3 June 2011

For the riding...it's amazing.

So, I'm no good with all this sort of stuff, and Mycroft's in bed.

But if you're in the UK and you want to follow the TT (The greatest bike racing on earth) then you need to check some links out. I've been recording the shows and trying to watch each night. Danger says we can go one year - I would love to. Mad Sunday (you can ride the course, no speed limits...) is my dream.

The ITV site, with the live coverage and the replays

Here's an onboard camera doing part of the lap (each lap is 37.75 miles long.) This shows the different bits of the course - and how a lot of it you're out on your own, over the mountains, and gives a bit of an idea of the speed. It is all run on public roads - through villages, fields, etc.

And a compilation of some of last years' action.

And of course The Official Website.

Feel free to ask me any questions about it. I am fairly well informed. 'Geeky', John says. (But I'll still let him ask questions, too, despite him being rude.)

Oh, and before any of you lot make the connection, yes, this is tantamount to porn for me. You can keep your terrible writing, I'll keep watching the bikes.

33 comments:

John H. D. Watson said...

Mad Sunday (you can ride the course, no speed limits...) is my dream.

Do you have to qualify or pay or something, or do they just let everyone go at it?

Rider said...

I prefer actually racing to watching racing, but the TT is special.

See if you can find Joey Dunlop's commentary on riding the race. (It might be on V Four Victory.)

He describes what he's doing as a commentary over on-bike footage. Things like "You need to swing wide here to brush the tree branch with your shoulder so you can get the right line to just miss the wall as you lean over for the next corner"...

Lawless said...

Not all porn writing is terrible. Not all visual porn is terrible either. (And yes, women watch porn.)

At least Danger will know not to spend his money on porn for you except when he's using it to get back at you for that jacket.

John H. D. Watson said...

Also did you know that the first video youtube throws up after the one you linked to is "2008 MAD SUNDAY CRASH!!"?

humantales said...

It's funny, I was just thinking of y'all and the bike on my way home from work tonight. There was a group of bikers (maybe half a dozen) on the windy mountain road I was on and, while I was glad that the idiot contractor truck tailgater was behind me and not them (I worry about bikers), I was thinking about you and how much fun you'd have on this road.

One of the things Goofy would love to do is drive a racecar on an empty track, just to enjoy the speed. (I'll be sitting in the stands praying like the dickens if he ever actually does it.)

Hope you have good weather this weekend.

Anonymous said...

@Lawless The best girl/girl porn I know of is actually made by Australian companies, though they've had to relocate to Europe recently due to some DISGUSTINGLY misogynistic laws that got passed out here re:obscenity that basically made it near impossible to film any girl/girl consensual sex acts.

Yes, we are the "lucky country". My oath, we are. Lucky if you're white, rich, hetero and male.

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger - you just go for it! the course is open, although they do restrict the fast bits to one way traffic, for safety. you can get around it however you want - bike, car, pogo stick, your choice.

did you watch the crash?

Lawless - wasn't suggesting for a moment that all porn is bad. But the stuff over on Danger's blog seems to be being selected and shared purely because it is bloody awful.

John H. D. Watson said...

I did. It was actually less a crash than a slow motion tipping over, for all its capital letters.

Greg Lestrade said...

If you did crash and they had to close the course, everyone would completely hate you.

Did you slip Sherlock something last night? Can't believe he's still asleep. Although it is nice.

Bronwyn said...

Orio, the technical term you are seeking is amaxophilia. Or perhaps cyclophilia. *considers* In your case, possibly both.
TTFN,
Bronwyn

Greg Lestrade said...

Bronwyn, I think thats taking it a little far...it's not quite the same sort of enjoyment as watching porn.

Although it is close...it depends how good the racing (or, more aptly for conversations around here at the moment) how bad the porn is.

John H. D. Watson said...

If you did crash and they had to close the course, everyone would completely hate you.

Since that's incredibly unlikely unless I'm on the back of your bike - and then it would be your fault and they'd hate you - I'm not overly worried.

Did slip Sherlock anything, but he was up with nightmares around 3am. I think that's probably why.

John H. D. Watson said...

Did not slip him anything, I meant! Not a freudian slip, I swear.

Greg Lestrade said...

What was he worried about? He's not normally prone to nightmares, is he. Which is something of a miracle given his vivid imagination and love of the macabre.

John H. D. Watson said...

He said he dreamed the sky was going to eat him.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm going to have nightmares tonight about him scooping my brains out with a spoon, mixing them with liquid nitrogen and eating them. He's glared at me non-stop since I mention to Mycroft about going on the back of the bike earlier. But he did only tell me he hated me in a very half hearted way. Probably because he knows I can decide against ice cream. (although with you and M wanting it too, I don't think I actually could... I'd risk all three of you ganging up on me then and chucking me out of the house.)

John H. D. Watson said...

Never! Not even for ice cream. The half hearted glares may also be because you saved him from the sky in his dream - although I notice I'm still the one he chose to wake up in the middle of the night, lucky me.

Anon Without A Name said...

Sherlock dreams that the sky is going to eat him, but also dreams that Lestrade saves him. And when he wakes up from a nightmare he runs to John. The level of trust that you two have engendered in that boy is wonderful :-)

John H. D. Watson said...

Anon, the trust Mycroft is currently showing in L's bike riding skills is pretty impressive too. He looks much calmer than I usually feel!

Greg Lestrade said...

Hey! You said you had absolute confidence in me - you should be totally Zen-like on the back of the bike.

I think you're just miffed that Mycroft and I rode home, wind in our faces (well, crash helmets) whilst you and Sherlock had to face public transport in the blazing heat.

John H. D. Watson said...

...Maybe a bit. Or a lot.

Being zen-like wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

Greg Lestrade said...

I was surprised he wanted to. Not because of my riding, but because of his cartoon character helmet and bright green jacket.

Don't worry, I'll still let you on the back seat too. I like the way you've started to let your hands explore when we're stuck at lights, instead of just gripping my waist with all your might.

John H. D. Watson said...

Have to keep myself occupied somehow while you're bonding with you're bike.

Does this mean we're getting him his own stuff?

John H. D. Watson said...

your bike! Not you're. I do know that rule, don't know why I keep getting it wrong.

Greg Lestrade said...

It's nice. I enjoy bonding with both of you.

He hasn't said so yet, but I think he just doesn't like asking. I'd be willing to bet if we offered he'd bite our hands off.

Be handy if I can pick him up for weekends at home and things,when he's at school, or drop him at his classes for now.

John H. D. Watson said...

Sherlock may bite our hands off anyway. I can just about hear him willing himself to grow a foot.

Greg Lestrade said...

I did feel guilty leaving you to bring him home. At least he got a bit of a go...probably just enough to know what he's missing though. I just don't feel it would be safe to go faster with him, however much he pleads or threatens.

John H. D. Watson said...

The world can't always bend itself to his will. Better he starts to understand that sooner rather than later. And he's got something to look forward to.

Greg Lestrade said...

I agree. Sometimes I worry we spoil them...but then I can't stop myself.

It is definitely a good lesson for him to learn, though.

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, on that subject, I think the concept of chores needs to enter their lives a little more regularly. I feel semi-guilty about it because I am literally paid to do this stuff so why should they - but on the other hand, I know it was good for Harry and me, and I think it'd be good for them.

Anon Without A Name said...

Aww poor Sherlock. I loathed being the youngest in my family (although it sounds like being the eldest is no bag of laughs either).

At least he got to have a bit of a go on the bike, otherwise I'd be having nightmares about him exacting vengeance by scooping out Lestrade's brains with a spoon too.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, maybe we should make some sort of rota, or a list of duties or...something. I fear I'll be the one letting the side down more than anyone else though! What will you do to me if I don't do my share?

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, something to go up on the fridge where they'll see it all the time.

Hmm... I think I'll let it be a surprise.

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