Strange how memories are triggered..............

 I’ve just been reminded of a very strange conversation that I had with a ‘well-known’ person, must be over 30 years ago now. It proved how easy it is to get away with being cheeky, and how easy it is to upset your Other Half.

We took our small son to Olympia in London to a computer show. Walking between the stands, coming the other way, was an extremely good-looking young man, dressed head to foot in shiny, expensive black leather, with a glass of whisky in one hand, and seemingly a few more inside him.

So – the conversation was very simple:

Me: Are you a real biker, or just a poseur?

Warren Cann: Would you like to see my bike?

Me: Is that a proposition, by the way, this is my husband

Warren: It’s parked out back. You’ll like it.

Out back………….

Me: Nah. It’s a Harley

Husband………………..bright red and embarrassed.

To be fair, it was a gorgeous pearl white Electra-Glide, and he went out back to call someone to pick him and the bike up after the show……………….

If you don’t know who Warren Cann is, you can Google it

Oddly, that memory came out of a discussion Dick and I were having about antiques experts. The only connection I can see, is that Harley…………………………..

Garage Update - the last one?

 So, the two main bikes have been replaced. He has the latest version of his go-to CB500X, which suits him so well. The latest version is a vast improvement over the last one, and is a gorgeous thing to look at 

Me? Well, I've finally had to admit that my beloved 650 4-pot was just getting too much for my ever-weakening muscles, and the fact that, over the past year, I've lost nearly 4 inches in height. At 74, I've changed for a CB500F, although not the latest version. The last one was still available, a little cheaper, and having had one before, I knew it was more than capable of doing what I need a bike to do. So, meet Hugo.....

So - why possibly the last one? I've developed Wet AMD in my right eye, for which I'm being treated. So far, the treatment is going well, and every session they have cleared my vision to be OK to drive. But they have warned me, that this may not always be the case, and if necessary, they will cancel my driving licence.

Add to that, one of my oldest friends (52 years a friend), is shortly retiring. Those of you who know me personally, will know who that is, and realise what a massive impact this will have on my future motorcycling habits. However, at this point in time, that is not my story to tell.  Hopefully, he won't go out of my circle of friends and move away, because I would miss his friendship sooooo much

Annual Garage Update

Can't quite remember when I last did an update on our garage, but I think possibly only 1 machine has changed since then.  Dick eventually admitted that his days of riding heavtweight bikes like the CrossRunner have come to an end. His age, and the state of his foot means he has gone back to a CB500X. This will be the third one he's had, and the latest variant has considerable improvements over the previous versions. Only time will tell if he keeps it.............

Meanwhile, I'm still loving my 650. It really is the closest thing to my old Hornet that I've ridden since. It's a little heavier than I would like, but as long as it's manageable, I'll ride it. All we need now is permission to ride it further than I have been doing lately............

One thing I have had to buy for it, is a new tankbag. I've had a little Oxford one (my equivalent of a ladies' handbag) for the best part of 30 years, and it has finally given up the ghost. Dread to think how many hundreds of miles that little bag has done. I've used it everday, and it has been all over the country on countless petrol tanks. I've got a new Honda one on order. Let's hope it lasts as well. If it does, it will probably outlast me!

Back to the garage - the two little bikes remain the same. There really is no need to change either of them. Twinkle, our little CB125F, is the perfect tool for running around town, doing shopping and running errands, and is the perfect companion for Chunky Munky for those days in the sun when all you want to do is run around the country lanes and enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside

Incidentally, that picture was taken in the centre of Hamstreet. Just out of the picture is a cannonball. Why, I hear you ask? Well, Hamstreet is twinned with the little town of Therouanne in France. Therouanne was once a city with a cathedral which was sacked by the troops of Henry V. The stone cannonball was a gift from the mayor of the twin town, presented with the words 'You can have your cannonball back!

So, there you are - an update on my garage and a history lesson combined! Aren't you lucky!

Friends. friendship, and the internet

We often take it for granted, but the internet is an amazing thing. And so is making friends for a lifetime. Just sometimes, you make a good friend over the internet, from the other side of the world. You may never ever meet, but you know that person would be there for you if you were in trouble. It started with my bike forum, and has lasted almost twenty years. I've 'watched' his three daughters grow into beautiful young women, and shared the highs and lows of his job climbing telegraph poles in the outback

Over the years, I've made many friends through my love of motorcycles - shared interest and all that. But I've made many, very good friends, through using forums and social media on the internet. Strangely though, some of the closest have been with people from my husband's forums, rather than my own.

Sure, I've made a lot of long-term friendships via the Hornet's Nest, and a lot of them, I do know personally. Some, I have never met, and are never likely to. One of the sweetest people I know, is from a forum dedicated to a bike that I don't even like! Fortunately, he doesn't live too far away, so we do get to see him on a reasonably frequent basis.

Through the same forum, we made friends with a couple from Germany, who ended up coming to stay with us last summer. Complete strangers when they arrived, they left as good friends.

Then there was the gentleman from Texas. When my husband had a bad accident, and it looked for a while as though he might lose a foot, let alone never be able to ride a motorcycle again, he naturally suffered from very bad depression. This particular friend, took time out from his busy life to phone Dick in hospital - a phone call that lasted a good half hour, and completely lifted his spirits.

Friends like these are hard to come by, and should be cherished above all things. Yes, you may never meet, but they are every bit as precious as the person next door, or down the road

And infinitely more precious than some family

Update on the rest of my garage.

Writing about my new CB650R, it occurred to me, that with the exception of Twinkle, my little CB125F, I haven't updated you on everything else.

Well, the Ole Man is currently riding a Honda VFR800X CrossRunner. Yes, after 5 years, he's finally sufficiently recovered from his injuries to ride a big bike again. Sadly though, at 72 years of age, this will probably be his last big bike, as he is finding the weight when manhandling it, is getting a bit too much, so later on, I expect him to go back to something like the CB500X. The difference this time, is that it will be his choice, not something forced on him by an inconsiderate car driver. In the meantime, this is it:

Now, I've mentioned Twinkle before - our little CB125F that we bought as a town runabout. Problem is, on sunny days, when we had nothing better to do, one or the other of us would take it out for a spin round the country lanes, and Romney Marshes. 

Problem is, there are times when it would be nice if we could both go out for a lazy ride, and only one of us could at any one time. We looked at getting another CB125F, but then Honda threw a spanner in the works by introducing the Z125 Monkey. How could we resist? So, meet Chuckles:

A tiny package of bouncing energy and tremendous fun! Now the only arguments revolve around who's riding which bike!

Moving on - upwards or backwards?

It's been a lifetime since I lasted posted, and when I last did, it was about my disappointment with the CB650F that I had bought. I thought it would give me what I've been looking for in a middleweight, and it didn't.
I wanted something that felt 'right', a bike with soul, like the Hornets, that gave me an ear-to-ear grin as soon as I wheeled it out of the garage. Instead, I ended up with a bike that has masses of performance, but which left me feeling dissatisfied and uninspired.

Well, it's gone. To be replaced with a bike from Honda's new Neo Sport Cafe range, the new CB650R. LOL, there's nothing Neo, Sport or Cafe about it. But what it is, is a complete replacement for the Hornets. It's fast, compact, and Fun. I ordered it before it was launched, having never seen one. It was a last ditch attempt to find a bike I liked, and thank Heavens, the gamble has paid off.

From the moment I sat on it, it felt right. The ergonomics are perfect for me, although I do have reservations about the handlebars. They're not quite as high and wide as I normally have, to compensate for my poorly bent wrists. But I've been resisting changing them because the bike just feels so good. The inclusion of a slipper clutch compensates a little, so for the moment, it will stay as it is.

It's fast, light, comfortable, and has soul in buckets. It pleases me.

In fact, I don't know why Honda didn't just put Hornet stickers on it, and be done.

So, meet Vincent..........................

Getting on with my project

Thought you might like to see my latest WIP. I started it a couple of years ago, as a present for my Other Half, but it's been a bit neglected since, with so many other things to do. About time I made some more improvements to it...................

I'm not over happy with the workbench. It was made out of lollipop sticks, but it looks a bit clunky, so I might have another go. I need to make or source more supplies for the shelves too, and get some more tools. Oh well, it'll keep me busy for a while

Improvement? or Liability?

Both bike and car manufacturers are guilty.

They 'improve' vehicles all the time, but to my mind, the vehicles are not necessarily better for it.
Take the Honda range. Honda get a good idea and produce a motorcycle that's the best there is at the time - easy to ride, great fun, and with as much power as you realistically need on today's roads.
Then they 'improve' it, and what you end up with is a bike that, yes, is superior technically, but nowhere near as much fun to ride.
They did it with the VFR750. An absolutly brilliant bike to ride. Until they turned it into the VFR800. Superior technically - and as bland as f***.
The Honda Hornet, probably my favourite bike of all time, was fast, at times a little unstable, indisputably quirky, and responsible for thousands of insane grins on riders' faces.
This is now replaced by the CB650F, which for my sins, I bought.

It certainly outperforms the old Hornet in most respects, but I find it bland and uninspiring.

But my biggest gripe is with technical advancement. They are gradually whittling away at the skills required to drive or ride these modern vehicles. It started with indicators - no longer did you have to learn how to manage a motorcycle with one hand whilst using the other to signal your intentions. Then came electric start, ABS etc. etc. Now you no longer have to know how to pull a bike back on compression and deliver that swift sharp jab to get it going, and your bike makes decisions for you as to whether you're braking too hard or not. When I started riding, if you made a mistake and fell over, you learned damned quick never to make the same mistake again, and by doing so, you gained a greater knowledge of the physics involved in riding a bike, and an acute awareness of road conditions etc.

I can hear you all now yelling safety, safety............yes, I'll grant you that but.................

We now are looking at cars that drive themselves, bikes that can't topple over, and where will it all end? My concern is, vehicles can fail mechanically, electrically, electronically and if we're all relying on our vehicles to perform for us, what happens when something goes wrong? Who will have the knowledge and skill to cope with an emergency situation?

Now the use of satnavs is set to become part of the driving test. It has been shown more than once that people rely on their satnavs at the expense of correctly reading road signs. There's an inherent danger in too much technology, it seems to me.

This new bike of mine....

Some people will know that, for reasons beyond my control, I had to part with my last Hornet a year ago. I've spent a year riding a CB500 (actually a nice bike - for an A2 licence holder)
For the past 3 months, I've been the owner of a CB650F

Hmmmm..........................it sure as hell ain't a Hornet

It's a good bike, it's competent, handles well, has better fuel consumption (typically 60-65 mpg). I like the looks..............so why don't I like the bike?

Simply that - it ain't a Hornet.

I don't get that buzz when I push it out of the garage in the morning.
I don't get that ear-to-ear grin when I'm chucking it through the twisties.

It's a Honda, it's a brilliant bike. It's reliable. It does what it says on the tin

It's souless AND IT AIN'T A HORNET

The end of an era...............

Well, today, with a few twinges of sadness and regret, I watched a young lady ride away on what was my Honda Hornet, Jack. I hope she treats him well
I've lived with Hornets for the last 18 years, and for me, no motorcycle has performed consistently so well. But all good things must come to an end, and so it was, I regretably decided to part with my last Hornet.
I bought my first one, the first one in the country sold to a member of the public, on my birthday in 1998 - one of a very few Hornets to be 'R' registered.

Sadly, this was written off after only 4 months, by a stupid lady in a Porsche, who was too busy talking on her mobile to notice me at a standstill in front of her.

I'd already got a great liking for this small, but brilliant bike, so it was replaced by an identical machine.

Well, it may have been identical to start with, but it evolved into the LittleInsect, one of the most well-known Hornets in the country, and elsewhere

I won't bore you with the technicalities, but suffice it to say, that it was all carbon fibre and titanium, and tuned up to the hilt, and featured many unique one-off parts that weren't available on the open market. Even the rear light was unique.................(here pictured before the rear bodywork was remodelled in carbon)

After 14 years and 169,000 miles, it was wearing out, and so I reluctantly decided to part with it. Problem was, I couldn't stand the thought of anybody else riding it, so what to do? It was de-registered and totally taken apart and destroyed. You may consider that a waste, but I don't

Of course, after all those years, it just had to be another Hornet, and so I moved onto the latest evolution of the model.

Being me, I couldn't have just any old Hornet, could I? Nope, mine was one of only 2 to be done in the paint design for the Anniversary FireBlade. Meet Jack.........

After 4 years, and many more happy Hornet miles, my circumstances changed. Now retired and living on a pension, with health problems, I need something cheaper to run, and easier on my wrists.

I've opted for a Honda CB500F - a twin, as opposed to the four (so half the servicing costs) and a remarkable 80mpg, as opposed to 50-ish

But of course, did I settle for red or black? What do you think?

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

and it is a little star! Just realised, I haven't told you about Twinkle. He's a little CB125F Honda, bought as a spare bike, to be used to run around town, shopping etc. to take the strain off my beloved Jack.
Problem is, he's such fun, I've been using him for some out of town rides too!
Anyway, Honda, in their infinite wisdom, named the paint colour Pearl Twinkle Yellow, so, Twinkle it is.
Here he is enjoying some late autumn sunshine and proclaimimg that his bright yellow body is every bit as pretty as a red tree!

So.... this is 2013.....

It hasn't started too well. The CBF1000 has developed an electrical fault and won't start, and the little Hornet is feeling very neglected because I haven't ridden it so far this year.

However, what have I got planned so far?

Well, first thing up will be the Annual MayDay extravaganza at Hastings. Now that's a day I really love. If the weather's good, there'll be 20,000+ bikes there - a chance to see what everyone has been working on over the long, cold, Winter months. We always go with two of our best friends, and inevitably end up going for a meal at the Woolpack, in the middle of Romney Marsh.
Don't want to be too late getting home this year though, because the very next day, I leave on the Hornet for Derbyshire for a few days. I've booked myself into a nice pub in a tiny village well out of the way, and hopefully the weather will be nice enough to do some serious exploring of the High Peaks and the moors.

June will see the two of us heading North. We're having a few days in the Lake District - with a diversion for me to Samye Ling for a bit of soul cleansing, and then on to Harrogate for a few days playing in the Dales, and on the North Yorks Moors.

July? We're off for an extra long weekend in Cornwall. We'll be staying in Bodmin, as it's more or less central, and will give us access to the whole of Cornwall.

Both of those trips will be done on the CBF1000, with him on the XRunner.

Then, end of August, I will make my annual pilgrimage to North Wales, staying, as always, with Chris at her pub in Knucklas. Another one for the Hornet. I really can't get enough of the Welsh roads and scenery. Just never tire of being there. And, of course, one of Sue's delicious curries will be partaken of.

Then, September, first the Ace Caff Brighton Bash, and then the Steelers finally come to Wembley! At long last I'll get to see the team I've supported for nearly 30 years, in the flesh. And I've got a new team top to wear, courtesy of Rene and Brooke, my Christmas present from them. This will be followed by another trip to Wembley in October for the 49ers match - that's Brooke's team.

Interspersed with these trips, will be Hornet's Nest events - which I really must try to get to this year. Throw in one or two bead fairs and the such, and you can see I'm going to be really busy this year.

Talking of Ren and Brookie, it doesn't seem possible they've been married almost a year! I envy them the trip they're doing for their anniversary. They're flying out to Vienna, then back packing up through Salzburg, Bratislava and other places, to Berlin and flying home from there.

I say I envy them, but of course, I would if I could do it by bike. There's no way I'd walk that kind of distance!

I wish you well with whatever plans you have for this year. Here's hoping we finally get some decent weather.

And So.......Toward Winter

It's getting colder. The nights are getting longer.

Well, except my bikes don't think so. Both of them still show British Summer Time. The reason? I'm getting as bad as a man. I haven't read the handbooks, and I can't work out how to alter the time settings on either of them. Oh well, I suppose I'll have to get the books out and read up on it.

So, what's new? I took my usual jaunt to the annual NFL match at Wembley last Sunday. It was such a lousy game (Patriots beat the Rams 45-7) that I almost resent the exorbitant price of the ticket. I say almost, because, despite the terrible game, the atmosphere is just so uplifting and joyous, and Wembley is such a great stadium. It's also nice to get the chance to spend a day with my son and his beautiful wife. Days like that are few and far between at the moment.

Also new is my bathroom. Yes, finally got rid of the old one, installed when the house was built in the 60s, and got a nice new shiny one. The building firm have done a marvellous job, even if they did paint the walls totally the wrong colour! I chose a soft, creamy yellow - and they decided to paint it blue! They did say they'd redo it of course, but having seen the finished bathroom, and the way the blue complements the floor covering, I've decided I actually rather like it!

It wasn't an easy life whilst they were doing it though. They literally gutted it - right back to the brickwork and floor joists. They very thoughtfully put down carpet protectors throughout the house, but absolutely everything is covered in a thick layer of just - despite having been hoovered twice since they finished! And trying to sleep when you're on nights, with a jolly workman singing at the top of his voice, is not easy!

Won't be many more days this year when I feel inclined to go for a ride just because I can, but I'm determined to get at least a couple more in before the Winter hardens the ground and softens my resolve. I treated Jack to a pretty new windscreen a couple of days ago, and hopefully he'll get treated to one or two extras for Christmas to pretty him up ready for next year.  I'd also like to get a couple of runs out where I can take pictures with my new camera. I've not had much chance to use it yet.

What else..........ah yes, the American Presidential elections are upon us once again. I've not discussed it with my daughter-in-law, Brooke. We sort of have a tacit agreement that politics and religion are not generally discussed. That way, we don't fall out with each other ;) I assume though, being a Mormon, she will vote for Mitt Romney. Maybe I assume wrongly, I don't know. I know Obama has not been the best president ever, but in my opinion, he's not exactly been the worst either, and I do think he's probably still the lesser of two evils. Some of Romney's statements have done little less than horrify me. And Obama's reaction to the terrible destruction caused by SuperStorm Sandy, were 1000% better than George W's reaction to Hurricane Katrina and the terrible plight of the people of New Orleans.

And so, update on my various hobbies. As far as the genealogy is going, I'm still trying to piece together my father's family, and it's proving to be a nightmare. As well as being one of the largest families in Lancashire, they have some given names that propagate throughout the different lines and generations. I've lost count of how many Johns I've got married to Marys! The good thing to come out of this whole project though, is that I've re-established contact with the branch of my family that emigrated to Canada when I was very young, and I have a whole raft of previously unknown cousins and other various assorted relatives.

My jewellery shop is ticking along. I'm not pushing it too much yet, as I don't have time to keep making stuff for it, but it's very comforting to know that it is there, already established, for when I retire, or if I fall prey to redundancy. I've been spending a lot of time learning and practising new techniques, and expanding my horizons. There's absolutely loads of tutorials on websites, blogs and YouTube, so I've not needed to invest in many expensive books and so on. Which, of course,means I've got more money to spend on beads, doesn't it? ;) As one of my suppliers has it, 'money can't buy happiness, but it can buy beads'!

Anyway, enough drivel, I must get on with some work. Or perhaps, instead, I'll do the next episode of the A-Z..............

Roads to ride, Places to go, Things to see......

Just come back from a wonderful week in North Wales, but wouldn't you know it - my camera packed up as soon as I got there, so I've got no photographs :(

However, as well as revisiting some old favourites, I found lots of new places, and wonderful roads to ride.

Firstly, the Elan Valley was at the most spectacular I've ever seen it. With all the rain we've had this year, the reservoirs were full, and the water was thundering over each and every dam. It's an incredible sight. The Elan Valley is beautiful even when the water level is low, but with the water cascading over the dams, it is truly magnificent.
There's a road called the Aberystwyth Mountain Road, that runs from the top of the Elan to Aberystwyth. I've never ridden it before, because it's generally been windy when I've been down that way, and they strongly advise you not to ride it in heavy rain, or wind, and definitely not ice! There's big ice warning notices all along it.
But this year, it was a still, sunny day, so it just had to be done. The road runs around the mountains for around 20 miles, eventually coming out at Devil's Bridge, by the Mynnach waterfall. It's little wider than a car, full of free-range sheep, and decidedly tricky. There's an unfenced drop to one side just to make it a little more interesting.
But oh, the views! Staggering just does not do it justice. Mind, you're so busy watching the blind corners and undulations in the road, you find yourself doing little more than 20mph just so you can take a glance at all this spectacular scenery.

Another road I found that was new to me, was the Orme Coast Toll. Yes, they charge you a squid on a bike for the pleasure of riding this one, but it is worth it. The road runs from Llandudno to.......Llandudno, right around the outside edge of the Great Orme headland. It's cut into the cliff, with a drop down to the sea on one side, and the steep cliffs of the Orme on the other. Wonderful! You can also ride up to the top of the Orme, or go up via cable car or tram. The views from the top on a clear day are remarkable.

To my pleasure, I found that they've finally finished the rebuilding of the A487 from just outside Dolgellau to Machynlleth. Having been stuck there previously in the pouring rain, when the temporary traffic lights were stuck on red, this pleased me no end. It's a beautiful road, with awesome views.

Nearer Machynlleth, you pass the Osprey Project, with a magnificent 20 foot high metal statue of an Osprey coming in to land at the entrance. This was one of the things I wished I could have photographed. Further down, is the Corris Craft Centre, where you can watch various crafts people at work, and buy their output. There's a glass workshop, where they make the most beautiful flowers, birds, dragonflies, dragons etc., and it always grieves me that I can't bring any of them home on the bike. The Centre also has decent loos and a nice little cafe, so it's a good place to stop anyway.

Talking of the A487, it starts from a little place outside Dolgellau, called Cross Foxes. I've often wanted to stop there, but I always think, if they're that cross, they might just bite! At the moment, I wouldn't blame them for being cross little foxes, as there's an enormous road improvement scheme happening through there, where you can get held for anything up to 10 minutes, whilst they move heavy construction vehicles across the road.

As to place names, well, I found Clatter and Knockin - had I been on the LittleInsect, they might have been appropriate names, but Jack is new, and shiny, and definitely does not clatter or knock!

I found out that Rhayader - or Rhaeadr, to give it its correct, Welsh spelling, means waterfall. Quite appropriate for the town that leads down to the Elan dams. I find that, having been to North Wales quite a lot, I tend to read some of the signs now in Welsh, rather than picking out the English translation below.
I know that 'araf' means slow, 'gorsaf' is station, and 'dim parcio' means no parking. Most importantly, 'heddlu' means police..................

I really regret not having a working camera this trip, but hey, I'll just have to go back again next year, with a new one. Now that WOULD be a hardship ;)

And so.........meet 'Jack'

This is the gorgeous new bike in my life, replacing the marvellous, magical LittleInsect (see previous post).
Only just got him, and am busy running him in, so don't expect any new posts from me for a couple of weeks!

Now is he pretty - or is he pretty?

So sad to see it go..............

.............the LittleInsect.

Yes, I've finally come to terms with the fact that I've got to let it go. After all the years, miles and memories, it's reached the end of its useful life in its present form, and, as I don't have room to store it for the rest of my life, it must make room for a replacement.

However, I refuse point blank to sell it. I really could not bear to let anybody else ride it. It would absolutely break my heart. So, in two weeks time it will be de-registered and taken apart. The fate of its component parts has been decided, but will not be discussed here. (or anywhere, for that matter)

The final nail in its' coffin came via Kent Motorcycles, who are supplying me with a new Hornet with the most gorgeous one-off custom paint job. I'm not picking it up for a couple of weeks, so I'll post photos then.

No, it could never be a 'LittleInsect 2' but if it gives me half the pleasure that one did, I'll be more than happy. I've only left myself a few days after picking it up, in which to run it in and get it serviced, and then its' first long trip will be to North Wales.

Let's hope the weather improves. It would be a shame to get that beautiful paint scheme wet and muddy.

This and That

Really, I shouldn't let life interfere with writing my blog!  However, it does seem to have happened a lot lately, mostly because there always seems so much to do.

To catch up, I had a very wet week in Somerset on the LittleInsect, followed last week, by a wonderful few days with Pat and Peter on the Devon/Dorset border. If you're looking for somewhere to stay down that way, then go to my other blog 'My British Isles', link on the right - and pick up the signs for The Old Black Dog. I can promise, you won't regret it.

No matter how often I go to Dorset, I never tire of riding the Dorset roads and poking around the gentle little towns and villages. An absolute 'must' for me down there, is to ride the B road that runs from Burton Bradstock through Abbotsbury, to Chickrell on the outskirts of Weymouth. It's such a pretty route, with wide views over Chesil Beach, to Portland on one side, and rolling hills on the other.

Another 'must' is an evening down at the harbour at West Bay, where all the bikers hang out. There's a branch of Helmet City just opened up there, and I made Dick promise not to spend any money if he went in there, and then promptly bought myself some new gloves! - a mere £80 or so........

Dick had only been to Dorset a couple of times before, and hadn't seen much of the towns at all, so one day, we spent the morning poking around Dorchester. It may be the county town of Dorset, but it's not exactly huge, and has a faded, genteel quality about it.

We then took a lovely ride from there, up to Sherborn and then through to Shaftesbury, where Dick had expressed a wish to see Gold Hill, the place that pretended to be 'oop north' in a certain famous Hovis ad. My eyes lit up when he said that, and he couldn't understand why I was so keen to show him Gold Hill...that is, until we got there and found the Beadster bead shop at the top. Of course, as we were in the area, I just had to, didn't I?

Talking of beads, and my jewellery-making, I've been spending time recently, learning the art of Kumihimo, or Japanese silk braiding. I'm quite pleased with some of my efforts so far, and there are one or two necklaces in my Etsy shop (link at the top of the page). See what you think. My friend Sheila, who owns Blueberry Glass, made me a couple of stunning pendants, and I've used one with toning silk braid to create a very stylish necklace.

I've started to carry a small pad and pencil around with me, as I see things which give me an idea for a piece of jewellery, and then by the time I get home, I've forgotten it. It's my age, don't ya know! I've got designs in mind for two more necklaces in The Weather Collection - these will be 'Snow' and 'Fog'. Are you intrigued yet? There's a pretty blue bracelet just waiting for me to have time at the weekend to photograph it, and add it to my shop, and, as usual, more ideas in my head than I actually have time to produce!

Two weeks time, we're off on our travels again - this time to Northumbria and North Yorkshire, so I hope to come back with even more ideas. I'm also hoping for a change in the weather..........................

What to do - or not - in Somerset

Well, the riding season is upon us once again, and I've just spent a very pleasant few days in Somerset, despite the weather.

This is what I learned:

1. DON'T pull onto the edge of a pub carpark to consult your map, or 15 minutes later, you'll STILL be throwing a stick for a very insistant collie dog


2. soft tyres + heavy rain + Porlock Hill is NOT fun

3. When your map says 'scenic route' it's pointless doing it in thick fog. Mind, the roadside banks were rather pretty

4. DON'T go down the 1 in 4 hill into Malmsmead when it's pissing it down unless you like going down hills sideways

5. cake + lake + friend = excellent afternoon

6. Don't let Buzzby chase swallows unless the cafe owners like birds flying round inside their tea rooms

7. When you're at a sleepy little harbour village, it's not the fact that those 6 ladies in very smart business suits are standing outside a bar swilling beer and smoking cigars that seems incongruous, it's the fact that they're all men.......

8. Only stand on top of Clifton Suspension Bridge in a strong wind if you like your hair getting all knotted up

9. When a guy on a 1400 Kwak blasts past you going up Cheddar Gorge, don't mutter 'prick' under your breath, as for sure, when you go round the next bend, you'll have to swerve to avoid him and his bike lying in the middle of the road. ('pillock' would be more apt)

Quite a learning curve, I think..........

Book review - Uneasy Rider - Mike Carter

So, he gets drunk at the office Christmas Party, and tells everybody that he's giving up his job to take off on a large motorcycle, and go wherever the road takes him.

There's just one problem - he can't ride a bike...........................

Being a biker with a penchant for travelling and visiting places, I've always enjoyed 'road' books. From Ted Simon's 'Jupiters Travels' to the latest McGregor/Boorman epic, I've read them nearly all, but seldom have I enjoyed one as much as this.

The journey for Mike is partly to get away and resolve some issues arising from his recent divorce, partly a search for the answer to why men have mid-life crises (apparently always at the age of 42, which is also the answer to life and everything), but mostly because he's bored with his life as it is.

And so he travels to Wales to learn to ride, and buys himself a big BMW, because that's what Ewan and Charlie did, right? and sets off to cover 20,000 miles and 27 countries in a 6 month period. Along the way, he meets other bikers, and locals, and yes, he does find some answers, but often the answers themselves raise more questions.

This book is often moving, funny, witty, and Mike Carter writes with an honesty about himself and his life that is refreshing and sometimes very intimate. As a journalist, he has the knack of being able to convey scenes and emotions in just a few words, and so the book is fast-paced and lively, emminently readable, and it will interest the non-bikers as well. What more could you want from a travelogue?

Rating: 5/5

New Addition to the garage

This is Honda's all new NC700X cross-over bike.
We've got one coming on 1st. March, to replace Dick's ageing NTV700 Deauville.
The best thing about it will be the fuel consumption - it promises anything up to 80mpg!
Well, we shall see...................watch this space...............

It will join the LittleInsect, the CBF1000FA and the VFR800X XRunner, and, although similar in style to the latter, promises a totally different riding experience.


And, while we're in the mood for bike stuff, this is the latest addition to my PunkyRider jewellery collection:



This is the 'Nuts In Spring' bracelet. And you thought nuts only came in the Autumn? LOL you were wrong! The bracelet is actually a concept based on incongruous elements in the English language i.e. nuts and Spring - both words having two completely different meanings. It features green wire springs, hexagonal nuts (of the motorcycle type) and carved nuts (of the fruit type) from Africa, and is finished with a cute antique copper cruiser
If you're interested in purchasing it, or any of my other pieces, then follow the link to my Folksy shop

Advert over.............