Observer Profile

period was over, for a while anyway. It wasn’t long before the skies opened unleashing the mother of a thunderstorm that lasted throughout the night. Although it wasn’t still raining in the morning, everything was saturated and the air was full of heavy damp mist. Our route took us through Titisee and onto the southern section of the B500 but no fun today, the wet misty weather staying with us across the Rhein, through Obernai where we stopped for lunch, over Mont St Odile, the Col du Donon and through the lower Naturel Régional Lorraine; a distance of some 150 miles, not lifting until we approached Verdun. We have visited our final hotel in Marre several times, it’s quirky, the owners are a delight and tonight was to be no exception. Unbeknown to us, it was Madame Hergott’s Birthday so she and Monsieur Hergott were sitting on an adjacent table enjoying a celebratory dinner with wine; plenty of wine and Champagne which, to our amazement, was opened with a kitchen knife! The cordial atmosphere warmed the evening and we wondered what was in store when John Parker asked Madame for another bottle of Champagne so she could teach Audrey the cork removing trick. Obligingly the Champagne arrived Madame placing it on our table in front of Audrey. Madame had had a few so we were surprised, concerned

even, when the ‘very large’ kitchen knife arrived. To much amusement and continued concern, she adjusted Audrey’s stance, her grip on the knife wielding it swiftly demonstrating the stroke and where she should hit the Champagne bottle to achieve a successful uncorking. Four minutes of hilarious tuition accomplished, Audrey went for it but only knocked the bottle over. A couple more minutes tuition and Audrey tried again, this time with much more confidence and determination and ‘wham’, off flew the cork, complete with the neck of the bottle, to rapturous applause. A great evening and great finale to a truly fabulous motorcycling holiday. We saw stunning scenery, shared wonderful experiences and rode some of the best roads Germany has to offer. Our thanks to John and Margaret Kidman, Malcolm Kentish, Vanessa Gilder, Kevin Davis, Roy Becken, Ron Luke, John Parker, Graham Lowe, Richard Nash and Colin Snow (Snowy) for making this such a memorable ride. Look out for Part 2: Higher Mountains, Steeper Passes and Great Riding in the February issue of TUG.

Events non-Report

Chris Johnson

This is going to be short, and a little sad. My personal circumstances have changed and not only have I been unable to attend any rides. but am unlikely to be able to participate in EAMG for a while.

Colin’s Full Member Ride on 13th February wass to Tarka`s Café, a distance of 167 miles. John Tipper enjoyed it. Mick and Alan’s relaxed ride on 20th February was to have been to the Scotsdale Garden Centre, Fordham, a 110 mile run, but was cancelled due to the bad weather and risk from storm debris. On 20th March the Scotsdale run was attempted again, and this time seems to have succeeded to the satisfaction of all participants. The final run of the period was Colin’s run to the Cafe Riverside at lckleton on 27th March. It appears to have been an intricate pattern of 175 miles of fairly local roads. They certainly had the weather for it!

I have some pictures sent by Barry for that last run. They are displayed in the Picture Gallery, since I had nothing else to put there apart from a snap of Phil Reader’s S1000RR acting as a coffin for an unfortunate bird.

This would have been my 79th Events Report. Let us hope that it is not going to be the last, since it would be a shame if such a long-running saga of scurrilous misreporting were to end with such a weakwhimper.

Observer Profile

Terry Sullivan

When and why did you develop an interest in riding a motorcycle?

It was 1998, I was working at Kodak in Harrow and travelling from Dagenham to Harrow and back daily. I used a Vauxhall Combo van and it would take 50 minutes to get there and anything up to 5 hours to get home, but on a good day an hour and 40 minutes. A few guys I worked with suggested I take my DAS and get a motorbike to cut my journey time down. I just dismissed it and said “whatever” and carried on wasting a lot of my life sitting in traffic. I used to travel to work with my brother. One morning he turned up at mine and we went to get in my van. I looked at the lock on my drivers door and noticed that it has been smashed with what I can assume was a screwdriver. After commenting my brother said “this side has been broken into as well” With nothing of value left in the van I decided to use the van anyway. As I opened the door the smell that hit me and made me re-coil, as it did my brother. Someone during the night had decided to use the passenger footwell as a toilet and had defecated there and used all my petrol receipts to wipe themselves, that's how they left the van except for 6 cans of beer in the back unopened. Obviously we had to go to work in my brothers car. Even after my lovely wife had cleaned it twice and decorated it with loads of air fresheners, I couldn't make myself get back in it, (even with my wife telling me its cleaner than when it left the factory it was built in). That was why I decided to take my test and get a bike.

How old were you when you first rode a bike? 16 years old

What was the bike and what were the circumstances?

I think it was Suzuki TS185 trial bike with knobbly tyres. It was a friends bike and he asked me to take it for a ride while he went somewhere private with a girl he had met.

Of the bikes you have owned to date, which was the favourite, if there was one? The bike I own now. KTM 1290GT If you were given the opportunity to own any bike on the market which would it be? The new KTM 1290GT

What is your favourite motorcycle related gadget? Its got to be my egg sitter cushion/seat. I use it on every bike I own and would recommend one to everyone who rides and suffers from numb bum.

Where is your preferred place to ride in the UK? North Yorkshire and Scotland And, overseas? I haven't been to too many places overseas but the south of France takes some beating for me.

If you were offered the opportunity to go on an extended bike tour who, family aside who would you choose as a riding companion?

I like to ride with anyone who rides a bike well, there's a few of us from this group who I tour with regularly (you know who you are) That's who I would choose to ride with all day long.

How would you describe to a non rider the attraction of riding a bike as opposed to driving a car?

The feeling of not being trapped and the exhilaration of accelerating and freedom a bike gives you.

When do you intend to give up riding?

I don't know the answer to that one but until I am not able to get on or off a bike I suppose.

Describe your scariest moment on your bike? I was on my way home from a group night, I was riding along the high street in Abridge when a van travelling in the opposite direction, by what I can only describe as a lunatic, decided it would be a good idea to frighten me half to death by veering onto my side of the road and headed straight for me. When the van got within 10ft of me he swerved back onto his side of the road. It happened so quick I didn’t have time to brake.