Weekend debrief

[guest7]

After a slowish start on Saturday morning (taking my kids to tennis etc.) I returned home and rang Carole Nash to get some new bike insurance, my previous policy having lapsed in late February. I was fairly calm about the whole thing until the end of the call when I suddenly felt massive elation about being able to ride my bikes again.

I went down to the garage and had to empty it of half my building kit so that I could unearth the sidecar outfit which had been buried after a big garage sort-out a few weeks ago. Finally the old bus was sat outside and I nervously tried the starter. No bloody luck, but some spirited kicking had the thing firing soon enough.

After that it was a bit of a mad rush to get all my camping gear sorted and supplies bought so that I could cook a big supper for the lads and breakfast the following morning. With everything stashed on board I set off for my friend Andy's farm. Within a couple of minutes on the road I was smiling like an idiot and really enjoying being on the bike.

We left Andy's in convoy, him in his neat 110 Landie and me on the rig, within no time we were at the campsite at Llanthony (see camping meet report HERE). The outfit needs a tweak as it is not turning left as well as it did, but some spirited riding was indulged in this weekend.

When I got home I had to do more garage shifting because the outfit will now live in the garage on the side of my house, not the one at the end of the garden. For the first time in years all of my bikes (and related bits and pieces) are in one garage, whilst my tools and building materials are in the other. This is a good result.

Tonight I am not going to the pub as I would usually do, instead I feel an early finish coming on.
GC

[Steffan]

In terms of bikes, the last few weeks have been spent off and on fettling the Skorpion. New tyres. forksprings, wheel bearings and finally seeing to the calipers. Thus it was with some trepidation that I set forth for Llantony on Saturday PM. I have to say that the old girl ran faultlessly and I was very very pleased with the results of my labours. I arrived around three to find the indefatigable Jethro emerging from his tent. As I had called at the Welsh venison centre, we were in a position to split a very handsome pork pie for late luncheon as we chatted. A white landrover heralded the arrival of GC.. that was Andy in the support vehicle Graham was leading from the front in his perenial combo. The group was completed when Simon arrived, but we were already in the pub by then; 5.30PM from memory.

Suffice to say that a good time was had, much cobblers talked. GC very kindly took it upon himself to feed us both morning and evening. Thanks GC.

The ride home was uneventful apart from the level of traffic and the dickheads on sportsbikes, it is a wonder more of them don't die. Sun came out as passed the Carmarthshire sign and by 4.30 I was fed and enjoying a quiet snooze.

Not a bad weekend at all. Thanks Boys!

Steffan

[guest7]

by 4.30 I was fed and enjoying a quiet snooze.

I got back to an empty house because my wife was working and my mum had the boys. I was just putting my head down on the sofa when I heard the front door open and the sound of two little boys shouting "Dad!". Nice to see 'em, but ten minutes shut eye would have been welcome 

What is it about biking weekends away that makes you so tired? Before now I've had to take the monday off following the Dragon Rally.

GC

[Steve Lake]

What is it about biking weekends away that makes you so tired? Before now I've had to take the monday off following the Dragon Rally.

GC

It's the total relaxation that comes after arriving home in one piece and not breaking down, also it can have something to do with the excesses of the previous night

oh.....and where might I ask is the stamped address envelope GC.....forgot about it in the general rush to indulge yourself over the weekend did we?

[guest27]

Interesting Weekend here - nowt to do with MC though.

The Dinas - the hill on which we live - caught fire on Thursday night and we were keeping a watching eye on it through Friday - all seemed to be OK, so I set to on a set of old lenses from some specs and 'glued' them with clear RTV to my Oakley M Frames - after a couple of attempts, call them Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3 I have some prescription M-Frames at minimal cost, must try them out soon.

Back to the fire, Friday afternoon it was smoking away, by 6pm it was in full flow and a worrying evening was spent wandering up and down the hill and main road keeping an eye on the flame front and our property.  Eventually the Fire Brigade stood us down from evacuation alert at 3:30 SSat morning, and I went to bed.

Have some nice pics of the fires on the hill taken from the house.

Turns out the next house was evacuated at just gone midnight and we went for a wander up there Sat afternoon - their fence and decking is scorched about 20' from the house.  A walk over the Dinas revealed a massive amount of fire damage, any number of baked eggs from nesting birds and a number of cooked snakes and slowworms on the paths. It is interesting what some prats find fun - the police and FB are of the opinion that the original fire on Thurs night may have been accidental, but they think the fire was restarted on Friday afternoon - backed up by a certain amount of bragging being reported too.

Interesting lesson from this was the vulnerability of our house and our neighbours, the FB recon that it would take 10 to 20 mins to be able to run the pumps and hoses to get the water up the hill to our house - no access for owt other than a landy towing a small bowser, the people up the hill have no chance and the people evacuated have a 500 gal tank, but this would last a matter of mins and the run for pumps and hoises is far longer to them.  So we have had a bit of a discussion as to what the best option would be.  Seems that we are more vulnerable now as in the past the men from the village would go mob handed up the Dinas and beat out fires, however now there is a lot less community spirt towards doing this and the police and FB, whilst they cannot stop you will strenuosly try to stop you.

Sunday was Sunday, swimming and gymnastics for No1 in the morning and then a couple of hours quiet when Mrs Rog took both boys out and I watched the F1 - these new rules have made it interesting for much longer than it used to be - 3 abreast into a number of corners, we need similar in MotoGP

R

[SRXer]

After having a panic attack at loosing the Crusader parts I bought from Cumbria (im near London) which cost me £30.00 and would be over £400 brand new, I emptied my garage, turned my house upside down, turned my mums house upside down only to find them inside a Jacobs cracker box on top of my mums kitchen units. I also found my ratchet which I havent seen for over a year, so bonus.

I can now order the last Crusader engine parts having sold a fair bit of SRX parts. looks like it might even get on the road this year. :-)

Nathan

[trophydave]

Four of us spent Saturday night at the Three Stags Heads at Wardlow in Derbyshire.It is a very unusual old fashioned type of pub.Four hand pulled beers,no electric beer,no lager,just a few different bottles if you don't want hand pull.Basic camping(field,toilet,tap) is available just up the road for the princly sum of £2.00 per person per night.There is also a cafe which opens early for breakfast opposite the pub.
Two of us had a good ride round on Saturday tea time just to make sure that we didn't go to the pub too early,then it was beer time when much bo**ocks was spouted.
It was a lot colder overnight than expected,we found a hard frost first thing in the morning.A very good night out,I reckon that we shall visit there again somtime.

[guest7]

Isn't that where had one of our Northern(ish) runs? I seem to remember them fining a bloke for using his mobile phone... and I may have kissed the landlady... it's a long story that involves far too much Neil Young and guest ales 

GC

[trophydave]

Isn't that where had one of our Northern(ish) runs? I seem to remember them fining a bloke for using his mobile phone... )
GC

I don't know but it's possible.I understand that the Landlord (Trevor?) doesn't like mobiles.

[squirrelciv]

Saturday spent in the main, fitting Hagon progressive springs and some Bonnie scrambler gaiters to the VX. I decided to pop the forks through the yokes by about an inch to see if I could speed up the turning. Also started on a home made luggage rack for her too.
Sunday had me up early and off to meet the guys at Llanthony for breakfast. Took the back roads to try out my new front end and although it's made a great deal of difference, a race bike she ain't. Too long and way too heavy for that nonsence. That said, I'm very pleased with how she is and things feel far more taught now, making for a more relaxed ride. (just don't push it too hard!). Great to meet up and scoff sausage butties/talk bollocks. On the way home I pulled into Abergavenny, popped by SteveH's, but all looked asleep so I didn't knock the door. Instead I headed to the Cafe/bikey meeting place. Got off, looked at shiney things, got back on and buggered off. Nowt there to hold my interest and every rider I could see looked like a knob about to hit the road and piss off every car driving voter they came across.

Heyho.

The rest of Sunday was spent on the settee supping tea and reading Sonny Barger's biography.

All in all a great weekend.

[guest7]

oh.....and where might I ask is the stamped address envelope GC.....forgot about it in the general rush to indulge yourself over the weekend did we?

LOL 

Actually when I was tidying up the garage on Sunday I came across what might well be the missing pole section. I need to see the bloke I gave the tent to to confirm. I hope it's ok if I hold off on your offer until he gets back to me.

Cheers
GC

[Steve Lake]

LOL 

Actually when I was tidying up the garage on Sunday I came across what might well be the missing pole section. I need to see the bloke I gave the tent to to confirm. I hope it's ok if I hold off on your offer until he gets back to me.

Cheers
GC

Bluddy typical, SWMBO has been giving me earache all w/e about a pile of poles/string/rubber bands loafing about..........a few more days won't make any odds........

[Steve H]

On the way home I pulled into Abergavenny, popped by SteveH's, but all looked asleep so I didn't knock the door.

They were in and should have been up as the youngest had a football match. I was out early on the pushbike, we probabaly passed each other at some point.