Multi instrumentalist Mike Oldfield is 63 today. Haunting music that stretches from windswept hills along the edge of Wales, to airy flights by birds unknown, and a growing ensemble of guitars and percussion climaxing in Tubular Bells.
“Bikes have been one of my greatest inspirations in music”. Though now residing full time and isolation in the Bahamas, his previous English residences always allowed for countryside rides to free his creative spirit.
Green grow the rashes o.
This is a wee stunner. English tracker in black & green; a suitable mix of equipment for fun and grins along country lanes. Find a thatched country pub called the George & Dragon and sip a pint of ale under the blue skies.
If you had to pick four motorcycles to be carved in Dakota granite like Gutzon Borglums mighty heads of US history what would they be? Here are mine: Washington is a Vincent Black Shadow; Jefferson is a Kawasaki Z1; Roosevelt a Ducati 916; and Lincoln a Bonneville, new 2016 or old 1968 model.
Royal Signals – let’s get through the midweek with an airy leap over the captains sedan. Good form will see us land somewhere beyond Thursday and land aplombly in Friday.
60’s hippy folkster Donovan is 70 today. The original Mellow Yellow. To celebrate here is a nonagrid of Meriden machines.
Some artistic representation of rebel Jimmy Dean looking ready to Cause trouble.
“You’re tearing me apart!”
Emily’s Pancake House, Zion IL – halfway on the spring jaunt with the Bonnie’s. The weather was perfect, bikes ran great and the coffee and blueberry topped stack of ‘cakes were delish!
Jet lines in a blue sky. Big black Triumph Triple . “The futures so bright I gotta wear shades.”
This small 250cc Triumph was my first wheels in the US back in ’98. It helped me easily get my motorcycle license endorsement and was a fun bike. It was called the Trophy, not to be confused by the larger twin, and was an amalgamation of the BSA Starfire built at Small Heath and some Meriden parts. Production quality was poor and apparently warranty calls drained the meager coffers of the ailing industry. The writing was on the wall and this little roadster had its back against it in the firing line.
I sold mine for the same as what I paid for it ($1,000) then went and got my green Ninja.
Being unofficial Star Wars day, other than Storm Trooper and Boba Fett helmets, I happened upon this Imperial logo emblazoned ebony lid for some Triumph riders noggin.
The Dark Side
Technical Illustration- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love these cutaway engineering drawing from the fifties and sixties clarifying the innards and mechanical workings of the engines and machines of the day. AutoCAD can be too cold and lifeless whereas the hand drawn draughtsmanship is lively like Marvel Comics Jack Kirby ink and brush work.
E = mc2 Albert making the most of energy, mass and the speed of light in the sun of Palm Springs CA sometime in the fifties. No beach, but a pipe, deck chair and sun hat evoke his relaxed state of energy at rest…
Don Camillo – the post WW2 Roman Catholic priest in the small fictional Italian village on the River Po. His japes and escapades with the left-wing mayor Peppone a a thing of legend written by Giovannini Guareschi who was born on this day in 1908. The pair seen scooting about in a Moto Guzzi combination in true comradeship.
This movie poster has them dealing with a biker gang who comes into town. I loved the stories growing up- simpler times after the tumult of a war.
geordiebiker.com 