Sunday, October 29, 2006

Eloisa

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrell Royal

I'd decided a month or so ago which Motorbike I wanted to use for the 'Big Trip', decided, then subsequently had many moments of self doubt in my selection afterwards. Should I choose a newer design of bike, or one more suited to Tarmac touring, or maybe even the reverse, a bike designed for more off road use. The decisions and all the possible variables, pros and cons where playing on my mind for what seemed like an eternity. Sleepless nights, eveings spent on costing exercises for both the massive expense on preparing the chosen bike for the trip and the running costs when it was underway. Considerable time was also spent reading reviews , books and various web resources trying to assimilate as much knowledge as possible to confirm my previous conclusions. I wanted the cheapest, most reliable bike capable of making the trip without disintegrating.

The Africa Twin had always been my first choice, the whole concept of it's simplistic 'Tractor' like mechanics; as opposed to modern computer controlled 'Fly-By-Wire' machines and it's heavy duty go anywhere rugged ability really appeals to me. The AT (Africa Twin) is the 'Landrover' of the motorbike world, not the easiest to ride, not the most comfortable, not the lightest, not the quickest, but the one most likely to cross the finish line intact after any very long distance endurance trip, with the least attention spent keeping her going. But while scouring the used bikes available (Honda stopped production of the Africa in 2003), visiting a few dealers and seeing a few bikes they all left me un-inspired, something was missing, something saying "Buy Me"! This only added to my self doubt about the selection and in desperation at one point I even visited a BMW showroom to view their offerings!

Then last week I found her. She'd been put onto Ebay earlier that morning, a 2001 model, low mileage; semi-spec'd up for Enduro Adventure Touring, but most importantly, after looking at the pictures repeatedly, she gave me the impression that she might be 'The One'.

I made some calls to the seller asking for further information and more pictures and we agreed a rough price to take her off Ebay if I wanted to travel the 200 miles up to view her and make the purchase there and then. Things were looking good, to good; this couldn't really be happening to me, I'm not usually this lucky.

Tucked away in the corner of a Honda showroom early the following Saturday morning, after a sleepless nite and a very early start I first got to see her, she looked totally awesome. The dealer wheeled her out for my appraisal, but I knew before even sitting on her that I was going to buy her. I had that reaction you get when something just feels right, and when I got to play with her on the forecourt that reaction just strengthened, everything about her just felt right. Her previous owner had dubbed her 'Bertha', which I conclude was derived from the impossing extra large after market 43Ltr fuel tank that had been fitted to her, 'Big Bertha', but this really wasn't a suitable name for such a beautiful bike, she really is the 'Eloisa'.

The ride home was just as inspiring, heavy rain, high winds and the M25 to contend with, none of which made any difference. It seemed like Eloisa and I just fit, I just love riding her, it feels like were growing into one another. My confidence is growing on her and as it does I'm enjoying riding her even more.

It's always the way though isn't it, maybe a lesson I should of learned years ago, the lesson not to question your 'Gut Reaction'. My gut reaction was always to buy an Africa Twin for the trip (Obviously rightly or wrongly I can't conclude until the tours over), but what the hell was I worrying about all that time? It didn't matter; the only thing that mattered was that she was in the right colour, black!

Ciao Ciao
Are We There Yet
I BLOG There4 I Am

Friday, October 27, 2006

Which Road ?

"The Road Not Taken" - Robert Frost - 1916

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I;
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


This well know poem was passed to me recently by someone wishing to encourage and help inspire my ambitions to travel the world next year on my motorbike.

But as I re-read it, over and over, I saw some ambiguity...

Is it just me, but this poem used to encourage people to take the 'Hard Road' doesn't really inspire... Why the 'Sigh'? Was the difference good or bad? How do we know? Aren't the roads both 'equal'?

Just a thought.... :o)

Have a good weekend folks....

Ciao Ciao
Confused From Chichester
I BLOG There4 I Am

Chicken Run :o)



The poor little buggers has now died, why? To many Bums!

Full Story here... Well it made me laugh...

Ciao Ciao
Confused From Chichester
I BLOG There4 I Am

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

100 Greatest Albums..

As Proposed by a Channel 4 Panel and voted on by the UK public...

Bet your not gonna guess what the Number 1 is... Great Album, if you don't own it you need to, but would it of been your choice?



THE 100 GREATEST ALBUMS

1. RADIOHEAD - OK Computer
2. U2 - The Joshua Tree
3. NIRVANA - Nevermind
4. MICHAEL JACKSON - Thriller
5. PINK FLOYD - Dark Side of the Moon
6. OASIS - Definitely Maybe
7. THE BEATLES - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
8. MADONNA - Like a Prayer
9. GUNS N' ROSES - Appetite For Destruction
10. THE BEATLES - Revolver
11. R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
12. THE BEATLES - The White Album
13. QUEEN - A Night at the Opera
14. COLDPLAY - Parachutes
15. OASIS - (What's the Story) Morning Glory
16. ALANIS MORISSETTE - Jagged Little Pill
17. LED ZEPPELIN - Led Zeppelin IV
18. THE VERVE - Urban Hymns
19. JIMI HENDRIX - Are you Experienced
20. THE SMITHS - The Queen Is Dead
21. JOHN LENNON - Imagine
22. RADIOHEAD - The Bends
23. BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS - Exodus
24. THE STONE ROSES - The Stone Roses
25. SIMON AND GARFUNKEL - Bridge Over Troubled Water
26. BJORK - Debut
27. THE DOORS - The Doors
28. ABBA - Arrival
29. MICHAEL JACKSON - Off the Wall
30. DURAN DURAN - Rio
31. SEX PISTOLS - Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols
32. DAVID BOWIE - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
33. THE BEACH BOYS - Pet Sounds
34. JOY DIVISION - Closer
35. THE ROLLING STONES - Let It Bleed
36. BLUR - Parklife
37. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Born to Run
38. BILLIE HOLIDAY - Lady Sings the Blues
39. THE WHITE STRIPES - Elephant
40. BLACK SABBATH - Paranoid
41. THE SPECIALS - Specials
42. THE ROLLING STONES - Exile on Main Street
43. FRANK SINATRA - Songs for Swingin' Lovers!
44. THE CLASH - London Calling
45. THE PRODIGY - The Fat of the Land
46. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - The Velvet Underground & Nico
47. DIRE STRAITS - Brothers in Arms
48. PIXIES - Doolittle
49. ARETHA FRANKLIN - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
50. THE LIBERTINES - The Libertines
51. HAPPY MONDAYS - Pills 'N' Thrills and Bellyaches
52. PATTI SMITH - Horses
53. THE WHO - Tommy
54. LOU REED - Transformer
55. BOB DYLAN - Blood on the Tracks
56. PRINCE - Sign 'o' the Times
57. DIDO - No Angel
58. AIR - Moon Safari
59. ELTON JOHN - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
60. THE JAM - All Mod Cons
61. JEFF BUCKLEY - Grace
62. FLEETWOOD MAC - Rumours
63. MOBY - Play
64. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
65. THE POLICE - Synchronicity
66. JONI MITCHELL - Blue
67. CURTIS MAYFIELD - Superfly
68. ELVIS PRESLEY - The Sun Sessions
69. OUTKAST - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
70. PULP - Different Class
71. KRAFTWERK - Trans-Europe Express
72. MASSIVE ATTACK - Blue Lines
73. BECK - Odelay
74. STEVIE WONDER - Songs in the Key of Life
75. KATE BUSH - Hounds of Love
76. TALKING HEADS - Fear of Music
77. EMINEM - The Marshall Mathers LP
78. MARVIN GAYE - What's Going On
79. GEORGE MICHAEL - Faith
80. SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER - The Original Movie Soundtrack
81. PRIMAL SCREAM - Screamadelica
82. JOHN COLTRANE - A Love Supreme
83. LOVE - Forever Changes
84. PAUL SIMON - Graceland
85. NICK DRAKE - Five Leaves Left
86. MEAT LOAF - Bat Out of Hell
87. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD - Dusty in Memphis
88. DE LA SOUL - 3 Feet High and Rising
89. THE STROKES - Is this It
90. MADNESS - One Step Beyond...
91. ROBBIE WILLIAMS - I've Been Expecting You
92. NEIL YOUNG - After the Gold Rush
93. PUBLIC ENEMY - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
94. BLONDIE - Parallel Lines
95. THE EAGLES - Hotel California
96. JAMES BROWN - Sex Machine
97. THE STREETS - A Grand Don't Come for Free
98. DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS - Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
99. ROD STEWART - Every Picture Tells a Story
100. The HUMAN LEAGUE - Dare!

Where the f**k is Tubular Bells!!!

Ciao Ciao
Confused From Chichester
I BLOG There4 I Am

History Matters...

If you've got a spare 5...



This seems like a good idea :o)

Ciao Ciao
Confused From Chichester
I BLOG There4 I Am

Monday, October 16, 2006

A Blast From The Past

Musing over 'You Google Tube' at the weekend and stumbled accross this...



OK so as with everything on 'You Tube' it takes ages to load, but hey...

And I don't want any cheap gags like... "Is that you...? Looks like you...!"

It's not... Though it could well be best lyricist/song-writer/poet of our generation... Fish :o)

Ahhh Takes me back... :o)))

Stunning Lyrics...

Lavender - Marillion

I was walking in the park
Dreaming of a spark
When I heard the sprinklers whisper
Shimmer in the haze of summer lawns.
Then I heard the children singing
They were running through the rainbows.
They were singing a song for you
Well it seemed to be a song for you
The one I wanted to write for you

Lavenders blue, dilly dilly, lavenders green
When I am king, dilly dilly
You will be queen
A penny for your thoughts my dear
A penny for your thoughts my dear
I.o.u. for your love
I.o.u. for your love

Lavenders green, dilly dilly, lavenders blue
When you love me, dilly dilly, I will love you
A penny for your thoughts my dear
A penny for your thoughts my dear
I.o.u. for your love
I.o.u. for your love

Lavender dreams dilly, dilly lavender true
When you miss me dilly dilly, I did miss you
A penny for your thoughts my dear
A penny for your thoughts my dear
I.o.u for your love
I.o.u. for your love
For your love



Ciao Ciao
Confused From Chichester
I BLOG There4 I Am

Friday, October 13, 2006

The ideal present for a Geek...

Ummm... So you've rented the movie, but in the morning rush you've completely forgotten to rewind the film to take it back to the Rental store...

Bugger!!! But don't distress, help is at hand, what you need is one of these...



Well it made me laugh :o) Available here...



Happy Friday folks :o)

Ciao Ciao
Confused from Chichester
I BLOG There4 I Am

Thursday, October 12, 2006

An Open Reply

I had an interesting comment on yesterdays post, so I thought I'd reply openly...

Rich said...

I was pointed in the direction of your Blog by a friend and Id like to say that as a 100% patriotic American some of your entries though amusing, show an extremely bias anti-American view point.

However I consider myself Liberal, open minded and Christian and though I do not particularly enjoy what is written here about my Country, I do find it frequently more difficult to justify the actions of its current Administration and the proclamations of its religious far right.

Though I would like to also say that the United Kingdom has almost the same current issues youve pointed out as America.

Thanks
Rich

My Reply

Hi Rich, thanx for popping by, your friends got taste ;o)

Ummm... An 'Extremely Bias anti-American view point'? Moi? No never ;o)

OK OK maybe just a tad, but please allow me to retort...

The good old US of A is in a position where England was during the late 19th Century, world domination... Back then the phrase was 'Make the World English', now the phrase is 'Make the world American', whether that is intentional or not, that's what your policies and philosophies dictate will happen, if only for self preservation of your culture.

But the world has changed in the last few Centuries, its shrunk and unfortunately 'Living the American Dream' means that Americans require a 100% belief that their system of 'Democracy' is right and that their social structure is the best way for any society to exist, but this is the problem.

An example of this issue might be the recent news that since the Invasion in Iraq over 650,000 civilians have lost there life due to the troubles. This is far more than the estimated numbers even killed while Saddam was in power and all because of what? Oil? Power? Or blind ignorance that imposing a form of democracy on a society which is primarily tribal doesn't work. We know this; we tried countless times in African countries that we abandoned after the Empire. Its just not their peoples way, democracy will not succeed in Iraq as much as it will in Afghanistan, you can't change the way a society is structured.

Furthermore what gives us the right to believe that the democratic way of living is right for others? 650,000 people in Iraq alone would disagree with your philosophy, if they could. How many more innocent people must pay the price for American arrogance and insecurity after 'A mere' 2752 deaths in 9/11? What does your conscience say is an acceptable level of innocent people that can die in retribution in the 'War on Terror'? So far in Iraq alone that means 236 civilians have died for each and every American killed in 9/11, can you really justify that to yourself? If you can then can you imagine justifying that to their families?

Ahhh... but it's a 'War on Terror', but it's not is it. It's a 'War on Philosophy' and if Vietnam taught you anything, it should have taught you that you can't beat a man protecting his family, his country or an ideal with brute force. The only way to win the 'War on Terror' is to start talking with these people, they actually don't want much, in fact far less than both you and I take for granted in our own societies, just some form of control over the own destinies, give these people hope.

Yes their maybe a handful of extremists, every culture has them, even ours, the Christian far right again spring to mind in ours, what are they if nothing more than facsimiles of Islamic fundamentalists with a different God?

As for England having the same issues as the US, your right, we do. But alas that's because we are nothing more than the latest new State of America, its puppet, its slave. And if you want an example of how difficult it is for any western country to go against American policy then look how America and the rest of the west treated France when it chose not to back the Iraq war.

As I said earlier, the world is getting smaller, but someday we're all gonna have to try getting on together in forming a single united global society. The American xenophobic stance means this can't happen at present; in fact the reverse is true.

But my gut feeling is that unless we all unite as one world, we will all perish alone, whether that's through environmental issues, war or famine and that's why I'm anti-American. You have the power and the influence to change the whole world for the better, but choose only to protect your own way of living instead of seeing the bigger picture and daring to dream the big dream. You know the Big Dream I mean Rich, it's the one Miss America always says she wants, "World Peace", and you don't aquire that with a gun.

Ciao Ciao
Confused From Chichester
I BLOG There4 I Am

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

All Bloggers Are Going To Hell - Its Official...

And you think Al-Qaeda has extreme views! Obviously we can always rely on the Americans not to settle for second place, so in the "who can be the most religiously fanatic" game the winner is.... The Reformed Church of God, USA!

I just loved the "Appearances of Evil" chapter.... :o/ God Help Us!

Anyway... See all you fellow Bloggers in Hell, first one there get toasting those Marshmallows :o)

Ciao Ciao
Confused From Chichester
I BLOG There4 I Am


A Friend in Need....

So as I was asked if I was ever gonna Blog again yesterday by a friend, I thought I better knock something up.... (Forgive me father, it's been 10 days since my last entry!)

So then, something to Blog about then.... Ummm...

OK, a friend of mines having a real tough time, real tough. And it's situations like this that makes you question what the best thing for us as individuals to do is to maybe help them. What is the right thing to say if anything at all and what can be gained from our inactions or action and intervention?

Also the questions of personal gain, self gratification, or maybe just the fact we don't wish to let our insecurities be exposed can often lead us to questionable motives behind our responses to their situation.

Furthermore, in the complexities of social relationships, none test us more than our interactions with very close friends or lovers; for it's with them that we are most exposed and may not only have the least to gain but maybe also the most lose.

So what to do...?

'Be the Ball'... :o) Just try and be 100% honest with yourself, place yourself in their position and ask yourself, 'what can I personally offer that will help this persons situation?'...

Occasionally its best just to sit back and let the moment past, don't feel pressure to be involved if you don't believe it will serve any positive effect for them.

And then sometimes it's a very positive thing to get involved, even if you can't really change or influence the situations, usually it's not a bad thing to air just a small supportive voice and remind them that you care at least.

So... My Friend, if you're reading this... "Take it easy and keep it sleazy babe" :o)

Ciao Ciao
Confused From Chichester
I Blog There4 I Am