I was looking forward to reading about ex-riders experiences, but we could do with a few more. I'm too young to contribute really :-)

But I remember my very first race in the Southern 100 in 1988, and I was near the back of the field on the first lap. As we came out of Church Bends towards Great Meadow, ahead of the sea of 40 or so bikes travelling at high speed, were frantically waved yellow flags. I feared the worst, that there had been a first lap pile-up. However I soon saw the reason. A dog was running down the right hand parapet, playing chase with the bikes, looking like he might run into the road at any moment! When I went past next lap, a marshal had him by the collar.. Scary!!!!