Just entered vets solo 6 hour. Won’t be troubling the judges.

Slight hijack:

I have only given blood once within a few days of my 18th birthday (1977). I was left feeling really tired for about 9 months – my running came to an almost dead stop, no energy for exercise. Although I mostly got over it within the year I still fill a sort of weariness and I am in my early 50’s now. I did go to a doctor at the time and given a tonic and occasional blood tests over the years have not uncovered anything. Anybody else heard of this? Any of our health professionals like to comment?

I have never given blood since as I don’t want to go through it again, though O may be over reacting again.

Jealous at GJP up there.

Just bought some of those 29er wheel PSA’d by bigdawspaws(?)from CRC. I had a crack in my rear which after 5,000 mostly loaded miles this year, plus 1,000+ previously, I cannot complain about too much.

La Senza look to have gone tits-up first!

La Senza

Conway Twitty – it’s on;y make believe.

A couple above are on the right lines imo. Your body is firstly trying to keep warm and in winter this is harder and takes more calories. If your diet is basically the same the body is using the same number of calories to keep you warm and *then* powering you along on your commute.

(1) Eat more carbs or (2) just don’t worry about it. I suggest (2)

Highlight of a good year was the Tour Divide. This pic is with 300 miles to go:

[/url]
101_0162[/url] by blackhound59[/url], on Flickr

I only occasionally read the tabloids and do not watch the celebrity interviews that Piers or others do. Therefore PM is someone I am only vaguely aware of. I saw a few of his interviews in the USA last summer and thought he did a good job overall.

Hoping Irealnd beat Italy like they did in USA in 1994.

One of my brothers is a little odd and I only see him at Christmas – and then not every year. The other brother and sister I see occasionally and we don’t call each other much just at family stuff. We get on fine though. Just families and work etc.

I have more problems with my daughter (26) who never contacts me. A couple of years ago I decided to not call her to see what would happen and the answer is nothing. I do call her for her birthday and Christmas as I do not want to lose touch. Whenever we speak she is great, happy to talk and stuff. Seeing her in London this Sunday which will be the first time this year – and not sure if I saw her last year. That hurts me more than my siblings.

Do you have a proper Kindle cover for it? Read somewhere they drain batteries (assumes a light is on or something) and once I removed it the battery started to last properly. Got a skin thingy from Poundland to protect it.

Wireless is the other thing to reduce battery life, but you have said yours is off.

‘The Knob’ and ‘Lady Hole’ are close to each other to the East of Ashbourne. Always good for a titter.

Smudge does one for £41 including a bag, about £36 excl bag. Don’t have an email for him as markenduro ordered some for the two of us. Works fine with Maxx D and joysticks.

Nice read. IIRC the ‘drum ups’ were mentioned in the book ‘In Search of Robert Millar’ which he went on when he started out. A couple of years since I read it though.

The valleys are running West to East and you are travelling South to North (or N2S), just something to bear in mind.

There are some lovely bits though. I hope to do the whole lot sometime next year.

Once you get towards Roych Clough and Northwards to meeting the MTL there is quite a bit of steep stuff. Surface is generally good but I thought there was a LOT of climbing. I am not so strong on climbs though. To the South of Roych Clough it is a lot easier with the exception of crossing through Cressbrook(?) which is a bit of a pusher, for me anyway.

Cranberry / Jamie Did read comments and agree. DD defending them yesterday!

DM and Jeremy C are a good fit.

Looks nice. But is he not worth a £400 present;-)

Remember a cowboy outfit which was probably 1966. Satsuma’s, a watch one year, lego, Monopoly and Cluedo, Subbuteo and Subbuteo related gifts (teams, fancy goalies etc.) Was made up when I got the ‘Brazil’ Subbuteo team one year. And jumpers for goalposts.

A little outside your budget but worth saving for – or staying in this Friday night. Rode loads of miles in these this summer:

Type ‘freeship’ before Xmas for free postage.

http://www.alwaysriding.co.uk/etxeondo-dicolor-bib-shorts-894.html

You will have to provide your own ‘six-pack’

There was something on the radio the other day regarding am/pm heat on and 24 hour continuous. Peeps in white coats decided it was more expensive to keep heating on for 24 hours continuous despite what has been said before.

If Hora is looking for ideas to reuse/recycle something then that is good, surely. If buying to make your own then I agree that a decent saving has to be made to be worth it.

Emsz did make a brief appearance on page 8.

Reckon she deserves a medal.

Young girly says ‘who was Thatcher then’? And just walks away and watches the entertainment. Brilliant.

Her next question ‘Was Hitler as bad as he was painted’?

I live in a Victorian terrace. I notice that the front room is a lot colder than the rear. The front is a wooden floor and the rear is concrete. I was advised by an architect to put some insulation in the cellar under the wooden floor. Didn’t bother but probably not expensive. (I have some plasterboard type stuff as a ceiling in cellar so insulation could go in here).

[Hijack]BTW house is for sale if anyone interested in something near Derby city centre and nice park [/Hijack]

I feel the cold and bought these last winter:

craft

I have always struggled but these were good for a lot of last winter. I have just replaced the inners with some merino wool liners which I hope will give additional warmth. Yesterday they were plenty warm enough both morning and evening.

Just got round to watching it after stevem posted it on twitter. Very sad about Chris but the underlying story was uplifting.

DD – assume that means you beat them!

Saw some hurling in Kilfinnane but more of a football man myself. Saw Mayo for the first time this year in a championship game.

SSWC12 was near Effin. Some distant rellys live nearby in Bruff.

Was always going to be tough DD. Defence is excellent one goal against in 10 games or something.

My Irish cousin is marrying a Polish girl in Poland next summer – he planned that well. #confidence

@blackhound59 – Do a bit of sleb stalking (Dara O’Brian, Caitlin Moran, Jane Garvey, Rio Ferdinand I think) and the rest are mostly bike related.

Post random, boring, stuff but it keeps me amused.

Nobody really famous follows me, Jill Homer, Kent Peterson and Orena45 being the most famous. But MrsB is followed by Michael D. Higgins! (President of Ireland for those not follwoing recent international news)

Emsz – bet you wish you never asked!

She was very polarizing as you can see from above. I was very definitely an anti Thatcher. She started privatisation of the railway when I was there which was really coming to terms with things in this period on its own by ‘sectorisation for a start. (I know John Major was PM when legislation went through in ’93).

Last election I did not vote labour because Gordon Brown was complimentary about her not long before the election (voted Lib Dem so I suppose that makes me partly responsible for current problems).

She inspired quite a bit of music, we didn’t have FB or twitter to release our tensions, listen to Tramp The Dirt Down (Elvis Costello) Blue (Fine Young Cannibals) Billy Bragg or Christy Moore. [CM is on a boxed set, very eloquent on Reagan / Thatcher when not railing on anti abortion in Ireland etc etc.]

My income has more than halved since 2006 but no worse off. I had a mortgage, a buy to let mortgage and a daughter in university (5k just for accommodation ffs).

Daughter qualified, both mortgages paid off I have been able to retire on an index linked pension so ok. Can still afford to go to USA every other year but likely to take more bike touring holidays in future rather than with holiday companies. Not working I can make other economies by shopping around. Not to worried about the future really.

People have overspent in last few years and are now cutting back. While people are paying off debt they are not buying new stuff therefore a slowing of the economy will result, certainly for non essential stuff.

Looking to buy a little retirement bungalow and room for a camper van is on the check list. Already turned one down due to a low car port.

Retired on company pension, buy-to-let income and interest on savings added together is close to national average wage, and good for East Mids.

52 and single, Mrs B lives separate life 125 miles away, mortgages paid and put my daughter through university. So done ok but I have probably always been a bit careful and saved a bit. Always balanced saving between risky and safe – some have worked and others not.

Have a look at the savings tab here. Up to 8% possible but read the smallprint and make sure it is right for you.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/%5D

I have used them 5/6 times and very pleased with the service I have received. I did recommend to a mate who did have a bit of an issue with a handlebar he ordered back in the spring though. Was sorted eventually.

Took mine at 51, just over a year ago. It was a 60th final salary pension and I made AVC’s over the last 20+ years as well. Took a bit of a hit on what I would get at 60 (~20%)but with a buy-to-let income will be fine. (Former public sector that got privatised by John Major)

I was lucky, wouldn’t like to be starting out now. My daughter is probably waiting for me to keel over while all I do is eat healthily and keep exercising!

A cycling friend of mine moved to Berlin a year ago. Her perception is the same as the OP, everybody has a ‘dutch’ style bike and the cycle lanes are excellent, as I recall from SSWC04.

She did say that serious or sporting cyclists are a rarity. probably all in Majorca enjoying the sun!

I have a brand new TCR 2 for sale on the classifieds so new bike (if your size) and some goodies.

I will never buy a Ferrari!

For the last 18+ years I have driven a Renault and a Citreon and never had a single fault with either of them. Surprised to hear such negative comments really.

I hope my next vehicle is a large van….