Life at Cubbie Towers

I bet you're all thinking that Gorgeous Biker Chick is just a lazy little thing, spending all her time painting her nails and idly flicking through picture books of Triumph motorcycles, nibbling chocolate and supping evaporated milk straight from the tin.  Well you wouldn't be far wrong, but generally I only get time to do those things for about 3 seconds a day.  Since the last lot of snow, the days here have been filled from start to finish with animal welfare.  With somewhere in the region of 80 sheep to look after, plus a pony and some fowl, not to mention the dogs and cats, it takes more or less the whole morning to put the feed out (especially if the weather is inclement at the time), lug bales of hay around, carry buckets of fresh water to the different fields and break the ice in the barrels and troughs.  That was the daily grind for the last few weeks, with Mrs BC and I wading through snow at first, and then mud, and now, finally, its drying up underfoot.  By the time we'd done all that, it was usually time for me to go to work - the paid version of it!  And then if you do a bit of maths, you can see that doesn't leave much time (or energy) to build bikes.

The first lot of lambs are now about five weeks old, but until last week, they'd been living in the steading on a full time basis because there just wasn't any point in putting them out in the fields, which were covered in a chilly blanket of frozen snow.  You will have heard many terrible news stories of sheep and ponies (especially in Wales) dying in the snow storms, and we're eternally grateful that we haven't lost any in those circumstances, but sadly we have lost two ewes due to the poor conditions, and last weekend we lost little Number 3 - a triplet lamb who was being bottle fed.  She tried to die once on us, the day after she was born, but we got her through that and thought she would be ok, but sadly it was not to be.

So for this weekend, the plan goes like this....tomorrow we will finish the base for another shed, which is being delivered and erected on Sunday, and at any time over the weekend, there are more ewes due to pop - just hope they can wait until Sunday!

So I haven't been able to do much in relation to the Gaffers Gallop, but I have, of course, been plugging away with the next issue of The Cub Mag (www.thecubmag.com) which will be available sometime around mid-end of April.

And I would post some pics of the lambs but can I get them from my Awesome Phone to the steam powered computer....no, you're right, I can't!!

Gaffers Gallop planned stops

Days and dates of the stops on the Gaffers Gallop 2013.

Day 1

Sun 6^th October 2013

Roche > Land’s End > Exeter

Approx 170miles

Day 2

Mon 7^th

Exeter > Malmesbury (lunch) > Leamington Spa

Approx 163miles

Day 3

Tues 8^th

Leamington Spa > Boroughbridge (lunch) > Carlisle

Approx 246miles

Day 4

Weds 9^th

Carlisle > Perth (lunch) > Inverness

Approx 263miles

Day 5

Thurs 10^th

Inverness > John O Groats (and possibly back to Wick to crack the 1000 mile barrier)

Approx 158miles

The Gaffers Gallop 2013 will attempt to stay on the roads that Edward Turner used in 1953.  If you know the ‘old’ roads in any of the above areas, please get in touch with the Gaffers Gang so that we can plan accordingly.

Putting us to shame....

No, no progress on Terry (Gorgeous Biker Chick's Terrier) or Yorkie (MFM's plunger Cub) but Scott-Scotty-Scott-Scott is really cracking on with his build for the Gaffers Gallop - 200 days to go..........if you can't be there in person join us on Facebook by searching for Gee-Bee Chick or The Gaffers Gallop 2013....or if you have a Terrier or even a Tiger Cub, why not join us for some of our journey?

Scott's Terrier in the paint shop

Coming together slowly - but not as slowly as our bikes!

And the beginnings of a luggage rack, which by the time I've hit 'post' will probably be completed and fitted!!!

The Gaffers Gallop acquires an Artist!!!

Very pleased to announce that Jean-Marie Guivarch has agreed to work on some sketches to illustrate the Gaffers Gallop 2013.  Personally I'd like to have a transfer made for Terry's tank, but I'm also thinking maybe the riders would like a tee shirt or some such other memorabilia.....

Here is the first sketch to give an idea of what Jean-Marie Guivarch can do - visit the website for more pics of anything to do with motors!

Young Mechanics Group

Here's a copy of an email I sent out to the Grampian Classic MCC today, in case anyone from outside of the Club is interested in getting involved.....

Dear all.

I've been trying to start a group to give young people a chance to try a hands on approach to old bikes - I now have a project bike that is suitable and the insurance is in place, so its all systems GO!!!

This project will start as a restoration (so will include every step from stripping it, to logging work done and pricing and sourcing spares etc) and will run until the bike is back on the road.

I would like YOU to be involved - you all have skills and experiences to share with newcomers to the hobby, so I am asking for any volunteers who would like to give up a few hours every month to help out - if we have a big enough pool of people, it doesn't need to be the same ones helping each time, we can create some sort of rota in line with the work being done on the bike so that your 'specialist subject' is on at a time when you can help.

You don't need to be CRB checked and formal quals are not necessary - all you need is a willingness to share your passion for building and riding old motorbikes.

Please get in touch if you can help out - currently looking for companies to sponsor the group by buying some overalls and a few tools, so if you work for, or know of any local firms who would like to support this idea, please let me know.

Looking forward to hearing from you.........

GBC!
Venue TBC but will be local to GCMCC HQ in Aberdeenshire.

Gaffers Gallop update...

Errrr, well, there hasn't been much in the way of bike building progress yet, for either Muckle Flugga Man or Moi.  MFM is slightly ahead because he's got all the bits he needs to build his heavy duty forks up and I've only just found out that I don't seem to have any forks for my Terrier!  I thought I could 'borrow' a pair that were on another frame but they turned out to be a bit bent....

On the positive side, the brand spanking new MITAS TYRES have arrived, along with some paint from RS BIKE PAINTS and a complete TAP & DIE set for Tiger Cubs (and presumable Terriers!) from ACME STAINLESS so once I get around-toooo-it, I can start cleaning up Terry's threads and reading the instructions on using the various primers etc that RS have sent.  

TWO HUNDRED & TWELVE DAYS TO GO UNTIL THE GAFFERS GALLOP!!!!!

PS I've got lambing as an excuse - have you been on Facebook and seen the pics?  

Look for Gee-Bee Chick and send a friend request.  Go on, I need all the friends I can get.....

VMCC Scottish Area Rep Election

The results of the election for VMCC Scottish Area Rep are in - sadly GBC is no longer your rep. Thanks for all your support over the last 4 years and thanks to all who voted for me - don't worry, I'll still be around and about riding bikes and all the usual stuff. Talking of which, gotta dash, work is a-calling'....