Yes, I have been AWOL for a while, no real reason, just life sometimes gets hectic and sometimes I just can’t think of an interesting topic about which to write. And, lest it be said that I spend more time living in the past than I do in the present, I have been reluctant to use my historical topic overly much (though the amount of material there is nearly limitless).
So, today I plan to combine both the past and the present and I hope that this is to your satisfaction.
To begin with, the Featured Image. In 2015 (yes, nearly 10 years ago) my wife and I travelled to the USA to visit our daughter and her family who were living in San Diego, California. Now that trip, alone, will provide a wealth of stories but enough of that. As well as spending a lot of time with the family I took a couple of side trips, one to San Francisco to meet up with the friends that I had made during the last few Island Classic race meetings and I enjoyed several guided tours around the San Francisco area and the mountains behind it.
I visited Danny Thompson’s workshop in Huntington Beach and saw progress on his preparation of Challenger II, his LSR car. I took a flight to Forth Worth in Texas and visited my Texan buddies and took in a race meeting at Cresson Motorsports Park.
And then I found out, quite by accident, that legendary frame-builder and engineer, Rob North, was not only still alive but was living in San Diego and working out of a workshop in the city’s industrial area. Well, that was a “must” and, at the appointed time, I visited the workshop, browsed some of the amazing things that he was doing there and spent over an hour interviewing him about the many and varied areas of motorsports and motorcycling that he had indulged in over the years. In the workshop were several bikes that had been shipped in from overseas for Rob to “freshen them up” for their appreciative owners. There were several of Rob’s personal projects, a couple of them I guessed that had been projects for many years. Rob told me about how he had helped the late Don Vesco set a new motorcycle land speed record that still stands and, late in the visit, he had a call from two of his friends who often visit him and chew the fat about the good old days.
It was an honour to be introduced to them and though I didn’t recognise either of their names, I was assured that both of them were luminaries in their respective fields.
Rob is the genial chap in the middle and, on his right is Tom Stahl, a former sprintcar driver (whose name WAS vaguely familiar to me) and, on Rob’s left, former AMA motorcycle racer Sid Carlson AMA#73. Yes, I did appreciate the number!
The time passed ridiculously quickly and soon it was time to go, my wife was waiting outside in the car. So I said farewell to Rob, to his cat and to his two buddies who seemed more than just a little bemused that an Aussie from way over the seas was taking time out from his visit to the USA to drop in and pay his respects to Rob. Of course, I’d have done it even if it had been considerably harder to arrange, I mean how many people have been privileged to meet and spend time with the man?
The things I used to do, what a privileged life I have led.
TWK is now due to its 5000km service so, as you can see, I haven’t been letting the grass grow under my feet. Summer time on the east coast of Australia is prime riding time and I have tried not to waste too much of it. I had a little win the other day when someone advertised a set of Nelson Riggs throw-over panniers, free to a good home. I got in with the bid just before two of my good friends who were just a LITTLE too slow. So, next big tour I do I will be even better equipped.
Nursing home concerts have resumed after the Christmas break and I’ve been treading the boards again (though my voice is more than just a little croaky from lack of exercise over the last month or so)
And I have been doing some exploring up in the highlands as well. The roads are reasonable, but the Tourist Road has degenerated quite a bit since I rode it last (not that long ago as it happens). Good news is that The Range Road has re-opened after a long period of being closed. It’s still narrow and very tight but at least the surface is a huge improvement over what it used to be. Much ARMCO fencing has also been added though for what reason I cannot fathom since it’s impossible to go quickly there anyway.
As noted above, Summer here is great riding weather and we (that is the Illawarra Riders) have had several group rides of late all of which have been well-attended and enjoyed by all. The night ride down to the ice cream shop in Kiama on Wednesday evening was a real hoot with even two ladies on scooters joining in (and thoroughly enjoying it too)
Well, that will do for today. I will try to update more frequently, my apologies again for being so slack. Below are three Relive videos of little runs up in the Highlands and round about recently, I hope you enjoy.
The last ride was a checkout ride to make a booking for the IRA end-of-month Brekkie Ride. Winding through the northern suburbs of Wollongong is always fun. Sadly the Royal National Park was closed, hence the back-track after Bald Hill.