https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gE4iECdcTI
Monday, 26 August 2024
Monday, 17 June 2024
66.... where did that year go ?
Its true, I have been busy for the past years after moving to Rossendale, House, business, life, all got in the way.
Now I have retirement to contend with, though due to funds, I am still working and hope to include start/stop/finish some of the many projects in my shed.
Not withstanding buying my Suzuki Burgman back off the guy I sold it to a year ago.
The Burgy is a big heavy scooter, automatic, comfy, rapid, and old, but it got me back into riding.
MOT next week and insurance / road tax . After many fixes and additions, its still a dog, but hey ho.
13 years ago I was on my way from Manchester CA to San Francisco after 8500 miles or more wandering the states doing the Manc thing.
Travel changes you, and that trip still creates great memories and a fair bit of regret bordering on depression that my five minutes of fame created.
Reaching 66 and feeling the pain of hard labour means the chances of certain bucket-listed stuff is further away than ever. For now......
Fly in a Spitfire.
Visit elephant, Orangutang, Rhino sanctuaries.
Travel through India and far east.
See the Peruvian Andes. Rio carnival, you know the kind of thing.
13 years of busy went like a flash in ya pants. But hey I have health (a bit), a beautiful family,
and a nice home....... oh and a battered old Suzuki. Not quite the Goldwing I rode back then but I am much older now and Wings are heavy.
Thursday, 27 April 2023
April 5th 2023
Currrrr, 5th April 1958, I don't remember being born but it was a bloody long time ago.
65 years to be precise . Happy Birthday to mre.
It wasn,t that long ago when 65 meant retirement with a state pension, but not today.
67 ish, is the age now. And the government atre trying to put it up again tp 70.
Bloody crazy to think the youngsters of today will even work at 17, never mind 70.
Oh well I'm still here and wondering how.
I take enough pills and potions to sing a ship.
I groan like a old wooded bed when I get up from a chair.
I sleep less in bed , but take more naps on the couch.
I haved type 2 meltus, fatty liver disease , kerataconus, high blood pressure , hearing is going,
my knees ache, and I have realised that I most certainly have ADHD ( since birth).
But all that lot is fine. A few less surprizes to die from LOL.
Today I picked up my tyre/wheel for the old Suzuki Burgman 650 that did about 100 miles last year
The Wusty Rex XVZ1200 steampunk bike is still poorly
And despite my aging body I still did 15 hrs a day Mon - Weds this week on a full outside stobecoat project.
See www.stonefxwalls.co.uk
Friday, 13 January 2023
Sunday, 18 December 2022
Wednesday, 4 May 2022
Thursday, 7 April 2022
Well that's a serious haircut.
05-04-1958 to today 5th April 2022.
Well who'd a thunked it, I survived this far. 64 todays and don't feel a day over. Or under !
Yes I went thin and lost my hair, Yes I got type 2 diabetes, yes my eyes are shot with Kerataconis, my knees ache, and manual work is getting harder with each lousy wet, cold and miserable weather day.
BUT, in my head I am still 25, still have a wonderful wife who puts up with me , and occasionally get out on my bike.
Getting older is good in many ways though. I can be a grumpy old git, I can flirt with ladies of any age
and I can still get away with OAP prices at some events.
Going back to the origin of this blog, I have started adding FACEBOOK/Road2Manchester posts of the unedited versions of the videos I made on my trip in 2011.
www.facebook.com/Road2manchester-1657244921252682 this link should go straight there.
It may entertain or bore your bolls off , but hey, better out there than sat on my laptop.
Chunky Tread Motorcycle Adventure Club is still running doing virtually nowt, but hey plenty add their stories to it.
I also started up a sales page for your guys wanting to sell your used gear.
facebook Adeventure biking gear for sale . Private ads only. 1700 members last count.
Its raining again here in Rossendale , but that's normal .
Have you followed facebook/Harrystottlepoems yet ? Do it
bye 4 no
Pete w
Friday, 1 January 2021
2021
Yes,I know...... not been around for a lon time.
Despite Covid 19 closing the uk down for a year, I have been busy at work all year.
Both Shaz and I got Covid late November, the a major operation for her just before xmas.
I bought a cheap Suzuki Burgman 650 which is surprisingly nippy, even with us two fatties, we got some miles in over the Lancs and Yorkshire dales.
Wusty Rex my Steampunk xvz1200 is off road at moment . With no events , it seemed pointless getting it finished..... 21 maybe.
New Years day...... no hang over ...... result
Sunday, 19 January 2020
Saturday 14th May 2011 |Collect the bike, Vimeo vid,
NO editing just raw video straight from the camera.... 1 take... bit ruff.
Saturday, 2 November 2019
That went quick
Well its November 2019 already. Where this year went I do not know.
Llangollen Bike show was a great weekend and one of the few times I got out on the bike.
Wusty Rex and it is now called , has become a steampunk roadster and as time goes on a few more bits added.
between house renovations and work, little extra time for the bike other than the odd hours adding stuff,
This was coming home from Haggs Bank Horizons Unlimited weekend.
One night stat in a tiny tent with no sleeping mat and only 2 tent pegs. Oh and a small summer sleeping bag..... not one of my most successful camping trips.
The up and coming Chunky Tread club Xmas do next weekend as Giants Seat
Llangollen Bike show was a great weekend and one of the few times I got out on the bike.
Wusty Rex and it is now called , has become a steampunk roadster and as time goes on a few more bits added.
between house renovations and work, little extra time for the bike other than the odd hours adding stuff,
One night stat in a tiny tent with no sleeping mat and only 2 tent pegs. Oh and a small summer sleeping bag..... not one of my most successful camping trips.
The up and coming Chunky Tread club Xmas do next weekend as Giants Seat
8-10th November
A few days before anf the XMAD PARTY..... well get together for a few friends and Chunky Tread MAC members.
Ian Coates will be chatting about his travels, and the raffle prizes include books and bits from
Neil Foulks
Derek Mansfield
Spencer Conway
Bernard Smith
Giants Seat scout camp is our location.
More to follow .
Saturday, 19 January 2019
Wednesday, 12 December 2018
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,
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......
Thursday, 31 May 2018
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 .
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.
My alter ego Harry Stottle Poet (see facebook/HarryStottlePoems or twitter @arrystottlepoet ) posted this .
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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