I’m 72 and must say the aging process does indeed suck, but all-in-all, glad to still be here and, after 25 years at it, still on the MTB at least 2 days a week.
Ride slower, less high-risk, technical stuff and take more rest stops—–but so far still making it back to the pickup each ride.

As Drac says ^^ better than the other option.

Continental divide trail in colorado

Agree to that in part, although the trail section running south from Molas Pass to Durango is excellent. Not for the feint-of-heart as it starts at 10,900 feet and climbs to over 12,000 feet before dropping into Durango
Edit–I misread, you were talking about the Continental Divide trail through CO and I was referring to the Colorado Trail that runs north out of Durango.

For the first time, I replaced my gasoline mower with a rechargeable electric one–I was skeptical at first, but now glad I did. It’s a dual battery model (Kobalt, sold by Lowe’s here in the US, but there are several electric makers globally). It takes me about 25 minutes to do my lawn and have enough battery power/time to easily double that.
Sure a lot more pleasant than the hassle of storing gasoline (which goes stale) and the ever-possible, hard-starting issue with small engines.
That said, my last gasoline mower had a Honda engine and better than any of the many others I’ve had over the years.

Moab Slickrock trail

Before we moved, it was only about a 6 hour drive for me, but having done it once, that was enough (Porcupine Rim, Poison Spider and several other Moab area trails much better). Have only tried a couple of trail centers and it was just all too “groomed” for my taste. I can see the appeal, but just not for me.

I was at a friends the other night and had some Cragganmore which was mighty tasty–I haven’t developed a good taste for single malt yet, so maybe something to aspire to

as per peterile and mattoutandabout ^^

mrs busydog and I have camped the past 20 years and never in a campground. We generally looked for remote forest/mountain locations where one could spend the weekend and not see another human being–a blessing of New Mexico is that such places are to be readily found with only an hour or two driving.

I did make a mistake camping once along a stream adjacent to an old abandoned mining town and we woke up about 3AM with a large herd of cattle milling about the tent, as in pushing up against it. We had a late start out on a Friday evening and I had chosen the place in the dark, but didn’t realize that a rancher had placed several salt-lick blocks in the vicinity and the herd dropped in for a drink and a lick.
Cue 3 month old German Shepherd puppy and mrs busydog going ballistic.

Nice work. I have always considered knife-making an art and admired quality blades as well as someone who can actually make them. Next we hear you will probably be showing pics of your Damascus blades 🙂

Is the £79 the annual Prime fee in the UK. If so, it is a bit higher than the $99.00 for the US version. If I remember correctly, the second day delivery comes with any order for a Prime specified item.

We have had a Prime account for 3 months and have already saved more than the annual fee in shipping costs as we order quite a lot through them. It is also nice to have the 2nd day delivery. But if you don’t order much and don’t use the music/video feature probably not worth it.

As was alluded to by someone above, if you do stay and say, 6 months down the road there is a business/economic downturn and the company has to reduce staff, someone in management might take the position: “TheBrick was ready to leave us a few months ago, so let’s let him go rather than someone else who hasn’t already tried to leave”.

thegreatape ^^ has a good point.
It’s just that so many people here in the USA are utterly fed up with politicians (I think Congress has an overall approval rating below 20%) as well as politics in general and he is seen as a political outsider. Additionally, they like the fact that he says out loud what they are thinking but feel they have no way of expressing (of course they might consider actually voting).
I don’t think he is remotely electable .
Edit: personally, I’s like to toss the entire lot out and start over

I can’t decide which of the 7 wineries within 5 miles of my house to visit this weekend–the agony of decision-making!

Just started the final book of the Silo Trilogy by Hugh Downey that someone here recommended on an earlier thread. Really like the books and has kept my attention throughout.

Just moved from New Mexico (great MTB) to Southeast Washington State (not so good MTB in close proximity in this part of the state), so am forced to realign primary hobby to kayaking and making MTB second I guess.
Pot is legal in Washington, so I guess I could make a hobby of that 😀

“that’s crazy” mrs busydog and several of her friends use that to describe everything and anything that is, to any degree, slightly out of the ordinary. Don’t know why it bothers me really, but it does. Don’t know if you hear that in the UK or not.

Also when you make your order at a restaurant and the waiter/waitress responds with “perfect” —-I always want to reply “well it better be perfect as your tip depends on it”.

10 seconds each morning and evening—I work from home 😀

As Drac says, hygiene is the about the biggest single factor in containment.

I think scaredypants is right about the timeline–when we had it, I remember doing some reading afterwards that symptoms most normally appear anywhere from 12-48 hours after exposure, so it’s likely we picked it up somewhere a day or two before and the symptoms just coincidently started a few hours after the restaurant dinner.

All I know is it hit hard and fast and was the worst stomach/intestinal bug I have ever had, but fortunately only lasted a couple of days.

From what mrs busydog’s doctor associates told her, it is very easily and quickly spread and can be hard to contain, i.e. the problem aboard cruise ships is intensified due to the close proximity of so many people. Here in the US, it is the most common form of gastroenteritis and affects an estimated 19 million annually.
Edit: Most common method of transmission is from food handlers

What Drac & joshvegas said ^^

Apparently it’s quite common to pick up Norovirus from an infected foodworker who handles food in restaurants, ships, etc.

Mrs busydog and I both got it about 4-5 hours after a dinner out and it started within an hour of each other. We both had something completely different menu-wise, so not likely food poisoning. Came on really suddenly and resulted in a very less-than-pleasant 24 hours.

She works with several doctors and they were all of the same opinion that, from the symptoms and onset it sounded like Norovirus.

Well, turned 72 last November—still at it at least a couple days a week. Rides shorter, risk-taking reduced, but I am not going to grow old(er) too gracefully!!!! Rather participate than observe.

“Born on the 4th of July” by Tom Paxton
“Great Compromise” by John Prine

Have had DeWalt power tools for years and no complaints at all.
As others have said above, I don’t think you will go wrong with either.

^^^ What Cougar said

Only MTB for me. Found road biking boring. Never ridden at a trail center either, much prefer the remoteness and solitude of the mountains. Always considered a trail great when I see few, if any other bikes and I am far enough out that there isn’t any cell service (mrs busydog doesn’t necessarily agree)

Just recently moved from New Mexico to Southeastern Washington State. It has been in the 103-112F for daily highs the past 2 weeks and is 105F at the moment (1:30PM)—-about 20F above normal for this time of year.

Had that happen here in New Mexico several years ago and a couple riders got pretty cut up on fine gauge, stainless steel wire strung across fast, steep downhill sections. They caught the guy and he was prosecuted by the Feds as it was on National Forest land. If I recall correctly, he was fined $3000 and spent 60 days in the slammer.
He got caught as someone saw him doing it a second time and shadowed him back to the trail parking lot and got his license number.

Busy dog I’m going with Fruita

Not too far off, it’s the lower end of South Boundary Trail, Taos, New Mexico

Sorry no bike in it as I was sitting on it–

A plate of authentic New Mexican style (not Tex-Mex) green and red chile enchiladas accompanied by plenty of El Patron silver tequila margaritas–then you can kill me dead 😀

museum at Crested Butte

Is the museum in Crested Butte still there–I haven’t been up there for several years, but remember when it opened.

Charlie, slightly off-topic, but did you ever know a guy names Tom Singer from the early days? Lived in Marin Co., drove an old beat-up yellow Speedster. He would be about your age or a little older and I know he involved in some of the early riding in the klunker days, but don’t know how much he was involved.

I lived there for 11 years back in the mid 60’s through mid-70’s (moved there when I was 21) and it was a far different place then.

That was the old Las Vegas that the mob built and ran in the Damon Runyon style.

Really loved it then, a marvelous place for a young, single guy—- I have been back once since and have absolutely no desire to return.

If you get through here in Albuquerque, be sure and go to the New Mexican restaurant El Pinto in the North Valley to get a taste of real New Mexican food and killer margaritas

So sorry to hear that bullheart–hoping for the best for you.

As a couple of posts above suggested, Mrs busydog (a nurse) thinks it likely is CRP (C Reactive Protein) commonly used to check for/monitor progress treating infection and quite frequently used in conjunction with osteo-fracture repair.

6300 feet—-so I have made the decision not to buy an escape boat 😛

Here in the western US of A, I would love to go back and travel the west with the the old mountain men like Jedediah Smith, Kit Carson, George Drouillard, the Sublette brothers, etc. and see the this country as it was then—probably get eaten by a grizzly bear 😯

Hell on Wheels is pretty good

Beat me to it, but a good western. My only frustration has been the long hiatus between seasons. Mrs busydog (and every other female I know) is quite enamored with Anson Mount who plays the lead character, Cullen Bohannan.

Had them twice and as above, the pain is unbelievable–as soon as it passes, the pain stops immediately. The second time the doc had me peeing into a fine sieve to try and catch it when it passed, which I did. It was amazing how much agony such a tiny bit of stone can cause, but under a magnifying glass it was covered with sharp, jagged edges all around. Both times the docs told me they thought it was due to not staying hydrated enough when riding.

72 1/2 here and starting to think this might be my last year to ride seriously. I am noticing my balance is getting a little sketchy and that leads to hesitation—–and I learned long ago that hesitation is not your friend on a MTB.
Moving from New Mexico to Southeastern Washington state in a few weeks and will be living right near the confluence of the Columbia, Snake and Yakima rivers that have lots of trail systems along the river that should present some less-technical riding.
Of course I did mention to Mrs busydog that I had my eye on a kayak now and got the “are you f****** serious” look 😆

Not a movie, but Breaking Bad