TT13

Came home from the TT the 9th. Already a weeks work behind me and I only just came back to the real world. The TT is an incredible high, and the year sure was the best ever.

I've been going for quite a few years and the Island itself is a sensational place, I just got plagued by gremlins; bike with no rear brake, broken chain on the fastest bit of road, uphill, far away from anyone and last year, to top it of; major engine blowup 7 miles short of the train to Calais. 

That time it took me 27 hours to get home.

This year was different. I set out to build a bike myself, so if it would go wrong, there was no-one to blame but myself. All earlier trips were done on half built projects of other people.

Started with a bare frame early april and had it complete and working 10 hours before we were to set off.

The trip itself would be the shakedown. It's fair to say I was a little bit nervous, all the way 'till we finally got back home. It needed NOTHING, not even topping the oil up. It ran like a dream and started on the button every day. Makes for a nice change after years of working on your bike 800 miles from home, when you should be riding the damn thing.

Also, the weather has been amazing. After last years wash out and the actual cancellation of the Senior race (a first in the history of the TT), all races went ahead on schedule, something that hadn't happened in 20 years or so. 

Few incidents and sadly one fatality amongst the competitors, it was still a very good year when it comes to accidents, it can be much, much worse. Don't know how many of the public threw themselves through the hedges, but I'm led to believe there were many, as there are every year, mostly wannabee racerboys with little sense of self-preservation.

Many thanks to my travelcompanion Jelle for the good times, Fod for letting us stay over,
Rich and Hippy for the laughs and John and Jo Hocking for once again opening their house for us and letting us stay at their place. Without these people, I would never be able to make this trip every year.

Far more photos to follow