(23-11-18, 06:52 PM)tommyardin link Wrote: [quote author=agricola link=topic=11414.msg287698#msg287698 date=1542973254]
You just have to keep an eye on them. Late summer/early autumn they start to slow down as the temperature cools, so they start to eat less and less. They need to have no crap in the bowels as this rots during hibernation and can cause them problems. Once theyve not eaten for a while, its safe to hibernate them. Its important to not let them be exposed to frost as tis can destroy thier eyes. They are hardy little buggers. And Tommy, in 30 years time youll need a bigger fridge, mines over 5 kilos now
Contrary to popular belief tortoise can not swim so bath water needs to be only a few inches deep.
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I know......sorry. But they do look like little turtles when young.... :'(
Those are my principles...if you don't like them I have others.
That’s the general consensus that they are much the same as turtles therefore can swim. The little buggers will drown, quite a few are lostb falling into garden ponds each year.
Whitstable toy run to Margate Hospital today. Rained pretty much all day, which wasn't forecast, but fortunately stayed dry for the toy run. Heated gloves certainly made the 210 mainly wet miles more than bearable.
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
A whizz out today on the ST, to Sammy Millers at New Milton
Day started off wetter than forecast, but dried up during our breakfast stop at Alton. Not many people at the museum, which suited me fine. Came home on the A272, but didn't bother with Loomies, as daylight was fading fast. Another 235 miles racked up on the old girl, the mileometer rolling over to 62k.
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
11-02-19, 11:25 PM (This post was last modified: 12-02-19, 10:03 AM by robbo.)
Got my tent, sleeping bag etc loaded onto the Speed Triple late on Friday, ready for an early start the next day. Woke up to rain, as expected, on Saturday morning, and after meeting up with my pal on his 1050 Tiger, we left South London at 06.45. After battling quite high winds on the Reading section of the M4, we pulled up for our breakfast stop at Dotty's cafe, in Swindon Old Town. Suitably fed, we togged up and set off proper for our first destination, Betwys y Coed, North Wales, where we would receive the whereabouts of the camp ground for this years Dragon Rally. This rally is always held on this weekend due to being historically the worst weekends weather of the year. A poor mans Elephant Rally in fact, having first started in 1962.
We departed on drying A and B roads taking in the Cotswolds, skirting Worcester to the south, before picking up the A44 to Leominster, and finally the A5 north and then west. We stopped at our traditional coffee and cake stop, just outside Corwen, before rolling into the hotel carpark at Betwys where we would obtain our wrist band, sticker for the bike, and importantly, directions to the camp ground, which fortunately was only a few miles further down the A5 at Capel Curig.
On arrival, the number of bikes parked on the pavement outside the field, gave a fair indication that the camp area would be muddy to say the least. Many people camp locally on the Friday in order to bag the better camping areas first thing Saturday morning. With 298 miles on the clock, we certainly would not be spoilt for choice as regards where to pitch a tent. After plenty of wheelspin and pushing and pulling by the marshals we were ushered, somewhat involuntarily, to our parking spot. Then it was a matter of finding a patch of suitable real estate for two tents.,That done, tents up, a quick change of clothes, and off to the marquee to get our rally badges and traditional commemorative Welsh slate drinks coasters. A quick catch up with a few regular attendees, then it was off to the bar at the other end of the marquee to sample some of the local Welsh beers. The marquee soon filled up with people, driven inside by a tremendous cloudburst. A good selection of heavy metal biker music was played whilst the band set up. Personally I'd have preferred the DJ to have carried on, but I'm sure that's more of an age thing/ taste in music on my part.
We drew the line at seven pints, as neither fancied the idea of a banging head in the morning, and just before the band's finale, made our way back to the tents. However in total darkness other than headtorches, the tents seemed to have moved. Our landmarks were a huge frame tent near to the portaloos, a dark red Goldwing and a yellow Suzuki. All of which looked totally different in the dark. Eventually we found "home", and cranked up the stove to get the kettle on.
After turning in, the nights sleep was punctuated between torrential rain hammering on the tent, and a fellow camper who snored like a sawmill. I must have dropped off at some point as was surprised how late it was when I woke at eight. The moment the stove was fired up, was the signal for the hailstones to put in an appearance. It's the Dragon Rally for God's sake, what do you expect.
We put off digging out the bikes for long enough. We needed to get them turned round in their muddy parking spot, and then slip and slide onto some firmer, more level ground. A guy on his own had the same task, so between the three of us we got the Speedie turned round and fired up. My trail riding/enduro days came in handy negotiating the muck and mire to get to the hard standing. Unfortunately, my pal was not aware of what a muddy roostertail can do if you're too close, as he'd followed on foot in case I lost momentum. He got filled in from head to toe, fortunately still wearing the disposable clothes from the previous night. He took it in good spirit, sorry matey. Eventually all three bikes were parked on firm ground ready to be loaded up. The hailstones managed to put in one last appearance just before the last Rok strap was clipped home. Then, it was A5 east bound.
The first few miles were taken very easily in order to clean the mud from the tyres,before getting our heads down, destination,the Lazy Kettle transport cafe at Chirk. It must have been around elevenish when we got there. The full Sunday lunch looked very appealing, but settled for the all day breakfast. After a quick spray up with chain lube and the tanks brimmed, it was down the A5 heading for home. Our good progress came to a halt as the A44 to Stow on the Wold was closed. We carried on down the A46 until the first garage where coffee and a scan of the map was called for. One of the two girls running the garage rode a bike and put us on a good B road up to Stow to get us back on track. Thanks for that Debbie.We made use of the very light traffic and pressed on. Another fuel stop just after Lechlade and we were on the M4 heading east. Almost immediately coming across a Mercedes happy to cruise around the 85 mark, so that was our pacer sorted until he turned off at the junction before ours. The M3/M25 junction was a carpark, but managed to filter through, and it was soon behind us.
My pal and I said our goodbyes at a set of lights in Morden, and 25 minutes later I was rolling onto my drive with 595 miles on the clock for the weekend. The old Triumph,25 years old next month, never missed a beat.
This was no doubt my last Dragon Rally, my knees are too old and creaky for rough camping where you need to set up/take down quickly. They've all been great fun in a twisted,macabre brutal sort of way. Maybe next year I'll just do the ride to get the badge, like last year when there wasn't a blade of grass left, that wasn't under water, so we just rode back home. That was something like 620 miles all in the rain, but was quite rewarding in a warped sort of a way. Thinking about it ,it would save having to sort out all the camping stuff. Mmm there's a thought.
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
12-02-19, 02:42 PM (This post was last modified: 12-02-19, 02:48 PM by robbo.)
Thanks Mr.Red. One of those events you look forward to going to, then say "never again" when you've been[size=78%], but promptly book a ticket as soon as they go on sale the following year.[/size]
[/size]Dopey hats are almost compulsory by the way. [size=78%]
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
(12-02-19, 02:42 PM)robbo link Wrote: Thanks Mr Red. One of those events you look forward to going to, then say "never again" when you've been, but promptly book a ticket as soon as they go on sale the following year.
Dopey hats are almost compulsory by the way.
fitted a tourmax service kit to my cb1300 front brake m/cylinder.
front brake has been iffy since ive got it, fine one minute, pulling back to the bar the next.
ive fitted hel lines, rebuilt the calipers and changed the pads for ebc double h.
Master cylinder was the last thing I tried but in retrospect should have been the first, any old low miles bike thats been standing (as mine had before I got it) could probably do with a check. Fix was cheap (service kit £17, offset circlip pliars to get in there £15) and easy (with the right tool) and me yonder now has the front stoppers of a GP bike.
well, you know...
Stripped the rear suspension, rear caliper out the speed four cleaned and serviced them. The bike has a full service history and only done 18k miles didn't look like it they had ever been touched to me. Looks like a full service to some is change the oil, change fuel, air, a oil filter and new plugs and a wipe down with an oily rag. It's not as quick as the FZ1, but round the twisties it will give the FZ a run for it's money, but my left ankle ached from keep having to stir the gear box to keep it on the boil.
Took the engine out of my serow today, as I need to replace the weeping base gasket of the cylinder. I hate oil weeping out of engines.
Must paint the crankcase as it suffers the same problem as the silver engined Fzs1000, faking paint.
Took the rusty looking swinging arm off to paint it it. A welcome relief, the rust was surface not more serious.
Need to replace the seals on the rear caliper and piston/seals in the Front master cylinder. A busy few days ahead.
