2015 Isle of Man & Wales Motorcycle Adventure
Photos and Blog by Steve Taylor
May 28 - 29:
Start point for motorcycle trip to Isle of Man TT. We pick up our bikes tomorrow, 30 May 2015.
Trip organized by motorcycle touring company, MotoQuest. Tour leader, Lynn Brown assisted by Simon Siggs, who, among others, drives the luggage van.
Lynn, a Boise based architect, is a good friend of my friends Ernie and Rhonda, also Boise. All participated in Big Cat 2006 McCall. Rode with Ernie and Rhonda circa 2005 in Ethiopia.
The flight over was excellent as such flights go. I flew Economy Plus, which allows for plenty of leg room. The two hour connection in Philadelphia (arriving from Salt Lake City) was perfect, connecting at adjacent gates. There was a good restaurant very close. The 757 air craft from Philadelphia to London was about one third full. I had access to three seats in Economy Plus and could lie down... though I profess to not having slept much, notwithstanding.
I thought airlines were filling all their seats these days. It has been ten years (or so it seems) since I have flown on a mostly empty aircraft. Once, in the early 1980's, I flew a milk run Pan Am flight from Taipei to Hong Kong, where I was the only passenger on the 747.
Above: WWII vets sitting in wheel chairs lined up at Salt Lake City International Airport. 28 May 2015.
I didn't have time to inquire on the occasion of vets presence. Seeing these guys, all 85 plus, lined up, was definitely a lump in throat moment.
Above: Bournemouth Pier. Bournemouth, England. 29 May 2015.
May 30 - 31st:
Above. The Bishop, wearing MotoQuest cap, at Stonehenge. 30 May 2015. Searching for the meaning of life.
Search to date unrequited. Meaning of life to be found later in the day at Avebury? Or, in the next several days at the Mecca of motorcycling... The Isle of Man TT?
Above: Motorcycles at Stonehenge visitors center. 30 May 2015. Stonehenge, England.
Stonehenge gets one million tourist visits a year. Visitors purchase tickets at the visitors' center and then mount a bus which takes them about a mile and a half to the Stonehenge circle. Visitors walk around the circle on a roped off pathway. Other than for booked special occasions access to within the stone circle is prohibited.
TIMDT can correct on the time, but she and I visited Stonehenge guessing early '80's. At that time we drove right up to the circle and walked around amidst the stones. I recall no more than three or four cars parked just adjacent at with perhaps a dozen people walking amidst the ancient, neolithic (4000 years ago) stones.
TIMDT and Mwah (sic) didn't know during our visit that Stonehenge is part of a much larger complex. A larger circle (henge... no stones), Dunnington Walls, is located about two miles away. The current theory is that, constructed of wood, Dunnington Wallls was for inhabitation where Stonehenge was a monument to honor ancestors.
Above: Red Lion Inn. Avebury, England. 31 May 2015.
Our lunch spot. Fish and Chips served on newspaper.
TIMDT should remember this place. We stopped to eat there on a visit to Avebury sometime in the 1980's.
Above: The Bishop contemplates part of the ancient stone circle at Avebury, England. 30 May 2015.
In his quest to find the meaning of life, the Bishop remains unfulfilled. Eearlier this year, while meditating at Visnu's Butterball (Mahabalipuram) and The Matramanir (Pondicherry), the Bishop was also left wanting.
Our group spent the night at the Castle and Ball Hotel, Marlbourough, Wiltshire, England. Very busy... very pubby... Saturday night... the place was hopping. Chicken Tikka Masala and nan for dinner. Indian food to the British is like Mexican food to Americans.
Above: Pewsey Wharf on Kennel and Avon Canal, Wiltshire, England. 31 May 2015.
On the road again. Country roads, heading north to Liverpool, through the western English Midlands. Once a busy, industrial canal wharf, the area is site of a well known country inn... a tranquil stop in England's western Midlands.
Above: Full plate at Affcot Lodge Sunday Carvery, Craven Arms. Shropshire, England. 31 May 2015.
The above image is driver/mechanic Simon's plate. But, mine was close. A slice each of pork, roast beef, and turkey. Popover (Yorkshire pudding?), veggies, stuffing, mashed potatoes. It is good to see, in a world of tony, fru fru, dining, that old traditions (calories, cholesterol, and grease) can still be had in the English country side. Implied criticism aside, I enjoyed the meal.
Today, 31 May 2015, our Isle of Man bound motorcycle tour group rode north about 200 miles through western Midlands (Shropshire, Cheshire...) from Marlbourough to Liverpool.
To our east as we rode north was Birmingham where circa 2002 el Contador and Mwah (sic) visited the must see British Motorcycle Museum. I told tour leader Lynn Brown that MotoQuest should consider adding an extra day to their Isle of Man tour to stop by this magnificent museum.
To our west was Bath, site of England's most excessive ruins, which TIMDT and Mwah (sic) had visited in the mid-80's. Near Bath is Trowbridge, where my great great (paternal line) grandparents, William Joseph Taylor and Mary Bowring Taylor, were married in 1851 shortly before boarding a steamer at Liverpool bound for New Orleans, to eventually join the LDS migration across the plains to Salt Lake City. Also, Wales, where TIMDT and Mwah (sic) once stayed in a rehabbed castle. While in Wales we visited Haye on Wye, the largest market in the world for second hand books in the English language. I note from our trip itinerary that we will pass near Haye on Wye on our return trip from the Isle of Man to Bournemouth.
The above reflections cross my mind as we ride through the Midlands back country roads in intermittent rain, consuming as we go a 1500 calorie load at the Affcot Lodge Sunday Carvery.
Above: Liverpool Ferry Wharf. River Mersey. 5:00 PM. 31 May 2015.
Image captured from my 3rd floor room at Liverpool Crown Plaza Hotel.
Motorcycles queue for Isle of Man ferry 18 hours before departure, tomorrow morning.
Coming up!
I can feel the excitement.
Isle of Man TT.
Mecca of motorcycling. Speed. 200 mph.
Think 10,000 RPM whine of a Ducati twin screaming by at 200 mph on a country road on an island in the Irish Sea.
Liverpool. "Imagine."
June 1st:
Above: MotoQuest tour leader, Lynn Brown (left) and Keith, who lives near West Point, NY, line up to board ferry, "Manannan," from Liverpool to Douglas, Isle of Man. 01 June 2015.
The logo of the ferry company, Steam Packet, is seen above on the side of the ferry.
The logo is also that the flag of the Isle of Man, showing three legs... always landing on one's feet.
Steam Packet ferries serve the Isle of Man from Liverpool: Heysham, England; Dublin, Ireland; and Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Above: A few of a thousand bikes line up to board the ferry from Liverpool to the Isle of Man. 01 June 2015.
The ferry has been specially converted to carry more motorcycles and fewer cars.
I have taken a motorcycle on ferries before, but today's experience was a bit different. The sheer scale of the ferry boarding operation, because it will carry mostly motorcycles, is worth the experience on its own account.
In a light rain, boarding the ferry requires skill handling the motorcycle as the rider must make tight turns on grades, ride up slippery ramps, and across iron ferry floors, with nubs protruding, into a narrow line of bikes. It is amazing how every rider cooperates with the ferry staff, and how, at least as far as I saw, their were no incidents... dropped bikes etc.
Ferry company employees are there to motion which direction you should take. When you arrive at your position, a couple of guys come with ropes to tie your bike to a waist high bar against which your bike leans left on its side stand. After parking your bike at the bar, you must dismount from the right. My bike was so close to the bar that I could barely extract my left foot.
One gets a sense how skilled the riders are as they adeptly conform to the required maneuvers to get their bike secured on the ferry. Most ferry boarders are European riders, most of whom have ridden motorcycles or motor scooters since they were teens.
In Europe there is a strong history of motorcycles and scooters being used as transportation. In the US, most motorcycles and scooters are used for recreation, with many US riders only having started riding later in life.
While many American riders are skilled... there are also a good number who don't have the experience of the average European rider.
Above BMW K1200 GT boarding Isle of Man bound ferry in Liverpool. 01 June 2015.
Bike tag is for Queensland, Oz.
Above: Interior of Steam Packet company ferry "Manannan" configured for motorcycles. 01 June 2015.
My rented BMW R1200 GS is down there somewhere!
Full disclosure, at the end of the ferry ride I forgot where my bike was and squirmed and wiggled past people down the wrong line in search of my bike. I didn't find my bike until the motorcycles were almost ready to go. I would have had 20 or 30 riders behind me, delayed, muttering under their breath about my tardiness, had I arrived at my tied up motorcycle only a minute later than I did.
Note: Bookings for these ferries to the Isle of Man TT races must be made more than a year in advance.
June 2nd:
Above: Draft horse. Sulby, Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
Before breakfast I walked near our hotel for about a mile down a rural road.
After walking some distance I stopped to capture an image of a beautiful draft horse grazing in an adjacent field. I was not to know, that while capturing the above image, something would happen that could have ruined my Isle of Man experience.
I completed my refreshing, morning walk at the hotel, where I joined my riding companions at breakfast.
Post breakfast, ride leader, Lynn Brown was to lead us, riding our motorcycles, over the mountain portion of the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course to Douglas where we would visit the finish line and the paddock area for the Isle of Man races.
After breakfast I returned to my hotel room, donned my riding gear and proceeded to the parking lot to join the other MotoQuest Isle of Man Tour riders. At the parking lot I reached into my pocket. No motorcycle key. I must, I thought, have left the key back in the room.
I couldn't find the key in the room. I turned everything inside out and still couldn't find it. I knew I was keeping my riding companions waiting, so I returned to the lot to tell Lynn to go without me. I would make another search of the hotel room... after all, the key must be there someplace, right?
After informing Lynn of the missing key, and before returning to my hotel room, I walked over to my bike. Could I have unwittingly left the key in the bike's ignition? No. The key wasn't there.
While I was standing by my motorcycle, Lynn rushed over to me and said, "hey, Steve (MotoQuest tour participant) said he found a BMW motorcycle key... he's gone up to his room to get it."
Steve returned with "my key." "Where did you find it," I asked him. "Down the road about a mile," he said, pointing to the direction where I had walked earlier in the morning.
Putting two and two together, I concluded that when I reached into my pocket to get my camera to take an image of the above pictured horse, I inadvertently and unwittingly pulled the keys out of my pocket, dropping them to the ground.
What are the chances of my lost keys being found in this manner...one mile or so down the road by a riding companion who just happened, later, to go on the same walk I had accomplished earlier?
There were no duplicate keys for the motorcycles. Had I lost the key I would have had to ride the rest of the trip in the van and to pay an ungodly amount to have the bike shipped back to Bournemouth... not to mention the hassle getting the bike shipped during a very busy race event period on the island. BMW motorcycle keys are not easily duplicated... replaced. Our bike provider in Bournemouth said he was not in possession of duplicate keys for the rented motorcycles.
This is the second time in the last 12 months that I have had a potential vacation ruining "senior moment" experience on a motorcycle tour. The first was a year ago when my losing my copy of my Azerbaijani visa almost prevented me leaving Azerbaijan into Russia, stymieing either myself, or the entire group I was with, at the border. Tour leader Kaz got me out of that one by having a copy of the visa scanned at a previous hotel which had kept a visa copy and having it emailed to his hand held on the Russia/Azerbaijan frontier.
Lessons to be drawn? I don't want to think about it.
Above: Mountain Course at "the Bungalow," near summit... some 2000 feet above sea level. Isle of Man. 02 June 2015. Rider in image is a race spectator, like we are, out riding the course during non race times.
The appeal of attending the Isle of Man TT, is not just watching the race trials, which begin at 6:00 PM daily on week days and continue until 9:00 PM in the late afternoon daylight.
During the day attendees tour the island on their motorcycles. In fact... that seems to be pretty much the whole Isle of Man deal... ride your own bikes in the day, watch the race trials in the evening, and find a pub for a drink with your mates (getting into the ling tooa) before bed.
You could fly here to attend the event... but, you would be missing something if you couldn't ride the island with thousands of other riding visitors. The Isle of Man has many quaint fishing towns, cozy pubs, interesting roads, and spectacular vistas.
A must do for the island visitor is to ride the Mountain Course during the day when it is open to the public.
Having miraculously retrieved my lost motorcycle key, I returned to the hotel room to re-don my gear and ride my Bournemouth rented BMW R1200 GS motorcycle to join my riding companions at the summit of the 37.7 mile long Mountain Course, about eight miles further down the Mountain Course from our hotel at Sulby.
During non race hours, the ascent up to the summit of the Mountain Course is one way. Direction is clock-wise like the race direction itself.
On the ascent I powered up my bike to 75 mph, leaning heavily (or so it seemed to me) into some sweeping curves..
Whoa.... blowing by me on my right were a couple of sport bikes which must have been doing 120 mph.
Flummoxed by the speedy riders going by me, I continued to "drag ass" up the mountain happily joining my companions at the summit.
The guys who passed me at 120 mph were only amateurs, like me, who wanted to test the Mountain Course themselves before watching the TT race trials later in the evening. It boggles my mind that the average speed for leaders of the TT on the mountain course exceeds 130 miles per hour. Top speeds, on straights, attain 206 miles per hour.
The TT is all about speed... and the racing maverick heroes (John McGuinnes, Joey Dunlop... erstwhile Mike Hailwood) who push the speed envelope the furthest. Speed is endorsed by the island generally, it seems, as there are no speed limits for the general public on rural sections of the Mountain Course.
Above: Motorcycles parked at TT paddock and finish line area. Douglas. Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
I kind of went on a retail binge while at the paddock. I bought a TT cap, a couple of TT shirts, and a TT fleece jacket. I also purchased an Arai 2015 TT commemorative helmet which I'm having shipped home.
Above: Honda mechanic works on a Honda CBR 1000 Fireblade superbike. Paddock. Isle of Man TT. 02 June 2015.
Could this be the bike of one of the reigning heroes of the Isle of Man TT? John Maddox? 20 TT wins. Guy Martin? no TT wins, but survivor of a crash in 2010 where his bike turned into a ball of fire as he slid down the road with it? Guy Martin also recently gained notoriety by setting a world record speed and distance piloting a man powered aircraft developed at the University of Southhampton.
Top riders of the TT like Maddox, Dunlop and Martin are mavericks. The world's top "conventional" motorcycle racers, Moto GP riders, won't race at the TT. They say its too dangerous. Multiple time champion Moto GP rider Valentino Rossi, one of the most recognized sports figures in Europe and Asia, is reputed to have come to the Isle of Man to do a trial ride on the Mountain Course and said, "no, not for me... its too dangerous."
Moto GP races are held at certified race tracks around the world where safety features are built into the track design. On a given curve, say, should a rider go down, there would be room for him to slide without hitting a hard object. Also, there are more sharp turns and chicanes on a conventional track which tend to keep average speeds lower than those average speeds attained at the TT.
Since the beginning of the TT in 1910 over 200 gladiators... err.. riders have been killed... an average of two deaths a year.
Criticisms from some circles in Britain... like the criticism in Spain directed towards bull fighting... are directed towards the TT. Some would like to see it banned for being unsafe.
The Isle of Man, however, though dependent in many ways on the UK eg. defense... is a sovereign entity. The TT is a national institution. The race's contribution to the island economy is significant. There is no indication that the race is in any real jeopardy.
Another boon to the Isle of Man economy is that it is a tax haven, home to many wealthy expatriots. There are two taxation rates... 10% and 20% depending on income. No individual pays a tax in excess of BritishPounds 100,000.00. There is no corporation tax and no inheritance tax. An American could come to the Isle of Man, and without prevention, buy a piece of property, establish residency, and within five years obtain a British passport. He could then renounce American citizenship and America's confiscatory (relative to the Isle of Man) taxation. Just sayin'.
Above: Selfie of the Bishop, wearing signature race cap, at start/finish line. Isle of Man TT. Douglas, Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
Note "Sulby Bridge" on the cap. Sulby is where the MotoQuest motorcycle tour group is staying for five nights during the Isle of Man TT race trials. The tour calls for the group to stay only during the first week trials, missing the actual race at the end of the second week... when... we are told, the island becomes a "total zoo" with mobility restricted and race viewing difficult.
Above: A.R.E. Classic Bike Collection. near Sulby, Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
From collection website:
Welcome to my web site, here in the world famous Isle of Man.
As you scroll through the pages you will get a good idea of what the collection consists of. I have tried, over the last 30 years or so, to collect and restore what I call "go to work" bikes and my particular passion is 1930's machines. Girder forks, rigid rear end, practical, reliable and easy to ride machines not particularly comfortable but for me they typify the Vintage movement.
The collection started out it's life by being housed around my business premises in Guildford, but in 2002 we sold the business and retired to our dream location in the beautiful Isle of Man. Pat and I were lucky enough to find The Old Vicarage in Kirk Michael, right on the T.T. Course, and by 2004 had built the building alongside the main house that now houses the majority of the 100 or so machines on display.
All machines in the collection are kept running and pristine by me, with some help from a friend Job Grimshaw, as well as this there are usually 4 or 5 new additions undergoing restoration.
Above: Isle of Man Motor Museum. Jurby, Isle of Man. 02 May 2015.
Classic cars, rarely seen private motorcycles. A steam collection.
There was some weird stuff here! Citroen hearses, three wheeled cars, a Greyhound double deck bus...
Above: 1936 Cadillac V16. Isle of Man Motor Museum, Jurby. 02 June 2015.
Special features: 16 cylinder engine. Back seat radio controls. Cost new, $7,750.00
Above: 1957 Cadillac El Dorado Brougham. Isle of Man Motor Museum. 02 June 2015.
Special features: Electric memory seats, air suspension, suicide doors.
Above: Stream near Sulby. Isle of Man. 02 June 2015. Image taken from a bridge on my afternoon walk.
Somehow I never envisaged that such a small island would have streams like this. But, with a two thousand foot mountain at the island's center, and plenty of precipitation, the drainage flow of the stream is year-round.
Above: Country home. Sulby, Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
This house is not atypical of homes found on the Isle of Man. People seem to live pretty well here. The island is uniformly clean and well kept. I haven't seen any "bad" areas... yet.
The Isle of Man's prosperity derives from three sources. Farming, tax haven/financial services, and, motor sports... mainly the TT. Between the three, Manx, as islanders are called, seem to do pretty well.
Image captured on my walk through Sulby.
Above: Wha.....? Superbike. Honda CBR1000 Fireblade. 187 mph just out the front door of our hotel, The Sulby Glen Hotel, Main Road (on the Mountain Course) Sulby, Isle of Man, time trials.
I just had to guess when to push the shutter to get this image. Most times I failed. The thought of something going so fast, this close to you, is hard to process.
Isle of Man TT. Arguably the most famous motorcycle race in the world.
Riders are timed. They leave the start in Douglas, 18 miles from Sulby, every ten seconds. Depending on the race, they lap the 37.73 miles three to six times.
Leaders will attain top speeds of 206 mph and average speeds for the circuit of 130 mph.
Above: Dickie Kelly, one-man band. Rhythm guitar and electronic background support. Midnight. Sulby Glen hotel bar. 02 June 2015.
Dickie was pretty good. He played Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Eagles... a mix of classic rock and classic country. Foot tapping, sing along music.
Trailers for sale or rent...
Rooms to let, fifty cents.
No phone, no food no pets...
Ain't got no cigarettes...
Ah but, two hours of pushin' broom...
Buys a 10 x 12, four bit room.
I'm a man of means, by no means...
King of the Road!
Roger Miller
Yesterday, still feeling jet lag, I tried to sleep early and found that I couldn't, because my 2nd floor room is directly over the space in the bar occupied by the band. I think my hotel room was actually the sub woofer for the band playing downstairs. The music (thump thump) continued until 12:30 AM.
So... tonight, I decided it was better not to fight it but, rather, join it. I spent most of the evening in the bar listening to the toe tapping music.
June 3rd:
Above: My rented BMW G1200 GS motorcycle at Peel pier. Isle of Man. 03 June 2015. In the background: Peel Castle.
I went off on my own this AM to visit Peel and Port Erin... south of where we are staying, at Sulby.
Above: Fisherman catches a seagull. Peel pier. Isle of Man. 03 June 2015.
The fisherman reeled in the bird and with the assistance of his son, untangled the line and freed the bird.
Above: Figurehead of The Saint George, from foundered Norwegian ship which sunk off the coast of Peel in 1829. Peel Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Peel Pier. Peel. Isle of Man. 03 June 2015.
The Peel station was the first of now many lifeboat facilities along the coast of The Isle of Man and the British Isles.
The list of RNLI rescues, which can be perused inside the pictured building, include the heroic rescue of 29 Norwegian sailors from foundering Norwegian ship, St. George, in 1829. The St. George rescue, put the RNLI on the map, as it were, and via private donations, the service grew to cover the entire British Isles.
The Peel Lifeboat - T.E. Brown
Of Charley Cain, the cox,
And the thunder of the rocks.
and the ship St. George -
How he baulked the sea-wol's (sic) gorge
Of its prey -
Southward bound from Noraway (sic),
And the fury and the din,
And the horrir, and the roar,
Rolling in, rolling in,
Rolling in upon the dead lee-shore!
Above: Motorcycles and motorcyclists. House of Manannan coffee bar. Peel, Isle of Man. 03 June 2015.
These forty something guys were either Dutch or German judging from overhearing their conversation.
Bikes parked nearby had both Dutch and German tags.
Motorcyclists have come from all over Europe to see the Isle of Man TT.
Racing is the empowering flame of European motorcycle culture. Most of the bikes seen on the island are high performance sport bikes, sport touring bikes or dual sports built for high performance. Winning motorcycle racers are big time celebrities in Europe. Riders wear protective clothing and helmets inspired by racing. Valentino Rossi, multi time winner of the world's premier motorcycle race organization, MotoGP, is one of the most admired celebrities in Europe... even beyond motorcyclists.
In contrast to Europe's motorcycle racing culture, the motorcycle culture in the United States is animated by rebellion. The motorcycle of choice is a cruiser, an underpowered, under performing replica of a motorcycle built in the 1930's, with a throaty roar and lots of chrome. The "cruiser" culture is brought to life in movies like "Easy Rider," or television series like "Sons of Anarchy." Most riders in the "cruiser" culture are not thugs... but, by their dress and by the bikes they ride, they affect the image of such.
Of course there are exceptions. There is a vibrant European oriented rider culture in the United States.... and, though while not seen at the TT, more Europeans are joining the cruiser culture.
Apart from the cultural differences which animate motorcycling, there is also a difference between America and Europe in how motorcycles are ridden.
Most European riders have ridden motorcycles since they became of legal age to drive. Motorcycles and motor scooters are used for transportation in Europe. Per capita incomes are lower in Europe, automobiles and fuel are more expensive. By the time European riders reach adult maturity, by and large those that keep riding for recreation, are highly skilled.
In the United States motorcycling is a recreational activity from the get go.. Motorcycles are generally not widely used for transportation in the United States. Consequently, many American riders start riding later in life. I generalize, but, because they have less riding experience, American riders are not, technically, proficient when compared to Europeans. The American cruiser riding culture is more oriented to social affiliation than it is to riding. Often, in America, a bevy of cruisers is seen, riding in close formation at moderate speed. The "pack" will stop at a restaurant or a bar to socialize. Some have said that in American cruiser culture, the bike is really only an accessory to a lifestyle choice.
Road rules and riding protocols are different between the United States and Europe.
One example. Lane splitting.
Lane splitting, even into oncoming traffic, is widely practiced and acceptable in Europe. Only California allows lane splitting in the United States, and, then, only for one direction... the direction of ongoing... not, oncoming, traffic.... and then, only, for prescribed speeds.
I have ridden about two-wheeled 30,000 miles over my lifetime in Europe. Not that riding is any safer, it is very enjoyable to ride where there are more proficient riders and a vehicle traffic more accepting of motorcycles than is found in the United States.
Above: Honda Africa Twin. Manannon Coffee Station, Peel, Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
I rode one of these bikes, never imported into the US, through Ethiopia circa 2004. 750 cc. Dual Sport. 19 inch front wheel. Perfect for the outback.
Above: Ducati Hailwood replica. Manannon Coffee Station. Peel, Isle of Man. 02 June 2015.
Above: Logging operation. Rte A36, between Peel and Port Erin.
Logging? On the 35 mile by 13 mile Isle of Man?
Above: Bridge Bookshop. Port Erin. Isle of Man. 03 June 2015.
I purchased a paperback copy of Guy Martin's biography here.
The funky, independent bookstore lives... on the Isle of Man.
Above: Beach at Port Erin. Isle of Man. 03 June 2015.
Milner's Tower can be seen on Bradda Head in the distance.
Above: Milner's Tower (memorial) telephoto. Bradda Head.. Port Erin. Isle of Man, 03 June 2015.
The tower was built by the town of Port Erin to honor a wealthy town benefactor.
Above: The coast of Ireland can be dimly discerned in the distance. Isle of Man. 03 June 2015.
Riding north towards Peel from Port Erin.
I haven't been to Ireland... but, I've seen it!
Above: Superbike. Ballaugh Bridge. Time trials. Isle of Man TT. 03 June 2015.
Ballaugh Bridge is four miles closer to the course start at Douglas than where we are staying at Sulby... and where, yesterday, we saw our first bikes racing past at 180 mph on the Sulby straight.
At Ballaugh it was easier to catch a glimpse of the bikes and their riders. They had to slow down because there is a curve before the rider reaches the bridge and because of the leap (air time) on the knoll of the bridge.
Our tour organizers have, so far, found great spots for us to watch the motorcycles speeding by. This image was taken from the front of a private townhouse, separated from the street by a concrete and stone fence. Lynn and Simon had met the owners of the house at the Raven Pub across the street in previous trips to the TT. The owners invited them to bring their charges to their home front to watch the race.
Above: Stalled side car now ready to go. Awaits marshal's OK. Ballaugh Bridge. Isle of Man TT. 03 May 2015.
I try in vain to come up with a reason why anyone would want to ride in a side car at 180 mph on a serpentine mountain road. The driver also has a dangerous job but I can, at least, see some logic to his passion.
Above: The Raven pub. Ballaugh Bridge. Isle of Man. 03 June 2015.
The Raven is directly across the street from the house from where we are watching the TT racers scream by.
After the end to the evenings trials, we went to the pub for a drink. Festive atmosphere in pubs throughout the island.
Above: Cattle and horses on mountain side near Ballaugh Bridge. 03 June 2015.
Telephoto image taken from spot on the mountain course from which we are watching the TT.
Agriculture is an important facet of the Isle of Man economy... along with financial services, low taxes attracting wealthy migrants, and motorsports.
Above: Course inspection vehicle. Ballaugh Bridge. Isle of Man TT. 03 June 2015.
Considerable support is required to insure safety along a 37.7 mile course.
Above: TT Racer speeds through Ballaugh. Isle of Man TT. 03 June 2015.
Looking to the left, away from the bridge, as the riders, showing us their backs, speed on.
Above: Our TT race vantage point at Ballaugh Bridge. Isle of Man TT. 03 June 2015.
Standing, foreground, with the cap is Claude, a retired school principal from Nazereth PA. Evenings, Phil sometimes pulls out his guitar and sings everything from Kenny Rogers to the Beatles. He's good. The impulse is to sing along if you know the words!
Above: Mark (partial) and Steve at Ballaugh Bridge vantage point for Isle of Man TT. 03 June 2015.
Mark, from Las Vegas, is a principal in his family owned business... mainly real estate. He was co-owner, with Freddie Spencer, of the Freddie Spencer motorcycle racing school before it closed down a couple of years ago.
Mark is an inveterate motorcycle racing junkie. He was a motorcycle racing instructor at the Freddie Spencer school before it closed. He still does regular, personal track days and works as a private motorcycle racing instructor.
Steve lives in "the Valley," Ventura County, CA, and runs a lighting company which supports the Hollywood film industry and the production of television commercials.
Steve and his wife have two kids out of the nest. One, a son, is in law school at NYU and the other, a daughter, works in television production in Atlanta.
Grinning at rear (partial) is tour leader Lynn Brown.
Above: Spectators across the street (Mountain Course) from our vantage point at Ballaugh Bridge. Ilse of Man TT. 03 June 2015. The Raven pub is to the left in the image.
June 4th:
Above: Map of Isle of Man. 04 June 2015. Image captured yesterday, 03 June 2015, at Manannons Coffee Bar, Peel.
The mountain course for the Isle of Man TT is the "circular" route surrounding the central mountains. 37.7 miles.
Today, AM, riding alone, I visited Jurby, Point of Ayre, Ramsey, and teaming up with Lynn, Laxey.
Above: Stella's used book shop. Jurby. Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
Here I purchased a copy of "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," by Alexander Solzhenitzen.
Funky! Or, as Erika Badhu says, "FUNGEE!"
Above: Image of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth on their wedding day in 1947. Stella's Used Books, Jurby, Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
I found this image while thumbing through some picture books at Stella's... I captured the image as TIMDT is very interested in things and history British.
TIMDT lived in Britain as a US Air Force Brat in 1952 and remembers vividly the coronation that year of Queen Elizabeth.
TIMDT, as a 6 year old, living in .....dressed up as Brittannia, and rode a float in a local parade at Bentwaters AFB in Ipswitch on coronation day.
Above: Oyster Catchers. Ayre National Wildlife Reserve. Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
I was excited to see these arctic birds who had come south to mate.
I was not prepared to see great wildlife sightings in the Isle of Man.
I saw oyster catchers while motorcycling in Alaska several years ago.
The Isle of Man stands at about the latitude of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, only a degree south of Hyder, Alaska.
Above: My rented BMW R1200 GS motorcycle parked in the brush at Ayre National Wildlife Reserve, Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
I had was riding further toward the beach than this point on a sandy trail when a female reserve ranger, riding an ATV, came riding up to me from the opposite direction. She told me (nicely) that I wasn't supposed to be there and that I should turn around and park in the area shown in the image above.
The central mountains of the Isle of Man can be seen in the background of the image.
Above: Sheep. Near Point of Ayre. Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
The above a common sight on the Isle of Man.
There are frequently sheep on the side of the roads when we are riding. A rider must be careful that when coming upon a sheep at the side of the road, that the sheep is not spooked into the path of the motorcycle.
Above: Arctic Tern. Point of Ayre. Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
Another rare wildlife sighting! Arctic Terns, like the Oyster Catchers, have come to the north side of the Isle of Man to mate.
Above: Motorcycle tourists at Point of Ayre, the northern tip of the Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
The top half of the Point of Ayre lighthouse can be seen in the above image at right.
Above: Waterfront. Ramsey. Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
Above: MotoQuest tour leader, Lynn Brown and The Bishop atop the Laxey Wheel, Lady Isabella, Laxey, Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
The Laxey Wheel, built in 1854 to pump water out of a nearby mine, is the largest working water wheel in the world.
I had run into Lynn in Ramsey while he was doing some shopping for TT memorabilia.
We decided I would accompany him back to our Sulby hotel where he could dump his purchases, then, we would ride to Laxey for lunch and a visit to "Lady Isabella," the largest functioning water wheel in the world.
Lynn Brown is a Boise, ID based architect with a deeply routed motorcycle touring habit. He runs MotoQuest tours to Laos, Vietnam, and Mexico (Copper Canyon) in addition to the Isle of Man Tour.
Lynn was a US Army top secret courier during the Vietnam War, which experience no doubt contributed to his current motorcycle wanderlust. As an army courier, Lynn traveled to many countries of the world, in addition to Vietnam.
Lynn helped me spec out the 2006 Big Cat ride in McCall, ID. He is a good friend of friends, Ernie and Rhonda Lombard. Ernie and Rhonda and I rode together in Ethiopia in 2004. Ernie also helped with Big Cat 2006.
Lynn does this job of leading our group well. He's easy going in his western way and very sensitive to the multifaced personality nuances of his rider customers.
Lynn has been to all the places I have been in the west and a few more. A motorcycle rider's rider.
Above: Lady Isabella, Laxey, Isle of Man. 04 June 2015.
The wheel was constructed in the 1850's to pump water out of a nearby mine.
Steam engines were replacing water wheels for comparable mining operations elsewhere in Europe and America by the 1850's, but the Laxey wheel was kept operational because of the paucity of fuel on the island to run steam.
Above: Image of Mike Hailwood, arguably the Michael Jordan of motorcycle racing, and his trusty Honda mechanic, Aika San... circa late 70's, early '80's.
We visited the Laxey Woolen Mills which had a wonderful collection of Isle of Man TT photographs. The above image was one of many.
Hailwood took a ten year break from motorcycling in the late '60's to come back and win a few more superbike TT's in the late '70's.
Hailwood died a car crash in England in 1981.
Above: Artist's rendition of Mike Hailwood riding his superbike. Laxey Woolen Mills photography exhibit. 04 June 2015.
Above: Racing motorcycle on Sulby Straight. 04 June 2015. Sulby Glen Hotel is seen in the background. Image captured down the road from far end of a church yard.
Above: Racer #5. Bruce Anstey. Time trials. Isle of Man TT. 04 June 2015.
Image, where front tire is about 12 inches off the ground, was captured by Keith opposite our hotel, the Sulby Glen Hotel, Isle of Man.
Anstey is the current outright TT lap record holder. In the 2014 TT Superbike competition he lapped the 37.7 mile course in 17 minutes 6.682 seconds at an average speed of 132.298 mph.
Here the bike is moving at over 180 mph.
Hat tip: Keith
We were spectators in front of the hotel, behind the barrier as shown in the image, two days ago. Being so close to so much speed is an unforgettable sensation.
We learn today that last year TT Superbike champion Michael Dunlop is unhappy with his Yamaha superbike and has rushed last year's winning BMW over to the Isle of Man from his Irish base.
Above: Motorcycle racing at "The Bungalow," near the summit of the mountain course. Isle of Man TT. 04 June 2015.
After seeing the race trials from "the other side of the street" from the Sulby Glen Hotel, our group hopped in the Simon Siggs driven van for a ride on Isle of Man road A18 to the summit of the mountain course.
Above: Spectators at "The Bungalow." Isle of Man TT. 04 June 2015.
Above: Racer corners at The Bungalow. Isle of Man TT. 04 June 2015.
June 5th:
Above: Campers. Sulby campground. Isle of Man. 05 June 2015
This AM I hung back at the hotel to do some reading and writing. Later in the morning I did the Sulby loop walk and came upon pictured campground.
Above: Tree. Kirk Michael. Isle of Man. 05 June 2015.
I saw an other worldly quality about this tree and setting.
It reminded me of the "tree of life" from the Adam and Eve story of the bible. Perhaps it is here, on the Isle of Man, that the meaning of life can be found?
Above: Racer as shot from the lower end of our viewing position. Kirk Michael. Isle of Man TT. 05 June 2015.
MotoDiscovery tour organizers have done a good job positioning our group at excellent vista points for the TT races.
Above: Seated (left) Aaron and Steve. Standing, Keith. MotoQuest tour members. Kirk Michael race vista point. Isle of Man TT. 05 June 2015.
Aaron is from Las Vegas and a close buddy of Mark. Aaron was a championship wrestler and a football player at Oklahoma State University. He was a bouncer in Las Vegas. A disgruntled customer put a hit on him and he was shot in the chest. He recovered. He now runs a ticketing and limo service in Las Vegas.
Aaron has motorcycled since he was a kid growing up in Reno, NV. He and Mark put on 25K motorcycle touring miles annually. Aaron knows a lot about bikes. He convinced me that my next bike should be the new Multistrada and not the BMW R1200XR or the equivalent KTM. Sounds good to me.
I am glad I am Aaron's friend. He's one of the guys you want to be around when the mud hits the fan.
Keith is from near West Point, New York. He's retired form ConEd where he held a number of management positions. After this Isle of Man riding tour, he's going to ride solo in Scotland for a couple of weeks. Keith has motorcycled in all 48 lower American states (or is that 55?).
Keith is a celebrity junky. He and I both agree that Christopher Waltz's performance as the Nazi colonel in "Inglorious Basterds" is one of the best acting performances in all moviedom.
There is good compatibility amongst the riders and leaders on this tour.
Above: Spectator motorcycles parked at Kirk Michael viewing point. Isle of Man TT. 05 June 2015.
Virtually all bikes are high performance sport, sport touring, or dual sports.
During breaks in the race trials I would walk over to the parking and check out all the bikes.
Above: Looking at a rider after he has passed Kirk Michael viewing point. Isle of Man TT 05 June 2015.
Looking at this image one can get a real sense of why this race is considered so dangerous. Little chance of escape from hazardous injury - or death - if but a tiny concentration lapse. Lots of stone fences, brick walls too near the track.
It is said that it takes a good rider 3 years to master this track.
Over 37.7 miles you have to know each turn... when to hold back... when to throttle... when to hard brake... etc.
The TT has claimed the lives of 200 racers since its inception in 1910.
June 6th:
Above: Horse drawn trolley. Douglas. Isle of Man. 06 June 2015.
Today we leave the Isle of Man, taking the Steam Packet ferry back to Liverpool. Today is also the start of the first official race of the TT race, senior Superbikes.
It had been our intent to watch the first couple of races from Ramsey and then take the coast road to Douglas to board the ferry back to Liverpool.
Because of high winds, the races were called off for the day. A private helicopter which had ferrying VIPs crashed on top of the Mountain Course. The VIPs had alit; the chopper took off with just the pilot as the passenger and crashed in the high winds. The pilot, the only passenger, was killed.
We noted that the winds had delayed the departure of the ferry as well. We decided to find a pub jn which to hang out in Douglas. We could have a bite... go for a walk... buy some more souvenirs... read... whatever. We would monitor our situation as time progressed. All of the members of the MotoQuest Isle of Man motorcycle tour did all or some of the above.
Should the ferry be delayed until late... or to the next day, we would have to figure out where to stay, either in Douglas, or late, in Liverpool. Our hotel reservations for the evening were 100 miles south into Wales. According to the original ferry schedule we could do all of the Wales ride in daylight. Should the ferry be delayed that would increase the risk of having to ride at night.... doable... but, not advisable.
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