... or until such time as we're nicked by the local constabulary, more about which below. But first... Steppenwolf:
I've posted about TT Week in the Isle of Man and believe me, Gentle Reader, it don't get ANY wilder than that. Evah. Both Daytona and Sturgis are more like the Westminster Kennel Club Show than a biker's destination, mainly coz of the racing. Now there are races at the former... Daytona, but they're on a closed circuit... and there ain't no races at all in Sturgis. TT Week in the Isle o' Man features a full solid week of road racing on real roads... serious roads. And then there's the matter of Mad Sunday, which is THE ultimate biker's wet dream. Let me quote:
But we digress. I received a box full of correspondence from SN2 yesterday, all of which originated in days o' yore. I found this lil item among the stack o' stuff:
Yup. A ticket, about 40 bucks worth, give or take a farthing or six. There's a bit of a story behind that ticket, the Reader's Digest version about which goes like this...
It was in the early evening, just after dinner, when I decided to go for a little putt on the back roads just outside Douglas. So, there I was, motoring along at about 60 mph on a two lane country road when I had the livin' bejeezus scared outta me when a guy on a Suzuki RG500 GP bike went screaming past me at about 120 mph or more. The guy caught me completely by surprise and I inadvertently changed lanes when he blew by me. (Parenthetical side note: given there's actually no track at the IoM TT, most teams do their testing after hours on the back roads. This was a case o' that.) So, it wasn't but three or four minutes later when a friendly constable steps out of the ditch on the side o' the road and waves me over, me bein' caught in a speed trap. I was incredulous and exclaimed "Didn't you see that guy on the Suzuki in front o' me?" "Wot Suzuki?" said the constable, in reply. It dawned on me right there and then that some animals are more equal than others during TT Week.
So... it was off to traffic court the next day to pay my fine (60 mph in a 45), which really pissed me off as I missed the first race while cooling my heels waiting to see the fines clerk. There really AIN'T no justice in this world, sometimes.
Our mount for TT Week:
That was one seriously quick mo'sickle.
I've posted about TT Week in the Isle of Man and believe me, Gentle Reader, it don't get ANY wilder than that. Evah. Both Daytona and Sturgis are more like the Westminster Kennel Club Show than a biker's destination, mainly coz of the racing. Now there are races at the former... Daytona, but they're on a closed circuit... and there ain't no races at all in Sturgis. TT Week in the Isle o' Man features a full solid week of road racing on real roads... serious roads. And then there's the matter of Mad Sunday, which is THE ultimate biker's wet dream. Let me quote:
On "Mad Sunday" any member of the public can ride the mountain section of the course, which is open one way from Ramsey to Douglas. In 2012 there were just four accidents on the open day - while in previous years there had been dozens. In 2013, eleven spectators were hurt when a rider lost control at Bray Hill on the outskirts of Douglas.What makes Mad Sunday so Mad? No speed limits. None. Ride as fast as you wanna.. on a twisty two lane road that runs over the mountain. I rode Mad Sunday in 1982 and THAT was my peak mo'sickle experience... nothing will ever top it.
But we digress. I received a box full of correspondence from SN2 yesterday, all of which originated in days o' yore. I found this lil item among the stack o' stuff:
Yup. A ticket, about 40 bucks worth, give or take a farthing or six. There's a bit of a story behind that ticket, the Reader's Digest version about which goes like this...
It was in the early evening, just after dinner, when I decided to go for a little putt on the back roads just outside Douglas. So, there I was, motoring along at about 60 mph on a two lane country road when I had the livin' bejeezus scared outta me when a guy on a Suzuki RG500 GP bike went screaming past me at about 120 mph or more. The guy caught me completely by surprise and I inadvertently changed lanes when he blew by me. (Parenthetical side note: given there's actually no track at the IoM TT, most teams do their testing after hours on the back roads. This was a case o' that.) So, it wasn't but three or four minutes later when a friendly constable steps out of the ditch on the side o' the road and waves me over, me bein' caught in a speed trap. I was incredulous and exclaimed "Didn't you see that guy on the Suzuki in front o' me?" "Wot Suzuki?" said the constable, in reply. It dawned on me right there and then that some animals are more equal than others during TT Week.
So... it was off to traffic court the next day to pay my fine (60 mph in a 45), which really pissed me off as I missed the first race while cooling my heels waiting to see the fines clerk. There really AIN'T no justice in this world, sometimes.
Our mount for TT Week:
That was one seriously quick mo'sickle.
The injustices in our lives stay with us and for me still make me crazy at times.
ReplyDeleteSpecial rules apply and they are damned annoying when the don't apply to you. Truth!
ReplyDeleteI agree with both you ladies.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your stories and the great writing but one of the things I like best about EIP is the documentation (as well as the illustrations--photos, videos, etc.) you provide in your posts--in this case a photo of a well preserved traffic ticket, from the Isle of Man Constabulary no less! I'm guessing that the box from SN2 will provide you with lots more source material and us with a lot more great reads over the next few weeks.
ReplyDelete...one of the things I like best about EIP...
DeleteIt's the anal-retentive technical writer in me that comes out in these posts, every day. I had those traits beaten into me by a brutal (but lovable!) taskmaster of an editor back in my proposal writing days with EDS. I credit that woman with most of what I know about writing... not all, but most. Thanks for the kind words, Dan, and you're right: I think there's blog-fodder aplenty in that pile o' letters.
Have you ever visited "Shrinky", a blogger from The Isle? She writes about TT week most years (her residence is right on the course, more or less, and her developmentally-disabled son adores the races.) I think I still have her link on my sidebar.
ReplyDeleteShrinky used to be one o' my daily reads. I have no idea why I stopped visiting her. I should fix that.
Delete