Thanks for these, very helpful. I’ll sit them down tonight and try to get them inspired!

Forgive me for bumping this… any Monday morning inspiration? Even, “Oh, it’s rubbish, go to the Hebrides instead.”

(It’s meant to read “a boy who is eight years of age”, the irritating emoticon has spawned itself.)

Thanks, DezB. Please may I add “Metal Box”, which you have just reminded me to listen to right now.

But the winner is

I love a good anagram, me.

Ours (13, 11, 7) like Carcassonne. Nice and short, involves luck, but also some brains. Recommended. Oh, and Scrabble.

You have a powerful way with words, Harry The Spider. “Bruised fruit” is a phrase I plan to use as often as possible in the near future. I hope I’ll be back on the MTB before Christmas.

Two replies, both of which make me cringe in different ways (whilst feeling generally more positive) – more than I deserve, thanks!

I agree! Late night working seldom felt so enjoyable. Amazing Indian things (I have led a sheltered life), and now Tom Ravenscroft is grooving strong.

I did the same as you are planning a couple of weeks ago, leaving Dumfries at 5AM to have a play before the family were up and about. The weather was changeable, rain every day but not too bad. Mabie and Dalbeattie both drained fine and I enjoyed them despite the occasional puddle. Drumlanrig was the surprise highlight, looks like it’ll never really be properly dry but that didn’t matter, lots of flowing rooty pleasures. I went round Ae in steady rain and it was more “character building” than “fun”, not too muddy but the bumpy jumpy stuff would have been a lot better in the dry.

Last one was Iain M. Banks last (?) sci-fi, The Hydrogen Sonata. Thoughtful and daft, as usual.

Now it’s Antony Beevor’s massive history of WW2. I’m ashamed how much I don’t know about the global perspective, and it’s also very useful to send me back to sleep after those 4AM “AAARGH! Why haven’t I done X, Y Z!” moments.

Thanks, all. Good to know I’m using it properly, and even to better to know I have a lot more to learn (especially if it means I can learn to wheelie the 26er better by mistake!)

I did this in 2012, on a touring bike. Trans-Pennine Trail from York to Hull, overnight ferry, then cycle routes up the coast to Leiden (not far from Amsterdam). I’d recommend it, if you don’t mind flat.

The route through Yorkshire is fine, but too bumpy in places for a skinny road bike. I have yet to find out how to pedal through Hull from the Humber Bridge to the docks; signs disappear, the TPT forgets where it’s going, and there always seem to be roadworks. Drinking heavily on a boat, having earned the right to do so, is always good.

Once in Holland, it’s easy but slow – there are so many bike paths I kept getting lost. A map would have helped, but I wasn’t in a hurry. The ferry stops miles outside Rotterdam, but you can avoid the detour through the city by taking a ferry North across the river at Maasluis (pronounced “mass-louse”) a few km inland from the ferry terminal. Taking the cycle path along the coast (once I found it) was very pretty.

I arrived on National Paint Yourself Orange And Sell Off All Your Broken Tat On The Streets Day (Queen’s Day?), which made it really hard to get through the towns, but good beery fun nevertheless.

If it’s like mine, then yours is upside down. If you turn it around it says TOP. That’s as far as I got. They are spaced to fit on the bolts as hammyuk says, but I couldn’t work out why they are there so left them out. I will die, but hopefully not from this.

Lots to enjoy in the suggestions made so far.

I agree with Hex Enduction Hour and The Real New Fall LP (Formerly Country on the Click), and would humbly add Fall Heads Roll, and their latest RE-MIT. I’m not a fast learner, but it too me a looong time to work out how wonderful they are.

I didn’t spot this from Binners: “Mary Anne Hobbs makes me want to rip my own ears off though.”

It ruins my girls-are-better-than-boys argument. Except it doesn’t. I have studied this very carefully, and have concluded that Hobbs and Celebrity TV Boffin Professor Sir Brian Cox are the same person. Makes a lot more sense now.

Persevere! And avoid the breakfast shows! Crumbs.

Cerys’ programme last Saturday, with some famous drummer dude, was wonderful. She’s worked out that we want to listen to music, not her. And that’s despite the fact that listening to her is lovely in itself. It’s a sweeping generalisation, but are girl DJs just much better at keeping their egos under control?

Mark Riley and Tom Ravenscroft also do it for me, lots of mad music, not a lot of talking.

Oh, the NB Minimus Trails are OK for offroad paths, but rubbish in mud. Not enough grip.

Another vote for New Balance Minimus Trail shoes. They feel like proper trainers, but the lack of padding (and zero drop, I think) forces you away from heel striking. If it doesn’t hurt, you are probably doing it right.

I made myself learn not to heel strike last year by doing lots of short road/path runs in the NBMTs for several months, and no running at all in normal trainers. My calfs killed afterwards, and my ankles also ached a bit, but it all gets better with time. I feel very awkward heel striking now, it feels bumpy and inefficient.

I did a few ultramarathons last year (in Inov-8 Roclites, not the NBs) and I’d say that for me the midfoot striking is definitely more efficient and less damaging. Not sure it’s faster (it might be, but there are too many other variables).

Your mates will laugh at you for mincing.

Thank you for sharing these. Wonderful!

Rab generator alpine. Loved mine until my sister borrowed it and now it lives in Australia. Light, warm, luxurious, I’d buy it again if I needed similar. Very packable, and as at least as warm as my buffalo belay jacket (also recommended, bombproof but big and heavy).

Thanks, everyone. I’m slightly embarrassed that I never thought of a guinea pig forum (on there they’d think it peculiar to have a forum about bikes). I’m learning lots, and searching for rescue animals if possible.

Yes, dogs are great, but we don’t have the time or space to look after one properly. I know the pigs will need time and space and cash, but not on a dog scale.

Thanks for these replies, this is all very helpful. I am starting to believe we can do it. Even better, it’s starting to sound like fun. She’ll be over the moon.

Sharkbait, that’s very kind but we’re in York. I hope you find somewhere good for them. I like bigjim’s suggestion of a rescued one (or two), we’ll check out the local options.

I’ve already tried Mrs Djpower on the dog and cat ideas. She’s not impressed yet, and for fairly good reasons, but there’s no harm in trying!

To try and add some kindness and pro-NZ feeling having just spent a few months in Christchurch…

That’s the Flying Nun. It’s awesome. Fast and smooth, with plenty of chances for gnarlcore, radsickness, or other special words for riding your bicycle in the air. Me and my $400 Hardrock loved it, and regularly embedded bits of ourselves on the rocks to prove it.

Chch has been very messed up with earthquakes recently, they’re still happening, and it puts people a bit on edge. It’s also resulted in most of the really good local Port Hills tracks being closed. So the result is that you get lots of uptight people who aren’t used to sharing, and they’re squeezed into <25% of the normal local trail network. Bee Boy had just slogged and sweated up tarmac and fireroad to earn his 5 minutes of descending heroism back to his car. It’s the only (?) bit of reddish jumpy descent available at the minute.

So they are both nobs, but they and the situation they are in might be more unusual than you’d think. When I was there (last Aug-Jan) everyone
I met on a bike was polite, friendly, and encouraging.

Everyone’s already suggested the best stuff. Walking the walls is always fun, see where you get to. The art gallery is small, free and good, and a lovely location for coffee/ice cream. “Dig” is a Jorik spin-off and our kids (similar ages) loved it although I couldn’t quite see why. I’d add the Spurriergate Centre for child-friendly lunches in the middle of town. And if you’ve not got a car then the Coastliner double decker out to Pickering (steam trains), Goathland (NY Moors) or coast at Whitby might amuse the kids, if you have time.

As a 41 year old bloke, I find it humiliating and painful in equal measures. I love it. I agree with all the above about core strength, balance and stretchiness – I’m rubbish at all these, and the yoga helps. We do “ashtanga” which involves lots of press ups and so on. Only been doing it for a few months, mind.

We went 2 years ago. A once in a lifetime experience.

I think we had a good time overall. I’m certain we took our own food and drink in with us in bags and the pram (not blatantly, but also not hidden in body cavities or nappy bags or anything). The staff were laudably French in this respect, and similarly in their relaxed enforcement of the No Smoking policy. We don’t smoke and weren’t bothered either way, but I liked the way that the “Je ne mange pas votre shit food, j’adore les Gauloises, et que est-ce que vous going to do about it, garcon?” attitude was tolerated.

We all enjoyed picknicking outside the gates on some hilly grassy bits – it was a rare chance for the kids to play freely rather than queue up for rides. We didn’t quite apreciate how organised and regimented it all is until that moment.

The place next door to the main park (Disney Studios?) was good. So was most of it, to be honest. Not trying to put you off! Amazingly, the parades and autographs from gap-year students in furry costumes were genuine highlights.

5 hours fifty-something at Dalby, and I think I might have followed the same detour as dickie (through fields, just before the 75k feed station).

I agree with yak. Some minor organisational issues, but overall a good day out on the moors with nice people.

Yes, I’m in, and happy to be a saddo. I’ll be there provided I can safely negotiate my daughter’s 7th birthday party and fix up a bike in time. Biking 100km in the mud will be easy in comparison. Should be a nice first event Paul, looks relaxed with no pressure on time etc.

Do I gather they’re providing food and water every 30km or so? That would be nice.

Another vote for Outwell. Our £200+ Cleveland (cool name! discontinued I think but they’re all similar) has lasted 8+ years and is doing fine. Heavy, slow to pitch (<15 mins) and a big shock after lightweight backpacking tents, but worth it for the family.

I have no idea, best to ring Purple Mountain when they’re open. The route for the 100 is here:

Map of route

It doesn’t look like it spends much time on the marked R/B/WC trails so my guess is that you’d be OK if you’re flexible on details.

Thanks, folks. I feared as much. Dalby can eat pads very quickly. I think it might be a slow trundle on the single speed, but it’ll be fun.

Like 29erconvert, I’ve managed 2.10 on the Dalby red route on a good dry quiet day. More usually 2.30+.

I haven’t been on the bike since April (but done some flat road miles) so for the 100K next weekend I have absolutely no idea. Planning to set off slowly and try to enjoy it, then see what happens. In the mud it could be horrendously slow.

Looking forward to it!

On a similar subject, I saw a tempting flyer yesterday:

On One Hundred[/url]

If you lot all enter, it looks like I’ll be last.

I saw the flyers at Dalby yesterday. Cool. I’m in. Every chance that it will be very good fun.

2:08 yesterday, not racing but also not hanging about much, so I have more questions than answers…

Bike: I was on my bog standard ill-maintained 456, and I did find myself wondering if a full sus would be faster (not that I’ve ever ridden one, but they look good). Dalby always feels very stuttery and rattly at my pace, it feels like all those sharp rocks kind of convert your momentum upwards and slow things down lots. I can imagine a double boinger (or being faster, or being lighter, or having big wheels) would get around this, or am I being daft?

Conditions are really fast at the moment, a bit sketchy and dusty on the faster downhill corners, but good fun.

I did have a map board. Well, more of a map clip. Polaris, bent perspex, 50p from a Cycle Republic closing down sale. I used to think it was good, but maybe I need to add some elastic bands. If I’d had one of those big ones I’d have taken off – I reckon I was doing close to 12mph at times.

2 days, in a pair, and aiming to finish? That’s what I’ll be doing if I can persuade my Mrs to join me. I’d go for mountain bikes and semi slicks pumped up hard. You don’t want either of you to have punctures or mechanicals, and you’ll be able to enjoy the ride and the scenery.

Having said that, my CX with 35mm semi-slicks was good: cut through the (rare) muddy bits and rolled fine of the tarmac. Felt like I had to be careful of pinch flats on the faster off-road sections in the forest, I didn’t want to have to stop and get cold.

The route kind of looks like “just go straight down the Great Glen”, but if you look carefully it’s quite a bit hillier and a lot prettier.

I did the easier one-day (racer?) category this year. Brilliant event. Hard enough to feel like a good achievement, and great surroundings to be moving through. Nothing very technical on the bike (a skinny-tyred road bike would be bad, my CX was fine) but it needs determination and bloodymindedness whether you’re doing one day or two, especially the last run/walk section. Not a lot of time to hang around if doing it in a day.

The organisation seemed fine – some peculiarities which I’m sure they’ll sort out next year, and I’m sure some of the jollity was dampened by the organisers and stewards being out in two days of fairly relentless rain. We booked early and stayed at the hotel where it finished – room overlooking the finish line, bar full of whisky, all very groovy. I think they’re staggering the finish over two days this time, which might ease congestion at the end.

I’ll be doing it again next year if I can manage the dates.

What Filthy says. Flat, tame, and pretty, but avoid if it's windy. Start at the Lion, or park at the top of Chimney Bank above Rosedale abbey and cycle to the Lion. The BW along the top West edge of the Moors, North from Sutton Bank, is easy in the dry (grim and sticky in the wet) and has good views, but you'd have to drop down (then crawl back up) to get to a pub, I think. Fortunately it's never wet or windy in Yorkshire.

Or the BW over the top East from Rylstone (pain/push up), but long flowing downhill to Bolton Abbey, pub, gated minor road back. A bit more than 10 miles, I'd guess.