Joost and Oz sounds like Seth efrikan names. 😀

Download the latest java from http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp and the latest flash from adobe.com.
Let us know if that cures it.

Conti Vert Pro’s UST are the worst tyre I have ever encountered. Seemingly great with low rolling resistance until a wet root, north shore or grass shows its head and then they break with no notice and no recovery. Dangerous. And they pinch puncture. I have used 2.35 LUST High Rollers, Ignitors and Swampthings since I ditched them and all have been very good.
I’ve got regular 2.35 Swampies run ghetto on another bike and they are extremely good. I’ll be as fit as a butcher’s dog come the spring tyre change too!

You would appear to be a marketer’s dream.

Daisy is impressed with the thought of the bicycle made for two!

Sheep and deer. Thewre are a few projects going on to restore the natural forest of Caledon. Rothiemurchus is about the biggest chunk left. Several places have been fenced off and natural forest is now growing. Anyone who travels the B9007 between Forres and Carrbridge will have noticed this. A forest seems to have just appeared but it has taken 10 years or so to natural seed and get to a height where it is noticeable. I think it was Ton who pointed out how spooky the old forest roots look when exposed at the edge of bleak lochs. Lochindorb is like this but now the forest is returning the tree roots don’t look so incongruous.

Just thought I’d take this opportunity to point out that the Comet is still flying in the guise of the Nimrod and it has never fallen out of the sky because of metal fatigue. The fatigue life on it is better than most aircraft which is why they are (maybe sometime) upgrading it to the MRA4. I really doubt that many bike frames fail because of it either. Crap welding, design or impacts are more likely. The 2 year figure seemingly plucked from nowhere earlier in the thread seems a bit drastic and I for one can’t afford to shell out for a new bike every 2 years. I wonder if my insurance will pay out if my frame fails and puts me in hospital when they find out that frames only have a safe life of 2 years?

Journey from Elgin to Laggan and back was an amazing winter wonderland. I could swear the frost is an inch thick in some places! Shame there’s no snow on the hills but the bike will have to do in its absence.

Bejaysus! Minus 14 at Aviemore. It warmed up to -4 by the time we left Laggan and Aviemore was -10 and the sun was just setting. It’s gonna be real cold tonight!

-8.5 here in Elgin and I suspect it will be colder at Laggan where I’m going right now!

Thinking about a week in Austria next month (usually have 2!) and a week at easter too. Will be the same week that I met you and most probably Val d’Isere. Will be avec deux mini-me’s. Exchange rates are a shocker but conditions are such that it makes it worth it. I’ve never done the bike thing in the Alps, I know rents etc are cheaper, is the beer etc cheaper in the summer too? Payng 6 quid a pint makes me feel ill! 😯

Hey Tracey,
Shame you’re not coming further north, I’d have met up. It would be nice to see you all again. We’ve got outings to Golspie tomorrow and Laggan on Tues. If you’re riding thurs, wherever it is, it’ll be quiet! I’ll be a drunken mess somewhere hopefully!! We’re doing the Monster trails on Ben Aigan and Fochabers on Fri. It’s not been above freezing up here for the last couple of days so everything is frozen solid and fast fast fast! Have fun.

I’m not on facebook and I’ve never been on a computer either. Wouldn’t know where to start.

You’s are all gay. I cleaned Rushup Edge in july, it’s drier now! <joke> I did clean it but I daresay it must be in a much worse state now. Incidentally, what’s causing the detioration of the paths apart from the weather? Is it too much bike traffic or just too much traffic all together? Has this year been busier than normal? I remember it being a tough rocky climb and then loads of bogs that had to be wheelied or manualled. Have they all joined up? I’m surprised the climb from Edale to Hollins is ****, that seemed like a nice rocky ascent apart from a couple of deep soggy bits at the bottom.

I was will_jc but nobody answered my emails. 😀