Robbo and I go back a good few years as we met in Coventry when we both attended Coventry Lanchester Poly, Paul studied Engineering (sponsored by GEC) and I did Business Studies (sponsored by Jaguar Rover Triumph). We both stayed in Coventry to work following college so we rented a house together in Ainsbury Road right next to the old Triumph car factory in Canley, I worked as a student at Canley in 1980 when they closed it down and some 7000 people lost their jobs.
We found a lovely detached house to rent, the owners had moved to South Africa I think. We had four bedroom plus a large front drive, a garage and a lovely back garden which then opened onto trees and fields. How the trees survived I will never know as our annual fireworks parties were really dangerous and Robbo was generally in charge of the fireworks. We lived in four so me, Robbo, John and Haslam plus a load of mates would come for the parties and then crash in the living room.
Robbo was always alternative so he had a (lovely) red Moto Guzzi LeMans 850 when we had boring Japanese bikes, then he had a stunning Fiat X19 when we had Ford Escorts or whatever and I will never forget his best ever T shirt which said “Fuck art, lets dance” so got loads of laughs and comments!! Then he had an ear ring and and and.
Fast forward from 1982 ish when I bought a flat in Coventry, John bought a house nearby the following year (where he still lives!!)and Robbo moved to Reading to work for Mars Vending and he then moved to Luxembourg and we more or less lost touch until THIS YEAR 2024!!! We all met up (we cannot find Haslam, and John does not wanna meet us so we met up in 8) back in May and last week the Robbo came to the Amalfi Coast on holday with his family so we had to meet up right??
He rented a scooter in Massa Lubrense and headed over to Amalfi. He must be the only renter in Amalfi Coast history to ride with his Arai full face helmet, jacket, gloves, boots and jeans I am sure that this has never happened before! When he arrived we had a coffee in the hotel garden watching the boats come and go, then we cycled to our house to meet with Dani and Lola. Then we decided to take the bikes and head over to see the Robbo family which seemed like a good idea but….when we got there I was not allowed into the hotel cos it was all inclusive!!!!
The following moring Robbo rode again over to Amalfi and his 2 ladies came over by ferry. They loved the place and we even went for a swim together in the private beach in front of the hotel and then they returned home with the ferry VERY happy I think, promising to visit again!!! And the LPOF 2024 caps were heavily featured of course!!!
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