Teamhurtmore, good point.

I’m not an all out gnarly downhiller. I don’t mind a drop off, if i know its coming though.

Looking at Strava map and based on memory, i did these with my work mate and i didnt struggle and really enjoyed them.

Northern monkey, yoghurt pots, telegraph and Barry knows best.

Booo. I was feeling hopeful.

Avios companion voucher. =)

Good tips, I’ll have a look!

Good start.

In answer though, she’s my daughter. Why would I leave her behind?

Working a 6 on 4 off pattern, I love the disapproving looks I get when I stagger out of the pub at 6pm on a Tues!

I don’t drink the night before morning shifts, a limit of 2 the night before afternoon shifts and nothing before night shifts.

My thinking, which was taught to me by my FIL (ex BA long haul pilot), is stop drinking 12hrs before reporting for duty.

Don’t normally turn the radio on for any particular show, it’s usually on in the background, but do go out my way to listen the Craig Charles show. Even downloaded some podcasts for night rides.

Just did mine last night for the first time.

Wheel was already mounted with inner tube. Broke the seal on one side only and removed tube.

Put in tubeless valve and very gently tightened with pliers.

Put a little fairy liquid in a cloth and rubbed it along the tire.

Put tire on leaving a little gap for the sealant.

Finished putting tire on without bothering to try and seat it!

Cheap halfords track pump and it went up first time.

The fairy liquid worked a treat. There snake skin magic Mary’s and the for is really tight but I was surprised how quickly it worked.

5 min tops. Had to find another job until I finished my beer in the shed.

BA have always said, as far as i remember anyway, that boots can’t go into ski bag but I’ve never been checked. I usually travel ski bag (boots inside) with 23kg allowance and carry on rucksack. Worst case scenario, I empty the carry on rucksack into the ski bag and boots in my ruck sack instead.

Flights booked (T5) to geneva for a weekend at the start of Jan, then another BA from gatwick for the family trip at the end of Jan to Ardent.

Shut London city airport and ban all American registered business jets from UK airspace. Eradicate thunderstorms.

I’m in the 40% tax bracket and in a few years will have to file my own tax return. No degree or A levels. Married with 1 child and a mortgage. Very comfortable with savings, ISA and no non mortgage debt.

My colleague is on the exact same pay scale as me, single and rents. He has a degree. He is always asking when pay day is because he’s skint by the end of the month. No savings or investments.

I go on more holidays but he’s got the flash car, nights out and expensive clothes.

Priorities init.

Personally I think a degree doesn’t make you smart but having a Scottish accountant for a father does make you watch the pennies.

Cheers folks. Had a good pootle with the wife in tow.

Ended up parking at the golf club and cycled over. Easier access back on to the motorway.

Thanks Dez.

Met Jenny Jones today at ski bartlett whilst getting my new bindings fitted. Nice lass. Posed for a picture so I could show it to the wife as I told her my wife’s the snowboarder of the family and huge fan.

Anyways, more Importantly, after 13 years it was time to give up on my garmont 75mm tellie boots and join the ntn crowd. Settled in Scott boots and ntn freestyle bindings.

Went straight to Hemel to try them out. Mixed reaction to be honest. Everything felt stiff. Legs, boots and bindings. Felt like a newbie all over again but I love the step in bindings and ski breaks, so no more bloody safety straps.

I know 13 years for a tellie boot will make them softer than cling film but I’m hoping the Scott’s (softest shell available) will loosen up.

My first 2 music memories,

Listening to help! L.p. on my dad’s lap.

Looking for TP and the heartbreakers on the chart show every Sat because I could shout on my dad that his fave musician was on tv.

I’ve since inherited all my dad’s LP back catalogue, including all TP.

I’ll have to wait to spin them until tomorrow as the little ones in bed.

Sad news.

NATS are heavily recruiting at the moment. Not the pilot route but still aviation.

As Dan says, its pilots discretion as to whether they will fly close or through thunderstorms.

You can expect delays I’m afraid if the weather is in or around the airfield.

Planes fly out of the normal routes to avoid cells which vastly increases work load on ATC.

To help manage the work load and keep the planes seperated (3miles or 1000ft), flow restrictions on departures and arrivals can be implemented and holding in the air takes place.

In effect the size of the airspace becomes smaller because we can’t use it all, so therefore less planes can fit in it.

I’ve had inbounds to London airports hold for 30 min then divert to Amsterdam or Manchester. Even had a wizzair turn round and go back to Budapest!

Weather is when the job is at its most stressful.

We have thule wing bars and 2 598’s. We leave them on all the time and when off on holiday we can fit a half width roof box too.

I did the research and for the type of use, I went for the 598’s for the reviews on how easy they are to mount and dismount the bikes.

We’ve done a good few miles with the car fully loaded and there is a bit of wind noise but not bad. I average 80mph ish on the drive to Scotland and I’ve got full confidence that I won’t see a shower of sparks behind me as the bikes come off. Same with small windy country roads.

I finish night shift at 7am. I could bring you a coffee and meet at the milburys at 0730. Place your order! Costa only at that time I’m afraid.

I like EGHI because you can have a beer and actually look at the planes. I thought they were all green*….. It’s when I see them, that I realise why they’re so flicking slow!

I like Southampton. 10 min from the house. Small simple affair. No dramatics.

I liked T5 initially, probably because it was space age compared to the rest of deathrow, but apart from very quick check in, it’s a bit meh.

You’re more than welcome. Enjoy it!

I’m in Bishops Waltham and have space on the driveway. Easy cycle from here onto the SDW.

Grahamt1980

We (4 adults 2 toddlers) stayed in La Tania last week of January.

I was dubious as it was the lowest part but the wife’s liked the child care (more info if requested).

I shouldn’t have worried.

Easy access to the 3 valleys. Val thorens and back by mid afternoon. Really nice tree lined home runs which, because la tania is end of the line, are quiet at the end of the day. The up lift first thing is maybe a 10min que but nothing after that.

The resort itself is prettier than most but still suffers from what I call gorbals architecture. There are some nice places to eat but only really one apre bar. The bus is free to merebil and courcheval but I think it runs quite late and is only 10 min.

Yeh I’ll ask the distributor. thanks for the reply!

Just a quick?

I’ve got an old hard tail for family duties with the rear mounted kiddy seat that bolts on to the down tube.

Does anybody think it would work in the t130? I’m 85kg and the little one is 13kg, so 100kg ish all in.

I’d up the pressure in the forks or lock out the rear but would the frame and links take it?

MM up front with nobby nic on back on a T130.

I have a 26inch hard tail with continental Street fighters.

My commute to work is about 6miles on tarmac and 5 miles on bridleway.

Very little difference in commuting times between the bikes and no difference in how knackered I am.

For those reasons I’d say it’s not draggy.

I’m crap at posting pictures so I can’t be bothered.

Just picked my 2015 T130s from hansford in Winchester after finding a little bit of play at the back wheel. All the rear suss bearing replaced under warranty fixed it!

I’ve had it from new and the only thing I’ve changed is magic Mary up front and nobby nic on the rear. Oh. And a bell to scare old people.

Would like another 10mm up front and maybe change to 1 x 11 when things start wearing out, but love it!

As an ATCO I’ve been bumped up a couple of times. Every other time we havent, we’ve been given complimentary champagne and usually a nice chat/moan with the pilot some point.

That’s only when a colleague has the time on the RT to pass a message to the pilot.

On one occasion, we (wife is ATCO) were flying to Geneva and our friend was in Heathrow tower. Anyways, flight gets airborne, cabin crew comes down from business and asks my wife “are you Mrs Cobrakai?”. The wife replies yes and cabin crew asked her to gather her things and follow her. Leaves me behind for ten minutes, which was making me feel very jealous, then cabin crew comes back down with a grin. “sorry Mr cobrakai, the Tower said you were not allowed an upgrade as you’re a scruffy northerner, but we’ve found you a seat!”.

It helps to have friends in the industry.

I’ve got a mk5 4 door and previously a mk4 3 door. I can get my 650b in the back of the mk5 with front wheel off and seats down. Plenty of space around the bike for gear.

I was tempted to go to the gate at the top of decent from old Winchester hill and keep it open for people. I was going to ask singletrackers from the forum to say poontang and I was going to give each person that did, a Mars bar.

Then my wife reminded it was my turn to have the lie in and she’d be getting up when our daughter did.

It was at this point I thought “get your own bloody snacks”.

Seriously though, I’m working tomorrow afternoon and would love to be doing it again.

Good luck!

Had free digs with my wife and daughter so can’t help there.

I was “allowed” 2 days to hire a bike out of the 7. First day went on my own. Just got a lift pass and map from lift station. Followed my nose and it was brilliant. Stayed on the verbier side.

The best natural stuff I found was left off the Savoleyres lift and back down into town.

2nd day, my friend joined me from Geneva. With more confidence we went over the back to la tzoumaz. Met some expat brits who gave us directions for some some great runs down that way.

Vallon d’arbi col des mines was quite technical and not too flowy but we enjoyed it.

We didn’t venture over Col de vaux side but did have a couple of runs in the park.

It wasn’t until I went with the family up to croix de coeur for lunch that I saw guided groups going down runs I hadn’t noticed or thought were foot paths only. It was then I regretted being as tight as a chickens face and not getting a guide.

No probs.

Weeksy, you must be close. I’m in Bishops Waltham if you want a bell.

Did it last year on whyte t130. 2nd wave off of the start, finished at 1915.

Best tip, if you don’t have a bell get one. Makes life so much easier if the walking dead can hear you coming and they get out of the way!

Wish I was doing it again but working.

Mk5 R32 owner.

10 years old with only 60k and it feels like new. Bought 2nd hand 4 years ago at 35k and I’ve maybe lost 500/1k in value, tops.

I liked driving a friends mk5 gti but the grip, low level torque and the sound track from the r32 wins hands down.

Down sides are it’s heavy. 30mpg when driven sensibly (300 miles from a tank). I don’t rag it but tyres need replaced more often and I hate the ipod interface.

Was running the meon valley railway line today with the little one in her buggy. Its fine.

Just back from Squamish which is just an hour up the road.

I was surprised how many cyclists used the sea to sky highway which goes via horse shoe bay, Squamish, whistler, pemberton which you probably know.

Horse shoe bay is a lovely place only 30 min from vancouver. We met a friend there for the day as she lives on vancouver island. Lots of ferries to lots of locations which means it could be a good Base.

It was a family holiday so only managed 1 day in the park at whistler but a local on the chairlift said Squamish has better natural cross country Trails than whistler. Looking at the map in the Squamish adventure centre I think he was right.

Can’t really help with accommodation as we were cat sitting for a friend whilst she was away surfing in california.

Two perspectives.

1. Work would have been extremely quiet today so would’ve been a break, but…

2. I’m in Squamish hoping that my BA flight back on Monday night is good to go.

TBH I’m not a particular fan of the Wilson tartan but I like the toned down look of the ancient Macneil.

In the past I’ve came across some “snooty” people about what tartan should be worn so I feel happy that if approached by someone in the future I can explain why!

It’s first outing will be a wedding in Oxford!

What’s your business dahedd?

Dahedd, thank you so much for the info. It’s cleared it up for me!

I was attached to the vikings. True story.