The Expansion Chamber

Well racing started folks and how! It looks like being the most closely fought 500cc championship for years but who will win it? Phil Read, last year's champion or Ago who he dethroned, newcomer Barry Sheene or Lansivouri or will it be the surprising current leader Bonera? You guess is as good as mine. One thing's for sure. If Czihak, the winner of the boycotted German round wins in the Island it could blow the championship even wider open. Just as a matter of interest, Ago's romping away with the 350 on a Yamaha, dig, dig.

(Ed note I thought it was a Yamahahahaha!)

The BMF Woburn er Donington Rally in my opinion was a complete flop. It doesn't even seem to sound right. I'm sure I'm not alone in my views as only a couple of dozen people stayed to watch the presentations. It appeared that all that was being offered was a handshake (Ed note Yes Dave, I thought so too and I was supposed to be getting an award.) whereas at Woburn a hundred or more crowded round. Everything seemed to be running behind time even if you knew it was going on at all. For instance the first thing I knew when the gymkana was taking place was when it was in progress. When I asked if I could enter I was told firmly if not rudely that no-one else could enter. Then the Miss Federation, that was the biggest farce of the lot. A couple of dozen times I went round that arena while "Peter O'Sullivan" was giving a run down on the form in the Shell Sport Caravan. Just like the bloody Newmarket it was. Myself and another guy stopped and in the end they must have got the hint because next time round they told them all to line up. The only bright spot of the day was looking at other people's machinery, the concours and a couple of pints at dinner time.

No I don't think I'll be going to the Fosse Rider's Rally next year. Oh, by the way the BMF did have something to do with it even if it didn't seem like it.

Talking of the Fosse, we were invited to play them at skittles to start at about 8.30. So our said thing arrived at the merry time all ready limbered up for the match. At 8.45 there were a dozen Phoenixites in the Fosse club room while the Fosse Riders were outside in the car park chatting to one another. At 9.10 they wandered in and Mike F put up half a table tennis table which caused Jane to comment that she thought we had come to play skittles not table tennis. I thought it was a new game of diluted skittles. Anyway their Hon Chairman then proceeded to put one book on the table and announced that they were going on a walk on Sunday to which Alan T replied "Why? Can't you ride bikes?" The speech carried on for twenty minutes with something about stagnant marshalls and with much barracking from the Phoenix to the tune of it goes round and round and comes out his a***. You might think we were a bit rude but if their conduct to us visitors is anything to go by I think we were justified.

Anyway we lost the match on the last throw. I think their tactics were if they delayed the start long enough we wouldn't be able to see the pins.

We are having a return match with them at our place this time at darts so sharpen your arrows 'cause we are going to show them how to play darts and play hosts as well.

That's all this time. Ride on.

YDS