December already

Wow, where did 2018 go?

Having bben in the new house for 2 years in October and still trying to make my business work to the degree I want, the biking bit seemed to pass by this summer.

I did start to 'Rusty Wreck' the Yamaha and despite the 2nd gear issue ran the North Coast 500 again with the CHUNKY TREAD MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURE CLUB .
The 17 or so  riders and bikes spread themselves across the loveliness that is Scotland and enjoyed cool and mainly dry weather.

The big Yammy with all my camping gear and my 200+ lbs probably reached 500 kgs (Half a ton) and though I thought the rear brake wasn't working.........

OK the rear brake wasn't working at all.... I didn't realise that the front right disc brake runs off the rear brake pedal only. That means I rode 1200+ miles over 5 days with just the front left disc stopping me....... I guess that's why the disc warped making slow breaking a bit of a chore, and faster braking a hell of a wrench on the lever.

More pictures later. But if you ever get the chance to ride the NC500 around the Scottish coast..... do it. may June have proven to be the best months over the past 3 years,

TWO BALL RALLY

Buy a car for less than £567  and drive through 8 countries in 6 days, collecting points for the fun of it.

So with my oldest friends Andy and Graham who I have known since I was around 11 years old (49 years if you are counting ), we bought an old Landrover Freelander 2.0 Diesel and planned our escape. 

It was our 60th birthdays (Graham 61) despite being told by many folk that an old Freelander would  never drive 3000 miles without all sorts of things going wrong, we set it up.

Dressed as the THREE AMIGOS and with the car decorated with a Donkey, A coral, and many many stickers such as 

ADVENTURE BEFORE DEMENTIA 

NO HAIR 

TEAM 60

A few 'fettles' on the brakes and heater hoses got us through the MOT test and road legal.

After a few test rides we set off to Dover and found the heater hose still leaking.

Quick Fix on the docks and we were good to go.

A few days later and driving into the Alps and Switzerland we had a turbo hose pop. With a shopping bag, 4 cable ties, a crepe bandage and some red insulation tape we sealed the leak and THREELANDER saw us complete the run through 

France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy back into France then home to the UK.

www.twoballrally.co.uk  do this route, one in the UK and brack run through France and next year London to Lisbon. 

later dudes...... 

7 years on...

7 years ago this week I was wandering through America visiting towns called Manchester.
My alter ego Harry Stottle Poet (see facebook/HarryStottlePoems or twitter @arrystottlepoet ) posted this .

Harry Stottle poems

Published by Peter Johnson · 23 October 2015 · 

Road2manchester.

Verse;
Not every day you set out, on a trip to change the world you know
Riding across American lands, ten thousand miles or more, to go.
Leaving my love behind me here, hope she knows that I love her.
The way is clear, so I must ride the Road 2 Manchester.
Chorus:
I have seen some Strangeway’s, the Rainy City shows,
packed my hat Ancoats, just in case it rains like home,
The Man can leave his home town, but does the Manc still sing
Three hundred years in the USA, what changes did that bring.

From the UK to the USA, a message from my town,
Deansgate, Piccadilly will these names be re-found,
Names that may be local to many more like us
Mancunians across the world, do you say BUS or BUZZ

Yank or Manc’ from back, far back in the day
Did your folks come from around here or as we say “our way”.
Black Puddings, Eccles Cakes, We have the cream of beers too
Fish and Chips in newspaper might seem obscene to you.

The firsts of Manchester history for ages long have been
Revolutions in industry, science and peoples dreams
From the Romans to the industrial age we invented innovations
We are half way north up in’th-ills in’t center of our nation.

With wonder, with music, with ideas that moved. the oasis of charm
around the world you hear that we greet with open arms
One thing is certain, that I can be so sure, as I travel near and far
You’ll find me on the road again the road to Manchester.

The 1 year anniversary of the Manchester 'Terrorist' bomb was last week. A young man influenced by his religion and those who want to change the very society that they use to thrive  but say they hate, walked into a pop concert and killed himself and many other your people. Adding hundreds to the injury list and for what?
Those that groom these young people to take their lives in the name of a unproved ethos are still around, still alive to get others to do the same.
One thing I learned on my travels is that people the world over a nice..... just normal, .... just living and enduring their own issues and daily needs.
Only leaders, religious, political and those so call 1% ers, who strive for power create the bad.

My Manchester has been through many such attrocities and survived, we will survive, we will continue. In my travels to 25 Manchester's I found friendly folk , smiles, welcomes and good cheer. I was welcomed into peoples homes.

THE WORLD IS A GOOD PLACE, PEOPLE ARE GOOD.

1 June 2018

I am 60 years old.

I am Harry Stottle, I am Pete Johnson. I am Road2manchester. 

£139 pledged..... how about you ?

Chunky Tread Motorcycle Adventure Club. CROWD FUND

CHUNKY LOVE.... spread the word
Click above to go to a new page,


We are looking for funds to create a professional looking events and show stand feature. The above link is to allow you to offer £1, $1 1Euro etc etc to our £2000 search for a gazebo, feather flags and equipment to add interesting and colourful stands at events all over the UK.

Thansk in advance and please share the link on all your social media platforms.


Cheers.

Wow ,.... times flies when you are having fun,,,,,

Next weekend 24-25 th March is the Manchester Bike Show with the Chunky Tread Motorcycle Adventure club, my Facebook virtual club.

Returning for the 4th year we have a great group of traveling bikers to show off.


Ian Coates 75 and 14 years on the road crossing the world

Spencer James Conway just returned from South America after circumnavigation of the coast and 30k miles on his Yamaha. This is the second record he has completed after his Africa trip and TV program Motorcycle Diaries.

Ed March of c90adventures.co.uk has spent 2 years wandering along the Trans American highway . -40 in Canada to +40 in South America, Ed and his Honda C90 shows that any bike can be an adventure bike. Videos, Trips, advice.

Ren and Sharon of Bikes&Travels blog, once again show their small bikes adventure story. Funny, Informative and worth a visit with over 13000 hits a month,

Derek Mansfield  with Notes from the Road a tale of his travels across Europe and further, A real gent and friend. Books available on the day

Plus many more ....