tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23350130761973042672011-11-22T12:51:11.478ZTrails and Tribulations of a ordinary bloke who tries to do ordinary things and seems invariably to fail in an extraordinary way!?Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.comBlogger431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-91912822534257996032011-11-15T20:35:00.001Z2011-11-15T20:47:57.734Z

All I have to do now is read it, to see what I wrote?! My Round Britain Rally 2011 by 27th March too 15th July Jim Josey | Make Your Own Book I'm advised that it might have been a good idea to read it before publishing to avoid printing all of the spelling mistakes and putting the wrong script next to the wrong photo! but hey, lets live dangerously..........

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-39939352445163730752011-03-08T22:16:00.000Z2011-03-08T22:16:24.132Z

Just 'cos I wash me bike all my tech starts fighting back, My tracker has give up the ghost and I am now invisible (or rather the bike is) to the world, I feel so insignificant. I'm doing a bit of fault finding tonight in the vain hope that it'll burst back into life in the morning and I'll be back (or rather the bike will be) visible to thems what know where to look! I've just ordered a new

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-18012096994210713842011-03-07T23:24:00.000Z2011-03-07T23:24:37.206Z

I have spent the last 5 months looking at my bike and wondering why it's so dirty? Surely the dirt would fall off after 2 or 3 months and it should be all sparkly and clean again, I though Gravity would take care of that! Oh well, just goes to show that science isn't right all of the time?! So over the last 2 weeks I have had to clean the bike myself, this constitutes 'exercise' in my mind and

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-86958913959724573392010-03-24T22:54:00.001Z2010-03-24T22:54:32.832Z

I had to study Biology for a year when doing my degree, this was because I had to make up the credits for my Honours, no other reason – at the time. Turns out I developed an unhealthy interest in Genes, mostly due to reading  the likes of Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene, Blind watchmaker etc, (the bloke knows his stuff & turns what could be terminally boring into terminally beguiling.)

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-65369532445329935212010-03-24T21:58:00.001Z2010-03-24T21:58:09.925Z

I’m trying out this MS Program for blogging

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-71985011506997072862009-03-30T20:19:00.006+01:002009-03-30T20:50:23.310+01:00

And not before time!!Every year at about this time, panic sets in as I try to get my Tech on the bike sorted out, something always has to fail!It's pure bloody mindedness and devilment by the God of Tech (Whoever that may be?) and Lord of the Blueteeth, in that, when my Satnav behaves the Phone doesn't, when the Autocom is in fine communicating mode the bluetooth packs up.This always results in

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-6917617136070617422009-03-05T23:48:00.001Z2009-03-05T23:48:10.758Z

A huge crowd of us RBRers got together at the Ace Cafe on the North Circular, London, for an informal, off the cuff, on the hoof, opportunistic, get together for a nice chat over a nice (expensive) cup of Coffee and ‘Burger. All 4 (Paul, Steve, Graham and me) of us met at about Midday last Sunday and indulged in a orgy of catching up on news of what we had been up to over the past few months and

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-72963459268730930992009-02-27T20:00:00.006Z2009-02-27T21:25:33.045Z

It's SPRING!!! (well, nearly)Time to get some serious biking done. It all starts this week-end for me with a trip down to the Ace Cafe on Sunday to meet fellow Biking enthusiasts Steve & Paul to carry out the ancient old English Spring pagan rite of passing many coins over a winnowed & warped antiquated Melamine alter to the high priestesses of the Gaggia tribe to placate the espresso God and his

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-81799680662449679222009-02-11T20:41:00.010Z2009-02-11T22:39:17.102Z

I decided that full use of the Bike was required this year 2009, so by way of practice and a desperate need to get out on the bike after 6 weeks of staring at it in the garage, I elected to nip out and join the other member of the Round Britain Rally 'twins', Steve, for a soiree with the Royal British Legion Riders branch and visit a couple of 'Poppy Homes' to meet some of the people we owe so

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-53361057937182094412009-01-04T19:19:00.001Z2009-01-04T19:21:41.719Z

Support these people, they seem to have good idea worth telling people about.Great British Bikers Launch Video from GB Bikers on Vimeo.

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-89076728843362531572008-12-01T22:29:00.008Z2008-12-01T23:34:21.401Z

On the bike, of course!Steve came up from the deep South and we launched ourselves up to the NEC via Jacks Hill Cafe on the A5 near Towcester (strangely the bike can't seem to get past this without turning into the car-park, and throwing me off into the cafe in the process) We topped up the Cholesterol here and continued on our way.I noticed, after travelling the first 30 miles and my fingers had

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-87217022543209137902008-11-11T21:23:00.002Z2008-11-11T21:43:12.611Z

I had my routine 6 monthly blood test a couple of weeks ago with some additional blood letting to test for adverse effects relating to some cramps I've been getting in my Calf muscles.All pretty routine stuff 'till I get a summons to appear in front of the Doctor. I assume this is for my routine 6 monthly bollocking relating to excessive feeding frenzies and not nearly excessive enough exercise

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-45740613649320604312008-11-09T20:23:00.002Z2008-11-09T20:39:34.745Z

Having spent ages fitting 2 LED's in each mirror housing One in the right housing (the proper Amber ones) has packed up!, this comes to 6 of the 8 LED's I got from Ultraled.com that have give up the ghost, bailed out, gone west, etc.I shall forego any further urges to get my LED's from this source and stick to getting them from Maplins, all of which are still working despite having to put up with

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-39432825268429206242008-11-05T22:21:00.008Z2008-11-06T09:24:27.464Z

Some where on the internet is a photo of a Honda ST 1300 Pan-European with dinky little Amber LED's fitted inside the wind mirror housing facing back-the-ways.Theory being that people who sit a bit taller in the saddle (or have a Airhawk seat cover - that'll be me) and can no longer see the indicator tell tales on the dash and tend to forget the indicators are on, (and getting all bitter and

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-5058756119609661872008-10-26T20:15:00.006Z2008-10-26T21:06:43.807Z

Last week end some of us intrepid Round Britain Ralliers had a final camping week end for 2008 at 'Conkers' near Burton on Trent!As none of us had any idea what the site was like I elected to take the Caravan to use as a 'club house'(This is an old photo as despite having taken 2 cameras AND a DV camera, I failed to get any photos?!)The thinking behind the camping trip was to allow the RBRers who

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-13238414160096513642008-10-14T22:56:00.017+01:002008-10-14T23:41:52.302+01:00

Steve and I decided to go to the Brightona Bike meet having seen it on the UK Bike web site.This was a good thing to do, lots of bikes albeit HDs in the main, but there were plenty of them as the day wore on there were not far off the same quantity of bikes at Brightona as there was at the Ace Cafe burn upThere was some strange looking bikes there as well! there were some that were in the process

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-84630453206267867772008-10-11T10:17:00.006+01:002008-10-11T10:43:25.125+01:00

I feel a desperate need to spend more money on the bike.so I plan to invest in some more bits of plastic to protect the rather rubbish paintwork on the areas of the fairing where the paint has worn off! and some better weather protection - Compared to my Triumph Trophy the weather protection on the Honda is not much cop either!I'm thinking, if I sneak a few bits on the bike at a time, 'Er indoors

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-48381872873310732842008-10-01T21:15:00.007+01:002008-10-01T21:48:20.068+01:00

How arrogant and ignorant are some of us bikers!I've just seen some footage of some seriously silly ridingWhy do we have to put other peoples lives at risk with our need to go faster than everything around us?If we can't kill innocent people as a result of our stupidity and ruin the lives of their relatives maybe we can kill ourself, and ruin the lives of our relatives and loved ones. (How clever

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-38611167481167053902008-09-25T21:45:00.003+01:002008-09-25T22:15:50.754+01:00

...I decided to buy some polish stuff for the bike!Highly recommended by a friend I invested my funds in the Macquires polish system to try and clean up the image of my Bike.The paintwork on the Honda pan 1300 is rubbish after only 23000 miles and 18 months it is heavily oxidised and covered in micro-scratches (something that never happened on my Triumph Trophy 1200 despite some serious abuse!)So

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-78006578298607385602008-09-16T21:54:00.005+01:002008-09-16T22:11:56.282+01:00

Anyone who remembers the 60's, Northern soul, Dusty Springfield and similar should listen to this artist, AND she's no primadonna like most 'stars'Very refreshing music!

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-49426345935635536042008-09-15T20:25:00.010+01:002008-09-15T21:13:16.778+01:00

(You'd have thought someone would have come up with a more apt nomenclature for this 'do' by now?!)However, I digress.Truly the good Gods conspired to produce some decent weather, excellent country and scenery on the trip down and, what a spectacle when we arrived in Brighton!All sorts of Bikes from Mopeds to the (very) obvious 'Boss Hoss'There were Bikes that would never see the day when so much

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-26849598708874422192008-09-10T22:57:00.001+01:002008-09-10T22:57:55.409+01:00

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-47517063619724755742008-09-10T22:32:00.002+01:002008-09-10T22:58:39.113+01:00

.... when you cant play with some thing new you've bought yourself!I've yet to go out and parade my nice new riding ensemble I got me for my Birthday! This is due to work commitments and not the weather as I need to get out in the rain to see if the kit is waterproof.I did do a small trip out overnight last week-end and had to drive home in some serious Fog, no joke on the A1 when I was doing no

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-67006250087219429292008-08-23T20:17:00.009+01:002008-08-23T20:56:28.099+01:00

It's my Birthday in a few days, Now I don't normally have Birthdays as this only makes you get older! I have, However, condescended to have a little Birthday this year so that I can have prezzies (I like prezzies!)So far I have one prezzie which I went and got today at a motorcycle cafe and clothing place in Brackley, Northants, called Skins this consisted of a new pair of motorbike trousers from

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-88645576659050970192008-08-18T21:11:00.002+01:002008-08-18T21:30:26.966+01:00

I finished the Round Britain Rally on Thursday of last week, and I'm now thinking of what to do for the rest of the Summer/Autumn (Fall)I intend to go out for a week end camping some time but this will be decided 'on the day' and be weather dependant. (it would make such a difference to have a week end without rain!)Meantime, I have the bike to service, Honda - 4000 miles, therefore should take

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-67410741301404334952008-08-16T20:26:00.008+01:002008-08-16T21:13:59.832+01:00

Truly I have been blighted by the gods this last week, attacked by an out-of-control 'Turkey-Owl' who took it upon itself to Front up the wipe-out-a-biker-a-day branch of the 'Divine-Wind' (Owl division) movement, This member of the Strigiformes obviously had a hard night as he leapt out from a church yard I was passing during the day, either that or he had special needs!Unfortunately for him

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-74228951992130108532008-08-05T21:56:00.002+01:002008-08-05T22:09:24.750+01:00

I just got a mail from 'Friends reunited' from a school colleague who I used to go out with back in the day.How embarrassed was I having to write back saying I couldn't remember her, I have since put some serious thought into this period of my life time and come up fairly blank!It was only 36 years ago but so much has happened during that 36 years my brain cell seems to have squirrelled away most

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-32105558718830496352008-08-05T21:51:00.002+01:002008-08-05T21:55:53.279+01:00

Well my bike is packed and I'm ready to go....My new tent is still up in the garden and is fairing well in the torrential rain, I just hope it stops in the morning so the tent can dry out so I can pack it dry ready for my Friday morning launch window of 0900hrs

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-51212665584131855082008-08-03T21:19:00.003+01:002008-08-03T21:50:34.631+01:00

Stunning weather in Wales?! I did wonder if the Satnav had screwed up again as I crossed the border into Wales but confirmation was not long coming in the form of some undecipherable signposts which I assume were pointing towards towns, villages etc of the same name.You can't help but be impressed by the quality of the Welsh (& Scottish) tarmac even the farm tracks are relatively smooth, they

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-82461856478105069672008-07-28T19:26:00.010+01:002008-12-09T08:25:39.528Z

Success! I got out of Wales without mishap! that's twice I've managed to escape the clutches of the Red Dragon this year.normally I have some sort of disaster when in Wales, punctures, fall-off's etc, I can attribute 2 of my assisted recoveries (1 to the RAC & the other to the AA) to my Welsh soirées.I did forget/lose my little foldy-up handle that I use for the cooking pans which resulted in

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-5584748758832799582008-07-24T22:51:00.002+01:002008-07-24T23:01:03.149+01:00

I've just finished packing the bike up, and am ready to head off into Wales for the week-end!I must be getting good at this camping-on-a-bike malarkey as I seem to have rather a lot of room left in the top-box(?) and most of my pockets are still empty.I assume I'll find out why when I arrive at the camp-site and discover that vital kit required to ensure the smooth running and success of this

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-45470309529717330742008-07-21T20:28:00.005+01:002008-12-09T08:25:39.975Z

I nipped up to Sheffield on Saturday to pick up the Land mark I missed due to my puncture last week-end, I stopped at Jack's Hill cafe for brekkies only to find it had been invaded by loads of kids accompanied by proud Parents who displayed the usual need to share their up & coming Doctors, Actors, Barristers, leaders-of-industry etc with the rest of us poor unsuspecting public, how kind of them

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-35256633577203056972008-07-21T20:12:00.003+01:002008-07-21T20:27:06.309+01:00

Phew! Close call again using the Camping & Caravan Clubs online booking fiasco called ClubrezI booked a site for this coming week-end in Wales, unfortunately I seem to be missing the Welsh pronunciation gene and booked the wrong site, a mistake I discovered almost immediately I hit the 'confirm' button (as you do!)I tried then to change the booking utilising this facility on Clubrez only to be

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-83064497316009581362008-07-16T21:11:00.003+01:002008-07-16T21:33:35.111+01:00

Now here's a thing....Why is it that we bikers accept the cost of our tyres? all a bit fatalistic really isn't it?I mean we accept that our new rubber is gonna cost approx £220 every 4 - 12k of riding (fine if your a Power Ranger or 'cruiser' rider who's mileage is limited by the weather?!) and that when this meagre mileage is curtailed by a £0.01p nail etc, we will have to replace the tyre, as

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-46588879082097504642008-07-15T21:36:00.011+01:002008-12-09T08:25:40.334Z

Why is it that when you talk about past disasters they repeat themselves? is there some God like being amusing him/her self? Is the aforementioned email fairy moonlighting for a few extra laughs? am I paranoid? does any one care!I remember a conversation at Hayfield about joining the AA/RAC and how good they both were, I mentioned that I tend to get the bike low-loaded about twice a year (This

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-12801571791953712392008-07-14T22:33:00.001+01:002008-12-09T08:25:40.767Z

The Round Britain Rally gets Camping at Hayfield Camping & Caravan Club site in the Dark peak area of the Peak district national park in Derbyshire, an area of tranquillity and escape from the hustle & bustle of modern life, an area to get back to nature and enjoy the beauty of the English scenery at it's best and a good place to spot low flying 747's et al buzzing the site from 0130hrs until the

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-29049737591006382482008-07-07T22:12:00.004+01:002008-12-09T08:25:40.985Z

....... Moving on then.I left the 1st CP at J23a planning to follow the satnav to Leicester - pretty straightforward it's only a couple of junctions South on the M1- However satnav wants me to go north up the M1 - I can see this is going to see me and the satnav having 'issues' in the very near future - I ignore the satnav (I am a master in the art of 'ignore') and find my own way.The rest of the

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-79391039887624591632008-07-06T13:36:00.005+01:002008-12-09T08:25:41.281Z

Brilliant idea! If I take my iPAQ with me on the National Rally I can upload lots of interesting(?) snippets to this blog, live and fresh as it happens (this is clever and I have seen Highwaylass do it)I know it can be done because my first post was done this way.So, having found myself at a loose end at the first checkpoint (I got there 1:1/2 hours before the start of the rally and nobody else

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-15273779682224280672008-07-04T22:16:00.002+01:002008-07-04T22:33:32.339+01:00

I think I've got everything loaded and have certainly put my normal collection of kit and maps that will probably never see the light of day (but you never know....)I'm sort of looking forward to it now it's a bit closer, I haven't been out for a decent ride since getting back from the 6 points thingy and have just about scrubbed in my new tyres and brake pads.The weather people reckon it's

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-70906656293762725482008-06-29T20:29:00.007+01:002008-12-09T08:25:41.436Z

Suns out and I've ran out of time (and enthusiasm) for taking the bike out due to having to cut the grass (again, this was the 5th time this year, why'd it have to grow so quick?) and having been out all morning looking for some more camping kit ready for a camping excursion in 2 weeks to meet with fellow Round Britain Ralliers for a long week-end in the Dales.I went originally for a sleeping bag

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-45902899444826236982008-06-28T23:28:00.003+01:002008-12-09T08:25:41.564Z

I've spent about 6 hours trying to get that Flickr photo Slideshow thing you can see on the right hand side of the page working, and showing the pictures I want you to see and not pictures of some Hen night, sunsets etc.Does the term 'User friendly' really mean that? or is it a plot to lull us all into a false sense of security whilst jemmy-ing money from our otherwise sensible fingers.Perhaps we

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-31797659555083028302008-06-27T23:28:00.002+01:002008-12-09T08:25:41.738Z

Got to work tomorrow, still this gives me some time to prep the bike for the English National Rally and check I've got me route right.Last time I did the rally I relied totally on the satnav and it had me zooming off in all directions less the correct ones! once I realised it had it in for me I gave it a stern talking to and checked the somewhat dodgy info I have inadvertently loaded into it and

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335013076197304267.post-985871101429588372008-06-26T23:52:00.000+01:002008-06-27T00:00:33.209+01:00

OK, I'm laying in bed scrbbling this this blog on my iPAQ due to me having been turfed out of my office/study by 'she that must be obayed' .Possibly not the best way to start a new adventure in cyberspace but not to worry it'll all come good when I'm allowed to get back in my office!!

Panamaniachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01797620954402120436noreply@blogger.com1