Really I’m just some bloke who does (or rather did) technical stuff for a living. Things like design, install, configure IP telephone systems, routers, switches, WANs, LANs, WLANS, datacentres etc. In an anarok kind of way it’s a pretty interesting way to earn a living, but to a normal person it’s just nerdy. Do it right and no-one even notices, but do it wrong…..

It occurred to me recently that the list of cool things I do (Hang Gliding, Microlighting, Motorcycling, Streetluge etc.) has become the list of cool things I used to do, and that’s a bit of a worry. I’m going back to the UK from Australia, so I figured I might as well enjoy the trip and ride back by bike. It’s no big deal to me, though many people seem to think so.

So who’s Sophie? Long story! Sophie Whiptank exists because I’m crap at remembering passwords, and couldn’t log into the Royal Enfield owners’ club forum one day. I created her as an alias just to log in and it caused a bit of a storm with the old boys. It’s all good now, but I guess the legecy of Miss Whiptank lives on. I get a few strange looks when people call me Sophie, but I can live with that.

And Bart? Another nickname. No-one chooses their nicknames, at least I don’t think so anyway. Bart exists due to a bad choice of haircut coinciding with the release of the Simpsons in the UK. I rocked up to the bike club and some smartarse said “alright Bart?”, it kind of stuck. Depending on which hemisphere I’m in I’m known as one or the other. But whatever you call me (polite or otherwise), remember that nothing I do is particularly special and I’m….

…Just a bloke riding home.