EVIDENTLY

                           BBC4 tomorrow (Wednesday) 10.00pm Evidently John Cooper Clarke.

TED SIMON

A few weeks ago, about 20 years after everyone else, i read Jupiter's Travels, the story of Ted Simon's round the world adventure on a Triumph 500. When he set off at the age of 46 in 1973 he had no real motorcycling experience and certainly no knowledge of motorcycle maintenance but over the next four years and 60,000 miles he repeatedly stripped and rebuilt the bike which now sits in the Transport museum in Coventry. It seems unthinkable to attempt a journey like that on an old Triumph yet in many countries he visited British bikes were revered as being rugged and reliable.
It is a brilliant book, followed up by a sequel called Riding High which fills in the gaps (in Jupiter's Travels he quite often says things like "passed through Iran with no problems").
I googled the name when i had finished reading to see what happened in his life after the ride to find that in 2001 at 70 years old he set off again, solo, and did the same route, just because...



In 2007 he wrote the story of the second ride called Dreaming of Jupiter, I've just ordered it. If you are interested Ted has his own website called Jupitalia

THIS IS THE BOOK THAT MUST HAPPEN TO YOU

The best book i read last year and this year 'cos i read it again. Bike journalist Dan Walsh did what people dream of and set off on a bike firstly to Africa and then an epic 2 year journey from Canada through the US and down through South America as far as Buenos Aires where his bike and luck ran out. He travelled without GPS, spares, maps or even a licence and just about got away with it. It's not the usual travel book, as much a story of the people he met along the way as the places he passed through.
I tracked down Dan at Rollerburn and introduced myself, he was the big guy with the girl filming the event. It wasnt a great meeting of literary minds (there was only one there for a start), i said i loved the book, he said thanks.
Read it over Christmas and wonder why you never did something like this...

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY

STUBBO

Sideways Dave, 70 this year, 2.4 Escort for the track and a 1700 on the road, both as scruffy as him. Drives them with all the enthusiasm of a 17 yr old. Local hero.

ODGIE

I feel as though ive known Odgie for years, from reading about his exploits in BSH since the mid 80s and later when he became editor he printed a few of my photos, but i only finally met him at this years Hotrod Drags. My ethos with building bikes is always to spend as little as possible and ressurect old parts rather than buy new but compared this this guy i am a shamefully wasteful. He builds glorious things out of scrap, and they work.
There are a few people in this scruffy little community who i respect and look up to and Odgie is right at the top of the list.

YER ALL LAZY BASTARDS

Eat the Rich

THE PRICE OF PROVENANCE

Back in 79/80 i saw Croz on the Moriwaki Z1000 at Donnington, the bike was restored a few years ago and is for sale on the 8th of next month by auction at the Pavillion Gardens Buxton by HandH. Estimate is £50-£60 grand. Take away the history and the bike is probably worth £5k ?

RORY GALLAGHER 1948-1995

Rory Gallagher never sold out to fame, refusing an offer to join the Stones because he said Keith Richards was crazy. He was once described as "the best normal guitar player in the world".
In 1963 he bought his '61 Strat' for £100 which was paid for in instalments, it is supposedly the most sought after Fender guitar of all time. The company now makes a Gallagher Tribute which sells for around £2,500.
I played "Deuce" and "Irish Tour" more than any vinyl i owned, a hero.




Limerick 1972 Tore Down

GUY AT THE MOUNT

Just heard (Millsy rang me at 7.20am this morning!) that Guy Martin will be riding a Martek framed GSXR1100 at Oilvers Mount hillclimb on tuesday next week. This event is part of Auto66 bike week and Guy is competing to help build confidence after his bad TT crash. Read about bike week
here

GUY MARTIN

Ladies favourite, mans man and racers racer Guy crashed badly today in the Senior TT causing the race to be red flagged. Im sure i can vouch for the whole country in hoping his injuries are not serious.




* Update at 4.00pm today is that Guys injuries are not life threatening and he should be out of hospital after the weekend. The debris from the 150mph accident has been reported by following riders as looking like a plane crash !

JOHN MCGUINNESS TUESDAY NIGHT.

Jesus Fucking Christ

BILLY

RIP man.

TOON

Are back

JOEY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLD GIRL

Al my missis is another year older today. Here she is outside the Belgian bar in Amsterdam a couple of years ago. xx.