Well what a day today's been - brilliant sunshine, warm (in the sun!) but a tad chilly in the breeze! Started off this am waking up at 06:00 (well 05:00 if it was yesterday!!) couldn't get back to sleep so thought I'd watch the F1 (haven't seen it in years) dozed through it & got up about 8. Looked out the window & everything's covered in frost!!! Bugger!! I aint going out for an early morning pootle with all that frost about! so had some breccy & checked out the latest BM posts. Re-read Roachy's post re a 125 outing........should I send Rachel a Text??.....I really need to get out on my bike - aint been out in 2 weeks. Plucks up courage to send a txt to Rachel to see if she's still about & up for a pootle over my way....palms starting to sweat in case she replies & says yeah she is!! Also sends kasaki a PM as he'd offered to chapperone me aswell (feeling brave now!!  ) Anyway, Rachel replies & says yep she'll be over to mine in a few hours....palms very soggy now!! Soooo, goes to start me bike & warm her up - she aint for starting at first, but after a gentle talking to (aka Bike Whispering...you will start you git!!!) she fires into life. She's over-revving on the choke, so I turn it down half way & she's warming up nicely. After about 5-10 mins, I turn the choke off & she splutters to a stop!!...turns choke back on & starts her again...she seems more happy now & ticks over about 1500 when choke off. Figures I'd better check to see how much petrol I've got. So switch engine off & takes petrol cap off - hmmm....wobbles her about a bit & there's not much in there! Thinks about riding her down to the petrol station & then instantly dismisses the idea - not up for that yet! So gets the petrol can & goes down in the car. Returns 5 litres later & tops her up. Then figures, ok I'll move her up onto the road whilst I wait for Rachel & Geoff. First attempt: Gets gear on, starts her up & rides out the garage, immediate right turn (remember the drive & the close saga??...Oh do keep up guys & girls!!  ) revving to about 3-4000, letting clutch out...half way off the drive, mid turn up the close ....&.......Nothing...revs died....bugger!! However...I didn't drop her. Just rolled backwards onto the drive. 2nd attempt: Starts her up again & gives a tweak of the revs - keeps them up @ 4-5000 this time (hoping the neighbours are all up & about by this time!  ) lets clutch out & we get to the top of the close! So parks her up & waits for Rachel & Geoff. They duly arrive & we have a brew & a chat. We decide that it would be nice to go up to the Strines Inn - road there is a bit tortuous (steep & windy!) However we'd first stop at the little carpark I've discovered for a bit of a slow manoever practice - feet up U turns etc. So kit on & out to the bike. Starts her up & she's ticking over at under 1000 rpm & then dies! Geoff checks her out & we get her ticking over at 1500 - 2000 & then she instantly shoots up to 3-4000!!...Geoff ponders this one - a bit more tweaking to do!! (Apparently Geoff likes tweaking!!  ) So we're revving her on the throttle & she's sticking - not coming back down - which is what she did when I first got her!! ok - so gets the WD40 out & sprays 'things' which eventually seems to make a diference & she's revving a bit better now! Right, WD40 back in the house & we're ready to set off - of course at this point & cos of the nice weather the road's bl**dy busy!! (we're turning right out the close up the hill!!) Gets a clear space & I set off - Rachel & Geoff following - well when I say I set off....I wibbled off....wobbling my way up the road! Anyway, gets to the little car park & there's bl**dy cars parked in it!!! What's all this about ? - it's usually empty!!! How Very Dare they!! OK, I figures, there's another car park down in Dunford Bridge - we'll go there!! - Again bl**dy cars all parked in it!!...didn't they know I was coming to pratice me feet up U turns???? Right, bugger this for a lark then, we'll just set off to the Strines Inn. So off up to Woodhead pass, down to the Flouch Roundabout & off through Langsett & right turn for Strines Moor & the Inn. Now if you don't know these roads, they're not the best kept - covered in gravel & crap, quite narrow & very very Windy with some steep alpine-esq bends!!...wtf was I thinking about coming over this way??? Coming down the hill to 1 left hand bend, a bit too much back brake (I aint doing any speed here btw!) & the back end slides out a bit - Rachel said she didn't notice anything - but I felt it!!! Then coming down to another left hander & as I'm braking she jumps into Neutral!! WTF!!!!! anyway, gets her back into geer & brakes again...again back end slides out a bit...grrr....I don't like this much!!! Gets through these series of bends & am thinking - I need to stop for a moment now!! So looking for a suitable stopping place & we come across a layby - on the other side of the road - so am checking me mirrors as we're coming up to it & I see a car behind Rachel & Geoff...I start to indicate - so does Rachel - I check me mirrors & I see that at this point the car is pulling out to overtake us all - he's gonna boot it at any moment, so instead of pulling into the layby, I pull over to the left to let him pish off! At this point the driver notices that I'm indicating to go into the layby & slams the anchors on!..I've now stopped on the left (narrow road remember!) & he sheepishly drives past us!!! So after the steep bends & this numpty I'm in desperate need of a cig now!  (oh prior to this there'd also been another numpty driver overtaking all three of us with not much room to spare!) So ayway, has 10 mins or so & set off again - bike's playing nicely now!! she probably just needed a run out - however Geoff notices that my chain is a bit loose!! Arrives at the Strines Inn & Has some lunch - (thanks Geoff  ) sat out in the sun After there, goes to the Snake pass & down to Glossop. Snake pass was fun - although I was slow I enjoyed it  Glossop on the other hand was not so much fun!!!! - trafic Lights & roadworks thorugh the middle of glossop, so for quite a few miles we were just going along at walking speed (if that at some points!!!) I hated it - but it was also a good learning curve - getting used to being in slow traffic & getting my clutch control sorted out - still need to get coming to a smooth & controlled stop sorted though ANyway, though Glossop & to the traffic lights @ Hollingworth...we're turning right here - sh*t sh*t sh*t....ok, they're on red & we're at the front. Ok - I can do this - oh bugger - I'm not positioned right, I'll never make the turn...sh*t lights on Green....sets off,panics, nearly drops her on the right, recovers & wibbles off through the lights!!!....could have died of embarassment!!! ok..get composure...deep breaths...right am fine now. So back up Woodhead Pass & then onto Holme Moss - again steep switchback typee bends...why am I doing this to myself????? Stops for another ciggy & for Geoff to go hunting for a decent bush in the woods - why he couldn't use the wall like any other bloke does!! Sets off again - Rachel sends Geoff up in front of us for him to have a play & to also get some ice creams form the van that's usually up there....we pootle after him (well I pootle, Rachel sits patiently behind me!) Catches up with Geoff - No Ice Cream van!   So off down Holme Moss & Into Holmfirth..Bugger another set of traffic lights & a right hand turn!!...make this one with slightly (just) more grace than the other!! & then right onto Dunford Road & up to my close.Manages to get her onto the drive without ending up in the bushes! So all in all a pretty good Day 8...about 90 miles in total . & SOOOOOoo many thanks & Hugs to Geoff & Rachel - I couldn't have done it without you guys   xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                                                                                                                                                                             

We need to serialise these tales Stella...would make good mini films ..better than Thomas the tank engine                                                                                                                                                                              

Nice one HFG! 

Keep up the good work - 90 miles - check you out! & good on Rachel & Geoff - it's people like them that make this site what it is... some very special folk around & great support to those who need & want it.

Hippy hugs all round methinks
                                                                                                                                                                             

sounds like your getting good at this, keep at it and get your practice in and you will make the most of the summer!                                                                                                                                                                              

yep - love this site & the peeps I've met, the friends I've made & those I've yet to meet & make Am sooooo tired now though - just having a beer to celebrate & then I think am gonna collapse in bed!!                                                                                                                                                                              

Tek no notice of H, I think you're doing brilliant!!    Keep it up HFG your gettimg there.   Em  vv                                                                                                                                                                              

hey Em - I know exactly what Herne is saying ...he isn't having a go.  ...I've deffo thought about getting em all printed out into a day in the life of an 'L'Plater - or maybe send em off to MCN & get them to serialise em....(as a joke  )   Thanks for the encouragement everyone   Oh PS - you have to read the topic title in a big brother announcer geordie accent typee way                                                                                                                                                                              

I tried, but my geordie accent is rubbish! 

Great idea! Go for the serialisation - make shedloads of money for your first BIG bike - sorted
                                                                                                                                                                             

hey Stella !!!  massive hugs for you hun!! You are doing soooo well.! Love readin your 'pootle tales' ! hehe   Well done Geoff and Rachel for riding with her, sounds like you were both brilliant.   Hope i can make the next one.   Tek care Kaz                                                                                                                                                                             

Oi Kaz- you aint getting out of the next one - whenever that is                                                                                                                                                                              

Does hfg get the award for the longest post ever?   ps  - nice pootle                                                                                                                                                                              

OOO OOOO OOOOO there's an award??????                                                                                                                                                                              

ok Stella.. will hold u to that! lol                                                                                                                                                                             

newkid looks like hes got the longest post, though i suppose technically speaking it might not actually be his                                                                                                                                                                             

He's disqualified then.   So the award goes to hfg - hip hip hooray     (It's a pair of stabilisers, to help with the wibbly-wobblies)     (Am I in trouble agin?)                                                                                                                                                                             

Always love reading these, HFG!!   They just keep getting better and better - as does your riding!!                                                                                                                                                                                 

well dun stella, u said u woz gonna do day 8 when i met u in Quatford, its also the longest post I have read on here. lol                                                                                                                                                                              

WOW - what a post! Agree with everyone else, love reading your accounts.   It was a brilliant day out, loved loved loved it.   You're doing great Stella, I couldn't have gone that far and on *those* roads with less than 200 miles under my belt.   I did my fair share of wibbling too! (gotta love that term). Oh and my bike had a flat battery when we left yours - think I must have left my grips on  although they're not supposed to flatten the battery! Geoff bumped it and it recovered well enough.   Sincerely hope there is a next time and I hope you can make it too Kaz, and anyone else who wants to come.                                                                                                                                                                              

"Wibble" ... Collins should accept this as an official word in the british language.  It makes me laugh everytime I hear it or read it.   Well, apart from a couple of times where I lost my rag with car drivers who seem to believe that they are quite capable of sharing EXACTLY the same road space as 125 motorbikes, I had a lot of fun today.   Ok, so I've never actually gone over Snake Pass quite that slowly , but I'd forgotten how beautiful an area it is.  Suddenly I find myself wondering if riding these roads as fast and as hard as you can is indeed the best way to enjoy them ....... yeah!!!   Glad you had fun too HFG, it was a laugh.                                                                                                                                                                             

right stella i think your ready for a litlle spin on my gixer now are you up for it good post by the way