No Country

Just Western Swing. The Hoedown weekend in Preston was excellent. I'm always happy to see a big crowd so committed to style, both music and clothes. Everyone was sharp. They knew the lyrics and the moves. There were no tourists here.

Cream Tea

Spent an excellent weekend in the company of O Branch at a crazy pub near Buxton. The genius is, as always, in the detail; cream tea, haunted chair, pepper snorting. But adding a hot hatch car show and donkey sanctuary benefit gig was inspired. Thanks for an excellent weekend guys.

Ardbeg

I suppose there's worse places to be than in a distillery on a rainy day on a Scottish Island.

Bigsby

Here's one for all the guitar nerds out there. John Lewis at the Rock Ridge Rumble playing his Bigsby guitar complete with a D-dropper on the bottom E string. After only ever seeing them in books it's good to see one in the flesh. It's a lovely looking guitar with a great sound.

More steam

Just stepped away from the Rock Ridge Rumble for an hour to take a look around the Tanfield Railway. I seem to be growing quite fond steam power recently but I can't afford another hobby. Certainly not one that will cost me thousands in engineering but you've e gotta love all the big spanners, grease and steam.

Steam

I've seen the future and the future is stationary engines. And that's just the start until I can save up enough to secure and run a steam powered behemoth. Also, get into lawnmower racing before the big money spoils it.

Recipe

Barbecue sauce:

Tomatoes
Onion
Garlic
Dark sugar
Malt vinegar
Worcestershire sauce.

Blend up, stew down.

Easy

When you take your engine apart twice in two month it comes apart real easy. The thing is, if you do the job right in the first place you shouldn't have to do it again.

High

Tuesday morning is spent fighting through a fog of high living and great memories. Getting back to normal is difficult when you've had a fantastic time and the weekend feels like that is what normal life should be. Flanders chopper bash was a total blast. Great people, great bikes, high times indeed.

Power

Absolute power corrupts absolutely... So 1 watt of power corrupts about 1 watt?

Outlaw

It's a slow process to season a new pipe. Gradually building up the burn on the inside of the bowl in a nice ordered manner to prevent the wooden object that holds burning tobacco from burning in and of itself. It takes a bit of commitment which is why many new pipes come already seasoned and ready to smoke. But like all the best things in life, easy is not always best. I got this Outlaw pipe after my favourite pipe broke and I'm loving the size, weight and texture. Truly a sensual pleasure.

£11?....

... for a cup of tea?

Well when you put it like that it does sound like a lot. But the next one I make will mean each cup is £8.75 and the one after even cheaper. The rule of diminishing cost in relation to use means the more times you use something the cheaper each use is. I'm actually going completely out of my way to use my Kelly Kettle. Neat new toy; boils water around a central chimney fuelled by whatever. Yep, I'm a sucker for all that outdoor crap. Not sure how I will cope with it on biking trips but I guess I'll find out.