Moto ADV: We Went To Newcastle upon Tyne

My new LEDs are ON! 

Headlight temporarily blanked for this picture.

Time to get out of the garage and do a Moto Adventure!

Moto mate AM is paying big bucks for a flat in Newcastle. It is vacant right now. He suggested a scenic ride for a city night stop. Sounded good to me. 

Usually I look at the speedo before a long ride. Don't really know why? OCD?

 46,415 miles. 90.9 since the last refuel. 240 miles still in the tank!

Having RV'd with AM at his place at 09:30 we set off via the A38, A617 and A614 to the first stop.

Breakfast at The Limes.

Having had a cholesterol-free full-English we headed north via Ollerton, Scunthorpe and Goole on course for Beverley.

Just checking to make sure that Mr Garmin is correct.

Just outside of the lovely Yorkshire market town of Beverley we stopped for a hamburger at a pub in Walkington. Very nice.

The Ferguson Fawsett Arms

Then we set off northbound on the B1248 passing abeam of RAF Leconfield and RAF Driffield .... ah nostalgic memories. At a place called Wetwang we turned west on the A166 and somehow missed the B1248!

Huh!! This doesn't look like a B road. Best to stop and check the map! Garmin says we're on the B1248........

......... brain says we're on a farm track!

But does it really matter? Nope. The countryside is beautiful. Bonus: No people! Not even farmers!

The direction is roughly north. Suits my directional sensibilities!

We DID find the B1248 which we followed to Malton where we refuelled. 330 miles in the tank!  Then we decided to take the A19 all the way. At around 17:30 we crossed the Tyne Bridge and made it to the flat in Jesmond. WNTL?

The speedo now reads 46,669 miles. Only 254 miles via the scenic route.

102.7 since refuelling at Malton. 227 in the tank. I like to keep a handle on these things!

After a shave, shampoo and shower we headed off to the bright lights of the city. We were in the capable hands of AM's lovely son TM.

TM & AM

TM took us to some brilliant pubs where we sampled some of the beers available.  Later we had a nery good sea-food dinner in a restaurant near to and under the Tyne Bridge - not in the river!

TM impressed us with stories of student life in Newcastle. I was quite jealous but am not able to turn the clock back 50 years. So I will just have to live with being a GOM*! *Grumpy Old Man

Getting back to the flat after such a great night out was absolutely no problem. TM has an APP on his phone called Uber or even üBER? Somehow üBER conjures up a car which appears outside the pub within minutes and takes you home for nothing! BRILLIANT!!

............

I slept well on a comfortable bed tucked up in my sleeping bag. AM slept on the floor in the sitting room! TM went somewhere else in Newcastle.  What lovely, generous people.

We were in "recovery mode" and made the sensible decision to delay getting on the motorbikes until at least midday. We walked into the city in the sunshine. 

I lied: AM DID get on a motorbike, but it was a beautiful new MV Agusta at a bike shop en route!

He didn't buy it, but we made a note of the coordinates.

After a healthy 40 minutes walk we stopped for breakfast.  Here's proof.

Dr AM & Mr JM

Fortified we walked over the Gateshead Millennium Bridge spanning the river Tyne. Architect: Keith Brownlie. Clever man! When it opens for shipping the whole thing pivots to form a 'V'. Brilliant.

 View from the Gateshead Millennium Bridge or the "Eyelash".

 We walked across the bridge to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

 View of the River Tyne & Tyne Bridge from the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. The Sage is on the left.

 View of the Tyne Bridge from the Sage Gateshead.

Having satiated our appetite for culture we headed back to Jesmond and the motorbikes. Time to ride south.

 AM about to cross the Tyne Bridge.

 View of the Sage from the Tyne Bridge.

The Tyne Bridge opened by King George V on 10th October 1928.

....... 

Speedo: 48,841 miles.

Arrived home at 15:50 after a 3 hour journey of 172 miles down the A1(M), A1, M18, M1 and A38. Passing RAF Leeming and RAF Dishforth evoked more nostalgic memories. Tempus Fugit? Total mileage 426 - about the same as Johannesburg to Port Shepstone (nostalgia AGAIN!)