August 10, 2023 - Aberystwyth, Wales

 Today's weather was gorgeous, mid-70s, mostly sunny and mild winds.  In traveling to our hotel here, we rode on mostly rural, single lane, 2-way roads through the beautiful Welsh landscape.  We only rode 100 miles but it took us 6 hours with a lunch stop.  We did stop a lot for pictures though.  Lots of sheep, too, in unfenced pastures next to the roads who sometimes wandered into the road.  I was impressed with the sheep, when they heard the motorcycle they ran off the road, especially the young ones when I beeped our truck-sounding air horn.

One observation while riding - riders in Wales do not do the motorcycle full hand wave.  In the US and Europe, when we pass another motorcyclist on the road going the other way, we do a slight wave with our left (non-throttle) hand.  It's a show of recognition of another rider.  In Switzerland, I learned the raised 4-finger acknowledgement using my right (throttle) hand.  I have only seen that in Switzerland, and I kind of like it.  You don't have to take your hand off the handlebar so it's more stable, and still shows recognition.  

Here, the riders do what I am calling the "Wales nod".  They don't do any hand waving or finger raising.  They just do a reserved head nod.  I continue to wave and hope to get a wave in return before we leave country.

Another item to catch up, while we were in Northampton several days ago, Sooz and I mailed back to Gainesville 4 bags and a small box of mostly excess clothing and electrical charging cords that we were not using. The added gear was just taking up room and weighing down the bags, and hurting my back everytime I had to unload the bike.  Not having the extra weight on the bike also helps its handling and maneuverability - so it's been a good thing.

The riding today was excellent.  It was tiring due to the blind curves and narrow 2-way roads, but it was spectacular.  I have uploaded a lot of pictures below and hopefully you can get a feel for what it was like.  Thanks to Sooz for taking some great pictures from the back seat of the GS.

Today's route of only 100 miles, but a beautiful 100 miles

This was at our B&B from last night, a working farm

The B&B from last night

Coming into a small town with a 30 mph speed limit

Angry ducks

Same ducks squawking at us, but the sheep in the background ignoring us

A phone booth and post box out in the middle of nowhere

Proof we visited Devil's Bridge - we were getting tired and didn't want to get off the bike and walk 30 feet

It turned out, we rode through several miles of Welsh defence department training lands

Test your Welsh language skills

Unsuitable for Caravans (RVs and travel trailers)

August 9, 2023 - Abergavenny, Wales - The Big Pit

 Today we visited Big Pit National Coal Museum and Black Mountains Smokery Artisan Food Shop & Hampers.  Both were within 1/2 hour ride of our B&B and today's weather is beautiful, sunny, mid-70s and little wind.  

Big Pit Museum - a working coal mine from 1880 to 1980, it was opened to the public in 1983 as a charitable trust called the Big Pit (Blaenavon) Trust. By 1 February 2001 Big Pit Coal Museum was incorporated into the National Museums and Galleries of Wales as the National Mining Museum of Wales.

We toured the actual mine after taking a refurbished miner's elevator 300 feet straight down.  The tour took about an hour.  We had to put on helmets and head lamps.  There we two guides for our group who were funny, knowledgeable and related to former miners that used to work in the mine.  We also had to leave anything with a battery aboveground which included cell phones, key fobs and cameras so we were not able to take any pictures underground.

Both Sooz and I knocked our hardhats in the low tunnels and slipped or tripped on muddy, rocky floor of the mine.  Both of us were very happy to emerge from the mine and see the sky after only one hour.  It's hard to imagine how men, women and children worked in the mine for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.  Of course, these conditions are not limited to only Big Pit, mines in the US and other countries had/have conditions like this.  But to be in similar conditions really brought it home.

Next up was the Black Mountains Smokery. we picked up some smoked ham, cheese and crackers and had a little picnic in the little town of Crickhowell.

The waiting room before we took the mine elevator down 300 feet into the mine

Walking into the pithead where the elevator is

Miner Sooz in hardhat

Battery pack and water bottle attached

The mine's black iron shop

The GS waiting for some smoked snacks

Inside the smokery shop

August 8, 2023 - Abergavenny, Wales

 Today we rode about 160 miles from Northampton, England to Abergavenny, Wales.  The weather was cool low 60s, light rain and pretty calm.  The ride was uneventful, which is good, and pretty boring until we left the divided highway in Wales.  The roads narrowed and hedges grew taller.  We both had on rain and heated gear.  It's pretty easy to get chilled riding for a few hours in cloudy, wet, cool weather so we turned on the electric gear and stayed comfortable.

After entering Wales and before getting to our B&B we tried to cross over Gospel Pass.  Google Maps took us on narrower and narrower roads until we had to stop and turnaround.  It wasn't until we were having dinner at The Crown at Pantygelli when the people next to us said all the roads to Gospel Pass were closed due to flooding.  While news we received at The Crown wasn't good, the food was very good.  We both had fish and chips and Sticky Toffee Pudding.  The spice cake was just out of the oven and the ice cream was from a dairy just down the road.

We were able to visit Llanthony. Llanthony is located in the Vale of Ewyas, a deep and long valley with glacial origins within the Black Mountains, Wales, seven miles north of Abergavenny and within the eastern section of the Brecon Beacons National Park.  

Within the town of Llanthony is Llanthony Priory. The priory dates back to around the year 1100, when one of Hugh de Lacy's knights called William reputedly came upon a ruined chapel of St. David in this location; he was inspired to devote himself to solitary prayer and study. 

The Priory has a small cafe in the ancient basement of the structure.  We stopped in for a coffee and met a couple who were regular visitors of the area.  They hiked the local area several times a year.

We are staying at the Hardwick Farm B&B tonight and tomorrow night.  Tomorrow we plan on visiting The Big Pit coal mine and a local ham farm store.

Llanthony Priory - the cafe where we had coffee is through the white door on the far left

Sooz wondering how to bring this back to Gainesville

We never made it to Gospel Pass due to road closings, but we did (mistakenly) stop in the church parking lot

The Priory is located within this national park

For my planning friends, they have similar planning meeting notices to ours in the States - this was in Northampton

Sticky toffee pudding from The Crown at Pantygelli

 

NO DRONES!

Road to Llanthony Priory

Sooz took this photo of a graveyard from the church parking lot

Do you see the red phone booth?

The red box is to mail your post

We really rode down this dark path on the way to the Priory

Another picture by Sooz from the back of the GS

Yes, this is a public "road" going through a farm compound

Wales landscape and sheep

"Where's the sticky toffee pudding?"

Sunday, August 6, 2023 - Northampton, England - Silverstone MotoGP Race

 I attended the Silverstone MotoGP race today.  Sooz's back was hurting, so she couldn't go.  We had tickets for yesterday also, but we both decided we didn't want to stand around in the rain at the track, so we didn't go.  Today's weather was good overall, a little cool (low 60s) and windy, but no rain.  Although, portions of the track must have had a little rain because the announcer said a couple of the racers were using rain tires, but I never had rain where I was.

It was fun and I'm glad I went.  I had general admission tickets which allowed me to move around and see different parts of the track, but most of the best seating was off limits to me because I didn't have reserved seating.

The racing was great.  There were 4-5 racers competing for the win all the way to the last lap. For you MotoGP fans, Aleix Espargaro from Spain racing an Aprilia won the main event on Sunday by only 0.215 seconds.  The top 4 finishers were all within 1 second at the end.

This is a short video of the first lap of the MotoGP I took from my vantage point - HERE

The GS amongst its own at the track

Luffield Corner where I watched the race

Formula 1 also races here at Silverstone so the track is well setup with lots of viewing areas and vendors

Lap 2 with Aussie Jack Miller leading on a KTM

Where I bought Sooz and me an official tee-shirt

Part of the infield still muddy from yesterday's rain

Friday, August 4, 2023 - Northampton, East Midlands, England

 After leaving Tintagel, we started heading north towards Northampton with plans to attend the MotoGP motorcycle races at Silverstone Raceway over the weekend. Our first night out of Tintagel was at Taunton, Somerset in what was the smallest hotel room we have ever stayed in.  It was miniscule, and I reserved it, so I can't blame anyone but myself.  We walked around town a little.

Our next night was at the Wheatsheaf Inn in Northleach, Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, Cotswolds.  Sooz liked this pub/hotel the best of anywhere we stayed.  It was a partially refurbished room with modern updates while keeping the old charm.  It rained most of the day, so we were soaked and cold by the time we stopped, but we didn't have any problems.

Yesterday, we rode to Northampton and are staying several nights to attend the MotoGP races at Silverstone. Today we received a small care package from our son Max in Gainesville with some things we forgot to pack.  We also sent out 5 packages with extra gear and clothes that we have not used yet, so we decided to ship it home.  My back will appreciate not having to lug the extra weight to and from our rooms every few days.  Believe it or not, it took most of the day to go through our stuff and pick out what we don't need, and then run through a minefield of paperwork and packing to ship the stuff home.  Everything takes longer when traveling, and this was no exception.

Tomorrow, Saturday, is the sprint Silverstone MotoGP races with the main event Sunday.  The weather tomorrow looks like rain, so we will play it by ear whether we go.  They will race unless there is lightning. so who knows?  Weather for the Sunday main event looks good.

Female Bobbies patroling Taunton

Taunton street scene

Staunton town square

The pub at Wheatsheaf Inn

Sooz enjoying our room at Wheatsheaf Inn

A massive dove/pigeon outside our room

My dinner of classic fish and chips with peas at the Wheatsheaf Inn

My classic British Breakfast at Wheatsheaf Inn, hold on the black pudding

Northleach

Northleach Dutton Alms Houses

Northleach, Gap Cottage and Wallflower Cottage - most of the homes were named

Northleach

Northleach

On the way to Northampton we stopped at the North Oxford BMW motorcycle and car dealer

Sooz could not get an appointment at a salon to get her haircut, so she decided to go to a barbershop.  It came out great.