As the first riders left the Glencrutchery Road on Monday night, one of Dunlop's tyre technicians stuck his pokey thing into the tarmac and it showed track temperature was knocking on for 100 degrees F. Whew, what a scorcher, etc.

Following his pair of fifth places at Thruxton on Sunday, Michael Rutter arrived on the island at around the same time as his Crescent Racing-prepared GSX-R1000. The bike was finally complete at 4.30am on Monday morning, stuck in a van and driven to Liverpool. That's commitment.

Hydrex Honda's Stuart Easton is on the island but isn't riding as planned. He is there to support team-mate Guy Martin and to help out Rutter, who only has one technician for the week. Will we see Ratboy on visor duty or on the spanners during tyre changes?

Michael Dunlop had a bit of a fright during his foray on the Norton during Saturday practice as it blew up. It is believed a bearing went which shoved one of the rotors into the side of a chamber. But that might not have happened. But it did break down. Definitely.

Sidecar veteran Roy Hanks also blew an engine on Saturday, which then caught fire and the goodly marshals on the course then filled his airbox with foam. Exit one GSX-R motor stage left.

It wasn't all shits and giggles for Tim Reeves either. The three-times World Chair Champion, who is back with Pat Farrance at the TT after splitting with Farrance and going back to his brother Tris, had to pull in for running repairs on his outfit, citing electrical problems.

Relentless Suzuki's Bruce Anstey was swearing a bit on Saturday after his GSX-R1000 snapped a steering damper somewhere on the mountain. Sod that for a game of soldiers.

Olie Linsdell, son of legend Steve and no mean road racer himself, popped his 120mph lap cherry last night and was really quite chuffed about it.

Commentator and occasional motorcycle rider Steve Parrish is on the island for the whole of the TT Festival. If you are in the same hotel, move, as the fire alarm will go off in the middle of the night. Guaranteed. 
READ STEVE PLATER'S TT DIARY
READ JAMES MCBRIDE'S TT DIARY