From the Sunny Side of the Solent

By John Bramall

"That Near Death Thing"

What to do when little, or no, motorcycling can be done? Reading is always possible, a book that has come to hand (kindly passed on by Claire Ballard) is "That Near Death Thing" - inside the TT: The World's Most Dangerous Race, by Rich Broadbent. Short listed for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2012 (it's a while ago) the Author gets inside the helmet of four leading motorcycle roads racers as they battle fear, fire, and family tragedy for a gritty sort of glory.

Guy Martin is a tea- drinking truck mechanic and TV eccentric who must now deal with the flip side of fame: Conor Cummins is the local hero facing a race against time as he battles depression and a broken body after falling down the Mountain at The Verandah. John McGuinness, ex-Mussel picker and a Freeman of Morecambe and Lancaster, is the living legend, fending off the ravages of middle age, for one last hurrah: and Michael Dunlop is the wild child living with one of the most remarkable legacies in sport.

Having developed a feeling for racing on the Irish Roads, and road racing generally, it is possible to empathise with the themes of the book, some are discussed at almost any race meeting, some hardly or not at all, some possibly are almost too difficult to discuss, and certainly impossible to answer. But being glued indoors more than normal, the book is certainly a good and thought provoking read.

Most of my calendar of bike events for this year, carefully crafted during the Winter, are now in tatters. Only a trip to the Dentist survives, the garden is ahead of schedule, and time has rather taken on the feeling of weekends in the 1950s, not enough to do. But we cannot be locked up, locked down, or even loaded up for ever, the spirit is indominatable, and I am recasting plans as other events fall by the wayside. All the bikes are ready to go, all MoTs have been extended by 6 Months, courtesy HMG, and once motorcycling resumes all jobs at home will be thrown to the four winds.

Events being pencilled in include re-arranged Brooklands talks (no dates fixed) events at the Sammy Miller Museum where there are hopes that things may be fully open by the middle of June. And any speed events would be especially welcome - the Speedway Season could even be extended well into November if circumstances are right (I hope it doesn't rain) and to date, and as far as I know, the road racing at Aberdare, in the local Park, planned for 18/19 July, is still alive .