I don’t know the name of the outfit but there’s a company on the seafront in Oban itself. It always looks pretty cool when you see the kayakers paddling right into the harbour!!

That will be these folk http://www.seakayakoban.com/

Don’t know about their reputatiion but they always seem busy enough and are slap bank in the middle of town.

as mrmo said. probably need a 28mm thick flat pvc panel that can have a hole cut for the cat flap. Could also use a double glazed unit with a holed formed.

greenstix7 – Member
Will do more research but anything else you can think of, post it.

How about Chamonix to Zermatt with http://www.ridethealps.com/
I wanted to do this for for my 40th a couple of years back but circumstances didn’t allow. Planning on doing it this year and I know they’re looking for riders for a trip provisionally set for 10th August

I’m also looking at a first Alps trip and have registered my interest for this for August or September
http://www.ridethealps.com/holidays/chamonix-to-zermatt/

had my eye on it for a few years but something always got in the way.
Any reports I’ve seen always highly rate the trip.

I’m more worried about the technical side of things rather than fitness levels – if you have a decent level of base fitness it shouldn’t take long to build up your endurance levels

Surprised no one’s mentioned Jimeoin, either good or bad. I think he’s pretty funny

Just booked a week AI in Lanzarote (2 adults & 1 child) for just under£1600. Not flying out till 31st though so there for new year.

headfirst – Member
Re. CDs as a soon-to-be 41 year old dad, is it too sad to ask my 15 year old daughter to get me Calvin Harris’s new CD?

If it’s sad then call me sad. I received a copy a couple of weeks ago for my 41st birthday 😀

4 is Easdale

Bloody racking my brains with that one. I’ve even used it a couple of times 😳
Talking about wind direction. Did a weeks tour about 10 years ago. Five days from Oban to Ullapool into a really strong northerly. Day 2 was an absolute slog, Lochailort – Mallaig – Broadford almost at crawling pace. The last two days made up for it all though. Stornoway – Tarbert, hit about 60mph coming down off the Clisham with sheep darting everywhere. Tarbert – Lochboisdale on the last day, 70 odd miles of wind assisted cruising 8)

Marty
Where’s the last ferry?
1 Oban – Lismore
2 Oban – Kerrera
3 Port Appin – Lismore
4 ?

and if you want a job in O&G/renewables engineering give me a shout

Anything suitable for a career change? Currently working for a contractor as building /small civils QS but the industry is on it’s arse.

Moved house with two cats a few years back – both cats had been at the old address for about seven years. The intention was to keep them in for the first week but they were climbing the walls by day two. We ended up letting them out on the second night and had absolutely no problems with either of them.

MrGrim, where are you looking to build and who have your used for you kit price. I work as a QS for a medium sized contractor in Argyll and would say that a 100K budget is very very optimistic, even if you were able to do some of the works yourself and act as project manager.
As an absolute minimum I would be budgeting 1400 – 1500 / m2 gross internal floor area. Invariably most of the jobs we price end up being nearer 1750 – 2000 / m2.
Things to be considered before it can be costed out properly include the site itself, is it a level with good ground conditions? is there rock to be broken out? is there somewhere on the site to spread the surplus spoil and if not where can it be disposed off? what will planning accept e.g. slate or tiled roof?, dormer windows? timber cladding or block & render?. Same with the heating, Building Control may require a renewables element e.g. air to water, solar thermal hot water, solar pv.
If you are looking for a single contractor it may be worth speaking to your kit supplier as they should be able to recommend someone in your area. A NHBC registered contractor will also offer a degree of reassurance but is also another cost to be factored in.

Trip to Mull and then your pick of Iona / Staffa / Tobermory
Walk / cycle round Kerrera
Cruachan visitor centre (or climb it)
Sea Kayaking
Sea.fari trip from Easdale to Corryvreckan. Check their website for the best dates for a spring tide
Cruise Loch Etive from Taynuilt
Maybe something on in the Corran Halls depending on your dates. Kevin Bridges booked for 14th and 17th July although both dates could be sold out now.
Explore the general area e.g. Dunollie Castle, McCaig’s Tower, Dunstaffnage Castle, War & Peace Museum, Oban Distillery, Open top bus tour, Falls of Lora
For food try the Seafood Temple, Coast, Ee-Usk, Piazza
Golf? Course in Oban and also Balvicar, Taynuilt, Dalmally

If you’re looking for a white opaque system try either Sadolin Superdec or Butinox no.3. Not cheap but both good systems with decent lifespan.
Two coats of either – bare timber may need to be primed first

+1 for Port Aventura.
Been a couple of times and really enjoyed it, good theme park & water park.
I think the water park may be high season only though. Last time we went was a couple of years back during the October holidays and it was shut, (although the Aquapolis water park just along the coast in Cambrils was open). Salou itself is a bit hit and miss but the beach is alright.

Just finished building a 520 equilibrium. Frame and forks off ebay for just over a £100.00 and kitted out with a mix of campag. First ride was last weekend and i’m well chuffed.
Did look at a couple of 725 complete bikes but the frame only gave more flexibility with components mix. I didn’t really consider the different frame material as an issue and doubt anyone could tell the difference in use (plus I preferred the steel grey colour of the 520)

5’9″ + 2. Need about 2′ in the ground

A mate of mine spent 5 years at Paisley Uni and always hitched to and from Oban when home for the weekend. He never had any problems getting lifts and swore that hitching was always faster than the bus / train service.

Pus in Boots – Antonio Banderas provides the voice over for the cat with a badly infected claw

Blades of Gory – ice dance rivalry descends into slash horror fest

Hoe Alone – a 10yr old boy is left to weed the garden while his family are away on holiday

Col Runnings – a team of Jamaican sprinters enter the “unknown” sport of fell running

Onich to Fort William. Twisty bit of road always lots of traffic here

^Scariest on road experience ever for me. Ridden once and never again.
You could make your way to Lochgilphead via the Rest and be Thankful. Up to Oban, then cycle track the majority of the way to Onich and cross at Corran ferry to avoid section to Fort Wiliam. Bit of a detour but much safer.

Depends what you want really – if sticking to one system e.g. ultegra, 105 etc, probably cheaper and less hassle to buy as a set. Saying that, I built a bike last year with a mix of components and shopped around. Ended up with Record carbon ergos(ebay used), Centuar derailleurs /cassette, Veloce chainset and Shimano 5700? deep drop brakes for a similar price as a complete Veloce groupset.

Sorry, this being STW I only wanted responses from people with absolutely no building/architecture experience (like me).

Fine, be like that if you want 😉

Depends on a number of factors really e.g. the ground conditions / soil type, size of extension, type of construction. You may be able to use normal strip founds & trench fill, alternatively, a ground bearing floor slab or even mini piles. Best really to speak to a structural engineer.

EDIT – just re-read your post. A ground bearing slab probably not an option due to the existing ground level.

Big thank you to E_G for picking up and returning my visor from the back of beyond. What’s the chances? 😀

Looks fantastic, I’m planning a similar trip for June but the opposite direction, Lossie / Elgin to my hometown of Oban. Why didn’t you go up the side of Loch Garry from Kinloch Rannoch? It’s a good track all the way except for a small stretch in the middle where it disappears.

Can you ride across the top of Blackwater Dam?

If you’re happy to climb the locked gates at each end and ignore the “No Unauthorised Access” signs then yes you can. 😀

E_G – if you could email me at david(dot)stewart248@btinternet(dot)com about the visor that would be much appreciated. The trousers are not mine although I may have to invest in a pair to help with the ticks – I removed three of the little buggers!!

E_G – somehow managed to lose the peak off my helmet when it was strapped to my rucksack. Had a bit of a comical A over T slip while walking not long after Staoineag bothy, but that’s all I can think of. Why, what’s been found?

Don’t think there any rules against stopping an auction early but the seller will have lost any listing / reserves fees etc

Have done the full circuit a couple of times anticlockwise and planning to do it again later this year – although I’ve always stayed to the track above KLL to Mamore lodge. Find anticlockwise is better with a good descent to Spean Bridge and always find it easier to go the opposite direction to the majority of the walkers on WHW.

You could get the train to Corrour, then head back from there.
Though the section between Loch Treig and Luibeilt can be rather boggy.

Having done the KLL – Luibelt – Loch Treig – Blackwater circuit only yesterday, i can certainly vouch for the boggy comment. Not my idea of fun.

That’s good to know. Planning to do the Fort Augustus – Gairloch section sometime in June as part of a weeks holiday.

How good is the section from Laggan up the East side of Loch Oich? For some reason I was under the impression that it was quite boggy and best avoided.

How about the circuit from Glenfinnan over the hill and down Cona Glen, then a bit of a stretch on the road to Strontian (15 – 16 miles), options then for offroad/onroad to Polloch and back up the side of Loch Shiel

My immediate boss uses a number of phrases on a daily basis, so much so that they’re now a bit of a company joke.
Favourites include the almost constant use of “you know what I mean” and “globally” with the odd “wind your neck in” and “you have to crack an egg to make an omelette”.
Another occasional one is “he won’t know if he’s punched, bored or countersunk” Aaaaggghhh!!! winding me up just thinking about it 👿

I think I’ll take you up on your kind offer. My lad would love it. email to david.stewart248@btinternet.com
Cheers 😀

Says it’s free for orders over 20.00. Do I win a prize? 😀

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/SPTHELITE/thomson_elite_seatpost