NE Melb – head to Silvan Reservoir area near Olinda and Sassafras

Down the coast – Anglesey bike park.

Gary Ablett? As in the Aussie Rules goat?

Nordic Timber buildings.

Solid shed. Just get your base right.

So is the STW IT manager consensus that we shouldn’t do something about low pay because it might make stuff a bit more expensive?

Are you new to capitalism?

Interesting thread to read as an immigrant who has never been able to fathom the English class system and how pervasive it is.

Having lived in Oz, NZ, Canada, France, Scotland and England I can safely say every country has a % of folk who seem happiest when complaining and spiteful but it does seem more prevalent in England. It’s cause is obviously massively complex but looking for a simple reason I would blame the weather, bbc and murdoch

Trails from Samoens 1600 might be a bit tough on a xc bike.
Try other side of Samoens village towards refuge de Boston. Also plenty of old school stuff over at Morillon that would be ideal on a modern xc

In short – yeah there is plenty

Get those skis waxed @sprootlet. It will happen. it will happen.

@nbt

Got somewhere in Grand Massif may be of interest for you in non peak Jan or March.

PM me I’ll give you more details
Doz

On Lewis, I took my fatty from Garry Beach at Tolastadh to Ness on the east side.
Would I recommend it? Probably not.
Path Starts off great. Then sheep tracks along the cliffs – eeek. Then peat bog slog, incredible though what you can get through on a fat bike.
Up near Butt of Lewis the dunes at Eoropie are ace fun to play in.

Sounds normal.
Sitting here 8 weeks after doing mine. 2nd X-ray last week.
Consultant says it’s not healing. Is it because I was out on the bike last week or cos I am an old barstewrd?
Take it easy, be patient I guess is the key to recovery.

For those wondering what is closed – not a lot that effects a ride. Not sure any trails as such are blocked, you can ride around most of it.
Stay on Pitch and you won’t even see it.
Just don’t try parking at any of the Winterfold car parks

It’s either dinosaurs or spaceships depending who you talk to but someone ‘in the trade’ informed me – Star Wars.
Certainly a big operation, not just the set at Winterfold but down in Cranleigh at show grounds all the trailers and catering tents.

Can they block bridleways? With what they will be paying McAllister for using his land I reckon he won’t GAF.

Sent you a PM.

Countrywide did the valuation for our re-mortgage during building works.

Internal load baring walls knocked down and temporary structural supports in place equals ‘subsidence’ and not fit for mortgage. FFS. CW stood firm and HSBC denied the mortgage. Luckily the
Muppet surveyor also counted 3 beds when there are 5. It was only because of this HSBC eventually agreed that CW were shite and they would pay for another survey.

Ok Binners – I think you have just made my Christmas.

Juniper berry and black pepper beetroot? In Morrisons ffs?

Wow.

Strong Cheddar (Sussex Charmer) + Sweet pickled Beetroot in white bread.

+1 whoever said Norwegian brown cheese and Ginger nuts – Glorious and addictive. Food of the Viking’s

If deep deep powder is your thing. Go. But then again if it is you probably know already.
Living in ski resort in Hokkaido you would find more English spoken but you would be living amongst a lot of Aussie ski bums.

Just in from my second ride on the new one.
This years sizing is a bit more ‘normal’ than last years but all the same I got a 56, am 5,11 and it’s a touch too large I think. Shorter stem will help, would like to have tried the 53 but thems the breaks buying online.

Great entry level bike. I got it mostly because they had it in stock and I got it within 8 days of ordering.

Snow plow. Driving Kassbohrer/Pistonbulleys*

*may need to relocate.

GeForce J has good advice.

Family blue is not for a family. I have seen/helped a few families on there Shit scared as it starts off easy, gets rooty in woods and DH riders with all the gear bomb past. Saw one dad with kid on balance bike. Nuts.

Greens at Super Morzine are ace for kids and easy to get to.

In Samoens there is plenty of flat trails along the river and Fer a Cheval for easy fat bike explore.

Or see the guys at Mountain Spirit who do eFatbike tours up to Tete de Boston. I think they also have an arrangement at Les Carroz to bomb down the pistes one or two evenings a week.

As another activity – highly recommend trying a Yooner Enduro sled. Looks stupid, like a Harry Potter nimbus 1000 on a single ski. Crazy fun.

Great vid. Just bought myself a Nidecker Mellow and will be riding it in Samoens in a few weeks. May not be quite shredding like those chaps though

Ha. yes Sprootlet we couldn’t have avoided each other better if we tried to!

Jealous you are there for all of the spring. Conditions seem to have been variable but at least the cover is good and should last. I am waiting to make a last minute call on an end of season week. Would like to make it for the telemark weekend at Morillon start April.

Enjoy your new skis.

Doz

@choas – I am in Samoëns right now and it feels like summer. Although glorious sunshine it’s too warm for mid Feb.

Anyway I might be biased but Samoëns is almost better in summer. Absolutely loads to do with kids. I have two the same age as yours. For the riding the Samoëns official vtt trails are too tough for these ages so we stick to the valley floor with plenty of trails along the river. There are various shuttles that run up to Les Gets (15min) if you want a bike park. For yourself you can get the 2 or 3 main marked trails (rooty and natural) done in a morning using the Grand Massif Express telecabine. Plenty more unmarked but you probably want a guide (or at least a riding buddy).

Aside from the biking I would recommend fat scooters at Morillon for a half day. White water rafting and swimming in the various lakes are my kids favourite.

If the weather is good you won’t be disappointed.

Doz

Try the guys (Thomas and Bertrand) at Mountain Spirit. Used them for a few years now. Great guys.

PM me if you want their number and i’ll see if I can get a wee discount. Also if you need accom I have an apartment nearby.

Scratch that – you camping

Doz

@jonswhite good call on the K2 Simple Pleasures.
I think Nidecker Mellow is similar and has piqued my curiosity for a pow capable carver.

Decisions decisions.

While out enjoying the powder folks spare a thought for ski patrol securing the slopes. Terrible accident in Morillon Grand Massif today.

It was shaping up to be an epic day. Rather sombre mood once it rippled around why all the lifts were closed up higher.

https://www.ledauphine.com/haute-savoie/2019/01/13/morillon-grand-massif-deux-pisteurs-tues-par-l-explosion-d-un-engin-de-declenchement-d-avalanche-ski

@sprootlet – sent you a PM. Might be too late

@belfastflyer

Ha ha yeah I am an Aussie and would probably agree with you.

Worst. DIY. Job. Ever.

To think of the things humanity has achieved and we  still can’t design a plastic device to sit on circular porcelain bowl ffs.

My piss is boiling just thinking about time wasted repairing/replacing the barsteds.

@bluebird – is that a stealth ad?

what type of boards are they?

Spent the first 23 yrs my life on Melbourne and yet I would pretty much say Mike Smith above gives the best advice.

Sorry Antigee – but Immigration museum.? Really? I heard this was in top 10 Melbourne activities. Went there 10yrs ago. Found it eye opening yet a touch depressing. Surely there are 10 better activities?

I have a Newly refurbished 2bed apartment in Morillon (Grand Massif) with some availability early Feb (before French school holidays).

Just over 1hr to Geneva.

Ski in/out straight onto the green nursery slope. And 30m walk to main Sairon chair. Great family resort, tree lined runs are good for not losing children when the weather turns sht ;-)

If you want a look at Homeaway property nb 8372390. Then pm me if interested.

Doz

Go see the guys in Mountain Spirit in Samoëns they run a shuttle up to Joux Plane. I think it was a tenner per shuttle but from up there you can drop down other side to Les Gets or back to Samoëns with plenty of natural ‘off piste’ trails. Its not a bike park, trails are occasionally marked but mostly if you head down you will end up back from down in the valley. Difficulty is Red(ish).

The telecabine from Samoëns gets you to a few well marked blue red and black trails. As above – it is not Morzine etc don’t expect berms or well maintained trails.

If you like steeeep then between Samoëns 1500 and  Morillon 1100 there is an ‘unofficial’ trail called Chicken Run. It’s to the skiers left of the new piste down to the new lift. I believe some of that trail was used on Enduro World Series.

Alternatively get a Guide (Thomas at Mountain Spirit) and an e-bike and the whole area is your oyster.

Samoëns has what you are looking for. Don’t know about a whole week though.

Jump on an e-bike. Completely changed my perception and opens up vast network of natural trails.

Samoens

Uplifts via telecabine or get onto the shuttle one of the bike shops runs up.

Ullapool. – southern prices but so so good.

I considered buying an apartment in Les Seisies. Went instead for Morillon. It’s also low at 1100 but lifts up to 2100 and then over to Flaine.

We are 50m from what is considered one of the longest and best green family pistes in French Alps – Marvel. With young kids tree lined skiing is ideal.

Check out Morillon – if you are interested I can recommend a great two bed apartment ;-)

Plus if you have friends the neighbours apartment is also great!

Cheers Doz

Ro5ey – can I ask which resort you were in?

I was in Grand Massif last week and couldn’t have asked for better conditions. Pow, blue sky but also warm weather which kids love.

I took my fatty across the bog between Ghearadha beach and Ness. Nice cliff top sheep paths to follow at the start then some quad bike path. Then back to to the aforementioned marker posts and I learned a hard lesson on what is a Scottish peat bog. Much swearing and carrying of bike and a few hours later got to the sheilings. Stunning place. I reckon I rode 70% of the traverse. The fatty rolled over the bog better than I expected. I put a strava segment down in the middle somewhere as I figured I may be the only one stupid enough to try. My advice – ride either end in-out rather than trying the full traverse.