9 More Landmarks Added To Total

Yesterday, I added another 9 Landmarks to my total. I started out at 07.30 and took photo's at Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire.

That now puts me at 20 completed.
I had brilliant weather almost all the way and no rain, so despite travelling 430 miles, the bike still looks good apart from the odd suicidal fly. Obviously the bike is too quiet with the new silencers as they can't hear me coming.
The photo was taken at South Croxton in Leicestershire and gives some idea of the weather experienced.
I also met some really nice people at Rous Lench in Worcestershire and partook of a mug of tea and a chat with them, they really know how to make people feel welcome. Not so sure about Birmingham though where I witnessed a local lass dropping her kit and taking a dump at the side of the road on the pavement in a built up area with pedestrians passing by. Perhaps that isn't unusual in that part of the world; was a bit surprised though. Oh well better go now, looking forward to the Welsh Rally in 2 weeks and already planning capturing LM's in the area the day before.

Eleventh Landmark Chalked Up

I rode out after dinner tonight to my eleventh landmark this year. I did the tithing stone at Beaconsfield. It was a pleasant ride in the sun and for the first time this year, I wore my summer kit. Hopefully this will be a good year for weather and I'll have many more opportunities for evening rides as the days get longer.

Up to Date

Time I was bringing this blog up to date. I managed to get one day out on the rally over the Easter weekend. On the Friday I decided that I would do East Anglia, so set off at about 09.30 and did the landmarks in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, before heading home. I also visited How Hill in The Broads to take a photo of my second National Park.

After having very slight drizzle all the way to the Dartford crossing, I emerged into brilliant sunshine that wa to last until I got to Kings Lynn later in the day, from then on the heavens opened and I arrived back home with a really filthy bike, Ah well!!!!

On Wednesday 15th April I decided to go out after dinner to do the LM's in East Sussex and enjoyed a superb ride in really warm weather and two good walks to the LM locations.

This evening I went to do the LM in Kent and had another ride in 17 degree weather to the very interesting LM in Dover. That's it for now folks, I've knocked off 10 LM's so far with 2 National Parks. More good riding to come and I'm already looking forward to the Welsh Rally early next month.

Back In The Saddle

My exhaust silencers turned up today and because of the preparation that I had already done on Sunday, they only took 15 minutes to fit. My bike is now running quietly once again so I'm very happy. I decided to do a quick run out to burn in the exhausts and bag a local landmark, so did a quick run up the motorway to Windsor and LM 03. Interesting place especially when under the scrutiny of a local cop. Anyway, while I was there I couldn't resist taking a photo of Windsor Castle, so here it is, looking up Castle Hill with the Queen Victoria Statue in the foreground.

Buggeration Factor Hits Early

I got hit early by the buggeration factor this year. I got up at 5 o'clock this morning and left home to rendezvous with Jim at his place at 7.00.
All went well, I arrived on time and we grabbed a quick cup of coffee and set out for Jack's Hill Cafe near Towcester. The bike was running extremely well in the cold damp morning air and I was just thinking what a brilliant machine this is.
I was listening to Pink Floyd's wish you were here and thoroughly enjoying it as always when I noticed a louder than usual exhaust note, I was about 2 miles short of Towcester at the time. I pulled the clutch and gave it a rev, bugger!!! it's me. I carried on to Jack's hill by which time the noise was very obvious. When I stopped outside the cafe a quick look told me that the right hand silencer had bought the farm and completely broken through where it enters the collector box.
That was my run to the Annual Rally Start Event near Barnsley cut short. After partaking of breakfast, I had to bail out and head for home. A noisy but uneventful ride put me back in Redhill where I immediately took off the broken silencer and eased the broken peice out of the collector. These silencers are the same age so I proceeded to remove the L/H one for checking, as suspected that broke in the same place, so that was also removed. I took the opportunity while in that area to remove and de-rust both stands and give them a coat of smoothrite. Now I just need to wait for David Silver to open tomorrow and I can order my new parts and get back on the road over Easter. The photo shows the two severed ends and the inside section of both silencers that you never see until they come off, pretty rotten huh!!

And They're Off

We're up and running, Ladies and Gentlemen the 2009 Round Britain Rally has begun. Being a week day work had to come first, but after an early dinner, I literally got on my bike and made for my first landmark of 2009. The LM is in Ewhurst, Surrey; that much is not a secret, but you'll have to wait to see what photo I submit at the end of October. I will take what are hopefully interesting pictures at or near the towns and villages I visit and post them here as the rally continues. This is the first and as you can see The Bulls Head pub in Ewhurst is a very interesting place, mainly because it serves beer!!!!