A gloriously sunny, dry day and a good turnout of chapter members headed a back roads route through North Lanarkshire and West Lothian arriving at our main destination of the day at the Bikers Cove, South Queensferry.
Video by Raymond Brodie
Did anyone notice? Jigger took a wrong turning 🙂
Fraser getting ready to ride from E H-D
After a stop by the wonder of the world that is the Forth Bridge, we upped stands and headed to the west side of the fair city of Edinburgh to drop into our HOG Brothers and Sisters of Dunedin Chapter at Edinburgh Harley Davidson.
We were made very welcome as ever and after a blether and a brew we dispersed back home.
A lovely late summer’s day with sunny warm weather, loud bikes and good company.
View the images from the ride out to South Queensferry on Flickr
It’s August and it must be Thunder In The Glens, the biggest Harley rally in the UK hosted in Aviemore by our friends from across east, Dunedin HOG.
The Chapter had two official ride-outs to TiTG, on Friday the members who were going to the rally for the entire event, rode up with Jigger as Road Captain, Connor and Davie (accompanied by his co-pilot Cath) marshaling, and Tommy (with co-pilot Joanne) as sweeper.
Pre-ride briefing with the road crew
The forecast was supposed to be a little moist but clearing to a nice day as we headed north. In general this was the situation though you would have to say it was a bit more than “moist” as we finally left WCHD a little later than scheduled….Aidan!
A short stop at Stirling Services
Heading through Glasgow and up the M80 we stopped at Stirling Services as we were conscious of at least one ’48 Sportster in the pack with a peanut tank. Then it was onwards to Pitlochry for a lunch break, and the weather finally began to clear.
Most of the riders dispensed of the watties at this point as it was getting dare I say “hot” and looked set fair for the rest of the day.
The Chapter stopped on the A9 after a serious RTA
On again, and then we run into bother with a serious RTA on the dual carriageway section of the A9. The chapter were rerouted by Police and Roads Agency people onto the back road via Dalwhinnie, Crubenmore along General Wades Road and back onto the A9 South of Newtonmore…. while it sounds easy enough it was carnage! There were the two directions of traffic from the A9 on a Bank Holiday Weekend trying to squeeze up what is in effect a near single-track road, with several coaches, and smaller lorries to squeeze by. Even on a motorbike at times it was tight. It took ages.
We also had a small breakdown event with one of the bikes which meant Tommy and his partner Joanne were left behind to help Kenny and Shas with the bizarre non-starting Harley….that suddenly fired up of its own accord after 10 minutes of poking…..clearly a software glitch brought on by a rapid off/on as Kenny stopped to talk to Jigger the Head Road Captain. Kenny was able to filter through like the rest of the Chapter though quite a bit behind but poor old Tommy on his Tri-glide had to negotiate the ques on three wheels which would have been a pain for him.
…and did we say it was now quite warm and sunny….. well, it was right up until about 10 miles outside Aviemore. The majority of the Chapter got to Registration just in time, Kenny and Tommy alas were not to be so lucky. A huge black thundercloud formed over the town…and dumped its contents for a good hour as the stragglers travelled the last 10 miles……soaked doesn’t even come close.
But everyone arrived safe and once dried off it was time for the party to begin… the main street of Aviemore was bouncing on each night of the rally which was blessed by what can only be regarded as stunning weather. The ride out to Grantown on Spey was epic with a huge turn out of bikes- we have heard numbers from 1000-3000 bikes quoted.
The Saturday Ride Out was HUGE!
The chapter also had a ride out to TiTG from WCHD on the Saturday for those members that could not attend the full event.
You can see more of the weekend on this video
The whole weekend was brilliant, great weather, meeting friends old and new, great entertainment both inside and around the main rally and everyone had a great time. Well done Dunedin …until next year….
Thunder In The Glens Album 2022
Various Smartphone shots and video grabs from TiTG 2022
Read more of what we have been up to in the items below
This past weekend saw us do something a wee bit different for the Director’s Ride Out – rather than heading out into the hills, the… Read more: Director’s Ride Out
With the summer holidays in full swing and plenty of folk off on their travels, we still had 12 bikes heading out for Glentrool yesterday… Read more: Glentrool Ride Out
Great turnout on Saturday for the Wemyss Bay Fly By – a circular ride out from West Coast Harley-Davidson! With plenty of bikes on the… Read more: Wemyss Bay Fly By
On Saturday, we kicked off the riding season with an overnight trip to the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat, attracting nearly 40 Harleys and over 50 members. Despite changing weather, we arrived safely and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities. The night was filled with laughs and mischief, marking a successful start to the season. It was great too, to have both old and new members along for the fun.
Our monthly chapter Ride out was an ambitious first effort for apprentice Road Captain, Connor Fitzsimmons, taking a healthy turn out of bikes about 23, riders and pillions right across Scotland from WCHD to just outside St Andrews, using mostly back roads. Fortunately, the ride out was on a Sunday morning and the bikes didn’t get too broken up by traffic on the way out the north side of the city then out via Lennoxtyown, Kilsyth, and then up to Airth Services for the first stop of the day.
Connor did a good job leading the Chapter as Road Captain
After a coffee and a leg stretch, the chapter carried on across into Clackmannanshire and then onto Fife around Dunfermline, Lochgelly, Kirkaldy and Leven before turning up across the East neuk towards Crail and Scotlands Secret Bunker.
There were a couple of drop-offs and wrong turns caused by some pretty significant road works that we hit out beyond Leven but everyone arrived safe and sound and it was a brilliant effort on a tricky route by the young Jigger prodigy.
As the day wore on the weather improved from threatening with the odd light shower to actually quite a warm day. The Secret Bunker was a very interesting venue to visit and evoked quite a lot of memories for various groups of the chapter harking back to the ’80’s.
You can view more photo’s of the day in our Flickr Album
Read more of what we have been up to in the items below
This past weekend saw us do something a wee bit different for the Director’s Ride Out – rather than heading out into the hills, the… Read more: Director’s Ride Out
With the summer holidays in full swing and plenty of folk off on their travels, we still had 12 bikes heading out for Glentrool yesterday… Read more: Glentrool Ride Out
Great turnout on Saturday for the Wemyss Bay Fly By – a circular ride out from West Coast Harley-Davidson! With plenty of bikes on the… Read more: Wemyss Bay Fly By
On Saturday, we kicked off the riding season with an overnight trip to the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat, attracting nearly 40 Harleys and over 50 members. Despite changing weather, we arrived safely and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities. The night was filled with laughs and mischief, marking a successful start to the season. It was great too, to have both old and new members along for the fun.
The 6th of August and the shop ride out this weekend was being led by trainee Road Captain Davie Fulton ( ably assisted by the lovely Catherine).
Davy took 21 Harleys down a fantastic winding route through the countryside around Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire to visit the Custom Bike show being hosted at the Wanlockhead Inn by a local MCC.
Road Captain for the day
The bikes stopped off at Muirkirk for a stretch and a coffee for those that wanted to, before we upped stands and headed on the second leg of the trip along the A70, around by Crawfordjohn and across to Sanquar before heading up the Mennock Pass to Wanlockhead.
It wasn’t the sunniest day but nor was it cold and the roads were brilliant…one of the most enjoyable routes this year I would dare to say.
Great run Davie and look forward to doing this one again another time.
A short video of the day’s ride.
Our Flickr Album of images from the rideout to Wanlockhead
Read more of what we have been up to in the items below
This past weekend saw us do something a wee bit different for the Director’s Ride Out – rather than heading out into the hills, the… Read more: Director’s Ride Out
With the summer holidays in full swing and plenty of folk off on their travels, we still had 12 bikes heading out for Glentrool yesterday… Read more: Glentrool Ride Out
Great turnout on Saturday for the Wemyss Bay Fly By – a circular ride out from West Coast Harley-Davidson! With plenty of bikes on the… Read more: Wemyss Bay Fly By
On Saturday, we kicked off the riding season with an overnight trip to the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat, attracting nearly 40 Harleys and over 50 members. Despite changing weather, we arrived safely and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities. The night was filled with laughs and mischief, marking a successful start to the season. It was great too, to have both old and new members along for the fun.
The ride is well known for its dramatic scenery, so it was a huge disappointment when the rideout had to be called off due to horrific weather overnight and throughout the Saturday of the rally.
The Clyde Valley Bikes at Lochgoilhead
So the chapter made good on its promise to visit this fairly isolated community on a shop ride out from West Coast HD on the 30th July.
The road down to the village from the top of the Rest and Be Thankful is definitely not for the faint-hearted but the welcome the chapter received made it well worth the ride. The road down is a series of tight and steep hairpin turns often with blind crests.
The chapter got involved in the festivities of the day before being waved off by all at the gala day as we headed to Dunoon, in itself not an insignificant run and then on to the ferry for the motorway ride back.
This correspondent is not a great fan of motorway rides generally as they are pretty tedious affairs in the most part, but trust me, this was a ride that left most of those that took part buzzing for days afterwards. A total BLAST!
If you weren’t there you really missed out.
Photos on Flickr from our ride to Lochgoilhead Gala Day
Read more of what we have been up to in the items below
This past weekend saw us do something a wee bit different for the Director’s Ride Out – rather than heading out into the hills, the… Read more: Director’s Ride Out
With the summer holidays in full swing and plenty of folk off on their travels, we still had 12 bikes heading out for Glentrool yesterday… Read more: Glentrool Ride Out
Great turnout on Saturday for the Wemyss Bay Fly By – a circular ride out from West Coast Harley-Davidson! With plenty of bikes on the… Read more: Wemyss Bay Fly By
On Saturday, we kicked off the riding season with an overnight trip to the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat, attracting nearly 40 Harleys and over 50 members. Despite changing weather, we arrived safely and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities. The night was filled with laughs and mischief, marking a successful start to the season. It was great too, to have both old and new members along for the fun.
Clyde Valley joined up with our Brothers and Sisters at Edinburgh H-D after a ride through from West Coast H-D to attend the Dunbar RNLI Gala day.
It is fair to say there were probably more Clyde Valley bikes and riders than Dunedin as they had an alternate event also happening on the day that took many of their bikes elsewhere.
After a stop at E H-D and a briefing on the plan,a good-sized contingent of HOG riders headed around the Edinburgh City Bypass and onwards to Dunbar via the A1. We stopped at a holding area by Asda where a group of the local Dunedin members were waiting and our final numbers were complete.
All the bikes gathered up for the parade
After a short interlude to enjoy the sunny weather, we were moved into the edge of town to a further holding area before joining the parade through the street, making that Harley Symphony we all know and love.
It was Ice Cream, Chips and enjoy the festivities before we all made our separate ways back home.A great turnout for a popular charitable cause by Clyde Valley HOG.
Clyde Valley Flickr Album of the Ride out to Dunbar RNLI day.
Some Video by Raymond Brodie
Read more of what we have been up to in the items below
This past weekend saw us do something a wee bit different for the Director’s Ride Out – rather than heading out into the hills, the… Read more: Director’s Ride Out
With the summer holidays in full swing and plenty of folk off on their travels, we still had 12 bikes heading out for Glentrool yesterday… Read more: Glentrool Ride Out
Great turnout on Saturday for the Wemyss Bay Fly By – a circular ride out from West Coast Harley-Davidson! With plenty of bikes on the… Read more: Wemyss Bay Fly By
On Saturday, we kicked off the riding season with an overnight trip to the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat, attracting nearly 40 Harleys and over 50 members. Despite changing weather, we arrived safely and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities. The night was filled with laughs and mischief, marking a successful start to the season. It was great too, to have both old and new members along for the fun.
This past weekend saw us do something a wee bit different for the Director’s Ride Out – rather than heading out into the hills, the… Read more: Director’s Ride Out
With the summer holidays in full swing and plenty of folk off on their travels, we still had 12 bikes heading out for Glentrool yesterday… Read more: Glentrool Ride Out
Great turnout on Saturday for the Wemyss Bay Fly By – a circular ride out from West Coast Harley-Davidson! With plenty of bikes on the… Read more: Wemyss Bay Fly By
On Saturday, we kicked off the riding season with an overnight trip to the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat, attracting nearly 40 Harleys and over 50 members. Despite changing weather, we arrived safely and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities. The night was filled with laughs and mischief, marking a successful start to the season. It was great too, to have both old and new members along for the fun.
This past weekend saw us do something a wee bit different for the Director’s Ride Out – rather than heading out into the hills, the… Read more: Director’s Ride Out
With the summer holidays in full swing and plenty of folk off on their travels, we still had 12 bikes heading out for Glentrool yesterday… Read more: Glentrool Ride Out
Great turnout on Saturday for the Wemyss Bay Fly By – a circular ride out from West Coast Harley-Davidson! With plenty of bikes on the… Read more: Wemyss Bay Fly By
On Saturday, we kicked off the riding season with an overnight trip to the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat, attracting nearly 40 Harleys and over 50 members. Despite changing weather, we arrived safely and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities. The night was filled with laughs and mischief, marking a successful start to the season. It was great too, to have both old and new members along for the fun.
After the drowning that was The Gathering, some fair if not spectacular conditions for a ride out across the Campsies and on to the Kelpies.
Davy Henderson having a double scoop ice cream
We had a good turn out of bikes and members to join us on this run across the Campsies from West Coast Harley Davidson. After a short stop to take in the views over Glasgow where we were accosted by the Police…..(for a photo opportunity!) we then continued on towards Fintry, turning along the Carron Valley past Carron Valley Reservoir, where we had a short stop at the Forestry Commission Car Park. Then the final leg along to The Kelpies at the Helix in Falkirk.
The weather stayed fair and the sun even made an appearance at the kelpies so it was time for Ice Cream, chips ( not all together…that would be weird!) and a few photo’s before we all headed for home.
The Campsies and Kelpies Ride Out on Flickr
Read more of what we have been up to in the items below
This past weekend saw us do something a wee bit different for the Director’s Ride Out – rather than heading out into the hills, the… Read more: Director’s Ride Out
With the summer holidays in full swing and plenty of folk off on their travels, we still had 12 bikes heading out for Glentrool yesterday… Read more: Glentrool Ride Out
Great turnout on Saturday for the Wemyss Bay Fly By – a circular ride out from West Coast Harley-Davidson! With plenty of bikes on the… Read more: Wemyss Bay Fly By
On Saturday, we kicked off the riding season with an overnight trip to the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat, attracting nearly 40 Harleys and over 50 members. Despite changing weather, we arrived safely and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities. The night was filled with laughs and mischief, marking a successful start to the season. It was great too, to have both old and new members along for the fun.
The much anticipated Clyde Valley HOG Rally The Gathering was finally able to be held in 2022 after a two-year hiatus caused by the now infamous COVID Pandemic. This years event was held at Hunters Quay resort between the 10th and 13th June.
Hit a target- win some beer!
We had a great attendance with Chapters making their way to the Rally site from as far afield as Plymouth and Bristol. The Chapter with the biggest attendance picking up the trophy were our friends from Dunedin Chapter on the east side of Scotland who brought nearly 50 of their Chapter with them.
The weekend prior to The Gathering had been very settled, horizon to horizon blue sky and while not properly warm, was absent of the high winds that had seemed to delay the onset of Spring let alone Summer. The Chapter had ridden out to Helensburgh, and some of the Road Crew took a spin around by Dunoon to recce the roads. That being said it had been a very dry Spring and surely the weather gods could magic up more of the same for one more weekend in June?
Jigger Head Road Captain Leading the Friday Ride Out
Photo By Kenny Halley
Alas No!
The riders who made their way to Hunters Quay on Thursday to help out with preparation were lucky and had reasonably fair weather for their trip. But the Ride Out from WCHD on the Friday, though starting in dry and not especially cold conditions, soon deteriorated into drizzle then light rain then heavy rain as the column progressed up towards and over the Rest and Be Thankful. If you didnt stop to get waterproofed up, or weren’t already wearing a waterproof layer…you were going to get soaked through.
Ladies of Harey Prosecco Party Photo By Kenny Halley
The weather meant the “Technical Ride Out” on Friday had to be canceled. The weather got worse ( as if it was possible) on Friday night and by Saturday morning the local Police were contacting the Head Road Captain Jigger to strongly advise against taking the bikes out on the mass ride out to Lochgoilhead. There were fallen branches, gravel and heavy surface water all over the roads and it was still persisting down. Ride out was canceled- a huge disappointment.
CVH Whisky Tasting Photo By Kenny Halley
Sunday dawned moist but not intolerably damp and the attendees headed out to Inverary and started out in what seemed to be quite promising conditions, the roads were actually dry around Dunoon and the sun was trying to make an appearance. It didn’t last, about 10 miles out we hit into rain that soon turned heavy and riders were again drenched before clearing the gloom just as they approached Inverary, where the sun was actually shining! A very pleasant and warm stop was enjoyed by all and the ride back to Hunters Quay was done in mostly bright and at times warm and sunny conditions…finally the sun shines on the righteous!
Ride Out to Inverary Photo By Kenny Halley
So with all the above tribulations with the weather you might be forgiven for thinking it was a miserable weekend. Far from it, the Chapter run various games in the resort indoor leisure area raising funds for charities. There was the Ladies of Harley Prosecco Party as well as the Clyde Valley Whisky Tasting both events which went down very well!
Women in Rock Photo By Kenny Halley
The rallygoers were entertained on Friday night by Three Card Trick who kept everyone dancing. On Saturday night the headline act of the Rally, Women In Rock simply blew everyone away with their fantastic set of female-inspired Rock Covers sponsored by Exceed Joinery. The whole hall was literally bouncing. And on Sunday night we had Fat Alligator, the band of our Activities Officer Davy Henderson, who plays the drums.
We also had a Custom Show- admittedly a bit rushed between downpours and a Loudest Bike competition…and the bikes were very loud! All great stuff.
We are already planning The Gathering for 2023, it looks like it will be a week earlier but keep an eye on our news and events pages for full details as they come available. We will see you all there!
See all our pictures from The Gathering 2022
Read more of what we have been up to in the items below
This past weekend saw us do something a wee bit different for the Director’s Ride Out – rather than heading out into the hills, the… Read more: Director’s Ride Out
With the summer holidays in full swing and plenty of folk off on their travels, we still had 12 bikes heading out for Glentrool yesterday… Read more: Glentrool Ride Out
Great turnout on Saturday for the Wemyss Bay Fly By – a circular ride out from West Coast Harley-Davidson! With plenty of bikes on the… Read more: Wemyss Bay Fly By
On Saturday, we kicked off the riding season with an overnight trip to the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat, attracting nearly 40 Harleys and over 50 members. Despite changing weather, we arrived safely and enjoyed the hotel’s amenities. The night was filled with laughs and mischief, marking a successful start to the season. It was great too, to have both old and new members along for the fun.
