My radiotherapy and chemotherapy earlier in the year absolutely smashed Trevor the Tumour, but left my lungs peppered with embolisms and an apple sized infarction in my right lung. I was initially on 2x150mg injections of enoxaparin for a couple of months to clear up my lungs and have been on daily 150mg injections of Enoxaparin since, only stopping three weeks ago for the operation to remove the 35cm of my lower bowel that Trevor had ruined, then back on the injections the following day. I’ve to keep taking these ….’flipping’* sore daily injections for at least another six months.

As it happens, my surgeon is a keen mountain biker himself, when not studying for his GCSE’s, and we discussed this matter a couple of times. His opinion was that as long as I wasn’t planning on losing an arm or a leg, I should be fine. On the run up to my surgery, I was trying to get out on the bike as much as I could and caught a few, good and deep thorn scratches from the early summer brambles and Hawthorns. I honestly couldn’t say I was leaking any more than I normally would in that sort of situation.

Simple remedy is, if you’re worried, stick a 1st aid kit in your backpack. I always carry one and it’s come in useful many, many times. Always on me mind you….

*Insert really rude word here

C.

I had a bit of a wobbler yesterday as well. This last year I’ve been through rounds of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and two weeks ago, a six hour surgical procedure to remove Trevor the tumour and around 35cm of my lower bowels. All through this process, my family, friends, colleagues and the wonderful medical professionals who treated me so successfully have commented on my amazing positive attitude.

Yesterday I broke down and burst into tears because the site around my temporary ileostomy (3-6 months with a bag to catch my poop before it’s reversed and I can poo normally again), has become infected. A silly little thing, but it just completely overwhelmed me.

Maybe it’s relief that it’s nearly all behind me now (must stop making bum puns), but I’m feeling more upset and emotional about the whole experience now, than I did when I was at my lowest, sickest point in the middle of the chemo. It’s frustrating, I just want it done with, so I can get my life back on track again, but it’s difficult to say and think that because I’m well aware of how lucky I’ve been to come through this pretty much unscathed when the outcome could very easily have been much worse.

Apologies for the self-pitying ramble. I am actually feeling a bit better today.

C.

That’s really awesome news. I’ve no idea who you are, but I’m still smiling and really happy for you guys. Congratulations.

*My proposal to Mrs Beagleboy was only slightly less romantic. As I recall, we were in the car on the way to Tesco when I turned to her and said, “Do you fancy going to Las Vegas and getting married by Elvis?” and she replied with something like, “Ha!, that’d be a laugh”.

Really pleased for you, it’s brightened up a grey and damp morning wonderfully.

Perfect timing!

I’ve got a week in hospital coming up in a couple of weeks time and will need a LOT of post-op reading material. I love sci-fi, and reckon I’ve read most of the classics that I’m aware of, which is why, at the moment, I’ve switched to fantasy and am thoroughly enjoying The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie and might invest in more of his work.

I’ve got Dogs of War sitting on my kindle and really liked Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet novels, so more like that would keep me occupied.

Keep the suggestions coming, and thanks to the OP for posting this up, I appreciate it!

What a ripoff, it looks nothing like him!

Postman only delivered a flyer for the local Indian takeaway today. Still waiting on the mag. Will let you know what it’s like when it arrives and once I’ve riffled through the pages and taken in that lovely thick paper aroma you guys spray on it.

As another long term user of this place stretching back to the Gofar days, I’m up for this. Around 15-20yrs ago I used to be a regular poster, but nowadays I’m one of those who’s actually intimidated by the ‘big hitters’ on the regular forum and I often shy away from posting in case I get a virtual flaying. Not an easy admission from a big hairy Scotsman in his early 50’s.

I like talking about push bikes, any sort of pushbikes, and bike routes and how to fix bikes. That’s what brings me back to this place, oh alright, I do get a dirty thrill out of people posting about neighbour disputes. Mostly though, I like bikes!

I’m a little bit scared and a little bit excited.

I’ve been undergoing bowel cancer treatment for the past six months and yesterday I went for a Cat scan, followed up by a MRI tomorrow to see how things are progressing.

The surgeon who’s part of my treatment team phoned yesterday afternoon, and on the proviso that the scans are all positive (they’ll be reviewed over the next few days), I’m scheduled for surgery in a fortnight. Trevor is finally getting his eviction notice.

Mind you, I do appear to be going for major surgery on April Fool’s Day!

Kinda terrified at the prospect of surgery, but so excited that my wife and I might be about to release the pause button on our lives!

I’ve pretty much set my heart on getting an Orange Charger Pro once the docs have given me the all clear. Basically, treating myself in a big way because it is a huge amount of money, but then I am going through a pretty huge amount guff at the moment. However, the more I read, the more nervous I get about the technology. I joined a Facebook Group (e-MTB Scotland), and it just seems to be filled with a constant stream of people complaining about dead motors, firmware updates and error messages. So now, I too am wondering if the technology isn’t really there yet.

Mind you, I’m also well aware of the internet effect, and that one person loudly complaining is 100x more visible than the quiet majority happy pedalling away without any complaints.

I’d love to hear or see a lot more data on e-MTB reliability before I shell out 7K on one of the things!

Cheers dude!

I’m in the middle of chemotherapy for bowel cancer and feeling pretty low to be honest. I did a 20km, flat Zwift ride on my turbo the other day and it honestly left me staggered, how much it took out of me. I’m always the first to joke and reassure everyone I’m fine, but the other day was a bit of a reality check that I’m actually really not that well.

I do know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel, and I know I’m going to come out of this okay, but that wee post was a nice reminder.

Thanks mate

Craig xx

I’d just like to be able to cycle out to a pub and have a beer with someone. Anyone would do, I’m not picky.

Okaay,

Last summer I started having a great deal of difficulty producing anything other than wind and the occasional little pea sized poop. I assumed I had IBS so started changing my diet….I even cut out beer for a while. Then I went to the pharmacist who recommended Senokot tablets. Anyway, nothing worked and after a few months of trying different remedies I reluctantly folded (didn’t want to bother the NHS during the Covid crisis), and contacted my doctor where I was quickly diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Now, I’m obviously not saying that’s your problem, but I’m still suffering bouts of severe constipation (Trevor’s a bit of a whopper and causing a fair blockage), even during my current chemotherapy, and the one over the counter remedy that does seem to help is Senekot. Even when I’ve been on the hefty co-codamols and liquid morphine, which are notorious butt-plugs, it’s still allowing me to squeeze something past the bugger.

I’d contact your local pharmacist, explain what you’re currently taking and why, and see what they recommend. But Senekot, for all it’s a natural remedy, works very well for me, the current King of Constipation.

Oh, and get well soon buddy!

Craig xx

Going to try and post a pic of Enid II on the car…this may take a few edits!

Our Dawes tandem goes on the roof of our Skoda Fabia with an ETC branded tandem rack. It’s very secure, once you’ve got the bugger up there. Only other thing I can think of is that you need a minimum of 100cm between the front and back roof bars when fitting most tandem roof racks, so you’d have to check that you’ve got that amount of adjustment with your existing roof bars.

In the real world, I have an 80 minute bus commute from just outside Stirling into Glasgow every day. Believe me, it isn’t a whole lot of fun. However, unlocking a Nextbike from Buchanan bus station and enjoying the 15 minute pedal down to my lab in the West End makes up for everything and sets me up perfectly for the rest of the day.

Struggling to get on a bike at the moment because of health issues, so I’m really missing the mental health benefits. Mind you, all that commute money that I’m not spending is going into my new bike kitty!

C.

Nope, haven’t been on my mountain bike since the end of November, the weekend before I started radiotherapy. I had a couple of goes on Zwift in the garage last week, but that wasn’t very comfortable as Trevor (my tumour) made it very clear he wasn’t pleased. Then I started chemo on Friday and have been feeling a bit barfy most days. Hoping to give the turbo another go in a day or two if I feel better, as the doc did prescribe me some rather excellent painkillers to try and keep Trev quiet.

I live for and love my bikes, but in reality, once I’ve finished the chemo, and have had surgery, I’m probably going to be looking at mid-late summer before I can properly get out again. The upside of it though, is you should see the new bike I have my eyes on. I bought my dream bike (Orange Four Factory spec), five years ago as a treat to myself for surviving a stupid snowboarding accident where I broke my back, but came out of recovery relatively unscathed. This time….whooo….I’m going to treat myself.

Pros: Some of the best weather, and driest trails I’ve ever seen in Central Scotland while I was furloughed during lock down. Haven’t felt as bike fit and healthy for years.

Cons: Missed out on so much riding and good times with my friends, missed out on a lot of planned 50th birthday celebrations for myself and my wife. Diagnosed with cancer in Sept. Had radiotherapy on the run up to Christmas and starting chemotherapy next Friday. Don’t know when I’ll be able to get back on my bike again.

On balance, it’s been a bit of a crap year for me. 2021 had better get its act together!

I got into backyard astronomy about six years ago. I have a 200mm Skywatcher Dobsonian and a small 127mm wifi enabled Skywatcher Maksutov. The smaller scope is much more handy, not just for lugging out into the garden, but for storage as well. I’m also hugely impressed with it’s ability, (once properly aligned), to slew around to any target selected on my mobile phone or tablet.

Although the Goto scope cost a LOT more than my much bigger Dobby, it is far more accessible. I often find myself failing to find any of the targets I’d set out to look for with my Dob, although Rioja often plays a part in that as well. Whereas, five minutes setting up the goto Mak at the start of the evening and the rest of the night can be spent hopping from target to target with little or no effort, which might be a winner if kids are concerned.

The downside is that the smaller aperture collects less light and gives less detail. Which might be worth thinking about as well. Amateur astronomy has seen a huge upsurge in interest this year. The Astronomy Scotland Facebook club that I’m in has seen its membership quadruple. Many people are coming onto the pages and are blown away with the imagery on show, but then they’re looking down their scopes and getting confused.

Our eyes can’t pick out the colour and detail that cameras can, so what might look like a magnificent spiral galaxy in a photo, actually comes across as a barely detectable, ghostly grey smudge in the eyepiece. Again, just saying as it’s something you might want to think about, to temper expectations.

I tend to do a bit of research on what I’m going to look at, to bring it to life a bit. So, looking at M80 and M81, two galaxies which just fit into the view of a low power eyepiece in my Dob, might look like unimpressive, barely visible smudges (200mm is a medium sized, verging on large aperture telescope), but with a bit of background, knowing that the light I’m looking at is 12 million years old, the cool factor increases.

With that in mind, I’d get the Skysafari Pro app for your phone. It’s a virtual representation of the night sky, but it also has an option to give you an audio description of the target you’ve selected. It’s a very good app, which you can get for free, or the Pro version costs only about £10. I’d also thoroughly recommend ‘Turn Left at Orion’. It’s a brilliant introduction to the hobby and it also has lots of drawings which show what you’ll actually see down the eyepiece, rather than what the Hubble can see!

Telescope? My Mak cost £500 and is worth every penny, but do you want to spend that if you’re just dipping your toes in? My Dobby cost £300, is bulky, and heavy but gives fabulous views if you’re prepared to work with it. In astronomy, aperture is king, so always try and go as big as you can. Bigger scopes need sturdier mounts though, and this is where trade offs begin. I love the GOTO capability of my Mak, but the tradeoff again, is smaller aperture.

If you’re buying for your kid, why not look at some of the smaller Dobs like the Skywatcher 130mm-150mm Heritage range? It’s not a huge investment if the youngster thinks it’s a shite hobby after the first night, but it’s still a good quality scope, and won’t take up half their bedroom. You can then make a family event of going out and learning to navigate the night sky with it, rather than just pushing a button and watching the goto do everything for you!

Sorry for rambling!

Well, this has been a rather opportune thread! I’m heading into hospital soon for a wee stay, and yesterday my lab sent me a £100 Amazon gift card as a get well soon present. I’ve downloaded a few of the above newer authors (I’m pretty well versed in classic Sci-Fi), onto my Kindle Fire, and hopefully they’ll keep me entertained.

Might have a look for a couple of graphic novels as well. I’m thinking that if I’m feeling too poop to read, I can still look at pretty pictures. I’ve just spotted a Dune graphic novel (obviously a tie-in with the new movie), that’ll be getting bought. Any thoughts or ideas on anything else along those lines?

Cheers

Beagy

I’m a member of three mountain bike groups on Facebook and an astronomy group, all of which are very well moderated. I’ve got about 100 or so contacts, mostly ex-students who gained their Phd’s in the labs I’ve worked in, old friends and a few family members. I don’t have any of the news feeds turned on.

I don’t ‘friend’ anyone unless they are an actual friend, and if someone is on my list who’s views I don’t share, I either stop following their posts, or remove them.

My facebook feed is pretty much bikes, telescopes, cats, dogs, birthdays and babies.

I fully appreciate that it can be toxic, but surely that’ll only happen if you let it?

C.

I’m a huge fan of Dune, currently re-reading the series for the umpteenth time. I also love Lynch’s version of the story. In fairness to it and him, my understanding of the problems with the movie arose from it being around 4-5hrs long when it was completed. The cinemas threw their hands up in horror at something they could only show once a day, and the editors went in with the scissors and cut the original story to ribbons.

I also have an Alan Smithee version of Lynch’s Dune Movie, which attempts to plug the story line holes with voiced over animations and movie storyboards. It’s a bit weird! All in though, I’m looking forward to this new movie and will probably love it, even if it’s poo, simply because it’s a movie of my favourite Sci-Fi novel.

Speaking of which, I know it’s very obvious, but if you remove Spice and replace it with Oil, and transport the Freman to another sandy, desert wasteland to the east of here, (no, not Fife, much further east than that), written at a time when the Suez canal crisis was still fresh in people’s memories, it makes it a much more interesting read….or at least, that’s my take on it.

C.

I think about this quite a lot. I’m 50 yrs old, and the youngest of five. My brother closest in age to me has very similar tastes and interest and we get on great, meeting regularly for a few beers and a gossip. He’s a brilliant guy and a great friend to have.

In my opinion, my eldest brother is a 15yr old school bully trapped in the body of a 58 yr old, whilst my two older sisters (63 yrs and 65 yrs respectively), haven’t spoken to each other in over 40yrs, and are continually looking for the rest of us to take sides.

I often think I’m a really bad brother for not contacting them more often, but then, other than my closest brother, they never contact me. It’s terrible to say, but other than sharing the same parents (both of whom are long passed away), I’ve got nothing in common with the rest of my family.

I bought a MkIV Viper, kitted it out with upgraded shields, two gimballed Pulse lasers and two Gatling guns on gimbals then went out to a low conflict zone and signed up for NKL.
It didn’t go well, no, not one little bit. Now working my way back from a convict ship as I was interdicted on my 2nd trip to the conflict zone by what I assumed was a pirate, but turned out to be a copper. That got very shooty then very explodey….. again.

Maybe not suited to this shooting thing after all. Maybe should just head off again in the DBX with my tail tucked very firmly between my legs.

Well, I docked at Tennyson Landing in the Akuntsu system last night. It was a pretty ropey landing, and I was puzzled enough by the new icons across the screen that it took me a while to realise that I was still on the pad and not in the station. Sorry if I was hogging a space!

Sold my exploration data and got what I wanted, my Elite badge. Also have enough money now to splash out on some nice ships, so if anyone has recommendations for a good Trader build and a good Fighter build, I’m open to hear it!

Just as a recap, I set off from the Bubble with around 12,000 other players (across all platforms, linked via Discord), as part of the Distant Worlds 2 expedition in Feb 2019. A few wine induced collisions with planets and the realisation that I’m not as dedicated a gamer as I thought I was saw me quickly fall far behind the rest of the fleet as we travelled the Colonia Highway. After reaching Sag A*, I was pretty much out on my own but decided to keep plodding along regardless.

However, summer 2019 intervened, and I didn’t pick up my flight again for a few months, travelling ‘up’ through Ryker’s Hope, through Newton’s Vault into the Formorian Frontier which is just a nightmare expanse of Brown Dwarfs and finally, at the start of Spring, up to the Abyss and my destination, Beagle Point. Again, Spring and summer saw me pretty much hanging up my PS4 controller, but I eventually got back in the cockpit for the return journey. I hung a right, and travelled through a fair bit of Acheron, before heading back downhill towards home via The Veils, the Arcadian Stream, Norma Expanse and finally the Inner Orion Spur. My last hundred or so jumps last night were just a fast blast as pretty much every system had already been explored on my route.

It was fun being part of the expedition, flying with other pilots and sharing goals, but it eventually turned into a pig headed grind just to get the journey done and get back to the Bubble. I was thinking I might have a wee break from playing, but looking out of my lab window at the weather here in Glasgow….Bleurgh!

Entering Akuntsu system now and heading for the outpost to sell my exploration data. If you’re in the area and see a scruffy looking DBX go past, steer well clear. I haven’t docked in a looong time. This could be messy. 😣

@Crewlie Where are you? I’ve been out exploring for 18 months and just last night re-entered the Orion Spur sector of the galaxy. Getting a bit sweaty thinking about trying to park at a station! I’ve got about another 200 jumps before I hit the edge of the bubble and have to try and remember how to land on a pad, or help-ma-boab, fit myself through the letterbox.

I’m down to about 12,500 ly from the edge of the bubble. Maybe about 250-300 jumps. Then I’m going to sell the last 18 months worth of exploration data and buy me something with lots of guns and learn to shoot!

Buhwah hahahahahahaha!

I’m nearly there!

I reckon I’m about 28,000ly away from the edge of the bubble, give or take a few thousand. Don’t shoot everyone, leave some for me when I get back from the black!

With regards to the chip activated cat flap, they also work with a collar tag. Both our cats are chipped, but only one can get through the cat flap without the collar tag, as it appears the other’s chip has migrated down to her backside. So the only way she can get in would be to reverse.

It won’t stop your cat going for a free feed, nothing will, but it will mean you can stop other cats getting into your house without restricting access to your cat. I think our chip reading flap cost around £70 and has been a very good investment.

Basic first aid kit with plasters, steri-strips, and bandages. Painkillers, I have a dodgy lower back from a snowboarding injury, and a foil blanket.

Everything has been used at some point, and I wouldn’t go out on a big ride without these basics.

C.

@Molgrips I knew I should have turned left at Albuquerque!

I took a hike out to Beagle Point in my ship, The Beagle as part of a mass, cross platform expedition called ‘Distant Worlds 2’. I quickly fell astern of the 11,000+ players who had joined as I’m not as dedicated a gamer as I’d thought. I also had three or four wine induced incidents where I smacked into planets….really hard…and found myself re-buying and playing an increasingly difficult game of catch-up. The actual expedition ended in April last year, but I’m pig headed enough that it didn’t stop me from trying to complete the proposed route anyway.
I’m now taking a curving route, clockwise around the galaxy on my way back to the bubble. Been a few cool places, seen some cool stuff, but getting a bit itchy to be back.

At the rate I play, I reckon I’ll be back in the bubble around the end of summer. So only just over a year late. :-)

Wow, all this chat is really making me want to put the foot down, get back to the bubble and build a fighty ship!

I’m still about 50-60,000 light years away from the bubble though and really only play for a couple of hours a week in the summer, so could someone keep the tea warm for me till I get back?

Beagy73, flying ‘The Beagle’, an unarmed DiamondBack Explorer out in the black for the last 18 months. Just on the border of the Formian Frontiers, Veils sector.

p.s. It’s quiet out here…..

Department of Youth by Alice Cooper.

At the very end, as the kids singing the chorus of ‘We’re the Department of youth, we’ve got the power’ starts to fade out, you can hear Alice calling out “and who gave it to you?” and the kids reply “Donny Osmond!”, to which, Alice screams “What??”

Makes me smile every time I hear it.

Menteith Hills loop around Aberfoyle. Start in Callendar, head along the side of Loch Venachar, then up around Loch Drunkie (I fell in there once when I was very drunk), eventually you’ll start descending down through loads of lovely built singletrack towards Marshall Lodge and down to Aberfoyle. Then back along the side of the golf course, and up through the glen back towards Callander.

It’s a fair sized ride, a lot of double track grinding, but also a lot of fun singletrack.

I’m working my way through the books in anticipation of season 2 starting. Just finished The Boys Omnibus Vol 4 yesterday. Excellent stuff, I particularly liked the homage to The Broons towards the end.

In the middle of winter, I always wear bib longs with baggy shorts over the top of them. But I’m a really chubby lad, and nobody wants to see me in tight lycra.

In summer? Shorts, no knee pads. Scars are a badge of honour!

The music at Glastonbury was always 2nd place for me. I went from 1993-98, when I gave up because it was getting way too dickish. Joolz Denby’s performances will always strike me as the best of Glastonbury, although special mention must go out to a bunch of guys who performed in boxing boots, boxing gloves and tutu’s as the Ballet Hooligans and a London Collective called the Weapons of Sound who made the most amazing music out of metal bins and pipes. Still saw some amazing bands, but I kept getting drawn away by the side shows!

Would I go again though?….naw. I like pooping in a clean toilet nowadays.

@Poah,

Yeah, I do a fair bit of work for Harry’s group.

@Poah

Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, top two floors of the GBRC.

Sooo,

The research lab I work in is preparing to get up and running again. At the moment, it would seem the plan is for a restart on the 1st of July. I’m really looking forward to getting back to work, except I’m kind of struggling to see how I actually get to work!

Because of issues associated with my Type 1 Diabetes, I’m not allowed to hold a drivers license, so I’m reliant on public transport, which in my case means the local bus route. This is normally a 60-80 minute journey from just outside of Stirling, to the centre of Glasgow. I then either Nextbike (when available), or Subway over to the West End.

Currently, my regular commuter route has been suspended, meaning to get into work, I’ll have to travel on at least two, possibly even three different bus services. Then still find some way of getting into the lab from the town centre. All of this, where buses appear to be only allowing 8-15 passengers on each service, leaving me with the distinct possibility of being stranded in some god forsaken corner of hell, yes, I’m talking Cumbernauld.

I’m not even sure if I should be travelling that sort of distance on public transport. Does the 5 mile limit apply to work commute? I’m already furloughed, and I’m really starting to worry that if I can’t find a regular and reliable way of getting into work during lockdown, my furloughed status might be made more permanent.

Is anyone else currently doing a relatively long, public transport commute? If so, how’s it working for you? Does anyone know if the easing of lockdown will come with an easing of restrictions on public transport?