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No.....not the bike! Obviously I have no idea how to do shit like that. I'm talking about the reservoirs, because we've had years of very little rain. And there's now a serious drought situation. Now I'm not one who normally looks for more rain, but every year the price of straw for the horses has been going up. We used to pay around €400 for a year's worth......but last it was €1200 and we had to have it brought in from Albacete. Which is about 150 miles away. So an increase in rainfall and the filling of the reservoirs is critical.....not just here, but throughout Spain. So off I went to check the current situation. Luckily, the weather was great......around 20c! So it was perfect conditions! The approached into Castril.......and the wall of the Dam. This is The Style! I was amazed when I saw the levels in Castril because when I came here last Summer it was very low indeed. This is probably the highest I've seen it in 5 years! It's nowhere near it's highest, but the water line has gone up a lot. Two car loads of a Spanish family then turned up......three generations of them. So I ended up having to take a load of group photos of them. They weren't from Andalucia because they were speaking Spanish in a grammatically correct way rather than slurring words and leaving out letters in words. Lovely people......couple of hot girls in their 20's with them. I wanted to get a photo with those two, but I couldn't very well tell the rest of the family to get out of the way! Then it was on to San Clemente.......the levels there had risen a bit but nothing like the scale it had in Castril. Most of the land you see here was underwater when I came here in 2005...... Had to get the obligatory shot on the bridge.....obviously destined to be BOTM for April. Bike ran great as usual.......these rural roads are the perfect place for it. And it actually made me think......"Why am I considering selling it?" Well there we are! I got out and did something......and in doing so, I made a positive contribution to the forum! Some of you lot should try it sometime!

I set off this morning on my usual route north of Narbonne and across past the Abbaye Fontfroide. Like last week the wind was howling again. It was partly sunny, but the wind also had a pretty keen edge to it, keeping the temperature in single figures (C) on the way up there. I'd decided to head through Termenes Villerouge and on to the Château d'Arques, which is on the same road. It is an interesting road, winding though the western edge of the Corbieres, but as the road climbed the temperature dropped a bit, showing 7C at one point, but not really getting above 8.5C. The wind wasn't helping either. Fortunately, before I'd set off I had opted to put my winter jacket on, but only had bike jeans and summer gloves to go with it. Anyway, some of the views towards the Pyrénées were stunning. Unfortunately there wasn't really anywhere to stop on that road to get any pictures. Coming out of Arques village I spotted the Château. I went along to the carpark, but the Château was shielded from view by trees, so I headed back towards the village to get a shot of it across the fields. I decided to carry on a bit further along that road, as I'd seen on the map that the D14 was on the left only a few more km's along the road and that road went through an old Roman Spa place and then through to more recent spa town of Rennes-les-Bains. It's quite a picturesque town, in a valley between some pretty high cliffs, but there wasn't really anywhere decent to stop, so I pressed on. The D14 loops back around and would take me past the Château Peyrepertuse and Château Quéribus, which is a interesting road. So, as I made my way along there I came to the village of Cubières-sur-Cinoble. Just before getting into the village I spotted a signpost for a road off to my right, which said Gorges-de-Galamus 2km. The gorge was already on my radar as somewhere I wanted to visit and, being this close, it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss! Unfortunately, the photos that I got really don't do the place justice! A lot of the road there is pretty much single track, which has been carved into the cliff face! It twists and turns, following the face of the cliff, with occasional passing places. The wind was howling down the gorge, which made the drops over the low wall alongside the road pretty interesting! There was a café and parking area where the gorge opened out a bit, so I thought that I'd take the opportunity to stretch my legs and have a look back along the gorge. After my short stop I put home into the sat-nav, but the routes shown were dropping down to Perpignan and back to Narbonne via the motorway or the RN, neither of which appealed. So I decided to head back up the gorge and get back onto the D14, which was the route that is had originally planned on using. The trip back up the gorge was equally as exciting as the trip down, with gusts of wind really moving the bike around! Back on the D14 the road was really nice, winding its way through the hills and villages. I stopped for a pee and a coffee from my flask just under the Château Peyrepertuse. A small group of bikes came past and slowed to make sure that I was OK. So I gave them the thumbs up. The rest of the journey back went pretty well, but the wind was still taking some of the pleasure out of the ride, and I'd realised that I was feeling pretty cold in my hands and feet, so it was definitely time to get back and warm up. I don't know the distance, but I'd estimate it was around 220-230km and I was out for just short of 5 hours.

The boys first shopping trip to tesco. His sister is infatuated with him, never wanting to leave his side and always the 1st to want to help feed or change him. He's also gluttonous, he's now drinking his milk like it's going out of fashion

enjoy

This is the style …

It’s time to cast off next stop Cherbourg see you losers next weekend

No, a kit car built by a GP in his garage. I had to resolve a load of idiosyncrasies on it when I bought it from him 12 years ago. Still not fixed, I looked at it, got head down in the footwell to work out how to get the dash off, decided my back hurt then went out on my Indian instead. Maybe next w/end …

Going out to dinner with a couple of friends tonight, it looks like rain tonight so on´t want to take Maria's soft top as the top soaks up, decided to take the 320 even if it's in need of a proper service. Who needs brakes anyway? so just for @Saul: One main beam bulb was out, so got two and just fitted in 10 minutes, two Osram bulbs for 5€ Then checked the stoplights since I had a warning on the onboard "computer", as soon as I pressed them the warning went out, will look into it. Marvel in the sound of a rotting exhaust And since it'll be parked outside for a while, also turned the alarm on, which surprised me by working perfectly after many years switched off! There you go, happy motoring out to dinner!

Sofia is sort of nuts and I would keep clear if I were you. @Sofia?

To keep up the tediousity, if that is even a word, I have been tarting up my 45 year old picknick bench. I should have binned it years ago but my Dad made it so I keep repairing it because it reminds me of him. Bit like Triggers broom it will last forever. Oh and painted the gate as well, much to the youngest disgust, who demanded to know why I painted it orange then stormed off before I could answer. Fucking psycho.

Class! I like the picture with the hill behind the bike, spoiled by the topbox but there you go.

That's great Phil how old is the newborn now? I'm bringing the mrs and the boy home after 8.25pm tonight, given the epilepsy meds hazell is on he needed observations for 48 hrs to make sure he wasn't getting any withdrawal symptoms but all is good.

yeh , i can see the likeness...

what does that matter.... its whats on the inside that matters.... and how much a new settee would cost

Garage day for me , I've got a new silencer to fit .............

I’m in .

It’s a cycle and it has a motor, you Mexicans and your overbearing rules.

This is the only one he's got , lazy f8cker is about number 8 in that queue

Still sulking?

The earth might turn backwards if one of those crashes going faster than that. It’s for humanity.

About the only noise you'll hear where I live is this mill that has sustained the town of Elgin for many years.... owned by Boise Cascade. Being the hooligan that I sometimes can be, I ripped through a school zone @ 26 mph on the way back home this morning....

Since Bagger Racing has become such a thing... Knowing how this mad world is evolving, probably won't be long before this will be the next genre of excitement...

Not me...

More younger members

Beautiful weather today....decided to ride BEFORE I handled some more yard work Rolled past the Cemetery rd. onto Clark creek rd. for a few miles.... it's a shame the road doesn't get too close to the creek, mainly cos it's fenced off due to mainly it being some farmer's property. I've learned that keeping it in PA level 1 or 2 conserves on battery life while still maintaining a consistent 15 mph w/o too much effort. I didn't quite make it to where it gets a bit steeper & climbs away from the creek more for better views....that'll be for another ride when I have more time & battery life. All in all, a good ride for some exercise in this glorious weather...away from all the BS I used to have to put up with on the left side of OR! Now to race home for a bit more yard work before the Mrs. & I cooled off @ the local watering hole only 3 blocks from home.

Spring sun seems to have arrived to my garden/wild meadow

Forget about using pumps for measuring or adjusting tire pressure if you want to be precise, particularly chinese crap like that. Get a good quality tire pressure gauge with a release valve, any motorsports online shop will sell them. Use any pump to overinflate the tires a little, then adjust using the quality tool made for that exact job. Something like this:

Poor kid has only been in the world a few hours and he is already being trolled by a Mexican.

i would have been but..... it was hospital time at 8pm and he was delivered at 8.25pm. Both of them are doing very well, we've named him Leo, now that's enough dustbin lids for us, hopefully we will take him home Sunday morning.

And you all keep buying the chinesseium crap.

And you will just say that if you believe then God will do it for you....

My kids used to Its long gone now. I think that photo is from around 2010 ish. One of my Jack Russells loved it to. And yes I did go on it now and again with the kids and it was fucking knackering.

Remember years ago when they used to come around with aerial photos of your house selling them door to door? Anyway this shows the pinch point at the corner of my house, plenty of room in the garden but poor access.

I have some jobs to do, got to repair the settee, wife has broken two of the springs in it, if another one breaks she will go through the settee and end up sitting on the floor.

No it's nothing to do with ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZacks ramblings. Where are you Chris, I'm missing my fill of cool French back roads . Come back and say hello , better still show me a photo of a yummy boulangerie

About a year or so ago I ordered a battery operated air pump......but it's fucking useless. So I've ordered this one from Amazon......mains (or lighter socket) operated, thousands of positive reviews, and on a deal at €50. The wife reckons she knows how to operate it!

so buying the second hand Audi was a much better experience ?

yeh... fuck it clive , cut the lawn

all women are sort of nuts.... except the ones with nuts , they are nuts.

@Buckster 's outfit when he's preaching next to his bible trailer