Sunday 10th August 2025 - Jack Taylor ride, meet up - Stokesley - Jack Taylor Super Tourist

 Sunday the 10th of August seen myself and Caleb once again making the 900 odd mile round trip south to Stokesley for the annual Jack Taylor ride/get together.

This year I was on the '83 Super Tourist while Caleb chose to ride his much loved Wester Ross. While my Super Tourist is always ready to roll it was still given a quick once over and lubed as it hasn't seen too much action the last 6 months as my Super Clubman is my everyday ride Jack Taylor.
Caleb's Wester Ross had a set of SKS guards fitted and while a bit tight in places on the front due to the close clearance, they worked fine for the weekend and the trip away.
We left home early hours of Saturday morning with a 9 hour drive in front of us according to Google maps. It was a bit wet when we left but just got sunnier and warmer as we went south. We had a hotel booked at Stockton on Tees so arrived there late afternoon, grabbed some dinner and then some much needed rest.
Sunday dawned sunny and warm which was a welcome sight. We were up and out pretty early for the 15 minute drive to the start where we pulled in to be greeted by Eric who was just getting setup. We quickly pulled the bikes out, adjusted and sorted and parked up while we got some breakfast. The rest of the morning was spent catching up with fellow enthusiasts, friends, many of which I only really see here these days, and looking at bikes and chatting about bikes. I really love this event as it is so sociable. It was great to see Caleb off on his own discussing the different bikes, components etc while being so welcomed. Quite a bit of interest in his Wester Ross especially as his is a Scottish built one where most down that way were built just out of Whitby.
We then set off on the ride over now familiar ground on a route that would take us to Swainby where we would all regroup for lunch at the Rusty Bike cafe. The day had gotten hotter as it went and it was brilliant riding weather as usual, over rolling hills through farmland on small, narrow, and very quiet back roads. Perfect.
Again a very sociable lunch before a similar ride back to Stokesley completing a really lovely circuitous route. It seemed to go by very quickly as it was a relaxed and chatty ride.
Once back we packed up and then sat about with a cold drink before eventually saying out goodbyes and heading for an early dinner at a nice hotel recommended by one of the locals. Nice it was as well.
Unfortunately Ken couldn't be with us again this year, he has been in care getting physio after a fall and so we wish him all the best for a speedy recovery and Eric will often call in and see him and give him our best wishes as well as visiting passing on our best wishes to Honor.
Somehow came away with some bits and pieces as usual, Eric had given me one of the original NOS cycling caps he got from Ken many many years ago, and then realising he hadn't any for Caleb he gave him one from the batch mad from one of the bike shows in America in the 1980's. Caleb didn't take it off for the next three days!
I did also buy Kens old musette bag. It was for a good cause the money being raised and the fact it was Kens I was happy to have it.
Caleb and I stayed at Stockton on Tees again as we had planned on heading to Grossmont to ride the North York Moors Heritage Railway. Caleb had been working so hard this school holiday with his job and with Heather being not well for most of it I thought he needed to have a break away before heading back to school.
So we had a great few days away as the glorious weather continued and the steam train trip and engine sheds etc were the perfect break. Old bikes, old trains and we both had a great few days away.
Caleb was back out on his Wester Ross again today so long may it keep him enthused for old bikes.

So here are some photos though Caleb took quite a lot with his film camera so once they are developed I will copy and post them here.

Jamie

Sunday 29th September 2024 - Black Isle Birthday ride with Brian - Long Haul Trucker

 Out last weekend with Brian for a ride through the Black Isle from Dingwall to one of the Garden Centres for a cracking lunch and some cake. 

Always a good reason for a ride. 

Brian was on his Voodoo with Alfine and drop bars while I was on my ever reliable Long Haul Trucker.

Was great to be back on the Trucker as it seems ages since I had a nice Sunday mixed terrain ride on it. This is the sort of stuff the Trucker excels at, dirt tracks, back country tarmac and laneways. Seem to have just been commuting on it this year and even those are few and far between.  

Nice weather if just a bit cooler than has been lately. Sticking to back roads and cycle paths were we could with the start few miles being around the shoreline on singletrack and dirt walking tracks. 

Good to be out after the rubbish weather up here the last month or so and also good to have lunch and cake for young Brians recent birthday. 

Hope everyone else is doing fine and getting the odd ride in. 

Jamie 

Sunday 07th July 2024 - Flying Scot Group BBQ - East Lothian - Scotland

 Sunday seen what was an informal gathering of a few Flying Scot enthusiasts gathering for a social Sunday BBQ at Andrew F's lockup near Edinburgh.

The plan was that a BBQ would be on from 11am with Andrews own very impressive collection of Flying Scots as well as many other historically significant Scottish frames on view, a couple of Graeme Obree bikes, and anyone wanting to come encouraged to bring their own Scot for everyone to see. I took the old tandem down with me.
What a turn out it was with a very big gathering of enthusiasts from the facebook group, ex racers, friends and new faces gathering to admire the many bikes, have a bite to eat and make new friends. A few Scottish racing royalty in attendance as well with Vic Polanski with a few of his grass track title bikes, Brian Temple who Andrew has his 1970 Commonwealth games silver medal winning bike, Ron Gardiner who raced the Peace Race on a Flying Scot early in the 1960's amongst other national and international races, Sandy Gilchrist and other very accomplished road and track men.
A great day was had by all for sure.
I travelled down to Brians the night before and we both headed down, spent the day down south before the long slog back up north. Very well worth it. Lots of people I had talked on line with and finally got to meet face to face and to catch up with a few old friends that I hadn't seen for a long while. Nice to meet up with Matt and Kenny formerly from Shand and especially to hear of Matts frame building now for himself in Glasgow.
Here is a couple of photos.

Jamie Nans Rattrays Star model

Sun 30th April 2023 - new addition - 1993 Mercian King of Mercia 653 Road Geometry

 Well a pretty driech day here today but I managed to get down to Brians and while the weather sort of dissuaded us from riding but we did make a car journey over to the other side of Inverness to pick up a bike, minus wheels that I had organised earlier in the week.

Perfect size, and complements my other King of Mercia nicely with this one being 653 like my tourer. This is road geometry King of Mercia and is due to be converted to 650b to allow slightly wider tyres. Besides it was a bargain as when I originally enquired about it, it was already a great price, and then the guy who was selling it said he needed the wheels for another project, I said that was fine as I wanted to try and convert to 650b and was there any adjustment on the price? He then almost halved what was a good deal anyway so I said I would take it. He held onto it until I was down at Brians and could go pick it up. When we got there it was far better condition than I was expecting so was well pleased.  
I got home and dropped my other Mercian wheels in to see if there were any surprises and no, all was as smooth. So this will join the project Que.
It is 653 tubing, 21" square, two bottle cage with rack and mudgaurd fittings, 105 shifters, crank, derailleurs, with Miche brakes and levers and a nice Mercian stamped Tange headset. This was the guys fathers bike but was too small for him so was moving it on. He did know it was on the cheap side but wanted it gone and also to a good home if possible, so I will do my best. 

Will strip it, deep clean it and regrease it next weekend hopefully. Then we will see where we are up to with components etc. I have new bar tape and a saddle put aside already for it.
I really like the colour and is what drew me to it, others not so much. 

After selling my other green road geometry King of Mercia I often regretted it and wished I had been able to hold on to it just to see about converting to 650b to allow a slightly wider tyre. So now I am lucky enough to be able to have another King of Mercia and also thankful it was a very good price which is what allowed me to do it. 

Here are a few photos from when I got home Sunday night and dropped the wheels off my other Mercian in.