Just bought season pass for Cairngorm
*don’t all laugh at once*

Yes it’s hard work, but overall it’s worth it, they eventually can become great riding companions.

Hi, I don’t think I’ve posted anything on STW in about 10 years! But I do own a Fenix 3 and am very happy with it. I initially bought it for mtb / hill running, but I like the size of the display so much (old eyes) that I wear it all the time now – rugged enough for my outdoor wrists. All functions work fine, the link to my iPhone I thought I’d never use, but actually find notifications on my wrist quite handy. Battery lasts ages, even with GPS use, accuracy spot on for my needs, no hang ups yet, software updates do come in fairly regular and I always make sure to install them.
I have a few apps on it and find them quite useful.

Smile for the camera

Apparently as soon as our local outdoor shop receives them they sell out! Skiing these days is more risky because of stick selfie non aware sliders!

And yet, ENVE rims and carbon Santa Cruzs’ are still selling.

I haven’t been in these parts for years, but when I was buying my Fuji I could find no current reviews, so here’s my current take on it.
It takes gorgeous pics just straight out of the camera, however, focussing needs a little thought and fast moving things need planning and pre focussing using manual and ‘back button’ style shooting.
Exposure and auto wb metering is spot on.
Needs a really fast sd card.
Film settings and esp’ b&w change the way you see the world (I see in black and white, but save a RAW for colour)
Viewfinder info overlays and the whole eve/ovf thing is superb.
Battery life is poor, buy a spare.
It’s not as fast as some of the new 4/3rds cameras and it’s not going to replace a DSLR for sports shooting, but to make you fall in love with the whole process of taking a picture again it’s absolutely fabulous.

aviemoron’s photos on Flickriver

I’m demo’ing Marzocchi 44Ti 120mm 29er forks on my Tallboy. Only 6hrs on them so far, but first impressions very good. Very plush, like old school Z1 plush, yet don’t blow through their travel. I’m 11 stone so only running them with 40psi and the air chamber full open. Very strong, with absolutely no unwanted flex when slamming it down through twisty rock strewn trail. I did a few laps of Laggan black yesterday and was grinning like an idiot at the extra speed I was hitting sections at, by the end of the afternoon I was getting 119mm travel. No matter what you get, a tapered steerer and one of the various bolt through options makes a hell of a difference, the Marzocchi has both (QR15) Weighed with a 220mm steerer (kept long as it’s a demo) they come in at 1990gms, which interestingly is only 120gms heavier than my old 80/100 QR Rebas. Variable lock out goes from solid to moving when hitting bumps (like a Terralogic Fox) effective and simple. Seems like Marzocchi are now a viable option to RS / Fox – oh and best thing, a three year warranty! I’ll give them another 20hrs or so and see how they fare.

It’s gone!

I have a buyer right now with £500 cash – should I just take the sale?

Digiphotoneil – aye, first time I’ve used the CLS in “anger” (had practised on my kids!) and quickly realised I couldn’t really put the flashes where I wanted. Saving now for PW’s! Also realised how much thought the pros must put into getting good action shots!

and here’s some more http://www.flickr.com/photos/46667515@N08/sets/72157625713873793/with/5361323063/
I don’t know who most of these people are, but if you’re in them, hope you like them – you mad crazy fools!

petestuart – a Nikon SB800 fired using their CLS system (ok, but not great outdoors) gonna try and pick up some secondhand flash triggers.

Hi Sharki, aye great walking round with you, you didn’t tell Jo about the “chinnage” shot? It was just a shadow – honest! Cue some photoshopping! Pit bitching is a thankless task well done that man.

Martinxyz aye, there should be a Mork shot in there somewhere, chapeau as they say to the young man he was at least ragging it on the downs!

Speckledbob, no it’s not my tent, but a local friends. Think they got it from Norway.

I can’t believe I’m going to post on this (Winter Highland does it to death) but I’m a local and have skied on Cairngorm for over 20 years. It’s not a ski resort; it’s a hill which has some 30 year old tows on it and a very expensive choo choo designed for summer visitors, sometimes it snows sometimes it doesn’t.
Some of the staff try very hard, some of the management are…….. let’s just say they don’t plan or manage very professionally.
Last years exceptional season took them by surprise, unfortunately the same has happened again – unfinished maintenance schedules, lack of hill prep’, machines in for servicing, lack of spares.
The only way to get the best out of Scottish skiing is to be equipped for anything, cross-country, ski-touring or lift served, to have the correct tyres on your vehicle and to expect to be frustrated, to not expect Alpine levels of efficiency/weather/snow and to live close enough to grab the good days on a moments notice.
However, when everything comes together it is ones of life’s finest experiences to lay first tracks in knee deep champagne powder, in sunshine, 15 minutes from home.

Work today, gave up fairly soon after this pic was taken.

Much the same as MrTall; Ardents on just now (tubeless) which work fine on just about anything, had Mud X’s on for a filthy muddy rooty xc race – fab. Didn’t like Rampages, Nevegals confidence inspiring, but Ardent nearly as good whilst being lighter and faster. Might get some winter specific studded tyres this year either for the 29er or the cross bike.

The Rules. Rule 9.

Our 5 and 2.75 (he likes that to be known) year olds woke up at their 7 which of course is now 6. I fed them put the telly on and tried to sneak back to bed – unsuccessfully! Gonna be a long day, glad I got a quality ride in yesterday.

Rothiemurchus last week.

Taken last week whilst out riding.

Sanny/ Davidrussell, I won’t be going, nowt to do with me……….

3 Peaks!

3Peakscx!

I use my Exposure Joystick, bodged up with an old Petzl headtorch strap system (took old head lamp off) bit of extra stitching and some thick elastic and bobs yer uncle. Bright, no bounce and good for night time hill running. In fact if I “borrowed” my wifes Joystick I could rig up a double system – yowsers!

My missus had one for years, it was a “standard” S’light in medium she’s 5’6″ and we had it decked out in XO XTR Magura Marta’s, Fox RLC 100’s. She rode it all over Scotland and only sold it recently for an Ellsworth!

I’ve had a Benbo for 20 odd years, good for supporting cameras in odd positions.

J_me, eh? Rowan trees round here say yes and as for the Snowberries!

Mr simonfbarnes, thank you very much, but I’ve now found accom’ to the north of the area which is better for my drive down from the north. Cheers again – back to pondering over d300 or D700……

Ready as I'll ever be….

Same as -m- tried triggers SRAM and Shimano, but always returned to gripshift. I use cut down ODI's, they work just fine.

My very old Jake on 3Peaks rocky trail training ride!

Hey – no friends on powder days!

Updated my 3gs with os4.02 and yes battery life is better. No "hanging up" probs here, new iphone4 upgrade coming this way next week.

Getting nervous now!

Julia Bradbury was in the Cairngorms doing a bit on avalanche forecasting, I was one of the pervs safety team, lovely lady to follow up a steep hill, nice personality too….

ahwiles, yep and it was billowing up over the mountain ranges – hot rock action perhaps?

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Aye, Scotland eh? It's ok sometimes….