Road Trip

Busy day yesterday... 350 mile round-trip through snowstorms... last stop was my mate Don's workshop. Perfect finish to the day having a beer, chatting bikes and reliving war stories from our days racing 'Supertwins' nearly 10 years ago :-)

First stop... Made in Italy Motorcycles to oogle over a whole lot of rare and exotic Italian porn and to chat to owner John about some racing ideas...

Manx weapon?

 

Belissimo!

 Something more modern.

Super-exotic, rare and expensive.

 Just love these old Supersports.

Poise of a race machine.

Just too much to take in... including a zero miles 996R.

Next stop: pickup a low mileage engine for the Big Betty (ManxGP Senior bike). Then down to Don's in London to drop it off. She'll be up and running soon.

 

Snowy Snetterton

Got the Wee Monster prepped and loaded Friday night for the first round of the Ducati Sporting Club’s Desmo Due Championship at Snetterton.Last time I was at Snetterton in March it snowed and I think just about every other time I have been to Snetterton, the weather has been shite. True to form we had 15mph wind, 4 degrees and rain on Saturday.

Up with the sparrows and arrive at a rain sodden track. Scrootineering and signing-on done quickly, then loaded the bike back in the van to keep it out of the rain while I have a nap. It didn’t stop raining. Qualifying sessions were started and stopped becasue of a water-logged track. I waited around, but our session never arrived. Desmo Duo racing was eventually cancelled becasue we run on road tyres and there was just to much water around. Bugger!

I've got my best results in crap weather, so was up for it. 4 hour round trip 6 hours hiding out in the van trying to keep dry and warm is all I got from Saturday. One of the big negatives for me in road racing is all the waiting around. Crap.

 

Sunday's forecast was worse. They got it right this time... I got up to the circuit to find 1 inch of snow and freezing cold. At 09h15 it was annouced that the Sunday's racing was to be abandoned. Great... another 2 hour drive back home.

 

Pretty disappointed about it... was really keen and up for it. The plan was to have two more qualification rounds for the Manx under my belt and perhaps a trophy or two. Will have to wait till the next schduled round on 20th April at Oulton Park to try out all the improvements to the MD-Racing tuned Wee Monster and get those qualification rounds in.

Green Laning

I was up for a 1.5 hour Harescramble at Slab Common today, but it was cancelled earlier in the week because of the weather. There was another 3 hour REME event at Bagshot I thought I might do instead. Last night there was a notice on their website that entries were full. Doh. Must be the warmer (wetter) weather after the freeze of the past few weeks. Nay worries - got out and did some local green-laning on the four-fiddy.

Fields were flooded and there were little rivers everywhere from the melting snow and rain from yesterday.

Still a bit of snow around but glorious sunshine and it was warm! :-)

I was out for just over 3 hours in the mush. I think the 3 hour Harescramble would have been a bit much considering my current fitness... I'm knackered!