Time for a major change in life.

What depressing times. Not much work to be had, and struggling to keep the bike (my only transport at the moment). Jobs are rare, and good money even harder to get. About a month ago iwas in contact with Stonecoat in Texas, who promised me a job over in the USA, all bell and whistles, and a month to see if we got on, and then possible long term career in the States. Then nothing.......... eventually and e-mail, stating that it was on hold. GREAT ! ....... Having to do some driver-multidrop work to try and make ends meet, even that has dried up today. 10-12hrs days take their toll, but even that will not settle the bike payment issues, though BMW Finance have been great. On a better note, I got the pictures back that Matt and Alexa had used for the single copy book I got for my birthday this year. So here are a few to see.

Funny how a reasonably simple month long road trip can alter ones whole 'being'. Seeing the other side of the Atlantic and being active on various forums within the Adventure Travel sector http://www.adventurebikerider.com/forum I find myself looking towards travel as a real must do. Sharon is getting the vibe too, as things here get into a daft state of wanting more and ending up with less. Talk of us selling up and moving on are in the throws of making sense...... keep watching.

15th July 2012 where has this year gone. 8500 hits to me blog.....................thanks guys. Fantastic. Funny how life pans out. I has been looking forward to a potential new opening in Texas USA. My proper job 'Decopierre stone effect', has ground to an all time low here in the UK, with NO new enquiries since March, and the other potential work in Bordeaux France suddenly was not forth coming, so contact with Stonecoat Texas, was a great surprie when the owner showed great interest in me getting over there ASAP to help out training, applying and generally becoming the Euro-Face of their operation. Flights planned, dates sorted, lots of calls and e-mails..................... then nothing !!!! No contact for 2 weeks, then a short e-mither saying, its not going to happen after all. Cheers guys ! No explaination, just not at the moment. So back to square one. In the mean time I am doing some multi-drop driving, and how things have changed. 50-60 parcels a day, used to be the norm. That was prettyhard work, but these days 100+ is normal. I have discovered one thing though. 70% of houses do not show the house number. 50% of homes with no number but a name, do not show the name on the gate post, or a legible sign that can be seen from a van, in the rain. (Can't imagine what its like in the dark winter months). and the bigger the house, the less likely it is that the owners add a sign or number though they find time to have a 'Private Road' or 'No Parking'or even better 'No Turning' sign fitted. IF YOUR HOUSE HAS A NAME, PUT A SIGH UP THEN DRIVE AT 15 MPH, IN THE RAIN, AND SEE IF YOU CAN SEE IT. AND putting the sign on the gate itself, then going out leaving the gate open, means the sign can NOT be seen ...... WHILST ON LINE ORDERING YOUR TAT, ORDER A bloody house number or sign. Or you might not get the tat at all. GRIPE OVER. Now this is a road............. NO TURNING signs not needed.

Weather you like it or not

If it’s ‘Brownie Points’ you are after, or just because you have to, riding in the rain is a definite feature of this years basic requirement for many BB’s (British Bikers). “It will rain or go dark before midnight”, as my father used to say. I actually enjoy the kudos and the knowing glances from car drivers. That second glance or nod that indicates ‘this guy knows what he is doing’. After all who else would be daft enough to ride in this weather. The inner feeling that ‘Yes , I really am a hardcore biker’. Though the extra time needed to get into a one-piece suit designed for someone with the agility of a Russian teenage gymnast, and not a fat 50 something with si2e 13 boots, is a bind, it would be a YouTube winner if ever I film the 10 minute version. Let’s not forget the glove issue and the lack of full waterproofy-ness, though the addition of bright yellow Marigolds under them works for me. (The ones with the fluffy insides of course) The challenge of doing the distance in bad weather became a part of my daily chore, when riding through the USA last year, when for seven days it rained Datsun Cogs for over 1200 miles. Being on a mission to complete 9600 miles in 33 days, there was no option but to get on with it and put those damp gloves back on, add the one-piece when damp, and the fun really begins. If you have ever seen Houdini escape a straight jacket…. in reverse Once back in Blighty, the rain was never enough to stop me going for a spin and a recent misadventure with my old Volvo and loss of job, means my trusty GSa is my only means of transport at the moment. Out looking for work this week, I wrestled the one-piece into submission, find my marigolds, expect the drips on the slightly open visor to get me right in the eye, watch out for grids, white lines, diesel spills, dopey drivers and puddles the si2e of boating lakes, and weather or not, I will probably enjoy it.

Raining again....... this must be July in Manchester, England. PS I have lost the 'last letter of the alphabet' and the forward slash keys on my laptop. They keys are still there, they just refuse to do there thing, so 2 in the new 2...... if you get that , oh ! question mark has gone AWOL too.