Dog racing

Had a crackin night round at a mates house last night, good food, plenty of quality vino and the usual banter. Highlight of the evening came when we got to talking about the sad demise of speedway locally, and also dog racing. One lady member of the party piped up "I've been dog racing" to which her husband retorted, "Yeah, you came in first once didn't you love?"

Breaking news! Just been down to give the new landlord a cheque, expecting to have to wait while it cleared, and he's given me the keys! Top geezer, his grandad bought up all the old customs buildings and bonded warehouses in 1936 to use as his wine merchant stores. I've got steps in my workshop that lead down to where French prisoners of war were kept during the Napoleonic wars, and rings on the floor that were used to lower contraband booze down to the cellars after it had been taken off the smugglers. On a more practical note, he pulled a piece of board off the wall to reveal a large electric fan, exactly where I want to put my spray room! I think I'm gonna like it here. Just hope I can make enough sponduliks to keep it. Moving in on Monday, photos to follow. Now I hear the pub calling me softly, after all tis Friday night, and I feel the need to bend some ears and bullshit till the early hours.....

Just been to Rowans, which reminded me to post this. The best place in Britain to see pre 70's custom machinery in all it's grubby glory. Break out the brillcreem and cuff those levis. Rockin good times.

Well, I've had a weird one. I was adopted over 40 years ago, and after much moving about the country ended up living in Exeter in Devon. Just found out that my real grandfather also lived in Exeter, about 200 yards as the crow flies from where I was living. Spooky! Back down to earth, I'm going to sign up for a workshop on Teignmouth Docks today, so me and my good mate Ian, who is a pro photographer, got slightly tipsy last night and went scouting for photo locations around the docks. It was really foggy last night, and we found some really atmospheric spots. Sadly we didn't have a camera or a bike to photograph, but he got me all fired up with his wide angle, low trajectory camera type chat, so I can't wait to do the real thing. Probably minus the six pints of old Badgers Todger.....Most of the kit for the workshops arrived now, blast cabinet, parts washer, ultrasonic cleaner, so I just need to get in there, build a spray booth and a bench and rock n roll. Nothing very exciting you may say, but I've been working out of an unlit, unpowered single garage for the last five years, so it seems like freakin heaven to me! Then maybe I'll spend more time fiddling with interesting bits of old metal than doing the old onefinger tapdancing on this ere computer thingy. I'm posting some bikes wot I like, just to repay your patience for reading this old bollix.

Heroes and heroines

Finally the snow has melted in front of the garage, so I'm off out on the yam for the first time in a couple of weeks. This must be the longest time without a blast since.......the last time it snowed. I've had enough of it now: walking everywhere, those heartstopping moments when yer feet slide away from under you, gravel and salt all over the roads (if yer lucky), the graphic frozen dog turds that look even more offensive than normal. though in fairness, you can spot em more easily. Then again, I don't walk on pavements unless it's to the pub at night, so wot do I know? I say SNOW, ENOUGH. YOU'RE NOT PICTURESQUE ANYMORE. When's summer anyway, come on bring it on, I'm running out of jumpers and hankering for salads. Even an old dolt like me likes to dress up spiffy, and how can you do that when it's minus whatever outside? I've got wittily sloganned T shirts just gagging for an airing. I'm kicking my heels at the mo waiting to get access to me new workshop, so there doesn't seem much point spraying anything on the Thunderbird project in a draughty shed when I'll have a purpose built spray booth (ok, cls and plasterboard) to do it in a couple of weeks. Accordingly, I'm making a nuisance of meself on Dirty Bobbers, my fave forum, and spending too much time on ebay looking for elusive motorcycle gold, and getting stressed about whether it's entirely right that I should be thinking about trying to make a living doing something I love. Will I get bored? Will I make ANY money? Will I be drawn to one of Teignmouths 22 hostelries on a working day to shoot the shit with the other losers as my meagre profit trickles down the cracked concrete urinal? Who knows...do they teach you how to cope with these fears at business school? In the meantime here's some pretty pictures.

I'm really into cooking
so I thought I'd share this with you (not literally mind)
Keralan fish curry and tamarind prawns, washed down with a few bottles of Corona, yeah I know, wrong continent but WTF? I like it, alright?

Teignmouth

Just been to look at potential workshop, had a pootle down the seafront to see if I could see Elvis surfing. (DB in joke)

Here are some pics of my 1955 650 6T Triumph Thunderbird, which was going to be the basis of long-planned bobber, but then I realised there might be a bit too much of the original left, so decided to restore it to original and flog it on. Having some trouble sourcing all the missing bits, but ebay has been kind, and a 60 mile round trip to the Taunton autojumble netted me frostbite, an alternator cover and a nacelle top. Still thinking of using the 500 triumph bits that came with the bike as a basis for the bobber. The recession has put paid to my house renovation activities for the time being, so I'm going to follow the dream before it's too late and try to make a living doing up and flogging classics. I Had a heart attack two years ago and clinically died three times in one night, so I'm fully aware life ain't a rehearsal, and if it makes you happy, go for it. Whether it'll make me a living remains to be seen, but I intend to give it my best shot. I have been working out of a rented garage with no power or light, and my lovely garden shed which is down 5 flights of steps, but have now decided to go for a proper workshop, on the level, with power and everything! Going to look at a possible contender tomorrow.