Picto Diary - 02 June 2015 - PM - Speed
Above: A.R.E. Classic Bike Collection. near Sulby, Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
From collection website:
Welcome to my web site, here in the world famous Isle of Man.
As you scroll through the pages you will get a good idea of what the collection consists of. I have tried, over the last 30 years or so, to collect and restore what I call “go to work” bikes and my particular passion is 1930’s machines. Girder forks, rigid rear end, practical, reliable and easy to ride machines not particularly comfortable but for me they typify the Vintage movement.
The collection started out it’s life by being housed around my business premises in Guildford, but in 2002 we sold the business and retired to our dream location in the beautiful Isle of Man. Pat and I were lucky enough to find The Old Vicarage in Kirk Michael, right on the T.T. Course, and by 2004 had built the building alongside the main house that now houses the majority of the 100 or so machines on display.
All machines in the collection are kept running and pristine by me, with some help from a friend Job Grimshaw, as well as this there are usually 4 or 5 new additions undergoing restoration.
Above: Isle of Man Motor Museum. Jurby, Isle of Man. 02 May 2015.
Classic cars, rarely seen private motorcycles. A steam collection.
There was some weird stuff here! Citroen hearses, three wheeled cars, a Greyhound double deck bus...
Above: 1936 Cadillac V16. Isle of Man Motor Museum, Jurby. 02 June 2015.
Special features: 16 cylinder engine. Back seat radio controls. Cost new, $7,750.00
Above: 1957 Cadillac El Dorado Brougham. Isle of Man Motor Museum. 02 June 2015.
Special features: Electric memory seats, air suspension, suicide doors.
Above: Stream near Sulby. Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
Image taken from a bridge on my afternoon walk.
Somehow I never envisaged that such a small island would have streams like this. But, with a two thousand foot mountain at the island's center, and plenty of precipitation, the drainage flow of the stream is year-round.
Above: Country home. Sulby, Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
This house is not atypical of homes found on the Isle of Man. People seem to live pretty well here. The island is uniformly clean and well kept. I haven't seen any "bad" areas... yet.
The Isle of Man's prosperity derives from three sources. Farming, tax haven/financial services, and, motor sports... mainly the TT. Between the three, Manx, as islanders are called, seem to do pretty well.
Image captured on my walk through Sulby.
Above: Wha.....? Superbike. Honda CBR1000 Fireblade. 187 mph just out the front door of our hotel, The Sulby Glen Hotel, Main Road (on the Mountain Course) Sulby, Isle of Man, time trials.
I just had to guess when to push the shutter to get this image. Most times I failed. The thought of something going so fast, this close to you, is hard to process.
Isle of Man TT. Arguably the most famous motorcycle race in the world.
Riders are timed. They leave the start in Douglas, 18 miles from Sulby, every ten seconds. Depending on the race, they lap the 37.73 miles three to six times.
Leaders will attain top speeds of 206 mph and average speeds for the circuit of 130 mph.
Above: Dickie Kelly, one-man band. Rhythm guitar and electronic background support. Midnight. Sulby Glen hotel bar. 02 June 2015.
Dickie was pretty good. He played Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Eagles... a mix of classic rock and classic country. Foot tapping, sing along music.
Trailers for sale or rent...
Rooms to let, fifty cents.
No phone, no food no pets...
Ain't got no cigarettes...
Ah but, two hours of pushin' broom...
Buys a 10 x 12, four bit room.
I'm a man of means, by no means...
King of the Road!
Roger Miller
Yesterday, still feeling jet lag, I tried to sleep early and found that I couldn't, because my 2nd floor room is directly over the space in the bar occupied by the band. I think my hotel room was actually the sub woofer for the band playing downstairs. The music (thump thump) continued until 12:30 AM.
So... tonight, I decided it was better not to fight it but, rather, join it. I spent most of the evening in the bar listening to the toe tapping music.
Addendum:
The vets you saw in wheelchairs at SLC airport were vets going to the WWII Monument in Wash. D.C.
Aunt Joyce,
Ashland, OR
Steve. Please say Hi to Lynn for me. We had a great time in Vietnam and Laos with him last year.
The TT is a truly amazing event, and one which all motorcyclists should attend if possible. I'll go back one of these days. As you may recall, we didn't have such a jolly time of it in '94, as one of our riders became one of "the 200". Enjoy it before the safety Nazis shut it down.
Zoo Keeper,
Williamstown, MA
Above: "My Way," the Archbishop's boat being prepared for storage, as the Archbishop and L prepare to shift from Naples, FL to Montana for the summer.
Image submitted by the Archbishop.
Archbishop,
Big Sky, Montana
In response to my invitation for coffee to former business colleague who lives in Isle of Man... after thirty years of no contact:
My memories of our relationship in Japan are unpleasant;I do not wish to stimulate them,so we will not meet here.
I expect you will find the island as hospitable,notwithstanding,and I bid you a safe visit and return to your homeland.
Guinness,
Isle of Man
Remember the incident in Azerbaijan, but it turned out okay. Enjoy reading about your trip to the Isle of Man which is on our to do list.
Ester,
Chicago, IL
Ester.... I just like living on the edge.
Steve,
Lesson to be learned don't carry a key or visa in the same pocket with your camera or smart phone.
I did stupid things like that when I was 30….not a senior thing, just a stupid thing when we are distracted.
Thank god I can't remember if I'm old and there my friend is your lesson!
Have fun.
'Cake
Maui, HA
Hi Steve,
Great place the IOM isn't it. Never got to the TT but was at the Manx GP several times as a friend raced there. We stayed in one of the old boarding houses in Douglas. Amazing places as I gather they were taxed on the frontal width of the building so they were very narrow and very deep. Gotta try the kippers!
I thought I was the only one who had 'senior moments?
(email list)
If you could put them on for the IOM as well it would be great. Thanks for the hassle.
angela hemmings is wife of Mick Hemmings, boss of Mick Hemmings Motorcycles in Northampton a respected Norton and racing specialist. He is the 'friend' who i went to the IOM to watch race. The Manx GP was not as 'hectic' and crowded as the TT and we were probably the first to utilize a helmet camera (tape in those days!!) to record a full lap of the circuit. I still have the master if you are interested in a copy.
Malc,
Tokyo, Japan
Lucky, lucky, lucky. I wear a dress leather money belt at all times even in Ashland (not one of those cloth things for under your clothes although I have one of those too when traveling). In the compartment I always have a spare house key, $100, and ID. When traveling, the latter includes photocopies of my passport and Alita's. Phone numbers to report lost credit cards are written on the back. Alita carries the same for both of us when traveling, so we are double-covered. When car keys were keys, I carried a spare as well, but have not solved the problem of the gimmicks that now pass for car keys so have no backup..
I also have a spare house key in a workroom under the house that I can get to through the garage that opens electrically with a numerical code.
Perfesser (sic),
Ashland, OR
I did some research and if the bike # is #5, then the rider i caught with his front tire 12" off the ground in front of the Sulby. Glen Inn is Bruce Anstey, the current outright TT lap record holder.
Pretty cool, huh?
Keith, Isle of Man
Steve,
Your motorcycle keys incident……………similar things seems to happen to me not too infrequently. Always helps me to think of those as “those darn thieved stole my xxx again, but luckily we have such nice thieves that they always bring xxx back, but not until after some frustrating senior moments”. J
Norway, Provence, France