Great ride and a Huey surprise
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:20 pm
Had to do a few hundred miles yesterday. I was really pleased because I've got serious cabin fever.
I needed a break badly. As much as I love my job I've been doing some brain frying stuff on a helicopter design for what seems like forever and I'm sick of the sight of the damn things.
It was nice and crisp, not much traffic and I'm taking the scenic route. The road was a bit salty and a couple of light showers. Bumped into a Guzzi Stelvio and another burgman, started feeling relaxed headed out on the A635 over Saddleworth Moor - there was a healthy side wind on the tops to keep things interesting.
Toward Holmfirth when I came across a rare sight in this country, a Bell 205 Huey lifting sling loads from near the road out onto the moor!
Now a Huey is a bit special so I pulled over to have a proper look. There was a strong erratic wind so they were having to work hard. It was G-UHGB which is well known. I think they move things like materials for paths around in the Peak District. All of a sudden I was back in love with helicopters and realise I haven't flown one for ages
So, job done, I'm all fired up for work again but I'm going to finish my ride first. Covered a lot of roads I knew and a couple of new ones and had a good experience with other drivers seeing me early and making it easy for me to get around them.
It rained a bit heavier later on but all was right with the world and people were being jolly nice.
I was late heading back so I headed for the motorway. Just as I'm getting home, it is raining seriously and I'm in the second of four lanes approaching standing traffic and a BMW flashes down the first lane, undertakes everybody and stands on the break and swing across in front of me a foot off my front wheel still breaking hard. SHIT. Even if I stop I doubt if the guy behind me can.
I went for the empty first lane and preyed she wouldn't switch back or lose it completely. I merged back in further down, just with a bit more adrenalin in my system than before. A bit further on and there are car horns and angry light flashing - guess who
Other than that, it didn't half charge my batteries and blow the cob webs away.
I needed a break badly. As much as I love my job I've been doing some brain frying stuff on a helicopter design for what seems like forever and I'm sick of the sight of the damn things.
It was nice and crisp, not much traffic and I'm taking the scenic route. The road was a bit salty and a couple of light showers. Bumped into a Guzzi Stelvio and another burgman, started feeling relaxed headed out on the A635 over Saddleworth Moor - there was a healthy side wind on the tops to keep things interesting.
Toward Holmfirth when I came across a rare sight in this country, a Bell 205 Huey lifting sling loads from near the road out onto the moor!
Now a Huey is a bit special so I pulled over to have a proper look. There was a strong erratic wind so they were having to work hard. It was G-UHGB which is well known. I think they move things like materials for paths around in the Peak District. All of a sudden I was back in love with helicopters and realise I haven't flown one for ages
So, job done, I'm all fired up for work again but I'm going to finish my ride first. Covered a lot of roads I knew and a couple of new ones and had a good experience with other drivers seeing me early and making it easy for me to get around them.
It rained a bit heavier later on but all was right with the world and people were being jolly nice.
I was late heading back so I headed for the motorway. Just as I'm getting home, it is raining seriously and I'm in the second of four lanes approaching standing traffic and a BMW flashes down the first lane, undertakes everybody and stands on the break and swing across in front of me a foot off my front wheel still breaking hard. SHIT. Even if I stop I doubt if the guy behind me can.
I went for the empty first lane and preyed she wouldn't switch back or lose it completely. I merged back in further down, just with a bit more adrenalin in my system than before. A bit further on and there are car horns and angry light flashing - guess who
Other than that, it didn't half charge my batteries and blow the cob webs away.
, I love the roads over to sheffield, , plan a ugly bunch ride out for spring????? It was nearly a year ago when we did snowdon. Come on bluebottle. Get it sorted. 
