belfastguzzi

The mildest coast is the east. We will stay in the north-east of the country. In some earlier posts and different threads I gave ideas of the areas that I would like to concentrate on. Antrim coast road; around Strangford Lough / County Down / Mournes; possibly the Sperrin Mountains area. Will decide those details later. Some people will get the ferry from Scotland to Northern Ireland. You could take the ferry to North of England, as before, and then go to Stranraer or Cairnryan in Scotland. It is also possible to cross from France to Ireland or from France to England and then go through Wales to get another ferry. There is no place yet. In November I hope to get time to find a good place. D

You better! The Bank Holiday date was set for you!

Hi Antonio. I hadn't seen these last lot of posts since August, The date is definitely the Bank Holiday weekend, 22 to 25 May. I've just realised that I told someone the wrong date, last week, as I looked at a calendar that had the other date, end of May, still in it. - Better go and email him pronto as he booked holiday time! –––––– Ok. I've sent the email. I hope that he can change the dates with his work. I feel very bad. Your other question was about accommodation. I want to find somewhere that is not a long distance from the ferries, with rooms and with camping – and I know you guys like to be at a hostelry. I've got some ideas, but I need to go and check them. I've been moving work premises and there has been a lot to do to fix-up the building so since the end of August I have only had one Saturday and one Sunday off. Long days and nights, 7 days a week, have meant that I have not been able to research the rally. I'll be taking it a bit easier after next Sunday, 26th October, so will chase-up the accommodation location then. I'm looking forward to next May!

Terrible, tragically sad news. John's passion was matched by his craftsmanship. His contribution here was always inspiring and witty.

Now there's a soundbite if ever there was one. You could sell that to George Bush. It's just what he needs.

If I could resurrect my V11 – full stop – I'd be happy. Though I'd sure like to try that Griso - Zero café type machine.

At least you're not baldy

Ah, but it's got the original exhaust can – so it all balances out

Yes indeed. Her real name is Liz 'Windy' McQueen. Steve was the secret love child of Queen Mom and Field Marshall Montgomery. They originally named him Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen Queen-Montgomery, which explains why Liz affectionately referred to him as 'Red'. He was disowned for shortening his name to Steve – so he ran away to America where he entered the world of movies, playing cameo roles as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in minor romantic comedies. While sitting on a waxed-cotton covered casting couch one day, he had a great idea for a novel new line in clothing – and never looked back. You're probably thinking that Mom wasn't the real name of the Queen Mom? Correct. She was christened Galoshes, which turned out to be quite appropriate as she hooked-up with a man called Field. Anyway: it explains why the Prince Philip referred to her as the Old Boot.

Jethro got a message for ya

Nah. It was Iggy Pop

Hmmm. As they are locked upright, two hammers could provide the answer, one for each side. cable tie the hammer head to the upright peg so that the hammer shaft protrudes horizontally to form a footrest. Yeh. I'd do that.

ok, ok if they really can't be persuaded down perhaps someone (who only rode solo) has deliberately fitted them the wrong way, so that they don't drop down from vibration. I'd need to look to check, but from memory I think that this might be possible. In that case, you just need to take the pin out and refit them the correct way (swap sides) so that they can hinge. (And put the pin back in.) It's a pin and circlip, isn't it? Sorry if I've got that wrong. In which case I'll delete the post. In the up position, as they are, is the base of the peg, on the outside face, flat and square, or is it curved at the bottom? The curved side needs to be on the inside for the peg to hinge down.

Wowee, fantastic. At last! A different and original topic is posted in the tech thread! Ring out, ye bells. What sort of oil should he use to lubricate them there things????

Part 2 The exhaust, fitted with a db killer insert. The sound is more socially acceptable and less intrusive / fatiguing. It does lose some presence and doesn't have the same visceral effect, but still sounds good. I wish I had recorded the stock can for a full comparison. I'll do that sometime. QuickTime video here Prepare for a longish download time: I wanted to keep the quality high, so it's a big file. It's the same route as before so that it can be compared to the original straight-through pipe's sound in the various conditions: even has pretty much the same uphill overtake.

Hey Mac, there's a problem with your story – if you can remember it, you weren't there! (The other day I mentioned Gong to Jihem and he can't remember seeing them – so we know that he was definitely there!)

Here's that Duc Scrambler from Cologne I love it. If I gave him the Griso and €8,000???????????????

Are you a man or a mouse? Oh talking about mice, clearly the important lesson to be taken from the P.Roper Post is that in dire circumstances, when on the road and the V.11 (inevitably) breaks down and you are stranded without help (possibly because you smell like a fish and no-one will come within a mile), you can survive by eating your nourishing waxed cotton jacket on the walk-out. Try that with cordura, polyurethane and kevlar!

Sorry, that jacket is leather (made in Pakistan), not waxed cotton and not lovingly crafted and rubbed by an English tailoring-man. Therefore it cannot possibly be 'the real thing', as required by Orson, the British Queen and Steve McQueen. I think we do have to agree it has to be Barbour, or nothing.

everyone should have a hobby

Record user? Is that a quaint Scots term for 'old bastxxx'

Ikea candle? Is that some sort of hip Scots term for this stuff? I know that you dribble it down your jacket front, but no, I don't recommend total immersion.

...seems Orson was right. I saw the price of some B*lst&ff stuff. I was thinking of Barbour prices (which themselves are twice wots reasonable) but the B*lst&ff prices were X times greater. Deary me. (I trust that's all vague enough to keep the lawyers at bay.) So, the solution is obvious. A tin of Barbour reproofing wax is £5.97. You'll get a quality cotton jacket maybe like this 'amphibious cotton' jacket for about £80 or so So buy the jacket or get one in the sales for £40, slather it in Barbour wax, give it a go-over with a hairdryer and Bob's your uncle for £50 or thereabouts – a fraction of the cost – for a unique hand-finished item that's both practical and fashionable. With this approach, I reckon you could afford to go the whole hog. Forget the cotton. Get the real deal Waxed Harris Tweed This Commodore Jacket in tweed would be just the ticket for the treatment Two tins of reproofing wax may be required for this material. Candle wax would probably be cheaper again – and offer more protection in an accident.

It's Mr and Mrs Guzzirider. Quiz point for me at last. Though don't ask me which is which.

Very funny that your post 'skipped' too! Very funny that your post 'skipped' too! As it happens, I just bought an old vinyl Blood Sweat and Tears, in a 2nd hand bookshop. 40,000 Headmen will, I'm quite convinced, now sound just as it should, just as it did, once upon a special time. The iTunes BS&T download didn't quite hit the spot in the same way. Nor did the digital Mountain tracks: not quite. I'm sure they need the vinyl, but perhaps it's best to keep imagining that, rather than put it to the test? (No, I'd be very pleased to get my mits on it. I'll pm.) Don't forget, you've potentially got 300 (em, 299) hand-modeled plastic flowerpots there. Fire-up the oven. click click click click click click click click