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Happy Birthday.

Thank for the birthday wishes.
Once more sorry for the break in service,
sunnier days this year




Well the Great British Summer is back – wettest June since Noah.
14th June Sidcup by Car – held up for an hour around Heathrow as Suzuki downed on motorway. Long day –home late around 500miles and Edinburgh on 15th. Fly up and back. Late back due to rain – arrive Cardiff and have to rush wife to hospital. Work from home part of following week.
As I remember June, highlights amongst the wet weather, filling up at Morrisons – as I am about to leave petrol station a “blip blip”alongside as a car doors are locked. The driver goes to pay at the kiosk. VN fires up and “WEE WEE” as the car alarm bursts into life. Well I laugh.
Crossing the bridge head toward the junction at Magor. The police are parked above the motorway – officers chatting. The traffic reduces to 50 mph despite the 70 limit.
Under the bridge I just can’t resist the drop down to 3rd and power up. Hope they felt and heard it above. (silly really). The journey through the rest of June (with the exception of driving to Lytham St Annes (car) is wet and the Kawasaki skips on the patches that hold the M4 together – its like having Reed Richards as the frame. July brings a train journey to London and another wet month with another trip to Lytham St Annes – on the way back I collect a set of standard VN pipes for £100 from an ebayer in Derbyshire. At least that is one item that should help with the MOT in October. I am beginning to look white and wrinkled with all this rain. Propose changing the name Vulcan to Stingray.

Thursday 19th July,2007

That looks like Torchwood



Well Wales Millenium Centre




Dont often get the chance to park outside - Strange the only photos I add are of sunny days of which there have been so few.

Friday 20th July 2007
Two months of rain fell this morning and I was in it. Still managed 90 in places. A Harley was parked up on the M4 around Llantrisant and I power on. By Cardiff I think I have drunk my daily allowance of water, and by the Severn my jacket is like sponge bob – my waterproofs aren’t and my feet are taking on trench foot. The only part that’s waterproof is my skin and that’s got a few holes in it – but we won’t go there.

Monday 24th July, 2007 – UK partially underwater.
Another wet run in, still manage to hold up 80 – 90 most of the way. Have a BMW soft top behind me from Cardiff and let him pass after Cardiff Gate – mistake he travels no faster than I was. Pass him at the Coldra and stay ahead until the Bridge. 4 wheels have an advantage on the bridge because of those fishplates. Finally pass him on the hill to Almondsbury as I peel off to the M5 (90 plus) on his inside. Ease back for the last few miles to work.
Zip breaks on the jacket and have to ride home with on open leather –might be able to fix – failing that it’s e bay.

Tuesday 25th July, 2007
A lovely sunny day. Great ride in, holding 80 plus, as I approach Magor a Jag (German registered) passes – even better when a left hand drive passes because they get to enjoy the full note of the V &H. (the axxhole is on the phone and not hands free). German Jag in outside lane and another German registered car occupies the inner lane – both constrained to around 65 mph. Through the middle at 80 and away.
Not feeling so good going home – might be coming down with something.
I have now clocked up around 19000 miles to date and should be on target to hit 25000 by October
26 and 27th
Sickness bug have lost 2 lbs in day and a half.

Speak to you soon.
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Sunday 29th July,

Due back to work tomorrow. Lost 6lbs in all. Eating again but still drinking flat Lucozade.
Topped up the oil on the VN 1/4 litre in 1800 miles (hard and quite fast ridden miles). Fired her up and run her for a while.

Funny thing happened Friday, whilst lazing on my sick bed (settee). Bell rings and when I open the door there are two young people (male and female) - my first thought is Jimmy Hendrix - Along the Watch Tower - no that's it Watch Tower - Jehovah's Witness. Wrong again its the Car-phone Warehouse. Not only do I get phone calls from India trying to convert me over to another network but some network providers are banging my door down. The quite young couple (early twenties) are both manicured and eyebrows plucked - weird - and should be on a make up counter or in a scary movie). I advise them to stay away as I have lost almost 6 lbs through sickness and am horrified as the both rush toward me (like the episode Blink in Doctor Who)- then fortunately stop. Then the sell. My boys appear at my side and I usher them away - young children should not be faced so soon with such dangers as the door to door salesman/woman. They ask if I have a bill from BT but keeping my eyes firmly fixed advise them I pay on line fearing a blink may result in another rush toward me. I tell them I have to visit the small room again and bid them farewell - but with their threat that they will return in a number of months.
Hopefully this fear will subside as I return to the daily grind, where I go out everyday to meet my potential adversary rather than the adversary coming to my door.
Speak soon

Ade

Week of 29th July,07

Monday to Wednesday great weather dry and sunny. Traffic was light on Monday and Tuesday and able to hold 80 to 90. Just a joy to ride. Wednesday traffic heavy but no less joy - have to weave through traffic around Coryton.

Thursday weather wet. Actually thought about taking the car. What's a bit of rain - take the bike and with a deafening roar and whoosh of spray it swung about and drove at full speed toward the awaiting Martians. – Sorry- War of the Worlds - that should be toward the awaiting Bristolians – right first time actually.
Once on the M4 the signs are lit exit junction 28 (accident around Newport). Reach Coryton and the traffic stops in the contra flow. I am stationary in a single lane in the opposite carriageway – but not for long. Haul the VN over to the inside of the traffic and move between the queue and the central reservation – on the edge of the tarmac and brushing the greenery growing in the centre. Work my way through to the two lanes and move between the traffic with mirrors turned in not to clatter against other vehicles (its that tight in parts). Eventually reach junction 28 and head up to Rogerstone and head back to High Cross (whilst the rest of the traffic is directed around Newport). Reach High Cross but this junction in closed as accident is just below. Lorry crashed through centre barriers. – both directions on M4 closed. Work my way through Newport town and get back on the M4 at Caerleon after the Tunnels.
No one on the motorway, and I head off at 80 plus its like 28 days later. Arrive at the Coldra where the traffic is to rejoin and the police have it temporarily closed so my lone journey continues to Magor. Opposite carriage way jammed from Severn Bridge to Coldra – several miles. It’s taken an hour from Cardiff to Magor (cars take 4 hours) and I arrive in work at 10.30. Colleagues who left earlier by car arrive at 1200 hrs.


http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x245 ... C00519.jpg


The home journey is dry but overcast and I am tailgated by an anus in a Merc. at 80. Let him pass around the Coldra and he tailgates the next vehicle in line. Catch him and pass him at High Cross where carriage way repairs from the morning cause tailbacks.
He eventually passes me in excess of 100 tailing another Merc. (by around 4 foot) 30 miles later.

Friday – Sunny day again, but traffic heavy around High Cross as the carriageway continues to be repaired. The journey home and I am passed by a HD around the Coldra and we acknowledge each other by raised hands. In the continuing traffic chaos I catch up with the HD and pass around Cardiff Gate (I go through tighter gaps and maybe throw the VN around more like a street bike than a cruiser) . The HD catches me 8 miles on, on the open road but whilst I raise my hand in acknowledgment – the rider ignores me – obviously sulking

Monday 6th August 07

Reasonable day. Traffic stops in the contraflow, between Coryton and Cardiff Gate. Same manoeuvres as last Thursday. Weave my way through to High Cross where a lorry has broken down just where the carriageway is being repaired reducing 3 lanes down to one lane. Take 1.5 hrs to Bristol – cars take 3 .75 hrs.

Rest of the week slipped away. Thursday bought an Electrolux vacuum in Bristol. A cruiser does not look cool with a household appliance strapped to the rack and sissy bar. Motor home – around Llantrisant I am passed by a soft top Renault with 4 young ladies who wave. I open up and pass and stay ahead in defiance of that bloody vacuum.

W/c 13th to follow.

Speak soon.

Ade

sorry used the wrong bit of photobucket

this was part of the queue when M4 closed

11th August, 07

Excuse to take the bike out – need to order blocks and sand.
Travel to Bridgend and then on to JT’s motorcycles and buy myself a pair of summer leather gloves. (That’s wishful thinking). Nice to ride the bike outside the daily grind.
Need to order an air filter/oil filter spanner and pick up a rubber seal from Newport for the nut which allows access to the oil mesh on the nearside of the engine (that’s UK nearside). Saturday night (baby sitter for Kai and Asher) whilst Alison, Berry and I go to see Transformers in the cinema.
Get to the exciting bit where Starscream arrives at the Hoover Damn and the screen goes purple, lights go on and everyone is evacuated as the fire alarms have been activated. Fire brigade arrive and the Cinema is to remain closed.
Odeon arrange refund when next visiting and free tickets. Alison and Berry watch on Sunday, whilst I have to wait until Monday as we are reluctant to fork out for a baby sitter once more.

13th August

The journey continues. Bright and dry day. Approaching Coryton and the traffic starts to jam up. Move between the lines and as I begin to pass between to white vans the gap is obviously too narrow as the mirrors of each van are almost alongside one another. Move in and ask the driver on my left if he can turn his mirror in. It is fixed but he manages to move the van over to the left a little and I twist through giving thanks. The log jam had been caused by a car in the contra flow with a flat.
Motor on without too much issue.
Homeward bound - pass and am then passed by a CBR (2 up). Eventually pass again in the queues approaching Cardiff Gate. An ok ride home.

14th

Wet. Motorway signs advise of accident and junction closure after Llantrisant. Traffic heavy through to Coryton. Another accident after Bristol – tails it back to Almondsbury.

15th

Really Wet. Rain, Spray and Visibility can be described by quoting J. Jonah Jameson in Spiderman as “Crap, Crap and Mega Crap”. But hold up around 70 regardless, I wish I could see. Weather eases at Coryton but the traffic doesn’t as a wagon has broken down just in the left lane of the Contra flow – weave through to the right letting an Audi ahead of me. Sit behind the Audi until after the tunnels and pass on the approach to the Coldra. Ahead at around 85 past Magor, travelling on middle lane. Audi is closing and a Ford sits ahead of me. Look back and the Audi is some 10 – 15 foot away – do I brake or go. Go – open up heading for the rear of the Ford and swing out into the outside lane as I put some air between me and the Audi. Glance down and the needle is on the double zero. The Audi begins to fall back and I ease down by 5 – 6 mph. Across the bridge around 90 and Audi still trailing I move up to Almondsbury and the M5. Audi still follows. Outside lane until I am around 500 yds from Cribbs exit and drop into inside lane for exit. Audi in outside lane with a Mercedes on the inside – If there was a pursuit it wasn’t going any further.

Home- Looks bright but opt to wear the not quite waterproof trousers. As I look down from Almondsbury, the old bridge is in sunshine but I can’t see the new bridge for rain. Opt for new bridge as it’s sweeping up the channel. Cross the bridge at around 60 due to poor conditions. On the approach to the tolls it’s like driving alongside the Flying Dolphins in the Med. (Hydrofoils) with the spray from the trucks.
Arrive home with purple hands from my summer gloves.

2 more days to a week off (from this posting date one has already gone).

Ade

Should write down everything as soon as possible –

16th

remember having an Audi TT ahead of me from Newport. Kept close behind her waiting for my chance to pass – running around 85. Nearing Magor a Mercedes pulls in the 30 ft space ahead of me. Pass both Mercedes and Audi (Mercedes looks as if he is going to try to follow me between the lanes as traffic starts to slow, -no chance. As I motor on a wagon gives me more room to pass and through and I realise why everyone is slowing. Police Range Rover ahead. As luck would have it he is already moving on to the M48. Cross the bridge and the TT is closing. Keep her at bay until I pull off for the M5. UK is full of Audis.

Homeward, chest is tight- funny it tends to be tighter going home than on the morning run – must be getting tired – and old.

17th
Memory gone – good run in and out. Oh just remembered weaving between queues on the way home and how without thinking I bank the VN one way and myself the other to avoid van mirrors when passing through tight gaps – setting my mirrors off at a skew to true.- must be crazy.

Week off.

Didn’t ride at all until the 28th. Planned to ride to Dan yr Ogof caves, but my wife’s jacket wasn’t handed in. (see what did you do today).

Write up this week tomorrow – tired and in need of a drink.

Plan on going to the Knight’s Arms reunion next week – God – reunions – must be getting old.

Forgot to say

16th August had the VN 10 months and I have clocked up 21000 miles.

Should be on target to reach 25000 miles pa and at around £4.15 a gallon and averaging 43 mpg thats - shxt loads of cash. Not to mention around £15 worth of oil every 8 weeks.
I need that drink

Ade

Monday 27th

cleaned VN in preperation of the week's run. It sparkles like the dew.

w/c 28th

Traffic light all week and fast moving as schools not back yet. All week running around 90 most of the way.

VW passat irritated by me and passes at Newport.. Keep him in my sights and pass him between lanes as the traffic slows for road works at the bridge. PXXX him off further by just staying 3 cars ahead of him so he can see me.
It's funny its always around High Cross that cars seem to want to get ahead of you ..
Following day as I approach the Bridge I pass a red sports model - The car behind is a Toyota. An enjoyable week speed reduces fuel down to around 38 mpg... still.

This week -will post shortly but reminders for myself.
Ducati
Helicopter
0520hrs
speed cameras
yamaha
Bryn Glas

Post som pics up to photobucket now.

Speak soon

Ade

Just remembered some of the events of last week.

Red Corsa stradled the central reservation. Blonde awaiting to be released but para medics awaiting Fire brigade. no other vehicles - but I suspect that elusive soul who has never had an accident but seen thousands in his rear view mirror been at it again.

Friday.

Reach Coryton and as I am in the contra flow a Ducati is in the other east bound lane. We merge around Cardiff Gate and I am surprised I leave hiim behind as I weave my way through the Cack.
Homeward bound and as I cross the bridge I am passed by a Targa (porsche). He is held up in outside lane by an Audi. I pass all on the inside and so irritating the Targa driver he follows in hot pursuit. I am not pittting myself on an open road against a Porsche.

Reach the tolls and clear them ahead of the Targa and as I leave the M4 by Coldra the Targa fails to catch up. Joy Superbikes of Newport still open (2 mins to 1800hrs) and I pick up the seals I need for the next service.

Promise to let you know about the reminders left on last post later.

Ade