Give yourself a running, outload, commentory of the trails ahead.

I find that when I’m tired or it’s all happening a wee bit too fast, especially on new trails (but practise on stuff you know too), hearing the words, like a command makes it easier to process than letting my spaghetti brain deal with all the info. It’s the same technique they use for advance driving..

Also having clocked feature and said the words you’re brain is already half way there with a plan to tackle it and you’re already scanning for the next thing.

You might get some weird looks but it works.

+1 Sanderson

we have a demo 16″ which is fun – sweet EBB system

I don’t have a problem doing it myself, I just don’t want to waste any cash buying a dodgy screen..

@ Xiphon- did you get a replacement off ebay or from where? and was it anywhere near as good as the original?

Call me an auld giffer but my stove top espresso fills me with joy as the natural light from the kitchen window bounces of the many flat sides into a kaliedascope of geometric dancing reflections as I tighten it up; and the splutter and gurgle just set the taste buds up for the best 11:00 treat a man realsitically expect when the missus is at work…

Oh and for good beans try here http://www.betterbeverage.co.uk

Two options then – send it off for a few days for a garanteed fix for £67

or

take a trip to the city, spend the money on getting properly smashed, then try Apple in the morning with a stinking hangover……

Hmmm……

it’s tricky??

Nah, it’s out of warranty and all that. If i can fix it I’ll give it my daughter has her eye on it..

£40 gets you race, Tshirt – burger, beer and band

Camping ticket gets you two nights camping with showers (not a cheap thing to hire in) and access to the castle grounds for a whole family for two days.

Of course you don’t have to camp and can pay a regular admission to the estate for your family if you want.

i cam email it or send it in the post

Come down to Drumlanrig for 8 hour event (some peoplewill race) on July 7th

It’s posted up on here somewhere.

Bring some friends and make up a team or go for it solo, party after if you want to.

The way that it works at Drumlanrig is that if you join the Rik’s Bike Shed/Drumlanrig Club you get access to the trails and limited facilities (car park etc but not the gardens and play park).

The club get the membership fee which is slightly cheaper than a Drumlanrig season ticket due to the lesser access (last year we had access to all, so our membership was the same as the estate season ticket).

The club ‘volunteers’ then do some of the maintenance on the trails – barrowing in gravel if required to strengthen the surface on clay areas, knocking out puddles etc and we get to build some new hand built stuff – which obviously benefits the local riders more than most. If I’m supervising these digs then I’m volunteering too as a club member.

Most of the maintenance is done by the ranger service – the strimming, grass cutting and windblow clearing etc. Anything technical will be a combination of me and the ranger service – stone pitching / woodwork etc.

If budgets allow (based on numbers on the gate) the estate might employ me to build some new sections or last year for the first time in 10 years rebuild a section that got severely frost damaged in the really cold winter.

We’ll probably be in clearing brash off the top section soon as the estate are clearing out the ‘big’ windblow now, some of that trail might need rebuilt after the forwarders have been in.

The club will use the funds to support coaching and equipment for the local kids and also it can be used for match funding if we ever get around to applying for a grant (I’d like to get a nice swoopy singletrack green/blue trail for novices/families)..

It’s a partnership between the ranger service, the local riders and rik’s bike shed and it’s what’s put the trail network on the ground. We are just about tolerated by the powers that be – but there are plenty of nay sayers who would rather see the woods go back the the hunting shooting and fishing brigades and any sneaky peripheral parking is noticed and always gets flagged up at estate manager meetings as a reason not to invest. So please don’t and please disuade others if you see them as it’s a big issue.

Pow’r tae yer pedals

I’ve had my Ridgline SS for a year and a bit and it’s mint – ‘cept for the ding in the top tube from ride number one.

I’m kinda only just getting the ‘at one’ with the bike feelings now that I’ve got the right bits on it.

I love my bike 🙂

Ahah – 888trojan888 – it now makes sense!!

I hijacked your ride and talked at you the whole way round.

Great ride bud – get yerself back up here soon…

The trails at Drumlanrig seem ‘natural’ because that’s how they’re designed, it’s a heritage woodland, grey council paths with berms and rock features for the stormtropers to ride round just wouldn’t be appropriate. Hand dug trail isn’t hand dug by the rabbits and wee folk y’know it costs peoples time, and there’s a good lot of the trail is digger dug but using as dug material so seems natural..

Also, the spend on maintaining the trails and the wee bit of expnsion that happens here is only just covered by the total income from mountain bikers paying at the gate. So there’s definetaly no ‘tidy income’
It costs peoples time to strim back the trail edges and replace bridges that wear out, it costs peoples time to go round brashing up all the short cuts people insist on taking in their need for a fast lap or something (kinda missing the point of riding a route isn’t it really), it costs to provide good clean toilets and showers and safe clean car parking.

Guys, get real with how much really it costs to build and run trails and civilised facilities. If it wasn’t for the bus tours and families that cross subsidise the rest of the facilities there would be no trails at Drumlanrig and we still get people who ‘only want to ride the trails’ so let me in cheap.. What about the Grannies who only want to visit the gardens – well there are a whole lot more of them so actually they’re probably paying more for you to ride the trails….

It’s gonna have cost £20+ in petrol, you’re more than likely riding a £1000+ rig and you can get a good two hours of riding or more if you go another couple of laps for a measly £6, what do we have to do????

Are you detecting a note of frustration here??? The FE have built a rod with which they beat their own backs IMO giving away millions of pounds of investment way too cheaply or even free (oh boy do they regret that now) unfortunately the same rod beats everyone trying to make something good happen in this ‘business’

OK – calm down Rik – go dig some trails or something – breath deeply –

Pow’r tae yer pedals everyone – sorry about the rant 😳

Cheers folks.

bump

Have done so….

Hels – that would be awesome

Cheers all, I’ll be sorting out all the licencing and stuff next week so expect posters and an an entry form by next Friday once I’ve figured out how much everythings gonna cost.

I know it clashes with the Pufferlite but have spoke to Steve and reckon that there’s enough of the country in between.

The week after is the Tough Mudder so that doesn’t work, in fact that’s how we’re getting to camp onsite as they’ll already have the stock off the events field for that, otherwise that wouldn’t happen for a wee event like ours. The Mudder is expecting 7000 people each day…. wow!!!

Pow’r tae yer pedals

Rik

i’ve just got the go ahead from the estate but need to crunch numbers etc to work out a price for entry etc so don’t ask me that yet… but it’ll be well cheaper than the Kirro event was going to be.

Merida are a bargain, and use good quality alloy bits where most use cheap heavy steel. QR on front and rear wheels which most at similar prices don’t.

We sell them a plenty and are happy to trade them back in so usually have a few second hand.

I’ll get on it then…

It’ll be a simple count the laps and time that you stop ‘None o all this technology nonsense’ kinda event.

I’ll try and stretch to a T or mug or something and a BYOB party after.

And, should be a good bit cheaper than the 10 was going to be..

I’ll get on it then…

It’ll be a simple count the laps and time that you stop ‘None o all this technology nonsense’ kinda event.

I’ll try and stretch to a T or mug or something and a BYOB party after.

And, should be a good bit cheaper than the 10 was..

would anybody be up for an 8 at Drumlanrig

8 mile lap 8 hour race, lo-fi grass roots event

Maybe a ceilidh

7th July 2012

let me know

watch this space – I was thinking about an 8 mile 8 hour event at Drumlanrig….

Any body interested?

Hi John / Hi Pete
There are still some significant sections of the old Rik’s Red Route in the red at Mabie, I think I did a bit more than ‘canvass’ the FE 🙂

In fact it looks like some of that trail hasn’t been touched since I dug it myself 12 years ago; and, don’t forget that Rik’s Bike Shed stumped up a grand towards initial digger time which was matched by the Full Mental club. All pre-7Stanes but many of the lines are there as I flagged them and dug them.

Drumlanrig – maybe I’m biased
Mabie – including all the old and new hidden gems
Kirro
Sutherland / Bonar Bridge – gotta love all that natural rock
Dalbeattie – for a batter round after dark it’s a giggle

Hi Hugh / Simon / John
I’ll probably be away building stuff at Comrie that week but if not I might be up for a social spin round Drumlanrig or Mabie.

I know what you mean about the TTT climb Simon I often just head back along the riverside and maybe I’ll do a shorter second lap round the bail out instead, but the option’s there if you want it, that’s kindof the who;e point of the way Drum is laid out, you can pick and choose your challenge..

How’s married life treating you? Sorry I didn’t have much time to blether when you were up last time..

Pow’r tea yer pedals

Rik

Honey
Boiling water – stir
Slice of lemon stuck with four or five cloves
double whiskey – cheaper the better

I have the 120 version and find them very stiff and subtle over the wee roots at Drumlanrig.

That would probably be a goer – any others?

slime tubes work in my hire bikes pretty well..

I’d think it would be a pretty noxious burn 🙁

Jura 10 is a bit single – there’s just not alot to it IMO – no complexity at all. It’s not at all like Laphroig.

Find an Aldi and have a go at their Glen Marnoch as I believe it’s a rebadged something better – it fits your budget and I bought a few bottles last year and wusnae dissappointed

A regular customer over the years used to phone in and pay for a good chunk of his purchase on the switch card. Often, in a muffled tone from the cupboard under the stairs..

He’d then come and pick up the parts or frames or clothing etc and pay the outstanding amount in cash in front of the missus.

I relayed this story to a few mates one of whom is a missus herself – based on her reply – go check your wifes handbag for a red pen – all the better for crossing out the full price and replacing with a half price or better ‘in the sale bargain’ prior to getting them home.

What goes around….

Ardbeg 10 is my all time fave for under £30 but there are lots of other milder peaties – try any of the Bruachladdichs.

Most of the Highland whiskies are ‘easier’ but Glenmorangie still has a wee bit of complexity to it and there are a few to choose from.

Quite often deals on Jura which has the seasidiness of the Islay malts with out being too peaty.

Join a club there’ll be plenty of experts to advise you tasting sessions and deals to be had.

Away from the bike – do some stretching –

Sitting down – touch and hold your toes for 10

Standing feet shoulder width – bend at hips to flat back and hold for 10

Lay with back flat to the floor – leave one leg flat and hug the other to your chest alternate and repeat

Google some yoga vids and try doing the sun salutation every morning

On the bike

When standing don’t stand as if seated i.e. don’t just hover above your seat still crouched over – get stood up tall so that you can use your hips and glutes to push the pedals over and down – you’ll use your muscles in a much closer posture to what we’ve been designed for over past few million years and hopefully avoid the strains your finding now.

PS don’t skip on the stretching it’s easy really

We used to call our back room the fridge!!

Last year I dry lined it with 50mm celotex, bonded to the wall (after tidying up the wall and sorting out the damp course).. All taped to provide a vapour barrier and insulated round the windows etc..

Bonded some plasterboard onto that and plastered.

Also put in the discrete heat skirting board radiators and it’s now the cosiest room in the house, 18 degrees pretty much the whole day according to the baby monitor with the heating on twice a day.

Bonding to the wall is a bit of a pain but we didn’t want to lose any more space by using a wooded frame.

Totally worth it..

What do you call a donkey with three legs and only one eye?

A winkey wonkey..

Feelin great actually, a bit sore around the ribs from raking and bashing in the bigger rocks, but no need to go to the gym for a core workout that’s for sure 😆 just don’t make me cough or laugh, it hurts…

It’s cavity insulation that i’m asking about – how much – roughly – for 18m of blown in insulation..

its a flat roof with (useless) insulation on top of the rafters and a great draft underneath it taking away any heat we have.

The main house is thick old stone and I’ve dry lined the external walls with 50mm of celotex and it’s made a huge difference..

I was going to put 50mm insulation on the ceiling anyway.