Afternoon walk, Worcester: Monday, 4th September, 2017.

It's warm and the sun is shining over the river but 

there are no kingfishers in kingfisher territory today (boo!). 

47 sightings in 12 years now (just for the record). 

We're definitely getting better at it.

Walking back home we bump into a very friendly, if noisy, local Tom Cat.

An even more local Tom turns up and………

…….a noisy tense front garden stand off quickly ensues.

A chap emerged from one of the houses 

and acted as a referee and things calmed down.

Eventually.

MSA British & Midland Hill Climb Championships, Prescott: Saturday, 2nd September, 2017.

11:15-ish:

We have arrived and walked over the bridge from the car park 

so it's time to take a few shots of cars leaving the start line.

This is Andrew McBeath in his OMS 25 1298cc Suzuki Hayabusa.

We're hungry. What should we do?

Eat a hearty breakfast (Vicky's is a veggo) in the cafe or go and find
 Tony and Paula in the paddock?

Well, to be fair, we only had some muesli before we left home.

Fuelled up and energised we soon find Tony 

who's busy working with Bill to resolve a clutch problem.

We've been chatting to Tony and Paula for ages.

It's now one o'clock and they need some lunch.

Rear wing of Empire makes for a handy dining table.

Leaving Tony and Paula to their scran 

we attack the highest level of the paddock.

There's less oxygen up here Vic!

Apples.
Juicy!
But always wash 'em first.

Time to attack the hill.

Starting at The Start, of course.

Where else?

Aston Martin GT4 flies under the bridge.

Ashley Griffiths - 1585cc Caterham Hayabusa - attacks Orchard Corner.

Admiring Gloucestershire.

Not bad.

Debbie Dunbar - 1070cc DJ Firehawk Suzuki - rounds Pardon Hairpin.

Tony Levitt - 1000cc Empire Evo - flying past Pardon Hill House Pt I.

Tony Levitt - 1000cc Empire Evo - flying past Pardon Hill House Pt II.

Sharing Tony's car, Bill Chaplin lines up The Esses.

Chris Aspinall (we think) throws up some sparks
in his Empire Wraith at The Esses.
Extra points to anyone who can spot Vicky watching on.

Neal Coles - 1585cc OMS CF07 Suzuki - exits The Esses.

Looking down on things.

Richard Spedding - 1585cc GWR Raptor Mistral - hits the apex at Semi-Circle.

Gloucestershire continues to look not bad.

We have reached the Finish Line.

We can go no further.

Time to make our way back down.

Taking it all in at Semi-Circle.

Twisted Pt I.

Twisted Pt II.

You've b*gg*r*d that corner up, haven't you mate.

Shame-faced Oliver Tompkin - 4 Litre Pilbeam MP97 Judd - 

explains himself to the marshalls (one imagines).

Back down at The Bridge now and Richard George - 

1975cc Chevron B19 FVC - is doing the honours.

More fruit.

Crab Apples?

4:00pm-ish:

Back in the car park now where this Fiat 500 has been attracting admirers all day.

Off home now.

Fit Bit stats:

David: 7,174 steps, 3.38 miles, and 28 stairs.

Vicky: 8,800 steps, 3.7 miles, and 63 active minutes.

Croome Park, Worcestershire (with Roger): Thursday, 31st August, 2017.

10:30-ish:

The view across the park towards The Malvern Hills.

Beautiful weather today. Warm and fresh. Perfect.

Berries of some sort.

11:30-ish:

Bit cloudier now but still lovely.

11:45-ish:

Apples.

British MotoGP, Silverstone: Saturday, 26th August, 2017.

We have arrived.

Alarm at 6:30. Out at 9, and here at 10:20.

Not bad, given the Bank Holiday traffic.

Sign of the times.

Everyone's had their bags checked an' all.

Vicky's support team is safely inside and ready for the
first cup of tea of the day.

11:00-ish and and the Moto 2's are now on track.

Tom Luthi at Brooklands.

We know he's good and he's off to MotoGP next year an' all that,
but he's taking the p*ss here, isn't he?

11:30-ish:

They say that marshalls always get the best view.

View of The Wellington Straight as we head for Copse via the infield.

From a distance it seemed as though Silverstone had acquired a new permanent building.

But, upon closer inspection, it transpires it's the KTM Hospitality Unit.
Very utilitarian.

12:35-ish:

We've spent the short dinner break in one of the Copse Grandstands, in order to escape the heat of the midday sun (all Australians should note that this is said without irony), and now the Moto 3's are swarming out of the pit lane for their qualifying like angry bumble bees.

13:15-ish:

John McPhee celebrates the end of the session in the traditional way.

13:45-ish:

MotoGP's are on track now for both practice and then qualifying.

This is Marc Marquez flying down The Wellington Straight on his Honda.

14:15-ish:

We need some shots of MotoGP's going right to left but preferably with the riders on the 'bikes.

Danilo Petrucci (Pramac Ducati) displays how not to take Farm……..

….then slides over acres of tarmac run-off to a graceful halt……

……before being given a lift back to The Pits so he can get on a spare 'bike
and have another go.

Bradley Smith (KTM) and Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) demonstrate how
to successfully negotiate Farm.

Why are you taking a photo of me?

Vicky 'enjoying' a summer's day at Farm.

14:50-ish:

Cal Crutchlow (Honda) does a huge proverbial to celebrate
his 3rd place on tomorrow's grid.

Nicky Hayden.

Gone but never forgotten.

MotoGP continues to get more tribal year-upon-year.

Not sure we approve really. It's not football.

This is the Marquez tribe (altho' the banner is a tribute to the late and great Angel Nieto)
with a Rossi interloper having snuck in amongst 'em.

15:30-ish:

Moto2 Qualifying at Village.

We've sought the welcome relief of a grandstand again.

Good decision.

16:00-ish:

Just a small section of the ladies and their 'bikes who will be doing a record-setting
ride around the circuit at 18:00.

16:40-ish:

We're at the Main Stage now and Karel Abraham and
Alvaro Bautista are meeting and greeting.

16:50-ish:

Jack Miller.

Tito Rabat involved in yet another selfie moment.

17:00-ish:

Suzuki riders Alex Rins and Andrea Iannone.

More riders are due but we are too tired and worn out to stay any longer.

We're not as young as we were!

We got to walk back to the car park yet.

Fit Bit stats today:

David: 12, 669 steps; 5.5 miles; and 14 stairs.

Vicky: 14k steps; 5.7 miles; and 99 active minutes.