Born in the East coast of the states.
Stayed there through childhood.
Homeless in the meidwest for a couple years.
Moved to Cambridge for work.
Then to Norwich for a fiance.
Then to Thetford to be closer to work.
(although, if I could do it all over again, I would have gone to sheffield in the beginning)
Work is now in the states. West side this time.
Moving in a few weeks.

I have been and will be where I have been because there is no reason not to.

!!
(I am too lazy to bookmark this page and this is getting cooked tomorrow!)

Change oil and belts? How long since last service?
Maybe plugs have gone out of spacing as well.

I am assuming the offense taken was driven by guilt, really.
If Jeremy were to tell me I was unclean and homely, I’d tell him he was old.
Both general facts.
Striking in a public sector.. less acceptable. About as acceptable as being upset by a comedian saying off the cuff things…

Is it a little click type clunk when it hits the bottom of the travel?
Mine do the same sometimes. usually I have a quick fuss with different travel adjust, go up a couple turns pump a few times, go down, etc. then it kind of disappears.
Give it quick oil service?
The seals seem to wear and make a pike a bit noodly, which can cause it to not line up appropriately.

I watched it when it came out… I left the theatre thinking, “I’ll never go to Australia.”
Why do they get such bad rep in movie form? I mean really? Save Red Dog.

Ache, Your old Evil was gorgeous!

Just built up some new wheels for my ride:

I used an old pair, close scrip for riding. have jimmy’d a strap round the back to keep them from slipping off my nose on super tech descents.

Good lord. Where do you live? I’ll do it for a free meal!

Hey, Their. I’ll have you no. You can’t always here what I’m saying.

Carlos.
I have some coil ones for second hand if you want them. the 2012 version. QR.
Used them on my bluepig for quite sometime, until I got an amazing mate rate on some pikes. Now they just sit around.

I have an Escort 55.. kind of similar I suppose. not as tall, though.
I use bungee cords. One long one starting from the stem, going one side of the stem, then cross the top tube and wrap aroudn the seat clamp and attach behind the rear wheel. That sounds a lot more confusing than it is.. picture a cursive L. The front wheel is turned almost 90 degrees and the rest of the bike falls pretty flush to the side wall. I keep a bin bag cut up to wrap around the chain if I am sleeping in the van.
At work, no pics available. :(

Trail Rat, I like the portable box/tool box as the base for a bed. Much better than building a removable sleep box. Wish I would have thought of it years ago. Are there multiple bins to disperse weight or just one heavy duty guy?

I haven’t made it in a while. but used to all the time.
Get steak. Cut it into about 1/8in thick flanks and then merinade in whatever you wish for a couple days.

Dry in the oven, kept mine open abit with a rock, as the door was close to the ground.

Digs the vid

IRC, Moont, You guys are better than an encyclopedia. I spent most of last year planning and reasearching this trip and you have given me so much more than I have come up with.

Corroded, Depending on what you will do to save some cash and how trusting you are, I just shipped my DH rig to a location via an US forces base(who have USPS) for £23. POW!
I can help you out if need be. (if you plan to start in SF, which is prettymuch where I am moving to and will be until March)

(it’s cause they are brown and speak a language that has no specific tone of affection)

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I really like how we are boiling quickness of a DH run to the type of seat post you have. Last time I checked, I drop my post(QR) so I have more clearance when leaning my bike in stupid angles and not bashing myslef against it. No matter how fast I am going.

I am a man of utility, and a cheap bastard, so I wear baggies all day, everyday.

Moont, My route is mostly upper stateside. I have debated going desert lowlands, just for the pure insanity.. but I dont see why it would be anywhere near worth it in the long run(for the story).

On a side note, Mikey, 30 miles a day is selling yoruself short. Unless you want to really take your time and sight see(ride into exact locations) 70-100 will come along faster than you’d think.

By my research, it would be about 2-3 months as well.
I know people who have done it, one in a week or two.. but i desire my will to live.

East-west or West-east?

Feel free to drop me an email(in profile) if you want to link up.

Be careful… Winter is almost over..

Bringing it back around.. i is a dream of mine as well. Fulfilling it spring of next year but am as of yet alone. When are you thinking?

Where’s TJ?!

Get ripped on cheap booze from the duty free, a heavy scotch usually does me well.
Wake up an hour before landing.
Job done.

Nothing as breathtakingly beautiful as most things here.. but it’s beautiful to me.

WARNING – POSSIBLE TJ FODDER

Firstly – Using any countries military force as a basis for its inhabitants… inherently wrong.
As is any member of society who doesn’t express a form of gratitude to a person who is in a uniform for their country.

So, as an insider, I will say, travelling anywhere… especially from England to the States.. Foreigners will usually not get on with any common language Foreigner. English people will never understand the common hospitality of a Americans.
Let’s refer to airtragics post… You would almost never get a stranger expressing any interest in conversation like any of those old american farts in the UK. Just wont.
With England to France, You dont speak french, so you can ignore them, or enjoy the novelty of them speaking English to you. Softens the blow, Etc. Etc.

I have lived in the states for a while as well as a significant time in the UK. I am heading back to the states shortly and I will say this.. As much as I hate the ethos of many of the American public… I find it hard to defend the English public. :P
(but that is because I am a foreigner with a common language)

The more paint nicks means you have taken it to all the places you should be.
Although, I will ride for 2 hours and spend an hour and some change cleaning it afterwards. Depending on the mud.

How do you look after (alu.) nipples?

You dont ride them in any for of muddy technical track. Don’t land caddywonkus and mainly stick to tarmac…

I’d keep DT. But why not just Champion them? No use in spending the extra 8 pounds for Comp.

STR. note that is a ’12 ranger(which is only available in the EU) not a ’13 or ’14 ranger.. Just saying. :P
The less popular 150 ecoboost is to replace the ranger..

I hate to be splitting hairs here, but I don’t think amounting cyclist deaths mean it is a faulty machine. Just saying.
American?

Thanks for that. I think I will be spending most of my time in Oregon, actually. But while I am there. BC will have to be ticked.

Derek, have you ever owned a Volvo?

CR – I’ll take the Uzzi any day. :P
Stop editting your posts. it’s poor form!

wl – It will handle it if your knees will. I have done all the black runs of Cannock on it without a problem(the closest I have gotten to Snowdon on it). It is just perfectly squirly.
I plan on using my Stanton for a long while. Moving to Northern California in the spring and will be living 8 hours south of Whistler. I actually sold the bits from my full suss to fund the Stanton if that’s any help.
When it dies.. I doubt I will be doing anything other than calling Jon to send me a new one.

Sounds like somebody wants to donate me a bike in my time of need…
or 3 :P

(couldn’t have said it better myself)

Simple Green is where it’s AT!
Better than anything I have ever used. super cheap. super non-toxic.

Ford Rangers are dying out after next year. The name is, anyway. Being replaced with the 150. But all new mazda pick ups are actually ford trucks.
I have always been partial to the Mazda pick ups, really.

wl –
I have had the piglet and the bluepig, actually. Piglet had a weld defect and the pig was its warranty replacement. Both were similar but the Pig was better on the downhills.
Pig: It is long. a 16″ pig top tube is still about an inch longer than a 16.5 Stanton. The rear triangle is also longer. So it is super steady. Like a sled. It is a point and shoot hardtail. Point it in the direction you want to go, and it will do its best to make sure you have that line. It handled berms with luxury and was super stable and comfy on the climbs. The pig was my go to bike for a year. Did everything from thetford to snowdon to spainish mountains with it. Did snowdon twice, actually. Different travel each time. Same results. but I prefer shorter travel on most things. ran the pig at 130 most times.
One big pro to the pig is that it has the 44 head tube, so you can run a tapered or 1.5 steerer through it if you wish.

I really had to convince myself why I wanted a new frame.. and even after I did, I was a bit skeptical until I got used to it. So now it’s time for..

Stanton: Shorter in every way. In my eyes, for the better. The Stanton will go ANYWHERE you point it. at the tiniest flinch. Unlike the pig, that had one line in mind, the stanton just has a natural bounce to it that gives you the ability to change up your route at any time. Even if you are putting the nose too far in, the shorter stays make it super easy to yank up on the handlebars and level it out again.
I have only had my SlackLine since early December and haven’t gone on as many adventures as I did with the pig. But I have done the lakes once. Cannock a couple times. Lots of woburn/chix. It is a pretty do it all bike. Got my first dirt jump on it. Berms, and general tech are dealt with in a similar way. You just have to hoss up, let the bike know who is running the show, and put it through its paces. it has a smaller HT, so you can only do a 1 1/8 Stereer, and if you need a small stack height for your headset, you are stuck with Crank Bros product. It has a replacable rear hanger that really gets me going. However, not sure what it is.. different painting style than Ragley or what, but my SlackLine seems to want to pick up rust at EVERY opportunity. So you really need to check up on that. But the 853 is worth the risk. even with all the pinging you will get.
Also, one thing I noticed… It’s cable mounts seem to want to be run with American brakes in mind. In case you are backwards handed.

In Summary: Get the pig if you want an effective hardtail sled that is meant for all day wreckless XC and like full outers.
Get the Stanton if you want a bike that is equally all day and you like a lot of hands on piloting and like split cabling.

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Best Bike I have ever had.
140 is the perfect length for me.. but am thinking about slapping some Lyriks on it to see how the extra 20mm will do it.
Super playful. Very steady. I have pulled some pretty sketch lines on it. Which I am blaming the short stay/top tube for.
For some reason I am under the impression it climbs a bit different than my bluepig did…on the harder side.. but that makes no sense.
Really like the replacable mech hanger too.

Really jiving on the emu, Monkey.