Danger Will Robinson!

Okay, nothing to do with "Lost in Space"!

Today was a strange ride in to work, and I needed my own personal Robbie the Robot on a couple of occasions... Firstly the po-faced bitch that decided to move into my lane on the M20 as I was actually alongside her; my front wheel level with the rear door on her Hyundai Getz. She knew she was in the wrong as when I went past she had that fixed neck look, staring ahead. Not even the decency to apologise.

I know there is a blind spot on the Getz but it isn't where I was. We have a Getz as well and I have driven it quite frequently. Perhaps cocooned in her car with the Take That or worse on the stereo just pulling from one lane to the other doesn't need any mirror work.

When they teach these fecktards to drive they need to actually get them to turn their heads once in a while?


The second alarm was as I approached the M20/M25 junction, it looked as though there was a fog cloud to the right in the direction of the Dartford Tunnel. It wasn't fog but a cloud of spray. It has just rained and the spray was quite dense. Not as dense as the retards that were still pissing along at whatever ridiculous speed into the cloud... No lights made it even more dangerous. I'm amazed that with four lanes of packed traffic that there were no accidents.

In the nearside lane I looked in the mirror to see a Merc flying up my arse so a jink onto the hard shoulder kept me out of the bloke's way... luckily he found enough room to swerve into lane 2 before he got to where I was.


How the feck do we have the safest roads in Europe?

The Run Back - Assen 2009

The plan for the run back was to set off after breakfast and head towards the Afsluitsdijk and then south past Amsterdam, rejoining the route up around Utrecht.

After petrol and a detour around Sneek we eventually found the top of the dijk. The reason for the detour was one of mapping and roadworks. I took a wrong turn at a newish roundabout that was shown on the Garmin but not with as many of the exits as exist now. In the end our position was shown with our marker in the middle of a blank area.

After a few detours we got back to the A7 and headed off without any further mishap. The first stop to have a look and take a drink at Breezanddijk. Amazingly here, less than halfway across the dyke was a caravan park to go with the small harbours housing a load of pleasure boats.

From that point it was all plain sailing (as it were) via the Amsterdam ring, then Utrecht, Breda, Antwerp and Gent.

We had a few stops for petrol and water intake arriving back at Calais with an hour or so to spare.

3G?

Where would you expect to get the best 3G coverage on your mobile phone?

1. Hythe in Kent
2. Central London, say for example Islington
3. On a narrow sea wall dijk off the coast of the Dutch coast called Breezanddijk?

If you answered 3 you would be right!

What sort of shit are we sold by the mobile phone companies in the UK? In the nationa's capital I get one bar at 3G, but on a 100 metre wide dyke in the Netherlands there is a full signal on the phone.

Assen

Arrived hotel in Wapse. Very nice. Shower and time for a few beers.

Chummies' Whelks

When you go down to Folkestone Harbour for a walk and to see the little market by the Stade, it's only natural to try some local seafood. 

Chummies is the biggest of the stalls and now is sited in a permanent building backing onto the harbour. Years ago when I went from the ferry port I remember it was a small hut.

Today's feast was a half pint of whelks.

Whelks from Chummies

Tangle of anchors

During a walk to get some fresh air came across this little pile of anchors on the fishermen's beach at the western end of the beach.

Assen - A week to go

I managed to get the latest upgrade of Mapsource to work on the new laptop and work through all the Garmin files to get a better route.

A week to go and the excitement builds...

Kent Pet Food Run - June 13th 2010

It's over a year away but now is the time to pick a date and stick with it and so we have.


We will be going to the Retired Greyhound Trust again and as we evolve the run we will have more than one meet and ride-in.

Watch this space.

Ride to work

Rain was forecast. Had a good ride in and even found cheap petrol!



Bonus!

Kent Pet Food Run - June 7th

deval, originally uploaded by squibb1950 and used here as the subjects are me and Claire and Cee-Cee

When we arrived at the Stop 24 services there were three bikes waiting for us, Steve (VFR750), Brian (Bandit 1250) and Mark (BMW R1100S). We were soon joined by Neil on his XJR. At least there was one Suzuki present for the Suzuki Owners Club run!

On the way to the meeting Claire and I had been most of the way to the kennels to check the road closure on Stone Street. As it was we would be turning left about 50 metres before the barriers and the diversion.

Kent Pet Run, originally uploaded by Getzgirl.
Me and Cee-Cee.

Kent Pet Run, originally uploaded by Getzgirl.
Me and Cee-Cee.

I called run leader Graham to tell him and caught them as they left the first meeting place at the Oakdene Cafe.

Kent Pet Run, originally uploaded by Getzgirl.
Me coughing up into the collection box!

After some of the group porked their way through a breakfast we adjourned outside to wait for the Oakdene group.

Our six people on five bikes became 12 people on 8 bikes. Still a bit disappointing after handing out leaflets at shows and at local Suzuki dealers.

All those that were present were known to the Kent Centre or Kent BMF group. No newcomers.

We left just about 1210 with Graham leading and me as sweeper using the drop-off system. It all worked fine and we made it in one piece despite some of the roads after Stone Street being very narrow and the centre being a couple lined with two feet of crap and rubble/gravel.

We had a great time walking the dogs and chatting and finding out more about the charity and greyhounds. My allocated dog was called Cee-Cee although the Incredible Peeing Dog would be about right. Whether he was simply nervous or was marking his territory he had to have a pee every 1o yards max! Claire had a bitch called Figo.

After a few cakes and cups of tea and coffee we all went out own way home or onto lunch nearby.

TT 2009

Bugger.

Must have jinxed Cameron Donald yesterday congratulating him on the fastest ever lap of the TT course... He fell off and dislocated a shoulder and is out of the entire week's racing!!!

I'll stop whilst I am ahead and not jinx any others.

TT 2009

I wish we were there.

Just watched ITV4's first preview of this year's TT... Awesome!

Well done Cameron Donald the fastest man round the TT Circuit... and on the Relentless Suzuki by TAS!

Kent Pet Run 2009 - June 7th 2009

Fingers cross for good weather. After a few days of "scorchio" we have dull and grey in London today.

See poster at http://invictamoto.blogspot.com/2009/02/kent-pet-run-2009-poster.html for full details of the meeting places at the Oakdene and at Stop 24 services....

Report to follow....




pet food run

C2 - Peace and Quiet - Nirvana?

The Schuberth C2 has been a bane of my life. The most expensive helmet I have owned for years and years.

I thought I had a Shoei head, although years ago I had an Arai and it was a reasonable fit.

The Schuberth is in a different league for fit though. It's hard to describe how well it fits the contours of my head and with the skirts under the ears and the chinpiece envelope my head. I guess this is the same for all of us converts.

The bane though? I'd had it a few weeks and the top vent broke off and so it had to go back. Then more recently the left lock has failed on the chinpiece. I found a solution to this and will persevere and hope it doesn't go tits up full time.

The ride home tonight was the nearest to nirvana I've had for ages... where a motorcycle helmet is concerned. Quiet! On the way up to London I couldn't really tell how much better but on the way home it was bliss.

Another bane? I can't get the Scala bluetooth stuff fitted to it. If I am going to need the GPS I'll have to search out the wired connection and speakers and use that.

C2

After digging the C2 out of the back of the wardrobe to take it to Infinity, I had a play to see why the lock on the left wasn't closing properly. I noticed that the lock that goes over the locking posts at each side is in effect a hook.

On the right side the hook is in one place, and on the left it is further away, sort of leaning back, so that when the chin piece is pulled down it clashes with the head of the locking post. I moved it back with a fingernail and it was fixed. Sadly, the fix is only temporary as when you open the chin piece it flicks back into the wrong position, so something is letting it move out of line.

I gave it a run out to work today. At first I didn't notice the increased quiet in the helmet but overall it is a quieter helmet than my other choices, both Nitro's. I always wonder if other C2's have the same floppy visor? With the Nitro I am used to a stiff action that keeps the visor down, but the C2 is much easier to move up and down; far less effort required.

It's hard to describe the fit of the helmet but it is a better all round fit than anything I have owned sine the Shoei GRV on the 1980's!! It seems to fit all my head and neck, the flaps under the ears and in the chin piece make it feel closer fitting than other helmets.

Another plus point is the flip down sunshade. No longer original but a useful tool when it is very bright sunshine.

I think it still needs to go back to Infinity but at least I know what the problem is.

Macro photography

Since moving down from a compact camera that looks like a "proper" camera to a compact that doesn't even have a proper viewfinder, I have been amazed at how good the pix are.

I was however really surprised and amazed when I saw this pic of a bumble bee that I took at Sissinghurst today. I knew they were hairy but didn't know they had muscled wings!!

BestBiking Roads

Great resource for interesting roads!

More defensive riding...

As you get older do you really ride more defensively because you want to, or do you compensate for failing mental functions?

I've found that even though I lane split I do it more slowly and give in and let others past. I do get a bit annoyed by the human cannonball arseholes that can't wait and swerve round you.

Why human cannonball? Without exception they wear helmets that look like they saw Dan Walsh from BiKE Magazine and copied the look without the riding and writing ability.

Maybe it is age, but I let them get on with it and hope to get home in one piece.

Was a sunny work day...

After a damp squib of a week it was nice to get up this morning to see the sun blazing in through the curtains.

A relaxed ride in even. It was the last day of half-term and so most people had decided to take the day off and so the run right upto the Blackwall Tunnel before the clag started.

Since the bus lanes were opened it has opened a few more miles of tarmac that we don't have to share with four wheelers. Catch up with a bus and try to get out and round it and then things can get more complex if you encounter some midget at the wheel of a 38-tonner. A guy on a CBF in front had a slanging match with a Scottish dwarf ranting at him from the safety of his cab. Quite exciting viewing though. Amazing though how many tough guys need 38 tons to feel a man.

The ride home even better. Away from work at 4.15pm and down to Holborn to Infinity to see about getting my C2 fixed at long last. Although I have never managed to get it working with my Cardo setup, I want to be able to use it and get my money's worth. Even if I have to revert to a wired solution to get the Quest's instructions.

They were very helpful and so I need to take it in on Monday and see how long and how much it will be. The ride back via Aldwych and Bank and then back to Blackwall and beyond was easy enough and mostly relaxed back to the M25 and M20.

Kent @ Assen

A month to go until some of us from the Kent Centre of the Suzuki Owners Club go across to Assen for the Dutch TT, or MotoGP as they call it now. Our group 5 on 4 bikes will include my GS, my brother Neill's GSXR1000, James and his 1250 Bandit and another Neil (with one L) and his wife on an XJR1300. We'll be joined by Brian on another 1250 Bandit at the hotel.

Everything is booked and we have put a note on the Suzuki Owners Club's new forum to see if anyone else is going; maybe meet up for a beer in the evening? No contact as yet!

The outward journey is mainly on motorway from Calais. We're on the 0925 P&O boat so allowing for 90 minutes to cross the channel and the hour time difference it will be gone noon when we emerge into the French sunshine. The sat-navs give the quickest route through Belgium as the motorway to Ostend and then down to Gent and up to Antwerp again, but I have always favoured an N9/N49 route that goes across from Brugge to Antwerp more directly.

The outward route is shown here on Everytrail.

On Sunday after the racing is over, the TT is on Saturday, I've planned a longer run back. It's to take in the Afsluitdijk, the man made dyke the separates the North Sea and the Ijsselmeer. If we leave after breakfast we have all day to meander back to the ferry. So we have time to take in a few sights on the way!

I haven't added the return route to Everytrail yet but will when I can get it off the other laptop!!

Was a sunny day...

Sunday was anyway.

I had a ride up to London for the last Premier League game of the season. I was late setting off and had to stop for petrol.

So I could dump my gear in the bike I had the Zegas fitted; who wants to sit in full gear including a Frank Thomas textile jacket and boots in 80 degree heat. Not me.

At STOP 24 I filled up and the place was humming with bikes, a nice looking and heavily laden 1200GS with rider in blue and grey "twat suit" was there as well. I nodded and got ignored. Maybe an 1150 is too last decade for them!

Cruising up the M20 at a steady 70 (cough!) was okay, not a lot of traffic until the A2 when I noticed signs saying the Blackwall Tunnel was closed. Nice of them to have waited until Falconwood. "Use alternative crossing" it said on the sign. No diversion set up, nothing. Had they put this on the M25, then I could have gone over Dartford and in a different way, instead was stuck with the A2 across Blackheath and Old/New Kent Road. Clever.

Time was ebbing away and a bit of filtering through the twit class that have made Shoreditch an up and coming area and was in Highbury just coming up to 3pm. I'd said I'd see my brother about then by the gate.

All the single yellow lines where I have parked before were now double "at any time" yellow lines and traffic wardens in attendance to ticket any mug parking in the empty resident's permit places. I opted to pay a fiver to the church at St Joan of Arc. At least it is off road and less liable to be nicked; stolen or ticketed!

In the end it was a good game, neither Arsenal or Stoke City had much to play for and the Gunners ran out 4-1 winners.

The ride home was quite simple as well. Blackwall Tunnel now open southbound but queues miles back so I went A13 to Dartford instead. This bit of road has loads of speed cameras and everyone flows along at 50 to 60, slowing to 40 for the camera, and when past the zig-zags everyone speeds up again!

The only problem was after joining the M20 from the M2 via Bluebell Hill I came across three "hot hatches" across the roadway between the A249 and the Maidstone services. All members of some car club shouting across to each other at 60mph. The blue Corsa VXR, or whatever it was, sat resolutley in the outside lane with me behnd him, then slowed and then put his foot down. I let him pull away to about 70 (!) and then he pulled across into the middle. I accelerated past him looked down at the yoof af the wheel, CB handset in his hand... phones are illegal but not CB's? He then latched onto my arse. Any closer and he could have.. well you get the picture...

I expanded the speed envelope a little and he dropped back, and I never saw him or the others until I slowed for a police car near Ashford when he flew past at about 90mph, diving off when he spotted the Volvo ahead.

I filled the tank at Tesco at Ashford J10 and then has a relaxed run down the A20 to get home.

Refreshing ride to work!

After a week in Italy and the experience of driving narrow country and coastal roads with suicidal overtaking manoeuvres and the solid white line down the centre line meaning nothing, it was quite relaxing to ride into work today.

In contract with the Italian drivers, our great British commuters were the epitome of calm and manners. I suppose it is what you get used to.

Considering the standard of driving, we saw no accidents where life or limb were at stake. Practically every other car on the road had a variety of bumps and scrapes on the body work. Some were vying for a record of having the most body panels dented or battered or simply scraped.

The rental Punto we had came with the extremes of the front bumper (fenders?) scraped and the wheel trims scuffed on all four wheels. I added to these scuffs with both front wheels when forced to make a few avoidance manoeuvres when faced with a car coming the other way, sharing my side of the road.

Brakes on the Punto were surprisingly good with excellent grip from the tyres. Tested several times to the max on a drive along the Amalfi Coastal Drive, usually when faced with a scooter or small motorcycle head-on around a blind bend. I congratulate myself and the riders belief in their God that there was no contact, and that I only had to stop dead twice that Sunday.

So it was comforting to ride in today with 99.99999999% of drivers being able to keep in the lanes that they paint on the roads. The same sort of percentage also managed not to overtake across the solid centre line, opposed to their Italian counterpart that sees the white line as a guidance tool that they are somewhere near the centre of the road!

But where would I rather be today? London or Sorrento?

Me and 'Er at Positano

Positano, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

On the way back up the hill to the car-park. Remarkably looking in good nick despite blisters on feet and tired joints.

Cinquecento!

Until we were in Italy earlier in the month I had no idea that there are so many FIAT 500 "Cinquecento" cars still in daily use.

They were built in the same sort of period as the Mini in the UK and to be honest you hardly see any of them on he road unless there's some Mini festival.

I took a photos of ones I saw but in the end there were so many!

FIAT Cinquecento Originale, originally uploaded by Invicta Moto.

Positano Cinquecento, originally uploaded by Invicta Moto.

Positano Cinquecento, originally uploaded by Invicta Moto.

Vesuvius

Smoke from a pile of rocks not far from the top of the crater. Hardly visible so on the original picture on Flickr I had to put a note to show where the smoke is!

Casale Antonietta

Our room, originally uploaded by Invicta Moto.

This is where we stayed when in Sorrento earlier in the month.

The hotel is an agrotourism hotel in the hills above the city. A little more than a walk away, but and easy bus ride from just down the hill.

We had a great time there and although not a motorcycling holiday it was a good area with so much to see.

Trip Advisor reviews

www.casaleanonietta.com

Campania +3

Weather excellent. A bit too hot at some times. Can't imagine what it will be like later in the height of summer. Driving standards are suicidal, both cars and bikes cut every corner. But views are spectacular. This one of Capri.

Campania -1

Final packing underway. As usual the one suitcase is looking already overfilled! At Easyjet’s prices it pays to get it all in the one. Okay, so I’m cheap and think that £16 per case is an insult after you have paid for the seat.

I have the satnav setup and have stripped the power leads out of the car and ready to take with me. So what is airport’s security’s view of satnavs in their sunglasses case and a heap of wiring? On that subject.

Modern life means we have gadgets and gadgets need power. To get the power we have power leads. So after the phone charger, there’s the power lead for the camera batteries (different ones so different charger doobries), then the lead for the satnav to connect it to the PC, oh yes, the PC is going to… free WiFi in the hotel….. We hope.

What else, have I mentioned the phone charger, oh yes. Spare SD and CF cards for the cameras, the cameras of course, plus spare batteries. Then there’s the iPod and speakers, plus power lead. It never stops.

And all this has to be sorted so we can get up at 5am and be on the road almost immediately to get to Gatwick to sit about for a few hours before the flight.

Bus Lanes

It seemed like a great leap forward. Years of pressuring local government to allow motorcycles to use the lanes, then Boris the London Mayor said as part of it campaign that he'd do it.

And then from January the bus lanes were opened in London to motorcyclists. Not all bus lanes though. Make sure you check the sign as the lanes that are open are on "Red Routes" only.

So the reality. For me at least it has taken the some of the attention away from looking for the coppers that might see you illegally riding in the lane. That said, it seems that there are more loonies in the bus lanes, not just the bikers, but it seems pedestrians and cyclists are magnetised to the red tarmac.

To get to where you hope to be in the future means spending more time on the look out for the car (9/10's of the time) that will poke its nose out on the left, and of course, the curse of everyone, the wanker turning right across your path.

Safer? I can't say, but in the last two days I have had more near misses with myopic pedestrians who fail to see the big light I am shining at them and who fail to hear me coming than ever before.

Is my commute more relaxed now I don't have to fight for road space with cars? is it ****!

Maybe loud pipes do save lives after all?

New Sunglasses - Oakley Juliet Ducati

Blimey this was a bit of a long drawn out experience. For a while I have wanted a decent pair of sunglasses but as I am a spectacle wearer I've not had any other than a cheap pair for holidays and those few days I sit on the beach!

So before we go to Italy, where I hope it will be very sunny, I thought I'd get a pair of Oakley's. I've ended up with these! A bit over the top I thought when I tried them on, but grew to like the idea. As they are fitted with prescription lenses I am able to claim some of the cost back from my HSA insurance. Luckily.

Even they cost a fortune they don't come with a case. Maybe normal punters would get away with the microfibre string tied bag. Not a lot of use for a biker, even if they are secured in my mini tank bag. So I've been searching the net for a decent deal on a case for them. They are too bloody expensive to leave it to chance!!

Paul's new sunners, originally uploaded by Getzgirl.

Due to various setbacks, it has taken nearly seven weeks for them to arrive. I picked them up last Saturday and walked around town with them, even like a prat I wore then indoors as well! Then I came to ride the bike home from Hythe and the buggers won't fit with my helmet. Or any helmet. The arms are curved and can't open wide enough to get in the visor hole. B*llocks!

Waterproof Cover for Quest

Waterproof Cover for Quest, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

Bank Holiday Weekend

May Day tomorrow and the BH on Monday, but what to do?

Kent Centre breakfast meet on Sunday but don't expect many to turn up as there is a run to Goodwood as well.

Need to get some Pet Run flyers out as there will be loads of potential bikers out this weekend.

Champions League

Damn and blast. Under the cosh for most of the game and managed to get away with only a one goal loss.

Technorati

I decided to join Technorati as I seem to get quite a few photo views from that site in Flickr.

motorcycle travel

Road King and Bruv!

Road King and Bruv!, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

We had a ride to the Foundry at Robinsons in Canterbury to have a look at the H-D's and go out with my brother whilst he had a test of a bike that may be his ride in the US next year for his 50th birthday. His plan to do all of most of Route 66.

Strangely, I had a similar idea, but not Route 66, for our 10th wedding anniversary next year. Use the timeshare for the a week's stay in Florida, and add a few days on the beginning for a road trip and hire an HD from Peterson's in South Miami and "do" the Keys. Then have a car for the rest of the holiday.

Anyway, that's a year and a half away.

Wipers - Phoenix from the Flames - Sep 20th 2009

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Easter Saturday - The Family War Grave Trail III

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Kent @ Wipers 09 V

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Kent @ Wipers 09 IV

A great day in Belgium. In the end there were ten of us on ten bikes and the drop-off system worked a treat.

Click the link to see the full story: http://www.poi66.com/maps/show_album?album=wipersmay2009

Kent @ Wipers 09 IIIb

Lost at Wembley

In the end the makeshift team scored first, through Theo Walcott, but eventually lost to the better team.

On the day, Chelsea were at full strength and are always going to be a mountain to climb, even with three first choice defenders and one of the replacements crocked as well.

On top of that some of the Arsenal players didn't have good games and Adebayor knows he was lacklustre and a waste.

Inside Wembley

Inside the stadium with 15 mins to go to kick off and it is starting to get exciting.

At Wembley

The first sight of the new stadium for our first visit.

Kent @ Wipers 09 III

Today I spent a little time to check the route and waypoints that I used to create the GDB file for the Garmins and an ITN file for the Tom-Tom users.

In the end I have removed the Guynemer Memorial and one of the Passendale stops. This is to allow us more time to get into the trenches at Essex Farm and the Yorkshire Trench and spend some time in the Passendale Museum in Zonnebeke. Plus I've factored in Hooge Crater for anyone that wants to go into it. Some of us have been there before.

It's a shame that the Bremen Redoubt has been closed as it was a chance to go down into the mud and water in a former German bunker discovered in the brick works at Zonnebeke.

On the 'Net I checked for other places and found another Trench system called the Bayernwald. I have to see about a trip there one day. Maybe that can be included in Wipers 10!

Another Cup Semi-Final

For a team of younger players we haven't done too badly.

Perhaps a better start to the season would have given us a chance to challenge for the Premier League title.

So, Manchester United over two legs in the Champions League.

Kent @ Wipers 09 II

The group to go to Ypres on Sunday has grown to around a dozen spread over 8 or 9 bikes. The problem will be in keeping them all together!!

We are supposed to use the drop-off system for ride-outs, but generally there aren't many of us and we can mostly see the front bike. We need this to go well!!

Of course, that's if we get there. There is a strike of French fishermen and thwy have blockaded the French ports, so at the moment no ferries across to France. It was supposed to be 24 hours, then it became 48 hours....



I've started a POI log for the run and will keep it up to date as best I can as we go round - http://www.poi66.com/maps/show_album?album=wipersmay2009

Easter Saturday - The Family War Grave Trail II

The trip across to France was yesterday and in practice for the Ypres trip where there will be loads of us, I tested using POI66 for real. It worked a treat and when I got home I was able to edit the entries sent by SMS to make more sense.

See it here.

There she is......, originally uploaded by Getzgirl.

Easter Saturday - The Family War Grave Trail

We had loads of plans for Easter Saturday; always across in France, but instead of a weekend we have made it into a day trip.

I also changed the Shuttle to go a bit later as the original crossing was based on going to Paris or further afield. Instead, we will confine ourselves to Nord-Pas-de-Calais and take a look at a couple of war graves from our families.

Firstly after breakfast, we'll go and find Claire's Grannie's brother, Timothy O'Leary. We know where he is buried as her Uncle Michael told us. Otherwise it is a very common name! Not just the O'Leary bit, but initial T is common as well.

However, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has him listed at http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=195250.

After that we will go across to Armentières to see a small cemetery behind a farm where my Granddad Charlie's cousin Charles Devall is buried. He is at http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=573221. My late Father and Grandfather got this information long before the Internet and we have been before, but it was a long time ago and we didn't have much chance to stay and reflect.

I'm hoping for part way decent weather but it is still early April and liable to be wet in Northern France.

We're on our way to Wembley....

Just got back from Hythe. Got my Cup Semi-Final ticket. The envelope is a self-seal and it looked as though it has been opened and then stuck down again. The postman then got all shitty when I opened it before leaving and checked the ticket was there. I said that it was no reflection on him but the envelope, as he could see, looked as though it has been tampered with and I wasn't stepping outside until I verified the contents. Miserable clown. Just think what would have happened had I gone outside and found no ticket?

Italy in May III

Slight change to the plans for Italy.

I saw an offer in the London Evening Standard for www.hotels.com and an extra discount they were offering. On the site they had the hotel we were already booked in at a cheaper price before the special offer, that when calculated came out at £104 less than both www.booking.com and www.activehotels.com. This is the biggest expense we have on the trip. In fact it amounts to about 55% of the total cost.

Usually when we have a flying holiday it is to a timeshare where the accommodation cost is capped at £115 through RCI.

As we planned this before the credit crunch hit we are committed to going. Everything has been paid for so to not go now will cost us dearly. We’ll just have to eat cheaply!

Just under 4 weeks to go.

Try parking here?

Try parking here?, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

Hythe is really poor for bike parking. In the car park on Prospect Road there are three spaces.

This is by far the shittiest. You'd be lucky to get a moped in there and then you are at the mercy of the fool in the car! Plus the well positioned rubbish bin!

The one behind it is another masterful piece of design. At least the hatching means that as you try and squeeze the bike in the square you can avoid being creamed by the car to the left. It is impossible to park parallel to the lines and get in the space.

Just about parked in Hythe, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

Whitstable Easter Egg Run 2009 Mosaic

Whitstable Easter Egg Run 2009 Mosaic, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

A few of the pics I took.

Old BSA at Whitstable, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

I was lucky to get this at all as I couldn't see anything in the camera screen even with the sun to the front!

Busy Sunday II

Apart from the café not being open on Sunday morning at Samphire Hoe when we arrived the day went off pretty well. There was a good turnout for the breakfast run component and in the end we adjourned to Folkestone and a café over looking the harbour.

From there we had a drive up to Stop 24 to meet the people coming down for the Egg Run. And quite a turnout it was too. I was so shocked I even took a photo!


Graham Reynolds led the ride from STOP 24 up to Whitstable via Stone Street and a few back roads to avoid central Canterbury (as shame as in the sun it is a great view of the wall) and out through Blean. The new 40mph limit is a pain in the country once out of town.

The turnout was magnificent with what must have been 250 bikes setting off a little late after 2pm.

I watched them go and took a few photos and some videos on my camera and one or two are here.

Busy Sunday

I for one am hoping for good weather on Sunday. Firstly, it is the first Sunday Breakfast meet of the year at Samphire Hoe. A new venture for the Kent Centre of the Suzuki Owners Club, and a new venue. The cafe is more of a giant tea-bar and so there is very little cover. There are loads of picnic tables to sit at though! Secondly, it is the Whitstable Easter Egg Run. I usually go but after a few years of burning the clutch out on the mass ride out, I tend to go and dump the eggs with the organisers and watch the column leaving. Then go home. Might do the same depending on weather! As both are the same day we have a cunning plan (© Baldrick) to get from one to the other. The Samphire Hoe meeting is 10am and after a chinwag, we'll have a ride round to Folkestone Harbour and check out the seafood stalls before going to the meeting place for the run to Whitstable. It makes two events for the Centre diary. Fingers crossed for sunny or at least dry weather.

We're on our way to Wembley!

Things are building up for a first trip to Wembley, where 80000 plus will make their way to the new stadium, many for the first time. Use public transport we are told. "Cut the carbon footprint". So why then does TfL make it difficult by having a part suspension of the Jubilee Line? As usual the arse and the elbow have no idea. Integrated transport policy for London. Rubbish.

Swedish Choccie

Swedish Choccie, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

Nothing to right on the motorcycle front, but this was too good to miss.

A chocolate that tastes good and has a rather exciting name. Okay, not actually exciting but funny for us English.

Big Huge Labs

MoT time again

Okay, so my GS might be a little care worn, and yes, the paint is starting to lift on the barrels but it is 10 years old. It (I avoid calling the bike "she") was first registered in Bavaria in early 1999 and was then brought to UK later that year and registered by now defunct dealership SPC. So in UK it is not a decade old until September 2009. I still have the old registration document that came in the pack with the service book and handbook, both in German. Anyway, MoT time. I had the bioke out a couple of weeks ago for the Ally Pally show, but haven't had much opportunity to get out and about until this weekend. The MoT ran out on 15th march, so to comply with the law, I booked a specific time at my local bike dealers, Alford Brothers, in Folkestone. Since I moved to this area I've had my TDM and GT worked on there. The former for servicing and the latter for a an accident claim back in 2000. I bought a Bandit 1200 in 2001. I checked everything over and gave it a wash and brush up. The oil leak they identified last year that loses a little from the back of the engine near the gearbox doesn't seem to have got any worse, I'll have to get it sorted some time this year. The horn decided not to work. A bit of fiddling with the wires and nothing, then it seemed to sort itself and so all the way to the shop I was testing it. Claire came with me and all the time the bike was in Alford's we spent in Phones-4-U seeing about a phone upgrade for Claire. No change tarif, just a new phone. She chose a Nokia 5800, but can't have it until April 1st. We strolled back to the shop and usually it's outside wating to be ridden away, it wasn't. Dread! It was in the workshop and had passed. For the second year they noted play in the rear wheel bearings that was dismissed by the mechanics at Europ Touring So that's it for another year. Now to get out and put some mileage on it again. where it had its 48000 miles service last year.

Flickriver

Sissinghurst Castle & Gardens

The gardens and castle only opened the day before went for our regular look to see what was happening in the garden. It was quieter than expected and we took the car rather than the bike (no MoT!). Excellent weather in the end!

Somehow I managed to take 161 pics on the day! Most of them aren't very good and will never see the light of day but there were a few decent ones. Exactly what digital cameras bring to the world.

Sissinghurst Castle & Gardens, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

I tried the above to see what sepia looked like. I took one in colour as well and decided this one looked a bit better.

Sissinghurst Castle & Garden, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

Above are the oast houses right by the entrance in front of the castle main entrance. This set are quite spectacular as they have both the more common round oast and the square ones. In its heyday the farm must have provided tons and tons of malt from these oasts.

Sissinghurst Castle & Gardens, originally uploaded by Devaldinho.

I just had to take the pic above to get the reflection in the water but as I clicked the fish rose and the ripples had an effect.

My GT and Steve's Bandit

img002, originally uploaded by stevehh@yahoo.com.

In the Alps.

Ally Pally Bike Show

Luckily I won a pair of tickets for this show, otherwise I would have been very disappointed at the lack of bikes to look at and paw. Without a single manufacturer present it was always going to be a bit flat, but they usually get a local dealers to bring along a few bikes for punters to sit on. Instead it was left to a few clubs and museums to bring along some bikes to look at, plus the Ace Cafe had a display of customs and classics. The rest of it was like a bring and buy sale and a load of make weights i.e. non-motorcycling stuff, although the watches looked pretty good. The ride up was okay. I met Graham at the Oakdene, arriving at the same time as a huge group from my local BMW Club Section were preparing to leave on a run. Had I arrived earlier I would have gone across for a chat and showed my face, but they were all togged and helmeted up. As it was the first run out of the year I was expecting a few problems. I had given it the once over in the week; tyres and oil etc. The main problem was the ABS wouldn't boot up. The lights staying on and I put this down to not being used for a while and also maybe a low battery. Confident I set off anyway. The blinking of the two red lights is irritating and the more the buggers flash to more paranoid I became. The only other niggle was a little corrosion in the contacts in the Quest cradle had the power cutting out and its 30 second countdown to power off, and on occasions the dulcet tones of SWMBO cut out or were simply muted. At the Oakdene I had a fiddle with my fingernail and cleared the corrosion (for now?) and will sort it later. Must get some contact cleaner from work if they have any on the Internal ICT helpdesk! After that all was perfect with GPS. On starting off the ABS crunched and graunched and the lights went off. All was right with the world. It was a chilly run up to the Blackwall Tunnel, where a combination of the A2 roadworks at Blackheath and the Rotherhithe Tunnel being shut led to a long tail back of weekenders. Once clear of them we had run up through 'Ackney and Stoke Newington, eventually arriving at the Ally Pally following the AA signs rather than the GPS. At the show all I bought was a new EDZ Inner Shell jacket. I have one but it is like a sausage skin on me and it isn't very long. The new ones on the Travel Dri stand were much longer; evolution I expect. I enthused so much that Graham bought one too. To avoid the traffic we encountered on the way in, I chose a more direct route, so I thought. In the end it was heavy traffic out to the North Circular and easy enough all the way to the Dartford In the end I got home to see the last two minutes of normal time in the Carling Cup Final. For a first ride of the year it was chilly but enjoyable.

On the Marsh

After lunch we had a ride out to have a look to see if we could find the church on the Marsh at Fairfield. I couldn’t find it on the map although it is supposed to be slightly west of Brenzett and Brookland.

In the end we head to Brenzett across the Marsh from home and after a bit of messing about it came into view on the left. Although closed for services it was nicely kept inside and is in good condition.

Old Suzuki Roadtests

I had an email asking if I was the Paul Devall that wrote a few road tests for the Suzuki Owners Club a few years back. The writer had found them whilst looking for road tests on the first model Bandit 1200. I had forgotten all about them and did a search and came across http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/7594/roadtest.htm. Four of the articles are written by me. One by Andy Pratt and another by Dave "Greenfly" Greenhalgh, other SOC members at the time. I have now secured the source in case after all these years the Geocities site goes to the wall and we lose these gems! ;) The roadtests of the Bandit, Marauder and TU250 were done with the assistance of Suzuki GB and they provided the bike on the "drop it and you own it" basis. Unlike professional magazines that take pride in dumping bikes into the tarmac and worse, the SOC wasn't insured for third-party ownership and my own insurers were unable to help; not even at a price. The last of my articles was about riding the Kettle at the VMCC's Festival of a Thousand Bikes.