Travel Tales from the UK

[Charlie G]

That's the cheap and nasty Ryanair for you. Bet she never told you about the big crack halfway along the fuselage!

The Fistral Beach at Newquay is a great surfing beach - one of the best in the world and they'll have a round of the world championships there every year. I've been surfing there loads of times. Like even the very best I fall off a lot - just I usually fall of a bit sooner than most..

Agree 100% about that sign. Like it's ok to dump your rubbish somewhere else then, as long as there isn't a sign saying not to. Top bit made me chuckle as well; you are a survivor. Maybe they weren't expecting that.

This is the actual plane I flew in. I think I was trying to get the emergency people in the shot. From what I've heard Ryanair diserves your comments. I could have used you to help me identify all the trees I was puzzeled about. Would beech trees be found in Cornwall?

cg

[hampshirehog]

That's a Bombardier Dash - made by your northern neighbours. They're everywhere here now for short haul.

Yes, you will find beech trees (European beech - *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$us sylvatica) in Cornwall quite commonly. Timber form will be pretty poor in general as it gets a bit windswept over there. It's a close relative to your f. grandifolia (native to US and Canada - we call it North American beech) and looks pretty similar.

[Charlie G]

That's a Bombardier Dash - made by your northern neighbours. They're everywhere here now for short haul.

Yes, you will find beech trees (European beech - *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$us sylvatica) in Cornwall quite commonly. Timber form will be pretty poor in general as it gets a bit windswept over there. It's a close relative to your f. grandifolia (native to US and Canada - we call it North American beech) and looks pretty similar.

Thanks for the tree facts. That clears up one question. I'll tap into your knowlege later in the trip.

cg

[Johnny Drummond]

Pete, It was a pleasure to show someone around here(even if the poor guy was half asleep), are you fishing for an invite???, if so come on ahead although if you want to see any racing it will be next year as there is only 1 race left this season.My wifes only stipulation to anyone coming from OZ is bring some sheep fleece(she spins and dyes her own wool then knits,weaves and crochets)-and yes I am aware that it is a sterotype that everyone in Australia works with sheep, just the same as the Irish drink and fight all the time-oh wait,that is actually true OOPS!!!,just wait till you read Charlies report of us before booking anything,OK?(hint hint Charlie).Johnny

[mottyl]

thanks for the pictures.

Looks like a fun trip. Keep them coming.

Chris

[Charlie G]

I have no idea what these places are called as I was only able to click and shoot at this point. Somewhere between Larne ( ferry ternimal) and Armoy (?). Beautiful coast and sunny (for now).

If you ever get an invite to go half way around the world from a stranger to come visit his home land to see some crazy people ride motorcycles at speeds aproaching 200mph, in the rain, you must pause and think...Am I crazy? What kind of situation I'm going to get myself into? Once you've thought of just about every possible worst case cenerio, then forget all of what you could imagined and just go. If I had let my concerns get the best of me I would have missed meeting two of the nicest and generous people I have ever know. Leave your baggage at home and embrace whatever is laid before you.

We had lunch somewhere and afterward headed to some riders memorials and a museum dedicated to "Irish Road Racing".



Joey Dunlop's memorial



Joey Dunlop statue



Robert Dunlop's statue



Robert Dunlop's memorial



The Bush bridge, site of a well know photo of the "Armoy Armada", Jim Dunlop, Frank kennedy, Joey Dunlop, and Mervyn Robinson.

We went Joey's bar had I drink and toured several of the road racing courses, none of which I could remember there names. I plead half awake.



Johnny aquired permission to visit the TAS Rentless Suzuki Team shop, where we chatted with the mechanics and took a close look at some of their race bikes. Guy Martin is one of the racers who is sponsored by this team and after keeping track of the season had become one of my favorite riders. Cycle World did an article on him this spring in the states.

more....?

[Charlie G]

Thursday Dunrod 150



Some of the racers headed for scrutineering?













Love this bike and it's racer

What can I say, Nice bike!




I want this one.
A few of the racers and bikes.

cg

[Charlie G]

More Dunrod racers




nice graphics!











This older gentelmen was more than happy to let me take a picture of his beautiful bike.




Where are the pit girls?

[Charlie G]

You try taking a picture of a bike going a hundred and umteen miles per hour.

Later,

cg

[cowboyup3371]

Great pictures...makes me really miss that area.

[pete]

Now we're talkin' Charlie! Would've been awesome to see those guys out there, gotta admire their skill and courage for racing on roads like that in that weather!

And Guy Martin has rather large testicular fortitude... I saw the photos and write up in our local AMCN fortnightly magazine of his get off at the IOM that had his bike exploding... amazing stuff!

Pete, It was a pleasure to show someone around here(even if the poor guy was half asleep), are you fishing for an invite???, if so come on ahead although if you want to see any racing it will be next year as there is only 1 race left this season.My wifes only stipulation to anyone coming from OZ is bring some sheep fleece(she spins and dyes her own wool then knits,weaves and crochets)-and yes I am aware that it is a sterotype that everyone in Australia works with sheep, just the same as the Irish drink and fight all the time-oh wait,that is actually true OOPS!!!,just wait till you read Charlies report of us before booking anything,OK?(hint hint Charlie).Johnny

Good stuff Johnny, I'd love to see the IOM and see Cameron Donald do his stuff as well, but there's about a 0% chance these days of that ever happening, but if the chance was to arise I'd be sure to hit you up for an invite Bringing the sheep's fleece could be an interesting proposition... I'd have to fight the kangaroos jumping down our suburban streets while heading over to the shearer's shed and bribing him with a stubbie of XXXX to get some fleece... hahaha just kiddin'... and don't you Irish eat a lot of potatoes as well?

[Johnny Drummond]

Pete,We only eat them when we run out of soda bread(ask Charlie)!,yeah I know the 0% feeling its enough of a struggle to make the money to go to Germany every year-my uncle lives there and has a monster christmas party.The circuits I took Charlie to were the Cookstown,Bush and the Armoy, like I said the guy looked like he had spent the week partying with Keith Richards.I hope he enjoyed himself as he seemed to enjoy walking around the paddock it was just so much of a pity it was that it rained, and feel sorry for him trying to photo the bikes on a normal camera that are doing over 100mph(the photo of the road is taken on the approach to the second slowest corner on the course) on the saturday we were at the fast uphill section called Jordans cross where even the 125cc's are doing 130+

[caligs]

Charlie,you had an awesome trip,thx for the pics.Now,you didn't bring some of that weather with you by any chance?We could surely use it here in Cali right now!

[Buffalo Bill]

Vallhalla!

Awesome…

Can't say more, but just a single question for Johnny: What brand of tires were those vintage bikes using?
That might be useful to know, concerning racing in the rain.
Thanks!
Bill

[pete]

Pete,We only eat them when we run out of soda bread(ask Charlie)!,yeah I know the 0% feeling its enough of a struggle to make the money to go to Germany every year-my uncle lives there and has a monster christmas party.The circuits I took Charlie to were the Cookstown,Bush and the Armoy, like I said the guy looked like he had spent the week partying with Keith Richards.I hope he enjoyed himself as he seemed to enjoy walking around the paddock it was just so much of a pity it was that it rained, and feel sorry for him trying to photo the bikes on a normal camera that are doing over 100mph(the photo of the road is taken on the approach to the second slowest corner on the course) on the saturday we were at the fast uphill section called Jordans cross where even the 125cc's are doing 130+

Haha ok Charlie what's the go with the soda bread? And yes he certainly looks dead on his feet (even though he's sitting) in those first shots...

Those guys are brave (or stupid? I'm sure there's both ) and I have mucho respect for that...

Going by the trip report so far I reckon Charlie definitely enjoyed himself!