Ah, my book--------The manuscript is now bigger than "War and Peace" , but I still wonder if there would be any person out there willing (a) to publish it and then (b) be interested enough to buy it. They are but the ramblings of an old man who should know better after 63 years attending the TT. Most nostalgia has ceased to be saleable and I haven't ridden at the TT. Still, I am proud to have so many wonderful memories plus a loft full of junk, but letting complete strangers read it all, well I wonder if my memories should remain for me alone.

I used to write articles for the TT Programme and for the TT penny dreadfuls but as I say elsewhere, nowadays they get the young modern writers, re-hashing other peoples stories (including mine) and claiming them to be theirs. Lack of originality nowadays. And how many more wrongly captioned photos are we going to see ?

I do enjoy going up to Manx Radio for a chat but there are not many bikes with radios attached so our reminiscences only go into Manx homes.

There are a few people out there who are real TT fans and have "been there and seen it" first hand. It's time someone compiled a book after hearing THEIR stories ! Now that would be a thick thome.

I also quote again this year the story about some fans at Crosby to whom I was talking a couple of years ago. None of them really knew who Hailwood was, they hadn't heard of John Surtees and other famous riders from not so far back, and didn't appreciate what the TT history was all about. It's good having a TT museum now and I hope everyone is MADE to visit it, but it doesn't show it all, or give people that feeling I feel when I come off the ferry in Douglas.

I've said enough - Can't fault what Paul and his team are doing to make it all so exciting but one of the team told me last year that no one really has time now to think about the past and the history of the races.

I'm sure we all must be pleased that the TT continues ever onward and upward (looks like a great entry this year !) and that there is so much to see and do while we are there.

I'll be there at the end of May, as usual, so you might like to see me in the Hilton one evening and agree or disagree with me.