This post should have been before the earlier post....

On Friday I had some time off work, so I took myself to Dublin for a bit of shopping and moseying. There was jewellery to buy, and I got that done. I had some nice lunch too, in Bewleys, and I also took some pictures, as you do.

Once I got rid of the rubbish, I was left with these....

Light Rail (not light-trail, though there's a pun there waiting for a photo at night)


A busker - who had made (or bought, I suppose) a guitar from an oil-can - made a good noise!



On the other side of the city, sometimes motorbikes don't have anywhere to put your purchases, so you have to sit on them....


More at the album (here)

I am downloading and choosing some more photos that I took while on an anti-hen exhibition yesterday with a friend. May get them uploaded later on. No doubt you can wait.

Almost biking again.....

Today we got a message through the letter box. Excitingly, there is a parcel awaiting my collection at the post office. I cross my fingers that this is the missing link between the starter button and the starter motor - a relay! So as I rub my hands together in anticipation, I ask that you cross your fingers that it is indeed the starter relay I ordered on April 18th.

The world of biking in Ireland.

I've just found out on irishbikerforum.com that Mountjoy motorcycles (a supplier of spare parts and spare information!) are closing/closed. Jack Nolan's have also recently closed. If this continues, soon you'll only be able to buy bikes and bike stuff from either the internetwebulator or from Bikeworld! (Not that I'm really a regular biker any more....) So real world competition is severely lacking at the moment - or is it?

Quinn are now insuring bikes, bringing to 3 the total number of motorcycle insurers in the country. They're either looking to take the last few bob out of the market before it's impossible to run a bike in this country, or else it's a good sign and they see a future for motorcycling. Let's hope it's the latter. Once I get a new starter relay for this K75 I might be able to consider myself a biker again......(no laughing, you.)

And the bike comes to Monasterevin.

I brought the Beemer to Monasterevin this afternoon. Well, it was about time, and it was a lovely afternoon, so I went and got it. Things you forget in 6 months:

1) That there's an alarm on your motorbike;
2) It rearms itself automatically;
3) That's why it won't start the second time;
4) There's a disc lock on the front wheel;
5) There's a disc lock on the bin (don't forget to bring it now)
6) You have to wear earplugs on the bike;
7) By wearing earplugs you miss the lovely noise it makes;
8) You meant to stiffen up that right mirror;
9) Gosh it gets windy on the motorways;
10) The BMW K75S has self-cancelling indicators;
11) The BMW K75S is very heavy;

I've lost a bit of that confidence I used to have as a more regular rider, perhaps I need to become a more regular rider again! Twas nice to be back on 2 wheels, hearing the wind in my visor and feeling the numb in my.......hands. (hah, only joking, it's very smooth)

Look - a good cause!

I came across this on irishbikerforum.com. This guy's riding a BMW F650 from Kilkenny to Capetown for charity, the charity being Self Help International. Don't have time to say much about it tonight, but here's the link below - click on it for more information. Sounds like it could be a really tough trip. Fair play.

http://www.kilkennytocapetown.com/index.html

What news, you ask, with bated breath......

Not much really.

We bought more tiles this weekend (I'm finding it hard to look tiles in the eye, I really do!).

I'm going on holidays this Friday. Nothing is booked. If anyone sees a last minute deal, please let me know! There was a chance we would go to Thailand, there was a good deal - however it would be the rainy season over there at this time of year and we're a little dubious about going in that kind of weather.

Kawasaki ER-5 for sale to good home. 04 model, 22k miles, dark blue. Great first bike, 500cc - factory restricted to 25kW (that's 33 old-fashioned nags) for use by learners and newly-promoted riders still in their first 2 years after passing what passes for a test in this country. I'm not emigrating, and it's not stolen. (see my previous post about the K75s!)

Go do the star rider course too.

Catch you guys another day. Oh and if anyone heard an interview on East Coast Radio today, let me know what it was all about won't you?