Johnny Boy - John Awty

Born August 1956 and grew up and lived in South Yorkshire all my life. I've worked as a Labourer, Excavator Driver, Heavy Goods Vehicle Mechanic and currently a HGV Driver. I have a wife and two grown up children, Mark and Michelle and two Grandchildren, Keane and Aliyah. Last but not least, "man's best friend" and mine, my German Shepard Dog "Chet" who welcomes me back from any trip I go away on and every morning I return home from night shift.

My main hobby over the last 11-years has been SCUBA Diving but in more recent years I’ve got back into my love of motor bike riding. I am a member of the British Sub-Aqua Club, Thorne Branch where I am an Advanced Diver and an Open Water Instructor. I set up this Travelblog ready for my dive trip to Singapore and mini tour of Malaysia and Thailand in 2006, but more recently I’ve been using it to chronicle my ride outs both by myself and with friends who I’ve met within the Honda Owners Club where I’m a member of the Three Shires Branch. Please check out the Three Shires Website at www.threeshires.hoc.org.uk/ I currently own 3-bikes, all Honda’s, a 2000 model ST1100ay Pan European, a 1994 model VFR750fr and a 1974 CB350k4…

…Oh the picture bye the way was taken on a dive trip to Scapa Flow in Orkney in August 2003. The Dark mass on the Left of the picture is the bow of the wreck of the SMS Dresden, one of the German High Seas Fleet that was interned after the first war and scuttled by her crew on the 21st June 1919. Although it can’t be seen, I was next to the shield that bares the coat of arms of the German city that the ship was named after.

Updated 22nd Dec 2007

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Joined on: January 30th 2006
Last Login: June 30th 2009

Blog Entries: 35
Photos: 116

TB Code: [blogger=11895]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by Johnny Boy, order by Date newest first.

By Johnny Boy
March 23rd 2008

Egg Run 2008 Europe » United Kingdom » England » South Yorkshire » Sheffield

Arriving at the SYPOC
Arriving at the SYPOC, Nigel and Jackie on their Blue Honda VFR800 to the right with Joanne and me behind on the red Honda VFR750

It was about 6:30-am when I got a text from my friend Sue, asking R U awake? I thought "well I am now". This was the day of the 2008 Egg Run in aid of Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Sue was concerned about riding her bike in the snow which had fallen over night and was looking for a ride as pillion, but on this occasion I couldn’t help her because my back seat was promised to Joanne, Lyn’s daughter. I got the VFR out and headed off to meet up with some of our members at our meeting point, the [View Full Entry]

By Johnny Boy
March 16th 2008

The Bra Wire Run Europe » United Kingdom » England » Lincolnshire » Mablethorpe

The 5 bikes parked in Mablethorpe
I guess I must use this picture with Paul’s bike in the front… Honda ST1300

Well what a name to give to a rideout but it will become apparent as you all read on. We decided to go for a rideout today but there were no plans for a destination when we made our arrangements, there were some suggestions but nothing confirmed, so this morning I got home from work around 5-am and straight to bed to be woken by my alarm at 10-am and climbing into my leathers and additional cold, wet weather gear, I headed off to meet the others at one of our regular meeting points, McDonalds at M1 Junction 30. Arriving at [View Full Entry]

By Johnny Boy
March 9th 2008

Scarbrough March 2008 Rideout Europe » United Kingdom » England » North Yorkshire » Scarborough

Cream Scones
Nigel led an excellent rideout and called at one of Jackie and his favourite watering hole for a snackette

Sunday the 9th of March saw a few members of our branch meeting up at one of our usual meeting places, Mc Donald’s at Barlbrough. I decided to take my Honda ST1100 Pan European out this day because I’d had a new rear tyre fitted and I just wanted to bed it in a bit ready for the 2008 touring season. When I arrived at the meeting point around 9:45 there was only Keven there waiting, which quite suppressed me because normally I’d expect Paul and Lisa to be there very early, unfortunately they were not to join us on this [View Full Entry]

By Johnny Boy
February 3rd 2008

'S No Rally 2008 Europe » United Kingdom » England » Derbyshire » Peak District National Park

Air Bed
there's only one way to get an air bed into a tent... This might not be it

I don’t know where to start with this one, because this was one of the best weekends I have ever had in my life… so here it is from the beginning. This was the ‘S no Rally 2008. (That’s no rally) I manage to get Thursday night off work because we were over manned, which gave me all day Friday to get ready for this event. I’d made pervious arrangements to meet up with my mate Paul at the M1 junction 35 and got the bike ready with ample time to spare. So off I set up to my local butchers [View Full Entry]

By Johnny Boy
January 28th 2008

Mablethorpe Sand Racing Europe » United Kingdom » England » Lincolnshire » Mablethorpe

The 9-riders
Left to Right, the Girls, Lynn, Jackie and Kate. The Guys, Pete, Stuart, Paul (wasting away at the back), Me, Nigel and Carl

With the ‘s no rally coming up in just over a week I suggested a ride out the following Sunday (28th), just to blow the cobwebs off the bikes and to give new members the opportunity for a ride out with the club. Someone suggested the Sand racing at Mablethorpe as a destination and with me as the leader. Sunday arrived and I headed off to Mc Donald’s just off the M1 at junction 30, a regular meeting point for ride outs, having walked the dog beforehand. I was the second to arrive and I knew some of the regular riders [View Full Entry]

By Johnny Boy
October 5th 2007

Austria 4th to 14th October 2007 Europe » Austria » Tyrol » Landeck

The Motley Crew
The top 5, left to right - Me, Tim, Graeme, Ian & Carl The bottom 4, Left to right - Paul, Steve, Joyce & Ian.

Austria 2007 The Austria part of my trip started with me leaving my Rhineland digs and travelling down the banks of the River Mosel stopping at several places to take in the sights before cutting over land to Saarbrucken where I met up with Graeme and the rest of the group and spent the night before we all made the rest of the journey to Landeck, Tyrol in Austria. Over the previous 9-months I’d met everyone in the group with the exception of Paul, so I knew I was with a good set of riders. That evening we went out as [View Full Entry]

By Johnny Boy
September 30th 2007

Arriving in Germany Europe » Germany » Rhineland-Palatinate » Ruppertshofen

Watchtower
Soon the road narrowed because of a watchtower, I thought I’d stop and take a picture. I actually pulled up across a driveway and the owner looked puzzled so I gestured to him, I was just taking a pi... [more]

This morning saw me up very early and getting a shower then my breakfast. As this was a budget hotel, then a budget breakfast was served. I really didn’t want too large a breakfast though because I always seem to feel uncomfortable on the bike if I’ve eaten a lot before hand. My route today was to take me out of France, through a bit of Belgium, Luxembourg and into Germany to a small village called Ruppertshofen where I was to stay at a B&B dedicated to bikers for 4 nights. After breakfast I took a look outside, it was damp [View Full Entry]

By Johnny Boy
September 29th 2007

France - Sept 07 Europe » France » Lower Normandy » Honfleur

Honfleur Harbour

Well after a couple of days fighting either cold or flu symptoms I finally managed to get on my way down to the ferry at Portsmouth to make the crossing to Le Havre and the start of my holiday to France, Germany and Austria. I took my usual route down to Portsmouth avoiding any motorways and allowing more time for stop, the run was quite pleasant and uneventful although it was damp conditions but with only occasional bits with heavy spray. I arrived at Portsmouth with 1 ½ hours to spare which gave me time to chill out and have a [View Full Entry]

By Johnny Boy
September 21st 2007

Honda Owners Club National Rally Europe » United Kingdom » England » North Yorkshire » Filey

Three Shires Logo

Having just renewed my Honda Owners Club (HOC) membership after my first year as a member of the HOC, I decided to go along to the HOC National Rally at Filey, North Yorkshire, on the Friday evening then on the Saturday’s ride out over the North Yorkshire moors. There was just one slight problem with the Saturday ride out for me, I had to go to work Saturday night. Fortunately my job on Saturday evening was shunting trailers in the distribution depot yard and not driving on the road. I’d worked Thursday night into Friday morning so after a good day’s [View Full Entry]

By Johnny Boy
July 6th 2007

Orkney 2007 Europe » United Kingdom » Scotland » John O'Groats

John O'Groats
John O’Groats is around a 10 ½ -hour ride from leaving home allowing for 2-fuel stops, the first at Dalkeith near Edinburgh and the second at a service station near Dornoch. 500-miles to the ferry gi... [more]

What a good weekend I’ve just had up there in Orkney, I’ve got friends up there that I dive with, one’s a guy that first took me to Orkney in 1999 to dive on the wrecks of the German high seas fleet that was scuttled on 21st June 1919, and he’s now got a B&B up there and would welcome bikers. I went up for 2 reasons, a) I’ve always wanted to take the bike up there, b) I’ve got a dive trip planned for August and the dive operator, which is a partnership has split up, so I needed to [View Full Entry]

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