Riverfurm

 Ullapool to the Isle of Sky Some days on the road, things don’t go as planned—but somehow, they end up better because of it. I started the morning with my usual routine. Up early, waited for breakfast, ate, and got geared up. By 9:30 a.m., I was rolling out of Ullapool, aiming for a hotel somewhere near Glencoe—or was it Glencoonon? Honestly, I can’t remember the name exactly, and it turns out, neither could my GPS. It led me to a Royal Hotel… just not the Royal Hotel I had booked. After some confusion, I checked my itinerary and saw I was 25 miles off. Not a disaster, but enough to remind me how much I rely on that little screen. I punched in the correct address and rode another 45 minutes to my actual hotel. Lucky for me, the road getting there was a beautiful one. The hotel itself was great—comfortable room and an inviting bar/dining area. Only one other person was there when I walked in. He was digging into a plate of fish and chips that looked too good to pass up. I ordered...

I usually wake up very early—around 3 AM. This morning, I decided to listen to one of my favorite radio shows from back home. After a shower, I went downstairs for breakfast. Some of the other guests were already there. Lisa had marked each table with a painted stone showing the room number and name—just like the names on the doors of each room. Lisa also brought me my folded laundry, and I paid her £15 (she only wanted £10, but I thought she earned a bit extra). My plan was to leave around 10, so I took another walk to the cliff that overlooked the beach, then down to the beach itself, where a few people were out walking and playing catch with their dogs. Back at the inn, I repacked the motorcycle and suited up in all my riding gear. I forgot to mention earlier—I've been using a Garmin InReach tracking device. It sends a message to friends when I start and finish a ride and tracks my route here: https://live.garmin.com/Riverfurm . It also has an SOS feature if I get into trouble. ...

  To the Top of the Highlands – Inverness to Thurso Today’s ride took me from Inverness to Thurso—right up into the northern Highlands. It was a great ride, mostly on dual-track roads, though still pretty narrow, and occasionally on single-track roads. In Scotland, the road rule is that slower vehicles yield to faster ones. It’s a good system once you get used to it. Even on these tiny roads, the speed limit is 60 mph, which feels quick when the pavement’s barely wider than your mirrors. There were a lot of campers (or “caravans” as they call them here), most about the size of a box van. Many of them were doing the NC500—the North Coast 500—a scenic 500-mile loop around the top of Scotland. Part of the appeal is stopping in the small villages along the way. Scotland is well set up for RVs, with lots of little spots that offer electric and sewer hookups. Sometimes they look like basic car parks, but they’re actually camping parks. Some only have five spots, maybe tucked behind a g...

My route. Paul at Celtic Rider had a tracker on the bike. Each color route is a different day. Aslo it tracked my speed 154 KPH was my top speed.  

  Heading to the Top of Scotland I left Pitlochry around 9:45 AM. It’s kind of a touristy village—saw a few tour buses unloading, and a line out the door at an ice cream shop (no ice cream for me). When I rolled out, it was a warm 19°C, but I knew I was heading north, where it would get colder. No issues with the 1300GS this time. I gassed up and rode on. I never really figured out the cost of fuel per gallon since everything was in liters and I was paying in either pounds or euros. As I climbed in elevation, the temperature dropped to 8°C. I pulled over and added some underlayers. Found a great view of the mountains and left some of Nancy’s ashes there. It was the kind of spot she would’ve loved—a photo stop for sure. Most of the road was two-track and narrow, but it was a fun ride—lots of switchbacks and sweeping turns. It was Sunday, and this must be the place to ride. I got passed a few times by local riders enjoying the day. There were also a lot of campers (or “caravans” ...

  Left Edinburgh early to avoid city traffic—but then the GPS issues started. All my routes were preplanned, but the GPS didn’t account for road and street construction. I kept getting rerouted from one detour to another. Eventually, I gave up, shut the GPS down, and decided to just head in one direction— north . After about 40 minutes, I re-entered the route. It asked if I wanted to start from my current location. I hit yes . Once I got out of the city, the fog rolled in thick . I could barely see the vehicle in front of me. I had to stop often just to clean my visor and glasses—it was slow going. Then the next issue started. The instrument panel on the bike began flashing multiple error codes . But oddly enough, the bike ran fine. Eventually, I rode out of the fog and spotted a roadside restaurant with a sign that said “Motorcyclists Welcome.” I pulled in, grabbed a breakfast sandwich and a coffee, and texted Paul from Celtic Rider. He replied that he was at a family event b...

After wandering the Royal Mile and soaking in the city, I ducked into a small place in Old Town for lunch. I think it was a meat pie—flaky, rich, and comforting—with some green stuff Nancy would’ve made me eat. Probably kale or something close enough. She always tried to sneak in vegetables. I smiled to myself, thinking, "Okay, Nancy... I ate the green stuff." With a full belly and the afternoon ahead of me, I decided it was time to find some gifts. I wanted to bring something back for the girls in my neighborhood and others who helped me with Nancy during those hard months. Just a small thank-you. Down a quiet side street, I found a charming little jewelry shop. Inside, I searched for something that spoke of Scotland and meaning. Celtic knots caught my eye—those beautiful, endless designs. I picked out two pairs of earrings and a silver cross inlaid with a delicate pearl. Simple, elegant, and heartfelt. Nancy would have approved. I left the shop feeling good, but reality...