Something needs to be done soon. I’m now getting 20-30k annual pension bills in the NHS. Options are to pay the bills, go part time to avoid them or sail off into the sunset and enjoy a CPI pension rise every year rather than an annual below inflation paycut. 10% of our specialities Consultant posts now vacant and thousands on the waiting list. I‘m literally irreplaceable at the moment (our last 4 early retirement posts are unfilled) but am being incentivised to retire or go part time. Madness.

Looks as if we’ve dropped out of the agreement post-Brexit regarding sharing of details:

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Brexit/No-more-speeding-fines-in-post-for-UK-cars-in-France

Got done a couple of years ago. They have a reciprocal agreement with Uk. Fine was pretty small around 30 euro. Appeared through the post a couple of weeks later.

I commute in to Perth from the southern Fife side each morning to Perth Royal Infirmary. Traffic still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels yet, so bear that in mind regarding commuting location for now.

Viewlands seems to have a good rep with work colleagues, although I took my kid out of the state sector as wrap-around childcare provision and holiday club childcare was better in independent sector. Currently enjoying Craigclowan Prep at Bridge of Earn side of Perth.

Tons of good mountain biking at Pitmedden Forest, about 25 mins south of Perth, as well as the delights of Dunkeld to the North.

Apparently now a case of CV in the Corallo hotel in Finale:

Coronavirus a Finale, si attende l’ordinanza del sindaco per isolare l’albergo

Although Finale is pretty close to the quarantine areas and above the PHE self-quarantine line. I would be checking the travel insurance small print carefully and also prepare for the possibility of spending a couple of weeks in a quarantine town if things worsened.

I’m fantastically happy to have my child in an “enviably small class of kids that are all eager to learn”.

All independent schools differ in facilities, culture etc.

Having put older child through the imploding state system in Scotland and now in a position to put younger child through the independent school system, I would say you would be insane not to snap up the chance of an independent school place.

The difference in resources, both physical and in terms of teaching assistance/class size is unbelievable. 12 in a class, learning support for every child, vast amount of extra-curricula activities. YMMV depending on the quality of your local schools. Couldn’t contemplate moving back to the state system after the experience in the independent system of the last few years.

I’d also be incredibly worried about the popularity of e-bikes if spending millions on a fixed uplift, sure there will still be some wanting an uplift but there will be plenty justifying the outlay against not having to pay for uplifts…

Think you are totally correct. Been thinking this for a while. Would imagine e-DH geometry bikes are going to be pretty standard in the next few years. Outrageous geometry that can still be peddled up hill. Been bumping into packs of e-bikers in the Alps cycling uphill for last couple of years, even with the lifts running.

Got both. Both excellent, but I find the Montane Extreme considerably warmer and Buffalo better for very active stuff. The Montane is great for all round pottering and I basically live in it for the winter.

Winter setup is WT shorty on front, worn shorty on rear for the god-forsaken scottish bog I live in.

Expect to see independent schools relocating to nearby countries

Finland?

Its a myth that Finland doesn’t have private schools, although they are different to the UK type. Here is a very reasonably priced one (16k Euro/year), that even teaches in English, to escape to!

Home

…and, of course, that only deals with the Day kids. The boarders will simply be educated abroad so those kids will be lost to the system on day one.

This will definitely be the case. Already been mulled over by the parents at the independent school that my child attends. No chance we would be putting our kids into the state sector. Having had an older child go through the local state system, the difference is mind blowing and we could never contemplate returning. Expect to see independent schools relocating to nearby countries and a rise in exclusivity.

Nicely done, but I bet they fit an external bike rack after a couple of trips!

You could try contacting Godiva Trailriders. I grew up in Leamington, and it’s a bit of a mountain biking blackhole really.

Found the VFF great for trail running, not tried them on tarmac. Great grip, but requires a lot of concentration at first so you don’t smack a little toe on a rock. This seems to become intuitive quite quickly.

As all above have said, you’ll need a gradual build up as your weak feet get used to working for a living. Also got a pair of VFFs for pottering around at work. Toes getting straighter, arches stronger, funny looks now abaiting. Wouldn’t do more than a couple of km at first.

Found the injinji socks good too (and help with getting VFF on at first ).

Used Steve at BIKEALP in Briancon last year, excellent. Going back next week:

http://www.bike-alp.com

oops, sorry, just realised it was Road you were after, scrub that then!

Had one for a couple of years. Great for when I want to do a longer ride with the (now) 6 year old. It attaches low down on the seat post and I’ve been running it on a dropper nil issues. I upgraded the rear tyre (&ghetto tubeless) and put a thick foam seat pad in for off road.

Couldn’t contemplate an hour on the turbo without ZWIFT. The races and mass group rides are an easy way to push yourself for an hour. Can even heckle others with the text system. Very active Facebook community too, so you can bitch about all the people you think are cheating.

La-a and two Pocohontases (Pocohonti?) have been through our dental unit in Fife.

Had one on my 2015 spec Enduro. Died on its second ride (same issue as yours). Specialized replaced it with a Rockshox Monarch. They told me it wasn’t worth fixing as it’ll just break again. They seem to have binned Cane Creek for the 2016 enduros. I’d get something else.

You’d need a power meter (£600 ish) with cheap rollers. I think the cheapest option is to use a basic turbo that Zwift has the power curve for (see website) and an ANT+ speed/cadence sensor. My wahoo sensor and cheap Tacx Bluemotion cost less than £200. Otherwise it’s either a more expensive smart turbo or a power meter and any turbo/roller.

Zwift is great, especially now the racing has taken off.

http://zwift.com/what-is-it/supported-trainers/

Just done mine. Same issue. Follow bodgers technique at your own risk:

I found there was enough room to hacksaw off each end of the stuck pivot bolt in the joint between bottom bracket/swingarm (the wee washer in the joint will probably die during this episode and need replacing too -eBay).

You can then remove swing arm.

Couple of enthusaistic blows with hammer and screw driver destroyed bearings enough to get out remaining pivot bolt/central tubing/rusted on bearing centres (which need hacksawing again to free central tube).

Knocked out exterior casing of bearings, done.

You have to be very careful with the paintwork during hacksaw phase.

Absolutely correct scotroutes. The mountain bike community have demonstrated that they will happily destroy anything to get their fix. Sums up human nature perfectly. Can’t say there is any motivation on my part to repair or maintain anything in the forest anymore (which I did on a daily basis) knowing now how little the resource is valued.

I’ve no problem with the forest gently changing and evolving through normal usage. I do have a problem with trails in a shared resource being wiped off the map when the sole motivation is one mans profit.

Dougal: did that trail form from volcanic activity? Glaciers? Deer who like a nice bit of downhill? No, someone had to make it. The trail fairies are not real fairies. They are actually people (just like the tooth fairy). Sorry to break this to you. We’ll chat about Santa later.

BoardinBob: no, building trails does not give you ownership. Neither does buying Aaron a new Telly. I would hope that you would have some respect for people’s effort. However, you epitomise the selfishness of the times, congratulations.

Had a depressing walk around the Muckmedden route in Pitmedden today. Dog enjoyed it as we played “hunt the gel packet”.

Lots of damage obviously. Anything remotely damp is a real mess. Sections such as the crossroads shortly after the stanes was unwalkable, let alone rideable. Bad sections on the Eastern boundary trail and above the slabs also.

The Loam Lover section dug by Phil has been totally destroyed. What was two lovely steep single track downhill sections have been totalled. The slopes have been scoured clean of soil, leaving a bare root nightmare with a pile of soil at the bottom. Lots of small trees either side of the trail also smashed down and uprooted.

I know how much effort ClimbingCragRat put into this trails, so to see it trashed really is a crime.

The final downhill section is equally scoured of soil and wrecked.

Everyone who took part in this event should make a personal apology to Phil and return to try and repair the damage.

I’m sure no one will. We live in a very selfish age, as long as you got your six hours of fun and Aaron got a bag of cash, thats all that matter right? No thought will be given to the years of good riding that was in that trail.

It is completely pointless developing new trail in the forest, as you never know if it will be sacrificed to Aarons wallet.

Disgraceful.

ClimbingCragRat built Loam Lover :-(
Lovely section, or at least it was until you destroyed it.

Rain forecast all day Saturday. Very bad news for the trails.

The event uses some very well used trails, just like the last event.

Despite Aaron being “aware” of the damage caused last time he didn’t seem to be the one repairing the damage. Nowt was done last time to fix the mess. Some trails have never recovered, even after 3 years.

Despite being “aware” of the damage, he is staging the event at the end of winter, with guaranteed wet ground, and guaranteed damage. The tiny amount of prep work carried out will not protect the trails.

An event that has generated much bad feeling.

It’s a disaster zone at present. I really wouldn’t bother at the moment. The middle connecting sections all gone with the felling. Have a look on Trail Scotland website. I live in Auchtermuchty, know the trails well, and I struggle to get a decent length ride in at present. Hopefully will be fixed later in year.

Just back from week at Les Arcs. Paid the sports supplement with EJ so got 20kg for hold luggage AND 32kg for bike and bag, exactly as advertised.

Zero problems at either Edinburgh or Geneva airports with EJ, even with my enormous hard case box.

There were 18 bikes on the plane to Geneva (16 roadies)….took some major reorganising to fit us all on.

We are flying Easyjet to Geneva with bikes on Saturday. This was advice we got from EJ: 32kg for bike PLUS 20kg hold luggage. Email below

2nd May 2012

Thank you for choosing us for your travels plans.

I confirm that each passenger is entitled to carry 32 kg of weight allowance for bicycle in bicycle box without any excess weight fee. They can also carry 20 kg (per passenger) of weight allowance for hold bag.

Please ensure that the combined weight of hold and bicycle is not more than 50 kg (per passenger).

To know more details on carriage of bicycles, please click on the link below:

http://easyjet.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4040

I wish you a pleasant flight.

Regards,

Prabhleen
easyJet Customer Services

Does the clock start/stop when you leave/enter Peel carpark, or start/leave the single track?

‘fraid so. Just made me nauseous. But as long as you had a good holiday, don’t be sad.

Great event (despite epic weather). Bloody knackered this morning. Hardest thing I have ever done. We managed a heroic 19th (!) in the quads, despite lugging round long travel trail bikes (mistake), sodden baggies (mistake…but not sure I could really wear Lycra) and way too little food. No idea what we had let ourselves in for.

My lowest point was the 5am shift…dark, undernourished, horizontal rain, mud, knackered, managed to imbed spiked flattie pedal into my shin, ran out of Tangfastics…….definitely be back next year :-)

Still wondering if the guy (yellow jacket) whose lights failed completely about 5:15, in the middle of the technical singletrack section, made it out alive….didn’t see his body on the next run.

If anyone wants to see a setup then my white Land Rover spends way too much time at GT/IL and the Pentlands. Happy to show the plumbing!

It really doesn’t take long to twin tank – a mornings work at most….and that’s with tea and cake stops. The waste oil can happily gravity filter thru old jeans, filter socks in all but depths of winter, just pour and leave. No risk of detonating your garage, no titration, nasty chemicals etc.

Very easy, but certainly less flexible than bio as you can’t use it on common rails etc. or cold start on it with a lot of engines. Personally I use a scavenged Diesel preheater which means I avoid cold starting, so spend very little time on expensive diesel.

Works brilliantly.

I have a twin tank- this can be as simple as a jerry can of diesel in boot, or a proper mini tank. A flat plate heat exchanger and heated fuel filter (coolant heated) under bonnet (cost about £50)….with diesel a preheater (a luxury, not essential). 5% petrol in the oil unless it’s summer to reduce oil viscosity. Switch to 100% diesel in depths of winter as oil gets too thick. Only attempt this if you have a Bosch fuel pump or pump will die. Also don’t attempt with a common rail diesel.

The biggest problem is getting waste oil with so many oil users and commercial companies hoovering up what’s available.

The 2500 limit is not a barrier to anyone but a commercial manufacturer.

Personally I’ve been on waste vegetable oil for last three years, as I would rather spend a day converting the car than having to convert all my veg oil to biodiesel. Way too much effort.