My 2024 Motorcycling Year

 This year has been relatively sparse in motorcycling terms.

January:

I carried on doing some refurbishment of parts on the Guzzi, but life intervened at the end of the month, when my relationship ended and I moved temporarily to a caravan at my friends' place in Whitchurch.

February:

Everything got moved into storage down in Whitchurch. My friends very kindly gave me some space in their barn and a small shed to do a bit of work on the Guzzi while I was waiting for my house purchase to go through.

The Crusader and Classic were pretty well protected under a lean to.

March:

I intended doing the Wirral Egg Run with Paul. He'd never done it and it was probably almost 10 years since I had last done it. I took the Classic 350 up there and we met up with some of Paul's mates. We set off and it was ridiculous, taking half an hour to travel the first half mile. At the first turn off I bailed out and headed for home!!

 

The following weekend, I took the Crusader out for an hour or so bimble down towards Stafford, to meet up with Rob for a natter and bacon barm. Cold but lovely and as always I forgot how nice it is to ride the Crusader, once you mellow into it.

April:

I did some welding and painting on the Guzzi, using the caravan awning as a workshop! Moved to Anglesey at the end of the month.

 

May: Surprisingly active, considering I'd just moved house!

The new (to me) Kawasaki arrived and the Classic 350 went back to the dealer to sell on for me (eventually). I got my first explore in around the island

I built the bike shed

I bought the Crusader across from Whitchurch on a lovely, rainy, uneventful ride on the A5

June: the big event of the year was the Wild Atlantic Way tour around SW Ireland with Paul. Sublime roads and scenery in a beautiful country and definitely more of that to come in future years.

July: Red Kite Moto Guzzi Owners Club Rally, Aberaeron

Unfortunately, the Guzzi was nowhere near finished, but they still let me in, Fantastic weather; a beautiful ride down through Snowdonia and some exploring around the Cerdigion area. Hopefully next year I'll do it all again on the Guzzi.

 

 August: a fallow month - too busy working on the house and festivalling!

 September:

I went to watch British Superbikes at Oulton Park; mainly so I could see what Rob had been doing in his season supporting Shane Richardson / Astro JJR Racing. I didn't go in the car, as the weather forecast was decidedly iffy for the Sunday. True to forecast, it peed down all day on Sunday, so I packed up and left early as there was clearly not going to be any racing till much later in the day.

It was really good seeing Rob in action in the pits though and understanding what he does. 

October & November: too busy working on the house to do any bike stuff!

December: On the last 2 days of the year, I made a statement of intent by finally starting doing some work on the Guzzi again, picking up on the paintwork for the tank, fairing, mudguards and side panels. I revisited the dent repair I'd rushed and done badly. Much better now.

I also made a bold decision that I didn't really like the bright blue colour and bit the bullet and started again.

Moto Guzzi Owners Club - Red Kite Rally

I had been hoping to have my Moto Guzzi 500 restoration finished  in 2024 and thought it would be fun to go to one of the Owner's Club rallies. Obviously, life intervened and the restoration wasn't finished, but I was assured that I wouldn't be barred if I turned up on an "inferior marque"! (As it happened, there were probably a dozen or more "inferior marques" there, so I felt ok.)

So packed with camping gear, off I headed on the sturdy GPZ.

I took the less straightforward but infinitely more picturesque route through Snowdonia and across the Llanberris Pass; surely one of my favourite roads  I have ridden. Paul and I did it on the Snowdonia 360 last year and I was eager to do it again. It didn't disappoint.

Coming into Aberaeron after a few hours, the weather was perfect, with clear skies and no wind.

The rally was based at Aberaeron Rugby Club, with all of the tents arranged around the perimeter of the pitch and use of all the clubhouse facilities, which were great. 

I pitched in one of the quieter areas, because I am very anti-social! I soon had a beer cracked open and tea on - my standard spaghetti carbonara.

In the evening, there was an interesting talk by a guy that runs guided tours through Spain and Portugal. Not a bad job. Then there was a band on, which I stayed to listen to for a bit but then hit the sack.

Next morning there were some organised rides on, but I'm not really a great fan of riding in a group, so I headed off to explore by myself. I went down the coast to New Quay (not Newquay in Cornwall!) and had a coffee, then headed off to a museum that had been recommended, grandly called the Internal Fire Museum of Power. Apparently, the largest collection of working engines in Wales. 

They also had a small display of classic motorbikes, including quite a few unusual and interesting bikes there and a lovely guy curating it, with whom I spent a very pleasant half hour discussing bikes we'd owned! It sounds very geeky, and was, but proved to be an interesting way to spend a couple of hours. I also stopped there for a bite to eat to try and support them a bit. I love places like that which are run by really keen volunteers; completely unpretentious. 

I got back mid-afternoon and then took a walk down into Aberaeron, which was fairly lively as the weather was so nice.

I went up to the clubhouse for a bite to eat and a couple of pints before retiring to the tent to watch the most beautiful sunset over the bay. A lovely way to end things.

Next morning I had a leisurely breakfast before packing my stuff away and heading for home. I took the more direct route this time, which was still a lovely ride, just without the spectacular Snowdonia scenery.

What a lovely weekend! I have it pencilled in again for next year - hopefully this time I'll be on the Guzzi!