Day 5 another glorious day weatherwise and with no racing it was time to meet and greet my hosts the people of the people who live and called IOM home.

I thought the best way was to challenge them to answer some probing questions.

The first question being "Does God have a place in 2018 on IOM?"

The second being "What effect do you think Brexit will have on IOM?"

Armed with these questions I set about a ride to cover from Sound the Southern most point of IOM mainland (the Isle of Calf is a part of IOM a small island just off Sound but accessible only by boat) to Port of Ayre the Northern most point of IOM.

This ride was also to allow me to enjoy the scenery of this Island away from the track and to further extend my knowledge of the island's Geography.

The first port of call was to Murray's Motorcycle Museum so as to say hello again to owner Murray, get a new sticker as my existing one had weathered so much it was almost unreadible and to see what new exhibits he had.

Murray met me at the door and as well as giving me one of his new lanyards also gave me not only his new vinyl museum sticker bit also a new fairy Bridge sticker and three fairy good luck charms.

I know him well enough now to just ask my first question straight up. He looked puzzled and said ÿou don't really know me well still."

"Come into the museum your answer is abivious."

Right at the doorway a new exhibit stand featured a orange bike from the late 1990's No 59 it had a black bowtie made out of ribbon on the screen amd a small hand written plague inside the screen.

It reads God Bless you Dan

You are now with the greats.

RIP 30th May 2018.

Nearby sits a Honda RS125 from 1996

Manx Grand Prix Winner

Both have the riders name on the screen

Dan Kneen

Murray added "We have a Chaplain for the TT you know and his work is never ending.

The riders seek solitude from God also.

The families of riders killed each year often gain a new understanding of God;s role in their lives"

There were a number of new exhibits and a new additional shed added to house them such a Greeves, the 75cc Simpson that completed the 6 day trials and a trials bike collection.

On the way out I stopped at a RC51 Honda not just any RC51 but a SP2 version that the late Joey Dunlop had used. It didnt seem right as I studied it in detail, yes different footpegs, different grips and levers that is commonplace on a racing bike but the Vin plate was hand done and the number way too high, Murray came over and said you have been looking ofr a while what is the interest. I told him of mine and its low number as a fully homologated HRC bike. He told me Honda supplied this one as a non registrable bike but a later owner had put the bike on the road and got a special vin plate.

He them floored me when he said, "here are they keys I sure you know how to start one and warm it up"I guess my smile was similiar to a Cheshire cat as I went into the starting procedure automatically and soon the big V Twin was giving forth its characterist exhaust note and I became aware of a gathering crowd all clicking away and recording video. After a few minutes and constant throttle blips for them I noted the rising temperatures ( a common fault? with many V4 Honda;s so switched it off handed they keys back to Murray and quiet departed leaving the large crowd by now I guess wondering who the xxx was he?

Then it was on to Castletown and a visit to a locally owned store that always has different souveniors.

The value of the TT to these towns outside the main course is obivious by a sign in the main street that states Parking suspended until further notice MOTORCYCLES EXCEPTED and yes they were everywhere in the parking lot.

From Castletown I continued West until I turned South and thought I would probably be one of the few motorcycle riders to want to visit Sound as it contains only a memorial Thousla (2 way) cross and one cafe.

How wrong again the carpark was full of motorbikes and hundreds of people were lying in the sun mainly with some adventurous ones climbing the cliff faces or just lined up hoping to get served.

After photographing wonderful scenes I backtracked to a small town and located the local cafe opering from a stone building over 200years old and the cafe will be celebrating 80 years of operation later in August.

I selected an outdoor table and ordered inside. When I stepped out to sit at that table while my lunch was being prepared I arrived just as a young man had removed all the dirty plates off another table and placed them on mine. Well the people here are too nice to abuse so I walked over to his table said "mind if I join you at the only clean table" and sat down with him and a young lady.

He was South African but now living on IOM and she was a local.

I asked what do you do? "We both are youth Ministers with a local church" Bingo they are sure to want to answer that first question.

They talked about the 80000 population and how some 16000 are under 21 years of age with many "hating the boredom of the island and turning to crime, drugs and other antisocial activities while they wait to get off the island onto the mainland or as the locals prefer "the other Port"

They were planning their annual summer camp for 12-18year olds hoping their message would stop them going the wrong way, so naturally they felt God had a place in 2018 on IOM.

Changing topics I asked them about Brexit, they hadn't really worried as "the IOM is still isolated." However after a while they mentioned the EU funding of 5million pounds to have a trial of breeding Politically correct sheep and directed me to the location.

It to them and me was an example of sheer waste of money, Most farmers for centuries have had flocks of white sheep with a number f Black sheep in each herd to act as number references.

The EU project results were introduce black rams as the counter sheep and soon the flock would be white sheep with black faces. Guess it was too hard for them to research that for centuries the Suffolk sheep breed had been around!

With that level of mentality existing bring on Brexit.

The coastline and forests between the South and the North along with twisty roads finished way too quickly as I had arrived in the Northern tip of IOM.

I first went here in 2015 as solitude with the death of Connie so it was great to be back and gather 15 stones one for each year of her life to take back home.

Bride is the Northern most town surrounded by small farms most with sheep and cattle along with crops that provide foorage in the winter.

The actual tip is defined as Port of Ayre the location of the lighthouse warning shipping of the rocky coastline and shallow waters.

Here I sat with a local couple who live in Douglas but rent out their home each TT and hire a caravan in the National Reserve. On Brexit they were enthusiastic siteing the ability over EU contries to continue to run the TT and TT Classic races without the encroaching OH&S rules of the EU. They also felt that motorcyclists both racers and spectators will come in increased numbers as restrictions after restrictions are placed on the motorcycle world by EU regulations. Here on the IOM it's still possible to run with basically what you bought so no emissions testing, modifications are allowed and no you don't have to wear bright dayglo vests, nor carry spare bulbs.

By now it was after 8pm so dinner was loomimg as a real option and as an isolated beach offered no food I journeyed onto to Ramsey and found most places had stopped selling food at 8pm. However the Chinese is always a safe bet for a later serving time so knowing its location I parked up and walked to it and was soon seated with a family at the next table.

My soup had just arrived when the young girl about 10 came over and in classic English informed me that she had a "lovely white English skin and mine was brown so where do you come from?" I gave her the obivious answer Australia nad without saying anything she returned to their table but very shortly after the young boy about 4 came over and started to rub my arm. Fortunately not the one with the hot soup spoon, before I could say anything he left and wispered something to his mother who burst out laughing, She must have noticed as she got up and came over apologising for her son's actions and her laughter. I told her it wasn't an issue but also asked what he had said to her to make her burst into laughter."

She told me Sorry my son came back and said "Mummy the kangaroo felt just like daddy!

Well after that I just couldn't bring myself to ask them the hard questions.

Dinner finished and darkness now a reality I told Tom Tom 450 "new route home hilly" A blue line appeared so off I went.

Big mistake Tom Tom found a hilly route alright the TT mountain in the dark!