I suspect it will be a close call with Jess Ennis probably winning it. She has been on billboards everywhere for the last couple of years and has won the kind of event most people couldn’t do. She looks great and always appears positive.

Both would be deserving.

Rachel Burden on R5L – ‘I’d like to spend an hour on the coach with Steve Peters’ [the cycling team psychiatrist]

The difference with RA in the swimming is it is a squad trying to get through. You will see the same in the 4x100m and 4x400m athletic relays. For example Jamaica may rest Usain Bolt for the 4x100m when he has already run heats/ finals of 100/200m and will take a risk with a ‘second string’ athlete in order to rest Usain.

What kcr said earlier is correct though. I was surprised they were DQ’ed. Thought it more likely they would manipulate the next round to what *should* have happened.

One of the mopper-uppers viewpoint who I believe is a county standard player. Mrs B is a game-maker and at the Badminton showing people to there seats etc:

Scandal

Aracer – I have had that email as well. Hope he does fall over or anything.

Read that CyclingNews Robert Millar article miketually linked to earlier. No easy tours according the the man who has the T-shirt

Was shouting Roche and hoping they would stay away. Cav was impressive though. Made Sagan look perdestrian.

Not sure of this will work properly as it is via an email/twitter and I am techy challenged but £10 off first order if bought by 27th July, minimum order applies.

http://www.alwaysriding.co.uk/refhny.php?c=OTIxYzU2Y2Q=

Ibex armwarmers and Etxeondo shorts are awesome….

Excellent service, used them a number of times. Only item I had to return was professionally and quickly dealt with.

The fees as highlighted above both leaving with Aviva and transferring are important so look into it.

If you decide it is not material then consider keeping them separate. You would be able to take them at different ages say 60 and 65. If you transfer you will have to take pension all at one time. More flexibility -v- more to manage. Second reason is as also pointed out above having all your eggs in one basket is not always good.

Opposite Euston station is Welcome Foundation museum. Free and sometimes has special exhibitions.

Also free:

Grant museum of Zoology just off Gower St, opp Euston station. Quite small but loads of bones and brains and stuff for kids to look at. You can even sponsor items for £15 a year.

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums/zoology

Round the corner, by the Petrie museum, is a student cafe you can use. This museum is more Egyptian and the kids might find it boring.

Striking Doctors

Bearbones 200 is a nice 24 hour challenge either as an event or solo as an anytime challenge.

For years I have been looking at linking the 2 highest pubs in England but a lot of this would now be along the PBW.

Hobbits Tale:

http://www.davebuchanan.co.uk/

Surely JC is not the only entertainer pulling this trick? (well his accountant is doing the hard work). Just wonder who else is involved and why Carr has been picked out.

Unless it is Carr’s accountant trying to get more business;-)

An excellent day out as said above.

I had pretty much decided on a green Solaris but my only doubt is just the one bottle cage when two is handy for much of my riding. Being an old git try to keep weight off my back. Still unsure whether it is an issue or not.

SC Highball alloy or a Carbon on-one are other options, but the o-o has one bottle cage as well when I checked.

Millar should ride. I am anti doping but perhaps one Olympic cycle is fair. It should be the same for all nations though.

What amused me about the 8 in the long list is how many were born in Britain. Belgian, Maltese, Kenyan, Canadian (? JH)and I think IoM is not British as such but have British passports.

Pebble – look on http://www.bikepacking.net on the ultra racing forum. Loads of threads re race, set-up and prep there over last few years.

Off for a ride now….

flanagaj,

I finished work about 8 months before so could prepare better than most. Loads of rides with full kit on bike often back-to-back so I got used to carrying the stuff.

I did find campsites, but also motels. I also camped wild. The first night in bear country and every time wind blew tent I woke up! Was up at 0430 that morning! Generally ok, think I got dobbed in at Beaverhead but somebody else said leave it and left me alone. It is really not so bad.

If I do again may do as an ITT starting a little later and might just do border to border with Canada as a warm up.

EWE or big rides in Scotland, PBW, Trans Wales etc will all help. I live alone, trained alone so when on my own on TD it was not a problem. In the race easy enough to join up with folks if you want.

Johnny_met – read your book recently and enjoyed it. When did you do it as Banff and TD race not mentioned so assumed 2002-2004 period.

I did the race last year in 28 days. I always get dropped on hills over here so got into shape but it was still hard. Mentally,not just physically.

I would have quit at one point but it was 150 miles to the quitting point – and then I couldn’t get there due to forest fires – but also started to ride better.

Amazing experience and the pain has not been forgotten. Earlier tonight I was talking to another 2011 Tour Divider – we both keep saying how hard it was and how we suffered and never again – but next time it will be different!

Note if you are following the race the current leader Craig Stapler is a great guy. He rode from Calgary to Canmore with us last year and sorted us out with new routes and base maps for the gps. (Routes changed when we were in the air to Canada due to snow).

Only 2 from UK this year I think, at least 8 last year.

Esther will take some beating in ladies section.

Ireland tough to beat, 14 games undefeated must provide confidence going in. And I think undefeated in 3 against Italy.

Bikingcatastrophe said:
Maybe he only really works well with less stellar squads – in which case, his England career may not go very well.

Have to disagree, England are far from ‘stellar’ – Roy could do well with this average lot.

Did look impressive yesterday. Has been working hard though:

Daily Telegraph[/url]

When I was running the best that could be said of me was that I was ‘between injuries’

I was 25 and the ex Mrs B would have been 23 I think. That daughter was 27 last week and I am still not a grand-dad so a minor result there.

53 and still managing a few rides. Last year was biggest mileage I have ever done in the 8,000 mile area.

Maybe PX didn’t fancy baking a cake at the end unlike the fearless Rory from Upgrade:

[/url]
P6040895[/url] by blackhound59[/url], on Flickr

It was a PX – DD as turboferret says and the tyres were Michelin Lithion iirc.

Don’t know how many pairs he got through and doubt he used the same brand / model for whole trip.

Went to watch Mike Hall finish his round the world epic. Also 2 days in Wales over weekend. Tired now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=one_set72157630050413192

He was on Sky Sports earlier still in his kit.

And a nice piece here:

http://road.cc/content/news/59544-mike-hall-smashes-round-world-record-time-91-days-18-hours#comment-103876

Subject to ratification his time is 91 days 18 hours 23 minutes. Rory from Upgrade was there with a carbon rim and stickers to enter the time.
Pics later

Subject to ratification his time is 91 days 18 hours 23 minutes. Rory from Upgrade was there with a carbon rim and stickers to enter the time.
Pics later

Was whisked off to Sky Sports studio for an interview. His lycra is now baggy!

Mike is in France and plan’s to finish at Greenwich on Monday 4th June. This will knock about 12/13 days off the current record for a time of around 93 days.

Tracker here:

http://trackleaders.com/worldcycleracei.php?name=Mike_Hall

Markenduro, myself +2 will be there. Route with a couple of options sorted and plugged into gps.

I was still in a lot of pain on the way up the Croix de Fer despite the light weight:

[/url]
Kevin[/url] by blackhound59[/url], on Flickr

2007 carbon model, so before company went tits up and bought by those Yorkshire chancers;-)

In Mallorca:

[/url]
P3020611[/url] by blackhound59[/url], on Flickr

Is there any other way to travel?

Sad to hear. I spoke to him a couple of times years ago at some events I can’t now remember. Always seemed to be smiling and encouraging. RIP.

An old saying is that Shimano wears out and Campag wears in! May have true once, don’t know now. I like my Campag on the road bike though. Mostly Centaur with some Record carbon cranks I got half price – all Centaur on winter bike.

I was talking from leaving all seats in and lying down flat. Clearly options available if comfort and removing seats is an option.