Bob Blackman beats slush pile

-

Here I am doing it!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

100th Land's End Trial 2024

-
Image
For some of us, disco dancing is a way of life (Photo : Sally Livsey) My Arkley-MG was mechanically compromised by our success on the 2024 Exeter Trial. After sorting out the knackered Transit diff with help from Adrian Booth, Dave Ball and Martin Matthews, I replaced the Sierra front wheel bearings and substituted 1500 Midget front springs for the bespoke ones Ray Goodwright had commissioned some twenty years ago, it felt like my car was match fit. Maybe. Graham Beddoe had graciously agreed to bounce and navigate and we set off nice and early for our start at Launceston Rugby Club on Good Friday evening. After scrutineering, chinwags with our trialling family and a very tasty burger, we set off in the wrong direction but soon got back on track.   "Let's get down to this next number." (Photo : Sally Livsey) On our way to Bridgwater, I recalled a few niggles from my pre-event prep. Just before the start, dipped headlamps were an occasional no show. A few days before that...
Read more

95th Exeter Trial 2025

-
Image
Arkley-MG all set for the 95th Exeter This year’s event saw me entered again as part of the Team Inappropriate massseeve but also I had chosen as my running chumrades those dirt -dashing do-badders from downtown Doublebois, Adrian Booth and Darren Wilton in Age’s Triumph TR2. Add in Age’s sister Gill and her beau, Pat, in Katy the MX5 and I felt comfortably surrounded my fellow enthusiasts. In the navigator’s seat for the first time was my belle, Sally Livsey. Sal was supposed to have been with me on the Camel Classic but had been ill. How she would find an overnight, long-distance classic trial in January would soon be revealed. I had also volunteered to be a travelling marshal, despite many of my trialling viewing this as a kiss-of-death if I hoped to actually finish any event. First time out for Nora, the TR2 On the eve of the 2025 Exeter Trial, I fitted a new battery isolator switch. This was because, twice in the week before, the Arkley-MG had occasionally suffered from an inapp...
Read more

Vintage Thing No.36 - the Honda CJ250T

-
Image
Tempted? It was during a rather ribald discussion with some of my motor cycling friends that the question arose -- what is the motorcycling equivalent of an Austin Allegro? My Austin Allegro is a particularly nice example but that doesn't stop them taking the piss out of it. I know that it is not one of the world's greatest cars and some people voted these chubby little cars the worst ones of all time but I like to point out that much of the Allegro's vital organs are shared with the Mini, which, at about the same time, was voted the greatest car of all time. It seems odd to me that two cars with the same engine, gearbox and the clutch from the same manufacturer, and with suspension systems that follow the same damperless and space saving concept, could be both the best and the worst between them. But, as we say in Cornwall, "There it is and there you are." And as some deeply philosophical type might also say, "Less is more." After a great deal of...
Read more