InvictaMoto's Döra the Explörer

I had a scroll through the onboard computer to see what other stuff it records. I had zeroed Trip 2 at the start of the Ashes Tour and the following are pix of the screens. sadly, it was a little dark in the garage and the camera prone to shake!! MPG on Trip 2 for entire trip Average MPH on Trip 2 for entire trip MPG on Trip 1 for the last fill-up. Lots of other stats are calculated, like miles to refill and the current mpg.  The latter only works when the bike is running! The mpg for each fill-up on Trip 1 are always different to the calculation done on the iPhone app.

The trip to Scotland has been the subject of a couple of other blogs. The one I shared with my brother, " The Ashes Tour ", and of course my own " On the Road Again ".   Dora  covered 1370 miles over the five day. I know this as I set "Trip 2" to zero before I set off from home and had a flick through the onboard computer when I got home.     Fuel consumption was always over 50mpg and hit an amazing high of          

The day started earlier for me that when I go to work. So much for a day off!  The alarm went off at 0630 and I was out and on the road at about 0720. The weather we have been experiencing over the last few weeks had to come to an end with a bit of a bang, in fact with thunder and lightning.  Over the weekend there had been a slight improvement, and Monday wasn't too bad.  At least I was able to wear my Joe Rocket mesh jacket. Tuesday though. It was overcast and the forecast (for all that is actually worth) has the day as showers with some sunny intervals.  As a result I opted to wear the old but still fully waterproof Frank Thomas jacket.  And a good job I did. Unlike a lot of more recent waterproof where the waterproof lining is removable called a drop liner, the old FT has it glued to the outer fabric.  I prefer this but like all of this style of jacket, the outer fills with water and although dry inside, it starts to get heavier and heavi...

I had 32 miles today today and the dealers is about 10 miles away, so I embarked on ride the opposite direction (twice) and turned around eventually arriving with 506 on the odometer. The panniers and hand guards had arrived along with the spot lamps and these have now been fitted. As the is quite steep and the rider sits do close I invested in an expensive piece of Triumph rubber that should stop the front of my jacket from ruining the paintwork. So there we go. Next service is due at 10000 miles. Tomorrow up bright and early to join the Thankful Villages Run!!

With about 80 miles to go to meet my minimum mileage for the first service we needed to get out. Yesterday's thunder and lightning might have passed but the forecast didn't look too clever with the sky grey and overcast. We chose to go to Sissinghurst Castle Garden, about 25 miles away. The first stop was Waitrose in Ashford for the free latte before the A28 run to the Castle. The A28 used to be a fast road with a few 30mph villages, now the nanny state has reduced most of it a hotch potch of 40 and 50 limits that simply spoil it. The ride was pretty good and for s Sunday in July hardly any really awful drivers out about. Pix taken on Claire's iPhone 4S...... And now a little nearer the first service.

With the weather still good, like the summer's we used to have, I decided that with miles still to be put on the bike it was time to try a run to work.  I set off a little late and the traffic wasn't too bad on the way up until I was a few miles from work when it all clagged up and the Mongville drivers took over. Dora at work The ride home was worse.  Sunny and the first Friday of the schools holidays. The same mongs on the road. Why can't they drive one behind the other and leave the centre of the room free for us in two wheels. I stopped for petrol at the Tesco at Poplar and entered the details into the app. Now that's more like it. MPG The ride home was better once London was left behind.

It's not usual that I double post to several blogs at the same time, this run is very important to me and so I'm going for max coverage. Dougie and Medwyn set off on Saturday to ride around the country to visit all 51 of the Thankful Villages. The Thankful Villages are the ones that rightly gave thanks that after WW1 all the men that went to fight for King and Country from their village came back alive. It says a lot that only 51 villages were that lucky. The run is if course for charity; the aim being to collect money for the Royal British Legion. I won't go into Legion history as that is available on the 'net simply by using Google. Suffice to say that even now, 99 years since the "war to end all wars" began in Sarajevo, we still have troops deployed across the globe. And men and women are being wounded and killed wearing the uniform of their country. War is still ultimately senseless and in the most part futile, but until it stops for...