Seattle Marathon

Olivia and proud Dad at the end of the Seattle Marathon

Congratulations to offspring, Olivia, who today completed the Seattle Marathon in a sub-four hour time with very little training. A great result at only her second attempt. Next stop Boston. Below is short a video clip of her crossing the finish line (note to self -it's better to use a real video camera and you need to learn how to edit in iMovie).

Here We Go Again

In what is truly a triumph of insanity over reason, I've once entered the Monte Carlo Historique rally. Bill (Richards) and I have a strong feeling of unfinished business with this event and I think we are destined to keep attacking it until (i) we achieve a good final classification (i.e. 1st, 2nd or 3rd in class) or (ii) demolish all the bridges, mountain walls and other "street furniture" on the way to Monaco. And then maybe we'll hang our our driving gloves. Maybe. Now we've got to work like crazy to do a recon, make pace notes, get the car ready etc. As you might expect, I'll keep you posted.

Another Tidy Up

I've just had another cull of dead hypertext links. It's amazing how many regular bloggers stall or give up. So it's goodbye to the following:

Arse Poetica –stopped blogging in June

Axis of Evel Knievel -stopped blogging in July

Blunt Cogs –stopped blogging in April

Dai Kyo Soku Kei –blog cut off ages ago

Disgruntled Chemist –stopped blogging in June

Queen of Sky has morphed into Queen of Screen (this new link is now up)

Shite Drivers –not the same since Niall stopped running the site

SAMOA –guys you don’t seem to be interested in Minis in motorsport

SCHPAA –looks so 2001 and no longer funny

Tabula Rasa –a shame about this one as Little Cricket was a blogger I’d actually met and was a regular contributor to the comments section at MD&E

Twenty Major -scatological Irish blogger will be much missed

Ubiqitous (sic) -Sarah has become Zero Point Perspective (cool name)

A few other links to sports clubs have also gone. I will re-instate any of the above if they start to post again.

P.S.  On the plus side, Dr Jim has a new blog, Time to Waste. I've added it to the sidebar (under "Science and Scientists" and it's well worth a visit.

Mitch Mitchell: RIP

Hard to believe that Mitch Mitchell, the last surviving member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, sloughed the mortal coil earlier this week at the tender age of 61. He followed his compatriots, Noel Redding (2003, age 57) and of course Jimi himself who famously departed with a bad case of the rock musician's plague, vomit inhalation, back in 1970 when he was a mere 27 years old. A trio of fabulous musicians all gone and all too young. I've been playing "Hey Joe", "All Along the Watchtower" and other favourites a lot over the past few days and really should visit JH's graveside as it's only a few miles from where I live. At least these guys left a fabulous legacy at which we can only marvel. Here's a clip:

Friday Music Blogging: Humble Pie

We haven't done one of these music nostalgia thingys for awhile so here's a classic. Humble Pie were the epitome of the sex-drugs-and-rock'n'roll movement. Back in 1971 we booked them at Cardiff University for a Rag Week concert back. Onstage they were fantastic; backstage Stevie Marriott et al. were fixated on groupies, chemical substances, alcohol and heavy partying. Yob Rock at its finest. And despite my designation as official event photographer I was still knocked off stage by a monstrous roadie while clutching my precious Zenith E SLR (note to self: where did I put those negatives?). Great stuff, indeed!