The Wandering Waltons: First Quarter Round Up

Looking in the mirror this morning as I shaved my head, (something I do every two weeks) I could see my Granddad Lunn looking straight back at me.

No surprise really as Jeannie & I had about 30 minutes sleep each last night due to Lilie Rose being a little unwell. Question is, how come Lilie Rose is bright as a button and can’t wait to go to school but we will spend the rest of the day worrying about her? Strange!

I’d just like to get the start of 2013 all squared away in my mind so I can move on as it’s been very eventful yet a little disappointing. Sadly our main carer returned from the Christmas break with the news she would be leaving us at the end of January. It came as quite a shock but after the initial surprise had worn off Jeannie & I decided not to replace her. Life was about to change, dramatically!

January

The year began much the same as 2012, I visited Derbyshire very early in the month followed by a return trip to lay flowers on my Mum’s grave a week later. This was followed by the IBA RTE & Manc Riders RTE on consecutive weekends. I even got to see the Foggy & Whit “Giving It Gas Tour” in Blackburn with a couple of the Manc Riders which was very entertaining.

The second ride to Derbyshire drove me to set Mr T up for what was about to come, snow! Lots of snow! I published “Sub Zero Set-up” on Keep Britain Biking (KBB) my first KBB Blog of the year. The blog was well received and made a welcome change from the 5 Gold Post Box Blogs which I’d posted last year.

Continental TKC80's Fitted N Working

Thank's to the Lad's at

Keith Dixon Motorcycles

February

February started well with another ride around Derbyshire but this time in preparation for a “Guided Tour” of my beloved home county. As Mr T was all geared up for the weather complete with knobbly tiers I had a fantastic ride. Even if I did end up coming off in the mud!

Sadly the weather turned somewhat nasty for a couple of days before the planned “Guided Tour” and after an exchange of call’s, texts & emails I cancelled the ride. As fate would have it, on the morning of the ride the snow which was forecast never materialised and the sun came out. I was absolutely gutted! I’d put loads of work into planning a great route, visiting the points of interest I was going to show the lads, test riding the route and posting some interesting photo’s. I even produced route cards for those without sat navs!

Getting an invite from a couple of the lads, who were coming on the ride to Derbyshire, inviting me to join them on a ride out (the very same day as my ride was planned) just tipped me over the top. I chose to call it a day!

The rest of the month was spent writing, first of all it was a second KBB Blog all about Ben entitled “The Future of Biking is inSafe Hands” which I really enjoyed writing. As I’d just spent a little time planning a route to Spain I posted my third KBB Blog, “Route Planning with Raymondo” I was on a role.

To keep busy I made a “Tent Pole Storage Tube” for Mr T out of a plastic tube and some sticky back plastic, proper “Blue Peter Style!"

So much snow, so little time!

March

The first weekend in March was our first respite weekend since our carer left, and I took the opportunity to ride to Spain for a business trip. To say it was a bit of an adventure does not come close. “I think France Hates Me” was posted on both KBB & my own Blog

As the 7^th of March was World Book Day I posted up “Raymondo’s Bike Book List” on both blogs.

What can I say? I love Motorbike Travel Books

Now I come to think about it, I’d been reproducing Blog’s on both sites for sometime. Unbeknownst to me this was causing unforeseen confusion with Google search engine and saw my own Blog take a drop in visitor traffic (hit’s). Luckily ‘A’ was on hand to point out the error of my ways, explaining that if information is reproduced word perfect on two sites Google is unsure which site to point to and so chooses the most prolific. Lesson learned Raymondo!

Ben arrived all the way from Australia on Wednesday the 13^th to collect his bike. Had a coffee, bestowed us with some wonderful presents, loaded his bike and was away to the shipping agent. It was a fond farewell to the KLR 650 and one hell of a round trip for Ben flying in from Australia for 3 days and then back again. He openly admitted the return flight and shipping came to more than his trusty Kawasaki was worth but to him she is priceless. We all wish you well Ben and all the very best for your onward journey.

"Here today, gone tomorrow"

Take it steady Ben

Friday 15^th was “Red Nose Day” & I thought I would bury the hatchet and returned to the Manc Riders Site and posted a spoof of the film “Love Actually” “If you were in my position what would you do?” Unfortunately for me, none of the lads had seen the film as many times as I have and what was meant to be an “Ice breaker” turned into a bit of a disaster. Needless to say I think I have well & truly burned my bridges, which is a shame really but that’s life I guess.

Monday 18^th I had a nice ride back around Derbyshire with Oggy who took some fantastic photographs and posted up a great Blog “Housework? Not today, lets ride!” It was a wonderful day out and about.

Mr T received his 30,000 mile Service and is all set for our next adventure.

We saw March out at the Manchester Bike Show where Ben & I displayed “Trinity” Ben’s 1993 Kawasaki ZXR750 L1. It was a brilliant day with both Jeannie & Lilie Rose getting involved by spending Saturday at the show all together. "It's Show Time!"

A ride Liverpool to sort out the children’s passports turned into a ride to Keswick. Writing a review for KBB “The Filling Station Café –Keswick A Bikers Dream” was a brilliant way to see the first quarter out.

If your in the Lake's you just have to check this place out!

Jeannie & I are now caring for Lilie Rose and this has certainly had a massive impact on the amount of time I can spend away from home. However we are really enjoying just getting on with life and taking every day as it comes. So what if Mr T gets a long earned rest!

Life is good and after a nice Easter break down in L’Alfas Del Pi near Altea, we are all getting organised for what the future has in store.