helicopterjim R.I.P.

You'll have to get yourself to Newfoundland between November 15 and May 15 but the main hunt usually begins in early March, and continues through May. Your best bet is to just show up dockside at Fogo, Twiliingate or Moretons Harbour and ask one of the locals where to sign up. If you bring a bat with you they tend to treat you well but are mistrustful of people that look like city folk, have TV cameras or Hollywood starlets with them (they'll smash the cameras and I don't dare repeat what they'll do to the starlets). Aluminum bats are not well liked as the sound they make isn't very pleasing but the modern wooden bat made from northern white ash is used by many 'players'. However, the true afficianados prefer the old fashioned but heavier hickory bat. As they sign says at the Louisville Slugger museum, the "crack of the bat" remains one of the sporting world's most thrilling moments.

Thanks. All I wanted to hear was that she was OK but she kept apologising for my truck. Hearing her voice was enough. I actually am glad that I'll have to depend on my bike for transport. I used my truck too much for driving that didn't need a truck but I'll have a tough time on some of the logging roads with the V11. Maybe I need a Quota too....

Well, it looks like I'll be doing some winter riding soon. I got a phone call from my wife last night and was informed that my truck has been destroyed in a rollover. She was driving down the highway and a truck in the next lane lost some of its cargo off the back. The car immediately behind braked and swerved coming sideways in front of my wife. She also braked and swerved, missing the car but caught the edge of the pavement and (luckily at slow speed) went over an embankment and rolled 2 times. She is physically unhurt but a little shaken up. The police statment puts the truck driver 100% at fault so insurance will cover the loss no problem (if you can trust insurance companies). She thinks God was trying to tell her something because she would have taken her car that morning but it had a flat and then she locked her keys in the truck and was delayed 20 minutes and then she saw there was a bad accident on the highway and further down the road she had her mishap. I told her God didn't want her to have an accident in her liitle car so He made her take my truck and He didn't want her in the bad accident so He delayed her enough so that she would be in the second accident. I then told her that His master plan was to get me riding the Guzzi more. I think she feels a little better now. On the other hand, I'm working in Northern BC where there is lots of snow and it is below freezing whereas back home they are having superb February weather- sunny and 15 degrees. I hope it is like that when i get home because I'll be bikng lots!!

I can do wheelies to show them Ducati guys a thing or two.......Wait. I have a Ducati too. Oh well. Trust me. I'll find an excuse to pull wheelies!!

I don't think MAX thinks anything is funny right now!!

The company I fly for has a holding company based out of the IoM. Several aircraft are "owned" by this company and then leased back to the Canadian company. The owner liked the tax benefits and the excuse to travel to IoM every year although he could never coordinate it with the TT as the lawyers shut their offices during the TT week. I have begged to be the test pilot for that subsidiary for years but to no avail.

Here is the official and final World Superbike lineup from the FIM. 2006 World Superbike Championship – finalised entry list: 1. Troy Corser AUS Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra Suzuki GSXR1000 3. Norick Abe JPN Yamaha Motor France – IPONE Yamaha YZF R1 4. Alex Barros BRA Team Klaffi Honda Honda CBR 1000RR 7. Pierfrancesco Chili ITA D.F.X. Treme Honda CBR 1000RR 8. Ivan Clementi ITA Team Pedercini Ducati 999 R 9. Chris Walker GBR Kawasaki Corse Kawasaki ZX10R PSG-1 10. Fonsi Nieto SPA Kawasaki Corse 2 Kawasaki ZX10R PSG-1 11. Ruben Xaus ESP Sterilgarda - Berik Ducati 999 R 13. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA Celani Team Suzuki GSXR1000 15. Fabien Foret FRA Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra Suzuki GSXR1000 16. Sébastien Gimbert FRA Yamaha Motor France - IPONE Yamaha YZF R1 18. Craig Jones GBR Foggy PETRONAS Racing PETRONAS FP1 19. Lucio Pedercini ITA Team Pedercini Ducati 999 R 20. Marco Borciani ITA Sterilgarda – Berik Ducati 999 R 21. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 999 R 31. Karl Muggeridge AUS Winston Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR 1000RR 38. Shinichi Nakatomi JPN Yamaha Motor France - IPONE Yamaha YZF R1 41. Noriyuki Haga JPN Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team Yamaha YZF R1 44. Roberto Rolfo ITA Team Ducati SC - Caracchi Ducati 999 R 52. James Toseland GBR Winston Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR 1000RR 55. Régis Laconi FRA PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse 2 Kawasaki ZX10R 57. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 999 R 71. Yukio Kagayama JPN Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra Suzuki GSXR1000 76. Max Neukirchner GER Team Pedercini Ducati 999 R 84. Michel Fabrizio ITA D.F.X. Treme Honda CBR 1000RR 88. Andrew Pitt AUS Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team Yamaha YZF R1 99. Steve Martin AUS Foggy PETRONAS Racing PETRONAS FP1 116. Franco Battaini ITA Team Bertocchi Kawasaki ZX10R

I talked to Brian for a few minutes at the Vancouver bike show. He really likes his R1 but is probably going to get a Griso when they arrive in Canada (or was it a Breva?). hH says 'Hi' to everyone.

I reckon a lot of it depends on the warming trends but remember that the Germans and the Japanese were on the same side in that big war!

Busted I am!! However it is altered slightly and it is now on my arm - not their posters!!

Someday we'll be required to have a pulse-light for daytime use, similar to what trains and aircraft use. Won't that be fun!!

I like the whirly girl and I also have these to choose from .... ...but I'll stay with my tattoo avatar.

Perhaps this avatar will suit Dave.

Did you mean California EVil?

I believe it is Steve and the notes with the photo indicate that as well. I am hoping this disproves the info i read that the road has be turned to gravel for a good part of it. I am hoping Bbennett will prove me wrong.

Acerbis: Ah-chair-beese

According to the owner of the Mushroom Addition restaurant in Fauquier Jay Leno will be riding through the Monashees and on to the Slocan Valley this summer. We shall see, I suppose but the owner has said he will email me when he knows the timing. Check Mushroom Addition . Having worked many,many weeks in Fauquier during the winter when the weather is terrible and flying is often not possible I usually pronounce it 'Foggy, eh!'.

Marzocchi: Mar-zaw-kee Cecelia: Chechelia White Power: Forza Bianca

I may be mistaken but I seem to remember when they came out with the prototypes there was a GT model with a plain saddle suitable for pillion use and a set of standard handlebars. That might be a nice option for the Sport.

Markess-eenie

I thought that Guzzi was pronounced like Gussy with a Z!! I hope that Goffredo, Antonio and anyone else who knows the language well can answer your query.

I could pick Chilliwack of which Sardis is a part of but it generically put the pin about 8 miles away. There is a function that will allow you to move the pin. I moved mine to a baseball field about 2 blocks from home (don't want the riff raff to find me - I figured that is why Steve put his about 50 feet off the Burrard St bridge in False Creek). Go to 'My Profile - Basic profile' and you can move your location manually!

A nice trip would be the North Cascades to Winthrop DH1 then on to the Coulee dam and then north to Grand Forks BC. Then return through Rock Creek to Osoyoos and a drive up through the wine country then back down to Keremeos and take the Hope Princeton back to the valley. I havn't been to the North Cascades but I have flown over the area and it looks incredible as is the Okanogan and I know the Canadian side well. I guess it would best be a 3 day trip if you want to relax a bit on the way (especially in the wine country). I need to buy the Washington Destination Highways guidebook to plan these routes a little better!

Father's Day is June 18th!!