Boat booked, bikes borrowed, boots bought

The great Journey's Blend escapade will feature Triumph and Royal Enfield motorcycles. Or, to be precise, one Royal Enfield and three Triumphs.

This was to have been my opportunity to ride a Rocket 3, graciously lent by Messrs Triumph, and the biggest production motorcycle you can obtain off the (heavily reinforced) shelf. But the hassle of actually getting down to the southern wastes of England to pick it up, ride it to Orkney and then somehow, after a week, get it back to Deep South proved too much of a problem for me. Given that I'm broadcasting right up to and including Wednesday 3rd June, when the trip begins with a rendezvous in Orkney.

Plans to borrow an Enfield also proved problematic, in that it was to be collected from Langholm, in the very far south of Scotland. And returned there.

So instead, I've managed to get hold of an old Triumph Trophy tourer for the week (1200cc of fully-faired mile-muncher), joining Rob on a Bonneville, the Rocket 3 (now being ridden by trusty snapper) and a mechanic aboard an Enfield AND SIDECAR! So we won't be going hell for leather.

I've booked the boat, seen the label for the planned bottling, bought a pair of Harbro Dealer Boots and a Hi-Viz jacket and...it's happening!