Alan started his own business towards the end of 2011, but essentially, did so properly in Jan 2012 when real equipment arrived. Judging by the cost, it was all gold plated.

Your Chairman has a particular admiration for those who risk everything to start their own business- the potential for disaster is so great.

What with health & safety, huge admin costs, the bloody tax man, & worse, the dreaded VAT- who really wants to know?

Give him his due- still there, now with 5 employees & getting a great name for himself.

This presentation was, more or less, using us as guinea pigs for the real presentations for his customers & potential clients.

He could have gone on for hours- he never got any peace with all the questions from interested & knowledgeable folks- who all have some engineering backgrounds.

Alan brought all sorts of examples of failed turbos & taught us what to watch out for. A lot of the info was totally unknown to us. As an example, most of the French diesels run at a far higher temperature than other motors, and thus are more likely to encounter problems if everything is not 100%- for instance, not using fully synthetic low ash oil.

Alan was not keen on supermarket fuel- beware!

So all you dealers- use the guy who can teach & help you, as well as take your money.

Thanks, Alan, a great night.

As usual- well planned & very enjoyable.

Meeting at our usual Milton Petrol Station we travelled on the Old Glen Fruin Road (recently resurfaced, and a real joy). Then alongside the Gareloch over the challenging road via Arrochar to Tarbet & our favourite coffee stop for breakfast,

We then drove up The Rest & noted all the damage caused by the recent avalanche, which even kiboshed the relief road below. No matter, single track with lights- not a problem. Given the heavy rain since the day before, we can expect more closures.

We turned left at the summit towards Lochgoilhead via- is it Devil’s Valley- it certainly needed watching in the wet.

Just before Lochgoilhead we turned right & headed for Strachur and the rather posh Creggan’s Inn. This was owned for a long time by Sir Fitsroy McLean, a chum of Sir Winston, & a War hero who masterminded the undercover operations with the partisans against the Nazis in the former Yugoslavia alongside Marshall Tito..

We were made very welcome and enjoyed a first class meal- plenty of chat & humour- which its all about.

As usual in this part of the world, to go home, we split up- one lot going to Dunoon to Sheila’s for meringues, the other half, heading North & home by Loch Lomond.

Mind, it was wet or was iit? Yes- it bloody was!

Thanks Willie- on such short notice too.

On our Irish Trip we offered those who hadn’t been to Gretna (Spring Run) to contribute to our Sponsorship Fund on behalf of the National Assn for Bikers with a Disability..Murray, John Taylor-,Stewart & Angela plus Dave Montgomery had submitted their sponsored funds. Therefore, Harvey & Heather, who had been on holiday & didn’t get the chance to grab sponsors, made themselves available for any contributions, post our evening meal.

Well, didn’t Heather do well- must be the good looks & introvert personality that achieved a total of £244.

Thus this sum, added to the previous lumps totalled as detailed in our letter to the Association, extracts of which are represented below.

Grumpy managed a foto (or 2?) of Mark’s trike for your appreciation of the cracking vehicle that it is.

_________________________________________________________________________

To NABD

MANCHESTER

M41 7TE

Dear Sirs

Re WSVMCC Sponsored Cycle Run- Falkirk Wheel 1^st Sept 2013

On behalf of WSVMCC I return all the Sponsorship Sheets you kindly sent to Murray Clacher.

Murray was the driving force for this event, encouraging entrants, persuading our Club and our Sister Club, the Ulster 30 Club to urge our Members to amplify the funds. He, himself, a gentleman of no mean kilos, undertook the challenge towing a buggy with his 2 grandchildren inside- what a hero..

Not only that, his sponsor sheets pulled in the greatest sum.

His inspiration was meeting Mark Fenton with his go-faster 3 wheeler, in Northern Ireland two years ago when our Club was over for our annual pilgrimage weekend.

Mark and his parents, Roy & Margaret Fenton are also Members of the Ulster 30.

We are delighted to enclose our cheque for £1,300, which we hope will bolster your funds and help you with the fantastic work you do.

Kind Regards

John Galloway

Chairman WSVMCC                                                                             25^th September 2013