Unforgetable Weekend in Devon (August 2007)

[wrs71]

I have just returned from my long weekend break down in Devon, well Dawlish Warren actually and what a gorgeous part of the country it is...............Be even better if it had stopped raining,

my bike hadnt have broke down on the M5 ( approx 85 miles in), The recovery man hadnt explained to my girlfriend that ducati's always breakdown and they are a joke ( big earbends and p*ss takes),

I then had to drive down there in a mini ( real one ) so now deaf and need a chiropractor, I hadn't bought a tent because it was red to match my bike only to find out it was as much use in the rain as a handbrake in a canoe ( so wet inside i felt like a baby in a womb),

my camping stove packed in so i couldnt make a cuppa in the morning, I forgot all the bacon for the sandwiches anyway,

the wash facilities on site were on the other side of the quagmire to our pitch.
when we left the site a day earlier than originally planned and at five in the morning i set a car alarm off and woke most the site ( i'll get me coat )

it was like the national lampoons stay at carry on camping

on the plus side, went for the most amazing romantic meal on the saturday night, and had a great time ( so i was forgiven for my lack of ray mears camping skills), found twenty quid, and we laughed our way all the way back home at all that had gone on,probably never to forget it...

This years weather is amazing ( in a big bad soggy wet way) but i cant help but feel it must be ruining so many seasonal incomes that will bring hardship on many a small business but i loved it, funny and memorable.

The bike only needs a new battery or a rectifier all being well, will check tomorro.

[sadbiker]

Yes camping can be fun... I remember when we did a tour of scotland on bike (GT550) with a tent and sleeping bags, we found out the hard way it can get very cold on the ground and its hard (we didn't have bed rolls). Bought some body bags and put the sleeping bags in them.

Next time we went camping we had proper bed rolls and decent sleeping bags, all lightweight but of decent quality. We learnt the hard way, comfort is worth more than anything.

At least you can look back on this and laugh, at least you didn't use the bike to wake all the campers up. Otherwise more cursing of bikers would have been uttered.

[Steve GD]

So, to summarise, you invite your girlfriend to a weekend camping in the rain, which requires her to sit on the pillion of a Duc for hundreds of miles in the rain, break down, go home, then make her do it all over again in a Mini and all she does is take the mick and laugh at it on the way home? Hmm. Sounds to me like you have found a diamond!
Seriously, though, I'm glad you were both able to see the funny side.

[triumph5ta]

I went camping last weekend too, at the Youth Hostel in Arundel, Sussex. You can camp in the garden but you use the hostels showers, loos, kitchen, bar (yes, bar), dining room. They do breakfast and evening meals so you dont need to take much with you. There were two other tents there, so lots of space.
My camping kit is:
£30 Tesco 4 man tent, great for 2 people as you get lots of room. Has been seriously rained on many times and not leaked. Packs down small to strap across bike seat.
Blacks sleeping bag, packs up really small but is very warm.£80
Thermarest 3 self inflating mat, much more comfortable than a foam roll and packs up small. £60
Coleman Sportster Dual Fuel stove, a length of petrol pipe, lighter. £50 (but on sale for £30 in some places) runs on petrol which you just siphon out of the bike.

As you can see my priorities are being warm and comfortable and a nice cup of tea. Worth spending a few quid on. The only exception is the tent which is brilliant value for money. I wouldnt want to use it in really extreme conditions but it has stood up to some torrential downpours and not leaked a drop.

Adam.