January 2025 Part 3

 

January 2025 Part 3

 

The reason for staying at the Taj was to be close to the venue for the event being put on by Dipjyoti and Depankur. The 6^th Manikanchan Nritya Mahotsav, 2025 Manikanchan Kala Manjari, Guwahati. It was amazing. On the Monday many artists from their academy performed some outstanding work and with the children’s’ dance class, some exceptional performances.

 It was an all inclusive group that included some disabled girls. All tribute to them for being part of the team and performing with credit. It brought tears to my eyes. The final performance of the evening was by Depankur the moves and lighting would have done any pop group proud.  

The next night was a full blown performance by Dipjyoti and Depankur a traditional play from the life of Rama. 

Again the choreography would have done the West End proud. At the end of the show Gita and I were invited on stage to receive honoured guest awards. What a night!

 

Sad to leave the luxury of the Vivanta Taj but it was not so good location for us. We moved to one of Gita’s brothers’ flat for a couple of days to spend some time with them and support their trade faire efforts. We went to a recording studio for Gita to have an interview with Pallabi Hazarika in Assamese which was published on Youtube  by the Kotha Studio about two weeks later and has received tens of thousands of views and hundreds of comments. I’m very proud of her, she did a really professional performance.

The next day we left the flat and headed to the India Club as a guest of our old friend Joonjyoti. We were there for the Magh Bihu for the celebration of food and is the reason also for so many Trade Faires.  There were celebrations at the club and we met some old friends from the UK along with some new ones. One was Rajib also a biker who had a number of customised  Royal Enfields. He had been touring the UK on his own on a Triumph. He is a man of adventure and we spent most of the evening sharing our experiences. Eating didn’t come into it somehow the evening disappeared with lots of Kingfisher.

Soon we were on our way back to Delhi for another wedding and more Bihu festivities. Back with Bhonti and a lunch time Bihu celebration at the Oil India complex. Most of the people we had met before. Today it was sunny but there was a chill in the air and we spent the afternoon around a log fire enjoying the singing and dancing. Next day Bhonti and Gita go to the(Hindi) ladies group. Bhonti is the guest of honour as she is translating her “just published” Assamese poetry book. The reason for going to the book faire in Guwahati was to get a copy for her. The publishers had not yet sent her some copies.

More celebrations at Bhonti’s Oil India club across the road from her. Next day the Wedding celebrations take place at the Gymkhana Club miles away. I was quite cold that evening and we managed to get a table next to the gas heaters. Just about kept me warm.

 There I met a lady doctor who was having the same symptoms as me. Lethargy, joint pain,+ no resistance to infection and no drive to do anything. I suggested she write a paper about it. We left about midnight and I was please to get home and warm. The last event for us was another Bihu event with the Assam Association of Delhi of which Bhonti is a member. Another afternoon of enjoying peoples’ company thank fully not being a celebrity and be involved in selfies with people I didn’t know I was sitting next to a guy called Omar who does allot of writing.

 I suggested he might want to write about me for the Association newsletter. I spent the next hour telling him about my motorcycling adventures, the cars I have built and a bit about my career. I was also bemoaning the fact that Assam was swamped with plastic waste with no way of disposing of it and put to him a solution for the problem. We exchanged Whatsapp details and shortly after we were called for food and after I lost contact. Later when we had got home there were a number of Whatsapp messages confirmed I had not lost contact.In a few days we were back in the UK to the cold and damp. Almost six weeks of intellectual discourse and time to reflect on our visit to India for Christmas and New Year. The last two postings and this one are only a snapshot of all the things that have happened and I will be writing it all up to keep my memory straight.

January 2025 Part 2

 

January 2025 Part 2

 

We travelled from Nazira to Bamunbarrie by car with Chinmoy. When we arrived at his home we were greeted  in the Assamese way with touching feet and being presented with a gamosa. It was the first time of meeting Chinmoys’ new wife and there was no time to get to know her before she caught a bus to take her to work. All the remaining family we had met on our last visit in 2019. The evening started with a beer and gathered around an open fire and as the evening progressed more people arrived to share our company. This was how every evening during our stay panned out. There didn’t seem to be any planning but it was incredibly social. 

Like last visit I had a choice of bikes, a 250cc Suzuki trail bike that I sat on and found the seat too high then I tried the 250cc Husky, a Husqvarna Svartpilen. I think that is an unfortunate choice of name and with twists of a few syllables had me in fits of laughter for hours. Just one to give you a flavour, Svartschpatten is one of my favourites. It fit me well and felt very manageable. The treat for me was going to Arunachel on the bike. Events and beurocracy conspired against me. It was a Protected Area, Gita could go in but not me. I needed a permit and as much everyone tried online no permit was available. It was very disappointing as at the border more bikers had assembled to ride with me. They went on to ride the fabulous winding roads of rural India and I returned to Bamunbarrie with Chinmoy and Jobal who made a recording of the day. It is too long for this posting but will appear in a reel. I enjoyed the Schsplaatven when wound up it performed and handled well. I would have liked to test its potential on some hills and bends.

After biking we paid a visit to one of Chinmoys’s friends in Moranhat and enjoyed chai and some snacks in the Fast Food Cafe which was safe for me to eat at. On our return we stopped to buy fish for the evening meal then retired to the camp fire for another social evening including this time some Bihu dancing. More poor “dad” dancing from me but Gita as graceful as ever.

Another flight and back to Guwahati for a cultural event with Gita’s dance Guru’s Dipjyoti and Depankur. Gita was due to dance but her health and smog in Delhi and Guwahati prevented any practicing but we had booked a luxury hotel the Vivanta Taj close to the venue for convenience. In the evening we had a visit from Chinmoy’s sister, Lakhu and her friend and had a buffet meal.

The next day we went shopping, first to Uzan bazaar for a specific Indian shop then on to a trade faire to pick up Basa’s wife Deepa and with Majoni, Utpal’s wife to go to a book faire to find the company that published Bhonti’s first poetry book, Gita’s sister. Then back to the trade faire for Deepa to carry on selling her homemade products, pickles, preserves and parochial wines. A busy day.

January 2025 Part 1

 

January 2025 Part 1

The first post of the New Year with hope trying to spring a surprise on us. Even so there are events planned to keep the posts flowing with optimism that the weather will play ball with fine, warm weather. We have arrived in Delhi for Christmas with Gita’s mother and sister and the grandkids. There was the Christmas build up with last minute present buying and festivities Indian style. Chinmoy and Lakhu arrived for a few days to meet Isaac, Ivy and the children. It was just like Christmas sharing gifts and there was still a week to go.

 

The next day there was a group visit to the Red Fort. Gita and I had to pay extra for being foreigners. There was a Christmas carnival at the Club across the road from where were staying. Great for the kids with bouncy castle, train rides and trampoline. That evening we were all together playing sitars, singing and reciting poetry. There was not enough room for dancing. It was a very special gathering. The next day Chinmoy and Lakhu depart back  to Guwahati after visits to a number of markets.

Christmas   was spent in the usual child lead mayhem and a buffet meal at the Eros hotel.

 Boxing day was a visit to the nearest Mall for children to play on the facilities there. On the 27^th Ivy, Isaac and children fly off to Goa and we fly off to Dibrughar and have more family engagement in Nazira. We were collected by Bharti, Gita’s elder brother and taken to the family home where Gita was born. Just ready for an early night when Gita’s other brothers and wives unexpectedly arrive. Christmas continues. Over the next few days we were on the Ahom people heritage trail visiting ceremonial palaces, temples, shrines and burial mounds near Nazira where Gita went to school and Sivasagar where she went to university. 

Over the next few days I had my best fun so far in getting Bharti’s eldest son, Rishi’s,  Hero Honda running. It was the one I rode on a family visit in 2014. I didn’t do much as I kept my hands mostly clean. As it had been standing some time it would not run and I diagnosed a carburettor problem that needed a removal and strip on the carburettor. It turned out to be a stuck diaphragm piston. With some persistence I got it free and a bit longer to make it smooth in operation Rishi assembled it.

It started and ran with choke but was not right.  It needed a little fettling, a touch more enrichment of the mixture and a tad more throttle it would start cold without doing  any more than a prod of the kick start. It ran well with no smoke from the exhaust showing all was in good condition. The reason is the atmosphere in Assam is very damp.

During this time of the year washing does not dry after 3pm and it is dark by 6pm. It just does not dry overnight so any ingress of moisture causes corrosion very quickly. The float needle was stuck because of this. To prove the point that it had been a successful job Bharti wheeled out the bike next morning and it started first kick with no fiddling. Rishi had learned allot from me as he did the work and I was

 pleased to do something useful.

Gita’s brothers and wives departed  for home in Guwahati and we soon  travelled to our next location,Bamunbarrie, and Chinmoy and Husky.

JC  January 27^th 2025

December 2024

 

December 2024

 

From the last posting it has been an up and month wet and stormy weather that has made life unpredictable. In the middle of November I had an episode of joint pain that made doing anything difficult. I could not get an appointment with my GP so went to A&E spending over 5 hours there to get told it was just a strain and to go home. It gives you no faith in the medical profession when they disregard the information you give them. Just because you look alright doesn’t mean you are. This level of discomfort prevented me from driving or riding and I had to postpone my visit to see Coops in Whitchurch to make a new cover for the El Cid.

I replaced the alternator on the El Cid because the old one was becoming noisey. The old one seemed to be OK but I stripped it down to check because I had felt some play in the front bearing which I replaced. Reassembled it was placed with my store of alternators in the loft of the garage .The next weekend was December Observed Sunday. A wet day with a predictable low turnout.  It was a day to hand out vehicle passes and get more recruits for the show next Saturday. I had been around to see Zero in Addlstone to choose the bikes for display and hand out entry passes on the day before. It was an enjoyable trip on the Kawasaki and mostly dry.

We have a trip planned to see relatives in India and needed to use all the suitcases we had one of which had a damaged wheel. The whole wheel mount had been knocked off. A regular occurrence on modern spinner wheel suitcases. The case structure around the wheel mount had fractured and needed reinforcing which I did with an aluminium plate and epoxy resin. Where it needed to be flexible I used double sided tape. Giving it time to cure it was reassembled the next day. With the bike show a few days away the trailer was got out of storage and assembled, tyre pressures checked, including the spare.

Weather warnings abounded Storm Darragh would reach us over Friday night. I got an Email from Morton’s about the Show has been cancelled. It was about four on the Thursday and it was getting dark. I phoned a few people to advise them the pending doom. My efforts

had come to nought. I was disappointed but relieved. I think it would not have been a good show for the club. Bad weather and having a stand on the first floor prevented two of our stalwarts with three wheelers from attending so the club turnout would not have been good.

Friday I put the trailer back into storage. It was lovely weather. Saturday started damp and did not improve. Gusts of wind increased in velocity so did the amount of rain by dark it was blowing and El Cids’ cover was being torn apart. I wondered what damage I would see on Sunday morning hearing noises of things breaking over night. Fortunately not much. The cover on the van had some damage. The El Cid cover fared worse with large tears in the roof and sides. It had seen its last storm. Luckily Coops had made time for me on the Wednesday afternoon. I arrived at two in the El Cid with material and fittings. At eleven pm binding was being sewn into the hem. The straps and elastics could not be fitted. That would have to be another day. After a torch light fitting the almost completed cover was bundled into the car and I prepared for the trip home. 

The business of the day had been concluded by 12:30. A tired but uneventful journey was ahead of me. I was home by 2AM. A long day! Needless to say I didn’t do much on Thursday but on Friday Snobs phoned to say the Buell was ready to collect. I did that in the afternoon. All was still not right but that will have to wait for another time.

 

November 2024

 

November 2024

 

I feel November is really the start of winter with endless grey days and chill winds that sear to the bone. Bonfire night has now been surpassed by Dewali where in Hayes it is an un-ending display of noise and light and upsetting the cat. I always thought fireworks were only allowed on November 5^th. It being illegal to set them off at any other time but now it seems you can do it when you like. Keeps the firework manufacturers going though. Observed Sunday on the 3^rd was dry and the absence of Louise left me in a bit of a dilemma. This was the Sunday to get things underway for the London Off Road Bike Show on Saturday 7^th December. I feel I missed an opportunity to get things moving. I would have to do more on line to chivvy things along as I thought Louise would be away for the event but fortunately has returned from a sad, needed, family visit home to South Africa.

I had a busy week. Washed the C3, cleaned a window box and wall pots of dead plants, Snobbs collected the Buell for repairs, moved the bikes around the garage and did some tidying up.  Went to see what I thought was going to be a Queen instrumental by candlelight but turned out to be a quintet that performed the best of Zimmer ( lots of film music). Enjoyable but a little disappointing. Sunday was a film of Mary Motorcycle billed as the first lady to circumnavigate the globe on a motorcycle. It was Mary Sievier on a BSA Bantam in the sixties. 

An intrepid lady with an invincible “can do” attitude. I had met her before at a presentation for the club but sadly she has now passed away. The Sunday afternoon was co-hosted by  Tiff Jeavons another round the world lady who put her personal insight into understanding what Mary had achieved. The film was an audience with Mary talking about her exploits. What a remarkable memory describing events of more than fifty years ago in vivid detail. I hope my brain lasts that long and is as sharp.  Enjoyed this much more than the music.

Tiffs around the world BMW

I drove Gita to Watford for her cataract op but sadly it did not happen as she was still on antibiotics. Tuesday I had my hospital appointment with the Speech and Language therapy. That day I had a painful ride on the Kawasaki. My left hip had cramp and I could not operate the front brake aggressively so I was riding like a granny. This was peak pain day. It had been building from Friday the previous week. I was not able to ride or drive for a week. I had been trying to get a GP appointment but could only get one with an Emergency doctor and because he could not examine me set me to the Emergency unit at Hillingdon. Gita drove me and picked me up five hours later only to be told there was nothing wrong; it was just a strain and needed rest. How can something that prevents me moving or Griping the steering wheel be just a strain? I have broken bones that have been less painful. So I have had to sit at home doing very little doing a few exercises to keep atrophy at bay and wait for recovery. I am taking the opportunity to catch up on relentless motorcycle races that  have taken place since my holiday in August. MotoGP, WSB, BSB, British Speedway and World Speedway. When I run out of these there is Motocross, USA Super Bikes and Australian Super Bikes and all the Rookies Cup races. I might just finish before the Dakar in the new year.

October on the Broads

 

October on the Broads

 

This is the article I promised from the October 2024 posting. This month has been busy doing bits and pieces and it was a welcome break to get away to somewhere quiet. Adrian, one of my brothers, organised it. I call it a hunting, shooting, fishing holiday a back to the wilds and engage with nature sort of thing. There is no hunting and no shooting but there is fishing and sailing and cruising with the outboard. Barry, my eldest brother at 82 declined getting aboard the dinghy. Recent problems with hip and knee joints was cited as the reason. Daily walks by the river and trips to the pub featured heavily in this holiday. The weather was kind for October with sunshine and light winds made sailing a challenge.

I had my annual visit to the Norfolk Motorcycle Museum at North Walsham. It is easy to find as it is right next to the Railway Station. I did a pit stop at Stalham Tesco on the way for fuel and a tin of chocolates for a present. At the Museum I talked for some time with one of the sons, the father, who I met some years ago, had started the Museum passed away in 2022 and the sons were continuing his legacy changing displays regularly. I did not have my phone or camera with me to take any pictures so this is from last year. He did ask me which car I was in this year I replied with ‘the El Cid with a new soft top’. Last year I visited in the Burton which he liked enormously.

We managed to do something in the boat each day taking it to Martham with the outboard or raising the sail and going across Hickling Broad. Favourite pub was the Nelson Head near Horsey with good food and a very good choice of real ales. It keeps drawing us back. Towards the end of the week there was the ‘Super Moon’ at its peak there was too much cloud  at night but it shone through eerily at day break through morning mist and was easier to see the next night. There were some memorable sunsets. Ducks and swans paddled by and there was even a kingfisher fishing. While sailing we chased a flock of coots along the river and even saw a big pike being caught. It was an idyllic week of enjoying the peace of the Broads staying in the aptly named “Quiet Hours” chalet on the river bank.

October 2024

 

October 2024

 

I am writing this at the end of the month thinking I should have written something sooner. Wey Valley Observed Sunday was the first on the calendar. It was quieter than usual with less bikes in the car park more because junction 11 on the M25 was closed than the prospect of rain during the day. It was just me and Louise on the shop. Louise had the card reader for sales and the appropriate software on her phone. I just moved the gear as required. Sales were reasonable and I was still able to take some photos of the day on my phone.

A bit of necessary DIY making a new bracket to hang the stick vacuum cleaner in the understairs cupboard. A little aluminium job to replace the moulded plastic fitting that I knew it was never going to be man enough to last.

I paid a visit to Whitewebbs Museum in the El Cid To give the car a test run in preparation for taking it to Norfolk.  It was also as test for me as I had been having trouble with my right knee and wanted to see how it stood up to being in the car for hours. I was able to test the seating position and found the recliner seat not as upright as I needed for painless driving. It made the journey to Norfolk bearable. The Museum was undergoing refurbishment on the top two floors but the motorcycle display was still open and expanding. I saw some new bikes on display and one I had not seen before  A Motom a purpose built moped  with a nice little four stroke engine reminiscent of the Ducati Cucciola. It was built in Milan and the engine was designed by the Lancia engineer Sola. The collection under the guidance of Chris (LE Club London branch leader) has developed an interesting display with more bikes being on show. I looked forward to my next visit to see the new arrivals.

 

I pack and set off for Norfolk and a rendezvous with my Brothers a few days later. I head for Martham Boat Yard with a three hour drive with most of the time spent navigating the M25 traffic clogged by a stranded lorry. Once beyond that the M11 then the A11 and the A14 for Norwich the driving improved, but not the weather. I did finish in the dry. I’ll write this as a separate posting along with my visit to the Norfolk Motorcycle Museum.

The return journey was drier but with just as much traffic making just as slow a journey. I was pleased to get home early afternoon in the sunshine. Over the next few days I did some work on El Cid. Checking oil levels, lubricating clutch and throttle cables and fettling the heater controls. They have wire cables and needed a bit of de-kinking. The drive shafts got some grease too.

Back from Norfolk it was time to get the Buell sorted. I arranged to drop it at Snobbs on the Friday. Friday came and the Buell failed to start. I jump started it and had to fill it with fuel. I would not risk taking it to the Petrol station and it not starting again. It did not run very well and would be a pig to ride in traffic as  it is so bad on the A40 to hangar lane in the road works. Repair day aborted. Snobbs is now having to collect it next week.

In the build up to Halloween we have the grandkids. Their mum, Ivy, tackled the first two pumpkins and I was in charge of the last one to entertain the kids while they were with us for a few days. The kids soon got bored with the tedium of scraping out the middle of the pumpkin a soup spoon at a time. Neither of them were strong enough to scrape out the core. After I had done the relief carving, which seemed to take all day, there was a demonstration after it got dark. Can you guess which one I did?