Long day today.

Started with being interviewed for a job by a guy I can only describe as an Indian Mystic. All aged and wise and misty-eyed, talking about how if a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil then that can cause a tornado in China.

Funny job interview that one was.

Then off to Swindon to have lunch with my ex-boss. Finding out what's going on, what's not, what the opportunities might be.

Then off to the ultimate objective for today - "look at" an AJP PR3. Unfortunately, my camera didnt work on my mobile phone so I have no pictures of the young lady - beautiful as she is.

I "looked" quite hard at the AJP, all round the industrial estate where they're based. Helpfully, there were builders there, and they had left this huge pile of sand - for cement I think - and that helped me to "look at" how the PR3 copes with such obstacles.

Oh, by the way, whilst I'm "looking", I am still wearing the sharp suit I wore to my job interview. And a tie. I must've looked quite odd.

One of the builders was directing a reversing steamroller onto the back of a low-loader lorry with its ramps down. He was kind enough to let me "look at" how the PR3 would handle jumping over such a ramp.

I wasn't able to "look" very well at how you'd get the front wheel in the air on a PR3. Martin came and "had a look". Ah, so that's how it's done. Hypothetically, obviously, since we were just "looking". If I had been riding, it would have felt s-o-o-o-o-o-o good to be back on a bike. It would have been such a great feeling to have been riding again, even just in the industrial estate and on and off the odd lorry or two. If I had been riding, obviously, not just "looking".

Then we had a closer look - a proper look this time. One thing that immediately struck me was how well-engineered the bike was. What AJP did was to look hard at the PR4, and identify where the air gaps were - where is there space? They then worked hard to engineer all the space out of the way - everything is much more compact - and it is this that produces a shorter, lighter bike.

The short wheelbase, and low weight, means that she handles like a trials bike - one of those bikes that jump barrels and stuff. Very very nimble, she'd have eaten up the tight corners of the Chicken Run before just spitting them out.

And quick? Same engine as her 105kg big sister, same power, but a 17% reduction in weight. Slightly different gearing, produces a 17% increase in power and a slightly larger increase in top speed.

We looked harder. Where would the fuel tanks go? Where would the mandatory 3 litres of water go? Toolkit? Cockpit? Roadbook holder? There's a place for all of them. I thought that there may be a problem fitting in the 260cc engine - it needs another 4mm of clearance. Martin had a look. "You'll be fine", he tells me. "4mm is no problem, you just need a hammer".

I took her out into the industrial estate to "look" some more - still wearing the suit - I wanted to check out the brakes. The most enormous floating caliper front disc you've ever seen, she'll stop on a sixpence.

We like. Letter to Santa in the post.

Spoke to Martin about the event calendar. He's split his riding days into Level 1 (novices) and Level 2 (experienced) which will make for a much more fun day out for those concerned. Closed-track days - where even people without a licence can ride a PR3 - and a end-to-end Wales rally. Book one.

We spoke about the enduro calendar. 17 February is the first MidWest racing enduro of the year. I didn't know when the fracture clinic was, but it was roundabout the same time. When I got home, there's a letter telling me that it's on 11 February. We're going to put that one in the "this is a sign" pile. 17 February will be my next enduro. Get out for a bit of trail riding first - including that hill - and (in the words of Martin) "I'll be fine".

I was thinking about green bottles on the way home - you know the song, "ten green bottles". I was thinking that if one or two should "accidentally fall", then that's probably a coincidence. But all ten? Either somebody didn't hang them up right, or there's some kind of bottle-dropping conspiracy afoot and further investigation is needed.

So The Missus was asking about the AJP. I pointed her at Martin's phone number, and the credit card. I skipped school the day that they were teaching "subtle".

No ding-dongs with my ageing friend today - I feel cheated in a strange sort of way. He, when his geriatric knee is better, will end up on a PR3. Even if it's a Company PR3 (blogs passim).

Thing about the PR3 is that she felt an awful lot like a tailor made suit. She is custom designed for my size and build. Martin looked a bit strange - all 6'2" of him on such a seemingly small bike - but he loved it, and he handled it like a bicycle. Normally, I see him on the Yamaha or a PR4, hence the strangeness.

I defy anybody to ride a PR3 and not love it. Obviously, I just "looked". But I'd imagine that anybody riding it would love it. I certainly did. Or would have, if I had ridden. Because obviously I didn't. Oh no. The doctor told me I mustn't. I always do what I am told by doctors.

Muckspreader did her Christmas show the other night, with the amateur dramatics crowd. The Wee Yin was in it too - singing, dancing, and she even had a duet. All 6 years old of her. Brilliant, she was.

Anyway, Muckspreader got all dressed up i a short skirt and Santa hat and sung "Santa Baby". I have it on video (as well as the Wee Yin). Any disagreements, it's straight on YouTube. It's all about force multipliers.

So, anyway, "Santa baby ... slip an AJP under the tree, for me ...". I'll sing if I absolutely have to.

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