IoM TT 2015 Part 4. Please Drive With Care…Pics

Only two more days left of our TT week and so far it had been a rip-roaring success. Well sorry to disappoint everybody but today tuned out to be no different! Don got his bike sorted on the spot at the IoM BMW dealers and all the team was on hand when on the recommendation of our land lady we headed for a spot back at Cronk-Y-Voddy but a touch further down the straight.  We parked our bikes in a field behind the straight along with dozens of others and tried to make our way down to the spot we had been told about. Well it was like an assault course and came complete with bogs: We had to battle through undergrowth, ‘yump’ across a stream and clamber over a fence and onto the back of a steep sided grass bank to watch the races. Mountain goat Steve was loving all this, I on the other had was having little bother and much to the amusement of the others wound up shin deep in mud a one point, doing a very passable impression of a swamp donkey…deep joy…

Assault course being tackled

In the words of Flanders and Swan…’Mud, Mud, glorious mud! (look it up)

I eventually clambered onto the bank alongside the rest of the lads, covered in mud, sweating and somewhat out of puff…at was at this point another spectator pointed there was a nice easy path a bit further down the field…great…On the upside I least I wouldn’t have to make the trip back to my bike with the music from Mission Impossible playing my head!
It was a little while before racing was due to start, and I surveyed our vantage point. We had a good spot with undulating straight leading into a sweeping right hander. I noted the roadside  ‘Cronk-y-Voddy – Please drive with care’ sign with a wry smile…

Oh the irony…

I won’t mess about: the racing action from here was truly amazing and right from the off as the first of the 600s literally screamed past inches from me  at God knows what speed. It was a real jaw dropping moment, and the buzz didn’t fade all afternoon as bike after bike hurtled through this section. You could hear them approach, howling in top gear, surely right on the rev limit then in instant they were gone and off towards the bend and out of sight in 3 shattering seconds. The noise, the sound wave you couldn’t  merely hear but actually feel….wow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXe09SEqQcM&feature=youtu.be

The 600s and 675s were so fast that I barely credit that anything could go through there any quicker this side of a constellation class star ship at full warp! (showing my nerdy side here, but what the hell).  Hutchinson won this one with Kiwi Anstey and Guy Martin finally having an untroubled race to complete the podium positions.
The sidecar race was equally impressive. This time we did get to cheer on our local hero Hanks as the veteran racer finished this time, but the race was won by the Birchall brothers. It was interesting to note the differing styles of the passengers as they attacked the bend. So dramatic, this close to the action.
I couldn’t comprehend how anything could come through this section faster than the 600s we witnessed earlier, but when I saw the riders for the Senior practise on all out race bikes I was genuinely shocked that elevated speed was really apparent. Mind blowing is a well worn cliché, but here it applied in full. But as if that wasn’t enough Kawasaki decided to let their raw wild animal the H2R off the leash for a ‘demonstration’ lap. Generally demo laps conjure up bikes tootling past whilst their riders waving at an appreciative crowd…not this demo lap, oh Lord no…this ‘demo’ peaked at no less than 206mph!! Hillier going faster than even the senior TT bikes..incredible and a fleeting glimpse as it flashed past was truly awesome.

Close to the Hedge…

No idea who it is, but they were shifting!

Meanwhile Don remains as cool as ever as he surveys yet more of his land…

Sidecar action

Mick and Geoff close to the speeding racers

Having a terrible time…another Boy Band album cover in the making…or not

Senior practice and getting some air

Snarling H2R

WSB riders pootle past (comparatively)

So an incredible days race watching and yet again the weather was glorious and the setting stunning. A near perfect days viewing was rounded off by seeing a group of WSB riders come past on a demo lap, although they were doing a bit less than 200mph…This was our last day of race action before heading home so to have such a tremendous day was very lucky. So much in keeping with the pattern for the week. I even managed to bump into brother in law for a chat post race, as purely by chance I had parked my bike opposite his car.

Chance family reunion…

We headed back to base on a scenic run over the mountain, again missing the traffic and being treated to some really wonderful views. We parked up and took in the peace and quiet at the idyllic Lake Baldwin. So typical of this island that within minutes you go from watching some of the fastest most dramatic racing anywhere, to chilling out at a deserted lakeside.

How hard can it be to get lost on an island?

Taking the scenic route…far from the madding crowd

Andy and Steve take in a pre pint, pint back at the digs in Peel…

Back in Peel we headed for the beach side Marine Hotel for a post race day debrief and meal. The place is full of race fans and has a great atmosphere even if the decor is a bit dated and the fabric of the building somewhat careworn. But is a great place and the meals were hearty and a reasonable price. I headed outside to get some air and admire a near perfect 98 R1 that was parked up outside.

Me want…

I got chatting to a few lads including a BMW salesman who reckons he could get me to have one…hmmm, we shall see…not convinced. I even bumped into my brother in law again and we all enjoyed having a pint and the craic on warm summers evening as the sun set on a superb day while above us, across the bay the majestic castle silently kept guard.