You may have noticed, dear reader, a certain lack of news or content of any description over the festive period.

This was wholly intentional on my part as a recharging of batteries was required and to come back in 2010 ready for more motorcycling reporting.

You may enjoy my festive highlights (and lowlights)

• Drank lots of Guinness and homemade Sloe Gin

• Read Old Bike Mart, Motorcycle Sport & Leisure, Real Classic and Classic Bike Guide

• Finished reading The Hunt For Puerto Del Faglioli by motorcycle adventurer Paddy Tyson, which I thoroughly enjoyed – report coming soon

• Ate mince pies

• Cancelled motorcycle policy with Bennetts on TR6C, which was sold recently, and got ripped off £30 for the privilege – note to self: do not use Bennetts again, use Bikesure instead

• Stayed up late, because I could, then laid in late, because I could, until was woken by the Postman delivering a recorded delivery “cancellation of policy” document!!

• Went to Plum Pudding Races at Mallory Park on Boxing Day, on Boris, and watched one of Pete’s oldest friends compete – a Grand Day Out

• Had a first and most definitely last experience – Christmas Dinner at a restaurant – company excellent, food mostly awful, price extortionate, nuff said.

• From the Shed – prep work on motorbike to be ridden to the Isle of Man TT races. Yes, I know it’s not until June, but forthcoming Shed timetable means forward planning necessary – it’ll never last! Boris now has a working front brake and is still proving to be fun, reliable and very Russian – contact me if you have any spares for sale. I shall be starting a new website shortly at www.uralmotorcycleandsidecar.com, to record our trip to the Ural Rally in Austria plus other Boris stories. The Kawasaki Z750 has found itself on the bench for the first time in 23 years, yikes! ..and we have a spark Yay!

• Renewed subscription to Real Classic

• Drank more Guinness and homemade Sloe Gin

• Went to see new Sherlock Holmes film – excellent.

• Received the December 2009 Horizons Unlimited Newsletter, their 77th edition no less, and it contained the news that their third DVD – On The Road – in the Achievable Dream series, which they bill as “Everything you ever wanted to know about motorcycle travel!” is now available, so have splashed out with my Christmas money and have ordered the first three DVDs and await their delivery as we speak

Those are our highlights and as we launch into 2010, we have two motorcycle trips planned this year – The Isle of Man TT and the 3rd European Ural Rally – and the calendar is filling up nicely with other events, roll on warmer days and longer evenings.