I was at the New Inn a month ago and it was serving good pub grub with big portions. Hospitality was great and local ales were on tap. And the cake stand … Oh, the cake stand … Full of wonderful things. We weren’t there for mtbing, but did some walking and the ground was saturated. If it’s still like that now, I’d stick to hard pack trails for mtbing.

I bought a cx bike, did the supermarine races, then sold the cx bike. It was more fun watching and heckling cx. So a few of us will be going along to shout words of encouragement (mainly at some Banjo Cycles riders we know). Where’s the best place to cheer/heckle?

Where do some of you store all your cats?!

Firstly acquired Pablo and Petal (aka knuckle-head when I refer to her), a mother-son duo from a foster home. Is it an unwritten rule that foster pet names can’t be changed? As of last week, Petal decided that purring at full volume at 4.30am was a fantastically good idea.

Then acquired Maceo from the SIL. Maceo thinks it’s enormously entertaining to screech like a demented parrot at feeding time. The other two stare at him quietly, slowly retracting their claws.

The bottle cage and six speed cassette nail it.

It makes me shudder each time I think about the amount of OP I used to do on my own. No-one had a clue where I was, all my mates being skiers intent on thrashing down the pistes, whilst I was off in the mountains on my board, exploring.

The comment above about not knowing the avalanche has started is so true. I’ve been caught in two avalanches (Whistler and Davos) I started with no idea the slab was moving with me, quite simply because I was moving with it. In Whistler, it was only when the momentum of the weight of the snow caused it to move faster than me, and pour over my board, that I realised things had gone wrong. In addition, I was trying to stay upright to force the board edge down and carve out the way of the slide, but this was made incredibly difficult because the slab was accelerating away under me, pulling me down the slope with it. I’d spent a few days scoping out a line under one of the chairlifts, then took the early bird lift to get fresh tracks. The powder was light, everything was good and then someone yelled from the chair lift above me, “ride it, ride it” and in my arrogance, thought they were commending my all mountain prowess. What they meant was, ride the avalanche slide. And I’m glad they said that cos I wouldn’t have had a clue what to do!

The other avi was during a pre-dawn jaunt in the back country of Davos, having secured an early lift ride to climb some south facing slopes in order to get to a couloir we’d been looking at on a map. By that stage I was well into my first season, my friend and I had both done avalanche training, were carrying transceivers and probes, were doing snow shoeing ascents to get to places. So we felt reasonably experienced in the way that non-mountain locals usually do. Sitting on the edge of the couloir was memorable. First few turns were jump turns and then straightened out and gunned it for 400 metres or so, to get clear of the chute. At the bottom, turning round to see a relatively bare rock face and after what seemed like minutes, finally spotted the tiny figure of my friend picking his way across it. We earned our turns and a beer that day. Near the end of the season, the friend set off a massive slide which closed the Davos-Klosters link of the mountain rail for a day or so (fortunately no-one was affected). He got a telling off for that from the local authorities.

The one song you always sing along to

Not just in the car, but for any situation that calls for loud signing, out of tune and getting ready for anything:

Beastie Boys – ‘Sabotage’

Having had snot-fests and throaty-snot coughs the three weeks up to beginning of December when I had to concede that I didn’t have my usual autumn/winter cough, I saw the doc. However she said I was getting better and wouldn’t prescribe me antibiotics but instead to get some co-codamol. She also signed me off work for a week, saying that people these days have this mentality that taking a day or two off work is more than enough rest when it isn’t.

Fast-fwd four weeks to yesterday, after a Christmas break in which I mostly had no appetite and the level of enthusiasm for life on a par with zoo caged animals, I saw the same doc again yesterday cos I still wasn’t feeling great and she confirmed I’ve got chronic sinusitis and has prescribed me antibiotics and a chest x-ray for good measure. So with that in mind, back to the OP’s subject: in the last six weeks I have tried: Potters cough syrup, Actifed, BronchoStop (which has nothing to do with horses), every known type of sudafed, some kind of sea water saline nasal spray, ibuprofen, paracetamol, co-codamol, store brand decongestants and several packets of Strepsils. None of them worked in a way that left me feeling ready to take on the world again. And the combined side-effects of some of them have been interesting.

Then someone gave me a hot toddy: whiskey, lemon, ginger and hot water and it’s the only potion which really left me feeling better, if only long enough to get some sleep at night.

That bit at around 4.35ish and 7ish minutes… That’s how I ride all the time. I don’t follow the trails, just ride straight through the forests, picking my way through the trees. Or I’m in the expanse of the moors, making new lines where none exist. I call it ‘natural play’. It’s all shadows and negative space, contours and voids. Often I close one eye, then the other, alternating every few minutes so I ride in 2D to keep my skills sharp. ‘China in your hand’ on my walkman keeps me ‘on edge’, focussed. In the zone.

I have the Oregon 450 with OS 1:50k base mapping. I chose it over the bike specific Garmins at the time (2012ish) for two key reasons: swappable AA batteries (means multi-day riding, by carrying spare batteries that aren’t device specific and reassurance of picking up spare batteries from most garages), and bigger display than the bike range. It doesn’t seem clunky compared to the Edge series and the larger touch screen means I can drag the map around without accidentally catching one of the buttons. It doesn’t have the bike-specific training software found on the Edge series (I can see the appeal of the virtual partner), but then it is foremost a hiking device. It does have software functionality for cadence and HRM so if you take your training seriously you could pair those devices with a power metre and the Oregon and get all the data you need. I use it for hiking and running as well but is has loads of other applications too which make it quite versatile for most types of outdoor activities.

The key downside to the 450 (which may have been fixed on the 600), is the amount of waypoints that can be stored in a journey. Iirc it’s around 35 miles which means having to do a bit of text edit gpx stitching after a ride before uploading to Strava (I don’t use base camp). However I can prepare a gpx route of 100’s of miles and it’ll display as a complete route on the device when I select it to follow.

We looked at all the packs in all the usual baby shops, went with an Osprey poco from a hiking shop. It has the pedigree of a product that has been designed by a company that specialises in making rucksacks: multi-adjustable shoulder, waist and chest straps, plenty of storage, hard wearing. We were comparing a few of the LL packs at the same time in the shop (Cotswold Outdoor) and we felt the Osprey was a more robust pack for our hobbies (that’s not to say people haven’t walked 1,000s of miles in any other baby pack).

One feature I like is the base stand which can be sprung out by hand before lowering the pack and forms a very stable base for the pack. I don’t need to hold the pack when it’s on the ground with junior in it. The sunshade is useful for rain or sun and packs away neatly in a ‘hidden’ compartment. The pack also has easy access side pockets for our water bottles (as well as a camelbak pouch). Also, it has a few karabiner loops and expandable netting pockets. If you’re going out walking you don’t need to carry another backpack!

The cynic in me says global warming is influencing this and don’t expect a change anytime soon. This isn’t just affecting the UK; you only need to read the ski and snowboard thread to find the diesel addicts whingeing about lack of snow in Canada. Weather scientists are saying the weather cycle, El Niño, has a strong influence at the moment, predicted to weaken around March 2016. By which time we’ll be readying ourselves for summer… But yeah, I’m looking forward to a bit of frost.

Keith Lemon: The Film. I didn’t know who Keith Lemon was. Mrs doordonot insisted we see it. It would be hilarious, she said. We left after ten minutes and got our money back after the cinema cashier agreed it was rubbish.

Event Horizon n+1. Brilliant film.

Blair Witch Project: shouldn’t have gone riding in my local woods at dusk, on my own, just after watching it for the first time.

I found E.T. really upsetting and a bit disturbing. As an 8 year old-ish I wasn’t ready for that emotional stuff. Have never watched it in full since.

The early 90’s UK and US race scene and all the personalities: Tomac v Frishnekt, Furtado, David Baker, Tim Gould, Caro Alexander, Julie Dibbens (?), Barrie Clarke, Giove, Tinker etc.
Grundig WC 1993 at Plymuff (where I put down my age ‘incorrectly’ on the race entry form) and managed to get entry into the WC qualifier. Iirc Dave Baker also had to enter the qualifier. Got dropped before the first river crossing which technically wasn’t even out of the start funnel. I got a good cheer from the crowds as I skidded down the pipeline on my fully rigid Hahanna.

Ringle
The emergence of full suss: Ritchey flexi-chain stays (or was it Cannondale?)
‘L’ shaped anodised purple or blue bar ends

Gin is gin; it’s the tonic that can make the difference. Fever Tree is the next best alternative off the shelves and brings out more complex notes in the gin.

Chase Gin[/url] is made with English Apples and is a refreshing alternative to the more floral gins on in the gin world.

The Tesla power wall might be an indication that in the not too distant future electric cars would be charged via domestic energy generation and storage.

As it happens, I was having a d’n’b retro listening session yesterday, listening to LTJ Bukem stuff on spotify. I quite like lamb (in the context of this thread, the band). Not strictly d’n’b but quite drummy. As a DJ, I enjoy Marcus Intalex.

What’s the Norwegian ski scene like? We’re looking to tick off the northern lights, do some husky dog sledding, introduce the toddler to skiing, stay somewhere low key. So doesn’t have to be challenging in terms of skiing, but interested in going somewhere different from France/Switzerland/Austria/Italy.

What Rockape63 said about not moving parents. They’ve got their friends, know the area etc. I’ve had this discussion with mine. They don’t want to move from the place they like living in to a totally new place where they’d lose all of their independence, have no friends. Quality of life will descend rapidly despite best interests to move across the globe to be near them.

We lived in Tring for a while. Have you looked there? They have a nice little train station on the main line direct to Watford and Euston. I commuted to central London on the overland train in 45 minutes to Euston and northwards to MK etc. Reasonably priced to live in the town, a few big towns in the area with various health ‘care’ establishments (Aylesbury, Luton). Mtbing up in the Chilterns (Ashridge, Aston Hill, Wendover etc). As others have said, Milton Keynes or nearby which is also on the main overland link to London (I don’t know how to get to Muswell Hill, but maybe there are links from Watford).

Now live in Stroud, Gloucestershire as well, and whilst there’s a direct train link to Paddington (can be pricey – £80 pp), driving takes 2.5 hours to Richmond so I should think a bit longer to north London in low traffic (and when was the last time the traffic was low when needing to get somewhere fast …).

You’ve got to be able to ‘pop’ over to your parents if they need help and I wouldn’t want to face a 2+ hour drive knowing that I’d have to wait till 10pm for the roads to quieten down.

Earlier this year while riding at a speed of Mach-1, a taxi came buzzing past with a fellow leaning out the passenger side (of his best friend’s ride?), yelling “JABAJABAJABAJABAJABA…”

Next day I was riding the same road and I saw the same fellow at a bus stop. He had a bleached white hair mini Mohawk thing so quite distinctive. Anyway, in the short period of time I had to formulate my options, these were:

1. In a show of willingness to make a new friend, do I shout “JABAJABAJABAJABA…” at him while I ride by; or,
2. Do I ride by without shouting anything; or,
3. Do I stop next to him and ask wtf was he jabbering about and did he realise that it’s liable to cause a cyclist to get a bit of a shock and how would he like it and what lower class attitude did he have that gave him the right to be so inconsiderate…

I opted for ‘2’ as I had important cycling to do. But in my mind he was suitably reprimanded

‘Common as Konas’. Don’t hear that any more.

It’s all about the 90’s Konas. My first ‘proper’ mtb was a Kona Hahanna, then followed two Explosifs. I really wanted the good coloured Kula though. And a Hei Hei. And a cindercone, just cos. Then they followed the trend to build bikes with fatter tubing (or was it some kind of manufacturing stipulation?). And with that, the true identity of Kona was lost. If they could release the Cindercone and Explosif (with Project 2 forks) as skinny tubed disc frame/forks options, in the funky colour range they used to have, then we’d see a resurgence.

<puts rose-tinted glasses away>

Inner tubes. But hey, it’s probably to cover the costs of keeping the LBS going, so that’s ok.

UK houses

+1

Bottles of wine in restaurants, but probably the same principle as inner tubes.

And the award for vaguest forum thread title (October 2015) goes to … this one!

(A) From my reading of this, you’re a bit miffed that you’ve been bypassed, even though you’re the team leader. Perhaps speak to your dept head first, particularly if you have a good working relationship with them, just to check the other person didn’t realise it was something they should speak to you about. It may be that your dept head has to gently remind the person that they should report concerns to you, as the team leader.

(C) You can’t be expected to keep an eye on everyone all the time and you have to have a certain level of trust in your team. Put your concerns about ‘A’ to one side, get up to date with what was reported and how HR are going to get involved (this is probably not something IT should be solely investigating), and give your team member the reassurance/support they need if they’re a hard worker.

Thanks all. Andy (or the cat …) please can you email me via my profile so I can get in contact.

Someone has gotten way too excited with the fireworks over our way. The fireworks (more like a frenzied thunderflash extravaganza) has been going on for about twenty minutes…

Yep, almost settled on GD (same old, same old), then found the considerably more interesting program about the landmark trust, where the dreams are held alive that we can stay in ‘grand designs’. And Anna Keay is easier on the eye/ears than Kev.

Fit a Tioga spyder saddle and paired with one of the Bontrager x-lite carbon seat posts I have for sale, to make a very light combo.

Friend of mine was a guide with them for a while. I heard the location was putting people off cos it was a bit remote from anywhere else.

Having lived in or near most of the villages listed in the areas broadly linked by Stroud – Chiseldon – Cirencester – Marlborough, most have decent technical riding within a half hour ride or ten minute drive. I’ve never ridden Surrey Hills so don’t know how they compare. My thoughts on this:

Wroughton/Chiseldon (and the villages south of Swindon): mtbing within a few miles, but mainly bridleways (chalk/clay so lovely in the dry, slippery and waterlogged in the wet) and not too much twisty tech stuff (unless Croft Woods is your thing (although it’s in Swindon)); two M4 junctions in close proximity, a few nice pubs; plenty of quiet-ish road riding;

Ashbury/Baydon/Lambourn: I only mention these because they’re closer to Surrey/W.Sussex via the M4 or the A roads and some good deals to be found on nice houses with a village pub; similar riding to Chiseldon over the Lambourn/Marlborough Downs;

Tetbury/Malmesbury: relatively close to M4, not the hub of mtb’ing, more road riding but some nice bridleway loops which you can link into long rides out towards the Cotswolds escarpment;

Minety/Ashton Keynes/South Cerney/Cirencester: triathlon and road riding territory (Cotswold water park being nearby); bridleways for mtb’ing (but mainly horses), although you’re a half hour drive from Cotswold escarpment with loads of nice tech stuff; ‘quiet’ lanes; plenty of local pubs in and around the settlements;

With all of these, as mentioned above, S.Wales is pretty close (Cwm Carn is 45 minutes with a clear run along the M4; BPW fairly similar) but loads of local potential and some hilly stuff south of the M4, if you don’t want to stray too far and enjoy exploring. Ashton Court if that really takes your fancy. Also, loads of good local breweries serving local pubs to help fuel your rides …

Anyone wondering why …

Slight thread hijack, but last I read (could’ve been a while ago), Garmin were trying to force users to upload to their own version of Strava and not making it easy for a Strava sync. The latest email from CRC summarising the Strava features on the latest batch of Garmin units evidently reflects Garmin’s acceptance that the majority of their current and future user base preferred Strava.

More of a Captain Darling rant. Melchett would be the driver, in the pub afterwards pointing out how correct he was and how purile the efforts (generally) of the cyclists are.

That’s probably just his hack bike, which looks appropriately rubbish to deter interest.

Corbyn’s quite a lean looking fellow, with facial hair and the gaunt, hollow look of a man that would prefer to be out riding his bike, rather than getting caught up in the media frenzy revolving around his day job.

Source: Sport Beard Watch[/url]

I had the Charge Spoon and found it to be quite uncomfortable. Eventually replaced it with the Romin which is very comfortable. It has more flex than the Spoon, but that gives it the comfort I wasn’t getting from the padding in the Spoon. The result being a sleeker looking, yet more comfortable saddle. The Romin is the most comfortable saddle I’ve used since my Selle Italia Flyte which went to saddle heaven a long time ago.

Yep, it was reading the Man on seat 61 which has had me wondering whether it’s ‘better’ to travel in a 4 bed couchette. Would prefer to travel during the day i.e. on the TGV at 250 kph, but the Eurostar timings don’t allow me to do that, without needing accommodation in Paris for a night and then another night in Milan.

Let’s not get political about it… Lots of people are using this software on a day to day basis, so someone might be using something they like and it works and can recommend it to someone else.

“now be in Cheltenham”

Lecky is closest and rideable from ‘nham centre, so long as you don’t mind a bit of a climb up Leckhampton Hill. Look on Strava to find plenty of trails or go up there and follow your nose. Fun for some if you like steep / air time, but if you’re more inclined to find xc then use Lecky hill as a warm-up but head on from Lecky over towards Cranham along the bridleways that go via Crickley Hill and Birdlip ‘dog walking’ area. There are also various variations on a Cheltenham – Malverns road loop.

Bike shops – Leisure Lakes in the centre is a good start. Evans in the southern part of Cheltenham, Slam69 in Gloucester, Noahs Ark and Black 8 Bikes in Stroud and various cornershop curios in all the towns.

I’m only on the road atm; waiting for 29er wheels to be built for the mtb. There’s a bigfoot ride around Cleeve Hill on sunday morning which might be good for you – and a chance to meet some of the girls and boys that live and ride in Cheltenham:
http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/event/cleeve-hill-epic-and-a-pint-or-hot-chocolate/?instance_id=7892

Contact bigfootmbc – we ride Cranham/Lecky/FoD etc. I’m in Stroud which is cracking for hills and hills (imo the best ones are road; always amazed at how lame the ToB route through Stroud was, given the hill climb classics around here), or Selsley/Standish/Haresfield Beacon for mtb. When you gaze at the Cotswold embankment from down in Glaarcester, just think to yourself: there are trails up there … Happy to ‘guide’ on road but suggest you try Bigfoot for Wednesday or Saturday club rides.

Then you’ve got all the road riding in the foothills skirting the FoD….

Bike!! I saw a bike! Sheds! Bikes! Everything is awesome.

Just been there for two weeks. First week stayed at Valamar club hotel north of Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik itself didn’t have much going for it; it’s hot, lots of traffic, very busy with tourists. Dubrovnik old city is architecturally interesting but can be done in a day: walk the city walls, have some ice-cream, get the cable car to the fort, look at the museum while up there (probably the second most interesting aspect of the whole town and its hidden away where no-one knows it’s there). Down in the old city, we got the semi-submarine which wasn’t as great as it sounded. The seafloor is quite bare so there aren’t many fish to look at. If you’re a GoT fan you might get extremely excited to see the film sets around the old city and maybe have your wallet cleared out with guided tours.

The beaches are mostly quite stoney, but a lot of concrete has been poured in-between the rocks, creating intimate little perches for people to fry themselves. We had an 18 month old with us, so these areas were pretty much inaccessible. Water was reasonably warm, more-so in the evening.

Second week we stayed at Hotel Croatia in Cavtat. Totally different experience, so much nicer than Dubrovnik. It’s a lovely little fishing harbour within a sheltered bay. There is however only one ‘beach’, about 30 metres long, over near the western end of the harbour. The town is under the flight path but the planes are infrequent and you get used to them after a couple of days. Note that the hotel Croatia didn’t do free airport pick-ups/drop-offs. It was 120 kuna one-way for the taxi, or catch the bus from the village centre for 20 kuna each…

We did the Elephati islands tour but that was fairly dull and most the time was just sitting on a boat chugging along.

So I’d recommend go to a small fishing village, or book out a boat and potter along the Adriatic coast. Or if you’ve got a spare £100,000, hire out a super-yacht for a week…

Just pedalled past (but not in). It’s warm and muggy now so if there’s a bit of rain that’ll reduce the mugginess, might be a bit greasy afterwards though.