TT Races Isle Of Man

It is a year @wiseowl, where has that time gone? The men in leather and their bikes are currently screaming through my village as I'm typing this. Practice week is underway and they 'kicked' off this evening at 6pm. If you'd like to take a look at the link below you will find practice news there and other items. Keep an eye on the news adverts that flip around at the top of the page, there will be T.T. items to read if you click on them.

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/

If I'm still here on the island I will personally chauffeur you around to take in the scenery, outside of race times of course. You may not be aware that I'm hoping to move to southern Scotland in the near future, but I will remain close and still visit the island as my elder daughter is still living here.

Yes, we did get a battering here on Monday from the weather and unfortunately our camping visitors suffered. Community halls and churches were opened to give them a roof and a chance to dry out.

I hope to get out on the course at some time, possibly tomorrow evening when I'm in the Ramsey area to dine out. I will have my camera's with me.

 

Sheal thank you for the link !
http://www.iomtoday.co.im/

As a dedicated bike nut who has done most of Europe and its tracks and very nearly all of the race tracks in the UK it may surprise you to hear I have never set foot on the wonderful Isle Of Man .
In my trade or should I say my trade before retiring this time of the year is precious and hard to set time aside for anything other than work.
It is on my bucket list and just last night my wife and I said we must do the trip soon !

This year we are moving to a bungalow as my wife's health has deteriorated so the decision has been made. We are sold and had an offer accepted on a wonderful bungalow in a stunning rural setting just yesterday. The problem is we have overspent so old Charlie will do very nearly all of the renovation to keep the costs down.

So next year or the year after will be the target for us to visit the IOM and I will look upon it as a reward for the hard work coming my way !

Men in leather ?
Charlie back in 02 or 03 at Donington Parks redgate corner. Just a two laps later I highsided off the bike which was completely wrecked and I woke up in Derby Infirmary.. Mmmm

 

Also a self confessed bike nut.... Went the IOM 3 years ago and loved it, but prefer riding bikes so go to Europe every year instead preferring the roads and surfaces to the UK. ITS AWASOME.

I am watching ITV4 with interest, and would love to see mcguiness win the senior again, as last year he was injured.

 

Controversy with Michael Dunlop abandoning Milwaukee Yamaha to ride the BMW !!!!
Guys last year ? ......Mmmmm

 

@Charlie996, you'll love it and it's a great atmosphere between the bikers, with no trouble considering how many are here. A word of advice though. If you are coming here via the Isle of Man Steampacket (the only public shipping service) it will be very expensive. You will also need to book as soon as possible, a high percentage of visitors here now will book next year before they leave the island because it's so difficult to get a place on the ferries. The same goes for 'digs' unless you're camping. Below is a link for you to look at.....

https://www.steam-packet.com/

I knew you'd raced at Donington but didn't realise you'd had such a bad accident there. I hope it hasn't left you with any permanent injuries.

Yes, I heard the news about Michael Dunlop this morning that'll put the cat amongst the pigeons! The BMW wasn't on the island as of this morning and he wants to race it Saturday. I think he's pushing his luck.

I think it will be Guy's last year. I think his health has made the decision for him and I don't think the rumours about a celebrity career away from racing will come to fruition either. Yes, I think he may get involved in a documentary now and again but that's all.

There's a pub in my village about five minutes walk away and right now I can hear someone revving the life out of his bike, he's probably doing a burnout on the forecourt!

 

I think for some like yourself it's a one off visit, but for others it's a pilgrimage every year. An old friend of mine has been coming here for a couple of decades now, every year for either T.T. or MGP, or both.

 

I like young Michael. He is a complex character and to tell the truth I fear for him. His style and way of riding is incredible and makes me wonder what the Dunlops were fed ! But its his aggression when on the bike that scares me ! Sadly I have lost a few friends racing one being young Chris Jones who died at 15 years of age riding for the Red Bull rookies ate Cadwell Park and another being Phil Dongworth who had top 3 finishes on the Isle Of Man. Unfortunately I have lost quite a few on the road but the road is the real danger for bikers.

My accident at Donnington left me with injury's I still suffer with today and side lined me from riding a bike for two year as I was unable to pull in the clutch lever or operate the gear lever. But like all daft lads who ride I kept at it in the gym and with sufficient determination I returned to the track. But I just couldn't get back the speed and I was never very special in the first place

I absolutely love bikes and the IOM is right at the top of the bucket list. I can see from watching every second of program's on the IOM that the atmosphere is incredible ! But then I have found this at every track or bike venue I have ever been to in the UK and Europe.

To many bikers can look a bit rough round the edges. We are I think a strange breed where courting danger and the love of speed takes over . But the hearts of gold I have had the privilege of meeting and the just wonderful friends past and present I have have or should I say would be unobtainable in many walks of life. The comradeship is amazing

 

I think you're right about Michaels aggression and this applies off the bike as well, he has a certain amount of arrogance too and if he isn't careful the combination of the two will be his downfall.

Sadly your injuries forced you to give up racing, but do you think there comes a point in every racers career when something says it's time to stop? Or do you think a certain madness takes over with some of the riders, which makes them carry on when they know they shouldn't?

 

Well it was set to be the first race day today but sadly it went downhill from the start and was finally abandoned at lunch time.

Roads were due to close at 10am but with incidents all around the course this didn't happen. The day started with a helicopter crash around 9am at Creg-Ny-Baa, sadly the pilot and only person on board lost his life.

High winds gusting to 60mph on the Mountain Road delayed racing and road closure was set to happen at noon. The mountain road is made one way clockwise and this is combined with no speed limit (we have no top speed restriction here, where as in the UK it's 70mph) which makes it a dangerous place to be. Bikers can do any speed they like legally. However there have been incidents up there today which has kept the road closed and also incidents on other major roads elsewhere. At one point we only had one major road open. Because of the high amount of casualties during practice week and today our hospital was lacking beds for a time in A&E and ITU. This also added to the delay of racing.

With a bad weather update and the Mountain Road still closed, it was decided around 1pm to abandon todays racing.

Racing is on alternate days starting on Saturday, this allows for the unused alternate days to be used should there be problems on the course or with the weather, like today. In turn this causes disruption to the daily life of the island's residents. We are now looking at three days closure, today of course, tomorrow so today's racing can go ahead and Monday to get back on schedule. I live just off the course and many live on it, access to and from our homes is dictated by the closures, we have a choice of going out and staying out until racing's finished or staying in. Roads on occasions can be closed from 9am to 9pm.

 

Not the nicest of updates @wiseowl but occasionally this is par for the course at T.T......if you'll excuse the pun.

 

Have you any favourite riders @wiseowl?

 

I have favorite riders. I have utmost respect for each and every one of them but one or two stand out.
Guy Martin.. Just such a down to earth normal hard working bloke who has had the victory evade him so far. A character in his own right. I think and hope media fame doesn't spoil him.

Bruce Anstey. A real natural and raw talent polished now and one of the most likable blokes ever to ride the TT. He can surely only have a few years left and we will miss him when he retires.

Young Conor Cummins is a Real talent among so many more.

Perhaps favourites is not how I view them but if I had to pick one it would be the late great David Jefferies. I met that fella a couple of times and he struck me as being a really laid back funny guy and of course was a really ace rider.