Back in 1995 I was living in my truck while I decided what to do next after a spell criss-crossing the world while I worked in what is now Moto GP.

I had my little Honda scooter paddock bike tucked away in the workshop over the rear axle. El Perro wasn’t part of the deal as he was a typical Spanish stray but friendly with it if there was the chance of food.

He just followed his nose and arrived at my camp one day when I had a chicken roasting on the rotisserie.

This kitten that has taken up residence on the back of the scooter wasn’t part of the deal either – she had just taken a shine to me —

When you have a seven and a half tonne motorhome you can carry lots of toys and this big BMW 1100GS was in the back with the scooter – when it wasn’t on tour —

Oh yes – I had a tenderbum even in those days – hence the sheepskin seat cover, Maybe it was because of the punishment a day in the saddle of the Raliegh dished out – the grimace on my phissog at Motovun in Istria says it all —

Parked up by the Lim Kanal —

or posing in a field of daisies is probably the best place for the Raliegh —

But to be fair – she can’t be all bad although I’ve tried lots of seats during the nineteen years I have owned her and the best of the lot is this pneumatic number I picked up a few years ago near Frankfurt —

There’s some sort of pneumatic diaphragm arrangement at the rear and four squeezes with the fingers is all it needs to put sufficient air into the cushion to take the worst of the jarring out of the ride.

The white beach may look exotic but the tired ol face gives the game away —

Yes I took that selfie earlier today and the ‘exotic’ beach is made from crushed scallop shells —

Looks the part though —

Not sure if the beach will still be there next spring because that coast took a pounding at the tailend of last winter and the sections where the road was damaged and the houses threatened are currently getting some protection —

At least Mrs Tit lives high enough up the tree to be safe from winter storms —

And what’s with the Raliegh? Well – walking isn’t a comfortable option at the moment due to osteo-arthritis playing hell with my right knee. It may be a case of bolting the stable door after the pony has vanished down the lane but I’m planning to press the old bike into service to increase the range of movement in the knee and hopefully build up the muscles before I go for the op currently being offered.

Sounds great in theory but I’m running scared of the surgeons scalpel 🙂

Raliegh Maxim Hybrid