Thursday, August 30, 2007

Yes I'm no longer stuck at the top of the page with my trousers down!

There's a couple of reasons for this post. Firstly I'm a bit fed up being stuck at the top of the page with my pants round my ankles, and secondly I thought that Mel could do with a little bit more fame. He's already featured on this blog, once trying to work out how to operate a mobile phone (an age related problem!) and another time handing me some newspaper for the outdoor toilet photo on the post below. He's an okay sort of guitarist you know having played in the odd band here and there over the years (not quite as good as me mind). I'm not entirely sure you'll have heard of any......... Trapeze, MGM, Phenomena and some other band......... Whitesnake I think they were called.

Anyway, he played at a local venue on Sunday night and here he is straining for what looks like a giant poo, and the guy in the background is obviously impressed by its enormity! I was going to use the picture for a caption competition but that wouldn't be right now would it....... however, any unofficial captions certainly won't be frowned upon...... hush my mouth, I never said that.

I never went to the gig, instead opting for a bike ride with Matt but apparently it was a fantastic night. Photos are courtesy of Sir Gobshite John PD PFF PRLL (Pro drinker, pro fly fisherman, pro Russian language lecturer).



Sunday, August 19, 2007

Outdoor Toilet

Let me introduce you to the local pub's new outdoor toilet system, formally known as a large wooden plant pot. Before you ask, yes, it is me sat on the plant pot, and no I didn't actually do anything in it although I suspect it would probably have been far more hygienic than the official pub toilets.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Boys And Their Toys

(Written by Neil)

(With Mike away catching Moby dick it falls to yours truly to log the inaugural flight of Staffordshire’s newest stealth machine. In literary terms I am to the Beano what Mike is to the Guardian and I’m certainly no Lord Lichfield..... but here goes…)

The jungle drums have been beating for a while and the whispers slowly getting louder but finally the vision has appeared, and what a vision.





It’s common knowledge that we boys have to have our toys and it must be said that on this occasion Dean has excelled himself. On a sunny Sunday sat outside my house with Gaz drooling like a dog over a bone, it became obvious that the new kid on the block had grabbed his attention. So in time honored tradition Dean handed over the keys for the main man to give us the low down.

Have you ever experienced that energy that radiates from someone who has just got off their first REAL BIG roller coaster…. Well that was Gaz on his return, wearing Garfield’s smile from ear to ear he proceeded to enlighten us to just how cool this particular tool was. Ok initial findings aside it was time to head out to the hills.


With this being Nicola’s first experience of riding pillion , “steady away” was the initial order of the day as we chartered a route down to Cosford airport before hanging a right to Whitchurch exposing us to some “for 5miles” roads (Sorry local joke there….read Smiles not 5 miles) then into Llangollen and the horseshoe pass.

A short coffee break at the Ponderosa cafĂ© at the top of the pass followed by a gawp at the other kids toys …………..






......before declaring I fancied seeing the sea……. So the trip extends a little as we head off via, Corwen, Bala, Trawsfynydd and over to Porthmadog. Beautiful scenery and sweeping dry roads it truly is possible to gain a two dimensional equivalent of flying on days like this. Reaching Porthmadog the road runs parallel to the Ffestiniog rail line and finishes at the harbour itself.





Its knocking on a bit now and having satisfied the munchies with some local hospitality its time to get back, with the sky turning ever darker and our resident optimist declaring we can get passed Capel Curig before it “persists with rain” we head north across the rail line and are rewarded with a close encounter of the steam kind (sorry folks missed that picture), then on into Bedgelert, a small village with an interesting tale relating to the young princes dog. http://www.data-wales.co.uk/beddgelert.htm
Onwards into Snowdonia and past the Eastern side of Snowdon itself. There are many beautiful places in this world but you gotta go some to beat this region.



Heads down now and rattle along to the A5 (Memories of previous Dragon Rally trips over on the right. That should have Loz shivering at the thought, February on Snowdon…… go on Baldrick any more bright idea’s)
.

Retrace our route from Llangollen to home stopping to allow Nicola to get blood back to anything south of her knee caps. Well done for hanging in there, turned out to be a baptism of fire but she was still smiling. So an hour later we wave Dean and Nicola off and in keeping with the Jangle rules round off with a late one at the Pub.

Final Shot must go to the happy couple, Hope your toys bring you lots of pleasure.


Monday, August 13, 2007

Some Photos From Dean

Here's a few photos from the 2006 Barmouth Beach Race Dean went to watch...........









And also a couple of pictures of his Ford RS1600i he lovingly restored.





Also in the news, Dean has part exchanged his R6 for an R1. There'll no doubt be a few pictures in the not too distant future.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Matlock Bath (Again)

After a short debate on where we were going we left Neil's house in the direction of Matlock Bath. As well as being a tourist attraction Matlock has always been a popular meeting point for bikers. Summer weekends always attract hundreds of bikers. For us lot, well we've done it to death now and I should imagine it'll be a long time before we head back there.

Upon arrival we called in at the Riva, a pleasant little pub/restaurant and did a spot of people watching. As you do.







There's one thing about Matlock, there's no shortage of fish and chip shops.






A little stall selling full English breakfasts, burgers, hot dogs and candy floss no doubt. I wonder how long it'll be before we end up having to call our traditional full English breakfast the Euro Breakfast? Don't laugh, it'll happen, but there'll be changes. Big changes. Our sausages will be replaced by Frankfurters, our fried bread will be exchanged for croissants fried in olive oil, our bacon will be replaced by ham, baked beans will be replaced by olives....




Just so you can get your bearings Matlock Bath consists of a road, one side lined with, well mostly fish and chip shops, and the other side there's a river.

A little later on we headed off to a privately owned disused airfield were it is perfectly legal to practise wheelies ;)


Gaz and Cara on Neil's bike.


Gaz on Neil's bike.


Neil's bike seems to have become the unofficial Jangle stunt bike for just about anyone to have a go on. This you can't fault him for. Fair play.