Maybe try a mitten type of glove, I have some old HH one’s. I have just bought some Craft lobster/2 finger gloves from http://www.alwaysriding.co.uk which were fine the only cold day I used them. I always suffer in winter with cold hands and feet. Some good general advice above.

I did look at some Extremities Velo in a local F&T earlier in the week and they did not look very thick or warm to me.

I read a few weeks ago that Tommy Smith’s gold medal was for sale – hope he got a lot for it.

Back to Surfers post of this morning I do not recall being answered they are:

Dave Bedford (once ‘beat’ him in a fun run when he was almost 40 – I was wrecked)
Brendan Foster
Steve Jones – once saw him at a running show exhibition thing – still national record holder. Is it Nick Rose behind, don’t think it is Hugh Jones).

I would add Kenny Stuart or Helen Diamantides or perhaps Yvette Hague as legends in minor sports, I have been in the same race as them but I would not say I raced them.

dazzlingboy – it is kevin DOT cunniffe AT gmail DOT com

Will go and check, thought it was on profile.

I do have a Surly for sale brand new still in the box. It was a 50th birthday present but I already have one. £15 posted if anybody interested. Email in profile.

I am not sure they have to be role models. Just because JB punched another player does not mean that I would punch say, the OP if I saw him because I know its wrong.

Clubs still take players like Barton, Marlon King and Lee Hughes is because they can do a job and as TJ says pro sport is about winning.

I would guess that there earning power is affected though, less clubs interested and clubs and knock a few grand off a similar players salary. Probably get less endorsements as well.

Barton probably gets wound up more then most palyers but he just has to try harder…

There was The Sun – George Michael ‘Zip it up before you go go’ after his incident from a few years ago that made me smile…

Not used this company but road.cc have reviewed there products well, sort of Rapha without the pricetag.

http://road.cc/content/review/26827-torm-t6-jersey

http://www.torm.cc/

I always get cold hands, even after 2/3 miles of riding. I have also gone down the Always Riding / Craft route but bought these:

http://www.alwaysriding.co.uk/craft-thermal-split-finger-glove-635.html

Not yet cold enough to need them yet – but will do so.

Finisterre is nice stuff, ordered something else yesterday! They have occasional sales and special offers if you are on there mailing list.

I have also had excellent service from these guys over the last 18 months, again sale page is worth looking at and sometimes free shipping if you go via Road.cc:
http://www.alwaysriding.co.uk/

Why not just arrange something and see who wants to come along like Stuart has done?

What about riding from, say, Hope or Bamford station and ride a circuit to finish above the Ladybower visitor centre. You can ride easily quite a few km past the centre until the main trail ends and set up there. Not to remote for first timers but unlikely to disturb anyone. (A couple of years since I was up there so this is a bit vague I’m afraid)

Tell us more. Road ride or some off road riding as well. Well done, a great achievement.

As well as the above The Tenement Museum is interesting should you have a few hours spare. Walkable from Times Square.

Mrs B helps out at a lunch club a couple of hours once a week for older, but able people who can get to the venue.

She also see’s a total of 3 people who are living with dementia at their home. One weekly and two less often. This is through Age Concern. She has enjoyed this and does gets far more from it then she ever thought she would. (One guy, who died recently, was a code breaker at GCHQ during WW2). Just because they are old does not make them interesting.

I was made redundant a month ago and once I sort myself out I will probably volunteer for something also.

Looks good mcmoonter, similar idea myself.

Warm weather training – Majorca (booked)
ESSC – Belgium
Tour Divide
WSSC – Ireland

LEJOG, Pennine Bridleway, Welsh C2C, 7 Stanes link ride – some of these as preparation for the above.

I left the US after a 3 week holiday last Thursday, the last thing I saw on tv was Pres. Obama on The Daily Show – along with all the Sanity/Fear hoopla!

I thought B O did well speaking to Jon Stewart, though it was a very pro democrat audience. I would vote for him currently if I had the opportunity.

I could not understand why US would not want healthcare – looking after the nation and those less fortunate. Today I saw my cousin for a couple of hours on his way back to New York where he now lives. He told me it was to do with choice whether you want it or not, and why should ‘I’ pay for ‘your’ health care.

I’ll be up for this. Just back on bike after 3+ weeks off so should be fit enough by then. (Last two days climbing mole hills on a full carbon road bike has been painful!) See a few old faces too……

Kev

I like it, recently finished my first book on the KIndle. Jill Homer’s ‘Ghost Trails’ about her Iditarod adventure. It was £3+. Certainly good for travelling but you do find yourself being more careful of it then you would a paperback.

Downloading books is quick and easy.

Thanks for the positive comments:-)

Most of my generation KNOW how lucky we are in general. When I started work the Sex Pistols were the big band in town with Anarchy in the UK. Not long after the 3 day week etc. and the future was not rosy.

Grants for university students, though I did not go – too fick, affordable housing and final salary pensions were far more available. My first house cost £7,500 and I was earning ~£3k. Most of us who have stayed in work will be able to retire at 60-65 and do OK. My daughter is 25 and suspect she is going to have a problems likea lot of young people. Her best investment choice is probably to wait until I keel over.

A few of my investments came off and I have done OK, so now to enjoy the next few years of getting some BIG rides in.

Seem to recall STW were not to impressed when they reviewed it a few years ago. Spec could have changed since then though. Can’t recall what the niggles were.

In horrible shape at the moment and doing the Cat & Fiddle ride from Stoke on Sunday. Did a steady 20-25 miles on the road with a few quick bursts on the way home.

Another Amazon Kindle cover user here. As others have said it is quite nice, perhaps expensive but I could not easily see something else that would do the job.

Lived on my own for 19 years now though was married for about 8 before that. Always preferred living on my own really, even when married if truth be told. Been seeing the current Mrs B for some years but we live 2+ hours apart and it is always great to see her. Gives me a reason to dust, hoover, change the bed etc when I know she is coming round….

Suspect you will grow to love it or just not get on with it. I can come and go as I like, eat what I want when I want and listen to music / tv without consideration for anybody else.

I kept a number to give to our daughter when she was older – she is still not quite settled though. I was going to chuck them years ago but a neignbour suggested our daughter might like them, otherwise they would have been dumped years ago.

Not sure boycotting. but it needs to be safe and comfortable for all involved.

Respect Phillips Idowu for saying he is not going for safety reasons rather then claiming he has a dodgy hamstring or something to get him off the hook.

Would the 80 year old be Chris Chattaway? He is 80 and was doing it (and I think he is a Sir). He was a pacemeker for Roger Bannister when he did the first 4 minute mile and a top class athlete himself in the ’50’s. Did not hear how he got on.

When I was running I used to finish well down the fiels but the sametimes now seem to put you higher up the standings. One of my last races finished 12-15th and a few years later went back and noted the same time would have have got me in top 5. Same when I see 10k or 10 mile times.

ALso meant to ad earlier congrats to OP, 13 miles is a long way….

Recall doing it in around 87/88 minutes in 1987. Best ever time for distance was 82.09 so was a bit disappointed in myself on the day.

I have ordered one and due next week. For me it is the size as I plan to travel a lot in the next few years. Should be able to download some reading material, a few travel guides and bike repair manuals;-)

Also an opportunity to downsize my bookshelves.

The Pogues at Brixton Academy in December

Mary Chapin Carpenter in Derby in November

In another article NoTW also saying that the eejit Kerry Katona is having to move back North as she can't afford her £3.5m home!

Glad I live in the Midlands – at least dozy Northerners either stay at home or move South and leave us alone.

I was talking to a Basque 2-3 weeks ago about riding there in March time and she put me off – weather is still very cold (though we might still think it shorts and T-shirt weather!) April was the earliest she suggested with May better.

I have ridden near Benidorm late Feb / early March and the weather was nice during the day and chilly in the evenings. Southern Spain may be your best bet.

Going to watch it somewhere tomorrow, think Longnor area is the favourite.

The Sky colours are to do with rainforest destruction:

http://road.cc/content/news/23106-team-sky-highlight-rainforest-destruction-tob

Jetboil is twice the price of a MSR pocket rocket and OP was after something cheap. Believe you cannot boil large amounts at one go, I got a MSR recent;y and am happy with it to date.

Garry Lager – agree with your assessment of Luke Kelly. Grew up listening to a lot of him with The Dubliner's but then got into T Rex / Bowie and then Punk. After hearing The Pogues in mid 80's went back through Christy Moore to listening to Luke again who died tragically young.

Recently stumbled across his version of a Town I Loved So Well, beautifully sung, of a song I had sort of dismissed

Christy Moore is brilliant, got his boxed set of rarities etc which covers some different material to his usual albums. He was also in Planxty and Moving Hearts and they are also worth a listen.

English folk usually sounds a bit boring to me, though Ewan McColl was certainly anything but boring (Green Island, Go Move Shift, First Time Ever I saw Your Face, Dirty Old Town) and Billy Bragg has some form. Irish folk music can be a bit more raw, probably why I liked The Pogues which was a mix of folk with punk attitude.

Noticed Bay City Rollers not on your list……

+97 for Ulysses – had a couple of goes but never got very far. (Initially had trouble with Dubliners but perservered and enjoyed it).

Read 'Snow Falling On Cedars' when it first came out and enjoyed it – was not really aware of the whole Japanese in USA thing even though I knew the Billy Bragg song on a similar theme.

Rum, Sodomy and the Lash – The Pogues (no duds on the first album, Red Roses For Me, either come to think of it).

Had mine 7 years from new next week, but done 100,000 miles less than Jedi!

Very practical and other than routine servicing / mot have never spent a penny on it.

Would have another one though thinking of a camper van next time – a whole different thread;-)

Probably watch stage 2 at Ramshorn and then recover in Denstone cafe with courgette cake….