Roman Bath

Or, more specifically, the Roman Baths in Bath.

We visited a few weeks ago, and enjoyed the tour.  There's an excellent audio system, which - as well as being multilingual - gives both adult and child versions and additional comments by Bill Byrson.

Although there was a fair-sized queue outside, it moved along fairly quickly (if you get offered the chance, tell the poet three words!) and once inside it never seemed over-crowded. 

The majority of the tour is underground - Bath must be hollow! - and the exhibits are very well displayed.

One example of the imagination that has been used is in the presentation of the 'temple pediment' stonework, which faces tiered seats.  You can either stand at the top and listen to the explanations, or sit in the seating area.  There's also the option of walking close to the stonework without getting in the way of other visitors.  The stonework is illuminated to show it 'as is', then using a projector to fill the missing detail and then to show how it would have originally been painted.

More: http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/

Take a tour: http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/Tours/Panomorphic_Museum_Tour/reception%20hall.html

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More Books from Kevin Williams at Survival Skills

Kevin Williams, of Survival Skills rider training fame, has expanded his publishing empire.  Until recently, you could read his articles either on-line via his web site or in a variety of magazines.

However, he's now widened the scope, with both traditional 'print' and iPhone e- versions, more details here (including free downloads of pdf 'minibooks').

The books include:

Also available for free, his blog.


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Ever Ridden a Chopper?

No, not a bike of the 'extended forks, ape-hanger 'bars and alternative lifestyle' type, but the whirly-bird variety.

The UK is served by a network of air ambulances, all - as far as I know - privately funded.  My local service is run by the Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust .

This year the trust is particularly interested in motorcyclists - but as fund-raisers rather than potential customers! :)

Amongst other events planned, the H Cafe in Dorchester on Thames will hold an Air Ambulance & Bikes day on the 25th Sept.: 'HELI - BIKES day'.

They're also offering speakers to come to your club nights, the opportunity of visits to their base (at RAF Benson near Wallingford) for groups, and even a fly-past if you are planning a major event.

I'll keep you updated as I hear more.


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Travelling with Mr Turner

When lawyer Nigel Winter takes a few days off to follow in the tyre-tracks of one of England’s greatest engineers on his way from Land’s End to John O’Groats, he finds far, far more than he expects. For Mr Turner designed the motorcycle that powered Marlon Brando to fame in The Wild One and also the Triumph Bonneville, so beloved of sixties tearaways.
Travelling with Mr Turner throws wide open a portal into another world. As the author travels north you begin to feel the ghost of Mr Turner, and his larger than life personality, peering out of the pages. Behind him looking on, are the multitude of ordinary working people from the 1950s and 1960s, their fears and hopes, and the weird and wonderful class prejudices and management styles of the day.

And as they ride towards John O’Groats, the author on his modern Triumph and Mr Turner on his Triumph Terrier in 1953, we encounter the bizarre history of Triumph Motorcycles.

Record breaking machines that sold around the world, and whose entire work force locked out the management just so that they could continue to make motorcycles and prevent Triumph from being consigned to history. A history so completely off the wall that it simply has to be true.

Travelling with Mr Turner draws the reader in to experience how life was lived in those post war decades of tumultuous change and Rock ’n’ Roll and how the legend of Triumph encapsulates an entire generation in a world now nearly vanished into history, but still somehow wonderfully alive today.

Witty, satirical and a truly riveting read, one that leaves the reader just begging for more!


Travelling with Mr Turner

Price £9.99 approx including UK p&p 160 pages approx, 198x128mm, Paperback, ISBN 978-0-9564975-4-3 illustrated

 
The book is available at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Travelling-Mr-Turner-Nigel-Winter/dp/0956497543/ref=sr_1_1/276-8051650-5210047?ie=UTF8&qid=1288213498&sr=1-1

Waterstones ( but not in store ) http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/nigel+winter/travelling+with+mr+turner/8140782/

Tescos ( again online only )
http://www.tesco.com/books/search.aspx?Ntt=travelling+with+mr+turner&Ntk=primary&VSI=1&Ntx=mode2Bmatchall&Nty=1&N=0

WHSmiths
http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=9780956497543