Early Risers.

[PupCam]

Afternoon!

 

7 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Odd that something associated with right angles is necessary for someone who can only move diagonally 

 

A mitre is cut at half  the angle so (usually) 45° - that's diagonal for a square chess board so just about spot-on 😉

 

4 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Potholes here can swallow a car…

 

Teeny exaggeration but many are noticeable whatever you drive. Big ones on National Speed limit major roads too. 

 

They do round here!

 

4 hours ago, polybear said:

Bear here....

 

Mission accomplished - Harry the Honda has been brought out of hibernation at long last; I just searched when the tax ran out and it was Oct 1995.....

 

Guess what?  No scary monsters encountered at all during the great unveiling - though Harry's (rather expensive) bike cover had suffered greatly during storage (as had numerous dust sheets & blankets) to the point where they were only fit for the bin.  Oh Poo - but at least it meant that I didn't need to go checking inside the cover for monsters; they've all been bundled up & bagged and are now in the bin.

 

Ever tried taking a Harry off the centre stand when you can't roll it forwards cos' the front wheel is already touching the wall?  It's, er, "interesting".....IIRC Harry's weigh 440lbs....and the only way is to lift the back end upwards.....

 

The very, very good news is that Harry seems to be in rather good nick (as good as I'd hoped), though the crankcase covers will need stripping of lacquer and re-polishing - the next owner can have that job.  All I needed to do was bung some air in the tyres and then wheel him out of the shed.

 

The area where Harry was parked was given numerous sweeps - only one monster was detected (a big 'un too 😱); he came running out of a corner and promptly parked himself on top of one end of the broom head.  Unfortunately Bear's Size 9 Rigger Boot followed very shortly afterwards.  Oops, what a terrible accident.

 

Harry is now back in the shed (on the side stand this time - which makes getting in n' out of the shed a bit more awkward, especially when carrying a mower etc.), with a single dust sheet over him.  He'll come out again when the forecast suggests a few dry days in a row, which will give me the chance to do some initial cleaning, polishing, checking and re-assembly work.  I'll need a new Battery.....

 

Here's Harry - exactly as brought out of Hibernation after 28 years:

 

 

 

 

BEAR STOP RIGHT NOW!

Puppers does not have room in his garage for another bike, he probably couldn't reach the ground and he certainly couldn't pick it up unaided if he dropped it!   

Does look nice though and very shiny indeed considering it's been living in shedland for 30 years.   Is the fully enclosed chain standard or a Beary add-on?

 

A note of caution or, as the boss at the Great Empire used to say, "expectation management";  It's a buyer's market out there at the moment with prices of second hand bikes generally depressed and going down.   I've no idea what it is worth other than "whatever someone will pay for it" (which reminds me, I'll mention it to my mate (Note 1) in the VJMC to see if he knows of anyone likely to be interested.

 

ION

 

Went for a wee thrash this morning with a couple of mates (See Note 1) first to Jordans Mill for brekkie and then on to Shuttleworth.   The Cambridge Classic Car group were meant to be having a meet there today.   Saw a few interesting cars but not enough to constitute a "Meet".   As we were sitting in the sunshine enjoying coffee and putting the world to rights a couple Ducatis arrived and (attempted) to park up.  The first one slotted in between a Harley with Ape bars (but we won't hold that against him and I think you get counselling now)  and another bike.  The second which looked like a race replica complete with a rider in IIRC racing leathers (I think his name may have been Richard Head) attempted to fit in the non-existent gap between his mate and the Harley.   He got off and as there was no room between him and Mr HD (who had just started up with difficulty due to lack of space) over-balanced, dropped it and it fell against the HD.    Mr HD was, quite rightly, "a bit p*ss*d off!    There was plenty of space elsewhere to park.  As I say, I think his name must have been Richard Head.

 

On my return I collected some tools and ascended the scaffolding tower to attend to the needs of the gutter/soffit/facie/tiles.    I'm definitely getting too old to be at roof level at the top of a wobbly scaffold tower.    Nevertheless the mission appeared to be successful.  I will leave the tower in place for a couple of days just in case I need to do any "fine tuning" and then I'll grab the neighbour and get him to give me a hand getting it down again.

 

Apparently dinner is almost served.

 

TTFN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Erichill16]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 
Oh yes….

 

I saw a certain black Bentley convertible today - the same one I’ve seen on 3 previous occasions over a number of weeks.  How do I know?  Cos’ it makes a very distinctive sound - like one of the brakes is intermittently binding.  The owner must have the IQ of a plant pot not to get that looked at.

 

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The chauffeur usually deals with that sort of thing y'know.😁

A well known fact, Bentley's are for those who like to drive, Rolls Royces are for those who like to be driven. 

[Erichill16]

51 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

That's why they are referred to as Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious and they cannot sell them due to this reputation.

I know all about it. Not moved under its own power for about 8 years. Last time I drove it was from having a major service (costing approximately 4 noisey Deltics) and the day after I lost my driving license. Pah and double turdy curses. When I retire……..

 

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

My landrover has a variety of settings for terrain, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th ,5th gear in high and low ratios.

The limiting factor is my back, the landrover can take a lot more than I can..

 

Sailing went well, reasonably attended. Sunny most of the time, wind varying between not a lot and 20mph. South westerly with occasional north westerly..

Made a mistake and took the new club rowing dinghy to fetch BM, got there then found the new dinghy has no attachment point on the stern, had to tow BM across to the club with the rope tied round my waist..

 

Race 1, course , 3p, Xp, 2p, Xp, 1 lap

Started middle of the line perfectly on time, lead boat was up ahead and had to tack off the bank, BM arrived just as they settled on Port, so a quick shout of Starboard!, they had to tack back, IBM swept past and by the time they recovered BM was about 100yards ahead. Got most of the way up to the bend when they caught up, 

Their handicap, 14, BMs, 21, So they are 7% faster. Kept them behind for a few hundred yards, then they got past.

So after that it was just sail BM as best I could, I believe by the end BM was close enough to win on handicap.

 

Race 2, 2p, Xp, 1p, Xp

Nearly did the same again on the start line, but the leader just escaped, then while nearing X while it wasn't BMs next buoy a boat from 3 starts ahead, rounded it. Just above BM, so effectively they were blocking our wind, it took a couple of tacks to get clear air, by which time we'd lost a lot of ground never got near the lead boat.

 

Race 3, 3p, Xp, 2p, Xp

 

Had a good start, but was again behind the leader, then the wind dropped, their much larger sail area paid off, got left well behind, got round the first bend, then there's a section of short tacking, was glad to find BM was catching up.. not enough, once they rounded the top bouy onto the run, they just left BM behind.

 

Race 4 wind dropping further, 2p, Xp, 1p, 5p. This is a different grouping of boats bermudans only in this race. The gaffers started 5 minutes later.

Set off well but two boats had a better start, managed to get alongside one, but as we approached The bank, they called for water, and that then meant they were above BM on the next tack, their larger sail area really slowed BM. After that it was just chase the lead 2 boats. Never got near them. But didn't lose to much distance, it's a 50:50 whether BM got one or both or none of the lead Boats.

 

Generally pleased with the way BM sailed, a couple of mods to halyard system , adding cheek blocks at the bottom, then back up through a spinlock jammer made it a lot easier to raise and unexpectedly it helped to lower the sails.

Next week I hope to lean the mast a little further forward, she's still too much of a handful in a gust, measurements were taken for a wedge behind the mast to achieve this.

 

I'm modifying the jib attachment to the bow, a 4mm kevlar rope will go from the jib club,  round a block attached to the bow, then back into the boat. Then there will be a vang type block and tackle, to tighten to forestay / jib club ..

 

 

 

[Winslow Boy]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

That’s what I posted earlier but always nice to have an expert opinion. It was fortunate that it is one of the very few plants I recall the name of. Usually I ask Aditi “what is the name of the green shrub over there?”  When asked to prune stuff, I get her to point or better still touch the plant rather than name it. 

Quite right. Can't let the apprentice or is hired help? go unsupervised can we.

 

Just to confuse matters Euonymus comes in different colours and sizes. There's white and green, gold and green and finally plain green.

[New Haven Neil]

M'Bear's bike is a Honda CB750F, probably a D or E year model?  (Edit - they are Honda model year designations, not registration letters)  Looks nice and clean - the chaincase is an add-on, Puppers.

 

On the subject of Puppers, there are far too many of those Richard Heads around, they last had a bike in 1979 and now have money to buy something big and fast, but not the experience or knowledge to handle them properly.  The squeaky clear leathers are usually a clue to keep well away from them - the come here in hordes TT week, and account for a lot of the accidents.  It's easy to make them go fast, a lot harder to slow them down.

Edited April 14 by New Haven Neil

[New Haven Neil]

2 hours ago, DaveF said:

Tonight will be some TV.  I note Countryfile this evening is partly about driving over the Wrynose and Hardknott passes.  Is it meant to be difficult?

 

Oh yes, with bells on.  Do NOT try it unless you are happy to deal with 1 in 3 hill starts and hairpin bends on such gradients.  It is alleged to be the steepest road in Britain, although there are others as steep (Rosedale Chimney I think).  I got pushed off the road there last year by a Range Rover, hit a rock and smashed an alloy wheel - not happy - b'sterd didn't even stop.  Luckily I do have a spare wheel in my car.  I have been over more on bikes than the car, but were going to the Ratty (as in the programme) as my mate is a driver there and I was on for a footplate ride - great fun.  Jamie was a guard there too, and occasional poster in garden railways forum David Mart is too.

[BoD]

2 hours ago, DaveF said:

I note Countryfile this evening is partly about driving over the Wrynose and Hardknott passes.  Is it meant to be difficult? 

I did it on my bike.*

Once.

A long time ago.

 

 

* No CB750 (insert letters and numbers if your choice). 

No DOHCs or Carbies.

Not even an engine thingy.

 

 

Edited April 14 by BoD

[DaveF]

8 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Oh yes, with bells on.  Do NOT try it unless you are happy to deal with 1 in 3 hill starts and hairpin bends on such gradients.  It is alleged to be the steepest road in Britain, although there are others as steep (Rosedale Chimney I think).  I got pushed off the road there last year by a Range Rover, hit a rock and smashed an alloy wheel - not happy - b'sterd didn't even stop.  Luckily I do have a spare wheel in my car.  I have been over more on bikes than the car, but were going to the Ratty (as in the programme) as my mate is a driver there and I was on for a footplate ride - great fun.  Jamie was a guard there too, and occasional poster in garden railways forum David Mart is too.

 

I can see how you had you wheel smashed by the Range Rover.  I used to enjoy driving over them but that was in the 80s and 90s when I quite often went that way, though not often in summer.  If I did go in summer is was early in the morning when it was quieter.

 

To me they were a lot easier to drive over than some of the Swiss roads.  The one I found most hair raising was high above the Rhätische Bahn on the line to Disentis from Chur.  The road was on the south side of the line from Castrisch to Bonaduz with a small detour to Versam Safien to look at the station.  It was quite narrow, some hills and bends but big sheer drops with hardly anything to stop you if you went off the road.  I only drove along it once.  The better road is on the north side.

 

Some of the narrow Northumberland lanes can be "interesting" especially now more people have big4 wheel drive cars such as Range Rovers and no idea of how to drive them.  They won't even go onto verges on the single track sections.  I avoid some bits of road in the holiday season and am wary of them except in the depths of winter - because then the Range Rovers don't come out because they can't drive them in ice and snow.

 

I used to enjoy driving in the north of Scotland but I don't think I would now for the same reason.

 

David

[PupCam]

43 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Oh yes, with bells on.  Do NOT try it unless you are happy to deal with 1 in 3 hill starts and hairpin bends on such gradients.  It is alleged to be the steepest road in Britain, although there are others as steep (Rosedale Chimney I think). 

 

Monty did the Hardknott Pass a few years ago.   What fun!

 

43 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

I got pushed off the road there last year by a Range Rover, hit a rock and smashed an alloy wheel - not happy - b'sterd didn't even stop.  Luckily I do have a spare wheel in my car. 

 

I always find it ironic that the off-road vehicles are (usually) the ones to force you off of the road ...

 

Maybe I'm just unlucky?

 

23 minutes ago, BoD said:

I did it on my bike.*

Once.

A long time ago.

 

 

* No CB750 (insert letters and numbers if your choice). 

No DOHCs or Carbies.

Not even an engine thingy.

 

Wasn't certain how to rate your post but in the end I think anyone who can do the pass without an engine thingy deserves a might big round of applause!

 

 

[BoD]

11 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Watch out for his mitre.

 

10 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Odd that something associated with right angles is necessary for someone who can only move diagonally 

 

 

p.s. not a CGI

Edited April 14 by BoD

[Coombe Barton]

3 hours ago, DaveF said:

I saw something very unusual - 2 BMWs with working indicators, even more unusually they went in the direction they indicated.

Have you contacted the Guinness Book of Records?

[PhilJ W]

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

As to Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc., my father was firmly of the opinion that they weren't sports cars but street legal racing cars and, like racing cars, need to be overhauled and serviced after every use.I think he had a point.

Lamborghini was and still is a tractor manufacturer. The story goes that the owner was looking at buying a new Ferrari but decided he could build a better car so he did.

[BoD]

5 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Wasn't certain how to rate your post but in the end I think anyone who can do the pass without an engine thingy deserves a might big round of applause!

Note I did say once.

[PhilJ W]

 I've just heard that there's a new model shop opening near to me at Rawenth on the old A130. I might pop down there in the next week or so.

www.tierneymodelrailwayshop.com

 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I had a choice of meals for dinner tonight but settled on toad in the hole with a bit of veg but no spuds. I will have to cut down a bit on the carbs as my weight is creeping up and I will have to loose about ten kilos to bring my weight down to what it was at the start of lockdown. Up until then I was slowly loosing weight but the lack of exercise during lockdown meant that my weight went back up again and my arthritis worsened meaning that I can no longer exercise as much as I did. Ever decreasing circles.

[PupCam]

17 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Lamborghini was and still is a tractor manufacturer. The story goes that the owner was looking at buying a new Ferrari but decided he could build a better car so he did.

 

Perhaps different rather than necessarily better?

 

13 minutes ago, BoD said:

Note I did say once.

 

Once is more than enough and worthy of applause as mentioned 😀

 

 

 

[Coombe Barton]

Did Hardknott a couple of times in 1979 in a 1300 Ford Fiesta

[BoD]

1 minute ago, Coombe Barton said:

Did Hardknott a couple of times in 1979 in a 1300 Ford Fiesta

Another one without an engine.

Well done.

[monkeysarefun]

6 hours ago, polybear said:

Oh yes, and much, much faster away from the lights than a V8 Ute.

 

 

 

No doubt about it!   However the risk assessment into motorbikes that I did when I first got my licence concluded that in order to ride one and feel safe  I'd need to imbue other road users and the local wildlife (especially those big bouncy ones that'll do 60kmh into your path!) with the road sense, spatial awareness and general competence that nothing since has proven them as a group to have.

 

At the end of the day I'll stick with something who's gravitational preference is to have 4 wheels firmly stuck on the ground, rather than lying on its side!

[polybear]

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

Is the fully enclosed chain standard or a Beary add-on?

 

It's a Beary add-on; a Peter Furlong Chain Case - fibreglass.  Not exactly GT but keeps the ar5e-end very clean - none of that 'orrible ikky sticky chain lube all over the back wheel.  As for adjusting the chain - forget it, cos' the chain doesn't wear.

I've kept all the original bits, naturally.

 

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

A note of caution or, as the boss at the Great Empire used to say, "expectation management";  It's a buyer's market out there at the moment with prices of second hand bikes generally depressed and going down. 

 

Thanks;  I know in my own mind what a minimum £ is I want and if it doesn't reach that then it'll go back in the shed until next April - when it'll be MOT and Tax exempt.  There can't be too many one owner, 3600 miles on the clock CB750FD's around.

 

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

The second which looked like a race replica complete with a rider in IIRC racing leathers (I think his name may have been Richard Head) attempted to fit in the non-existent gap between his mate and the Harley.   He got off and as there was no room between him and Mr HD (who had just started up with difficulty due to lack of space) over-balanced, dropped it and it fell against the HD.    Mr HD was, quite rightly, "a bit p*ss*d off!    There was plenty of space elsewhere to park.  As I say, I think his name must have been Richard Head.

 

Was the Harley knocked over too/damaged?  I do hope the owner was an Angel rather than a Bank Manager....

 

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

M'Bear's bike is a Honda CB750F, probably a D or E year model?  (Edit - they are Honda model year designations, not registration letters) 

 

It's an FD - there never was an FE insofar as I know.

 

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Oh yes, with bells on.  Do NOT try it unless you are happy to deal with 1 in 3 hill starts and hairpin bends on such gradients.  It is alleged to be the steepest road in Britain, although there are others as steep (Rosedale Chimney I think).

 

I'm pretty sure Bear did it in 2009 in Ricky the Rover; shortly after getting back to Bear Towers (days? or a few weeks at most) I came out to go somewhere in Ricky and when I went to reverse off the drive there was an almighty crunch as the Clutch self-destructed; at least it happened at home and the Garage I used was only about 1/4 mile (if that) from B.T.

[Andy Hayter]

The thing about muddling in France profound is that you can wait literally years for an exhibition and then 2 come along at once.

 

Yesterday we travelled north to Annonay for a general muddling expo.  A few railway items that were OK to really very good.  Sadly the 3 rail 0 gauge layout was not working while we were there but to be honest these "collectors layouts" interesting though they can be are not really my thing.   Lots of off road radio controlled 4x4s on show doing their stuff over rough terrain.  The articulated radio controlled truck set up was very impressive and I could see that joystick control was just as difficult as moving the real thing.  Some very nice models which I probably did not fully appreciate, with some very good driving, which I did.  The powered boats were very good and perhaps the cherry on the cake was a radio controlled hot air balloon.  Very appropriate for the birthplace of manned flight in a hot air balloon courtesy of the Montgolfier brothers.  And French for a balloon is a Montgolfier as a consequence.

 

 

And next weekend near Valence a proper muddle train exhibition - held once every 2 years, covid permitting, which it didn't.

Edited April 14 by Andy Hayter

[polybear]

4 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

No doubt about it!   However the risk assessment into motorbikes that I did when I first got my licence concluded that in order to ride one and feel safe  I'd need to imbue other road users and the local wildlife (especially those big bouncy ones that'll do 60kmh into your path!) with the road sense, spatial awareness and general competence that nothing since has proven them as a group to have.

 

At the end of the day I'll stick with something who's gravitational preference is to have 4 wheels firmly stuck on the ground, rather than lying on its side!

 

Agreed; it's one of the reasons Bear has decided to sell Harry - though the lack of a Garage  (have I mentioned that?) is the main one.  I've also noticed that the general standard of driving (as well as the attitude of other drivers to "win/get their own back etc. at all costs") has dropped significantly over the years.

Oh yes, and Bear's increasing desire for self preservation as well.....

[PupCam]

3 minutes ago, polybear said:

Was the Harley knocked over too/damaged?  I do hope the owner was an Angel rather than a Bank Manager....

 

No the bloke on the HD took some of the weight of the Duke as he was actually sitting on it about to leave.  Richard's mate rushed to his aid to lift the bike off of the HD.   I presume the HD was not actually damaged as there appeared to be no swapping of particulars and he drove off.   His body language clearly suggested that he was less than chuffed!

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

7 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Agreed; it's one of the reasons Bear has decided to sell Harry - though the lack of a Garage  (have I mentioned that?) is the main one.  I've also noticed that the general standard of driving (as well as the attitude of other drivers to "win/get their own back etc. at all costs") has dropped significantly over the years.

Oh yes, and Bear's increasing desire for self preservation as well.....

 

 

Thats because theres so many more fun things you can do while driving  compared to previous decades. Make a phone call, send a text, order something online,  watch Tik Tok clips, update your facebook status, video yourself talking about stuff as you drive along for your youtube channel - all much less boring than just staring intently at the road the whole time.