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What a great weekend!! It always amazes what an incredible group of people Boxertrixers are!! Kind, funny, great debaters, varied professions and lifestyles, young and old and all united by bad dress sense and a love of motorbikes and adventures.

I’ve really enjoyed getting reacquainted with the group again after 9 years away and hope to see more of you - old and new - again in Wales if I’m not off cycling in sunnier climes.

Hope everyone got home safe and sound and that those lucky enough to continue their holiday had a great day of exploring in the sunshine.

Nick and I rode to Alston with Mick, who made us jealous of his lovely r1200s and skills as we watched him carving up the twisties from Brampton to Alston. There we parted ways and headed back to sunny Yorkshire via Stanhope and and Barnard Castle.

I forgot to thank John for the ride leading on Saturday - shame about the weather but some great roads - especially in the afternoon.

Much as what Andy stated.
Excellent weekend, talking bikes and all sorts of nonsense.

Thanks for everyone's company and banter.

Next time, it has to be a rendition of Monty Pythons "I'm a lumberjack" by Chris & Andy, in order to gain cult status.

Cheers, Nick.

Just to echo the sentiments previously noted..... and to add a few...

Billy Whizz ... thanks , you even pulled a flanker (a few times) on yersen with the Rain Dance Run!! We were all in at Selkirk but surrendered ourselves for an exhibition ride up the 701 from Broughton (at that point i was ready for calling in at the Brewery to see if they had a tap session on). Fair play to you when you could have easily peeled off for Ebro for your Hot Date at Showaddywaddy..... apologies for missing you at Moffat but I had an urgent appointment!!

Gawaine... It was great to see your reaction to the Mayor enlightening from the Gretna Bakery and Cafe at Dodge City.. (Longtown) : It was not great remembering how to bump off an R1100s on the road heading for Darlington 15 year old battery?? Respect. I also like to get the last crank out of anything and then some, For Jenny... what a shift, respect.

Andy.. Thanks to "sort of" organising this cos it would not have happened if you had not put your head above the parapet. I would have passed you on the 701 but I was surfing on "used but good" tyres (and possibly my ambition was exceeding my talents) Smooth ride mate. BTW you and that other tight Yorkshire twat owe me a pint

All in all a really satisfying weekend. looking forward to the next.

Chris

Looks like I missed out on a cracking weekend, hopefully make Wales in 22
Peter

Thanks Andy for a great weekend,we have just arrived back home.It would appear our 2 MX5s followed a similar route to you after a visit to Gretna trying to marry Tracey off.No luck there.Up over Hartside to Alston,road to Middleton closed leading to a approx 40 mile diversion and a Dales tour before getting on the A1m at Catterick.Round trip ,3 days 720 miles.Great time had by all.

Reg,Gwen & Tracey.

I can echo all of the above sentiments. For me it was great to meet up with people whose thoughts and comments I have been reading for the past few years. It was all good clean fun and some cracking roads that just got better as the day went on and the 701 as the ride home was the icing on the cake.

Did think I was in the wrong place on Saturday morning with only one S in the car park. Get them out of the garages people.

Thanks to those who made it happen. I'll be there for the next one for sure.

Mick

Thanks to everyone for making it a great weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I'm looking forward to the next one.

I might even try riding my bike more than once a year

Just made it back to Norfolk, via a family stopover in Blackburn. I had a thoroughly excellent weekend too, and it was great to see everybody again. Thanks to all those that took part and roll on the next one.

All the best,

Paul

Pictures people, we need pictures!!!!

After 18 months of intermittent lockdowns and no motorcycling tours, I didn't bring my cameras to Moffat since I didn't want the distraction of faffing around with them. My personal goal for the weekend was to meet up with old friends, at long last, to enjoy their company and ride my bike through stunning scenery. I don't recall anyone taking any pictures over the weekend. Perhaps by the time the Welsh weekend of 2022 hoves into view, we might all start taking pictures again.

Thanks Paul, I would also hope to be out from under my oppressive medical issues by then too.

Hi

So, having sorted a 190 mile route, booked a morning coffee stop, booked our lunch stop and done a recce on the Wednesday before in glorious sunshine, I was confident I’d got the perfect route and establishments for the Back End Buccy ride out. Ha, the bastard weatherman had other ideas
Checking the weather Thursday morning and again Friday morning confirmed the West, which was my destination was going to be very wet from early morning. Wanting everyone to have as much enjoyment as possible and actually be able to see the scenery as we rode along I decided to change the route to go South initially and then East and do a loop North back to Moffat covering 200 miles, give or take where the forecast always better, damp morning but wet afternoon, I av that

Up early as usual Sat morning, my body clock never fails and I remembered I was gonna put the new route into my Sat Nav. It took a little longer than expected but got it done and after breakfast and coffee I got The ViPeR out easeee It was wet, wet roads anyway but not raining thankfully. I set off gently to warm me engine and S21’s. Under the bypass, through Lasswade, passed Polton and taking the right onto the A6904 bypassing Rosewell to Leadburn, a nice little 7 mile tyre warmer. Over the A703 and onto the superb A701 & the fun begins. There are a few villages to navigate on the next 10 miles but it just keeps the throttle hand in check with the tyres still jot yet at operating temp on a cool, wet morning. The road becomes the A72 for briefest of stints and by the time you’ve breathed out the road returns to the A701.

We’re in the Scottish Borders now and don’t we know it The road is devoid of any traffic to speak of at 07:45 on a Saturday morning and the road and scenery is like any ‘on bike’ video of the TT Tyres fully warmed we can start to explore the first part on the rev range on this fantastic ‘lunatic’ of a bike. The first part of this stretch of the A701 takes you downhill through ‘pig wire’ fenced fields of arable farm land, sheep and beast to Broughton. Lovely rolling hills with the heights of the Pentlands to my right. The roads are still wet and the further I travel South the view ahead is gradually deteriorating with thick cloud/mist appearing on the horizon, bugger.

The next section is proper TT Country. Dry stone walls, tree lined and some tree canopies to blast through ‘making good progress’ I believe is the correct description Past Woodend Cottage near Mossfennan and the trees suddenly disappear to leave a view of purple heather and wood covered hills ahead, left and right if you have time for glance. The Vegitation is lush and the road starts to get very exciting. It rolls left and right while going up and over and round every ‘mole hill’ in its path, still wet but still no traffic to worry a Sat morning, head down arse up thrash. The River Tweed appears to my left and accompanies me for the next 13 miles, it just makes riding the road a joy following a river, so picturesque.

As I leave the river behind me the road snakes it’s way up and into Dumfries and Galloway and before I had time to blink I was in thick fog at the top of the rise. I was cursing my luck knowing what was next but as I passed the right bend warning sign the bike gods blew the fog away and I was left with a barely damp road with a clear view, Happy Days. The drop down to Moffat through the Devils Beeftub which is a 590ft deep hollow surrounded by four hills and feeds the River Annan is a joy at anytime of year and any vehicle for me, it’s surface is good amd the scenery and bends just make you attack it, or is that just me ? The very last mile is a series of bends that are right out of Gods own racetrack blueprint. Positive cambered, beautiful radius bends with two tightening up on you are glorious and
bring you into the bike Mecca that is Moffat.

After filling the bike up and a quick throwaway coffee at the Gulf Station I stopped in the middle of town for a pee at the Town Hall and made my way to the agreed meeting point at the far end on the town.

tbc

Nice writing John, didn’t really need any pictures. How far from your home to Moffat?

popsky wrote:Nice writing John, didn’t really need any pictures. How far from your home to Moffat?

A glorious 50 miles dead Phil