I'm riding a Suzuki SV650S sport bike. Just like driving a stick shift in France, riding a horse on the beach or snowboarding after several years away, riding a motorcycle came back incredibly quickly and easy for me. It's just like riding a bike! (it's OK to punch me in the face after that pun.) And since I've driven on the left side of the road before, I found it to be more relaxed and easier to ride. I understand how to navigate these roundabouts now, too. All I need to know is the city or village I need to ride towards.
Too bad I'm unsure about that sometimes. And why does it seem like when you're most in need of fuel...THERE'S NO FUEL STATION ANYWHERE NEAR YOU? I spent a good half hour today riding around Blandford like an idiot trying to find a place where I could fill up. That was stressful, much more than the wind or the rain. I also started off very late in the day, due to Danny meeting me two hours late so I could get the GoPro camera from him. If I met him when we said we met and I got the bike around noon, I'd most likely be in Cardiff right now. But I digress. It was a small inconvenience.
I wanted to go to Wales so I could see some great scenery and ride some windy, curvy roads. I've accomplished all of that just in this short distance to Bath! Up short, curvy hills with blind corners. Down long hills with a slight curve at the bottom, but not enough to deter you from opening up the throttle. Turning your head through a corner, pressing on the handlebar to turn and generally leaning into the corners. And all the while passing gentle, green hills with the occasional flock of sheep or herd of cattle. It's a massive thrill to be riding again, this time with a sport bike that requires you to lean forward with your chest touching the gas tank at times. And it's funny how much more you pay attention to weather details when you ride a motorcycle. The wind and rain affect you so much more than in a car. But it's all part of the adventure.
2/6 - I'm in Lampeter, Wales today, staying with Sion (pronounced "Shaun") through Couchsurfing. It was a truly excellent day of riding, but it started off horrible because it was still raining this morning. That meant I rode on a major freeway during rain, and I was completely soaked through my feet and legs. Add in the fact I left my Sennheiser headphones accidentally at the hostel in Bath, thus most likely losing them forever, and the morning was a complete bust. The rain and visibility was so poor I decided to stay at a rest stop coffee shop for more than an hour so the rain would pass. Eventually it did, and that's when the ride got much more enjoyable.
I crossed into Wales via the Severn Bridge, north of Bristol. I've never experienced wind like that on a motorcycle before; it was pushing me everywhere. I even had to lean into it just to balance myself. But at least it wasn't raining anymore, and now a bit sunny.
So now that I'm in Wales, I've realized Welsh is another language I don't understand at all or know how to pronounce the words. Everything here is in two languages: Welsh and English. And right around the point when I was cackling inside my helmet with glee because I could open up the throttle and not be soaked with water, I ran into Raglan Castle completely randomly. While exploring those ruins, I had a stupid little smirk on my face. I felt like a 25-year-old kid having the time of his life and feeling surges of adrenaline. It was bliss.
The rest of the way to Lampeter was beautiful scenery through Brecon Beacons National Park and drool-worthy roads on the final 10 miles north of the park. I stuck Danny's GoPro to the front of the bike, and I have some really cool footage too. Tomorrow I think I'll go to Snowdonia and hike Miners Trail at Snowdon for an hour or two. That's going to be an epic adventure.
And something I need to add as a final thought: Sion has given me a Belgian dark beer that is considered by many one of the best in the world. It's been aged 15 months. It has hints of chocolate and coffee and is creamy to me. It's 11.5 percent alcohol by volume but doesn't taste like it at all. Simply, this beer has blown my mind. Beer shouldn't taste like this. I want to come back tomorrow just to have this beer. Good host!
Until next time.
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