I suppose 2020 was the start of the changes for many. The year started with the London Bike show at and then the Overland Show, but was overshadowed by the spectre of Covid – the loss of three fiends and family members, the massive impact of personal lives and employment prospects. Paddy managed to run a great show – no doubt the main event for many including me – a sense of normality in a sea of dystopia.

Stromferry tour and our first PCR – not sure why Hans is smiling…. must be 100 LFT and a few PCR down the line at the time of writing this…

“I’m heading for the hills, I’m telling you,” I tell him as we make it out through the door and into the open air.

“Sound thinking,” Al says. “It’s always worked for me.”

“Yeah.” I say, nodding emphatically and gazing up at the sky. It’s sunset and the air is cold. We head west along Princes Street. “I’m heading for the hills, getting out of town,” I tell him. “I’m going to ditch all the gear in my flat first, but then that’s me; I’m off. I think I’ll tell the boys in blue exactly where I’m going so they can check up I’m not this fucking serial killer/assaulter or whatever, but I’m rattled, man, I’m telling you, I don’t mind admitting it. I’m off to the Highlands, I’m off to Stromefirry-nofirry.”

“Where?” Al buttons his coat as we turn up St Andrew Street and the wind gusts down from St Andrew Square.

“Stromefirry-nofirry.”

“Ha!” Al laughs. “Aye, of course; Stromefirry-nofirry. I’ve seen that sign, too.”

That’s it. There’s a sign at the top of the road that’s been there for years, ever since they opened the new road, and it says “Strome Ferry — no ferry’, and that just says it all.

Full credit and ownership to the talented late Iain Banks in “Complicity”.