Mine needs a bit of introduction so bear with me. In November 2009 while at work on a miserable damp day it hit me Iwould be turning 60 the following year,it was time to do something drastic to prevent the onset of beige and saude hush puppies, I phoned MSV right there and then and asked them ,how much to hire Cadwell for a day ? 8 grand came the reply ,right I will take Tuesday 6th of April,now all I need is 80 people who want to do it. The next couple of months was spent making and posting entry forms to everyone I had met during my dark biking past,with the help of one of my daughters we designed a glossy programme the title would be,Still crazy after all these years. After what seemed the longest winter on record the day arrived, against all the odds it was dry and the three groups were all full. I rode in every single session all day [running out of petrol once] what a day ,Birthday cards signed T shirts a big cake and friends stretching back to the days we went camping on our Tiger Cubs when we were 16 . How cool was that?
Can't beat that , but watching emm ride out with me on her 748 an hour after passing her test , and meeting up with tel and Toby later in the week for the same .......
2010 - meeting the local members of the UKMOC for the first time in the Shell Garage in Salisbury , me on my very orange M750 and going for a spin down to the Cerne Abbas Giant & breakfast in Dorchester It was the begining of all this & all the great days & holidays on bikes with the UKMOC that followed - plus there was a funny short blokey that I took quite a shine to
The day I rode my ST home from Oxford. 3 hours in the saddle and the grin lodged in place! Face ached for quite a while after I got home. Haven't had as much chance to ride her since, but hoping we get some good weather next year!
I've had too many to mention but they include a day I rode on my own around Perigueux, Angoulleme, La Rochelle and Bordeaux whilst SWMBO and our friends we were on holiday with were getting lashed at the gite we were staying at. Weather was blisteringly hot and I was melting in my leathers whenever I stopped for a break. But the roads were phenomenal and I was able to ring the neck of my Blade more than I ever could in the UK. Another good day was last year when I did an impromptu and totally unexpected 220 mile ride for charity. We'd gone to stay with some friends up north one weekend in May when my mate announced that his local were doing a charity ride for MS on the Sunday, and asked if I'd be up for doing it (my friend doesn't ride). So I decided I'd do it then retrospectively get some sponsors. The day was brilliant with over 30 bikes taking part. We were led out from the pub by the local police riders who can certainly get a wiggle on :tongue:. They advised us to crack on for the rest of the ride but not to do too much to attract attention. Though they had advised their colleagues in other forces (where we we passing through) that there'd be a bunch of us riding briskly through their patch. We made it up into Scotland then over to the Lakes before heading back across the Pennines to the northeast. And when we all arrived back we were met by around 500 people to what seemed like a heroes welcome. It was fantastic. And I managed to raise over £500 sponsorship after the event, which was a bonus :smile:
I was pillioning across the fens with someone special with a thunderstorm chasing us ... Sounds odd but at the time was kind of cool but kind of worrying Jumping on a monster that was too high for me had a dodgy back brake and riding it a few hours home. Was kind of bonding. Then I pulled up home and it had a big hissy fit and killed its electrics. But I was proud to get him home. I'd been switching from paralel twin to a inline 4 ... Was riding the inline 4 lots..so jumping on a monster and riding home Used to be able to hear the sound of my fav Duke coming in to town a good few miles away .. The fact I could distinguish its engine sound from others of same model.... The sound made me grin lots... Then when pulls in I un grin well .. Because well I don't like to give much away.
Last July in the Alps a circular ride around Mont Blanc, 200+ miles, took in about 9 high mountain passes. Clear blue skys about 30 c in the valleys and down to about 7 at the top of the colls. Mile after mile of twisting turning Tarmac, little traffic, in the company of great friends and all from on board the the amazing Multistrada 1200S. Best day on a bike so far for me. ( vids and details on the thread " Hairpin Heavan")
View attachment 9258 View attachment 9259 Had lots of fab days on the 851 and 916... but the best days are those i never thought i would ever have ... 1. the ride through Scotland - Altnaharra - what a scenery! 2. The day at Assen - what a track! hope those will be equalled next year!
probably a common one this, but one sunday afternoon on Carnforth roundabout achieving my first kneedown! No bid deal i know but after two years of failing miserably the sense of both relief and suprise as i touched down was fantastic.
10th July 2010, Ullapool, Durness, Thurso, Wick, Grantown-on-Spey.:biggrin: 5 GS's and a Tiger. View attachment 9252
I'd just bought a DOHC GS12. Swapped it for the Monster in Sep '11 and I plan to be up in the Highlands on it as much as possible next spring/summer.
Two highlights to my riding life, both worthy of a mention. The first was my first foreign bike trip - to the Bol D'Or, when it was at Ricard, on a 250 MZ. Tucking it up the inside of sportsbikes on the Ardeche gorge made me infamous for a few days, and it remains the best biking holiday I've ever had. The second was, if anything, even better. Knocking out 760 miles in one day coming back from the Sachsenring on my TL1000, I couldn't resist a pint on the way home, so stopped for a sup and to ring my bird and tell her to put the kettle on. From the pub it was six miles home, but it was the best six miles I've ever ridden. Normally 100mph on this road is plenty, but here I was on a tuned, downgeared and overloaded 'widowmaker', pushing 130+mph in the pissing rain, but totally calm and at one with the bike and the road. It's by far the best I've ever ridden. Gone downhill dramatically since:frown:
I had a plenty of those, but if I had to choose one, it will be July,31th 2011. It takes few lines of introduction, so be patient. On october 2010 I had a crash on the road with my Multistrada, and I had my right wirst broken, I had surgery and 5 titanium wires plugged into wirst until mid feb 2011. On jenuary I enetered myself for 2011 Ducati speed week in July in Hungary, hoping to recover. I had no chance to get back on the bike before the race weekend, and since first practice I knew it will be a long way for me, at the end saturday I was 15th on the starting grid (out of 28). Sunday suddendly my 749RS regret to start, and I reach the pit lane too late, they had already closed, so I have to wait for all bikes starting the warm up lap into pit lane and take place as 28th on the starting grid. The race was really hard for me, after few lap the wirst start to complain but I regret to take care of it, overtaking several bikes, and after 8 lap every brake was a nightmare, but I didnt give up, being 13th in superstock class under the flag. A friend of mine catch me and the bike into paddock, without his help I'd "bit the dust" (Photo is actually from 2010 but both the bike and me were the more or less the same)
