VIEW FROM A PUDDLE

I woke up Sunday morning with no way, to hold my head that didn't hurt

And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad

So I had another for desert

Waylon Jennings ......(is this poetry or what!)

MUSH SUNDAY

AAAh Mad Sunday. The day all the sportsbike lads and ladies on Blades, R1's Gixxers blah blah blah, prove to themselves they coulda been a contender. The mere fact that the mountain is now one way and open speed limit all fortnight instead of only Sunday does not diminish that Mad Sunday is still the day. There's Nigels, Rogers and Marks from the UK, a whole array of Pierres from France, young Giacomos and Valentinos from Italy, the immaculate Germans and Austrians, Dutchmen in Kevlar clogs, a brace of weirdos on cub 50's and classic bikes, in fact every European country is represented all looking resplendent in the latest leather or old school cool in oiled Belstaff. 

And Ron and Deano from Australia on....DDDDDr650's

"WE WANT THOSE SHIRTS ......OK!"
I roll out the tent around sevenish... and the weather is crap. Today's the day, just gotta do one lap and into Douglas to get the shirt. I get my poo and breakfast bap (disgusting tasty camp food ) sorted early. And then the weather....stays the same. The road/track is already droning and packed with bikes and performance cars (which should be banned from this...don't get me started) so we tog up and hit the track.We bomb along in an endless line with the sportbike folk carving up the traffic - some to their peril. The weather is clear and quite pleasant as we round Ramsey to head up the mountain. We get stopped for a short time and get a couple of photos in the sunshine. Up we go and straight away get enveloped in the wettest thickest fog I have ever seen. We are mixing it with bikes of all sizes but worst of all performance cars are carving up the bikes like crazy in almost zero visibility. This is SERIOUSLY dangerous so we stop on top at the Bungalow to have a coffee and see if it clears. An hour later it's probably worse so we DDDDr off into the fog. I make sure we ride right round back to the entrance of the campground from where we left (yes I'm anal....in case you haven't noticed)  to make sure we complete the whole lap. Done tick.
THE SHIRTS ARE OURS
 (I might need another poo though)

OK lads be careful it's slippery up there......yeh nah we're good

This is ten minutes later at the Bungalow......well five on a sportsbike......ten on the DR...OMG

And five minutes later at Creg ny baa....phew almost done

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Not sure how interesting this will be, its Wednesday night and we are on the ferry tomorrow. Its been p!@#$%^g (precipitating) down all afternoon. We spent yesterday and monday watching at Glen Helen and the bottom of Bray Hill and today above Creg ny baa. Lets be honest.....this is mental and ridiculously dangerous and therefore thrilling to the max. There are already several deaths. We passed a road accident yesterday where a bike appeared to have gone in hot, clipped a van and gone over the cliff on the coast road to Ramsey. I hope I was wrong as we didn't need to stop but that's how it looked - skid mark, dented van, lots of plastic, hole in the fence and no bike. I'm not going to judge the event in any way but I guess, and I fully support their right, that people are there and racing for their own passions and reasons and that this is ultimately  enough. Not sure that reads right. Anyway have put in a few snaps of camp life I hope you enjoy.

First view out of tent in the morning....what the hell is that?

Now head to the classiest/only kitchen...the Manx Carvery.....oh yeh complete with English all weather dining area!

Choose from the sumptuous menu  mmmmmmmm

Ooooh decisions....bacon bap or sausage bap........

And no dishes.....who thinks of this stuff?

And now to deal with yesterdays bap......
toilets on the right, showers on the left
don't get on the wrong line and
note which line is longer!

And off to a spot of sight seeing on the way to Creg ny baa

Having your toenails trimmed by the supersports uphill from Creg ny baa..
oh oh clouds

This looks good, three quid (pommy speak) ninety five for curry pie.
Good job we've separate tents.

I say Ronny fancy a tea before remounting and engaging the difficult weather?
Of course Deano old chum , and maybe another pie to fortify ourselves
as tomorrow it's....
Back on the Ferry and Heading East
for quite a while actually
Not sure how regular the posts will be from here on in 
but will give it a go
Cheers Dean