Tuesday Race Day

This was more like it, Tuesday dawned fine and dry. The 2 races due to run today were the 250/350 Classic Grand Prix and the Junior Manx Grand Prix. 

We had breakfast at the Pool again and headed out to Ballaugh Bridge to spectate from there for the first race. We had loads of time beforehand so we also managed to do a lap of the course which was great for Rob as it was his first one. It was pretty hairy over the mountain and Windy Corner was ..... very!

Rob and Doris at the Bungalow

and me at the Bungalow

Ballaugh Bridge was a great place to spectate from and it was superb hearing the old sixties 4 cylinder Hondas and Manx Nortons being given their head in their natural environment.

Rob at Ballaugh Bridge

I'll let the pictures do the talking :)

Nice landing

Retirement at Ballaugh

On the exit from Ballaugh

From Ballaugh, we took the back roads up to Ramsey to watch the next race (Junior Manx GP) from Parliament Square.

the approach to Parliament Square

and the exit

One of the great things about the TT and Manx is that you can move around so freely and get a very different take on the racing from 100m up the road. We wandered a block further up towards May Hill and were SO close to the action:

Love this bit of slo-mo video that Rob took on his phone from there....

With the racing over we headed into Douglas, following the coastal road through Laxey. What a beautiful journey, though very busy as the roads were still closed and everyone was heading that way. 

We went for a wander around the paddock and merchandise area behind the Grandstand for the obligatory t-shirt purchases! It always surprises me how relatively small that bit is - compared to say the Thundersprint, it really is very un-commercialised (no bad thing!)

There was a small classic bike show on Douglas prom, so we grabbed the now obligatory ice- cream and spent a very pleasant half hour drooling over the machinery there.

Beautifully crafted Vincent

and equally exquisite Triton with Trident engine

There just HAD to be a Manx Norton there!

Rob's favourite bike of the week - Yamaha TZ

This sweet Honda 350 Four was parked up nearby

 - I have a real soft spot for them :)

and this was my assessment of how large your testicles

need to be to race the Mountain Circuit!

A cracking day all in all. We headed back out to Peel for tea and a couple of pints then collapsed into the sleeping bags!