Monday rode Glen Kinglass from Inveronan, overnight at Connel then today rode up Glen Etive, stop at the Kinghouse for lunch and along WHW back to Inveronan. Awesome sunny weather and not a midge in sight.

When I was a kid we used to head up to the ranges to pick up those 'suspicious objects'. Its surprising how many unexploded thuderflashes and unfired blank bullets are lying around. We used to have a great time setting them off, throwing them in bonfires or throwing rocks at blanks till they went bang. Thinking back it makes me shudder at how lucky we were not to have put some holes in ourselves.

I feel for you. We had a email on a Friday three weeks ago from our new MD with the word 'Downsizing' in it. Within a week a third of the staff had gone. Those of us left picking up the pieces have had no further communication from the MD and have no idea where the business is going just now.

I think Ill drag my lazy butt along this week. I should help keep the pace at a Gentlemanly level.

We didnt get any flats on the way down (we used up our allocation on Snowdon in the morning), but I managed to snap my mech hangar/snap the rear mech and rip a cable stop out of the frame, didnt stop me enjoying the rest of the descent though :-)

Ah Chapaking, you were the guys we were playing leap-frog with on the way up. I was on the blue Titus Motolite. The Cadair Idris descent was fantastic!

Snowdon on Saturday morning, Cadair Idris on Saturday afternoon. :D

Climbing Snowdon on Saturday morning:

Sat am – Snowdon.
Sat pm – Cadair Idris.
Sun – Some as yet undecided welsh riding.
:)

I have a nesting pair in my garage. Looking forward to a few months of cars covered in bird sh1t. :? At least this years nest is at the side, last year they were right in the centre above a parking space.

My eldest daughter, seen cleaning my old bike here, is 15 this year. I still have a MV frame now (several warranty replacements later), although its just hanging unridden in the workshop.

My most popular one photo a day photo (according to flickr):-

Shoes and a bag for £50! And she makes a big deal out of how expensive they were! I think your having the wool pulled over your eyes here, youd best go looking for the missing zero from the price tag.

Left school at 16, did an apprentiship.
Went to uni later.
Back into industry for a few years.
Back to uni to do a Phd.
Back into industry for a few years.
Currently considering going back into academia.

Picked up a shit load of quals along the way.

I did it last summer, although we didnt do it with a company. Its a fantastic tour, and very civilised staying in the mountain refuges. Some of my pictures HERE.. Just get yourself booked up and dont worry too much about your fitness.

I watched some of this rescue unfold last week. I didnt hang about to see the outcome and Im glad the dog got out OK.

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Firemen-stuck-in-ice-after.5945229.jp

Love the video, just sets a really nice mood.

I also loved riding your local trails a coupld of weeks ago (waves at HH :) ). That wee section of the JMW was fun in the snow and riding along the beach was ace, although my bike is suffering a bit as my outside tap was frozen up so the bike didnt get the salt properly washed off.

There have been some fabulous photos posted. Puts my snapshots to shame. Hopefully doing this will make me learn something about photography this year as well as learning a bit about myself.

Mine so far are here[/url]. No bike pics yet Im afraid.

You must have been up about the same time as me epic-steve, the road up to Red Moss from Balerno was hard going. It was stunning this morning though:

I also spent a bit of time messing about with VIDEO on the Rigg Road singletrack.

Emailed first weigh in last night. Heres the damage December did :)

Im up for this. Need some extra motivation to shift about a stone (probably a bit more now after cristmas). Mail in profile too.

Absolutely loving it just now. Although Im lucky enough to have some good snow/ice riding from my front door so dont have to travel far to enjoy it. Things were decidedly sketchy with the ice today but good fun all the same.

I dont think the same could be said for the person whose dog went through the ice at Threipmuir today though. I didnt hang around to find out the outcome as em. services were in attendance. Hope it all worked out OK.

It looked like it would have been fun in the snow earlier. I managed a wee spin in the Pentlands yesterday:-

Was a wee bit cold though, stop for too long and this is what could happen:-

:0

Thanks all. That Kore one looks cheap and cheerful enough for me :)

My favourite pic of me on the bike:-

Im planning on being out in the Pentlands tonight so will head up and join you guys at 7.

Looks like a good ride. I had hoped to join you all today but circumstances colluded against me. Weather was lovely too, was only a teensy bit jealous.

Thats brilliant. Ive not had a bike nicked but really want to get some of those printed and do a bit of fly posting.

I'm heading out tomorrow for a spin up the Pentlands with whom I believe to be Dr. T (I know him as Dwayne).

Looks like my Bipolar disorder is out. I will have to get them to up the voltage on the ECT!

Whilst the grown ups cant get there head round heading up the hills on a miserable winters evening to get covered in mud, probably accompanied at any time by a trip to A&E and a constant series of expensive broken bike bits, my mates 12year old kid has recently been proclaiming how cool I am to all and sundry and thats good enough for me!

Dont look in here too often, just an occasional lurker :) Ill be in the Pentlands tomorrow morning so will pop over and join you guys.

A friend of mide has lost 12.5stone (yes thats right, 12.5 stone, more than I weigh!). Dropping from roughly 25 stone in 6 years. She has had an amazing journey and has written a book which is worth a read,

http://www.dietgirl.org/dietgirl/about-shauna-reid.html

Dont know if any of mine count but several cracked ribs, chipped bone in thumb when thumb dislocated and last but not least (although not a broken bone) a ruptured spleen has been my worst injury.

Thanks for the ideas. After some more fettling it looks like the snap ring that retains the +ve valve in the air chamber has somehow came off allowing the valve to pull out of the chamber at the end of the U-Turn stroke. Looks like I do need to do an air chamber service to get inside and put it back on.

Great, its not often you can say its good news when someone finds a crack in their frame. :-).

You would have had a lifetime full repalacement warranty on the frame when you got the bike though, I would be hoping for a complete free replacement. The last (free) warranty replacement I had was an 06 (I think) Mount Vision frame, which had started life as a ’97 (I think) frame. The reduced price on new frameset should only apply to the warranty on new bikes.

Let me know your email addy and I will sort out some pics of the swingarm (if you dont go for a new frame or are unlucky and cant find any cracks in your frame).

If you are the original owner have a really good check over the frame and swingarm, if you find any cracks then ATB will give you a new model marin frame as a replacement.

Alternatively I have a 2000 swingarm lying around somewhere if you are interested.

There is no doubt that MTB’s have caused erosion in some areas of the Pentlands but the stuff over the tops is badly eroded due to walkers not MTB’s. As for “and also that walkers would be hard presed to follow in one anothers footprints exactly “ you need to see some of the walker kicked in steps up the Kips, down Turnhouse or indeed coming off Caerketton at Hillend. Also some of the paths over the tops have been surfaced so no problem with erosion there.

Oh and I can remember Emma Guy racing at Hillend so your not making it up StuN.

Sanny, heres a pic of a bit of the path from Ryvoan to the Fords of Avon, its a great track, hard work though :)

Thanks for the comments all. At least you have given me some more ideas. The prospect of a partnership has been mentioned but I have nothing firm at the moment. I fully expect the people involved to turn it into a successful venture as long as they have suitable financial backing in place.

I also have to weigh it up against the openings they create when they leave and I will have ample opportunity to pay bargain for either staying or leaving. Should be a good pay rise this year whatever I decide though :)