Leaderboard

Just a few days to go and we're about set. just 3 of us this year. The "Birthday Boys" as we all share the same birthday. (funnily enough) So, Ireland.. Easy enough to get to and without any of the complications involved in crossing to Mainland Europe. Only two bits of documentation required. A passenger Locator form to be filled in 72 hours (or less) before arrival in Ireland. And proof of full vaccination. And that's it. No passport, just proof of ID - a UK driving license. very civilised. No Covid tests needed either before departure or after arrival in either direction. Which, not only removes a major hassle - it also removes any risk of being denied re-entry to the UK if bad luck strikes and we pick up the virus while away. Weather forecast looks positive for the start, at least. This weekend. My dog is being collected at (or before) 10am on Friday and I will be setting off shortly after that, Meeting one of the guys at Burton on Trent and then another (who isn't crossing with us) near Cannock. Number 3 is still unsure about arrival times, so will turn up when he's good and ready. Then a bit of Motorway to near Telford after which, onto normal roads south and west into mid and south west Wales (via Elan) to our overnight digs at a place called Spittal, midway between Haverfordwest and Fishguard. An old police house that is a roofless ruin on streetview. But has since been restored and looks really quite nice. Relaxed start on Saturday morning, into Fishguard for a big breakfast and then over to the Docks for check-in and boarding at midday. Once across we will be having a 130 mile dash to Cork, via Waterford and then stopping overnight just outside the little town of Kinsale, which marks the southern start of the Wild Atlantic way coastal route. Our back of an envelope plan is to spend a few days in Kerry, based just outside Killarney and explore as well as following the route, Then head north, again following the route as far as Connemara, before wending our way east to Dublin and the return ferry to Holyhead. If we have rain, and that's practically certain and it looks like a day will be a washout, then we'll have a day off from riding and head into town. find a nice pub at some point and get pissed. (has to be done) And that's about it with the pre-plan, I'll post further on here as the days pass and internet connections allow.

Some time ago, I said I would post a video of me lifting my bike off the floor, and I just remembered that and filmed it on the spot. I didn't take into account my very dusty slippery garage floor and me wearing sandals almost slipped and dropped it, but on account of authenticity here is the unadulterated video: Wear proper shoes and it's not a problem.

Missus' bike.

You can't pretend you're not getting BOTM because of that ugly top case, @XTreme! That little Honda could be carrying a replacement engine in that top case and still made BOTM...so the top case thing is just for you

Update from @MooN......he's had computer problems and some other things to deal with, and he should be back by the weekend!

On Wednesday night I had a call from a mate in Reading asking if I fancied meeting up with him and three mates, along with another friend from Southampton at the air museum near Salisbury. Seemed like a plan so set off to get there by 1130. Of course I arrived far too early. Then the rest of them turned up after I'd had the worst cup of tea in living memory. Was well pleased to see this Gloucester Meteor as I probably saw it flying from Llanbedr airfield when I was in primary school nearby And this was one of the drones that they also flew from there. Some of the exhibits My mate from Southampton trying to figure out how to get out Biggles Stopped at this War Cemetery on the way to Avebury. And then after riding past the stones at Avebury stopped for a much needed beer. We rode up to Swindon because the stupid GPS on my mate's bike led us there for fuel. A group bomb burst and a quick blast down the M4 to Reading for a kebab and red wine, before heading home on the Friday along a gridlocked M4 as far as Chepstow. Good to meet a few new faces, and hopefully there will be another ride somewhere interesting before too long. Great collection well worth visiting run by a knowledgable and friendly bunch of volunteers. Highly recommended.

@boboneleg starts an "absentee" thread.......and then goes absent! Fucking tough audience here......not as tough as @Six30's Bobby Chariot gig over that other place though.

I overshot the Owl's Nest and these scoots have a two mile turning circle LOL, but to be honest I prefer the Sennybridge Cafe over either of them

Not gone just way too busy. Legacy of Covid, all the things I booked in 2019 colliding with all the things dumb stuff I agreed to do in 2020 when time seemed endless making 2021 look like a race for life. Havent been at home at the weekend for a while and wont be again til mid October. That thought doesn’t appeal at all though so Ill probably see what I can ditch. Ill see you minger losers on the other side of it if not before

For some reason this reminded me of a story from years ago involving my dull mate Lee's twin brother. His name was Neil and they were in a night club in town chatting to a couple of girls both of them about 18 years old at the time. My dull mate Lee was getting on ok with the girl he was chatting up but Neil was getting nowhere with his and she had started being rude to him which pissed him off, so he went to the toilet and when he came back he said to my dull mate Lee lets go, after having a bit of a row over why he wanted to leave Lee agreed and left in a huff thinking he was in with that girl. Once they were outside Neil told Lee the real reason he wanted to leave, It was because when he was in the shitter he caught his turd in some toilet paper and had slipped it into the handbag of the girl that was pissing him off Still makes me laugh when i think of it chuckling to myself now as i typed this

Things Seen out of an office window:- For quite a few years (probably 89-95) I was based on the 2nd floor of a small mini town hall that faced on to Roman Road in east London. In those days we were allowed our own desk and I plonked mine right next to the window along with my drawing board and wheeled cabinet with all my pens, pencils, stencils, set squares, compasses, and all the other paraphernalia that a successful international draughtsman and man of mystery surrounds himself with. I also had a normal desk chair and best of all, a tall swivel chair which I could spin myself on till I felt sick, any time I wanted to. I have grabbed a GSV view of the building as it is now and put an arrow pointing at my window. They managed to get it clean after I moved out, although the carpet was a write off. (That tree wasn't there back then) Anyway, in between producing works of fine art and drinking tea I would occasionally gaze out of my window, usually until my boss would shout, 'Oi Motorhead, get on with your work you lazy twat.” I have been called Motorhead at work since 1986 when I turned up on my first day with long hair and a leather jacket knocking the potted plants over with my crash helmet. That scruffbag looks like Motorhead someone joked and it stuck. Variations were used such as, “Oi M. Head, Oi Motor, Oi Monsier Head, Oi Mr Head”, you get the idea….Gradually less and less people know me as that now, the older generation has retired, moved or popped their clogs, although at one time, our chief exec was going to allow me to have 'motor.head' as the first part of my work email address. The I.T. department nipped that in the bud. It still occasionally gets shouted across a noisy street by people old enough to remember. I saw many things out of my window, I will now list some:- 1/ Diana, Princess of Wales' underwear. She was visiting the building for some reason, the police had been in hours before she got there to look for bombs and assassins and our small car park at the rear was full of coppers on BMW K75s. We had been told that we could stand on the stairwell to see her as she went up them, but I wasn't a big royal fan so I decided to spin around on my tall chair whilst the governor was away. Anyway, a crowd had gathered and I heard a cheer and looked out of the window. A large black car pulled up and the rear passenger door was right under my window. Someone opened the door from the outside and first to emerge was a lady in waiting who gave a classic example of how a lady should get out of a car in a short skirt, nothing was put out there for general viewing. Then the Princess of Wales showed the incorrect way to get out. It was done that poorly I could read the labels. I'll say no more on the subject in case MI5 come for me. On a seperate note, a bloke came in just after another occasion when she was planting a tree in the borough. He had a lovely shiny shovel she had used for the photos and perhaps a gentle dab or two at the soil around the tree. He was in a rush to get to the reception and apparently thought turning up with a shovel would look uncouth. He asked me to put it in my locker for safe keeping. He then retired or rather was bullied out for various reasons and it is now in my garage with crusted bits of concrete on it when I used to to mix up a shed base. 2/ Bootsie, I often saw an old woman with snowy white hair and shoes with large flaps sticking out at the front of the toe and the back of the heel. She would rush along with these slapping at the pavement and sometimes local children would run along mocking her. I asked a lady working with us at the time what she thought they were. She laughed and said that they were the pieces you bought to resole shoes and that you were then supposed to trim the excess off which the old lady hadn't done. I saw her often, sometimes shouting at people, sometimes looking frightened and nervous. I found out years later she was well known locally as Bootsie and was a concentration camp survivor with mental issues. 3/ Reggie Kray. Ronnie Kray had died whilst incarcerated in Broadmoor Hospital and the cortege was leave from a small funeral directors in Bethnal Green Road. This leads onto Roman Road and the streets were heaving with people who wanted to watch it go by as Reggie was to be allowed to attend the funeral on day release from prison. There were more barriers put up along the foot ways than for the London Marathon, it was a very big deal locally. Colleagues in Bethnal Green had even lowered some evil shaped traffic calming measures for the hearse so the deceased wouldn't get bruised when it went over it. You could hear constant cries of “They loved their Mum”, or “They bought very pensioner a colour telly you know!”, or even, “They only mutilated and murdered their own, bless them, we wouldn't have no trouble now if they were about still carrying out their protection rackets and shooting people.” When the procession finally went past I saw the main car behind the hearse with the back windows down. It was proceeded and followed by the roughest looking bunch of ne'r do wells I have ever seen, I was glad I was up a few floors, they were even scary from a distance. Bald heads and sunglasses abounded, I recall one black man with dread locks all the way down the back of his knee length leather coat. We used to joke that if you went on a 2 week holiday then the borough would look different when you came back. A new road, or something demolished, or a new tower block etc. You could see Reggie Kray's face looking out the window at all the people and also at all the buildings. I got the impression he couldn't believe how much had changed since 1969, he looked a bit sad and lonely and of course, old, still recognisable though. I wasn't in the building for the second funeral when he passed away, but colleagues who were there said there was hardly anyone in the street to watch it pass by, it was suspected that they only came to the first one to see a live Kray pass by. 4/ The Moroccan murder attempts and my day in court as a witness. To be continued.

Trolling ......not sure what that is? Is it the same as being a annoying cunt?.

I'm even more impressed with putting a big bike on the centre stand in flip flops!

im still here dont panic

Same here cracking breakfast at the Sennybrige cafe. I only have a steak and onion roll at the owls nest not had a breakfast there just dont ask for cheese unless you really really really like cheese i think he puts it on with a shovel

There were loads of garages on or near our route but the team leader got led astray by his technology. It seems to be a gift with some people!

One of my favorite place @Cupid Stunt Any reason you go to that horrible cafe instead of the Owls nest

I take the screen off when I wash the bike at home, it's only two screws. It´s easier to wash the little flap under it and behind the clocks, and also easier to clean the screen since it's quite dirty on both sides. When I ride the bike dry I haven't washed the screen yet, and I don't bother with it. I also take the rear seat off after washing and on that ride, for warm air to flow easier and dry stuff. I quite enjoy the difference of having no screen on low speeds, even though it weighs virtually nothing and is quite smaller than the stock screen, the whole bike feels smaller and more agile than with it on, it's way easier to do full lock turns and stuff like that and I enjoy that elusion.

All this talk about switching votes and i forgot to vote

What a cunt.

Its ok for her she doesn't have to go so far to stand up

Near enough!

Is your PC so old Lionel that you can't write anymore than 10 words at any one time.......................... Just asking

I somehow don't think they'll be using that in any Heath & Safety videos Pedro

Oi, I've been busy in the garage. You know, with tools and things............................... Oh no , you don't know do you .............................

im not a high speed merchant , i just enjoy biking , and more big brother shit will ruin it on the road.

Dont feel guilty you have a life and Six doesnt and cant post drivel everyday for no-pay...you have to admit, we get what we pay for...lol

With the sort of intelligent cornering ABS and throttle management on bikes today and becoming more available each year, I honestly do not think that is an issue on the road. It won't cut power like a hard rev limiter does. I also think most bikes will have a BMW ABS style button which you just press and disconnect the whole thing, too many bikes being meant to be used for off the road things make it easy for bike manufacturers to do it, although certainly some won't. I am sure I do not want to buy a bike that monitors and records what I do in a way that can easily be presented to the authorities, or one that is speed limited in any way. There will be a massive industry of guys mapping these systems out of bikes and cars, and this might in turn present the manufacturers with liability in case they aren't able to ensure their systems' unbreachability (is this a word?). My dad's car has a little sign inside on the dashboard that indicates the current speed limit, based on sign recognition or might even be GPS assisted, it works surprisingly well. Having said that, there are multiple speed traps placed right after lower speed signs in Portugal, these systems won't save you from this as you would need to jump on the brakes to go from a 120 to an 80 in 50 meters, we are nowhere near the speed monitoring you guys have in the UK or France, though. And lastly, you know he's not a car guy when you hear "your 10 year old Ford Escort"

Olives have to be good quality, but the cure process and the seasonings make all the difference, and once you taste nice ones with good seasoning, some herbs, some roasted garlic, there are few snacks better to go with a drink before a meal! Riding around my home, in a place called Paradise Valley, it wasn’t a shithole but I wouldn’t call it paradise either

mixing concrete with the royal shovel...

@yen_powell, you were called Mr. Head over at work?

Class!

That's so cool only thing that comes into my garden is the neighbours cat and it only comes in to take a shit fucking thing

Not a photo but a very interesting visitor a few weeks ago

Bridge Spider - Larinioides sclopetarius at Rutland Water

Tabanus sud eticus - Giant Dark Horsefly (male)

Male Great Spotted Woodpecker in my garden

Nice. I do agree for the most part with the photographer over the gear thing..... as a professional photographer for 25 years now I just enjoy the gear and like to know what people are using.

I took this one from with my Fuji X-T2 and 16-55mm lens, I was about 18 inches from the fox's face and it had no idea I was there, this is a rural fox not an urban one, very different behaviour, far more timid and can hear a ticking watch at 100ft or more

In my garden

Little story on this one My bike had a dodgy battery and this location is 9 miles from the nearest phone reception or houses, I had to ride over some humps and along a dirt trail to get to the elevated view point, it has sheer drops all round. I decided to keep the bike running whilst I tried to walk it through a 3 point turn, damned thing weighed a ton so I had to pause half way and went to put the side stand down but instead kicked it into gear LOL, it jolted forward and I just managed to catch it before the front went over the edge, if it had there's was no way I'd had been able to lift the bike up again, that would have been a very long walk at 2am

The Milky Way core over my Divvy 900 at Llyn Brianne

A Huffin' Puffin

This one was shot with my Nikon 1 J5 and 70-300mm CX lens But it isn't cameras that take pictures, it's photographers

Red Kite - Milvus milvus, mid Wales