Harlow MAG

11thSeptember 2009


Before I start, my sympathy and respect to America on this day.

Well how did my first MAG meeting go? Well for a start, I think I can safely call my self a Muppet why! The reason being I never look close enough, and go off on a tangent and make myself more work than I should do.

Well Thursday night 8pm I set off for the Crown, which the Harlow MAG says is biker friendly well it was like 8 years ago, by then its changed hands and the Harlow MAG no longer uses the venue for its meetings.

Still I went up and down the B 183 like a fucking YoYo, in the pitch dark, one thing that I found quite scary is the use of High beams on car’s, there are too many twats who like to use high beams, right in my face, which blind me for a few seconds, I would like to avoid those situations as much as possible, my speed I kept really slow not going over 40mph, some of the bends on that road are quite sharp one in particular is a right turn that branches of to Sawbridgeworth the corner is tight and for some reason is always wet.



Now I could not make up my mind which Crown pub the meet was in the maps they give are confusing, about 1.5miles from my Vailima there is a crown and my little bro say lots of motorbikes parked out there, and from the first map it looks like its just down the road, so I head there, park up there is a bike there already but it turns out it belongs to the bar man, no one has heard of the MAG before, so I decide it must be on the other map which means the MAG meets in old Harlow on Market street, so I head out into the darkness and after a few wrong turns I find Market street by accident really.



Like a prune I wait outside hoping and praying that some bikes will come and park beside me, but to no avail thinking that maybe I again have made a mistake I phone the fox, and ask her to have a look at the Harlow MAG website see if I got the right place.

Well I did get the right place unfortunately the website had not been updated for nearly 6 years Doe! And unfortunately they are no longer there, in fact MAG are looking for a area rep now, and the nearest MAG group is in Colchester 15miles down the road who meet on a Thursday at 5:30pm.

So looks like I going to have to do a few trips to Colchester to get familiar with the area, and hopefully join the local MAG group there, but just in case I email them first to let them know I’m coming lol.

My first ride since the crash

Well look at the date its 999, for those that don’t know the British emergency service number well that’s it, lucky I did not see that or I would never have took my bike out, I’m very superstitious concerning these things!

Well now as most know I had a crash last week that really screwed my bike good and proper, a new foot plate or repaired well I got it repaired for the princely sum of one crate of beer. A bargain in my mind, and thank you so much for doing it Kenny you’re a star.



Well, all morning I been putting it of getting on to the saddle and taking to the road, my mind conjuring up all sorts of excuses and reasons to leave it a day, the black bodywork of Athena sitting there, wanting to go, I ponder and muse my thoughts trying desperately to give me a reason to put if off, my granddad standing beside me in spirit, his wisdom and smiling face telling me I am in control of my bike and the road not the other way around.




10am comes the road falls silent and only the sound of the birds singing fighting over the food I have left for them, still my troubled mind tries in vain to stop me, I start to pack my tank bag for my little road trip, I decide I will do no more than 10miles in and around the back roads in Sheering and Much Haddam stopping along the road to take a few photos of Athena.

Well, I let her warm up for a few moments before, I kick her into first gear, I can feel the tank bag press into the front of my pelvis, it feels nice but I am a bit worried after all its attached by magnets and two clips at the handle bar.

Gingerly moving forward to the Street, which is the main road through Sheering, the road is empty except for cars parked outside the village store, she moves off, kicking into Second, third and forth gear, she purrs along the Street, no cars around, I notice that the wing mirrors need adjustment I can’t really see what’s behind me, as I approach Hatfield Heath I pull over to make the proper adjustments to both mirrors, feeling satisfied that I have made the right adjustments I carry on, down into the traffic free lanes that surround Sheering and Matching, I end up at Matching green and the pond, and come back to the Street towards home, feeling quite chuffed that I over came my trepidation and no accidents or anything I feel that if I do different routes on a daily basis.



I will be ready for the trip to Hatfield Forest and over come that bend, some of the corners that I did today were just as sharp as the one that made me fall from the bike, I think I have learn that going at my own pace is far better than the pace of others, after all I’m only a learner!

On the Road again at last

Well, its nearly the happy season as I have always called it and it starts with my birthday 22nd September, as a kid and teenager, this has always been my fav time of the year, from sorties to the Glinnifer brays and lakes to Yule, I become more excited but now the excited ness is less, but still I feel the drawing of the shorter days longer nights coming upon me, like a long lost friend I take comfort in the long drawn evenings, things feel more clear, my birth the joy of Halloween, Guy Faulks, Yule and the new year, then January cold, damp and windy, and even in this dark period there is much to do and see, I love Astronomy and have my dedicated telescope, summer is all fine and good but dark sky’s is almost as useful as a worn out spanner.

Well an update on my bike, finally Tom has had the plate done, which is great, I so want to get back on the saddle after my fall, like my granddad told me when I fell of my bicycle when I was the tender age of 7 years old he put me back on and told me keep going, I did and that attitude has stayed with me through life.

I do admit that I am a bit apprehensive in taking the corner that I had my fall from but for once I will head in the opposite direction and go to Epping forest’s high beach biker tea room for a change in direction though there are some quite tricky corners along the way, I think or hope so anyway that I have the right attitude when it comes to riding a bike, and that’s to go at my own pace and not the pace of say a car driver, who in some ways has more road control than a bike, after all the main break on a bike is the front and as we all know bikes skid and slide if you’re a bit slap happy with the front brake.

Well Mum, Tom and lil bro Glen and Tara turned up at the door as I was chatting to a few friends on bikerbook.com chat room, the normal thing is turn everything of and get the kettle on, don’t know if that’s just me or what, but I find the first line of being a good host is making sure your guests are well looked after and tea is always a good start.

Glen got tore into the bike fixing the plate and foot rest, in next to no time it was done, gingerly sliding the key into the ignition slowly turning the key the neutral’s green glow showing that its in deed in the right gear, pressing the start button the bike purr’s into life, that slow rumbling purr, showing my bike even after all the falls is still going strong.

Tom bless him, took me to the doctors to get my prescription being in the middle of a village means that the nearest pharmacy is actually in my doctors 2 miles up the road in Hatfield Heath.

I’m moved to actually put a video camera on my bike, I would like to take my blogging to the next level, for some reason I feel that its important to keep a video blog, well in a way is more easy than just writing and of course taking pictures of the journey.

My plan is to go to Epping but behind me is the niggling feeling that in order to put the crash behind me is to take that same route and over come what took me of the bike in the first place, I must admit my nerves are playing me up, scared maybe, off putting defiantly the fear of falling from the bike again and doing more damage to my ribs, is firmly in my mind at the moment.

I have been going though some scenarios in my head, when I come upon the corner stop at the side of the road and take a picture of it then proceed again al be it very slowly, the words of Brutail firmly in my mind go at your own pace not the pace of others.

To be honest I’m trying to give my self reasons not to go out today thinking I feel a bit under the weather, had a lousy sleep last night Zak keeping us up, it was very hot and humid last night and both me and Fox had very little sleep and during the night my pain killers wore of, and I am feeling sore not on the ribs but my arm is painful. I think I’m just looking for reasons not to go on the bike, and yet I know it was me to blame, being old and no confident is no excuse not too, but still I wait till the rush hour is over and let my tablets kick in and see how I feel.

I came of my bike boohoo

Well for the worst of the weekend I came of my bike *shakes head in shame* Now I know that I’m nothing more than a learner with my L plates but god I do wish I had someone more experienced to go out with.



I know you live and learn after all, you can’t run before you learn to walk, just watching a kid crawl then the first tender steps are a tentative time, many times the baby will fall over mostly into the arms of an adoring mum or dad, the only thing that caught me was cold hard tarmac, I rolled around the ground for what felt like age’s but I was only down for no more than 30 seconds but the damage was done, I bent my foot rest plate, my ribs took a pounding, my shoulder hurts like made and if I laugh it feels like I have a midget wrestler, taking bunny punches and my ribs are the punch bags.




But on a positive note I feel there is a lesson to learn, one of my preoccupations is not going fast enough for other road users and not thinking of my own safety which is why I ended up hitting a mud bank at the side of a turning, a lesson learn I think if I keep coming of I keep getting back up and getting on my bike again, I want to ride so much, I like the freedom the bike offers me, and good old Tom is going to see if its possible to get the foot plate fixed at work, he works on the buses so he must know lots of people fingers crossed.



If it’s a no and I have to get a new plate well, I be out of £120 or there about for a replacement, lucky we can afford it but fox is a bit pissed at me for getting into a crash so early on, but what can you do, I did my CBT nearly 3 weeks ago, and now I am only getting around to venturing out more, but I must admit I am partly to blame, I have been under confident and not taking the helm of my road ship.

Now one of the things that feel I need to do in order to get more experience and even a bit of help with my bike is join a group and I think I found just the group, they are called MAG (motorbike action group) and there meeting house is just down the road from Vailima what a treat for a change I don’t need to go hundreds of miles to find a place of similar interest I have been looking at there website and have noticed that they go on trips and go to lots of functions as well as do charity work.

They meet on a Thursday night at the Crown pub, which as I said is only a short walk or ride if I have the bike fixed by then fingers crossed if ya want to have a look then follow the link to there website http://www.geocities.com/harlow_mag/

Any way on wards and upwards, keeping my feet on the peddles and gears.

Mersea or Burst!

I’m excited today or this morning Fox has to go to her new place of work to take all her documents and certificates to show she can do the job, which I will go into more detail some time, but what I will say is she’s one brainy woman very brainy, actually if I put it how I think it she is the most intelligent woman I have ever had the privilege to know and share life with.

Cutting to the chase, we had a family trip to the seaside today, me, fox, mum, tom and of course my little bro Glen, I was wanting to use my bike but we took Zak along for the ride, and he has to be with me all the time, we so attached like Siamese twins, any how we went to Mersea Island, on the East Coast of Essex to visit Mum and Tom’s Caravan it took us around 40 mins, its nice to know that the sea is only a short drive, since only being 2-3 miles from the sea at Brighton.




I liked the camp, the sea only being a short walk, a great place for doggie walking; we took Zak for the trip out to the sands, for such a nice day I was surprised that there were not as many people as there usually is on Brighton beach with all its stones rocks and discarded drug needles and assorted condoms.



I even spied that the A Team were there, the van some what had shrunk a little but I did not see the face man Murdock or even Mr T they must have been on a mission of some importance.




Seems like the day has flown and we spent so much time eating chips and curry sauce, the dogs Zak and Tara laying in what ever shade they could find, till it was time to go home, thinking I do want to come back to Mersea again if only for the chips curry and the sandy beaches, this is a good place to bring my bike and knowing mum and Tom has a caravan we could use, not having a holiday for such a long time me and fox do like to get away once in a while.








The trip back was a bit of a horror drive, Mum’s Kia sportage started to play up, Tom had to refill up the radiator nearly six times he intuitively knows what the problem is and it’s the head gasket that’s blown, which is a big job and cost lots and lots of money to correct, but the problem is Celtic and Arsenal are playing in the champions league tonight and we are gutted, but its decided that Tom and Glen will limp home the sportage, and hope to catch the last part of the game.

In the end they get it to Hatfield Broad oak, and leave her for the night, they come 20 mins into the first half in time to see Arsenal score and win the game ooh well it’s the return game tonight lets hope Celtic do the business tonight and win that place if not it’s the Europe cup for us!

Grease is the word!

17th August 2009

Its been over a week since I last visited this place, family life beckons and visits from far flung sisters well Brighton actually if you can call that far flung! It seems like a life time has passed since we moved to Vailima from Sussex, not that we are finished doing the house up or even cut the grass, something that is quite new to me still, Highfield was mostly stone, soil, pond and decking with no need for a lawn mower, but least mum got us one seeing a need and us quite short of cash, since fox was made redundant.



Every time my sister comes to stay, its always fun but to be truthful we did not do as much as I would have like, cash strapped and counting pennies has been the order of the day, I have not even went out on my bike much, its been sitting on the front of the drive way for over a week, covered just in case we get a bit of rain, for some reasons bikes don’t like rain, and yet we leave a car quite happy and let it get wet, I think its to do with the saddle getting wet, after all who wants a wet arse?



I got a new bag for the bike like I said last week, but I was at a loss on how to attach the sat-nav to the bag, then I came across a novel Idea why don’t I cut a bit of the Velcro from the bag and glue it inside the bag window to stop it slipping?

Well I did try to use some superglue but that did not work, I then found I has some double sided sticky tap and used that to fasten the sat-nav to the bag, I could almost slap myself on my back thinking how good a thought is that, now I wonder if I could pastern it, there seems to be no attachment for a sat-nav for a bike seems the market is all geared towards the car market.



Another point I have found when I have been out riding my easy rider, is corners are a bit perilous, I feel I have to slow down quite a bit, maybe its my inexperience or handling of Athena (yep she has a name at last) but I feel I have to move slowly around the many roundabouts in Harlow and tight corners on the B roads in and about Sheering and Hatfield, I know I get more comfortable as I practice and take her out more over the next few months before the winter month’s are upon us is sunny Essex, there has been no more rain for a few days, but things have been busy with family coming and going a few meals and a birthday or two coming up.

I have plans to go to Epping Forest in the next few days weather permitting that is, which will be to date the longest journey so keep an eye out for the blog update.

Now a bit of a side swipe its not often if ever I rave about a bit of music but for a bit of indulgence there is a cracking bit of song floating around which I have been waiting for a few months for!
Its from the virgin advert, and today the song was release on I Tunes by an English singer called Slow Moving Millie the song is called Beasts if your got a spare 70pence then its worth adding to any music list.

Well we had a great time at Glens Grease party yep Grease is the word personally I have never seen the film, and can’t really relate to the players, but I love the songs and merrily sang along to quite a few of the more familiar songs, and I must admit I did reminisce when I was a teenager and was dancing to the songs, and on more than one occasion I did feel like grabbing Foxy up for a jive, but it was not for me, and I felt that my sugar levels were thru the roof, which they were when we got home I took my blood and it was 29 it should be only 7-8 so I was and still am as high as a kite, the only thing that annoys me is I forgot my camera and even my phone,, oooh the last word was when we got home, and took Zak for his last walk, fox told me Keith was phoning us both, what could be the problem?

We forgot to pay for our night lol, we are so cheep ooh well up the celt’s for tomorrow night.

The bike

Well things are moving along just a little bit faster now that the new floor is being laid Keith my brother in law and Del are doing a blinding job of doing with such ease and yet the floor is nearly finished after a day and a half, mind you it would have taken 3 days if it was not for me and fox working our butts of clearing the room, Keith made a comment considering this oooh its not often we find a room nearly cleared for work.

I took out my bike for a spin around Harlow, so far I have done just around 36 miles on it, and yet I feel I have rode longer and much more far than the mile tracker gives me credit! Not that I am complaining it just feels the journey thingy is ripping me off.



Now that I do feel a lot more comfortable on the bike, Del quirked so I take it your going to join the Orphans motorbike group? I smiled and thought umm nope I don’t think so, seems they are big in Essex, as well as the Hell’s Angels and blue Angels to boot, and yet it would be nice to link up with fellow bikers for a few forays and trips along the Essex coast, safety in numbers and such things and being with others who know the roads much better than me, but I did get a sat-nav a few weeks ago, so that I can just plug things and places in and hit the road.

I put up my hands in defeat, I just cant read a flipping map and I hate the idea of having to ask people where the hell am I, the usual answer is ooh your on earth sonny! Bloody humans like a reluctant messier coming from the mountain I QUIT!!!!



Now ok I’m a bit new to being a biker, but one thing I have noticed since I have been on the bike is I feel like I am road surfing like a surfer in some far of destination riding the waves, I feel that I am doing the same thing but only on a Gilera cougar, she’s an easy rider and already a few people think or thought that she is a Harley, they can be forgiven she does look like one but she’s not, one day when I do my full licence I will get a Harley for sure, unlike some of the blogs I follow those people have such bikes all I think of is wow when I look at them.

Not that my bike is a poor imitation or anything like that she’s is so well loved and I know we going places together, over the next few years, I will do lots of miles along open road with her.

Now as you have guessed my bike doe’s not yet have a name, I cant think of a single name to call her, thought I am definite that she is a she, but for the life of me, I know I need to name her like a boat it needs a name, I thought of Shadow or something from Greek or Roman myth’s but I will keep an open mind, and not call her something from the Titans. I did think of Odin’s Messenger but that’s a name for a great big dirty Harley Davison, I did think of Rama from A.C.Clark’s brilliant books. And yet still I am totally confused as to what the final name will be, I even thought of Endora from Bewitched fame but she’s a mischief minx at best.

I have as yet to take her on an A road which feels a bit daunting because it’s a national speed limit, and I’m not to sure if she can go at 70mph or not I know I have had her at 55mph, and god the wind that hits you is quite scary, on one hand its exhilarating and feels carefree and open, and on the other hand bugs hits you at 40-55mph which stings a little if you get one in the eye, yes I do have a full face helmet and also an open face helmet I could wear glasses that should deal with the kamikaze flies and the usual assortment of death bent bugs.

I am getting a bag for my petrol tank, which has an open type window, which I can put, my sat-nav and carry my chain and wheel lock, crime is so bad in the UK, I suppose no different that any other place in the world I am very protective of my bike its something I have wanted for a long time but I always promised and promised my self this luxury, and just never got around to it, but things have happened that opened my eyes, and appreciate my life a little more, coming close to death a few times in the past 3 years the last being a massive heart attack and subsequent heart ops has helped me to realize that my biological clock is winding down and that its about time I did some of the things that would make me say I done that at last, and in some ways having my bike opens up lots of opportunities for me to explore, and enjoy a little of what feels more important now that its ever been.

The real question I should ask now; Am I a biker or not?

It’s a question that I really don’t ponder over too much there is so much more important things, and getting petrol for my bike is a more important journey for me, now one think I like and yet dislike is roundabouts in Harlow there are so many of them ok,,, ok you give always to the right but not every one obeys that you know the type of person that is, a white van man or SUV type of idiot just loves to race you cause you happen to have a powerful looking bike and yesterday I had to put up with one of each, the SUV was the worse he drove so close to me that I though I’d need a crowbar just to get him of my back tire, but I held back and just went slower, till he was forced to over take on my outside, I could see him smirk away as if he just won the lotto, I just made a mental note and thought he must be a drug dealer or something like that, arrogant and obnoxious, I have a good mind to put a web cam on the front of my bike and shame these total nut jobs on the web and on my blogger page.

And white van man just cut me up, I don’t find this man arrogant or even obnoxious, mostly he/she is a trades person trying to get from A to B as fast as possible but in his defence he did wave to say oops! And speeded of towards Old Harlow, I did catch him up thought since It was the afternoon traffic from the industrial area of Harlow, which gets so busy, I smiled inwards thinking that go you far mate!