Brands Indy

Well just cos I wasnt racing doesn't mean I cant cut n paste together another libellous issue of BOTG. That it will have little to do with racing hasn't stopped me thus far.

The story so far ,,,, Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away. In fact in another dimension, one so strange and bizarre that Len has hair and Griggsy can do joined up writing. Princess Lahtido adjusted the not incosiderable straps on her costume and with the delicacy of rare orchids dropped softly to her knees. Their eyes met, hers in the middle, soon so would his,,,, her flimsy welders overalls parted to reveal ,,,,Terry Wogan smarming out "and this is Eddison Lighthose with ,," Like Bobby in the shower, alas it was all a dream. After that, not racing at Brands was only a minor dissappointment.

So to round 4 of the YPM flying circus. I arrived Fri. evening to find "Pastry", Doug "Wolfman" and Adam Cole relaxing with a cold beer after a hards days practising. I wasnt jealous in the least, he lied. I pitched up and got the kettle on for Small Pauls cuppa, he may not see too well but his hearing can detect a boiling kettle at 200 yards. Once that was done I settled in to wait for the arrival of "Purple" Pete who had painted my new bodywork and did my best "Del Boy" flogging off my spare spares. This included a set of tyres for Keiran, whose Dad, Clive, a man for whom insensitivity is just another word thats hard to spell. He was not to be offput by closed curtains and the gentlest of snoring coming from within my van on Sat morning when he started banging on the door, having come to collect them. His life should have flashed in front of him, it may well have done but with only a 5 watt bulb to illuminate an immense darkness it could easily have sneaked past in the gloom.

My other task for the weekend was to get some footage for a dvd I'll make up at the end of the year. I managed to get some very useable shots, especially from the inside of Druids. It was from here that I saw the small mushroom cloud rising from clearways that had meant the Colonel's early bath. From the size of the cloud it looked like he'd binned "Patsy", his van, as well. So it looks like I still hold the YPM lap record for a van round Brands. Wayne "Bondy" also decided to do a bit of moto X at clearways from a top ten place. But in true YPM style both begged, stole and borrowed the bits to get out for race 2. Sat night and over an "Afterburner" or two "Purple Pete" and "Rangi," who downed two large ones and was still standing, had me in stitches recounting "Tales from the YPM" of epic prangs. "Purple" then went on up the bar to do his "karaoke superstar" bit, as a music lover I stayed behind.

Sunday morning and once again out on camera duty, trying to get some useable shots from half way between Druids and Graham Hill. But with a bike to rebuild for Croix I had to leave shortly after. At the moment most of it is still in my bedroom looking like a very large Meccano set.

So yet again its time for the "Fast Hamsters" booze cruise and duty free extravaganza. Oh, and we have some racing as well. As usual I shall have Ludo, my French chef and navigator with me. Fortunately he is a better cook than navigator, or to put it another way how many famous French navigators can you name ,,,, I thought so. After last year he is also excused Mechanical duty. He managed to remove and re-fit my front wheel without undoing the pinch bolt and found the re-fit easier if he left out the spacers, mange tout! This is George Watson for Back O' the Grid wondering why with 4 10mm spanners I cant find one of the little fekkers ,,,,

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