Restricted Areas

We’ve read and heard from some quarters recently, to our great amazement, that, “There’s nowhere left to watch the TT as it’s all prohibited now.”

RR Berrie DSM rejected this idea impeccably, between sips from another mug of milky coffee, tenderly prepared using top-class, fresh milk from Cooils’ cows at Bradda.

“What a bunch of planktimonious monkeys…………they need to get off their f≠t ar≠≠≠ and look!” he exclaimed emotionally.

In “How to see the TT in comfort” by Stanley Woods (sponsored by Mobiloil in 1952) Stanley, agreeing with RR Berrie DSM, also exclaimed emotionally,

“There’s room round the course for ten or twenty Cup Final crowds to have a close-up view of the race in comfort if only they start out for the course in good time, know their way to the sections they wish to see, and – above all – know how to get quickly from overcrowded vantage points to others where the planktimonious monkeys are not so thick on the ground.”

Road Repairs

Early checks on the road-edge at the exit to Gorse Lea revealed structural problems that were instantaneously addressed by the gentlemen of the DoT. Work was, eventually, carried out very professionally by a team with wagons, diggers, traffic lights, portaloos, mobile canteens and a small dog called Spot. That very evening 5 or 6 riders tested the foot-wide strip of new tarmac, by running dangerously wide on the exit of the bend. All offered grateful thanks for the repairs.

ITV4 Coverage

The Gorse Lea Men fully endorse the TT coverage that is devouring the memory in fancy modern recording gadgets all over the world. It is particularly gratifying for us to watch multitudes of merciless midges being annihilated in slow-mo by Guy, Cam, John and Co. We would also like to record our gratitude to a former owner of Cronk Breck House who, over 40 years ago (approximate estimate only, so don’t get trading standards involved) thoughtfully planted a large, deciduous tree (Acer pseudoplatanus, if memory serves me right) to protect our privacy from the TV camera, on the scaffolded position beyond the Kennaa Road, and from exposing the contents of our modest meal to the gawping world. How could we restrain the hungry hordes should they catch a glimpse of the delicious home-made fruit cake from Mrs Berrie's multiple-award-winning Aaron House, Port St Mary, establishment (appointed supplier of high-class gateaux and beverages to Gorse Lea Marshals)?

Operation Phil

Marshal Phil, who is still recovering from recent surgery on an old shoulder injury (WW2, allegedly, but may have been caused by an encounter with an old boiler several years ago) and has been victim of occasional, slightly insensitive comments from team members, is feeling a great deal better, now that he can brag that he has “Cameron Donald Shoulder.”

The Alamo

Marshal Jon basked for a few evenings in glorious sunshine at Knock Breck 2, relieving the boredom between sessions by engaging in friendly bouts of flag-wrestling with Uncle Bulgaria. Later in Practice Week Uncle Bulgaria was seen to be wearing his Davy Crockett hat (of TV Fame) in a thinly-disguised attempt to attract the focus of the neighbouring ITV4 camera. Sector Marshal Fitzgerald is currently agreeing a price with Uncle Bulgaria for a “Genuine Ballagarraghyn Polecat Hat”, although all his attempts to capture a hat have failed so far.

Nature Notes

Paul Bird turned up at Friday night’s practice and inspected the Gorse Lea position. He expressed approval at the set-up. Fortunately (we agreed) the Gorse Lea Pheasant had not returned from The Priory as we were a little suspicious of Paul’s motives for visiting.

Fashion Note

We welcomed retired Sector Marshal Alexander for several practice sessions at the Harold Leece Shelter. He expressed disappointment upon observing that only your correspondent had already had a customised warrant card holder stitched to his new marshalling tabard. Regular readers will of course recall that The Gorse Lea, Customized, Stitched-On, Warrant-Card Holder, was adapted by the progressive Southern 100 Club as early as 2004 to replace the restrictive armbands.

TTxGP Techical Stuff

The truck load of bottles of water and rubber gloves has been widely distributed amongst the company, and the dishes are clean. Privately owned double-A battery chargers are to be made available, and I’ll take along my wind-up radio - as that is how things usually are at Gorse Lea, Gateway to the Wild West.

Gorse Lea Marshals – Always Up To Scratch