InvictaMoto's On The Road Again!

Defo Animal, defo vegetable and a liberal helping of salt.. a mineral?

Back in March after a series of flat or flatish battery moments I bought a solar panel from Maplin and have ever since when the bike is in the garage it is connected through the accessory socket. I blogged it back then, click on the "solar panel" link below, and never reported how good or crap it has been. Good. It has been excellent as it happens. Despite the lack of sun generally in the UK this year, it has been a total success. No flat battery problems and only one ABS malfunction that is usually associated with a low battery. Well worth the money. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone!

We have secured a slightly cheaper deal with P&O through a friend of Ian Gardner's at the Port of Dover and that should be sorted with everyone wanting to go sending Ian a cheque for £17 bike and rider/pillion. A small saving admittedly but today P&O's fare on the website went up to £21.50 from £19.

Parked at Westenhanger Station and came back to find that someone had run into it during the day and damaged the sill! Have no idea who did it as they obviously Pi55ed off without leaving a note.

The rally itself is over the entire weekend but we are planning a day trip across, weather and ferries permitting. I have advertised it on the Kent SOC list server and also on the BMFinKent forum and so far have 5 peeps and 4 bikes who want to go. Checking the ferry websites shows that P&O are £19 all-in for bike and two and that includes a £4 fuel surcharge. For their part Seafrance have a £15 fare plus an optional £2 "marine conservation" donation. Eurotunnel though have nothing book and it it was it would be £29. Considering they are still farting about since the fire and their general don't-give-a-shit attitude to bikes it looks as though the ferries are the way to go.

A boys weekend away to Holland for a long weekend? My brother mentioned that now his daughter's are off his hands, one at Uni and the other finished at Uni, that he would have more time for bike rides so I suggested we try the Dutch TT next year. After a search for somewhere reasonable to stay we found a hotel about 20 miles from the track as Assen. I advertised it on the SOC Kent Centre site and to a few friends and if all goes well we have 6 of us going and we have three rooms booked. It's so far away.... but now we need to track down the tickets for the racing on the Saturday!!