Great Weekend

  Brilliant Rally again, the weather the people and the organisation was perfect. thanks to Marc Miki & Guy and indeed all the others who worked hard to make it so enjoyable. Had a good  run up to Hilversum today in excellent weather.Arount 190 miles today and now looking forward to a comfy bed and a shower.

Out for a run.

We're at the halfway stop on todays run. I was one of the marshalls stopping the traffic at junctions. Great fun being an official idiot! After the bikes go through you then have ve get back to the front it's been a hoot.

Newcastle again.

Well here we are at the ferry again waiting to be mistreated by the dfds staff. Good run down the road with no rain so thats a bonus. Some arse in a people carrier tried to run me off the road his number is BS57PXB i think if you see him tell him from me to try to commit suicide without involving anyone else.

Almost ready for the off (again)

Well a day in the garage checking out MVD (my faithful Commando) for this weeks trip to Belgium for the Flanders Norton owners club excellent Begonia Rally, held in Vifwegen near Staden (about 14Km from Ypres). Right in the heart Flanders where so many people lost their lives in World wars. Actually the site is next to the Depot where they explode the bombs and ammunition that are still turning up week after week more than 90 years after WW1, luckily they don't work weekends so there should be no surprises!
The Norton is all serviced again after the Austria trip and raring to go (I hope), I've fitted a small screen and test rode it yesterday and it appears to have made a significant difference to comfort at 70mph so looking forward to a decent test this week.
Following the Begonia we're taking a small tour of Holland before returning home so looking forward to that, here's hoping the weather gods smile on us!
I'll try to keep the blog updated! I usually do it from my mobile which explains the occasional strange words that crop up , honest thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Must pay more attention

Must pay more attention, Must pay more attention, Must pay more attention, Must pay more attention.

So tonight we went along to a Guzzi meeting at the Hawes Inn at Queensferry despite the black clouds. It's surprisingly warm for being so wet and dull. Now the main point of this is to say I'm an idiot, the meeting is actually next week! Anyway a fine excuse to get out on the bike and enjoy a cup of tea looking over the two famous Bridges over the Forth. Oh yes and it did rain on the way home and no we didn't have waterproofs.................every journey is an adventure right enough!

Italian Day Hopetoun House

Ok so thought I better explain this particular entry, we (the Guzzi club) were invited to an inaugural "Italian Day" held at Hopetoun house near Edinburgh. Hopetoun house as you can see from the pics is an impressive backdrop to have such an event. Bike wise mainly Ducati's and Guzzi's with a couple of Benellis and a lone Morini. The cars were impressive ranging from new Ferraris to a Fiat Cinquecento (pictured) which won the award for the best vehicle on the day (well done) Fiat's, Masserati's, Lamborghini's and Alfa Romeos. A great day out and interesting to see all the exotic machinery. Hopefully we can do the same next year but can we have an Ice cream van, pizza sellers and a nice Italian quartet playing in the background. Well done to all concerned in the organisation.

Relaxing in Queensferry after the meeting


This Ex race Guzzi rolled in, not seen it for a while


Plenty Ducatis





Lambo Engine.....nice



Ducati's by the barrowload

Half of the Ferrari's present

Hmmm

Nice

Different! And the award winner!

Good Guzzi turnout

NIce outfit with solenoid gearchange conversion

Very nice setting , well done to the organisers

Strange things you see on the road

This is a photo I took in Hilversum Holland a few weeks ago and couldn't find it till now. This "statue" appears to be a fully working Aprillia 6.5 on a stainless steel pole near the town centre.

The plaque states "industrial design 6.5 Aprilia motorcycle Design: Philippe Starck (Paris 19 49) In 1998 donated to the town by Hilversum development combination Bakker, Vink and De Jong"

Now thats a nice statue better than the usual stone effegy of some old dud, very cool but not sure if they clean it now and again or oil the chain to stop it turning into a rusty mess. If its been there since 98 it still looks rideable (well from ground level at least) so some maintenance must have been done!! I dread to think what a Norton Commando stuch 30 feet in the air on top of a pole would look like after 10 years!!

Almost forgot

The story of last years Romania on the Commando's trip has been published in the Real Classic online magazine

http://www.realclassic.co.uk/ridesfiles/romania09080400.html

If your bored!

Also our good friend Richard from Belgium is making a slow recovery from his injuries and will hopefully be back in Belgium this week sometime.

Reflections

Reflections on a great weekend, firstly Scotland seems to be bursting at the seams this year with tourists, the roads are full of cars from across Europe and hire cars been driven by non Scots or indeed Brits. This is great for our tourist economy and following last years dismal tourist trade its got to be a shot in the arm for the businesses that service that trade. I met a party of Italians yesterday in Lochcarron and spent some time talking with them, some had been here before just travelling and finding a B&B at the end of the day or a hotel, this year though it has been difficult as most places seem full at the moment. A Belgian couple I met in Applecross were telling me they arrived at a cafe at quarter to five looking for food but the food was finished for the day! Ridiculous, an old saying is one swallow doesn't make a summer, well one Summer doesn't make a tourist industry, if our cafe, pub and hotel / B&B owners dont get a grip then the tourists will go back with a crap view of this special place we call home. Full marks to the Applecross Inn though!
While I'm on rant mode, Motorhomes and CDB's (Caravan deiving bas*ards) they seem to have multiplied this year whereas their brain cells and driving ability has decreased inversely proportional to their numbers. A message to them, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD! move over and let people past!!
Also I know we have a nice country but we dont all want to see it at 30MPH!! A final criticism to the power rangers out there on their superfast bikes, one piece leathers and knee sliders, GET A GRIP or you will not be alive long enough to grow up!
Rant over and I feel surprisingly calm, think its time for some Miles Davis and to look at this picture of a BSA I took in the campsite Saturday night.....nice....for a BSA

Nice weekend

Sitting writing this in the hotel at Dalwhinnire. It's been a good weeekend and a great run. We got to almost Spean bridge today but then had to turn back as the A82 was closed due to an accident. We ended up going via the back roads of loch Ness and joining the A9 at Daviot. It's put a bit on the journey but very enjoyable. Every journey is an adventure.

Lochcarron

Stopped for petrol on our way to applecross for a change. Very busy all the way up. Bloody tourists.

Steam car!

The things you see when your having a fish supper. This steam car is doing a john o groats to lands end run for charity but also to try to sell them. The guy reckons he sells them for £15k and sold 50 last year. Their web site is www.steamtractionworld.co.uk