What’s underneath?

I notice @nbt hasn’t commented yet…makes you think…

Car drivers…just generally – the ones:

Speeding

Using mobile phone in their hand/lap/talking into it à la @Cougar’s example, despite it being connected to the car audio as the entire neighbourhood could hear it

Driving across the centre line whilst avoiding no obstruction

Chancing it at every roundabout

Turning into streets on the wrong side of the road

Who think they have a divine right to join the carriageway at a slip road junction

Who overtake artics then hit the brakes

Who take a last second, double left manoeuvre to get onto the off-slip-road from the outside lane to get to McDs

Who park so far from the kerb only a 1970s mini can get into the street

And special mention goes to today’s Throbnut Award winner, who overtook the cyclist, who’d stopped at the zebra crossing, narrowly avoiding the parent with pram. Hopefully something will come of the fact at least 7 people got the reg number and intend to report them.

(Rage emoji)

Reet, back to listening to the sea…

it snowed a bit at the top!

Show off! (wink emoji)

Nothing strenuous for me today. Legs surprisingly OK after yesterday’s run, however, just a walk in my ‘happy place’ . As much as I love the countryside, moors, mountains, forests, woods etc. I never, ever, get tired of listening to the sea. (big smile emoji)

I quite fancy that one for next year.

I’m not a natural runner. Only started running last year, and honestly, this is the first time, when asked afterwards if I enjoyed ‘that’, I could truthfully say yes.

Clearly you under-bought the wine supplies…

Hadrian’s Wall Half Marathon today. It was cold. It was muddy. No, not muddy. It was clarty. It was utterly beautiful. I’m utterly spent. I’d love there to be lots of stunning photos, but if I’d stopped to take a picture I’d not have finished! (laugh emoji)

Your worst prediction?

That I’d never get married and never have children.

Been married 18 years (together 28), and have 2 boys aged 21 & 16.

Best, worst prediction ever…most of the time (an emoji of your choice)

 I remember being thankful that I lived (at the time) right next to an RAF base, and would be instantly vaporised.

Vaguely remember it, or bits of it, from when I was 10. Was terrifying. I recorded it too to watch later. I’ve often thought in the event it all goes very wrong I’d make a dash up the road to RAF Boulmer…figured it’s part of early warning network so must be on the ‘first wave’ shortlist…

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Bicarbonate of soda. Tip in shoes. Dry. Tip out once dry. Zero smells.

Just returned from a ‘road-trip’ last week up to D&G and of the 4 trails we rode up there our favourite was Mabie. It was drier than the others and way more grip so much more fun! Finished the trip off with Whinlatter. It didn’t rain on us while we were there, in fact the weather was lovely, however, the Whinlatter trails were very wet, seemed very eroded from last year’s visit, and had zero grip on the rocky bits. Managed to damage myself and the bike :(

Nat West IVR:

Them: “In a few words please state why you are calling”

Me: “Set up direct debit”

Them: “So you’re calling about a bereavement, is that right?”

FML. My first ever experience with Nat West. Thank god it’s only a short-term relationship.

some helicopter tape

I put some on the downtube, but didn’t have enough for the bottom of the BB shell area. Sods bloody law! Thanks for the tips.

Afternoon seaside stroll with Mrs Fazzini today.

Good to see the USS St. Mary’s being readied for launch…

Re-roofed Ryvoan

Ah, Ryvoan…how I’ve missed you (smiley emoji) Lochan looking nice and green too!

Road trip now complete with a double dose of Whinlatter today. Superb trip with @nobbingsford of this parish. Home now, drinking wine (well, it is my birthday) and looking forward (euphemism for terrified) to final running prep for the Hadrian’s Wall half marathon next Sunday.

My CC2s have been on the car for 3 years and 30000+ miles, and still have loads of tread. I was amazed when my MOT report came back and told me how many mm’s of tread were left. Not cheap to buy, but seem to have lasted brilliantly. I had Hankook Kinergys on a previous car and they were great too.

Scottish leg of our toad trip complete with Ae ticked off this morning. Safely ensconced in Keswick now…time for some proper beer ? Whinlatter tomorrow.

Day 2 of the bike trip took in Dalbeattie then Mabie. Forest of Ae tomorrow, then a mooch back across the border to Keswick, for a final hurrah on day 4 at Whinlatter. If we don’t drink too much proper beer in the Wainwright that is…

First few days this week shall mostly be made up of Team Biketragic’s eagerly anticipated MTB road trip…

Day 1 – Kirroughtree

Yesterday managed, just about, wandering between the 2 running shoe shops as my trusty trail shoes are not so trusty anymore (crying). None fit my stoopid wide feet. Today was 10 mile training run preparing for Hadrian’s Wall half marathon. Sunday will be walk and I’m going to try a bit of Kassandra.

@jonba that video is really useful thanks. Appreciate the help folks. STW to the rescue yet again. Reckon this place does more good for those of us with paralysing GAD, than pills and potions!! (laugh emoji) (well, as long as you stay away from politics threads…and covid…and what tyres threads…and…)

Cheers @mashr seems that was it. Any way to ensure this doesn’t happen before I go away, or, is it okay once in the bike held in place?

As I say, I’m no mechanic, nor particularly mechanically minded. Help much appreciated STW. Thank you.

The cassette won’t push back onto the axle. I’m stumped.

Still going! Just managed to scrape the 30 mins together today. ?

My mind

So far, it’s been running mainly for me, but I am technically ‘in training’ for the Hadrian’s Wall half marathon. I say running, it’s more like quick shuffling really (laughing emoji) Today might be another run, or it might just be a walk! Depends how knackered I am after work (crying emoji).

Cricket for me today…I even scored some runs ?

Gosforth Handyman https://www.youtube.com/@GosforthHandyman

And his ‘gardening’ channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AndyMac

Others have already mentioned some of the channels I follow. I do like some of the content on Always Another Adventure (plus he used to work with my dad at the Beeb): https://www.youtube.com/@alwaysanotheradventure

I have been known, occasionally, to stumble upon a particular gravel related channel, that may, or may not, have been mentioned previously… ;) <wink emoji>

YouTube. First it gave me a free trial of premium. It’s quite nice not having 5-20 second adverts all the time. I now miss those 5-10 second adverts, as mine, following the end of the free trial of premium, now provides me with 25-40 seconds of adverts before and during the watching of videos. :(

I’ve tried Lake and they are still too narrow and low volume. I’m a 4e width so really struggle other than getting shoes/boots that are 2-3 sizes bigger than usual. Closest I’ve got is Shimano MW5

we could all be being influenced in ways cleverer than a 90’s teenagers collection of The Daily Sport to buy Specialized Epic Evo’s.

FTFY

That’s what THEY want you to think

But, but…who are THEY? And are THEY the reason still, to his very moment, I have no idea what people mean when they talk about the ‘trails behind Nationwide’??? <insert worried emoji cos THEY (????) won’t let us have any proper ones to use>

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The bike hub team at the business park where we are based, set up a ‘group’ on LovetoRide.

Various challenges etc. Might be useful.

https://www.lovetoride.net/uk/pages/current-challenge

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Stupid webforms that require date of birth entry but don’t auto-shift the ‘cursor’ to the next box…FTLOG it can’t be that sodding hard. It’s the 21st century – I should not be expected to have to use the tab key, mouse, or heaven forbid, actually tap on the next box on my phone screen. ?

Car drivers who pull over the pedestrian crossing. Then when the green man comes on, and you’re crossing, attempt to run you over. Thunderc****

See also, stoopid idiotic utterly selfish drivers, with small children in child seats, driving at speed looking at their laps and texting.

Good luck to anyone doing the GNR tomorrow. Have no fear if you are, I’ll be slower!! <wink emoji…cos, you know, it’s STW, so emojis…Shrug emoji>

or walking

On the days I have those ‘I can’t be arsed’ moments, a walk does for me. In fact, it’s the walks I often enjoy the most, especially if the weather is foul. There is something really special about a short walk along the seafront in vile weather! (Or maybe I’m just weird…<laugh emoji>