Thanks for the nudge. I will donate as I use it regularly to scope out routes which may or may not exist on the ground.

It’s not Afan that’s dead, it’s the sense of adventure in some people’s minds that’s dying…. imho there is a bang for buck mindset in many now that kinda misses the point to some degree.

Its not long since everyone bemoaned the disappearing of the sense of adventure as people flocked to trail centres like Afan for a quick hit as they offered more bang for the buck.

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. (or something like that).

I was amused, regardless of how the images were produced.

I have been pondering this too. I have decided that I’m as well going for 1×11 SLX rather than trying to bodge an 11-46 10sp. I borrowed an 11-46 to try with an M786 mech and the mech was nowhere near clearing the 46t sprocket.

Started off well then pretty much stopped riding in July with health problems.

Distance 1,534.7 km
Time 134h 16m
Elev Gain 24,524 m
Rides 100

That battery box can only be described as ‘ingenious’. I assume the forks are actually seized.

Most conversation is by phone. Most regular thing is that I always take a couple of travelling teddies with me and send a picture of them getting up to something every day. In fact here’s one of the little scamps now…

[/url]Get Down Travel Ted Im Sure Those Bananas Are Heavy Enough Already by D(i)rT[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Although these days I send pics using WhatsApp rather than flickr. The teds always give a wee challenge every day trying to get an inter sting pic too.

Just get a towrope for the climbs or learn to ride pushing with one hand. It won’t be long before you are the one that needs the ebike to keep up anyway.

The tw4t gap? Do people worry about that sort of sartorial elegance on an mtb?

Cheviots today:
[/url]132 Cheviots 130517 by D(i)rT[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Homemade, thin sourdough base, thin coating of tomato and herbs, caremalised red onion and goats cheese.

My legs hurt
My legs hurt
Wee its downhill :)

We have been experimenting with poaching in the Instant Pot, works surprisingly well and very consistent results considering you cant see whats going on there. Who would have though that pressure cooked poached eggs would work so well!!

Time to just embrace the slowness, try not to beat yourself up about not being as fast/fit as you used to be or as fast as others. As long as your getting out and enjoying riding at your own pace then its a good thing.

Just got mine done, posted old passport on Saturday, new passport arrived on Thursday, so pretty quick.

Suppression of protestors at the China congress? given the people I know who have been arrested and held on flimsy charges to keep them away from protesting at the G8 summits I would say we already sit on the same spectrum of suppression, maybe not as extreme, but it still exists.

Will watch thread with interest, my lease car goes back next week and I have just noticed mess made of the headlining from shoving the tandem in the back of the car.

Blimey,

Born 69. First bike I remember is a Raleigh chipper
1980 Started riding in the local hills(Pentlands)and woods on various ill conceived bikes cobbled together from various old scavenged knackered bike bits bits. Whole new world opened up.
1983 First bike crash related hospital trip with a ruptured spleen.
1984 Bikes were essential school age teen transport, messing round on BMX in the woods.
1985 Stopped riding as discovered sex, drugs and rock n roll.
1987 Started commuting on crappy road bike, sex, drugs and rock n roll prevented any serious interest in bikes.
1991 First real mtb, Kona Lava Dome, whole new world of exploring. Car ownership meant riding further afield, much poring over OS maps and carrying bikes over unsuitable hike a bike terrain.

Its been a life long love since then, peaks and troughs of riding and fitness, breaks for other interests, but my local riding is still the Pentlands and I’m still discovering new stuff. Cycling is the one thing I keep coming back to.

Illness means I’m slowing considerably now but still love getting out, just adapting to new limitations :)

I’ve been using the altura attack trousers for a couple of years when it’s really grim out, they’re putting in sterling service. Used on yesterday’s ride (shown below) and were spot on.

[/url]56 Im Sure These Trails Have Been In Better Condition 250217 by D(i)rT[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Marin zolatone grey from the early 90s has to be the best mtb paint.

Have you any thoughts on how you would do the tandem installation? I understand it’s not such a straightforward installation, or at least much more of a compromise.

Good luck with it, it’s no fun . I suffered over the new year and was at the emergency dentist on new years eve. Two courses of antibiotics later , it took about a week to clear the pain completely. Caused by a previous root canal not being done properly, waiting for referal to a specialist to get the root canal re-done :(

It would have to be on road to be a realistic target for us mere mortals, I can only think of a couple of proper off road rides I’ve ever done that broke 100km, no chance of one a month. I think one 50km+ off road ride per month would give me a realistic target.

Distance 3,056 km
Time 250h
Elev Gain 41,066 m
Rides 130

Almost all off road, quite pleased with that. Declining health means the last few months have been hard to get much done and I suspect I will have to work hard in 2017 to get anywhere near 2016, but I will aim for a similar volume in 2017.

Blimey, some real mile eating here.

I didn’t set a target, I’m at 3000km, 2800km of which is off road and about 500km off road on the tandem. No commuting so all just out playing.

40km of climbing.

25 + 8BH (Taken whenever I want) + 10 Bought days (effectively unpaid) so 43 days, plus I have taken about a weeks TOIL this year, so 48 days off.

Will probably buy 15 days extra holiday next year.

Would it have been okay to hold open the gates if no one was using strava?

In really foul weather I’ve taken to wearing altura attack waterproof trousers, with the bottom of the legs strapped over a pair of Mt91 boots, keeps things nice and toasty in really grim condition and no water getting into the boots.

Bizarrely I also stumbled on tactical walking sticks recently. Clearly just a cosh vaguely disguised as a walking cane. I always thought the discerning gentleman used a sword cane anyway.

Forgot to put my lights in the car this morning so can’t make it. Luckily realised on the way down and diverted to drumlanrig for a wee spin instead :)

Back in sunny Manchester next week so I will be along too.

Just out of work so no chance of me fighting through traffic to get there tonight. Have fun.

I’m hoping to make it along tonight. I don’t have any climbing legs though, does someone have some I can borrow?

Next year is the 35th anniversary of my first off road bike related trip to a&e. Ruptured my spleen messing about on some dirt jumps. My jumping skills still haven’t improved, in spite of numerous more trips to a&e in the intervening years.

I might make this one. What time is kick off?

I think the erc off road section is dead, judging by activity on their Web page. Central Scotland mtb meetup is probably the most active group with widest range of rides. I’ve only ridden with them a couple of times but a sound bunch of folk.

I will be working in Manchester next week so will bring the bike down and come out to play.

Speak of the devil, this off road audax has appeared near me http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/16-969/ . Looks to be pretty non technical riding but could be a good day exploring some stuff I haven’t ridden before and only £5.

Seems a lot of people suffering angst about Sportives really want them to be an Audax.

What I wonder though is why we don’t see many Audax style MTB events, big off road loop with the odd check point (or GPX validation), some of the bike-packing style events (HTR/Capital Trail etc.) seem to do this but not much in the way of single day rides.

Does tiling the kitchen count as fettling?