For weeks we have been watching this jumpy picture on our laptops, counting off the days, the hours the minutes...Then the day dawns and we set out for our annual visit to the road racing capital of the world. THE ISLE OF MAN

We set out from Reading early morning to "cruise" the 215 miles up the M40 - M42 - M6 to the pier head in Liverpool. Always, when we see the Lyver Birds in the distance round the next left hand bend we know we are on our way and suddenly stress leaves us like taking your coat off.

THAT'S THE LADS, TT BOUND

We were early so we had a liquid lunch at one of the pubs near the pier head with some other guys we met on the road into Liverpool. They followed us "because it looked like you knew the way". They were Swiss and it is their first time !

SO WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO THE 2004 T.T. !!

The lads' bike tickets were pre-booked months ago but we still had to wait to board the Seacat.

THAT'S ME, FIRST IN THE QUEUE

I was able to book to get me and the car on as late as 10/05/04 !

The fast ferry set off down the Mersey at half speed until it left the mouth of the river.

THAT'S US, FIRST ON THE FERRY

Then the "driver" opened it up and we flew across the Irish Sea.

With even more beer, an "all day breakfast" and a couple of large muffins inside of us, we now played spot the seagull, spot the seaweed, spot the oil rigs and then spot the Island.

A beautiful clear day, but the Isle of Man always waits until that last minute and then appears magically out of the haze.

LAND HO - ISLAND IN SIGHT

THE HILTON, FALCON CLIFF, TT TOWER AND POLICE STATION

THE REFURBISHED VILLA MARINA

We can see the fields and little white houses and we strain to see "Kneales Tower" at the Grandstand and the tower of St Ninians Church at the top of Bray Hill.
And there there they are !!

Now we are aiming for Douglas Harbour and the revs drop as we coast the last mile or two.

Getting off the ferry seems to take ages, but as the big doors open it is like the start of a Broadway Show as the Manx sunshine pours in like liquid gold and gleams and lights up the bowels of the ship. We are very impatient to be on Manx soil and we all jostle for pole position. We all take our turn to ride, drive or walk off the boat and that mass of people scatters to the four compass points of the Island. I have only a relatively short distance to go to my "homestay" but like every year, we all set off for a sighting lap of the TT course. What changes since last year ? Has the car crash at May Hill changed it at all ? Any major changes in road surfacing ?

This is of course NOT meant to be a fast lap, but one used to get the TT "feeling".

Up on the mountain, just up from Guthries, we stop briefly to look back across the Irish Sea to see the hills of Cumberland and Scotland to our right, and the hills of Ireland to our left. We then open up a bit to plunge down the run from Brandywell to the Start with that magnificent view of the south of the island. We can see the airport in the distance and a plane landing with even more fans..
Nice and clear -- Let's hope it is going to be as good as this all the time we are here.
Now call into the very first shop we see, buy postcards and send them NOW so we don't forget !!!

This year there are no early morning practices, so it probably means even later nights. It is a shame that this tradition has been taken out of the programme because this really was a special part of the TT. People can not believe that we used to get up at 4 am to go out to see motorcycles before the dawn broke properly. Some racers did over 100 miles before breakfast and we could stay up until early hours, sleep for mere minutes, yet get up again for the next morning practice. Surprisingly, the adrenaline kept us going and only when we got home after the TT did we collapse and sleep for 24 hours !
After being to the TT, your sleep pattern corrects itself very quickly and one feels very refreshed...

We now head for our residences to unload the cars and bikes.
A number of us have been regulars for many years but as one drops out (rare), another jumps from our standby list to fill the space. We all stay outside Douglas, since we have a variety of vehicles which lend themselves to events as they happen..
This year we are round near the 11th Milestone, opposite my favourite house on Cronk-y-Voddee. This section of the TT course was a favourite of Hizzy's and we therefore will remember him thus.

They even named
the 1994 video
"11th Milestone")

We car drivers can ride pillion where necessary (don't forget your helmet !) and if the weather is bad or we want to drink we have two cars with sober drivers while the rest can get bottled. When there is a car load we can chat and joke whereas on bikes all we can do is gesticulate !
We all go to our rooms and at least wash, but some actually change as well !! Then we all climb into the cars and head for our favourite meeting place. Some go to the Castle Mona to meet friends who have been here a couple of days early, but most of us go to the Hilton which has been a major part of the TT social scene for many years. Who can forget the Round Bar, Radio TT, The TT Supporters Club Dinners, Trade Functions and the Bikeshed ??

LAST YEAR ON THE WWW MANX RADIO WEBCAM
(THIS PICTURE WENT ROUND THE WORLD LAST YEAR VIA WEBCAM)
I now find time to phone Bernie Quayle at Manx Radio to tell him that I'm here yet again and we are pleased to hear ourselves mentioned on his late night programme.

Many peanuts and Manx-derivative beers later we decide to call it a fairly early night and since a number of us have been out of bed more than 20 hours by this time we are glad to hit the pillows. We doze, but the excitement of just being here is enough to allow only a deep doze. Then as the dawn breaks, we can smell the gorgeous odour of cooking coming up the stairs, so we tumble down to a breakfast which many of our party think is one for all of us.

And Cereal, and Coffee, and Toast, and Marmalade...

However, eyes widen in disbelief when they realise it is one each......

After this huge start to the day, we head out for Douglas and the sights. We are not disappointed for there is the Bay with the promenade already lined with cars and bikes...