Well off we go! Not too sure if I am doing things wrong but everything appears to be going correctly!

Set off in severely cold 2.5 Celsius conditions for a lovely ride down a very quiet A49 to drop in on my mate and fellow Pegaso owner Robbie in Monmouthshire. Betty wouldn't start at first but eventually she coughed into life. I was feeling similar.

I'm sure everyone feels the same, the night before setting out into the unknown, it’s all a bit scary and staying at home seems much more sensible, but you can't really do that! There are a million worries running through your head, eclipsed by just one bigger worry......'when am I going to get to sleep'?

So off in the cold bright sun. It was nice to appreciate the trees breaking bud on the trip down, the spring is making its mark, a shame to miss it, but we'll catch it fast forwarded elsewhere.

It was great to stop off at Robs and have a tea and chat, by this time it was beginning to dawn on me that breaking my trip away into a day at a time was the way to play it. All of a sudden getting to Plymouth before 3pm seemed doable.

Over the River Severn and onto the M4 and time to drop the right wrist. It didn't take long to find out that the semi off road tyre choice would be a problem on the motorway. The load on the back didn't help either, but anything over 85 introduced wibble wobbles. Hitting cats eyes whilst gassing it introduced a mild tank slapper. Never known that on Betty before!

I'm sure that in the middle of the Black Rock Desert I will be thankful, and to be honest 85 is enough isn't it!

Plymouth Hoe

So through Plymouth, past old Francis Drake on his plinth. Not only did 'El Dragoona' set sail from Plymouth to sink the Spanish Armada, but he also set off from here to circumnavigate the world on the Golden Hind. So this is a good place to set off from on a bit of an adventure.

Ship set sail, we overtook the royal navy and off at high speed across the bay of biscuit, Or something like that. Robbie Williams tribute man is on the cabaret, I might of pulled my face but it is great to see people enjoying their trip. A few families, some old couples, a few business people, lorry drivers, couples and quite a few overlanders on 2 or 4 wheels. It's a nice mix.

The only strange thing is that the crew are all French and it just doesn't seem right to ask, in French, for a pint of Bass! Saying that, I did have a few very good pints of Bass in Las Vegas 20 years ago so perhaps it travels? I don't think so though I have had a can of Bass explode in my top box before!

So we will chew off half of Spain tomorrow, but we will have to keep it easy on the autopista. No wobbling and weaving!