Starting with me forgetting how to log into this site to update the blog - ok I know I'm a silly old git!
Anyway all - HAPPY NEW YEAR and hope you had a great Christmas etc and didn't get too drunk although I suspect you did!
So what have I been up to? Nothing much only eating at fine restaraunts, getting Brahms on beer and Bundy, sunbathing, watching the Poms (sure am glad I'm Welsh!) getting thrashed at cricket etc - the normal sort of things you do here in Australia. Yes I flew down to Adelaide for Christmas and ate, drank and got merry - well a tad more than merry!
On the speedway front I was at the Aussie Champs qualifying meeting on Dec 30 and what a damn good meeting it was with the top four, Isle-of-Wight bound Cory Gathercole, Tom Hedley, Tyron Procter (two to watch out for) and King's Lynn's Trevor Harding all fully deserving to qualify for the championship proper.
I then flew out from Adelaide eventually to Sydney. I say eventually because, having dashed to the departure gate to catch my booked flight (we got a tad held up en route to the airport!), nothing much was happening in terms of boarding the plane. A tannoy announcement explained that engineers were fixing a fault! Must say it was amusing watching several people turn very pale at that news.
We eventually boarded and took off some 40 mins late and I'd just got my can of Bundy from the hostess managing the drinks trolley in the nick of time really cos this big bloke, heading towards the loos suddenly collapsed like a deck of cards! Panic ensued as you might expect, we wondered if we might have to turn back or divert somewhere so he could be off-loaded and hospitalised.
Anyway the Virgin Blue air hostesses (NOT the prettiest I've come across I've got to say!) administered first aid including giving the bloke oxygen and, eventually I'm pleased to say he recovered and was able to return to his seat.
As we approached Sydney, we started flying around in circles - "congestion of traffic" was the short explanation but, eventually, they let us land and I was pleased to see my mate "Big Ron" waiting as I got into the terminal.
Now like most Aussies, Ron's language can be somewhat colourful at times so, as young 'uns might well view this literary masterpiece he basically said "where have you been?"
Wasted valuable drinking time hadn't I?!!!
Anyway it was back with him to his family home at Manly Beach where I am now - we saw in the New Year in some style - went to the pub this lunchtime and now he's akip as I type. To be fair though he was up and off to pop into work before I surfaced.
So plenty of more drinking to be done before we head off to Newcastle later this week for the first of the five rounds of the Aussie Champs.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
First there were the Bushfires - now rain and a power failure!
Well this latest trip "Down Under" of mine is certainly proving to be eventful! Arriving at the Gold Coast Speedway for last Saturday's Dave Booth Memorial Shield meeting, trophies having been collected en route, we were greeted by the sight of many people casting wondering eyes were cast skywards as the weathermen had forecast rain to fall at sometime during the day.
The sun shone on the righteous though during the afternoon and the programmed junior heats went off without a hitch as did the pre-1984 sidecar event.
As the day wore on, the clouds gathered above but it was still dry as the evening's programme began with a large crowd flocking in to honour the memory of "Boothy" - a rider who sadly lost his brave fight against cancer recently. Yours truly undertook joint commentating / announcing duties with Rob Darke as we "filled in" for regular track announcer Bob Leyden.
Halway through the evening's proceedings, albeit that the junior semi-finals were completed, it all started to go wrong! The track lights failed, the P.A system went up the swanee (I didn't touch a thing - honest!) and then it sstarted to precipate with avengeance! By then the first round of heats and part of the second round had been completed but there really wasn't any alternative but to postpone the rest of the meeting to the following afternoon.
So instead of my eagerly anticipated Sunday morning lie in yep, you've guessed already, it was up again at some stupid early hour and off to the track again! Of the twenty original riders in the main event, twelve were able to return to complete the programme with others unable to make it for a variety of reasons such as work, booked flights and, in the case of Alan 'Pop' Rivett, who I'm sure many UK speedway fans will remember, the fact that he had to set off on the 2/3 day drive to Perth!
A surprisingly large number of spectators returned - free admission no doubt helped - and World Champion Crumpie and another familiar personnage to UK fans, Scott Smith went direct to the final as the top two points scorers from the heats. The other two finalists were decided by a repechage which King's Lynn's John Oliver won this from Kozza Smith and Josh Grajczonek. Trent Leverington looked certain to claim second spot until he got slightly out of shape just before the chequered flag and Smith couldn't avoid him.
In the final as one might expect, Crump was a tapes to flag winner whilst the others rode three abreast for much of the first lap with Scott Smith eventually forging into second place, Kozza Smith third and John Oliver fourth.
After a few Bundies - well quite a few - it was back here to my mate Gavin's and, yippee a lie in this morn! Gotta ruddy well pack now though as I fly out to Adelaide tomorrow on a Qantas flight. Now why DO Aussies reckon Qantas stands for Queer And Nasty, Take Another Service???
The sun shone on the righteous though during the afternoon and the programmed junior heats went off without a hitch as did the pre-1984 sidecar event.
As the day wore on, the clouds gathered above but it was still dry as the evening's programme began with a large crowd flocking in to honour the memory of "Boothy" - a rider who sadly lost his brave fight against cancer recently. Yours truly undertook joint commentating / announcing duties with Rob Darke as we "filled in" for regular track announcer Bob Leyden.
Halway through the evening's proceedings, albeit that the junior semi-finals were completed, it all started to go wrong! The track lights failed, the P.A system went up the swanee (I didn't touch a thing - honest!) and then it sstarted to precipate with avengeance! By then the first round of heats and part of the second round had been completed but there really wasn't any alternative but to postpone the rest of the meeting to the following afternoon.
So instead of my eagerly anticipated Sunday morning lie in yep, you've guessed already, it was up again at some stupid early hour and off to the track again! Of the twenty original riders in the main event, twelve were able to return to complete the programme with others unable to make it for a variety of reasons such as work, booked flights and, in the case of Alan 'Pop' Rivett, who I'm sure many UK speedway fans will remember, the fact that he had to set off on the 2/3 day drive to Perth!
A surprisingly large number of spectators returned - free admission no doubt helped - and World Champion Crumpie and another familiar personnage to UK fans, Scott Smith went direct to the final as the top two points scorers from the heats. The other two finalists were decided by a repechage which King's Lynn's John Oliver won this from Kozza Smith and Josh Grajczonek. Trent Leverington looked certain to claim second spot until he got slightly out of shape just before the chequered flag and Smith couldn't avoid him.
In the final as one might expect, Crump was a tapes to flag winner whilst the others rode three abreast for much of the first lap with Scott Smith eventually forging into second place, Kozza Smith third and John Oliver fourth.
After a few Bundies - well quite a few - it was back here to my mate Gavin's and, yippee a lie in this morn! Gotta ruddy well pack now though as I fly out to Adelaide tomorrow on a Qantas flight. Now why DO Aussies reckon Qantas stands for Queer And Nasty, Take Another Service???
The Poms head to Perth to lose the Ashes as yours truly has another hectic weekend!
Oh the joys of being a Welshman seeing that the English cricket team - useless Pommies that they are - have now lost the Ashes with ease! The Boyos will hammer 'em at Rugby too come the Six Nations! Anyway whilst the Poms were being hammered in Perth, it was all go for yours truly over the weekend.
It was up at the crack of dawn on Friday for the start of a long, long day! Jeez these Aussies DO like getting up at ridiculously early times in the morning! Mind you we had good reason for we were off to a Civic Reception for Jason Crump at the Arts Centre at Surfers Paradise hosted by the Mayor - no less a personage than Ron Clarke the former 5,000 and 10,000 metre runner. Formal do it was too - I had to buy a 'proper' shirt and borrow a tie off of Gavin here for the occasion! It's been a long, long time since I had to wear a tie but I remembered how to tie a half-decent knot thank goodness!
From there it was a leisurely drive down the Queensland coast, a stop for lunch, a few beers and then it was off to a dinner in the evening in honour of World Champion Crumpie at a local racecourse and it was interesting to watch the trotting races from the balcony every time us smokers nipped outside for a puff!
And so, after a few hours sleep guess what? You've got it - up early on Saturday morn as Gavin and I set sail for the Gold Coast track for the Dave Booth Memorial meeting, collecting a mound of trophies en route.
It was up at the crack of dawn on Friday for the start of a long, long day! Jeez these Aussies DO like getting up at ridiculously early times in the morning! Mind you we had good reason for we were off to a Civic Reception for Jason Crump at the Arts Centre at Surfers Paradise hosted by the Mayor - no less a personage than Ron Clarke the former 5,000 and 10,000 metre runner. Formal do it was too - I had to buy a 'proper' shirt and borrow a tie off of Gavin here for the occasion! It's been a long, long time since I had to wear a tie but I remembered how to tie a half-decent knot thank goodness!
From there it was a leisurely drive down the Queensland coast, a stop for lunch, a few beers and then it was off to a dinner in the evening in honour of World Champion Crumpie at a local racecourse and it was interesting to watch the trotting races from the balcony every time us smokers nipped outside for a puff!
And so, after a few hours sleep guess what? You've got it - up early on Saturday morn as Gavin and I set sail for the Gold Coast track for the Dave Booth Memorial meeting, collecting a mound of trophies en route.
Phew! Finally got time to update!
Yep I'm having a relaxing day here at the home of current host Gavin just outside Brisbane before jetting off on my travels again tomorrow (Tuesday) when I'm off to Adelaide for Xmas.
So where were we? Oh yeah - I was off to Mildura for the meeting there after the bushfires caused the cancellation of the Ash Jones Memorial meeting at Broadford. Now hopefully that'll be rearranged at some point but at least I did get to see some action that weekend - mainly of the sidecar variety at Olympic Park (must find out if the Olympics were ever staged in Mildura - I can't recall that happening!) although there was some solo action.
Alas too there were gokarts buzzing around during the meeting too! Must confess I'm not a real fan of those or Quads come to that either... er... to say the least! Rather look at a can of paint if the truth is told although I wouldn't dream of opening it and using it mind you - that would remind me too much of married life! Still when the gokart thingies came on track, we hit the Bundy as you'd expect! Had to keep drinking as it was a tad warm that night.
After an overnight stop it was up at the crack of dawn on Sunday (anytime before noon on a Sunday is the crack of dawn for me!) and the trip home to Melbourne. Thankfully my host in those neck of the woods, Sir Lunchalot of the British Speedway Form fame, is a pretty understanding guy and stopped the car at regular intervals so that I could top up my nicotine levels!
Anyway after a relaxing day, many more Bundies and much hasty packing on Tuesday... I'm a 'bung it in the holdall type merchant not all this folding up neatly mullarkey' - it was on the plane for Brisbane once again....
So where were we? Oh yeah - I was off to Mildura for the meeting there after the bushfires caused the cancellation of the Ash Jones Memorial meeting at Broadford. Now hopefully that'll be rearranged at some point but at least I did get to see some action that weekend - mainly of the sidecar variety at Olympic Park (must find out if the Olympics were ever staged in Mildura - I can't recall that happening!) although there was some solo action.
Alas too there were gokarts buzzing around during the meeting too! Must confess I'm not a real fan of those or Quads come to that either... er... to say the least! Rather look at a can of paint if the truth is told although I wouldn't dream of opening it and using it mind you - that would remind me too much of married life! Still when the gokart thingies came on track, we hit the Bundy as you'd expect! Had to keep drinking as it was a tad warm that night.
After an overnight stop it was up at the crack of dawn on Sunday (anytime before noon on a Sunday is the crack of dawn for me!) and the trip home to Melbourne. Thankfully my host in those neck of the woods, Sir Lunchalot of the British Speedway Form fame, is a pretty understanding guy and stopped the car at regular intervals so that I could top up my nicotine levels!
Anyway after a relaxing day, many more Bundies and much hasty packing on Tuesday... I'm a 'bung it in the holdall type merchant not all this folding up neatly mullarkey' - it was on the plane for Brisbane once again....
Friday, December 8, 2006
Bushfired off - but beer's good!
Well tis 11.45pm here in Oz and we've just got back from the pub (where else would I go on a Friday?) and a "Speckled Hen session." Went down a treat!
Now since my last posting, I've experienced a real "first" in that tomorrow (Saturday's) proposed Ashley Jones Memorial speedway meeting at a place called Broadford, where I was scheduled to be one of the announcers, has been called off because of the bush fires situation here near Melbourne. Whilst there really was no alternative other than to call off the meeting given the current seriousness of the bushfire situation out here, you have to feel for the SSRAV (the organising club) and everyone involved who have put so much effort into organising the event and one can only hope that a suitable re-staging date can eventually be found. I was really looking forward to the meeting as, I'm sure, were a whole lot of folk.For those back in the UK though, trust me when I say having seen the news pictures of the bushfires, the situation is pretty serious indeed with something like 2000 firefighters deployed working around the clock in 12 hour shifts and the army has also been called in. So yes indeed, another first for yours truly - a speedway meeting called off not, as usual by rain as they are back in the UK, but by bushfire!
Anyway a rapid change of plan is thus required, alas, by my current host Howard Williams (no relation - at least we don't think so!) and myself and so we've decided to nip up the mere 400 or so miles to Mildura tomorrow morning for the meeting there as, alas Pioneer Park in Queensland where the Queensland State Championship is taking place, is a tad too far for my mate Howard to drive - 2,000 miles PLUS he tells me from here in Melbourne!
So yes we're off to Mildura with temperatures tomorrow forecast to reach the mid forties - that's Celsius NOT Fahrenheit! The things I do for this sport of speedway eh?
You lot back in the UK have it made with all that wet, windy cool weather you know! God it's hell out here....sunshine, heat with the sun beating down incessantly from morning until night, having to drink cool beer every day to combat the effects of that - albeit 'real' beer thank goodness, followed by a few Bundy & cokes; trying to avoid eye damage as I survey the beaches with all those bikini-clad beauties, let alone those walking down the streets "wearing" - er IF that is the right word - the miniest of micro skirts adorned left right and centre - er JUST (DON'T worry daughter, haven't found a stepmum...er well not yet anyway) ... speedway etc etc etc but I'm being a brave little soul and will do my level best to "suffer" all that, and more no doubt, until I'm scheduled to return to the comfort of the British Isles at the end of January!
Yes, as I said and as I'm sure you can imagine, it's hell-on-earth at times but I'll continue to be brave for the readers of this blog!
Now since my last posting, I've experienced a real "first" in that tomorrow (Saturday's) proposed Ashley Jones Memorial speedway meeting at a place called Broadford, where I was scheduled to be one of the announcers, has been called off because of the bush fires situation here near Melbourne. Whilst there really was no alternative other than to call off the meeting given the current seriousness of the bushfire situation out here, you have to feel for the SSRAV (the organising club) and everyone involved who have put so much effort into organising the event and one can only hope that a suitable re-staging date can eventually be found. I was really looking forward to the meeting as, I'm sure, were a whole lot of folk.For those back in the UK though, trust me when I say having seen the news pictures of the bushfires, the situation is pretty serious indeed with something like 2000 firefighters deployed working around the clock in 12 hour shifts and the army has also been called in. So yes indeed, another first for yours truly - a speedway meeting called off not, as usual by rain as they are back in the UK, but by bushfire!
Anyway a rapid change of plan is thus required, alas, by my current host Howard Williams (no relation - at least we don't think so!) and myself and so we've decided to nip up the mere 400 or so miles to Mildura tomorrow morning for the meeting there as, alas Pioneer Park in Queensland where the Queensland State Championship is taking place, is a tad too far for my mate Howard to drive - 2,000 miles PLUS he tells me from here in Melbourne!
So yes we're off to Mildura with temperatures tomorrow forecast to reach the mid forties - that's Celsius NOT Fahrenheit! The things I do for this sport of speedway eh?
You lot back in the UK have it made with all that wet, windy cool weather you know! God it's hell out here....sunshine, heat with the sun beating down incessantly from morning until night, having to drink cool beer every day to combat the effects of that - albeit 'real' beer thank goodness, followed by a few Bundy & cokes; trying to avoid eye damage as I survey the beaches with all those bikini-clad beauties, let alone those walking down the streets "wearing" - er IF that is the right word - the miniest of micro skirts adorned left right and centre - er JUST (DON'T worry daughter, haven't found a stepmum...er well not yet anyway) ... speedway etc etc etc but I'm being a brave little soul and will do my level best to "suffer" all that, and more no doubt, until I'm scheduled to return to the comfort of the British Isles at the end of January!
Yes, as I said and as I'm sure you can imagine, it's hell-on-earth at times but I'll continue to be brave for the readers of this blog!
Friday, December 1, 2006
Eureka! "Proper" beer found in Oz!
Mein current host here in Melbourne Howard Williams (no relation) and I decided to go out for a meal and a couple of beers last night and we came across a pub called the Oak Tree Tavern. And boy oh boy, imagine my delight when I spotted that they had 'proper' beer on tap! Yes indeedy not that lager muck that has to be served as cold as possible to disguise the taste but real bitter in the form of Old Speckled Hen! And by did it go down well! Even got Howard enthusing over it! I can see a couple of more trips to the Oak Tree Tavern in the next week.
Meanwhile I'm having a quiet day today enjoying watching the Poms tonk the Aussies and preparing for the club day at Broadford tomorrow.
Meanwhile I'm having a quiet day today enjoying watching the Poms tonk the Aussies and preparing for the club day at Broadford tomorrow.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Blimey it's cooler here - well it was yesterday! (Part 2)
So where was I before I had to go and pour myself another Bundy & Coke? Ah yes... back to the Morris household after Sunday's training session with Mitch Shirra (the keen buggers with speedway bikes that is - not I who propped up the bar!)
Well on Monday morn is was off to work / school for most of the Morris household except mum Wendy who offered to drop me into Townsville when I was ready as, despite being there over a week, I hadn't seen much of it with everyone out during the day.
She offered to drop me off at "The Strand" - a piece of coastline in Townsville that has been landscaped with walks etc and really is pleasant. She pulled up at what proved to be the end of The Strand furthest away from the main shopping area in Townsville and asked, "do you want to be dropped a bit closer to the shops?" "No this'll do," I quickly responded. "It's a fair old trot from here!" she warned. "No I'll be ok," said I - twit that I am! She was right, it WAS a fair old trot - about three to four flipping miles! Jeez I've never walked so far for donkey's years, besides which the old arthuritis wouldn't allow me to in the UK but out here? Well I struggled on slowly but surely, stopping for a cooling beer in a pub halfway of course as it was damn thirsty work in the heat I can tell you with the temperature in the mid-thirties - celcius that is NOT Fahrenheit!
Eventually, and I MEAN e_v_e_n_t_u_a_l_l_y (!) I arrived at the pedestrianised shopping mall, walked to the far end and phoned mein host Lee to see where I could meet him for a beer and a lift home. Guess where he suggested? Yep the pub at the OTHER end of the street where I'd just come from!
Anyways I met up with him, we had a couple and then it was off home via the bottleshop to pick up some Bundy, beer and vino for the evening as Mitch (Shirra) was coming around for dinner.
The meal was superb, the booze flowed, Lee and Wendy retired early as they had work in the morn but me and Mitch..... well we carried on! God knows what time we packed up but I confess to being somewhat Brahms which, when my alarm clock went off at 6.45am on Tuesday morn I decided was NOT the best of ideas! Packing was done somewhat hastily, Lee came home from work to drop me off at the airport as I was now off to Melbourne (via Brisbane) to stop with another mate (Sir Lunchalot of BSF fame!) for a fortnight. I lkeft Townsville at 10.05am - arrived Melbourne 6.25pm! BIG country is Oz! And guess what? Jeez it was cold - temperature only arounbd 23c NOT the high thirties I've been used to! Where's my overcoat I cried to myself!
Thankfully it's been up to about 32c today (Thursday) - MUCH more acceptable! Lunchy's oft to work in the morn (poor sod!) whilst I'm gonna laze around the house and watch the start of another test match tonking for the Poms!
Well on Monday morn is was off to work / school for most of the Morris household except mum Wendy who offered to drop me into Townsville when I was ready as, despite being there over a week, I hadn't seen much of it with everyone out during the day.
She offered to drop me off at "The Strand" - a piece of coastline in Townsville that has been landscaped with walks etc and really is pleasant. She pulled up at what proved to be the end of The Strand furthest away from the main shopping area in Townsville and asked, "do you want to be dropped a bit closer to the shops?" "No this'll do," I quickly responded. "It's a fair old trot from here!" she warned. "No I'll be ok," said I - twit that I am! She was right, it WAS a fair old trot - about three to four flipping miles! Jeez I've never walked so far for donkey's years, besides which the old arthuritis wouldn't allow me to in the UK but out here? Well I struggled on slowly but surely, stopping for a cooling beer in a pub halfway of course as it was damn thirsty work in the heat I can tell you with the temperature in the mid-thirties - celcius that is NOT Fahrenheit!
Eventually, and I MEAN e_v_e_n_t_u_a_l_l_y (!) I arrived at the pedestrianised shopping mall, walked to the far end and phoned mein host Lee to see where I could meet him for a beer and a lift home. Guess where he suggested? Yep the pub at the OTHER end of the street where I'd just come from!
Anyways I met up with him, we had a couple and then it was off home via the bottleshop to pick up some Bundy, beer and vino for the evening as Mitch (Shirra) was coming around for dinner.
The meal was superb, the booze flowed, Lee and Wendy retired early as they had work in the morn but me and Mitch..... well we carried on! God knows what time we packed up but I confess to being somewhat Brahms which, when my alarm clock went off at 6.45am on Tuesday morn I decided was NOT the best of ideas! Packing was done somewhat hastily, Lee came home from work to drop me off at the airport as I was now off to Melbourne (via Brisbane) to stop with another mate (Sir Lunchalot of BSF fame!) for a fortnight. I lkeft Townsville at 10.05am - arrived Melbourne 6.25pm! BIG country is Oz! And guess what? Jeez it was cold - temperature only arounbd 23c NOT the high thirties I've been used to! Where's my overcoat I cried to myself!
Thankfully it's been up to about 32c today (Thursday) - MUCH more acceptable! Lunchy's oft to work in the morn (poor sod!) whilst I'm gonna laze around the house and watch the start of another test match tonking for the Poms!
Blimey it's cooler here - well it was yesterday! (Part 1)
Well it's about time I brought you another update because a lot has happened since my last one.
As I told you on my last update, former Oxford rider Keith Pilcher and wife Marg came around to the Morris household for a couple of drinks and keep me company last Friday whilst Lee and Wendy went to a works booze up. It was a good night at the Morris Household AND at the Works booze up judging by the grin on Lee's face when he and Wendy arrived home! Naturally of course, we carried on drinking when they got back!
On Saturday we headed up to Ayr and the meeting at Pioneer Park for my latest methanol fumes fix. Tad warm it was but, as ever, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time and trust me, Shelley and Rhino Ryan who run the circuit ensure that EVERYONE has a good time!
Now the meeting itself saw Veteran Kiwi Mitch Shirra, the old bugger, show that on occasions there's no substitute for experience as he recorded his second successive victory at the North Queensland venue.Having seen young Mitchell come over to the UK as a teenager, and ride last Saturday night, tis hard to believe he'll be 48 next birthday! Now if HE'S 48 next Birthday....bloody hell I AM old!
Anyway Mitch dropped just one point in the heats when beaten by John "Shags" Oliver who was having his first meeting at the track since returning from his successful season with King's Lynn. The final proved a disaster for "Shags" who was left stranded at the tapes when his engine dropped a valve and that led to Shirra leading from start to finish. Considerably more on 'young' Mr Shirra follows - trust me!
After the meeting, as you do at Pioneer Park, we all congregated by the bar (er...where else?) and celebrated the imminent 40th birthday of sidecar speedway legend Gary Moon in style and then it was back to Townsville, watching in awe as the burnt the sugarcane (somebody did tell me why they do it but blowed if I can remember!) - quite a sight for sure, before arriving home at some ungodly hour! BUT there was no lie in on Sunday morn - oh dear me no! Yes we were up at the crack of dawn (nineish!) for brekkie - DO remember I allergic to mornings people - and then back to Pionerr Park as Mitch was running a training school. 'Twas hot on Sunday - that I can vouch so the Bundy went down well whilst the young 'uns, including Nick Morris son of Lee, benefitted from Mitch's experience! To be continued in Part 2.....
As I told you on my last update, former Oxford rider Keith Pilcher and wife Marg came around to the Morris household for a couple of drinks and keep me company last Friday whilst Lee and Wendy went to a works booze up. It was a good night at the Morris Household AND at the Works booze up judging by the grin on Lee's face when he and Wendy arrived home! Naturally of course, we carried on drinking when they got back!
On Saturday we headed up to Ayr and the meeting at Pioneer Park for my latest methanol fumes fix. Tad warm it was but, as ever, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time and trust me, Shelley and Rhino Ryan who run the circuit ensure that EVERYONE has a good time!
Now the meeting itself saw Veteran Kiwi Mitch Shirra, the old bugger, show that on occasions there's no substitute for experience as he recorded his second successive victory at the North Queensland venue.Having seen young Mitchell come over to the UK as a teenager, and ride last Saturday night, tis hard to believe he'll be 48 next birthday! Now if HE'S 48 next Birthday....bloody hell I AM old!
Anyway Mitch dropped just one point in the heats when beaten by John "Shags" Oliver who was having his first meeting at the track since returning from his successful season with King's Lynn. The final proved a disaster for "Shags" who was left stranded at the tapes when his engine dropped a valve and that led to Shirra leading from start to finish. Considerably more on 'young' Mr Shirra follows - trust me!
After the meeting, as you do at Pioneer Park, we all congregated by the bar (er...where else?) and celebrated the imminent 40th birthday of sidecar speedway legend Gary Moon in style and then it was back to Townsville, watching in awe as the burnt the sugarcane (somebody did tell me why they do it but blowed if I can remember!) - quite a sight for sure, before arriving home at some ungodly hour! BUT there was no lie in on Sunday morn - oh dear me no! Yes we were up at the crack of dawn (nineish!) for brekkie - DO remember I allergic to mornings people - and then back to Pionerr Park as Mitch was running a training school. 'Twas hot on Sunday - that I can vouch so the Bundy went down well whilst the young 'uns, including Nick Morris son of Lee, benefitted from Mitch's experience! To be continued in Part 2.....
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Well another day dawns here in Townsville wth blue skies, temperatures predicted to reach 30 plus and the Aussies are still wacking that little red ball around the Gabba against the Poms. The peace and tranquility is only interrupted by the Aussie Airforce fighter planes playing silly monkeys above practising their aerobatics I presume - noisy buggers.
Anyway en route to do some shopping last night, we naturally called into the pub first and downed a couple (still reckon the Aussies serve their beer ice cold to kill the taste!) and mein host's missus Wendy decided to invest a few dollars on the Pokies. That's slot machines / one armed bandits to you and I! Rather than watch her I felt it would be rude not to join her and so I put a ten dollar note in the slot, the machine swallowed it and I quickly worked out which button to press to set the reels rolling.
Guess what? After a few spins, lights started flashing, bells started ringing and the upshot was that I walked out of the pub with 200 bucks for my 10 bucks investment. Naturally I spent a chunk of my winnings on a case of Bundy & coke!
Anyway on to what I'm primarily out here for - apart from the sun, booze, food etc - and that's speedway. I can assure you that no one is best pleased that there's been a big switch around in the dates / venues for the Aussie Champs rounds! Rather than start over in SA / Victoria, the series will now start in NSW! Can you imagine the outcry if this had happened in the UK? Ah well - just gotta rebook one flight so it hasn't affected me that much.
Soon be time for me to grab some lunch so better go shower / spruce myself up. Tonight former Oxford rider Keith Pilcher and wife Marg are coming around for a couple of drinks. Tomorrow, as I said on my first post, it's up to Pioneer Park in Ayr for my latest methanol fumes fix. Hope you lot in Blighty are not suffering too badly from the old withdrawal symptoms!
Anyway en route to do some shopping last night, we naturally called into the pub first and downed a couple (still reckon the Aussies serve their beer ice cold to kill the taste!) and mein host's missus Wendy decided to invest a few dollars on the Pokies. That's slot machines / one armed bandits to you and I! Rather than watch her I felt it would be rude not to join her and so I put a ten dollar note in the slot, the machine swallowed it and I quickly worked out which button to press to set the reels rolling.
Guess what? After a few spins, lights started flashing, bells started ringing and the upshot was that I walked out of the pub with 200 bucks for my 10 bucks investment. Naturally I spent a chunk of my winnings on a case of Bundy & coke!
Anyway on to what I'm primarily out here for - apart from the sun, booze, food etc - and that's speedway. I can assure you that no one is best pleased that there's been a big switch around in the dates / venues for the Aussie Champs rounds! Rather than start over in SA / Victoria, the series will now start in NSW! Can you imagine the outcry if this had happened in the UK? Ah well - just gotta rebook one flight so it hasn't affected me that much.
Soon be time for me to grab some lunch so better go shower / spruce myself up. Tonight former Oxford rider Keith Pilcher and wife Marg are coming around for a couple of drinks. Tomorrow, as I said on my first post, it's up to Pioneer Park in Ayr for my latest methanol fumes fix. Hope you lot in Blighty are not suffering too badly from the old withdrawal symptoms!
It ain't half hot mum - luverly jubbly!
Well my first posting on my newly created blog where I'll be detailing all the goings on as they happen during my latest trip to the Antipodes. Afterall I can't let my darling daughter be the only "blogger"in the Williams household now can I?
Those that know me will be fully aware that I'm somewhat allergic to cold weather so hence my trips each winter out here to Australia. Trouble is this time, every bugger has seemingly got in on the act as there's some sort of cricket matches going on out here I believe!
Now to me as a proud Welshman apart from Glamorgan winning, which doesn't happen too often I confess, I've no real interest in this particular sport especially as from what I've read there's a South African and and Australian (at least!) out here representing England, or rather the Poms.
Trouble is with all these cricket wallahs out here, cheap flights via Blue Virgin and Queer and Nasty Take Another Service are harder to come by that on my previous visits!
Anyway I'm here to watch a proper sport i.e. Speedway Racing - no NOT silly cars but men on 500cc motorcycles with no brakes racing each other around a loose shale oval going from 0 to 60mph (sorry kids as an old git I haven't got a clue what that is in kph) in a flash.
I'm also here for the beer - well no not the beer actually as I've yet to be able to find a pub serving a decent pint (well ANY pint!) of bitter out here - can't abide lager BUT there's the nectar of the gods that is Bundy (I'm slurping one now in between paragraphs!). Those who've ever tasted it will I'm sure know why I rate it so highly.
I'm also here for the warmth as I've alluded to earlier and it's been a pleasant thirtysomething here in Townsville, Nth Queensland today with the promise of even warmer temps over the weekend.
Can't wait, nor can I wait to be at my next speedway meeting at Pioneer Park, Ayr on Saturday. I'll update you on all the details next time.
Those that know me will be fully aware that I'm somewhat allergic to cold weather so hence my trips each winter out here to Australia. Trouble is this time, every bugger has seemingly got in on the act as there's some sort of cricket matches going on out here I believe!
Now to me as a proud Welshman apart from Glamorgan winning, which doesn't happen too often I confess, I've no real interest in this particular sport especially as from what I've read there's a South African and and Australian (at least!) out here representing England, or rather the Poms.
Trouble is with all these cricket wallahs out here, cheap flights via Blue Virgin and Queer and Nasty Take Another Service are harder to come by that on my previous visits!
Anyway I'm here to watch a proper sport i.e. Speedway Racing - no NOT silly cars but men on 500cc motorcycles with no brakes racing each other around a loose shale oval going from 0 to 60mph (sorry kids as an old git I haven't got a clue what that is in kph) in a flash.
I'm also here for the beer - well no not the beer actually as I've yet to be able to find a pub serving a decent pint (well ANY pint!) of bitter out here - can't abide lager BUT there's the nectar of the gods that is Bundy (I'm slurping one now in between paragraphs!). Those who've ever tasted it will I'm sure know why I rate it so highly.
I'm also here for the warmth as I've alluded to earlier and it's been a pleasant thirtysomething here in Townsville, Nth Queensland today with the promise of even warmer temps over the weekend.
Can't wait, nor can I wait to be at my next speedway meeting at Pioneer Park, Ayr on Saturday. I'll update you on all the details next time.
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