Thanks for the suggestions.

By way of an update, I pick up a Ducati Hyperstrada on Sunday – it is tall, but I can get both feet (well toes down). I’ll be practising my ‘supermotard shuffle’ at the lights and be on constant camber watch 🙂

Great thread..

I’ve come back into road biking in the last two years after 7 years off, currently have an ER6N and am looking to change., but no idea what to get next.

Previous bikes included a couple of Ducati 900SS’ (which I loved), a little Laverda 650 (beautifully balanced but rubbish motor), Triumph T595, a Husaberg FE400 a CBR600 and best of all, a race TZR250 for the track.

I think my sportsbike days are behind me, but I could do with a bit more power thank the ER6N. Being only 5’5″ also limits my choices – although I’m happy enough not to be able to put both feet flat down, I would like to get close; one of the reasons I gave up enduro hare and hounds on the Husaberg!

I commute a couple of times a week; 25 miles each way, some motorway, so would like some wind protection, and as I live in north Wales, weekend runs out on the twisties.

So what next chaps?

I’ve nearly finished my Roquefort infused salami…

I work in Liverpool and the IoM.

If you’re not carrying too much, park in Mount Pleasant car park (but beware it shuts at 2000), find a CityBike at Lime Street and scoot down the hill to Pier Head.

Another cracking win for RGC this afternoon.

Might not mean much to most, but a strong north Wales side is something that has been missing for, like, ever!

Great for rugby in Wales.

Fast and Furious 8

Because it’s as daft as cake and I took my youngest son (14). Suspend judgement and it’s fab!

Yep, on land and at sea (Yachtmaster)

When racing anything from dinghies to big boats, always used a compass for checking start line line bias and wind shifts, particularly on beats…even around the cans.

Osprey Ozone – wheels and backpack. Used for coming up for a year now on weekly flights; great bit of kit.

Looks good and even fits in the overhead locker of the short haul favourite the ATR72

I’m so amazed why pulled pork has taken so long to become almost ubiquitous. I don’t recall ever seeing it before 7 or 8 years ago or when I was a kid.

I slow roast in an oven in a self braising pot – 5-8 hours depending on size, small bottle of cider and spices to taste. I do the crackling separately.

I predict the next UK ‘big thing’ will be proper corned/salt beef…

Based on many Mayors, past and present, the sign (in caps):

THE MAYORS’ SEAT

Interesting post, I suspect many of us have been thinking about this recently given DT’s comments on fake news.

For me: R4, The Economist, FT and Private Eye…

As above, Goliath was excellent

Now enjoying Startup

Osprey Ozone 36 Convertible – used for flying every week…and held enough kit for 4 days’ skiing last week.

Saami Snow[/url]

I’ve been on two ski trips with this Saami jacket. Brilliant value I think:

Saami Snow[/url]

@nbt – we’ve just come back from a few days in Prodains. As above, easy access to Avorias, Chatel etc and Switzerland. We also did Morzine and Les Gets – there is a free bus every 15 minutes or so between Morzine and Prodains, so transport was not a problem. A good bar, couple of restaurants and a couple of ski shops – quiet and not full on like Morzine or Avoriaz – we loved it!

Snow was deteriorating quickly when we left on Wednesday, but still most of the pistes were open.

Love a mussel 🙂

I’m Welsh and St. Dwynwen’s Day (the Welsh patron saint of lovers) was on the 25th January.

We had haggis.

I sew too! Bought a sewing machine last year and now do all the hems, minor alterations on the kids’ clothes. Not particularly good at it, but getting better.

It is the most difficult power tool I’ve yet to master…

I love them too.

On top of beef before the lid goes on, in a proper, fully encased pie. Outstanding.

Whilst the phraseology is awkward, the concept of post truth is potentially extremely damaging. The best piece I’ve read on it is as follows:

Economist

I use Starkey SoundLense CICs, which are all but invisible, but about £3k all up… I’ve lost around 50% of higher frequency hearing and about 20% of the lower registers (hereditary nerve deafness), but CIC aids are powerful enough for me.

CICs last between 5-7 years before the hostile environment in which they reside kills the electronics! I budget about £100 per year for repairs post warranty; there are a couple of good independents who are manufacturer agnostic.

If you’ve overly waxy ears, I’d avioid CICs.

Buying

Perhaps this link….

We had one, a 2.5 V6, much smoother than the diesels and around 26-30mpg.

We had ours fully converted by an outfit in S. Wales that did an excellent job. No real mechanical issues, but fit a coolant alarm, as above. Warped cylinder heads can be an issue

I loved it and we covered many UK and European miles – however as our boys got bigger, they rebelled about sleeping in the roof!

I would have one again like a shot. The Bongo Fury owners website was extremely useful https://www.axappphealthcare.co.uk/contact-us/

Whose is the ex-Olympic Eleiko kit? My neighbour, Dave Morgan, has got one of the sets they used (although they must have had 20+ sets made for the games).

Footfalls – the kit is Northern Weightlifting’s. Having Dave as a neighbour must be helping you! Two times Olympian and the only athlete to stand on the top step in 5 Commonwealth Games; legend.

Trying not to be 53….

I’ve a SL 2008 frame knocking about, which I should sell really.

Anyone fancy a white, small?

A perfectly ripe avocado/melon on opening.

I live in North Wales, 5 miles from the Clwydians.

It’s lovely.

Following on from this – work have said that they would be happy for me to keep the number. However, Vodafone (our work mobile provider) has advised that the only way the number can be transferred to my new handset is if I pick up the remainder of the contract.

Is this right?

I used to make quite a bit of cheese at home – small rounds make great gifts! No specific tips other than keep everything really clean.

I made a Cheshire type cheese mainly and then wax coated the small rounds (I used PVC drainpipe as a mould). Make sure you record every step and jot down the timings, so when you produce an exceptional specimen, you’ll be able to repeat it. As above, I’d start with pasteurised milk.

I’ve also had a go at a Brie (see below) and a Blue (although Bakey’s Blue Veiner didn’t really sound so appetising to some…)

#9 I’m thinking you’re referring to the newer hydrofoiling ones, rather than something like my long lost 70s Skol II design, which wouldn’t challenge my granny….

We had the precise issue. My eldest son fell out of love with TKD a few months before his final black belt grading (he was 13). We encouraged him to stick at it, but not force him to do so.

He decided to stick with it, although you could see his heart was not in it. He did however pass well and once a black belt, always a black belt. I’m sure he’ll look back in later years and be glad that he did. He’s given it up fully now and is concentrating on rugby.

I stopped at 2nd Kup…

Mum was the head chef at a local hotel…

Some spot on comments here.

Sustained fat loss is all about diet – Note, fat loss, not weight loss. Resistance training will grow muscle (which will increase your base metabolic rate) and burn that stubborn fat better than cardio; although HIIT is excellent as well if you have the mental fortitude to push yourself to the max required!

I’m not a climber, but a weightlifter competing in weight limited classes, so the strength vs weight equation is equally as important. I can get to about 10% fat through diet – high protein/fat, low carbon – which is as low as you really need to get to.

For interest here is a graph of my fat/weight loss for a competition last March. The blip is a Guiness fuelled trip to Dublin to watch the rugby…

Bloody reading glasses, receding/greying hair and injury/training recovery time…

Other than that, I’m the same weight as I was when I was 27 (52 now), although I went a period being 3 stone heavier! Played sport all my life rugby, sailing, cycling, motorcycle enduro, and taekwondo and now taken up competitive weightlifting again. Heavy squats have fixed my sore knee problem.

Gave up smoking 6 years ago (still chew the gum, alas) and I love proper beer and red wine.

I’m a novice skier (went to Alpe d’Huez last year) and off to Val Thorens for 6 days this Saturday.

Iz v. excite

I once had a colleague who was ‘mercifully unburdened of the rigours of intelligence’

52 and deaf as a post here.

c45-50% sensorineural hearing loss in both ears, corrected to pretty good levels by (expensive!) completely in the canal hearing aids.

I didn’t try the test…

2013 C220 here. 7G box and about 47mpg (not sure if that helps…)