belfastguzzi

If there is a late summer meet, August, for me is better than September because September is full steam ahead with work. I had hoped to get to the Continent this September but the travel time with 2 ferry crossings to get there and 2 to get back meant that I couldn't do it, by one day. Plus my daughter is getting married next September... so in fact maybe I can't afford to go anywhere next year.

You're tempting fate there, laddie. *snap*

Flicking through French moto mags (they generally seem to have 1 or 2 Guzzis in 'em) in Paris CdG airport yesterday – there were photos and an article on another V7 variant, to follow the Racer. It's a 'Tourer'. 2 big leather style panniers on the back. I think it's an official model. Has anyone else seen the article? New Stelvio also seemed to have rave reviews in Frenchy press, declaring it now the proper Stelvio, unlike the original version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf7fqaPXr4M

I haven't been to a barber shop for about 40 years.

It would make calculating service intervals a tricky business. Oil would be getting changed after about every 10 miles of real riding. Good spoof indeed.

ending first check that one with your son, H.

After everything that we've written about that contraption, that's a pretty-well perfect précis. Well done, old...

Suits me. I've had enough of responsibility, the late nights, the weekends...

Ah, Moto Guzzi: they make a nice sundial.

... Not telling how: in case The Club get wind of shennanigans. A fellow could get stripped of his rank. OK – I set fire to the Guzzis.

A brace of NC30s

No - BURNOUTS! ! BFG, I knew it would come to this...those sportsbike types are clearly a bad influence on you. Damage may yet be reversable: a few sessions with your local BMW club might help you see sense. I just hope The Club don't get wind of what you're up to. Great pix tho KB I DID have to cheat, for the photos, as I didn't actually stop to take photos when riding in the densest fog that I or the others have ever experienced. Not telling how: in case The Club get wind of shennanigans. A fellow could get stripped of his rank.

Bright morning of high arching cloud and long shadows frozen afternoon of neither light nor shadow: wet cloud all around

Nice sundial what time is it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_TqX61BLtM

Have to agree

Valencia Test Day 2 http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjIxMzI0NDEy.html Flash: http://player.youku.com/player.php/sid/XMjIxMzI0NDEy/v.swf

More appropriate? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkvgb3EcoL8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xty-kkMmKU&feature=related

Very well put. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIWOtiONPJY What's all this then? I like it. That could explain Van Morrison's songs, for example. Something else that comes to mind is The Be Good Tanyas' (Frazey Ford) style of singing. 'Horses' (Chinatown album) is lush, more so because it's mumbled, almost decipherable. I don't see it on Youtube. It's on Spotify. Here's another: Human Thing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd1Ie370rHk Well of course there are thousands and thousands of examples of slurred and obscured singing! And try this: Frazey Ford, One More Cup of Coffee:

Even in another language? I wondered about that. Photographs are a fairly universal language (ok let's not get into semiotics) but written language... more tricky – well, I only understand English, unfortunately. Well done, you, on your reading.

7th November, Sunday Sun was out this morning, but I went out mid-afternoon, with the radio threatening deep low pressure and storm-gales approaching. Only a few miles were intended, so I didn't take any petrol-money, nor a camera, more's the pity. I pointed the front wheel southwards for direction up, over the hills with hope for a wide panorama beyond Scrabo – of land arm, sea inlet and County Down hills (or 'mountains' to us). Or only towards growing gloom, perhaps? Actually no: no disappointment, as down across the County the far Mournes stood out in a pale but long light. This afternoon's atmosphere carried a sense of Moment: the sense that today, certain seasonal change has come, after October's warnings. Colour all around was draining to bare-steel tones. In the distance, tall cloud-banks, as the radio had forecast, were bringing Winter's onset. November's cold was, as usual, biting into gloved fingers, but there was a feeling of something special from air, lough and landscape. I felt it all as invigorating, 'refreshing' more than 'cold' and so, rather than turn home, I kept going, pushing on down the Ards Peninsula. Through Kircubbin and past the Brig, I diverted at Ardkeen, to keep round the shore and into Portaferry by the hidden eastern edge. That road can be a dirt strewn farming track at the best of times and sure enough, the route was a slather of wet muck through crest and dip and turn. At Abbacy a heavy trailer, dragged around the verges, had chopped through roadside earth, squeezing displaced mud and grass slabs out into the road. You never know what's going to be around every corner of these lanes. The road-view may be short, however the bike's higher stance affords a glimpse of views that most driving through there don't quite have. One fleet picture perfectly captured the occasion. The road, the sky and the lough were almost becoming one in the grey half-light: then, over hedge in a field by the sea, was sudden contrast of bold white. There they stood, rank after rank like an army or, more appropriate, an airforce squadron. Last week I had marvellous first sight of the geese, flying V formation over Belfast. After Portaferry, it was straight back: an orange idiot light joining the red idiot light's constant flashing with motive power now being provided more from fumes than petrol. Sixty miles was just about right for a cold, unplanned, mid-afternoon jaunt on sea-lough country roads: one and a quarter hours about right to feel Winter coming in along with the evening dark. Brisk and beautiful.

.... so what happened to the first two stigs exactly? "The Stig was invented by Jeremy Clarkson and was supposed to be a mysterious character. BBC did a great job keeping this secret throughout the years and even sacked the first Stig, Perry McCarthy after he was identified. Now Ben Collins faces the same treatment, but probably he doesn’t care, because he will soon publish his book which is the Stig’s Autobiography and will make millions more than he made when he was the Stig." http://www.motorward.com/2010/09/the-stigs-book-ben-collins-autobiography/ Losses of £1m, three children in three years and a lifetime of frustrated ambition... why The Stig REALLY unmasked himself Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1308890/Why-The-Stig-Ben-Collins-unmasked--1m-losses-frustrated-ambition.html#ixzz14Y9myFc2 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1311085/Stig-Ben-Collins-Jeremy-Clarkson-told-I-drive-like-homosexual--wouldnt-60-seconds-job.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stig The New Stig " TOP Gear's Jeremy Clarkson reckons the new Stig will be so well trained he won't DARE write a book about the show. The previous mystery driver Ben Collins was axed after writing his memoirs. Clarkson quipped: "Hysterically, some Stigs think they can write books, but that is never a good idea." He said candidates now being reared on a "Stig farm" would be far better behaved. Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/3214550/Top-Gears-Jeremy-Clarkson-says-new-Stig-wont-dare-write-a-book-about-the-show.html#ixzz14Y93L1PW "