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After a bit of searching on Google Maps and Google Earth I found an old abandoned country house that I'd never visited. It wasn't too far away either, which was great because it was bloody cold. The building itself was part house and part cave.......so no telling how many rooms were actually built into the hillside. The main construction was in pretty good order, but all access points had been secured. Though I was able to get some shots through the broken windows. And after checking the house out I found another construction behind it.....and more caves! First off......a short vid! Now onto the house.......Bit of a rough track to get to it as well! There'll be some beak cleaning going on tomorrow for sure! As you can see, it's in pretty decent order! A few shots through broken windows! It's not the same when you can't get in......cos you don't get the buzz of walking into the unknown! Then it was round the side and onto the hill that it was built into! And you can see the building that was behind it...... ......so it was clamber down the bank to access it! Where you could see the cave built into the hillside! Once again, all secured! Then back onto the bike and away! As you can see, there's no van there! And no riding buddies to hold my hand either! It's as real as it gets! You Casuals could learn a lot from this you know!

Come on, show me your two stroke road bikes. Does anyone still have one?? I just dropped $180 on an NSR150RR. It needs some TLC (read, total restoration) but it's going to be a cracker. Can I hit 180kph with $180? A question which remains to be answered. Anyway if you know anything about NSRs please say hi, I'm going to need to crowd source plenty of advice on this restoration journey...

Had a 60 mile ride around Derbyshire side roads, stopped off here

Well I passed with 1 minor but he couldn't remember what the 1 minor was so I'm taking that as a clean sheet

Well passed my cpc module 4 with 90% now on to tomorrow with my driving test and so says the instructor if I drive as I have today I will either pass with a clean sheet or with just a couple of minors

A ride drive report by Bob the boober , aged 63 and 45 days What a beautiful day it was today, bright sunshine and although a bit colder than recently it wasn't too chilly. So time for a drive around North Wiltshire and see the sights. Approx 16 miles from my house along the A420 is the village of Castle Combe. This is one of the most photographed villages in UK with it's chocolate-box cottages running alongside the By Brook . The village is not very big but it can take a while to drive through because of all the tourists trying to get 'that' shot. Even in these covid times there were still quite a few about today although I didn't see any coaches up in the public car park. Safely out of the village without running anyone over I headed up the Fosseway. The Fosseway is a roman road which starts at Seaton on the south coast and runs up to Lincoln in the north, a distance of approx 235 miles. I expect @Mawsley knws about the Fosse as it runs through Leicester on it's way North. Most of the Fosse has a tarmac surface nowadays.......... But in this part of Wiltshire there's about 20 miles where it is unsurfaced. Normally I would be going straight on at this point if I was on my bike but I thought better of it today as I was in the car.......... I tuned left instead and drove into the village of Sherston which was famous for it's wool trade in times past. There is still a link to that in the village as it's the home of 'Stretchline' who make knicker elastic A bit further down the road I passed Grittleton House which is now a party and event facility. If anyone's getting married soon I'm up for a party in that pad Later on I passed this. Fuckmine, it's even bigger than @Buckster bike and looks just as heavy I was a bit hungry by now and spotted a McMerd in Chippenham so I went through the drive through, unfortunately I was dissapointed as they had no McFlurry or milkshakes due to supply problems. I really like a McFlurry, it's about the best thing they sell but I had to be content with a cheeseburger and coffee

Have it.

Good day for me today, I am up on two legs again. I got a call from the enablement centre yesterday, can I come in tomorrow, you bet I can. There was a slight problem at first with the lock but all sorted now, bloody hamstrings hurt though.

Heading daaaan saaath today. The plan is to park van at Dawlish and then we can have a mooch on the bikes. While we are here though we are picking up the NC23 CBR400RR which @oldgrump has very kindly got running tickety boo for me. We are also going to call in to Gosport to visit Andys dad. Not sure how this is all going to happen but we are here now in Dawlish at the campsite. Heres a pic of our set up we took at the services. And hopefully a video..... I will upload more as we go Video is short. Dont know why as i recorded longer than that.

Bright sunny day at our house. Then I drove down the hill into Denver where it's cold, cloudy, etc. Was cool to drop down through the clouds on the way down the hill....

Unlike some of you who seem to bin your bikes relentlessly......I've had a clean sheet since Feb 78. The carnage I was involved in from 71-73 isn't relevant to this discussion. However, my DNA has today been involved in the act of "Binning it".......courtesy of my 20 month old grandson in Poland. But he got back on as if nothing happened.......didn't faze him one bit!

Boys 18th birthday this weekend so i'm the taxi for him and his mates but on a more interesting note when looking for a photo for bike of the month i found some photos of what i was doing on this very day and date in 2010 it was an interesting ride though the Elan Valley on the dog and with my old mate Gary

First day End of week

Well I have just secured a full time job with a less than 15 minute interview, think I'd already got the job just by turning up for the interview , working for steadfast group dealing with caterpillar in peterlee start 7am tomorrow morning

Fed up with sitting around the house I got off my arse and decided to go for a ride I headed for Craig y Nos castle and country park as I wanted to get an aerial shot of the castle, a bit drizzly on the way but very mild and no wind at all, up the Upper Tawe Valley (A4067) to the castle, parked up, set up the drone, launched it just to hear a "jobs worth twat" shout "Oi, you can't fly drones here", muppet, damned thing weighs 250 grams it's not like the old days with giant octocopters carrying full size DSLR's, anyway I had to oblige and fuck off, but grabbed a shot of the pond first So anyway, no point in arguing with civil servants, I'll just go back and get my pics from an adjacent field, people don't have the right to the air space above their property, otherwise you could ban British Airways Off and up over the mountain on the A4067 past Crai Reservoir, I can see the clouds are low on the top of the mountains to the west, I hadn't factored in that I'd be riding through there later DOH! Down the other side and through Defynnog and into Sennybridge for a stop at the garage and cafe There were for trail bikes outside, one KTM, an Aprilia Trail (like my old one) and two Royal Enfield Himalayans Went inside, joined the queue to order some brekies and went to sit at a table on my own, the lady behind the counter said "oh I thought you was with those guys next to you, "Nooooo" I said, "they've got 4 dirt bikes all with road tyres on", needless to say they didn't say much to me after that :), especially when one asked "what are you riding?", "my scotter" said I, "but it's seen more dirt trails than those four" Oooh, brekies arrived with a nice pot of tea Filled up with fuel at bloody £1.45 per litre then headed off on the A40 towards Llandovery, had to stop on the way to admire the autumn colours, the pic doesn't do it justice Passed by the West End Cafe and on to the Owl's nest to see who was there, only two bikers, nice old boys on NC750's, didn't stop there as their prices are a rip-off Time to head towards home over the Black Mountain, stunning road all the way (A4069), was often used by Top Gear and other in their programs, however as I started to head up it got very rough very quickly, riding through the cloud and winds got up pretty high too, slowed me right down to a crawl in places and couldn't see more than 60ft ahead Headed off from the car park higher into the cloud and as it levelled out I spotted two other nutters in the cloud with me Dropping down the other side towards home and it was boring towns the rest of the way after this:

Went out for a drink to Porto, haven't done that in ages on a saturday night but a friend was staying overnight there while bringing his new car from Germany to Lisbon and me and my brother had to look at the amazing new set of wheels. This turned into a later night than I was expecting so it was a struggle to leave the house by 9:30 or 10, I was set on taking the long scenic route to my home instead of the motorway, and I did. A short 30 or 40 minutes on the motorway to get going and then off in search of twisty roads. I took few pictures at first, it was too cold for me to feel like stopping and taking the warm gloves off and go for the phone which was inside my jacket. First stop was for lunch at a small rural cafe on the N2, Portugal's longest road A bowl of hot vegetable soup to warm up, it hit the spot before a pork sandwich Two other customers showed up for a taste of my sandwich Not a bad view, the whole time I was there I think only two bikes passed, and two cars both arriving to the cafe, very quiet for a sunny sunday. I think both the MotoGP and the cold morning stopped people from getting out. Better for me! A while later, a brief stop for a picture stopped over a dam Later still, stopped by Portugal's geodetic center, in Vila D'El Rei On some of the smaller parts of the N2, stopped for a short walk on the Penedo Furado viewpoint. I was going south and it warmed up a little in the afternoon, suddenly no more cold. Back on the road And no more pictures, sun was starting to go down so pressed on home, perfect winter weather today!

Did a big batch on Monday, chocolate chippers - the only kind I can make....

Not a top box in sight! Was a bit chilly this morning. Even broke out the autumn/spring neck tube and could have done with my winter weight gloves too! But the ride back was a bit warmer.

At only 53 i don't know how you old fuckers are still going i'm constantly aching and cant remember fuck all from the past, i also cant remember the last time i got out of a chair without making a noise of some kind can you drop me off in the late eighties on the way back i'd like to run my fingers through my hair again

I think i like this one for this month

I will enter my Bagheera this month. Autumn Picnic... l'll call it.....

The sun is out today and I was going to go for a ride, but my old dog had a bad night last night and I think I should stay close to her today. Perhaps some yard clean up later, as it is a mess from the storms.

Finally plucked up the courage to go to the barber's at the Carrefour in Narbonne. Celebrated the haircut by taking the scenic route back.

I don't know why this reminds me of @Six30..............

OMG !! I came across this morning but it was already sold. Good job as I think I would have to have bought that, what a great looking conversion

Looking out towards Lorca from Campo Lopez. The Himalayan takes me to some very nice places………..looking forward to the 650 version in 2024

Day on the XR tomorrow probably out on the Beta Sunday, After my mate having a go of mine last Sunday he's trading his CRF in tomorrow for one, which is good because after he hit a tree with mine i want to try that with his

So it would seem I have secured employment with velocity recruitment agency and I start my first class 2 job Monday morning with a trunking run from peterlee to Birmingham.....roll on Monday

I heard a rumour that the median age in this group is not that low, well I have no sympathy. I just spend a day in the jungle with a bunch of old men who throw themselves up cliffs every sunday for fun. Compete I cannot. Oh hell no. Learn, I will. I was going to add a video but apparently that format's not supported so you're just going to have settle for a photo and use your imagination. Anyway these guys are masters, not just of trials but enduro too. I have realised that I need these skills if I want to ride enduro with people who are bigger, stronger and longer of leg than me. Learning from an Japanese guy who's nearly 70, well, that's the day I don't get to complain about how everyone is bigger and stronger than me. These guys are legends.

So, sit down, make yourself a cup of tea: let's talk about Indonesia, my absolute favourite place to ride, ever. In Indonesia, every biker is your bro, every club is your club, everyone's mum is cooking you dinner. Now, when I say Indonesia I don't mean Bali, I mean the other bits. Flores, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Java... places where you show up and everyone asks, "yes, but WHY are you here?" because no madwoman on a KTM ever rocked up to their village before. (Maybe that's a good thing...? Anyway) Anyway highlights - and literally, this is a highlight because the elevation is noticeable, enough to make you chilly. Tana Toraja. Up in the mountain tops of Sulawesi, one of the places with some of the world's most complex, expensive and denialist rituals for dealing with the dead. * * * High in the volcanic mountains of Sulawesi, just scraping the underside of the clouds, is a land for both the living and the dead. In the West we tend to fear our mortality and hide away the corporeal reminders, but in Tanah Toraja I found myself sitting on a cliffside ledge, watching little boys play in front of the skulls of their ancestors. * * * The air cools and the roads narrow as you gain altitude, climbing further up the jagged spine of the island. Signs advertising beer start to appear on the roadside shops and warungs, signposting a transition from a Muslim area to one where the people profess a mix of Christianity and the old beliefs. I have a phone number and a map location. My friend Aditya in Makassar has sent me off northward with an introduction to a friend of his, a fellow biker who lives up here in the mountains. Tony is orang Toraja, and on the hill opposite his home, the ancient village of Kete Kesu houses his ancestors in ornate tombs and ossuaries. Since this is Indonesia, where bikers are family, I have an invitation to stay at Tony's place and my only challenge is finding it. After a few wrong turns, I have success: the rain is just starting to fall as I find Tony and park the bike in front of one of his cousin's houses. Tony's place is built further up the hill - one modern style home in a row of traditional Toraja houses - but the track is too slippery to get the bike up there in the rain. No problem: the bike is safe here. Tony and some of his cousins help me carry my bags up the hill. He is a bachelor, but he lives surrounded by family. It's almost a family compound, with a row of ordinary houses facing a row of traditional meeting houses. Soon I am comfortably installed in a spare bedroom at Tony's place. My damp boots have been set out to dry and I dig into my pack to find the gift that I'm carrying for Tony from Aditya. It's a fabulous orange riding jersey commemorating a ride up the length and breadth of Sulawesi. They had stopped and visited with Tony on their way through Tana Toraja too, and the jersey is a thank you gift. On the back, it says 'TUA' - ostensibly an acronym for 'Together, United, Adventure' but of course 'tua' also means old. It's a cheeky stab at the age of the your average big bike adventure rider, and I love it. I look forward to aging into mine. * * * Now let's shift gears a little - enough of the living - let's talk about the dead. The Toraja people are known for their elaborate funerary rites. It can take years to prepare and complete all the proper ceremonies to lay a relative to rest and release the soul from the body. Until this is done, they are described as sick, and the slowly mummifying body is cared for like a living person. After the massive and elaborate funeral – often years later – the mummified deceased are interred in carved ossuaries clinging to the cliffs and caves that tower over the village. The people go and visit their ancestors there. Gradually the ancestors become bones, skeletons. Over the centuries, wood will disintegrate and bones will spill out. They are sometimes gathered up again, skulls placed in rows; other times, the bones are allowed to remain in place, tangled, distinctly human. Children sit on the cliff ledges, watching Youtube videos on cheap smart phones next to their skeletal ancestors. I walk up the cliff path, and sit for a while. An invited guest. Here at Kete Kesu is where Tony’s relatives lie in rest. His cousin points out the carved likenesses of people who have passed, and invites me to take photographs if I want. My western upbringing tells me that this is not proper – to photograph the bones of someone else’s relatives. But here, it seems that people feel differently. Everything has the meaning you give it. When I go to leave, I am forcibly accosted by a Javanese visitor who seems to think that I'm far more interesting to photograph than any of the funerary relics. No worries; this is how I pay my social taxes here, I figure: they can take as many photos as they like. But before I leave, I take one more photo of my own - a photo of my darling, my sweetheart, in all her dualsport glory.

Out with some mates a few years ago

France few year back , end of September rained most of the time there was there tractors coming of fields , mud every where … Dirtiest any of my bikes has been

Meat and not the kind your usually gagging on

A short wander around WWT Llanelli, it was cut short cos my fekin' back was killing me Anyway, some duck and stuff, oddly for November in Wales there were Bees, Butterflies and Dragonflys as well as Lilly flowers Green Plover aka Peewit aka Lapwing Carrion Crow - Corvus Corone Female Tufted Duck Male and Female Gadwall Young Mute Swan Common Darter Oakmoss - Evernia prunastri Speckled Wood Buttefly Male Gadwall Lilly flower Common Darter - Sympetrum striolatum Arty Farty Grassy Arty Farty Leaves Aty Farty Wetland Grassy Arty Farty Bullrush - Typha angustifolia Female Greenfinch - too many lost to bumble foot Arty Farty Wetland shot Fekin Tufted Ducks everywhere (Coot in the background)

I took a little ride out to blow away the cobwebs, ended up at a reservoir in the Pentlands. It was chilly and windy but at least it was dry.

It is shit! I’m 52 and two years ago I didn’t take a single medication, now I take 7! High BP, Cholesterol, Arteriosclerosis and recently found out I have a hiatus hernia just to add to the mix. I’ll be lucky to make it to 55 at this rate

Not much bike action today, apart from riding over to the other place to do some sorting out. A few spots of rain on the way over there, but fine on the way back, if a little windy! Put the winter liner into my jacket, as it was a little chilly this morning.

I’m in the waiting room for the leg shop, god this is a boring area. You could die in here and no one would notice

Under a blue cold sky, on a ride to deliver wine and other goods. Stopping at @Catteeclan's favourite location amongst my usual routes.

I went into Tesco on my way back from site yesterday afternoon. As I picked up my first item and plonked it in my basket (I don't do trolleys) all the lights went out and a loud collective groan came from the till areas. Then the lights came back on a various beep noises went off around the store. A small cheer went up from the general public. 10 minutes later I had a full basket and the lights went out again for a second or two before coming back on again. 5 minutes after this I could see that queues were pretty long as the tills were taking ages to reboot and anyone halfway through was having to start again after this had happened. It was like Dago dwarfs had been working in the street outside and had cut the power!!!! I ended up wandering about for half an hour before it had calmed down enough for me to bother getting into a queue at the self service doopy-doop tills. In the mean time I had read an article in RIDE magazine before putting it back on the shelf and started a paperback which I had to buy cos it looked interesting.

I'll be sticking with my ZRXs

The forcast was for cold but clear this afternoon so I planned to ride. around 11 it still wasn't clear but I went out anyway. it was about 6deg c and misty but with all liners in place in jacket and trousers, 2 pairs of socks and heated grips I reckoned It wouldn't be a problem. 220km, riding clockwise. By the time I got to Joux la ville, the sun had burnt through, but that didn't last long. I stopped for fuel in Avallon (1,76€/L !) and then lost all visibilité as I gained what little altitude the Morvan has. Stunning views If you look carefully at the triangular warning sign it says "Chasse en cours" which is what the hunters are obliged to put up roadside if they're beating anywhere near a road. What it really means is that for the next few kilometers, on top of the fog, gravel patches, cold and other road users, you also need to look out for panicking wildlife fleeing the hunt, the hunters dogs chasing the fleeing wildlife and a more or less numerous party of pissed up trigger happy hunters in 4 wheel drives, with loaded guns... if you get run over, or stampeded upon or shot, on the public highway, ... well the signs were up so it's your own fault! the hunters crack me up, they all spend vast amounts of money on specialist camouflage clothing so they can't be seen. Then they all have to wear orange hi vis vests in the field cos otherwise they shoot each other...... and their dogs, This is the northern end of the "Lac de panneciére" one of the canal feeder reservoirs, emptied for the winter this year Tiger in the mist On the way home I rode through Mhére, which is where they filmed "Les Vétos" ( which probably never made it out of Burgundy, let alone out of france). The fog / mist was thicker in places and around 4 pm the temperatur went into freefall and by the time I got home around 5 it was down to about 2C and starting to get dark, but the fog had cleared.

Clean and shiny again and tucked up in the shed with the other now clean bikes. Now to do the clothes washing Bikes 1st, everything else 2nd

Most people who have to move quickly due to persecution or criminal activities have a portable career that can usually be started anywhere they end up. Diamond cutting, tailoring, tarmac drive laying, clothes peg manufacture, bank robbing, website building etc.