Sods Law

Well after a very wet few days the sun came out today sadly though Simon, Jackie, and Ellen left for the UK oh also Alex went too. I think they had a great time we Know Alex did for sure, after excavating an old house which reputedly was destroyed in an air raid of the area during WWII to quash mounting ressistance against the germans after the DDay landings - he turned up a couple of dozen carbine rounds and some 45 rounds from the cellar area, I am sure if we had left him he would have dug up some weapons too. Maybe worth a look later when there isn't too much to do...

Simon and family did get some good weather whilst here and not being people to missout we all managed a walk round Treignac - Wendy is missing from the photo's only because she was the one with the camera ;)

Alex was the first and only person in the pool (mind you the temp was a mere 60 degrees freezing)

and first in front of the TV!

And once back from our walk not wanting to miss an opportunity I got the tracktor out and cut the back area also giving simon a go on the retirement tracktor ;)

PS poor spelling is a feature of this blog!

We have been pretty busy since the last sign in, delays in posting are largely due to a very dramatic thunder and lightening storm which fried the modem in the desktop PC, so we had to wait for Simon R to come visiting with a replacement.

Since the large group (SEM) departed we have had 3 more visitors to who phoned up on spec one from the UK Pete (Speedy Pete) and one from Belgium Peter (Cochese) joined by Sarah (Simple) so Wendy has been kept busy cooking and cleaning whilst I have had the pleasure of leading a couple of rides to show off the excellent biking roads in the local area. So as we now have visitors coming to us direct from web searches I would say we are becoming a presence and the name Riders Rest is out there.

http://www.whereistonynow.co.uk/france08.htm

I have updated the official B&B website to include visitor feedback which you will see is excellent largely due to Wendy’s cooking and of course the quality of the bunkroom all wrapped together with our easy hospitality and welcome, or it could simply be the wine and beer on tap…

http://ridersrest.eu/guests.aspx

But I think we are getting used to the whole idea, our next guests are due on the 30th May, a couple from Sweden and a Farther and child from the UK both staying 2 nights when they leave we are invaded once more by a group of 8 from Southern Ireland on their way south to watch the MotoGP in Spain, Plus Sammy & Leon, Ron and his Pal turn up for the week, so I think my consumption of wine will carry on at a reasonable pace.

Right now though we have friends staying for a few days, Simon, Jackie, Ellen & Alex –Robinson, who might have thought they had come on a holiday, but we soon had them out working Simon digging out a flat spot with me to erect a pool (Wendy is mega pleased as she wanted one) and Jackie has been doing a spot of planting and pool erecting – Ellen and Alex both able to occupy themselves, Alex the explorer and Ellen the book reader. Today we have let them out for some sight seeing and they have headed south for better weather and to take in Rocamadour and all its splendour.

The weather has been pretty good well it was right up to Simon and family arriving so we are keeping our fingers crossed that the weather changes tomorrow onwards the rain can be a little depressing when you have traveled so far, still the weather in the UK is no better and at least there is a little bit more to do and see plus there is the peace and tranquility of Riders Rest...

no longer living the dream

The dream is our reality.

Well since I last posted we have been invaded by the South East Massive some 16 riders and bikes plus a support vehicle. http://85.92.73.245/~southea/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1955

here is a comprehensive page of pictures of the weekend well long weekend as it was the May Bank Holiday - www.whereistonynow.co.uk/sem08.htm - it was quite hard work for Wendy with all the cooking and cleaning to do but she carried it off like a professional everyone was well impressed with how she coped and the meals were exceptional even compliments from the Vegetarians. The weekend was a great success mainly down to Wendy...

The 1st rider turned up as expected on the 2nd May Scott who quickly found that the thermostat had ceased in one of the bunk room shower so we had to quickly source and fit a new shower tap unit - once fitted it worked like a dream. Saturday saw the rest of the part arrive. PaulR, Ian, FazerKev, Suzibabe & Nabber, Symbol, SuffolkGeezer, Bigbadmad, Jon, Delectable-D, PA&SV, Plus John soon to be known as The Hostage as he was not part of the SEM Group but a solo rider who was also staying with us - everyone accommodated and bikes secured we settled into one of Wendy's superb curries.

Sunday and we took a ride out to Oradour-sur-Glane, through some of the best twisties in the region, where we met up with Rainman who was the last to arrive. Once home we settled into a BBQ and the gazebo we had erected came into play.

Monday saw us ride out again and the departure of Scott - Tuesday and the main party departed leaving symbol, Suziebabe & Nabber, Rainman & Jon, and John to ride out again some fantastic ride-ing roads. Wednesday saw Jon depart leaving the rest of us to ride again.

Thursday saw Rainman, Suziebabe & Nabber depart for home and we were lft just Symbol and John, we left them to ride the roads of their choice until Saturday when Symbol the last of the SEM started the long journey home to the UK and the congestion.

John is still with us until Saturday and we have been out o Mt Dore for a ride the remainder of the time we have been out in the garden beating back the jungle and dodging the rain storms.

We have had a couple of serious storms one of which fried my modem so we are restricted to using the laptop to connect to the net, not ideal as all my applications are on the main computer.

I had a small accident today with a new strimmer one with a metal blade very powerful cuts down most things in its path making the old one look pathetic well I got a little too close to the bike trailer today and Bang! ripped the tyre wide open. bugger.

nearly forgot Joan and Tony popped in for a couple of nights - they are looking really well for their 4 month holiday chilling in Spain - check for yourselves...

Brilliant sunshine today...

Yesterday we had an afternoons riding with some other Brits around the region.
Guess what we did today...

Wendy also had her hair cut and I managed to cut the field again...

Working outside in the Rain

Well the rain is still with us but we just have to crack on so we have been out in the wet prepareing the ground for a harstanding to park the bikes on when they are not in the garage, as the only other place is on the road or in the mud (grass when it isn't raining). Plus it's tidier...

This is ready for concrete on Friday

I had a bit of a surprise in the post yesterday in the form of two speeding fines and that was just on the way to collect the kids on journey 1 so 3 more journeys worth of fines to come - I wait with impending doom.

Took the FJR to Tulle and the Yamaha dealers to get the front end looked at and the consensus is that the front tyre is deforming... so ordered a new set of Bridgestone BT-020's Shock Horror on the french prices but will be happy is the bike rides and handles as it should do.

Nothing to report

Well I have been feeling run down recently must be suffering from the "SAD" syndrome and feeling more like a fish everyday - when is this rain going to stop, we have much work to do but it is all outside now so pretty much stalled by the rain of late.

It even rained for the entire time the kids were over. Such a shame as they could have got up to so much more... I must admit the return ferry trips to collect and return took their toll on both me and the car (we will get over it) flying is the obvious answer just seems to elude Bethany's mum or probably more realistically she too realises it and take pleasure in refusing to allow Bethany to fly just to put me through the purgetry of 3 days on the road and ferry there and the 3 days back again...

I managed to squeeze in another mowing of the grass during a dry spell but incurred a puncture on the sit on mower for my trouble - I am hoping that the "puncture repair gunk (Ultra Seal)" I used to fix the slow puncture on the FJR will do the same on the mower though to be fair it is on the wall of the tyre so much more difficult for the liquid to get at. I have removed the wheel and given it the best chance and seems to be working - only time will tell.

I am having a problem with the FJR feels like I am riding on a flat tyre which points to the Headstock bearings so I rode the 100 KMs round trip to Tulle Yamaha dealership in the torrential rain today only to discover that they close on a Monday, Well at least I got out for a ride and re-confirmed my waterproofs still worked.

Mark and Kay are over for a long weekend so a bit of socialising is on the cards - something which is always welcome ;).

Tomorrow we start to lay out the border for a hardstanding to the side of the Pigsty so we can park up bikes and the car out of the way of traffic, Jimmy is coming over to give me a hand, and we will be using readymixed concerete so will be getting a quote once we have it all laid out and the hardcore down. will need some strengthening though as I suspect Joan & Tony will see it an ideal spot for a Campervan Park. - well we will have to keep our fingers crossed for dry weather or there is no cance any concerete will set in this rain...

We dragged the Kids around Treignac

This is the last day the kids are here so we dragged them around Treignac...

Took the kids to see the village of Oradour-sur-Glane

Well on Sunday and Monday I drove just short of 2000 kms to collect Bethany, her Friend Eden, Bobby and Chelsea to come spend a week at Riders rest.

But before collecting them we managed to get all the painting anf fixtures and fittings completed in the Barn now formally the Bunk Room or Club Room whichever you prefer...

The Bunk Room with bedding

Looking from the patio doors

The Bathroom looking from the door

The same bathroom looking from a seated position on the toilet

Thursday it stopped raining so we went to the village of Oradour-sur-Glane...

Oradour-sur-Glane is truly a unique memorial and one that genuinely evokes the meaning of one of the awful events of that time. Story

Saturday we went to Payrat Le Chateau as there was a bike French bike weekend intended to culminate with a mass bike blessing on the Sunday - however the weather has been so bad it was cancelled last week, never mind at least I was out on mine with Bobby braving a pillion ride through some great twisties in the torrential rain...

Just 1 more

coat of paint and the bunkhouse bathrooms will be finished... Phew! needless to say that will make me very happy. Mark and Kay arrived out here Monday with some Dulux vinyl Silk Pure White paint so we could finish off.

Sunday I am off on a round-trip to the UK and back to pick up Bethany and a Friend (Eden) and Bobby for a week or so over here hopefully the weather will stay as it is now - sunny and warm (still chilly at night though) they will be able to get out and about a bit otherwise it can drag a little if it rains all the time...

Be good to see them and Bobby as an extra pair of hands will be usefull clearing some more of the jungle, out there, up. Also I need help to move some building debris left by the previous owners and to level a few mounds...

We also have to clear an ants nest away as we will be utilising that part of the garden for a patio or BBQ area - found these the other day moving in. I incinerated them today but expect them back in a few days lol...

Well the snow has pretty much thawed and the rain has disipated for a whilewe have managed to cut the area to the back of the barn and the front garden area before a massive thunderstorm hit us. This phot is Wendy using the timer facility on her camera pretty good considering I wasn't in shot when she set it off, she claims er timing is perfect. It really depicts an old couple pottering about in the garden not sure where I was...

Good news is that the bookings are rolling in at a reasonable pace and to say we are pleased is a minor statement ;) so if you are intending on coming over you had better book real quick.