Big Apple Tour 2009 (Scotland Trip)

[raptor95GTS]

2wks?

[S A Watt]

Yes, Allan it is coming up really fast now.

Looking forward to catching up with your gossip over a beer or two.

Give me a shout in due course and we will arrange a meet up point and time with you.

Cairngorm looks like a hot favourite unless you are coming through to Huntly but I know how you like that A9 run.

Shane

[raptor95GTS]

hehe it's the Glen Coe and Newtonmore roads that are fabby Yeah if you guys are heading up to Cairngorm cafe then that's as good a place as any. Hopefully be dry like last year but having checked weather forecast - uh oh

[Rhiannan]

Hi everyone, I've been out on all the roads your are planning on visiting and it is a fantastic area The scenery is beautiful.
You should try to stop for a bite at the Lochcarron hotel, I stayed there a couple of nights last year and the food was fab. Cute little cosy bar as well.

I hope you all have a great time, I know you will

[S A Watt]

Hi Folks

We are almost there now and susan and i are putting the final touches to things and trying to make sure everything runs like clockwork.

We have a small problem with our route on the first day as there is due to be a road closure just out of Huntly.

No fears though it just means we have to take a slightly different start to the day which adds about 10 miles to our run not a problem though as it just lets us drive another great road.

I am planning on leaving Huntly at 9.00am on the Friday. This is really due to the extra distance and the fact that it would be nice to get to Ullapool by around 4.00pm

So i would suggest that everyone makes sure the cars are full of fuel when we meet at Market Muir car park, Huntly (normal spot). It may be a good idea to arrive around 8.30 just so we can have the catch up and get left for 9.00

Allan we will meet you on top of the Cairngorm where we will grab an early lunch. Will be their around 12 so gives you an idea. Give me a text etc on the road to let me know how you are doing.

I have just reconfirmed the meal numbers for the evening meals so thats done as well.

If anyone has any questions then just give me a shout and we will do our best to sort it.

Looking forward to seeing you all real soon

Shane & Susan

[bmwbill]

See you's all at 8.30am, Just cant wait for this, the car is all ready to go.

[raptor95GTS]

Hi Folks
........
Allan we will meet you on top of the Cairngorm where we will grab an early lunch. Will be their around 12 so gives you an idea. Give me a text etc on the road to let me know how you are doing.
..............
Shane & Susan

oo a long lie this year. 8am start from Glasgow. I'll phone you from Fort William, that's approx 2 hrs from Aviemore and I should be there about 10ish.

[S A Watt]

Spot on Allan

[RST]

Guys I wish you all the best with this and have a fantastic time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I completely forgot -did Mark get another MR2 in the end?

[S A Watt]

hi richard

sorry you could not make it mate.

mark has taken a share in my mk1 at the moment so will use this for the trip.

Mark has bough a folding camper instead

shane

[raptor95GTS]

woo hoo this kicks off tomorrow. I've even bought some extra tent pegs just in case! Half the stuff is in the car, just need to give it a quick jet wash tonight and see you chaps and chapess's tomorrow in Aviemore Picking up the buoy's so we can tie the tents / airbeds to something in the campsites - make sure they're still there when we get back

[raptor95GTS]

just wanted to say thanks to Shane and Susan for organising this event and to everyone who went for making it such a fantastic trip. Weather was so-so but them's the breaks.

I've got a pic of the sun rising over the hills at the back of the campsite in Ullapool, sadly I don't have one of the moonlight over the same harbour the previous night. Climbing into the clouds at the Carnigorms and then Applecross was both amazing Alice in Wonderland stuff and bloody terrifying at the same time but dropping out of the clouds on the other side and seeing the valley open up below was truely amazing.

My flat's a mess with the groundsheet / flysheet hanging up all over the place with bits of grass randomly strewn on the carpet but that's camping for you .

[monkeymax]

Thanks for the brief write up Allan! Can't wait to see the pics!

[raptor95GTS]

well my pics are a bit rubbish, since I can't seem to take any and the ones I do are er a really rubbish but here's a couple


carnigorm carpark on the Friday lunchtime. Was quite surreal looking down on the clouds

the 2 looking all clean - not bad after 160mile drive to get there

yep that's sunshine over there

sunrise in ullapool on the Saturday morning, what a view from the tent

all luxury with none of the trimmings hehe

applecross beach with the Inn in the background - white building


I don't have any of the climb of the Applecross itself but it was a total white out. Couldn't see 50 feet in front of you and it's really not the road to be blind on Was a good trip, good to see everyone again

[monkeymax]

I don't have any of the climb of the Applecross itself but it was a total white out. Couldn't see 50 feet in front of you and it's really not the road to be blind on Was a good trip, good to see everyone again

Yup, I was having a chat to Dad this evening and he said pretty much the same!
Also, he said that most of his photos were just cloud and/or rain, so looks like that may have been one of the overriding themes of the trip!?

[raptor95GTS]

hehe, it was a bit damp but it happens. In Scotland we're blessed with the greatest of roads with the most rubbish climate but there was sun at points and the rain didn't fall all the time either. It certainly did not prevent it being a good trip.

I've been up Applecross a few times and only once before was it very poor visibility, normally it's kinda well misty but viewable. The view as we came out of the clouds was however nothing short of amazing, just opened up like star gate hehe

[J.S.]

Hi All
I would just like to thank all of the participants for making these three days really special. Everybody contributed to make the time exceptionally memorable. I felt I was reclaiming part of my lost youth - albeit a lot more responsibly than the "old days" before stifling regulation, radar, breath tests, but with twin unbalanced Webbers, skinny tyres & cart spring suspension, it felt more edgy!
Of course very special thanks go to Shane & Sue for the mega organisation - down to the last detail -my bladder never suffered - the toilets were ideally timed along the stunning route! Also many thanks to Joanne & Mike for their unstinting hospitality, to a stranger - plus Mike trusting me with his Mk.3., on my own!
The weather was not the best but, hey this was 58 degrees North in September! Bit disappointed photographically but will post digital pics shortly & any reasonable analogue images once I have the film processed.
Thank you all & looking forward to next year.
John.

[RST]

C'm on guys where's all the pics then!

....The rain in Norway the week before was like having a bucket of cold water thrown over me (engineering's great -sat on a barge in the harbour in the p***ing rain watching not much happening on test for best part of 5h -LoL ). I thought it'd be drier when I got home but flying in and seeing everything flooded as I came into Aberdeen -Nightmare, knocking on 5h to get from Aberdeen to Inverness Friday night up the A96.


I take it you guys got on OK then apart from the scotch mist .

[t-bar89]

Hi All,

I'd just like to say a mighty big thanks to everyone on the trip. Once again made the whole experience a fantastic time!

A MEGA thanks to Shane and susan... really really do a great job of organising the trip.

And I'd just like to say that as long as I am still welcome (Now I've moved to the Honda camp!) That I will be putting my name down for next year with amanda.

Tah.

[bmwbill]

here goes some pics from the trip
Just set of from Huntly
All cars at the lecht








IMG]


MG]











That was just some pics taken on Skye
A Convoy of mr2s somewhere in the Highlands
And now for the mob
First the leader of the pack Shane and Susan








And finally Mark and Gary getting tucked into the biggest plate of seafood i have ever seen


Just some to wet your appetite no pun intended.

Bill.