First I should introduce you to the team.
From left to right. Greg and Deb Lock, team technician and photographer. Deb and Les Rowe, team management. Me. Leonard, Rowe Racing blog writer and team cook. Royce, rider. Brian, genius behind the Ducati. Missing from the photo is Glen, who coincidentally came along to take great photo's.
We arrived on Isle of Man late Monday 15th August. We stayed in a lovely place called Ballacain. It's a building divided up into a series of 'apartments' for tourists like us to rent. Les and Deb, Royce, and Glen each had their own Chalet. The rest of us shared the fourth larger accommodation.
We arrived on Isle of Man late Monday 15th August. We stayed in a lovely place called Ballacain. It's a building divided up into a series of 'apartments' for tourists like us to rent. Les and Deb, Royce, and Glen each had their own Chalet. The rest of us shared the fourth larger accommodation.
First thing Tuesday morning we picked up the two Transit vans and unloaded the bikes. One thing about Isle of Man, nothing is far away. The vans were 5 mins from us. The freighting company 500m from there. People that travel 20km feel like they have been on a great journey. Not many traffic lights, heaps of round abouts that are just painted on the road. Everyone drives polite. No impatient people, plenty of waves.
With everyone there, unpacking didn't actually take that long. The shipping company generously allowed us to leave our crates at the warehouse for the duration of our stay. And after when we were packing Friday night allowed us to continue until we were done so we could have all Saturday to see the sights. Like Castles. Loved the castles.
With the bikes and gear brought back to the house we set up the workshop. Which was in fact the laundry. The laundry was big enough to have a bike in there and room to work around it. We brought a workbench as the top of one of the crates that slid over the hot water systems. Designed from measurements taken last year. We picked up supplies of oil, Motul 300V, 15W50. Brake cleaner, chain lube etc. Les has some friends on the Isle that stored jerry cans, sack trucks and various consumables over the last year.
Sign on Thursday 18th didn't go as planned. My riding gear all checked out no issue but when I got to sign on my mountain course licence still hadn't come through. By the time the first practice was scheduled a licence number had been emailed through. Thanks for the hard work by the Race secretary Caroline for that.
Saturday 20th was supposed to be our first track time but due to the poor weather conditions it was fortunately cancelled. Unlike the ACU, the Manx Motorcycle club were very organised and the Clerk of Course Gary Thompson made regular announcements about what was going on and how decisions were being made. The predictability and logic in the running of the meeting and good communication throughout made what could have been stressful delays merely logical conclusions. A very well run meeting.
Next episode, the first lap.
Sign on Thursday 18th didn't go as planned. My riding gear all checked out no issue but when I got to sign on my mountain course licence still hadn't come through. By the time the first practice was scheduled a licence number had been emailed through. Thanks for the hard work by the Race secretary Caroline for that.
Saturday 20th was supposed to be our first track time but due to the poor weather conditions it was fortunately cancelled. Unlike the ACU, the Manx Motorcycle club were very organised and the Clerk of Course Gary Thompson made regular announcements about what was going on and how decisions were being made. The predictability and logic in the running of the meeting and good communication throughout made what could have been stressful delays merely logical conclusions. A very well run meeting.
Next episode, the first lap.