Cars, Beer & A Bus...

Just back from a couple of days shopping in Calais.

Check out this MINI lookalike microcar spotted in a microcar showroom 

And a Dacia Dokker…

Cheap beer…

And a cute bus…

Bude Beer, Billet Block, Bow Waves and Bastards

Made the trip to Hogtoberfest today, was really looking forward to the slalom racing.

It was sunny but cold when I left home, a few spots of rain just before the Dartford Tunnel but arrived at a very grey and overcast Redbridge Cycle Centre.

Queued up to pay to race only to find that in the time it took to queue it had started raining, it stopped a few times and the sun came out and the bitterly cold wind blew. Didn't dry the track out though.

Still I had a really good time meeting up with old friends.

The lovely thoughtful Jo bought me beer for my birthday...

Here's my new 2014 Aluminium riser...

Work in progress...

What it is replicating...

Fitted

Got my board out of my bag only to find it had been vandalised by my so called friends, off centre and crooked sticker...

Bought some 2nd hand Seismic Hotspots from Paul Price...

And some Lush Slide Gloves from Jo & Steve size S but fit like a glove...

The wet weather didn't deter some people...

Brighton Weekend

Took the wife up the Hilton (ooh err) for her birthday weekend.

Here's some random pics from my iphone.

The Hotel

 View from the window of the air con units, taken using the tilt shift function on my power cam app

Where we ate on Friday night 

 The remains of the West Pier

Brighton Pavilion

 Nice but maybe a bit too hoppy

Obviously an acquired taste, warning may turn hair ginger

80% off, I'll take it. 

A Day Out

Had a day off work today.
Went down to Brighton, parked in London Road Multi Storey near Preston Circus and walked into town.
Did the usual shops before a spot of lunch in favourite pub The Mesmerist.
Had one of these to wash it down.

Brewed with Chocolate and Crystal malts to produce this deep bronze-coloured beer with a subtle malty flavour. Bittered by the traditional Golding hop varieties, and then cask conditioned with Chinese stem ginger and other warming spices to add that distinctive aromatic warmth.

Very nice it was too.

Then it was off to favourite cinema, The Duke Of Yorks to watch The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
The new one with Daniel Craig in it. Hadn't seen the other one or read the book so can't compare them. Enjoyed it though.
Really heavy rain on the way home made the M23/M25 interesting.

Christmas Cheer

A mate at work had a tour of The Windsor & Eton Brewery he was very impressed especially so by the Special Edition Black IPA, 7.4%.
He gave me a bottle.

Next day another mate at work who came to the end of his contract gave us all a bottle of Adnams Broadside as his leaving present to us to remind us of him as he's a Suffolk lad.
Cheers RCB, you'll be missed mate.

Cheap Beer 2

Got this in France recently.
€0.54 for a plastic 66cl bottle.
Not too bad, given that it works out at about 47p a bottle.

See my earlier post Cheap Beer for another from the same source.

Royal Wedding Escape

Didn't quite go as planned as it was all over the radio and tv so I still didn't manage to avoid it totally.

Saw this sweet Peugeot 604 GTi, 2.8 litre V6, about 84 or 85 vintage parked in the carpark of Cité Europe

Stayed in the Ibis hotel at Coquelles opposite Cité Europe as usual.
Snapped this sunrise on my phone just before breakfast on Saturday morning.

Popped down the coast to Wissant on Saturday for a spot of lunch, had a stroll along the seafront first then a sarnie and a beer in a local restaurant.

I treated myself to the coolest pair of sunglasses on this planet (imho), Oakley Fuel Cell, polished/matte clear frames and violet iridium® lenses.

Chilli Beer

Went to the Chilli Fiesta at West Dean house near Chichester today.

Amongst other things I bought some Chilli Beers. Both from Fallen Angel Brewery, I regretted not buying any of the 'Fire In The Hole' when I went last time 2 years ago.
Now it's been joined by 'Black Death'.

'Fire In The Hole' - Brewed using the hottest fresh green chillis - 4.0% abv.

'Black Death' - A jet black oatmeal stout infused with the Nagga or death chilli - 5.2% abv.

Both are brewed with no chemicals or preservatives, live, naturally carbonated.

Cheap Beer

Picked up some bottles of this yesterday, €0.90 a 66cl plastic bottle.
Dunno what it tastes like yet mind.