UK PieFest Melton Mowbray 2017

We saw the advertisement to the UK PieFest, we waited till the last minute before deciding to go, so we missed out on the advance ticket price.

I know it will be full of pork pie, and I am not the biggest fan of hot water crust.  We went early, and nearly walk into the car boot sale next door.  We had a quick walk around, had a few samples, and left for the Melton Country Park for lunch.  

After lunch, we went back into the PieFest for the second helpings.  I was more awake and was hoovering up all the sample pies.  I now believe butchers' pies are inferior to the dedicated pie maker.

We were tasked to bring home pies.  Sarah wanted to bring one big pie, and I suggested to buy multiple small pies.  From all my sampling, I have also concluded the larger production pies would have better consistency.  We opted for Dunkleys.  They are pub pies.  So we essentially bought cash and carry pies.  They tasted very nice, and everyone enjoyed them.

I think the objective of the outing was met.  I learnt more about pie.  I reaffirmed my love for short crust.  I don't think I need to go to another pie show for a next few years!

Nottingham Pride

Sarah and I went to Nottingham Pride.  It was relatively small and cosy, much like Leeds Pride 10 years ago!

Sarah was doing her craftivism, while I was a walking post board for HIV testing.  I am quite happy with my free pens haul!

As a bonus, we stopped at U Canteen for lunch.  I am quite impressed with their food, except the chicken did not come with the vegetable that I was expecting.  It is nearly as good as Wing Kee in Newcastle.

Tiredness Kills

Driving on a Friday afternoon could be torturous.  A lot of people think stopping is admitting defeat, but it needs to be done.  I was punching myself and screaming to stay awake.  I stopped at a McDonald for a coffee.

The worst thing about service stations is that all other drivers are also tired!  On my way out, this woman drove into McDonald from the wrong side of the one way system and gave me grief!

Another reason to keep my one tank rule, ie no stopping!

Cocao Mountain Dark 74% Chocolate

We broke open the chocolate bar I got from Cocoa Mountain.  It is smooth, complex layers of flavours, etc, random/weird after taste.  It is good, I would go as far to say as good as big brands Belgian chocolate, but still not made my top 10.

Sad Sunflowers

I put one of the sunflower in a pan to ensure it would have enough water when I was away.  I came back to find it drown.  I wishfully think it may come back to life with some of the leaves still able to transpire.

One of the sunflowers I brought to work was never repotted and it also wilted.  I brought it back and transplanted both into the flower bed and hoping they will survive and flower.

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour Aftermath

I finally had a look at my bike since I got back to survey the damages.

Not only did I burnt petrol, I also burnt rubber and oil.  I definitely got my money's worth on the tyre.  And I am starting to use up the surplus oil to top up.  I tightened a few screws, and the batteries is behaving.  I think the dead batteries was red herring from the damp/wet electrics!

Little Rome seems to be in good shape, and no need to consider for early retirement!

Garden (Bakery)

Hedy just told me Garden is applying for redevelopment to knock down the old building.  It is an old concrete building from the 1940s.  The conservationists are wanting to get it listed and prevent the redevelopment, lets see how it evolves...

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour: Day 9 Home

Alston is practically home turf.  Apart from Graham, I have the least distance to travel.  I thought about adding all the extra stops, farmers market, food festivals, but at the end I did not stop anywhere as I was not feeling well.  It also did not help when my batteries died over night and I had to ask someone to bump start.

I parked up, the tyre and the bike mostly survived the journey, and I will think about taking her to the shop in the next few weeks.  I managed to stay dry.

I got home by mid-day, and I was immediately greeted by thistles!  So I started weeding!  I did my laundry, sort out my pictures.  When I was playing with Faststone, I found a new function turning a picture into a sketch, and I quite like it!

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour: Day 8 Alston

From Tomintoul to Alston was a very long ride.  We started early to try to beat the rain.  The first segment across the ski resorts were very scenic, and we stopped at Blairgowrie Wellmeadow for a cup of coffee.

I wish I had stopped at Arbroath for a Smokies, but no one was keen on adding extra miles in a long rainy day.

We braced ourselves for the unavoidable motorways in heavy rain.  The spray were unbearable!

We stopped at The Scots Pine at Eddleston.  I had the meat lover sandwich, except it was not a normal sandwich, it was an 'open sandwich', also they forgot my sausage!  The lady asked if everything was okay, I said everything was okay except I did not get my sausage!  So they served up a sausage separate.  the sausage was good, except it was slightly under cooked...  I ate it anyway.

It was too wet for me to keep up with the guys, so I volunteer to break up at Hawick.  When we were there, Hawick Museum's leaflet said they were showing two local racing motorcyclists and their memorabilia.  So I stopped for fuel and a visit to Hawick Museum.  They have all sorts in the museum, including curling stones.



When I continued my way to Alston, I was stopped at Langholm for yet another bagpipe procession! This it was something about 'Marking the boundary'. A large bagpipe band and a large number of horses.


By the time of all these delay, the weather cleared up and I arrived in Alston safely.  This last hotel was the most expensive hotel and our room had a bath!



I had a beef pie to wrap up the trip.  They had a music festival on, and the music was on till late, and there were even fireworks!


I have discarded the book in the drawer next to the Bible, how fitting!

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour: Day 7 Tomintoul

We started travelling South to Tomintoul.

We stopped at Grantown-on-Spey Maclean's Highland Bakers for a cup of tea.  We fuelled and dropped down to Tomintoul.  We were on the whisky trail and amongst ski resorts!  I was surprised to find a wood burning stove on full flame on arrival!

When we got into Tomintoul, I walked around the town, they had a play park with a climbing structure, so I had a climb.  They also have a mobile cinema!  But I did not fancy Despicable Me 3.

They were selling a beer called Sheepshaggers, with the sheep wanting to be a motorcyclist, weird!

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour: Day 6 John O'Groats

The weather forecast was not nice, most people were taking it easy, but Mark, Gwilym and I pressed onto John O'Groats, via coastal route, aka North Coast 500 route.  It was difficult.



As it turned out, we were in the Mackay Country.  All the shops were Mackay and Sons.  We stopped at a chocolate shop called Cocoa Mountain.  They invested in many brown signs!  All of us had a hot chocolate. I also had a chocolate tart, which as adulterated with mint, I was not impressed.  We also stopped at the beach for quick snaps.  So soon as I felt midges hitting my face, I shut my visor and walked away!



We were convinced John O'Groats would be a rip off, so we stopped again at Thurso for our lunch.  I pointed at the local baker, Johnstons of Thurso, I had a bridie - meat pastie, Mark had a girddle scone - muffin, Gwilym had a strawberry drop scone.  I thought about an unadulterated chocolate tart, and I managed to stop myself.

We finally got to John O'Groats, and we did not stay for long, by then we were soaking wet!

We went home via more mountain roads!  But at least it started to dry up, ie midges!

I did not go back to the fish restaurant, I went to the Lochinver Larder, aka the pie shop.  I was struggling to choose a pie, and since they were down to the last chicken and ham pie, I went for it.  Yummy, I wonder if they put sugar in them...

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour: Day 5 Lochinver

Some of the guys went to Applecross.  I did want to go, but I have difficulty handling extremely steep slope with little Rome, so I passed.  We stopped at Shieldaig for a cup of coffee.  It was definitely not shielded...


This was meant for another short, 160 miles trip from Kintail to Lochinver, besides we took the coastal route to Ullapool instead.  It was the windest day in the trip, it was quite hairy when the gust was catching us out.  By the time we parked up at Ullapool, I was tired.  When I reversed to park the bike, little Rome tipped over, and I lowered her gently onto the ground, and John helped her up.


We had some fish and chips at Ullapool, I opted for fishcakes.  Their fishcake was very crunchy, quite fishy not too starchy.  Quite good.

The last bit was quite funny, the coastal route was very narrow, and the caravans were literally wiggling pass the twist and turns.  Funny.

I got my single room in Lochinver.  I picked up a key, and ran up.  As soon as I realised it was an attic room, I ran back down and swapped for a first floor room.  My window opens to the road, so I waved as they arrive.



We ate at Peet's the fish restaurant.  They were busy and they did not entertain about my enquiries about the seafood sources.  When we finally sat down, I opted for the seafood chowder as a safe choice.  When they turned up, it was nice, it was salty from the smoked haddock.  I could not find my langoustine!  When they started to turn up in other's chowders, I asked the manager about it, and she brought me a small dish full of langoustine!!  Bonus!  Fresh, sweet and yummy!

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour: Day 4 Isle of Skye

We stopped at Kyle of Lochalsh for breakfast.  This Hectors Bothy is meant to be good breakfast, so I opted for a safe choice, again, for a link sausage sandwich.  It was terrible, the worst type of sausages.  I should have went for the lorne sausage sandwich!



We crossed the bridge into Isle of Skye and went straight for Talisker.  I could not believe how many cars and caravans were in Skye, and it became apparently quickly that the road users were not very friendly nor tolerant!



We stopped at Dunvegan Skye's oldest Bakery for a quick break.  They only do basic bakes these days.

We went onto Uig Orasay Tearoom for lunch.  I ascertained that it was local crab before I ordered, otherwise what was the point?  It was indeed very fresh, very delicate.

We went onto some mountain road across the isle and it was still full of cars and caravans.  It can be amusing to see the caravans and motor homes wiggle down the single lane hairpin bends, but it was not amusing when I was in close proximity!

We wiggles down another single track to catch a ferry back from Kylerhea to the mainland.  The track was quite horrendous.  But this ferry is different to all the other ferries, this is the last working turntable ferry.  The wooden deck was quite scary.


The road back to Kintail was still bad but not as bad.

The pub employed a accordion player to entertain the wedding guests, but we were not sure why he was playing in the pub when we were eating.  I only got my dinner at 9:30!  I opted for the extortionately priced scallops, they were nice, very delicate, so I ate them separately to the rest of the dish to taste them.  I think they were slightly undercooked, but it was still acceptable.

By then I have done about 800 miles. Mike commented about Paul's tyres couldn't make another 1000 miles.  When I checked Paul's tyres, they looked adequate, but when I checked mine, it was more worrying...

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour: Day 3 Glenshiel Bridge Kintail

It was meant for an easy day with only 140 miles between Ardrishaig to Kintail, but everyone opted for a loop in Argyll that added 100 miles on top.  The coast was quite dramatic.

On our way to Kintail, via Oban and Fort William, the roads were twisty, and I worked little Rome very hard.  We also encountered a very large abnormal load, we were lucky that we did not get hit!

I was reading the book in the sun as I wait for the rest to arrive.

The lodging was cheap but it was still a little overprice for what it has to offer...  The restaurant was a proper rip off!  I opted for a safe choice of fish and chip.  The oil could have been hotter! 

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour: Day 2 Ardrishaig Lochgilphead Argyll

Day 2 was a long ascend up the coast.  We first stopped at Moffat for a coffee.  The first group was there earlier and saw some bagpipe procession.

The tea shop's logo was quite nice, definitely nicer than their coffee...

We went to Wemyss Bay to catch the first ferry to Bute.


Then after a loop in Bute, we caught another ferry onto Argyll.  This ferry was so short that we took off the helmet and immediately was told we were disembarking shortly.


Looped around Argyll a little more before catching another ferry to another bit of Argyll.


Lastly we arrived at the hotel, with a sea view!


The prices started to look expensive, I opted for a cheap macroni and cheese.  It was very cheese, but nothing half as good as Sarah's!

Scottish GBMCC Grand Tour: Day 1 Denholm Hawick

This Spring was relatively dry, so I committed to the long motorcycle trip to Scotland.

I did the final washing and cleaning in the house and off I went, trying to catch the break between rain clouds.  Hawick was actually not too far.  It was only 160 miles away.  I broke up the journey by fuelling at Darlington.

It was a rainy day.  After Darlington, it came down a bit harder, and my bum started to fall asleep.  I took an unplanned break at the border, and had a coffee.



I arrived at Denholm by mid afternoon.  I went into Hawick to refuel, walked around Denholm and started reading Flying Under Bridges by Sandi Toksvig.

No one else turned up for another 2 hours, and we didn't get dinner till 8pm!  I had beef pie, as expected as part of this trip.

Bitter Mocha Brownies

I made some chocolate brownies from a Jamie Oliver's recipe.  I was too generous with the coffee and it was very much inedible.  I saved them anyway, hoping they will go well with ice-cream, and they do, phew!

Savoury Crave

I have been eating so much onion, and everything was so sweet.  I am really craving for savoury!

"Island" Hopping

When John said we would be "Island hopping", I was sceptical.  I checked the maps, I was right to be skeptical.  It was hopping on and off one "Island", the rests were peninsular!

Market Housing Price

I don't believe there is a shortage of houses, I believe there is a lot of house-owner stockpiling and reducing the perceived available houses and resulting in an elevated price.

The best way to bring the housing price is to raise policy and education to house owners to sell their house at an affordable value.  At the end of the day, the housing prices are market price (aka perceived values).  And when the market is full of greed and everyone wants the most money out of every of their asset is causing the housing price to rise.

Copious Mushroom and Onion Weekend

We went to the market and the Farmfoods.  I often end up with copious amount of mushroom from the market and copious amount of onions from Farmfoods.  This was exactly what happened.  I ate over 2.5kg worth of mushroom and processed 5kg worth of onions!  My gut bacteria better be happy.

Detergent Capsules

I was given some detergent capsules.  Matt has said capsules skins was causing the washing machine to stink, as they are often not fully dissolved.  I finally experience it myself.  I used a few capsules and their residues are absolutely everywhere.  There is only 5 more to go, maybe I will pierce it before applying the detergent!  What a terrible design.

AC Recharge

I sent my car for an AC clean and recharge.  I think it is slightly colder.  This should keep the AC going till Kendrew retires.

British Geological Survey Open Day

Sarah and I went to BGS Open Day.

It was as much fun as the pictures captured!

Tabasco Sweet & Sticky BBQ Sauce

I got this (on clearance). The first time I used it on chicken, I was not impressed. I think it was very artificial and a waste of chicken, but when I used it on pork, it appears to be as good as any other BBQ sauce. Perhaps I should know better not to overpower the delicate meat with strong flavour.