IoM TT 2015 Part 3. If Carlsberg did days at the TT…piccies too

What was to be an intense couple of days got off to a pretty innocuous start with a visit to the little cafe over the road from our digs. The much needed salad based start to the day was half the price of the cafe we used on the first morning and served to us by a disarmingly pretty (if somewhat pregnant…) waitress.
Today the selected iconic viewing point was the legendary Creg, or to give its’ full and glorious title, Creg-Ny-Baa where the racers spear down past Kate’s cottage and hurtle towards a sharp right bend that takes them in the last few miles back to Douglas to mark the completion of a lap. We had split into  two groups initially with Ollie, Geoff and Mick electing to take in a tour of the pits while the rest of us made our way to the Creg.
First race was the Superstock, a class for road bike based (mostly) 1000cc bikes that are barely any slower that full race machines. We got there in good time and secured a prime spot right on the apex of the corner. Despite being right next to a blaring PA it was a great place to watch the action unfold, yet again it was Hutchinson who claimed the victory, while Guy Martin was once again plagued with bad luck, this time a pit stop going wrong and delaying him. What does this bloke have to do to win a TT? Meanwhile poor old Hillier was a mere 0.023 seconds off getting a spot on the podium! I bet he was gutted too.

McGuiness tackling Creg-ny-Baa with his usual panache

Just chillin’ post race

Brass Monkeys…

Steve, Andy and me elected to move further up towards Kat’s cottage to take in the practice sessions for the side cars, Superbike and Zero electric bikes, the others electing to watch the run down to Brandish.

The trek towards Kate’s Cottage

Again the action was fast and furious and the view spectacular, as the racers sped past only a few feet from us. This is pure racing, you are not miles from the action and viewing it through a fence as you might be at a short circuit.  My favourite part was watching and listening to the bikes screaming down towards the Creg, then sweeping around the bend and on down the long straight towards Douglas. Just like when we watched from the Bungalow and the bikes hammered up Hailwood Rise you could all the gear shifts and they remained in earshot long after they had passed from sight.

You certainly get close to the action..

Steve, believe it or not is retrieving a discarded beer can, that lad will do anything for a drink…

The bikes parked up at the back of the pub at Creg-ny-baa

The Red Arrows were doing their annual free display in Douglas and on such a glorious day it seemed rude to miss it. But before that we had to sample some of TT week atmosphere in a bustling Douglas, parking up right on the pit straight near the world famous, boy scout operated scoreboard. We headed off to investigate the trade stalls and pit area and had a good explore. Amazingly  you can wonder freely in the pits and watch the teams at work on their bikes. It really does give a fascinating insight into the engineering involved and the size of the back-up needed to put a bike out on track in the best possible shape. We also checked out Okell’s bar and as we sipped a ice cool lager while basking in yet more sunshine I couldn’t help but reflect on brilliant the week it had been so far. The reservations I held on the way up to Liverpool were already nothing but a distant memory.

I wonder why these were so cheap..?

The pit complex, only a couple of hours later a bike park…only at the TT

To the victor the spoils

The brutal Kawasaki H2R in the pits

I think Andy longs to be a racer…

Ollie and Don just enjoying the rays and a cold one at Okell’s bar

Time was pressing on so we headed down to the sea-front to check out the air display. Once again our good fortune continued as we parked right on the centre line of the display. How did we know this? The official photographer was right there ready to take some proper snaps of the display!

Prime slot to watch the Arrows perform

So were in a prime slot as the 9 red and white Hawks of the Red Arrows swept in from behind the seafront hotels to give a simply breathtaking display. I have seen them a few times over the years, but they never cease to amaze me and the flying is genuinely jaw dropping. The level of precision and trust in their team mates is simply off the scale. The display was even more amazing when in a setting like Douglas Bay…clear, blue skies,  the sea glistening in the gentle evening sun light, tall ships in distance. Wow…

I think the pics speak for themselves here

A truly superb day was rounded off with a ride to the charming Castletown in the deep south of the island. We even managed to take in a little of the Southern 100 course, meaning my Thundercat had been on two race-tracks in a day!

Parking up in Castletown next to a couple of superb examples of the RD350YPVS N2

A superb meal in the excellent and very friendly Taylor’s restaurant was welcome after a long day out. They stayed open later for us, which was good of them. I had a good blast back to Peel with Andy, but poor old Don had to go very steady the back brake on his GS was giving some problems.

Peel Castle…very atmospheric

A few of us rounded off a very enjoyable day in Peel Legion Club, which opens up to non-members for TT week! A quirky little venue where Mick and I enjoyed ourselves admiring the military paintings adorning the walls, working out what battle and episodes they were of…I am a sad git at times it is true. All in another cracking day!