I've decided to measure up the frames and conduct a full 3D finite element model of my proposed frame, together with a dynamic analysis and look at the resulting stress concentrations. Then weld in big **** off stiffener plates in these areas 😈

I've had a pair of Bombers donated 😀 that I may use.

Comments on 'owning' people aside, shoud I use them and pump them up hard, or just use rigid forks? The bombers do open up the opportunity to use a front disc brake.

My NPower DD went from £44/month to $199/month based on their estimated bill. When I checked, I'd used less than the previous year for gas and leccy, so I complained and asked them to amend it. They refused, so I said I'd go back to BG. They then quickly changed their mind and reverted to £44/m.

I'm not in the business of acting as a bank to my utility provider.

Even my boss is coming on the 220 mile ride "just to see the trandem fall apart and see me have a nasty accident". He doubts the structure will be adequate – I have more faith in my design capability.

We're both Chartered Engineers.

Right then, old bikes are stripped and frames are ready for surgery. I'll post pics when I get a moment.

House is nothing special – 4 bed semi. The whole row had brick bomb shelters. All were demolished except mine and my neighbours.

It's really useful as the temperature remains fairly constant and it's bone dry, which is good for storing wine. I fitted racks for 600 bottles, but it has never had more than 100 or so in it. Also good for keeping expensive kit secure.

The door is 4" thick timber with 8" thick frame and bracing and huge steel coachbolts and fixings.

15 x 7.5 garage for bikes, tools n'stuff. 10×7 brick built bomb shelter with 18" thick walls (with steel plate core) and 24" thick reinforced concrete roof, for max. bike security and storing wine! This came with the house.

Surgical spirit works for me. As does injecting with tincture of benzoin to the blisters. Hurts like anything, but works.

Wipe your feet twice daily with cotton wool soaked in surgical spirit. It will harden and toughen the skin and used to work wonders with new army-issue boots until they were broken in.

Do you live near Cardiff? I've just been given 12 old bikes to build up a trandem. Most of them are ok for a commuter and I only need 5 for the build.

Superglue his mouse/pen/keyboard/phone/coffee mug to the table.

Laxative in his coffee.

Boot polish on his phone receiver.

Drawing pin on his chair.

+1 for by text.

I put an email round work asking for donor bikes. Within a day I was inundated and now am the proud owner of 12 more bikes 😀

I have selected three to be the main donor frames, including a particularly retro Apollo moon bike (as in – would be appropriate for the reduced gravity found on the moon).

Now time to get to work with the angle grinder and mig welder – bring on Frankengriff's monster!

Not well. The one charge got dropped, but replaced with two new ones – Affray and Firearm possession in a public place without reasonable or lawful excuse.

The Affray is easy – no violence, no threats = not affray.

The possession without reasonable excuse will be countered by my legal team, who are calling two consultant psychiatrists as expert witnesses to my mental state on the night, i.e. not capable of making a reasonable decision.

Trial continues 27th April at Newport Crown Court.

allthegear, what's your religion then? I've not heard of that before!

Biggest cost is nursery. For my two, the combined nursery cost full time is £1700 each month. That's after I've paid tax on the income and the £243 maximum childcare vouchers make laughably little difference.

Nursery = 3x my mortgage and certainly more than mrsG is bringing in as a result. However, it's necessary to keep her paying NI and pension payments for the years befor the kids are in school. Child tax credits pay about £400/mth towards it.

Seems to be holding and I just tested a 2ltr bottle up to 3 bar.

Well over a minute of horn time at full volume!!

Should I go to 6 bar?

The tube is fixed at both ends, so can't be disconnected to slide over a new tube.

Am contemplating splitting a tight fitting tube, plenty of glue and positioning over the hole with the split at the back.

And plenty of cable ties to hold it all together.

Any better ideas?

I could weld that up. Add a bit of plate to the outside to stiffen it up, would be fine for a pub bike or commuter.

Sorry I've gone a bit quiet lately.

Trial preparation is going well. The PCMH due for Monday has been delayed until Wednesday, as the CPS prosecutor allocated to the case has referred it up to the chief prosecutor in Wales. It is his view the case should be dropped.

We received the last bit of evidence that the CPS intended not to use – the DVD of the helicopter camera. The content is very supportive of our defence. This will be added to the 10 police statements, the 3 psychiatric reports all in my favour. Not seen anything supportive of the CPS case yet.

In fact, the CPS wrote to my legal team stating that the main reason that they are pushing the case is to allow the option of the court enforcing my medical treatment. This is actually delaying the start of my treatment with Combat Stress and also the War Veterans Service at UHW and I have been voluntarily attending all treatment anyway.

I've even had unofficial contact from the police team who arrested me – all very supportive and representative of their professional and sympathetic treatment of me on the day in June 2009.

Training is going well – I've been out on the bike a lot, particularly an old, heavy steel mountain bike with bike trailer attached. Riding that everywhere on the road was great preparation for my Cardiff-London ride last year, as my road bike felt weightless after that. Plenty of running and boxing too, so should be well in shape by the summer.

I haven't publicised too much yet, as I want to get the trial out of the way first. Will push all the corporate stuff closer to the time.

I don't really give a **** about who is eligible and exactly what percentage is saved. If it's available, I'll take what I can and so should you.

I spent a grand on a bike last April and it costs me about £50/month. It comes out of my paypacket, so I don't even notice it.

I'll be getting another one in April, and one in 2011, and one every year until the scheme is closed. (Or the garage gets full – room for about another 15 bikes methinks.)

Happened to me, I argued with the Estate Agent and he threw me out of his shop.

I went round to the vendor, offered him the full asking price, told him what a **** his EA was being and said my offer was conditional on him taking it off the market.

EA got sacked by the vendor and lost his fee. EA tried to claim off the vendor, but he moved to Spain and told the EA to stick it up his ar5e.

Did my patio last year. 750mm MOT Type 1 compacted in 50mm layers, 50mm sharp sand compacted in 10:1 dry mortar mix, 35mm slabs. You could stand a crane on it.

She definitely doesn't need one of those 😉

keep 'em coming

I hope the rest of the country have the same unanimous support for them as we seem to. Why shouldn't they have some fun in the snow? We all did.

At least he only gave them a token b0ll0king. I was half expecting to hear they were suspended or something like that.

If I'd seen it, I'd have asked to borrow the shield for a go – it went for miles…

The difference is that I want to work for my boss, as he lets me do as I please and he knows I'll do my bit plus more to keep the situation as it is.

I'll do some more work when the kids have gone to bed, but enjoyed **** around in the snow this morning.

I walked the 1.5 miles each way to Tesco this morning to get groceries for my mum, dad and elderly neighbour. Every vehicle except one were sliding all over the place and bumping into kerbs, each other or just sitting there spinning. Much mirth!

The only one moving was an extremely modified, very early Range Rover V8 with enormous ground clearance (talking monster truck here), big soft balloon tyres and all sorts of bolted on winches, spot lights, sand tracks, shovels etc. The two guys in it were pissing themselves as they passed everything.

Landrover Defender 110. Nothing better (excluding all the fantasy stuff that is not really practical being shown above).

Where I work, people will come and go as they please if they want to worry about the weather. I guarantee that all will make the time up. No one watches or comments, but loyalty and commitment are rewarded when pay reviews and promotions are concerned.

I've been discussing nutrition with my brother.

What is the best, simple, lightweight diet for 3-5 days on the bike?

I did a quick Cardiff-London last year and lived off banana, cereal bars, flapjacks and snickers. That was fine for 16 hours, but what about longer?

We are tempted to add lots of eggs and beans to the list above. Bro has his own free-range chickens, so no shortage of the freshest, most awesome eggs in the UK.

Pre-trial hearing was a farce. The judge got pi55ed off with the CPS, saying that if he had the power, he may have been tempted to throw the case out and that they may wish to go away and re-think whether they want to prosecute or not.

Adjourned until 15th Feb!

Time to get out on the bike and train.

Anti-freeze already in a big drum in the garage.

Aha, watching one currently on fleabay for £25.

Need to save the pennies, as it is my son's car.

So where (except fleabay) can I get a rad for about half the cost of a new one via MGOC? Am aiming to spend less than £45.

TFM – no way, the car cost £250, new rad £90, ally rad £400.

'78 MGB GT. Aiming to get on the road with MOT for under £500 total (incl. MOT)!

Hahaha… daily at our house too.

Dog basket.
Coal bucket/log basket.
In the fish tank.
Dishwasher.
In bed with them.
Bath/toilet.

Issue goretex bivi bag.
Softie 2 sleeping bag.
Small thermarest.
Lightweight cooker, usually one of my small peak stoves.
Metal mug, racing spoon.
Water/food.
Change of clothes – don't use waterproofs, just sleep in the dry set and wear the wet set in the day.

Forgot to add, my Mum has offered to help with the fundraising by writing to loads of companies and organisations to get them to dig deep. She is retired and disabled and anything involving writing or typing is very tiring and difficult for her, so this is a really nice offer.

Hmmmm. HM Courts are creaking at the seams methinks.

Just phoned to check I'm listed for today. Apparently not. The paperwork hasn't arrived by post yet.

Paperwork? Post? FFS, what is wrong with online and email. No wonder the whole organisation is so backwards. Looks like I'll be in during the first/second week of January now.

Right then, I've got a day for training, so a full day run is in order.