Firstly, thanks to all the fabulous mates who took the time to wish me well with my recovery after a coronary rebore. I'm doing great, in fact, I was only crook for a couple of hours and spent the rest of the time wondering what all the fuss was about.
As we started to get our head around what came next, we welcomed a new family member a couple of weeks earlier than planned.
My new grandson and I have the same hairstyle.
He also seems to be keen on a drink like Grandy!
My riding time has had a few limits placed on it since my 'turn'. Adventure bikes are off the menu for a while, I can't afford to smack me head on the deck right now. But hey, trailering my old mate, Mario Ducati to the SR500 Rally and riding the roads just East of Albury for a weekend don't count... right?
There always seems to be something that gets in my way of attending this fabulous event. Each year my best-laid plans seem to fall apart but this time I made it happen. My riding buddy Tomaselli and I loaded up our Ol' Yellas and took on the Doom Highway to Albury, crossing the Hume Dam and lobbing at the site in time for a quick arvo spin then settled into good company and bad beers.
On Fridays we get fed at the local pub and the rest of the weekend is catered for by the local footy/netball club rooms. Days are spent riding the hills, taking in legendary roads like Locharts Gap, Granya Pass, Murray Valley Highway and the Walawa River Road.
Saturday arvo sees the locals engaged in a relaxed game of cricket while the SR500 Club runs their Show and Shine. Locals admire bikes while riders chill in the shade with a beer and a few mates with enjoyable banter running both directions.
Hopefully, we can convince the footy club to supply neck oils that are a little more tasty for future events.
What a joy! Great roads, perfect weather, magic scenery and good mates. The Duke is running as well as it ever has. Pulling strong, sounding crisp, starting second kick cold and first when warm. Even after 45 years, I'm still smitten!
While on the topic of a bevvy or ten, a few days ago I got feedback from the Dry July mob, they reckon they raised $7.9 million for Cancer support. That's pretty cool.
Guarding the Knees
In reality, we should be wearing hard knee guards every time we go near a motorcycle. The majority of motorcycle injuries affect the lower limbs, after feet and ankles, the complex structure that is the knee is the next candidate.
The big issue is convenience and comfort, most knee guards are neither... and believe me, I've been looking.
Knee guards fall into three groups I reckon.
Anatomical Braces
Sock Style
Strap on
Braces are aimed at relatively short competition events and can be useful for riders with buggered knees. They aren't generally an all-day proposition.
Sock style can be comfy all day but I find they are a pain in RRs to get on and off. Pants and boots generally have to come off. Sock style tends to have a non-slip silicone band top and or bottom and I find that that strip 'burns' my bare skin. I like to whip my knee guards off at the end of the day by dropping my daks. Step up strap-ons (hmmm, that could get out of control). To be comfortable, the straps have to be in the right place and the correct length. I'm stunned that this is the exception rather than the rule.
That's why I've chosen the Leatt Dual Axis Pro. One step down from knee braces, these strap-on guards have mechanical protection from lateral stressors, front impact and great ventilation.
This month we have a Barry Sheene-endorsed lid from the same year as my Ducati, '74. It was hand-made in the UK of colour-impregnated fibreglass with polystyrene and cork inner. The lining was a combination of nylon and soft leather. Interestingly this hat has four separate chin straps. The shatterproof, Lexan poly-carbonate visor is attached with four press studs making it a semi-tear-off.
The bike has aged better than the helmet I reckon. While it was a leap ahead of what preceded it, nowadays it looks positively archaic and seriously unsafe!
Ho Friggin' Ho
As the big bearded bloke with the red hat starts looking about for chimney egress points, it's time to drop massive and specific hints.
"And yer can shove jocks where the sun don't shine unless… they are these ones".
"How about something useful like these trick wet weather pants, take pity on an old rider and get me wet weather pants that I can get into without doing a hammy!"
"Even better, save yerself the hassle, just get me a Strapz gift voucher and I'll sort myself out"
Knuckin', knuckin', knuckin'...
The cost of postal services and freight is going through the roof! To rub it in, some post shops are charging silly prices for similar or larger parcels. I recently had a complaint from Jim who got stung for a parcel that came in at just over 1 kg (so it pushes it into the 2kg bracket) for $28. At the same time, he got a box weighing in at over 3kg from a rural Victorian post office, it was charged at half that!
I called my Aus Post manager who just did the telephone equivalent of the French shrug. I came away feeling even more P1ssed Off!
From fuel to food to freight, we are getting reamed. The COVID and Ukraine excuse is bullsh1t. It seems the lessons of the pandemic – that is – we should be more self-sufficient as a nation to enable us to withstand global greed and stupidity have been tucked under the doona. It gets harder every day to keep the doors open and people employed making real things, rather than opening containers from the north and sending them out on another false US Imperialistic, Special, Purple Tuesday Super Discount Bargain Month.
Lyin', cheatin' packa...
Come the revolution... There'll be changes when I'm dictator!
A Royal Sock Up
You may remember that our sock supplier cocked up and sent us short ones instead of our usual over-calf length. That's now sorted and we are stocked up with the long version now.
The good news is that we need to move the calf-length socks on and you win!
Like me, they may be a bit short, but they're still the same quality item. For those of you who use our socks for work, here's your chance to stock up. Naturally, it's a first in best dressed.
Offered at $12 for single pairs or three packs for only three drinking vouchers, click below to get some while stocks last. Great value for Aussie-made Merino socks!
