Today, (Sunday) with sunshine predicted a long awaited ride into Wales was most definitely order of the day. Out toward Much Wenlock first, then on to Church Stretton on this bright and breezy morning with a temperature at about 8 degrees, stopping for fuel before Wenlock Edge to change my optimistic summer gloves back to warmer ones. I had contacted Mark earlier in the week he was suffering with the 'lurgy' too much for a ride, but he sent word while I was out he was now feeling better and fancied a razz out this afternoon. I called him back and we agreed to meet if we could find each other later at a suitable meet point on the road.
At Church Stretton I decided to take a left down through Little Stretton rather than up and over the Mynd for a change, enjoying the scenery lit with bright sunshine then down the A49 for that slightly boring road before turning right just before Craven Arms out toward Bishops Castle and Knighton. I stopped briefly at the lay-by near the Norman built Clun Castle (pictured above) and picked up messages on my phone - none from Mark so assumed he's on the road somewhere South West of Worcester.
After leaving Clun I rode on to Newtown via that excellent fast-flowing road, eventually coming in along the new by-pass in the direction of Llandrindod Wells. Just outside Newtown I found the left turn road up to Dolfor Hill, the old cut-thru I used to take as a Systems Engineer in the 90's on the way to Knighton. No traffic up here and love that twisty climb with the scary left hander before it tops out with magnificent views across the valley. I pulled into Knighton and parked up at a great little Cafe (JD's opposite the War memorial) and ordered a Ham and Cheese Toastie with a cuppa. Two trail bikes were parked nearby and got chatting to one of the riders. It turns out he does off-road tours around Shropshire and the Marches. I know from reading Adventure Bike Rider there are some great trails near Offas Dyke so I asked for a card. I fancy a day out here on the rougher stuff - little did I know my wish would come true sooner than I thought!
At the Cafe I saw a message from Mark saying he was now in Ludlow. We were able to arrange a meet and he headed down to meet me at the Cafe. We caught up over a brew as you do, then decided to both head off back toward Anchor and Bishops Castle. Mark had seen some lanes he fancied having a crack at, so off we went and took some farm track green lanes that warned us with a notice 'Not suitable for motors'. After a brief discussion, we agreed to go for it and see how far we could get.
The road quickly turned all gnarly and full of long muddy sections. We had to stop to open and close livestock gates but this was great fun, stood on the pegs and steering with my knees, I had flipped to Enduro mode - not sure why but I guess I wanted to see if it helped since the throttle response changes to suit loose surfaces and I did feel comfortable and in control of the bike. That said, Mark wasn't having trouble on his Versys, so I guess I chose to imagine the GS Enduro setting helped, and didn't make all that much of a difference in the end.
After riding almost peg deep in giant puddles the view across the ridge was well worth the adventure before we came back out onto the main road into Knighton where I nipped in front to lead us back toward Kington using the valley road out and on to Shobdon. Another wonderful days ride and good fun with Mark as ever. We parted ways north of Cleobury Mortimer. I can't wait for the next one, and agreed we both fancy a bit of trail riding so may contact Shropshire Trail Bike Tours in the future. 👍
An impromptu ride today for an hour or so, a 'toss up' between watching the Six Nations Rugby - Scotland v Wales or jump on my GS and make the most of the dry weather after all of the recent rain with more rain forecast for Sunday.
The bike ride option won, so a couple of hours before the England vs Italy match I took off in the direction of Bridgnorth again, a few other bikers had the same idea with riders out near Quatt and the cafe. I was surprised to see quite a few Sports bikes out despite the cold.
This time, I took the left turn after the by-pass toward Kinlet near the Punch Bowl in the direction of Highley. I love this road ideal for a GS, a bit gnarly and bumpy in parts and quite a bit of mud and gravel in the road but great to get out and thread through the lanes near Deuxhill and Billingsley. I chose the right turn signposted to Cleobury Mortimer taking the back road up the side of Clee Hill via Cleeton St Mary and popping out a bit later in Cleobury town via one of side roads.
I rarely get to stop this side of Clee Hill (one of the six Shropshire summits) , so decided to pull over to take in the view, grab a photo and shuffle the play-list on my phone before turning right just after Cleobury toward Pensax. Yet another great motorcycle road with a fast ride across the high ridge down to Great Whitley with good views of distant Worcestershire countryside below. No real traffic to contend with either this afternoon, and sadly the trees showing no signs of buds just yet, winter is still well and truly with us despite the mild weather a week or so ago.
I really enjoyed this short ride today and I'm finally starting to feel like I belong in the saddle again at last after the Winter layup, I was playing a bit with the suspension modes on my GS too, switching between Dynamic and Auto settings and good to feel the system react to the road conditions. What a great bike, so for a change at Dunley I took the narrow lane up to Heightington and out through Bliss Gate. Haven't been up here for a while and reminds of my early Sunday morning 'razz' with Dean Peplow as a teenager on my 2 stroke Suzuki. It bought a smile to my face as I came up the hidden dip section as the road 'crowns' up for us to try and jump all of those years ago.
Feeling the cold by now, I switched the heated grips on to warm my hands. It wasn't long before my hands were feeling the benefit too, I'm convinced BMW heated grips seem to get hotter the faster you ride - kind of regulated it seems. Anyway, back down through Bewdley and home just before the England/Italy match, parking up in my garage with a grin. Not long now before a good ride into Wales 👍
Out for a couple of hours today, grey skies and a few rain spots out near Wigmore and Mortimers Cross, but tomorrow predicts rain so my only chance this weekend. A few bikes out, and Quatt cafe busy as usual.
What I want to know is how Google knows I'm on my bike? 😲
My first real rides of 2019, I couldn't resist a ride to work Friday and today, after waiting until midday for the fog to clear, I decided to get a couple of hours in the saddle before Sunday lunch. Down through Button Oak and Cleobury, over Clee Hill then down to Tenbury Wells before heading into Herefordshire on the Bromyard road. Glorious sunshine, quiet roads.
Instead of heading to Stamford Bridge this time I took a left and back toward Tenbury again and starting to feel a bit more relaxed 😎 at last, with that blast down the hill to get the 'ton' (shh), flicking through the bends at the bottom before Tenbury where Helen dialled me up to say 'times up, dishing up' so back home via Bewdley.
Good fun, looking forward to a full day's ride in to Wales soon, and our ride to Spain and Portugal in a few months. Fantastic !
Last Saturday myself and Will (my Son) visited Motorcycle Live at the NEC. We haven't been for a few years, yet always a good day out on a dreary wet November. One of the first stands to impress us was Harley-Davidson. This time with a rolling road amusing ourselves watching people actually ride a fixed bike going up and down through the gears, making some real Harley noise with huge fan at the front to get the wind effect in your hair too. I do still quite like the Street Glide (as pictured above) and I got to try the latest incarnation of Sportsters that still look a lot of fun. I did enjoy owning one over 10 years ago but they do feel like a moped to me now compared to the GS.
Will' took a shine to the Indian models (pictured right) and I found the latest Triumph Scrambler series they are doing based on the Bonny engine a great option. I must say, if I was going for a second bike to potter around on the Triumphs would be a definite option.
While around the back of the halls looking at the smaller stands for tour companies and the like I discovered Duncan Gough who has published some great looking books on touring Spain with hand-drawn maps of his experiences. What a smashing chap. He had some great advice for touring all over Spain including the Pyranees, Picos, Sierra Nevada .. you name it he's been there. Very friendly and approachable, I was so impressed I decided to buy a couple of his books. Check out his website here, and go visit him if you are visiting the show this year.
Old Katana
New Katana
Thinking back to the early '80's and the famous road bikes of those times I recall the original Suzuki Katana. I remember the 550 variant back in '82/'83 and one or two mates had one. Always in silver with that unusual styling and two-tone seat they were quite a radical diversion from most bikes of the day. You either loved them or hated them. Recently, Suzuki have decided to bring back the Katana in 1000cc guise and keep some of the original design and style cues as a modern twist on that iconic machine. I quite like it, with the irony of a one time futuristic looking motorcycle now sitting in the 'retro' genre that is popular nowadays. More about the Katana and it's history here.
After a quick mooch around the rest of the Suzuki stand and a look at the latest V-Strom's, we headed over to the BMW Motorrad stand. Will' likes the R1250R, and the latest RR HP4 too.
Afterwards, we both went over to see the new R 1250 GS and as a 'Wolves' fan I thought I'd prefer the new Black and Gold scheme over the Blue and White 'Albion' looking HP4 variant. I wasn't so keen on the black bars or black rear grab rail on either though, and the gold looked a bit too yellow for my liking. I did like the base model in blue but if only it came with the blacked out engine! So, for now I'm happy to keep my 1200 Exclusive in Iced Chocolate Metallic, and the rest of the spec' is pretty much identical to mine too with the TFT and the wonderful Dynamic mode. The temptation to get the slightly quicker engine has subsided ... for now 😉.
We stayed to watch the Off-Road Skills demo and BMW Training, teaching us how to park the big RT as well as lifting it up after being dropped. The off-road skills rider jumped the big GS over an off-road 'gap' too, and was good without much of a run at it either, designed to demonstrate the additional torque claims of 20% more over the 1200. We quite enjoyed how the guy balanced the GS without side-stand using an opposite lock and ran around the bike without it toppling proving how well balanced the GS is as he manoeuvred it within a very tight turn radius by standing on the pegs on one side only, and lowering the bike down as he went around cones.
The TT stand was a good place to hang out as usual watching one of the races on the big screen, and was great for us both to see the Senior Trophy in the glass case with all of those famous winners Joey Dunlop, Mike Hailwood, John McGuinness and Ian 'Hutchy' Hutchinson to name a few.
Toward the end of the day, while wandering about I passed a familiar face in the crowd who we just about recognised each other, none other than Alan who I met on the Motorrad Mountains:Alps tour back in September. Alan, a big BMW S1000 RR fan, turned up on the tour with his own RR. Good fun riding with him (see my video featuring Alan up front on 'Stelvio Ride Out' here). Good to catch up, and I hope we ride together again some day.
So, after a great day with Will' at the show and a superb late Autumn weather forecast for Sunday after seeing all of those bikes I had a yearning to get out on my bike. Mine is not packed away for the Winter just yet, I took off toward Bridgnorth then on to Ironbridge for a wonderful run out to Jackfield in Shropshire stopping off at the Boat and the bridge across the Severn to the Canal on the other side to admire the autumn views in bright sunshine.
Nice little spot, I must remember to come back in the summer and have a drink outside the pub. A good little ride today in great weather for this time of year, I ended up back down in Herefordshire almost as far as Tenbury Wells before I finally turned toward home. 👍
So, not much motorcycling now, a quick run out with Lindsay last weekend was fun, but this weekend too many chores to get a ride in, and the weather was bad today, so I guess that's it for this year 😒
Anyway, I really can't wait to see the new Queen Biopic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' this week, have been waiting for a while now and a fan of this great band since I first heard 'Seven Seas of Rhye' when I was about 8 or 9 years old.
I can never forget Christmas 1975 when BR was released and at number 1, the resounding singing in my Dad's first pub in Birmingham, the weird operatic section, excellent guitar riffs from Brian - such a classic. I remember watching 'We are the Champions' video in '77 on Top Of the Pops too. What a great time for music.
We all learned the words to the songs - who hasn't? and I went on to collect all of their albums right up to 'The Game' between the ages of 10 to 16. Personally, those first albums prior to 'Hot Space' were their best, it was always the lesser known stuff that I loved though, great tracks from Queen I, II and Shear Heart Attack ... Liar, Now I'm Here, Brighton Rock, Keep Yourself Alive, Spread Your Wings (News of the World), Mustapha and Jealousy (Jazz) .. just too many to name. Growing up with Queen was great, I just couldn't wait for their next album, and to this day I know all of the songs from those earlier albums.
My Prize possession: my own original 'Crazy Tour' Programme
I bought on the 24th Nov 1979 and wore it down the front of my t-shirt !
Almost 40 years old now.
I first got to see Queen live in Hall 1 of the NEC Birmingham on the 24th November 1979 on the Crazy Tour. I had just turned 15, and it was such a momentous event for me, myself and friends caught the train to the NEC at mid-day queued all day winding around one of the outer halls, and a single door allowing us through into the main hall it seemed one by one at a time.
In the end I made it quite close to the front of stage - probably two rows back and it was decked out in the now famous 'Live Killers' stage set covered by a roof or canopy of lights. I remember the atmosphere being so electric and when the house lights went down and the huge roof lifted up to lightning, explosions playing 'Let me Entertain You' followed by the fast version of 'We Will Rock You' (the Wikipedia set list entry is incorrect for this night!) the place went .. as the tour title suggests literally 'Crazy'!
Here's a review published in the Birmingham Evening Mail for that night:
'79 Crazy Tour NEC review
Although this review criticises the acoustic quality (I remember there being huge baffle boards hanging from the ceiling), my mates further back in the crowd stating the same after the show, I don't recall it being too bad at all. Since I was at the front and one of the 'real enthusiasts' as the review suggests, the sound was great to me - or maybe I was just that caught up with the hysteria of the whole thing I just didn't notice. Either way, with Freddie throwing his maracas into the crowd landing just behind me, and fighting for one of Roger's drumsticks - I didn't win and received a sight gash over my left eye from someones watch in the melee, I remember Brian's rhinestone encrusted cape during 'Love of My Life' and '39 and Freddie disappearing in the dark in 'Now I'm Here' - appearing at another part of the stage with a spotlight right on cue with the words "Now I'm Here", followed by the amazing Brighton Rock.
Some more reviews ... Top picture very close to where I was stood! (click to enlarge)
What a great night and for almost 40 years have never forgotten. I have been to many, many concerts since some of them amazing in their own right but that first Queen gig really sticks in my memory. I lost my voice after the show for a week - probably singing along to 'We Will Rock You' or 'Mustapha' or even 'Get Down Make Love'. The 24th November is remembered by most Queen fans as the day Freddie passed away (1991), but for me I can always commemorate his life by remembering that concert on the same day of the year 12 years earlier - What a night!
1980 - Game Tour NEC Review
The following year Queen were at the NEC again on their Game Tour, I saw them this time too, in the brand-new purpose built Arena December 5th 1980 was the date. For this show I remember them singing 'Save Me' the new single and introducing 'Flash' from the Flash Gordon film. Although the sound quality was better in the Arena (the first ever concert held there), I was a few rows back and seated. For me, I can remember being a bit disappointed it was seated and a little too 'crowd controlled'. For this reason I have never been wholly satisfied with that arena since (apart from Black Sabbath last year in the pit) it's all a little too sanitised for my liking and lost some of that rock show atmosphere I used to love isn't there. That said though, Queen were great again, I did get a better view of Roger during his solo this time too.
In 1984 I missed the 'Works' tour, I had booked a holiday to the South of France at the same time and realised too late when the tickets went on sale and in 1985 I heard they were playing at 'Live Aid'. Such a lot has been said since about how they took hold of Live Aid and made it their own - it's down in history as the best act bar none on that famous day. Now you may believe me or believe me not, I do remember thinking and saying prior to their appearance that I expect them to steal the show since no-one can take on a crowd like Freddie and their stage presence and refined live performances are legendary to anyone who had seen them. I was not surprised with the performance and remember feeling a bit cheated that I missed out being there too. But, like most fans had a little chuckle to myself when everyone was saying "wow did you see Queen they were amazing!"
My own original ticket for the Saturday - the Magic tour 1986.
Then in 1986 and the release of 'A Kind Of Magic' and the Magic Tour. Well, I had to get a couple of tickets for one of the Wembley shows (one for my then girlfriend too). At this time, I was a regular at the Angel pub in Bewdley, and a whole crowd of us got a fistful of tickets and headed off down to London on the train for that famous Princes Trust Saturday show attended by Charles and Diana too.
My own personal photo memories of the day.
Here are some of my original photos taken from just in front of the mixing desk. You can see where we were stood in relation to the Queen flag at the front - the flag is clearly seen on the official film I've tried to locate us many times on the film!
No mobile phones in those days, it was quite a challenge to smuggle a camera into a gig as official merchandise rules meant you could get kicked out. If I remember correctly I smuggled this camera down my underpants. The pics are a bit grainy and blurred, nothing to do with my underpants 😆, just age I guess, they have been languishing in my loft for over 30 years. But as ever, a great personal record of a fantastic day with INXS and Status Quo supporting earlier in the day too.
Freddie ... One Vision , Fried Chicken maybe ?
Brian, during the guitar solo on Brighton Rock
Again, Queen gave a fantastic performance as can be seen in the official video. My own personal memories are of the body stacking while waiting, the great crowd sway that would be a health and safety nightmare nowadays and although they dropped some of the older Queen classics I can remember us all rocking away to 'Tie Your Mother Down' and 'Seven Seas' - but oh my 'Love of my Life' and then the classic 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.
I'm so pleased to have been part of that special day and night, since unknown to any of us at the time one of their last ever live performances, it was such a a special night. The best £14.50 (plus booking fee of course) I've ever spent - really quite laughable when you see how much it costs to get into a decent gig these days.
Freddie - probably during 'Impromptu'
... Stadium Rock at the old Wembley
A kind of Magic!
The last gig Queen played in the UK was at Knebworth in the August. I was away on holiday for that last one, but Paul my late best mate went (he missed the Wembley ones) and loved it so much his wife Julie made sure he was buried in his official Queen (loud) shirt purchased at the gig!
Despite my interest in other bands over the years and even a broadening of my musical taste, Queen have stayed with me as the first band I ever really got interested in. So every now and again I put on News of the World, or Day at the Races and marvel at just how great they were. As a family we have been to see the 'We Will Rock You' the West End show a few times and although I do get why a younger generation (and those that didn't see them live first time around) would want to see Brian, Roger and Adam Lambert, for me without Freddie and John on stage too, I fear it would simply taint some wonderful memories I have.
