Travel Through the United Kingdom on a Harley-Davidson

By Peter & Kay Forwood

The United Kingdom on a Harley (25/5/11 - 29/5/11)
Distance 174 km (584709 km to 584883 km)

This is part of the seventeenth section of our around the world trip.
Complete Trip Overview & Map

Coming from Ireland or read our previous visit to The United Kingdom

25/5/11 The wind and rain again deterred us, not being hardened from birth to the area, from remaining outside and we took to our B&B early afternoon once arriving in Londonderry, or Derry.
Giving a talk at the Northern Ireland HU Rally
26/5/11 We might be getting old or lazy or both as we didn't venture from the comfortable B&B all day. A good book, movie, while the rain and wind whistled around us outside.

27/5/11 Horizonsunlimited's Northern Ireland rally is being held near Enniskillen, to the south of Northern Ireland, just 100km ride, such is the small size of this part of the world. A nice ride, dry, white cloud, 12 degrees with a couple of scenic stops along the way. Grant and Susan, Horizonsunlimited's founders, were in Europe for the summer's series of events, had flown in from Canada, their old/new home, and were riding a loaned fully equipped Touratech BMW. We were welcomed by Liam the organiser and Ciaran our friend and had an hour or two of broken sunshine over a tea to catch up with people we knew. A bit of a surprise was the arrival of Alistair, who had worked for us in SCUBA diving more than 20 years ago, and we hadn't seen nor heard of till today. In between time he had single handedly sailedLocals entertain the crowd at the HU rally a 9.5m yacht across the Indian Ocean from Australia to Kenya via India, the boat he had previously arrived in Australia on from New Zealand. He sold it in Kenya and has more recently taken to the land, a motorcycle, and has been travelling around the world for the last few years, and plans to do so into the future. Quite a surprise meeting and catching up. Presentations started mid afternoon, but we missed most, as reuniting conversations kept us in the bar over Guinness or a wine. A late night for us, much later for many of the Irish who have a great appetite for partying.   

28/5/11 We grabbed a few presentations today as well as giving ours later in the afternoon. They were informative and humorous, a propensity to the talk, and despite allowing 90 minutes for the 45 minute presentations some managed to run over time. About 140 people attended the rally, a comfortable number, not too big nor too small, and by the end of the event we labelled it our favourite HU rally. There were two indoor talk areas plus an outdoor area where the weather held pretty fine. Afternoon moved slowly into the unofficial evening session, sitting at the bar listening to great individual stories, over a massiveCatching up with Alistair and others at the HU Rally BBQ and local traditional entertainment. Again we were in the tent well before most, the Guinness sparking the humour and holding their attention.   

29/5/11 Most people had chosen the softtop accommodation option, including us, camping on the hurling field despite the strong wind testing many tents, including ours. A few stayed hardtop in local B&B's, and some were locals. Breakfast was plentiful, bacon and eggs, sausage and beans, with lavishes of toast and butter, and Gary, pronounced Gara in Irish, after my comment of how could he remain so slim on such a diet was, "I run a bit rich whereas", and he indicated a more rounded friend, "he runs a bit lean" a great insight into Irish expressions and humour. The event over soon after midday and with promises to meet again and ride safely we headed out along a couple of smaller roads, avoiding the tolls, and towards Dublin.



Getting ready for the off-road ride out at the rallyYou can now move onto Ireland or go to our next visit to the United Kingdom











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