Thundersprinters are Go - F.A.B. Frank

Every May the grubby but practical little Cheshire  town of Northwich hosts the Thundersprint motorcycle festival devised by our Frank Melling.  The main event is a GP in the car park, with 440 yards of endless right-hand bends on a dreadful surface but in the morning a cavalcade of motorycles around the town takes place where there is at least one left turn not counting the exit from the Tesco roundabout. There are also trade stands and other attractions over the weekend such as the stealth spitfire and greasy burger vans.  Andrew English gives a near factual account of the event here.

Participation in the cavalcade of Northwich town centre (closed off specially for the event) is now in its 4th year for Highwaylass and me: we (and Clarky) were invited to this event by Frank Melling through our  Daily Telegraph Motoring Section blogging activities for the first time some 5 years ago (and indeed Highwaylass became a DT MS guest blogger for a brief but golden period). 

Highwaylass and Ruby pose next to Ferguson Doodlebug in the cavalcader's paddock.

It's Ferguson Doodlebug's third year at the event but my 4th. Every machine requires a technical inspection  - even race machines that are not road legal are permitted to cavalcade but must be scrutineered first. The race machines feature heavily in the time trial later on - that is the ones that survive 3 laps of Northwich town centre.

 Here is the riders perspective of the cavalcade (warning - it's long...).

The main attraction appears to be the scantily clad Bennetts Babes supplied by one of the sponsors - the only way an old letch like me can get good frontal shots of them is by asking them to hold up a map showing where Jack Riepe lives.

This is the GP in the car park bit: here in the car park various classes of classic machine run a time trial over 440 yards.  This is scooter number 98 seen outpacing a portaloo.

No. 287 appears to have a rather large engine (or is it a domestic appliance on wheels?).

A Bender of a Royal Wedding German Weekend

Something's gone wrong here and I can't seem to insert my text where I want so do it yourself!

Famous Ruddesheim flaming coffee sure kicks a punch.

A bike clothing shop with a wind tunnel!

A bike clothing shop with an acoustic chamber!

My first ride.

I kindly point out two features on Germania to some french tourists.

A scooterist chatting to another one.

A bike clothing shop the size of 4 ASDA superstores!

A rubber articles shop and some Crocs(tm)

A bike clothing shop with all the visors in stock!

A bike clothing shop with beer on tap!

 For Jack: R.:-

Royal Spanakopita

In tribute to the Royal Wedding, Nikos World's chief chef has created a much improved spanakopita* recipe suitable for any royal waistline.

Toasted pine nuts, eggs, feta and cheddar cheeses, currants, salt, pepper, spinach, butter, olive oil,nutmeg and oregano wrapped in filo pastry and cooked in an oven.

The dome of Aghia Sophia Cathedral in Moscow Road, London

The perfect spanakopita served on Easter Sunday.

Shop window in Royal Windsor

*strictly speaking a spanakotyropita