Merry Christmas

A Merry Christmas to all our readers and hopefully a happy and drier sunnier new year. When it comes to new years resolutions make sure you have “get out on my bike more” At the top of the list.

Drivel

As always at this time of the month I sit pondering a blank sheet of paper and think how much drivel can I write this month, do any of you have any idea how hard it is to fill two sides of A4 paper with type when you haven’t been anywhere. Anyway thank you all for your contributions throughout the year???

So 2007, what a year, Global warming saw 2007 become the warmest (according to records) and the wettest (according to the amount of times I have arrived home soaked to the skin) I suggest this was good and bad news for bike gear manufacturers, they probably sold more waterproofs but would probably have had more returns due to people actually having to ride in the wet if they wanted to get any use out of their bikes at all this summer.

Having said that the hottest day I can remember this year was at the sea food festival in Applecross where it was a real scorcher on the Saturday, this was the start of a 2 week trip for me across Europe and at no time from Holland to Italy to France and Belgium was it hotter. I had probably the wettest journey of my life with 400 miles in torrential rain in Germany & Switzerland in June. Luckily this was followed by a hot day which allowed us to dry out the gear.

The journey to the Isle of Wight was also difficult for all concerned, we done a river crossing on the M4 and Sandy and George had their own issues getting there. Most of the time this year the words from the Travis song were firmly in my head

“Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shining
I cant avoid the lightning
Oh, where did the blue skies go?
And why is it raining so?
Its so cold
Why does it always rain on me?
Why does it always rain...”

And if I did lie when I was seventeen (other than to the lassies at the Yorkie or the Sally) I’m sorry, bring the sun back!

We were blessed though with good weather for the International rally on the Isle of Man and amazingly that almost made up for the rest of the year. An emotional return to Mona’s Isle for me and remarkable for three things, the weather, how chilled everybody was and the fact I didn’t need back surgery following the holiday despite taking my JPN.

Looking forward to next year and we have the usual run of winter rallies starting in January in Glenfarg and then the Capper & Thistle Rallies south of Edinburgh. Easter will for me be a visit to Applecross and then the Guzzi rally at Guildtown in the first weekend in May. I’ve promised the Irish lads I’ll attend their gathering West of Cork at the end of May so anyone who fancies the trip gets in touch. The first weekend in June is the BBA meeting in Belgium a 50’s 60’s 70’s café racer weekend which looks like good fun, the following weekend is the British bike rally in Vezio Switzerland. There’s some classic gathering later in June at Knockhill and of course the Classic club run also later in June. Norton Day is on Saturday 27th June to Sunday 28th June 2008At Squires Café, Newthorpe, Sherburn in Elmet (between Leeds and Selby.

And of Course July sees the National Rally on the 25 -28 July at Stirling Rugby club. Finally in August we have the Begonia rally run by our friends in the Flanders branch in strangely enough Flanders.

Plenty on the Calendar for all, both near to home and in foreign lands for the more ambitious. As a heads up, the 2009 International looks like being a week long event in Austria.

Get out there and do it, you won’t regret it!

MVD944L

Old faithful is undergoing some work at the moment, I’ve stripped the motor and after around 130K miles the crank finally needs it’s first grind, the big ends are not marked in any way but are worn slightly and outwith limits. The Cam & followers are beginning to look tired (the originals) so will be changed. All in all it’s quite impressive and I put it down to very regular oil changes. Hopefully it’ll emerge from this ready for another 130K miles!

Merry Christmas!!

The Small Print

The views and opinions contained within this publication are not necessarily those of the NOC or of the branch but are probably mine as I wrote it.

No one accepts any responsibility for anything, if you have a good time don't say I didn't warn you.

Gino Rondelli

December 2007