Modern Vespa

just got home form work .... was told when i started that if the work was pushing people to have to work stupid hours hed get another bod .... bloody hate long hours ... off to bed to dream about the lottery then back off there at 6am ... ohh 16miles of roads in 20mins its amazing how clear it is late on

sorry to hear about the kit doug how disappointing

Alice .... i'm really looking forward to reading some of the prose you will be producing following this mad grab-bag of courses that you seem to be taking. Hackney library doesn't offer anything nearly as interesting

It is all happening in Bromley. Contemplating taking next Friday off to attend 'How to turn your holidays into popular fiction' at Beckenham Library.

All this and a Pink Floyd tribute band in the park next Saturday too!

Here's a famous geezers gaff for you....

Oh, COOL! (Sorry, I have no better words.)

Sorry everybody, I'm having to cancel the WOW rideout on the 9th July. I've just got back from a yacht trip in the eastern Med, and have found myself booked in for 3 weeks for an advertising pitch in Doha Qatar. Hope this hasn't screwed up anyone's plans. I'll re-arrange for late July [23rd,30th] or early Aug [6th]. Any preferences for these dates? thanks and sorry.
It sounded like a good chippy run to the coast, but it sounded like there was a bit of rain too. Did you take the same route? thanks gass silver machine GTS 250.

Hi Gass - yup, same route as last year, but the weather wasn't so kind I still had a good time, though, and everyone else said they did at least

Sounds like you've got yourself a good gig there! I am actually busy on ALL of your proposed dates, but then I was busy on the original one too...

I'm in France on the August date and hopefully raving my nut off in Hackney on the 23rd, and will be in no fit state to ride anywhere afterwards.

umchaumchaumchaumchaumchaumchaumcha....

And I'll be in CA until halfway through September.

My mother asked me to visit the cemetary at Vignacourt while i was close by in Amiens and she has a distant relation buried there.

no preference gass i'm doing the 'staycation' thing this summer - and in any case, i seldom know what my social schedule is likely to be before the last minute anyway.

@pepy - more cemeteries??? do you ever visit anywhere life-affirming? how about some nice pics of an amusement park or a festie?

Ahem, I would like to point to the first set of pictures showing Jules Verne's house Genie.

We did also visit the centre of Amiens, a little town called Albert and the bar a few times to......

There is nothing wrong with a cemetery-themed holiday. I've had three! (Somme, Arras, Verdun.)

Not my cup of tea at all, I have little interest in this sort of holiday. Different strokes for different folks huh?

This isn't my only form of holiday, merely one of many types I like to indulge in. 8)

I did go the War Remnants museum in Saigon which was pretty grim.

Yes propoganda but there was an incredible photography exhibition by war photographers of all nationalities. I would recommend seeing that if you have the heart for it. I did, but it made me weep.

The section on Agent Orange was unspeakable.

I'm another one who likes battlefield/cemetery themed trips. A long w/e is long enough though, they can be quite emotional.

Oradour s'Glane was enough for an entire trip.

as i learned whilst visiting big holes in the ground in Belgium with Pepy and Bill Dog last summer, battlefield tours can be very interesting.

cemeteries .... not so much

How about a wine-themed holiday in Stuttgart? You could meet Julie and I there.

I did have a family reason for visiting this particular one.

Up for that! I like visiting places where booze is made; gin distilleries are my favourite.

Patrick, a wine themed holiday in Stuttgart sounds just the ticket do you still know your way around?

I quite like a humble tour of WW1 battlefields and cemeteries but Jim's right, 2 whole days of death is quite enough.
A ride to Stuttgart sounds reasonable to me but when shall we three meet again ? Sorry I just went all Hamlet.

I tried to run home yesterday evening wearing a ruck sack with my shopping in it.
As you all in the UK know it's been a little bit humid recently and it was hot enough to make my run last around a mile.
Usually I can run about 5 miles without too much trouble but I was sweating and gasping within minutes so I opted for a fast walk and I still got home drenched then promptly slept for 2 hours.
What a lightweight.

Bill XX

PEPY wow the JV museum, very cool. Love his books. I like cemeteries as well. Here in the US i'm always wondering why cemeteries have great views. It's not like the people who reside there can enjoy the views, oh well The writing on the ones from the 16-17 hundreds usually crack me up. They wrote a lot of cool things on them years ago. If you ever get to Burma there's a cemetery for the British soldiers who fought there and it's absolutely beautiful. Not a blade of grass out of place. Too many people there tho. Sad that they couldn't be at home where they were born. Sounds like a great trip.

I've just finished The Police Rider's handbook to better Motorcyling.

It was very interesting and informative.

Next up The IAM's book of How to be a better rider. Never too old eh ?

Bill X

my sweet dainty little bindi kitten has turned out to be a voracious carnivore. I learned last summer that she enjoys catching small hopping/flapping/creeping creatures, but recently she's started devouring them whole. or nearly whole - any bits that she doesn't like, she gakks up in a little pellet, like an owl. i keep finding sad little bundles of fur, tails, and unidentified internal organs on the kitchen floor

Just put them in the stock-pot.

Strike day today in guvverment.

Pickets outside the office, complete with sexist idiots.

Yeah! Shout crap at me - that will make me that much more sympathetic to your point of view.

I am on the highest of highs having seen Paul Simon, my all-time favourite artiste, in concert last night. Not only did I have a fantastic view from row B, but I was able to press close to the stage during the encore and SHAKE HIS HAND OMG!!

Ooh! I take it was a good gig, then.

Where was he playing?

Hammersmith Apollo - all seated except a space at the back of the stalls, this time. Should have been Tuesday but he postponed because of a throat infection.

Looks like a good interesting trip in Northern France. I find that area good, and along the coast. Further inland it becomes non discript. Any other scooterists about? What do they make of you lot? gass silver macine gts 250

We were there for the Beatsugar Rally in Glisy (Amiens).
There were hundreds of Scooterists there (English & French).

My local (500 yards away) Honda Dealership has closed it's doors recently but it hinted that it's had it's Honda franchise taken away but the wording on the poster in the window is a bit vague and the same goes for the message on the answering machine.

It's Chambers Honda in Maidstone and the business has been going for about 25 years.

Can anyone shed some light on it ?

Bill X

No stock incoming from Japan after the Tsunami? Or do they build them elsewhere now?

That was so bloody obvious I didn't think of it.
The poster explaining that for the moment the dealership is closed hints at the right to sell Honda products has been taken away but it doesn't explain it any further.
Whatever it was I don't think they saw it coming unlike the recent shortage of japanese products.

Bill XX

As far as car production goes there is a huge demand from the emerging markets such as Russia, China & Brazil so a lot of investment and product is going there due to the profit margins compared to our more mature European market. Maybe the same for bikes?

Bum, bugger, and bum again.

I was all intent on helping marshall an Air Ambulance charity 100 mile cycle ride tomorrow (start/finish Dunsfold) - but after going round to see elder 'orrible and grandson today ("Bring your drill Dad, pictures to go up") - I find radiators leaking and an MOT failure X9 125 to fix as well. The rad leaks are the least of the plumbing problems, so tomorrow will be spent finishing the picture hanging (not as simple as one might suppose) and then doing other 'stuff' instead of getting out and riding on what promises to be a glorious day.

The X9 will have to damn well wait. Both front shocks need new seals, the oil filter was loose leaving virtually no oil in it (luckily no oil light on or seizure) - the front headlight looks buggered and apparently there's a fuel line leak somewhere too. Next week for that one.

I've my own shit to sort out for heavens sake! Why am I still wiping his bloody bottom?

That's what dads are for, Jim.
Wan't to hear my tale of woe regarding some plumbing and electrical work?? He's the contractor, not me.
A long Canada Day holiday weekend, AFU.