Quest for Yoshi

On Saturday, I woke up and prepared myself for a road trip.

The week before, Dean had been in contact with a member of PBMagForum who had a cut down Yoshimura can for his K2 he was happy to sell to him at a tiny price. Dean couldn't refuse and instead of paying £5 in postage we decided to ride up to Leeds to pick it up. We rode out to Thruxton at about 10am where we met my Dad who was booking up his training with the riding school based there and Dean chatted with his old instructor for a while. Some coffees and some lost knickers on the 303 (Laura's bag came open) later and we were heading north. A34 (near miss), M40 Dull, M69 (short), M1 (soul destroying) and then through Bradford (shit hole) before heading into North Yorkshire and towards our YHA in Malham. We didn't leave early and had stopped 2-3 times so it was dark and chilly by the time we arrived. A couple of beers and a mean steak and mushroom pie later and we were all knackered. An early night was followed by a broken nights sleep. I got up at 8 ish still just as tired as at 11pm the night before. Euurrghhh.

A ride through to Skipton for some 'Spoons fryup and coffee was followed by a ride into Leeds city centre. After a short while riding around looking for somewhere to park which involved riding the wrong way down some one way streets, riding though the pedestrian area and hating Leeds, we were finally sat in a 'Bucks drinking gay lattes. We went to meet Gray01, from the forum, outside the Marriot and soon we were chatting and bs'ing with him. I think it was about 1 before we decided to head back to the bikes to head south. We ahd plans to take a scenic route but a combination of aches and pains and strong winds changed that plan. We followed the same route we ahd taken up and after abttling with the wind for about 4 1/2 hours, we arrived back in Andover. Another succesful road trip.

The temptation to fit the new exhaust was too great and we decided to park up under the street lights for some "mechanics by street light" action. The footpegs had to be taken off but the noise with the baffles removed is awesome. Well worth the effort. Dean tested the bike on a quick jolly to get Fish and Chips and after we had finished watching the Blade trilogy, I cripped out.

£5 for postage or 525 miles, 2 days and a whole loads of laughs. We made the right choice.