In the genes?

Any idea what model this is?

I just received an email from my dad with pics I've been hunting for ever since I got a glimpse of them a few months ago after a family wedding... I know this kinda thing doesn't normally prompt a new posting on a biker's blog...

...but to say I'm proud of these pics is an understatement.

Mac on his BSA, somewhere between 1927 and 1930

This is my uncle Mac - my grandma Nora's brother, who lived with her in Staffordshire in the 70s. I remember him very well as I grew up visiting her home. He was always in the shed. I actually assumed he lived in the garden somewhere, as I don't think I ever saw him in the house, even though we often slept and ate there as a family. He had calloused hands, a gravelly voice and always wore a flat cap (...at least in my head he did, anyway).

But it gets better than that...

Nora MacDonald and Veda Blezzard on Mac's bike

Nora (at the front, natch) was a force to be reckoned with.

As my grandma I remember she smoked 40 a day, drank like a fish, had a ram-rod straight back and took no nonsense from anyone. As a young woman she was pretty out-there (I'm told), and this pic seems to be evidence of that. I'm guessing it's a fairly outlandish photo of a lady, for the late 1920s. (...although Mac was clearly smart enough to put the centre stand down)

Mac obviously loved cars and bikes, and made the most of his passions.

A Bullnose Morris... Apparently?

Any idea what these bikes are?

My uncle Tony also played a big part in my love of bikes... As a twelve year old I was blown away by the looks and sound of his bright red & black GPz900R, which to me was the coolest machine on earth.

I bought my own at the age of 20, in silver, and then went backwards in time with more bikes from the green machine; owning a '79 Z1R and late 70s z650. ...I prefer to forget my GT550, but it was matt black with open pipes.