InvictaMoto's On The Road Again!

MAG has been asked by Bev Taylor to share the enclosed photo. If you can't see it, click on the link here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ s807qdtg3jovfqu/Bev_Tayor_ Lembit_Opik_CPS_meeting.jpg? dl=0 On Tuesday, MAG's Lembit Öpik, Director of Communications and Doug Smith, North Devon Rep, went to Exeter to support Bev in her meeting with the Crown Prosecution Service, regarding the death of her 19-year old son Greg who was killed by Niall Darvell while out on his bike with friends. The photo was taken at the BBC studios after the meeting where this report was recorded: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/ episode/b04pv3w0/spotlight- 26112014 Darvell was driving a VW Golf which was not roadworthy. Darvell himself walked away without any custodial sentence despite having a history of drug and driving offences and not being insured; as well as driving away from the scene at speed – attempting to remove any evidence from his vehicle. More details on the case here: http://www....

Thank you for your submission for the Roll of Honour at the Tower of London.   As you may be aware, due to public demand we began filming the ceremonies on the 11 th of August.  The archive site with the videos is now live and the video of 28 th October Roll of Honour is now ready to view. You can watch the recordings at:  http://poppies.hrp.org.uk/roll-of-honour/28th-october/   Thank you for your support and your participation in this project to remember those lost in the First World War.   Kind regards,   Kate Pritchard Roll of Honour Team   Historic Royal Palaces       The Glorious Georges: Every generation has a story, step into the world of the Georgian kings at Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. Watch the film at www.hrp.org.uk/georges .

Into the final trot and then Movember 2014 will come to a bumpy end... https://uk.movember.com/mobile/#profile/2865109 Thanks to everyone that has donated and I hope that as it is payday this week for most of the UK, it's a chance to donate. 

Reggie Snoop I suppose it is down to the previous owners but Reggie seems to have decided that sleeping on our bed is okay.  He's not stealthy at all, he just jumps up and commandeers a large space for himself.

It looks as though I am going to have to do some pretty drastic cutting and shaping to get the 'tache to look okay. I had been hoping for the Burt Reynolds or Sonny Bono look, but in the end it is a little too grey! Looking back through the blog history to see when I first started this caper, and it looks like 2004, although the first blog entry is back in 2006 with Tacheback . So, two thirds of the way through the month and I have raised less than ten years ago.  Not even keeping up with inflation. Here's the link again in case someone wants to spend a dollar or a pound, a zloty or whatever.  Every penny counts. http://uk.movember.com/mospace/2865109

I was reading a thread on the Facebook page of the Triumph Owners MCC about investing in a textile jacket and it made me think about how long I have been wearing my current jacket. I tried to cast my mind back then do a search, coming up with June 2008! http://invictamoto.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/new-jacket.html Was it really that long ago?  Amazing. Maybe I am also due for a new jacket?   But why?   The FT Aqua has been amazingly waterproof and continues to be so.  It was black when I bought it but in exposed areas like the sleeves and front it has faded to a more dark browny-red co;lour.  But in areas like under the arms and the back, it is still black!   I have no idea how many miles it has racked up. But I guess it is in the environs of 80000. In all weathers from very cold to high temps in Spain and of course, lots of rain. So?  Maybe I'll wait a little longer then....

Way past the half way mark now. The slide towards the end of the month is well and truly underway. Drumming up donations is proving hard this year. The BBC's Children in Need raised £32m from people in the UK and if just a fraction of that, maybe my friends and family contributions would have boosted my fund raising. 

He has made himself at home in the house and is generally very good. He spends a lot of time looking out of the window and chewing his toys. The tennis ball is punctured and he started to pull the hair off it. Other than not liking visitors, and growling and barking at a gas service engineer he is okay.

These are the places that I have added to the weekend. I expect I have over-engineered it as I normally do, so there may be places that we can remove "on the hoof" if we are running out of time. I'll have the route for TomTom ITN and a .GPX copy available soon. Some links. Pals at Sheffield Park Ocean Villas - Auchonvillers really! Newfoundland Memorial Ulster Tower Tank Memorial / Australian Memorial Pozieres Pozieres British Cemetery / Memorial to the Missing Froissy-Dompierre Light Railway Historical Peronne Souvenir Francaise Rancourt

THE POPPY | 14 November  2014 As we reflect on the outpouring of support from the nation, I would like say a huge thank you for your help during this year's Poppy Appeal. Many of you have given generously or given your time in support of the Armed Forces community, and I have found the efforts of the past few weeks to be truly humbling. Below are some of the fantastic projects that you helped make such a success. As ever, we will continue to Remember those who have fallen and also support the future of those who Live On. Thank you as always for your support. Charles Byrne Direct...

Way back in 2006, the Highbury pitch was dug up and the turf sold off. I was given this lump by one of my contacts at a school where I support their MIS. Sadly, it was quite sickly by the time I got it and it finally died a year or so after being planted. I still have the flag though!

If all goes well Snoop will join the family from the Dog's Trust at Canterbury this weekend.   He is a rescue dog and admittedly he has a few problems that will need ironing out but he will present a challenge and a new companion. The Dog's Trust originally had him on the website as a terrier-cross, but that was revised to Labrador-cross.  He does look like a Patterdale Terrier, although maybe not pure bred. Snoop might get a new name as well; it's not as though he actually knows he is called Snoop.  I have always wanted a Reggie . Snoop has been fully vetted, he has been neutered and chipped, and is medically clean; wormed and de-flead. He is due to be collected on Saturday. Claire and I had an interesting walk around Pet World where we bought a few essentials for him; a bed, some toys and the essential poop-bags..... Although we have both had dogs before, it is rather a long time since.  He is a little excitable and to be frank goes a...

The date is confirmed as 4th and 5th July. We have decided to stay in the Central Anzac again. The hotel has come online on booking.com . At the time of writing rooms are going quickly but we have a few booked and held as the hotel has a pay later/free cancellation policy. I am still working on the route from last year, I did have a Part-Deux or "Deuxième partie" route done and dusted but an over vigilant IT department at work managed to lose my files as the virus software decided ITN files should be deleted!!! So far I have recovered the old itinerary from the TomTom and removed the places we went to in the Somme-Une. And this is what it looks like at the moment.  As we over engineered last time, this might be enough to keep us occupied!

Today the Ring of Red. I met my brother at the Esso on the A2 and we had a coffee before we set off for the A206 bridge just to the south of the Dartford Tolls. Arriving there about 1pm to see no other bikes other than a couple that had joined us at Cobham Esso. Once we saw the start of the column appear on the bridge I fired up the Xacti and managed to miss the first couple of riders!! In the end I took about 5 minutes of HD video. There are some bits of empty road, but generally it works. Ring of Red - 1 Ring of Red - 2 Ring of Red - 3 Ring of Red - 4

Friday was a very sad day for us. Our beloved cat Hilly passed away. She was over twenty years old and had been on medication for an overactive thyroid for over eighteen months. Sadly, a side effect of the drug is that kidneys are affected. We took her to the vet as she was restless and spending a lot of time trying to go to the loo. Despite their care she continued to deteriorate and we had to make the decision to allow the vet to put her to sleep. We couldn't let her suffer any more. The house is very empty without her and we will miss her terribly.