…when:

a) you have just explained you met the party host ‘online’ at a ‘mountain biking forum’ before you met them in real life…

b) one of the others in the conversation says “are you matt_outandabout then…?”

😳

I was invited but don’t like being hugged.

LOL!
have you got a stalker matt? 🙂

Introducing ourselves on a mountain bike holiday to the other group, and comparing STW logons, I was told “You’re one of the normal ones”. I want that on a certificate.
STW
INTERMEDIATE HITTER
NORMAL ONE

I was invited but don’t like being hugged.

I did inquire as to your attendance, again to meet in person not virtually…

@kcal – it is not the first time I have been asked are you matt_oab…

😳

I’ve gone for “through mountainbiking”.

For the people who know: know forums, racing, bike meets, friends of friends, all of that, it doesn’t really matter exactly, it’s all good, it’s all part of the wonderful thing that is the mish-mash of communities and shared loves.

For people who don’t know about all of that, it’s good enough to answer the question, and raises fewer follow-up questions than the alternative answer: “Internet strangers.”

Wasn’t a lemon party was it?

I just say “chatroulette”

“you watch porn then?”

Have you ever seen what happens when internet cults collide? One of my motorbike internet cults once went to the pub and bumped into some sort of gumtree social forum internet cult for shy women. Never has there been so much socially incompetent copping off. We should have started up a little subforum right there and then and done all the chatting up with emoticons.

I find myself getting strange looks when I tell people I know one of my best friends because I spoke to her husband on a mountain biking forum (here) then met him on a remote moorland trail…

Apparently, it’s less acceptable than online dating, where most of my other friends have met their current men!

I once went to a party where I spent the entire night on my own without even chatting to anyone … It is hilarious.

😆

Yep
That’s so true. Met my partner via the Internet = normal
Used to go skiing with people I met on the web (sH) = weird.

Online dating and FB is the norm now. Forums are to the rest if the world, perhaps save mumsnet, is considered uber-nerdy. A step which most have skipped. And the chat element of SnowHeads has all but gone.

Hey ho.

When my friend Rich and I go skiing I deliberately play this game.
There is usually a 30 – 50 year old lady who is intent on finding out everything about everybody. when asked where we live ( 100 miles apart ) I go down the ‘ Oh we met each other via the internet’ Then they imediately think ‘ Gay chat room ‘
Till I explain Snowheads Solo skiers forum.

Till I explain Snowheads Solo skiers forum.

And she still assumes gay chat room…!

I was in a busy cafe in Aviemore and approached someone I thought I recognised off here with the immortal line “Are you peterfile? ”

I think you may have mis heard them

I reckon stw name stickers would be handy – at least would be an excuse for staring at folks’ bikes.
Prone to impersonation though..

Would be a fair bet to find *some* forum members in Aviemore on any given day right enough, I was there yesterday e.g.

I am there tomorrow…

matt_outandabout – Member

Till I explain Snowheads Solo skiers forum.

And she still assumes gay chat room…! [/quote]

Yeap! Gay enough. 😆

I’m here all week folks…. 🙂

scotroutes – Member

I’m here all week folks….

Gay!

I think you may have mis heard them

I think you may have misread him 😉

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTaKDnSIb4c[/video]

And I’ll be there Tuesday…

Matt – I almost came up and said hi at the mini dh but was too shy 😀

I sometimes ride with a mate I met through here – his wife was very worried that he considered it perfectly fine to meet a complete stranger he’d met on the internet in a remote car park. I was more worried that at that first meeting the plastic bag I put my wallet and phone in was labelled “Tesco Value Mens Pants” (or the equivalent) and his was labelled “Figleaves.com”

My main biking buddy I met after I helped his wife and kids after they’d had a car accident – makes the internet seem normal!

You turn around to see your long term gf with her hands down the trousers of the guy you thought she was having a fling with on the sofa…..and then can let the guilt go that your fling is waiting for you later as well.

That was a weird night.

I once tried to meet TJ when he posted on here about going wild camping somewhere near Bridge of Orchy, and thought it would be fun to pop along after dark with my dogs and throw sausages at his tent, but I accidentally went to the pub instead and by the time it was dark I wasn’t fit to drive. Probably for the best in hindsight.

Quirrel – I think you need to explain, possibly via the medium of pics?

Not at a party ,but in our works tea room. Several of the folk I work with find it awkward that I have met men in the woods and then popped off for a few hours to ride. 🙂

A lot of my “biking buddies” we’re met on biking forums. Worryingly, the majority were via bikemagic.com…
:/

Quirrel – that is quite an admission sir. 😯

Matt – I almost came up and said hi at the mini dh but was too shy

coooooeeeeeeee!

As you can tell, I am not shy!

Indeed – PEDAL PEDAL PEDAL!!! 😀

A bloke stood next to me in the ticket office queue for a steam train in Minehead knew who I was. Quite freaked me out.

Apologies if you are reading this.

I once had this mad family of five troop into my house for tea having only met them on a canoeing forum……

Oi, I resemble that comment….

Must be awkward being famous sometimes…

Bet on occasion, people expect too much of you.

But hey, at least there’s perks

True story…

An occasional-STW but frequent-BearBones forum user, whom I’d never met, contacted me to ask if I fancied a bivvy trip up Glen Feshie. We set off and got as far as the bothy whereupon the skies opened and we decided we’d gone far enough.

A few hours later, out of the darkness, three girls come into the bothy.

After food and a couple of drinks we get chatting and one of the girls tells me where she works. I ask her if she knows Matt (OAB). Turns out she does. Then one of her mates (who works elsewhere) pipes up that she also knows him.

Then it turns out the guy I’d originally gone riding with also knew him.

It’s like the six degrees of Kevin Bacon 😆

Is it just that MattOAB knows everyone? (Except me)