Junkyard, the point is the nature of the adverts. Considering one of the ones that’s popped up (excuse the pun) for me so far is full-on pornographic, it’s not on.

And just now a really rather dodgy one…

Just had exactly the same, also on Android

Sounds like you’re looking for a bit of argy bhaji

Off to Alcudia back end of September to support my Pirate mates doing the Ironman. Following their Lanzarote experience on social media was too much to bear so I’m joining this one.

Sorry to hear that. Currently in the process of splitting up with the wife currently, though it’s not the same timeframe, we’ve only been together 5 years and married 3. I’ve decided to take the opportunity to pack in work as it’s doing my head in, but it does mean moving back to Manchester to move in with the parents for a bit (and I’m also 31). Not seen much of my family over the last couple of years though, and with one young nephew and another on the way it’s a good opportunity. The wife has also managed to bag herself a teaching job in Spain, which she’s wanted to do for a while. The initial utterly shit situation has, as a result, turned to one of mutual support and we’re getting on much better than we have for some time.

For me, friends really helped. I’ve got a group of great mates who I’ve been able to spend time with recently despite us being all over the place, so I’d recommend that for coping. Hope things work out.

My weekend riding involved being a lardy triathlete at the Keswick Mountain Festival

Speaking as a crap triathlete, I do love shiny toys.

Naywhere to eat in Durham? Get in the sea. Granted there are now fewer places, thanks to Finbarrs closing but there’s everything from cheap and cheerful (Spaghetatta has to be a favourite on that front) through to pricey and classy (DH1 springs to mind) with everything in between.

As far as Newcastle goes, for me on a bike ride/pub crawl it’s usually Tyne Bar, Free Trade (love the view out of the window) and go to Bacchus if we’re out for sushi just down the road.

Cheers Trimix, interesting read that

I’ve got a 2XU T:2 that I’ve been happy with, and they’re a fairly common find as ex-rental suits.

I’d be interested in having a read of that, Trimix, email is in profile

Re ending one navigation and starting another, yes you can do that with it still recording your ride. There’s a little cross you click to end navigation which is completely independent of ride recording

Diving – Yes.
Caves – Sod off.
Cave diving – Erm, nope.

Interesting read, be good to see the film. Although I suspect it’ll give me nightmares.

The Touring will follow exactly the route you want, providing you have the options set correctly. As others have said though, it’s own routing can be somewhat annoying, and does favour bike paths. I’ve had it trying to take me down gravel paths despite telling it to avoid unpaved roads. The real highlight, down to the mapping rather than the device itself, was when telling it to take me the quickest way home, it tried to take me right through the Nissan plant in Sunderland.

Brick sessions. You need to get the legs used to running after being on the bike

You gotta know your limits with a boombox…

And don’t trust where it tries to take you. On a ride from South Shields back to Durham it tried to take us right through the middle of the Nissan factory in Sunderland.

I didn’t have that feeling after Outlaw last year, but that’s because I fell apart before the bike finished and only managed to hobble around half the run before calling it a day for the sake of my health. However I’ve got plenty of friends who suffer like that after doing an Ironman, it’s a common thing. The key seems to be to have other targets already in mind to work towards afterwards. I’m doing Manchester Marathon this weekend, then I’ve got a couple of half-Iron distance triathlons booked for this year, a sprint-distance with friends, thinking of doing Helvellyn Tri in September, and then cracking on with my long term main goal which is Outlaw next year. When I intend to go back and kick it in the face. As that day draws closer I’ll start looking for another goal to work towards, probably Ironman Wales, potentially the same year as I WILL be in decent shape by then.

Recently been reading a good book for planning training for the whole year rather than aimed towards a single race, which seems to be a good way of working round it, The Triathlete’s Training Bible by Joe Friel

54 plate Hyundai Coupe. It’s got a couple of dents, few rust patches and the paint is starting to look rubbish, but the wife has had it from new. It’s currently having a rest in Oloron Sainte Marie in the Pyrenees after driving us down from Durham, before we resume our journey to Nerja on the Costa del Sol on Tuesday. It’s done the same trip once before, though it did need the exhaust welding back on that time after it fell apart somewhere south of Madrid.

It’s also surprising what you can fit in the back of one with the rear seats folded down. Diving kit, a couple of road bikes, luggage and still enough room for a load of wine and chorizo on the way back

Another one who enjoys climbing here. I’m fat and slow, but I enjoy the challenge. For some reason that feeling of being on the verge of death is somehow satisfying. And then you’ve got the entertainment to pass the time, wondering whether or not your mates will have waited at the top, and if they have, will they just clip straight back in when you roll up, or will they give you enough of a breather to recover?

That’s only when out with the club, on usual rides, I’m usually in the first 2 up the hills. It’s a constant battle between me and one mate to win. He always wins on one evil local hill, I always seem to win on the other. Efforts are usually just below vomit point, maybe I need to prove how much I want it and cross that line next time…

We had Love Walked In by Thunder, and we were both absolutely steaming by the time we got round to doing the first dance. Cracking night that, from what I can recall. Getting your friendly local to host your reception is the way forward. Didn’t cost us a penny, and they even got a local brewery to do us a special ale.

Don’t really buy the perceived value argument. Events cost money, and those that do them generally understand that. Have you seen the prices for Ironman events? £400 to be miserable from dawn to dusk, and they sell out every year.

We drink mostly in the Elm Tree, and consider it our local even though we’ve got several pubs much closer. Would rather do the 30 minute walk down there, usually have good ales on. Get the odd period where none of the ales take my fancy but not often.

Head of Steam is good for foreign beers, the Colpitts is alright for a cheap pint if you don’t mind Sam Smiths beer and is a proper old pub.

I’ve got a pair from Decathlon recently, and went with 2XL as they were out of XL. The legs fit fine, the waist is too big and I have to make sure I’ve got the waist cord done up tight to avoid the “pants falling down” feeling.

Pedals, now there’s a way to burn through money. Although my current favourite pedal is one of the cheapest I’ve bought recently, the TC Spark Mini booster pedal.

Got a long wishlist though, just need those lottery numbers to come up…

Been looking at the new range of Vox Valvetronix myself recently. Only thing putting me off getting one is the lack of an fx loop

Northwind – Member
durhambiker – Member
Four bands on, being Amen, JJ72, Starsailor and Alfie.

Most ridiculous lineup in the thread!

Yes, slightly odd lineup. 3 bands that fit, one that certainly didn’t.

First gig for me was the NME Tour at Manchester Academy in 2001. Four bands on, being Amen, JJ72, Starsailor and Alfie. Only went for Amen and because I thought the female bassist in JJ72 was fit. Mainly was dragged along by my mate who loved everything indie.

Wasn’t aware of that, so fair enough. Though having read up on last year, she seemed to have a moan about being beaten by part time CXers, so there is some form there.

Also if I’d been run over by a tractor and then got 3rd in a Worlds, I reckon I’d be quite chuffed. Or at least hope I’d put my toys back in my pram and force a smile for the podium

Bit of a face on 3rd place. Needs to do some sportsmanship training I think

My fondest Defender memory was from my time living in mid Wales. My Ford Focus got stuck in the snow, so I abandoned it and walked down to the village. Had breakfast at the pub and then started walking the 3 miles back home. Farmer stopped to offer me a lift home, which resulted in me sitting under the Ifor Williams canopy in the back of his 90 pickup with Meg the sheepdog. As he drove off back to the village, I realised my house keys were in my car, 2 miles away.

Pedlar’s licence is not required for everything. I speak as someone who sells on the doorstep without needing one and is actually quite respected in this area. Haven’t nicked anyone’s car. Yet.

As others have said, a drysuit with a reasonable undersuit and you’ll be toasty year round. I love diving here in the UK, the only thing that puts me off is the extra time getting kitted up, and the extra effort involved in getting to the water and getting in/out.

Doesn’t have to cost a fortune for the kit either, I’m using an Outer Edge drysuit that was about £400 for the drysuit, undersuit and hoses etc and it’s been brilliant.

It doesn’t matter that the straight Caddy is lighter, it’s still not a car derived van, nor is it light enough to have the higher speed limits. It’s a van, not based on a car, and is heavy enough to have the lower speed limits applied to it. Which is daft when the car version doesn’t, but there we go.

Passed my test in 2004, and since then I’ve had:

H reg VW Golf, 1.3 petrol
E reg Ford Sierra, 2.0 petrol
X reg Ford Focus, 1.6 petrol
N reg Land Rover Discovery, SVO commercial, 2.5 300TDi
Smart car, work vehicle
R reg Ford Escort
54 reg Hyundai Coupe, 1.6 petrol (wife’s car really, and our current vehicle)
61 reg VW Caddy, work van
And as of Friday, the 61 reg Caddy has gone and been replaced with a 65 reg new model Caddy

Lowepro Slingshots are good bags in my experience, as the camera is easily accessible without having to take the bag off

Lightroom. And shoot in RAW+JPEG whilst you get started so you’ve got the JPEGs for decent results straight away, but can go back to the RAW files later when you’ve got into it and get awesome results.

Some form of remote shutter release, either a cable or wireless. I use a cheap wireless one I got off eBay a few years ago.

And a flashgun. I’ve got a Sigma and it’s great indoors, keep meaning to get out and about and try it in more creative ways.

Then lenses. Lots of lenses (think of the “lots of guns” scene from The Matrix and you won’t go far wrong…)

Easter road trip to Nerja on the Costa del Sol all booked and sorted, with a 3 night stopover in Oloron Sainte Marie on the way down to ride road bikes up some proper hills.

Then flights and apartment booked for 2 weeks in Nerja again for summer. We’re creatures of habit. Cycling, walking, scuba diving, eating and drinking in the sun

If the story had been “Armed police storm house of 10 year old Muslim boy who accidentally said terrorist instead of terraced, and shot dead entire family” then I can see a reason to be upset. Asking a few questions just to make sure it was all a geniune mistake, non-story.

And as has been said above, somewhere, in a parallel universe, there’s a whole load of outraged Daily Mail readers because a teacher assumed it was a spelling mistake and some atrocity occurred that could have been easily prevented.