The Scene: Isle of Man TT

A visit to the Isle of Man TT isn't really a vacation--the level of activity surrounding the races on this tiny, usually sleepy island is anything but restful. After the races were cancelled in 2001 due to an outbreak of Hoof-and-Mouth Disease on the Island, TT action at the Isle has bounced back bigger than ever. This year's two-week TT celebration saw 234 racers turn out to compete on the treacherous, 37.73-mile Mountain Course, and more than 50,000 spectators who came from around the world to watch the racing, sample the course themselves, and, judging from the way beer flowed at the famous Bushy's beer tent, run their livers up to the rev-limiter, also. The TT may very well be the world's most challenging road race (and most dangerous, as the tragic death of nine-time TT winner David Jefferies attests), but the fortnight-long festival is as much about making the scene and having a lot of crazy motorcycle fun--as the photos on the following pages prove.