…not that you’d know it from the lack of posting activity here! I’ve been busy with work, of course, and busy with things about the house, et cetera, et ceteraaaa. But trying to claw it all back from the murky depths of my memory is another matter!
Let’s see: for starters, I’ve just got back from one of those refreshingly therapeutic weekends with our pals in France, which consisted of a lot of doing nothing – just what the doctor ordered. Particularly in the wake of all the DIY fun that’s been going on at Atkins Towers… Got a new back door, dontchaknow, replacing the aging and corroding stable door – yes, it is *that* exciting! 😀
One of my missions in France was to re-examine Howard’s trusty steed and confirm my interest in purchasing it. Which wasn’t really in any doubt, but we do need to dot the ‘T’s and cross the ‘I’s (or something like that) – in any case, I’m definitely taking the SV650 off his hands and adding it to my burgeoning stable. The stable will, of course, dwindle upon the sale of my RF900, which has to go to make way for the new arrival. It’s not at all jealous, don’t worry!
But what fun digging it out of the garage after its winter lay-up and getting the bugger started! I ended up having to wheel it about half a mile up the road to roll it down a hill and bump-start it before I got any joy from it. But start it did; first on two cylinders, then on three, then finally roaring into life on four after about 10 minutes of coaxing it on half throttle at the side of the road. Of such things are the joys of biking made!
So I am slightly sad to see the old beast go, not least because she is the quickest thing on two wheels I’ve ever had the immense pleasure of owning. But I’m still not at the level of success where I can have myself a showroom full of bikes and my own circuit to noodle around on them. Soon, but not yet. 😉
Driving the new bike back from Bergerac is going to be fun; I’ve got myself a Eurotunnel ticket for 8pm that day, and I’ve got to allow myself between 8 and 9 hours to get there. Now, I’ve done some fun distance trips before, but never to that extent. I’ve heard the usual tales of people making it to the South East of France from Calais in 12 hours, but I don’t think I’d be game for that any more! Then of course, there’s the rigmarole of HMRC and DVLA forms to fill and submit, and I’ll be UK legal. All good…
I even managed to coax Fiona onto the passenger seat of the SV while I was ‘test’ riding it on the weekend. She’s acquired a nice jacket, helmet and gloves, and feels slightly safer on two wheels than before. Which isn’t to say that she feels safe – oh no. Just safER… Let’s see what the fine weather to come has in store for us.
What a busy month I’ve got this month – it’s all happening! I find myself on a climbing wall this weekend (cue aches and pains galore); next weekend my Dad’s over from Ireland seeking entertainment in London’s bright lights; the following weekend I’m off on another of those daft climbing episodes with Pete, and the weekend after that I’m getting my new bike. The climbing episode will be taking in the third of the ‘Three Peaks’, Scafell Pike – which is also the lowest of the three. Thankfully. Fingers crossed for some decent weather!
I feel a big shout out is in order for my mucker Ben in Australia, who’s finally set a date to make an honest woman of his lovely lady Brooke – and we’re invited. So next Spring, Oz here we come. Can’t waaaaaaait! Big congrats, you two!!!
But for now, I have to return to the humdrum of computer programming – it does pay the rent, after all…