The dusty shelves
There is part of my shed that I haven’t visited since November. It’s a couple of long low shelves that are normally hidden from view by 1970 T500 Suzuki. On the shelves there are 3 plastic tubs and a large duffle bag that have languished through the heat of a Perth summer and a wet autumn. I had hoped to get to them before winter but Covid 19 put a dampener on any enthusiasm to reach over the Titan and reacquaint myself with their contents. All that has changed now and there is an increasing motivation, bordering on urgency, to haul them out into the daylight and rifle through them - the first track day since the final round of racing last year is but a week away, close to the shortest day of the year. A week to check that the duffle bag has the 2 helmets I take to the track and they are clean and have polished visors. I am fairly certain I cleaned them before I put them away, but that was last year. A week to clean and apply silicone spray to my gloves and boots. A week to go over my race leathers, check the zips and tags, make sure the undersuit got washed, find 2 pairs of wet and dry knee sliders. A week to see if my back and chest protector still fit under the leathers, I mean I couldn’t have gained weight, could I? A week to see if the secondhand waterproofs I scored from Joe Loss can be wiggled into wearing the leathers. The red tub should contain tyre warmers, silicon spray, race tape, duct tape, half a litre of premixed coolant, extension leads, spare clip-ons, a couple of water bottles and the bag contains my coffee making kit: thermos, bag of Vietnamese coffee and metal filter and travel cup. The white tub will need the footpump and tyre pressure gauge added to what should be in there, race licence, bike log books, exercise book with bike set up records, spare race numbers, the container of special bolts, cable ties, spare rear set mounts, spare levers, lock wire and lock wire pliers and a set of open end/ring spanners. Then I have to relocate the folding chair, the front stand for the racebike, the auxiliary legs, made by Rob Fry, that turn my loading ramp into a ramptable - God knows where they have got to. The measuring jug and 10 litre Jerry are by the roller door, next to the little and large race tool boxes - both empty. So that’s something else, select which tools I need to take, or need to be taken for team use. Pliers, screw drivers, hex keys, sockets, drivers, mallet, electrical connections and that’ll be about half of it. That’s just stuff New addition to the pile of race paraphernalia to stuff in the car include a swag and sleeping bag, toiletries, spare clothes and small portable gas stove and food for the rider. I will need to take a bike too! The MuZ Skorpion is currently waiting on Australia Post to deliver a new set of emulsion tubes, the dyno work can’t be completed until they arrive... then there is a little oil leak to fix, bodywork to fit, seat foam to glue on, the clock is ticking. Maybe I will just have to take the road registered SZR660 or SRV250 if the parts don’t turn up. That’ll remove the need to take the tubs and tools, but I won’t be able to make that decision until the day I’m due to leave.... I’d better be optimistic and organised and get everything done. If you need me I’ll be in the shed...
Leave a comment