Pauls Adventures • Day 11, Monday 2 June, 2014

Dist : 31 km
Riding time: 1.57
Total time (including stops) :
Stops: 1
Climb meters up/down 375/391

My body needed the sleep-in till 8:00, and I packed up and left Mike a "thank you" note and key as he was sleeping off his 3:00am big night.

The weather was dry and clearing and a marshall waiting for a bus told me the 10:45 start had been delayed due to fog on the mountain stopping the helicopter getting up.

Having a flat tyre to start the day, I decided to combine fixing it with breakfast, which I bought at the local store.

The ride back to Douglas was undulating with Murray Hill being the highlight as I raced down at 71km /hr. Unfortunately, I had another flat at the bottom due to the morning patch giving up.

The first part of the race track I came to was quarter bridge, which was about 2 km from the start and the first major corner coming down Bray Hill. Some other spectators gave me advice and I decided I'd stay there as I was early for the now 14:00 schedule Supersport race start.

I had a prime spot against the wire fence with the bikes turning in front of us.

The 4 lap race started on time and the bikes leave in 10 sec intervals. It was easy to hear them coming. The corner was a tricky downhill right handed, so they were heavy on the brakes going into the turn. It was interesting to see the corner lines of the front and back markers. The bikes were considerably faster on the second lap, as their tires warmed up. At the end of lap two, they have a pit change. The final result was very close finishing at 0.5sec, from 10 secs at the start of the last lap.
Results:
1. Gary Johnson - on a Triumph
2. Bruce Anstey- a kiwi on a Honda
3. Michael Dunlop - TT Superstar (8 TT wins) and nephew of the TT legend Joey Dunlop (26 TT wins)

The Supersport final was followed by one lap of practice for the mad sidecar rider/passengers and then the earie silence (just a hum) of the electric motorcycle.

When the road opened at 16:00, the traffic went made and I cycled up Bray Hill to the start line. There I walked thru the pits and enjoyed seeing the bikes being prepared. One overwhelming impression is how accessable the entire race is. It's easy to go in the pits and also get an excellent, free vantage point.

The longest returner I met had been coming since seeing Agostini in the late 60s. They did have a presentation for a chap that had been coming to the TT for 60 yrs.

The ferry trip was smooth I a chatted with some other cyclist. I had paid £3 for a reserved seat.

I checked into my seaside hotel before midnight, and charged all the electronics ready for the ride to Carlisle tomorrow.