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+1 for burning things and blowing stuff up.

I’ve got a load of MBR mags too – about 3 years worth. They are all pristine but date from 2003 to 2006 (I think) so the articles regarding kit will all be dated; nice if you’re thinking of going nouveau-retro ;-)

Given the price range of the bikes you linked to OP. How about something like this:

Clicky

<extinguishes torch> <puts pitchfork back in the garage>

Track days are great. I’ve done a few, but only ever on my motorbike.

Heading north up the A1 very late one Sunday evening a few months ago…

Shortly after I had pulled onto the A1 and accelerated up to about 80mph, two cars (silver E Class and black Octavia VRS estate) came past rather quickly. I decided to tag along. They were cruising at over 90 and stuck to the right, overtaking lane. Where appropriate, I kept left (hoping they would do too – it’s a pet hate of mine)

This continued for about 25 miles – the Merc leading the procession, stuck to the right lane.

I nearly soiled myself when, at the M18 junction, the Octavia lit up like a red and blue christmas tree and pulled the Merc over.

It’s much easier to focus on the relatively rare instances of this causing a genuine problem….

Do you ever drive on the motorway during busy periods? This behaviour is not as rare as you may think.

^ This.

With plenty of thick cold butter – none of that easy to spread sh!te. 8)

It flew directly over me on Saturday in Grantham. I was on my bike and almost crashed as I craned my neck to see it. Beautiful thing.

How do you know? Been ’round for a sausage? ;-)

I don’t hate BBQs

Are you sure??

BBQs: What is the effing point?

Sounds like you’re not over enamoured by them.

I bloody love BBQs, me.

without turning the outside into ash while leaving the inside raw or frozen

….you’re doing it wrong.

I was about to post something about how good public transport is….. until I saw the comment from Ramsey Neil, above. Can you take bikes with you?

I’ve been every year for the last 5 years and several odd years before that, missing this one unfortunately. We camp up at Kirk Michael and use public transport to get around if beer was involved.

We always do a few laps of the course – and marvel at how fast the competing riders manage to take it!
Head down south for an afternoon with lunch and chilling out at the cafe overlooking the calf.
Laxey photo exhibition.
Museums.
Keep an eye out for meet-ups with the riders on non-race days. We met Guy Martin at Douglas Library.
Tea and cakes any the many open churches.
Fish and chips on the seafront.
Walk around the pit garages – always a hive of activity and very open and welcoming.
Douglas Prom has entertainment on most nights – can be a bit beery/lairy though.
Definately get an OS map.
On race days, try and stay on the outside of the circuit – you won’t get stuck in one place that way.

Have a great time. I’m very jealous.

How are you travelling? Car, motorbike, pushbike?

Where are you staying? Not too relevant really, everywhere is within a relatively short drive, just curious.

Not going for the first time in years as it coincides with the kids half term – I’m already starting to twitch.

As for cost, it’s not too bad – the only part of the trip where they try to have your eyes out is the ferry. But there’s no other way of getting me and my bike there.

We camp and once enough “general anaesthetic” has been administered in the pub (usually the Mitre in Kirk Michael) I’ll sleep anywhere.

Food is reasonably cheap too – no more expensive than at home. Unless you survive on shite burgers from burger vans. It’s no chore to pop to the supermarket and quickly put together a pack-up for the day.

Marketing
C**t

Actually, when put together, they fit rather nicely. :wink:

+1(ish) Trail-rat

I have a Bialetti stove top pot and a Gaggia classic.

Both make very, very nice coffee but they are different – even with the same coffee.

I use the Bialetti for a quick fix and the Gaggia when I have more time and am feeling decadent.

Go and see a different GP. I had a similar experience (I posted about it on here). The second GP I saw was like chalk and cheese.

I just took the V60 off my short-list as a replacement for my 320D.

The V60 is a lovely place to be and, ergonomically, as good as any car I’ve driven. The big let down is the boot space. Just not big enough.

BlindMelon – Member
Avoid new Octavia. Had a drive in one recently and it was awful. Way overrated IMO

Which one did you drive?

I had a new Octavia Hatchback as a demo for the weekend (2.0D 150PS Elegance model) and was quite impressed. The build quality was excellent and the quality of the drive was really quite good.

I’m in a similar situation to the OP. My current lease car is about to expire and I’m going through the same selection process. I’ve finally narrowed it down to 3 – Octavia Estate, Merc B180 sport (coming for a demo this weekend) and a Mazda 6 estate (coming for a demo next weekend).

I’d love another BMW 320D, but they’re now outside our (reduced) allowable maximum P11D value.

Just use a fork. You don’t need an expensive gadget to beat eggs. :wink:

As a motorcyclist and partner of a rediculously loud snorer, I’ve been using plugs for years and have settled on the Howard Leight “Max” jobbies.

I bought a mixed bag of loads of varieties from e-bay and found the above the best for me.

I’ve just finished my box of 200 pairs so am looking to top up. I haven’t tried the boots wax ones so may give them a go in bed – don’t fancy using them on the bike though.

Good luck with this Pook. I hope you get the outcome you need.

Out of interest, I overheard a conversation in the office (it should have been in a meeting room, but was conducted right next to my desk) regarding the appointment of a new employee and her distance from the site – would she be able to make it to Derby in time for 8am meetings etc?

This was seen as a potential block in appointing her.

Pook – I’ve been sent back to Barrow. It was good to meet you and share some kitchen space :-) Give me a shout if you’re in the north west and we’ll go for a blast (or rather you will and I’ll be puffing and panting some distance behind).

that the clutch which engages the rear wheels when the fronts spin is a weak point

Wasn’t that feature only on the CRV? IIRC, the FRV was two wheel drive only.

Incidentally, I had a 1998 CRV for 12 years and nothing went wrong. At all. A great car.

Don’t bother with food on the plane. Most people can survive a few hours without eating anything. Or pick something up in the airport. There’s usually a Boots selling sandwiches at high street prices.

As for places to go in Turkey, if it were me, I would avoid Marmaris and Olu Denis. Both can be very busy. Kalkan and Dalyan were very nice when I was last there – 10 years ago, but I expect they will have changed now. Dalyan was slightly in-land, but a lovely 30 – 40 minute river boat ride down to the beach.

We’ve spent a lot of time in Turkey over the years; back-packing and nosing around, so feel free to ask away.

I’ve got the Alpkit Fatknacker (or what ever it’s called). It’s very comfortable but only suitable for car (or motorbike, in my case) camping.

OWG – Yep, bloody marvelous. I found love, Inspiration etc, etc. (note to self, pop Shelter and their first album in the car for tomorrow) :D

Onewheelgood – Interesting that you include Maria McKee. Have you heard any of her earlier stuff – i.e. when she was lead singer with Lone Justice? Most excellent.

Ta!

I was suprised it took so long but Plumber gets the musical niche-snob prize

Ahhhh, it’s a niche thing… I’ve got loads of weird stuff I could add too with a couple of great tracks per album. But we’re not talking about that kind of thing, are we :-)

EDIT: What Edlong said.

Aphex. What to do you mean by sleep hygene? Clean PJs? :wink: (serious question, however)

Not particularly original as most of my faves are listed above, some to add:

Dire Straits – Alchemy
The Waterboys – A pagan place
The Clash – London Calling
Grace Jones – Island Life
Iron Maiden – Killers
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath
Pearl Jam – Ten
Johnny Cash – Live from San Quentin
Gerry Rafferty – City to City
The B52s – The B52s
Simple Minds – New Gold Dream

I know that’s 11, but there are just too many to narrow it down.

Co-codamol and Ibuprofen – As above though, go to your GP who’ll give you the good stuff.

Hmmm…. 140Mb is next to useless.

The internal storage on my Desire was an issue until I rooted it. Not a problem now, although performance has suffered very slightly since.

Still on my old HTC Desire. I could have upgraded in March 2012 but didn’t want to move onto a higher tariff and still haven’t found anything that really makes me go “I want it. Now.”

If I can get a decent deal on the HTC One, I may be tempted.

Molgrips, which HTC handset gave you grief?

bigblackshed – Member
….I was told to “pull myself together” and lately MTFU, it just showed me how uneducated or prejudice people are about it.

When I finally summoned up the courage to go and see a GP about mine, this was his reaction – he is an ‘old school’ country doctor more used to dealing with farmers. If you haven’t got an arm hanging off, there’s nowt wrong with you.

This really didn’t help!

I went back a few months later and saw a different (female) doctor. She was brilliant. Signed me off straight away (initially, this didn’t help as I then suffered with all sorts of anxiety (guilt) at not working) and prescribed me Citalopram. After 4 to 6 weeks, I started to notice a difference. I experienced real clarity of thought for the first time in almost 40 years. I was on Citalopram for about a year.

I’ve recently started a downward spiral again and need to get my ass back to see her. The usual guilt and internal MTFU-O-matic is preventing me though.

EDIT:

it just feels so damm lonely sometimes

Hell yes :|

Nope. Nuddy here. All year round. I can’t stand feeling over hot in bed.

As for getting up in the night; it’s my house, why shouldn’t I wander in the buff?

MrsG’s used to it but now the babygs are 5 and 7 years old, I grab a towel if they’re up an about too. No need to subject them to the horrors of seeing their Dad nekkid.

No idea about that specific kit.

I have a Cardo Scala Q2 (a few years old now). It pairs perfectly with my phone and call clarity is fine. It can handle voice dailing too but I very rarely use it to make calls. Only receive.

Thank you for the PSA. I’ve just ordered a container load of Cetirizine for pennies!

Interesting Mrmofo… Does that employer also have a link to a primary color (sic) ?

If so, then I’m there now – 3 years in. 3 of the most stressful years of my (25 year) working life so far.

A 15 mile commute is sod all really! Wouldn’t the time lost in the longer car journey have been spent getting changed/showered anyway when on the bike?

A couple of things:

1) Why can’t you bike in?
2) What car have you got? 30 miles in a 30mpg car will cost you about £6 a day (@£1.35/litre).
3) Why not bike in 2 or 3 days a week (to reduce the fuel costs)