I'm in too 🙂

If I get the time, may make a commemorative cheese or two…

Was going to have ago this afternoon by referring to BB's excellent pics – now gone! 🙄

Just realised that was 20 years ago; where did the time go?

I cycled around Portugal in '89, for 3 weeks, on a fearsomely overloaded Ridgeback.

Fantastic.

I'll have the small horse…

IGMC

About an hour; not hammering it

Interesting article in this week's Economist: the fertility rate has now just dropped below 2.1 for the first time. The population will still continue to grow for a good few years but we're not likely to be squeezed off the planet!

Lots of those sound great, but I am partial to a white bread and butter cold curry sandwich.

Yum…

Congratulations, all the v. best from the bakeys!

It wasn't very large
There was just enough room to cram the drums
In the corner over by the Dodge
It was a fifty-four
With a mashed up door
And à cheesy little amp
With a sign on the front said
"Fender Champ"
And a second-hand guitar
It was a Stratocaster with a whammy bar

End of.

I've just read the Fartlek piece on Wikipedia – isn't that just what we do on the bike, i.e. hevy climbing at high HR followed by downhill/level recovery?

As we say in Wales: 'pob lwc', from the bakeys

Mike

I'm 46 and having picked up MTB after 10+ years off, enjoying it more and more. As you age it's slower to build up fitness but getting there; did the long course at the last Merida and had a hoot at SSUK09. I guess it's a bit easier being 10st and small with a history of sport…

Although I've busted a few ribs in my time, mostly rugby, the most painful injury MTBwise happened a couple of weeks ago – wheelying with SPDs, straight back onto the top of my pelvis, so painful even my mates forgot to take the p*ss!

Took my eldest (7) to the new jumpy bits at Llandegla over the weekend. He's keen to have a go and I'm, to be honest, just as keen. Now, which jump bike…

Love /Hate

SS, 1×9, Rohlhoff or Alfine, a great do-a-lot steel bike.

I'm 5'5" and the small fits fine w/ a short stem.

I guess with proper gear, preparation and understanding of winter conditions on mountains it could be done relatively straightforwardly – I'm all for a bit of adventure, but don't use the railway track as mentioned above!

I wouldn't do it in winter thouh as it (other than an achievement) probably wouldn't be all that much fun – lots of pushing up due to snow/ice induced lack of traction and a mince down for the same reasons.

I did it at the end of August just gone, and it was grim enough then!

Just bought an SLX from Melin for £85 which I think is good value.

Not really sure what's the difference between SLX and XT other than an handful of grams, different design and £40 odd quid.

I did the long one, knackered.

Even my teeth hurt…

Ruthin Merida on Sunday

I'm originally from Anglesey, now live closer to the hills in Mold!

Cycling: there's some great road cycling to be had on pretty quiet country roads; Holyhead Mountain/South Stack is great fun (but tough and v. rocky) for half a day or so. Llanberis is 40 mins away tops, so an early morning spin up Snowdon is a possibility (as I did from Benllech last week – pics to follow!)

Really Anglesey is best for water sports and the fantastic coastal path.

Have a word with the Council tourist office – there may be some grants…

Huge amounts of assistance, advice and sheer entertainment on all sorts, either passively or actively; some great characters (some not so) and a broad cross-section of our society albeit probably a little older (and grumpier!) than the norm.

I too sold my Ducati and bought a Husaberg (FE400 – for enduros) and I have done a CSB course at Rockingham, although on my race CBR600. No m/cs now but 3 bicycles and, like PP, I'll be buying one again eventually – it just gets in your blood!

Me to (lightest MTB) bike ratio: 5.8:1

Just say neigh…

Donkey jacket, mine.

Semi matured chilli red cheshire. I know, I know, but it tasted great after 6 months of maturing.

Go to the forums, cheesemaking is hidden away amongst the sausage lovers!

Fiddly, but no harder than fitting a headset!

Cheesemaking forum is a good place to start

Love cheese, me. Sometimes get the bug again and make some – an example of a yummy home-made full brie next to a big tin of mustard!

Could be a belter tomorrow if the rain holds off.

Much as it pains me deeply, they have a chance now…this is real cricket, not that 20/20 stuff.

Oooh you're a fussy lot!

Not too keen on some offal, but will eat all of it really and sweetbreads properly prepared and cooked are yum, but no one does it these days… Wouldn't touch anything which involved avoidable cruely see the boiled cat post above.

Love seafood, but after I had to clear a deck full of off bait whelks, I can't even look at 'em now.

Stuff I'm not too keen on – McD's, KFC, PizzaHut etc – taste great, but just utter rubbish. I wish my kids didn't love them so much.

Welsh champion a few times at weightlifting, OK at rugby (I was a small hooker – seems to be a lot of the tight 5 on here who now MTB!)
Did a fair bit of sailing, only racing, both dinghy and offshore; scared myself silly at climbing, rowed a bit, nearly got into motorcycle road racing but disuaded by Mrs bakey…, off road m/c enduro (badly). Pretty good at judo and gymnastics as a nipper.

Hopless swimmer and absolutely rubbish at cricket, football and tennis!

Most of all I loved the rugby, and now really enjoying biking as I approach my dotage.

In hilly areas w/ minimal road, try 32/18.

If you’re converting a geared hub, buy the widest cog you can (Surly here) or you’ll damage the freehub.

Now with a white saddle and a shorter stem! Just looking now for some white forks – see classifieds…

Not the original Dialled Bikes blue – now RAL5024 (I think)

Yep

e. shitake musroom and chicken risotto
d. sancerre
l. my wife – we’ve both been so busy this week, it’s been great to catch up

Is this Charlie?

Currently got a 53 plate 156 2.4 Sportwagon

Dodgy electrics: heater buttons, air bag warning lights, rear windscreen wiper, window motors etc.
Replaced some of the suspension
40+ mpg
Good handling, bit front heavy being a diesel
Smallest estate bit in the world, will fit a bike in the back lying down with the fron wheel removed, just!

Find yourself a good specialist (about half the price of the useless main dealers) and have a look at the Alfa owners site Alfa Owners Site

Despite the maitenance, I love Alfas, they are a bit special

Not for gawd’s sake the RAC.

My T595’s oil light came on whilst pushing it a bit on the north Wales backroads, so in with the clutch and called the RAC. I explained it was a Triumph T595 and the call centre lady said there’d be someone with me in an hour…

Two hours later RAC van turns up w/ no trailer… the chap said no one mentioned a motorcycle and I didn’t fancy a tow! Another two hours later a local garage turns up and gets me home 5 hours after braking down.

RAC, never again.

What bike btw Zeds – yonks ago I had a T120 Triton

I’m on my own too…my first SSUK

My Garmin 305 measured 62.10km and 1924m of ascent.

I’ve no idea if I did the longer or shorter course (I did the loop from and back to the feed station)

Wide variations in measurements…

Great event again.

PS This includes from and back to the campsite.

My P7 worked brilliantly during the ELBNO last weekend. I had it on the bars with a L2D on my lid; unfortunately the lockblocks mount failed and I ended up wearing one torch, the P7, on my helmet for the rest of the event. Absolutely no problems and it was as bright, if not brighter, than most of the other lights.

Great value indeed, although I can absolutely see the elegance of bike specific lights rather than ‘some old torch strapped to the bars’

Now, can anyone suggest a better bar mounting for the P7…

A mate and I are doing the 50km on Sunday. It’s his first time too, but as I will have done the night marathon a few hours previously a steady day out is all I’ll prob. be up to.

This is the third time I’ve done the Builth Merida and enjoyed the previous ones greatly – good bit of banter, opp. to meet new people. It’s a b*gger if it’s wet though esp. through the forest sections. Traffic is never really a problem, if you’re not looking to set a personal best, just relax and enjoy the event.

See you there.