Ready, steady ....

Update on progress:

1. Jack has passed his bike test (well done !)
2. The flights to Reykjavik are booked
3. Worked out how to get into the city (how can it be 50km from the airport? I'm sure we will find out when we get there).
3. Guesthouse booked in Reykjavic

Almost ready to go.

Kit-tastic #3 - Warm and Cosy

Pro suit (in tasteful Yellow)

Two things the trip to Sweden taught me; my gloves are not waterproof and my suit soaks up rain like a sponge.

"Any fool can be cold and wet. It takes planning, cunning and kit to stay toasty" is my philosophy.

Pro Winter Gloves

So a quick trip to Buy More Widgets in Oxford and we have dry loveliness.

Checking for Trolls

Route map (approx)

Only a couple of months to go so time to check that riding in troll country is the same as back home. I needed to be in Sweden for a meeting anyway so swapped the plane tickets for Le Shuttle. 1900 miles round trip through France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. Result: No trolls (but I did see a verra nice red squirrel).



Here's the bike by the Baltic

RiDE product reviews

Essential kit reviews from the people who know what they are talking about. Some essential bits and pieces that need to be picked up before we head off to Iceland e.g. liner gloves, neck tubes, troll repellent.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/Ride/Product-Tests/

Practising on those pegs

Most of my motorbiking has been spent sitting down. Iceland has a reputation for being a bit gnarly - which means standing up

So off to Trialworld www.trailworld.co.uk/ for a day's training

Group of four of us kitted up, to questionable sartorial effect. Starting tentatively down the beginners course (see pic). Following excellent coaching, we all ended the day flying around trails courses and down greenlanes with broad grins across our faces

If you fancy some fun - I can't recommend Trailworld highly enough - even for non bikers!

Kittastic #2 - Triumph Sympatex Jacket + Trousers

Item: Sympatex Jacket and Trousers
Manufacturer: Triumph
Price: On loan / £300 (Jacket) + £200 (Trousers) new, but Triumph no longer produce this model.

Pros: Comfortable, lots of vents, comes with removable warm lining, looks pretty nifty (very important) and the zip-together system between the jacket and trousers is very solid.

Cons: The armour in the knees and elbows slips down alarmingly, which does not inspire confidence in its ability in a crash.

Module 1

Stage 1 (Module 1 test) completed!
Stage 2 (Module 2 test) in progress...