland, Then Home Up early and down for breakfast, but the dining room was packed with tourists from two buses. I grabbed eggs and pancakes and took them to the empty dining room to eat in peace. Today was just a few hours’ ride to the ferry port for my return to Belfast, Northern Ireland. It had rained overnight and was misting when I left, but I didn’t bother with the rain gear—my jacket is “kind of” waterproof. The ride wasn’t bad, taking about fifteen minutes to get out of Ayr, then mostly secondary roads along the shoreline. I arrived at the port about an hour early. There was one motorcycle ahead of me—a Harley, which you don’t see often here. About half an hour later, more Harleys rolled in. Turned out they were Hells Angels. I guess they’re everywhere. The waiting area was full of Asian tourists wandering around, and a few were fascinated by the motorcycles. A couple asked if they could take my picture. I said yes, and posed with the ...

  Last Full Day in Scotland This was my last full day in Scotland, and I wish it wasn’t. The ride today wasn’t anything to brag about—some highway, mostly secondary roads. The sky stayed cloudy all day and looked like it could rain at any time, but I made it to the hotel without getting wet. The Western Hotel is a big place right next to a horse track. I checked in around three. My room smelled like fresh paint, so I opened all the windows. That’s when the rain started. I went down to the bar for one beer, then about an hour and a half later headed down for dinner. One of the dining rooms was closed for a wedding the next day, so I ate alone in the empty dining room. Dinner was a Haggis Meat Pie, and it was actually pretty good. Before calling it a night, I moved the motorcycle next to the building by the check-in desk so they could keep an eye on it from the window. Tomorrow will be a long day, so I turned in early.

Day ___: Isle of Skye to Oban – Goat Paths and Good Scotch “Nancy’s Live and Enjoy Life Motorcycle Tour” After a morning shower and breakfast, I packed up the BMW GS and rolled out for the day’s ride from the Isle of Skye to Oban. The roads in this part of the Highlands aren’t built for speed — mostly narrow two-lane and single-track roads winding through remote and rugged terrain. A few miles in, the GPS took me onto what I’d generously call a single-track road, but in reality, it felt more like a goat path — barely paved in spots, steep climbs, and hairpin turns that made second gear the gear of the day. Occasionally I’d make it into third, but not often. The whole time I kept hoping no one would be coming the other way. Passing would’ve been... complicated. I did encounter two vehicles, but luckily there was just enough room to squeeze by. It was a challenging stretch — twenty-some miles of rough, narrow riding — but honestly, I loved it. That’s what this bike is made for, and Nanc...