I hired from a local Cretan company last year… they were OKish, though when I went to pay they asked for half cash, half card. I thought this was weird but went along with it. The office had a cash machine outside- their machine of course. I got charged about 40 quid for the withdrawal so felt a bit conned.

Watch out for speed cameras and try not to get stressed about the fact cars are constantly 3 inches from your rear bumper

Gambling company? They’re often based in Gib for regulatory purposes. The office will likely be minimal, not suitable for actual work.

Btw, while cyclists go for the mountain routes in the north, don’t overlook the Manacor to Artà Mallorca Greenway.. disused railway/gravel, popular with hire hardtail crowd.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g580282-d7912640-r909952726-Via_Verda-Cala_Millor_Majorca_Balearic_Islands.html

You won’t get the amazing views and hill thrills but could be a nice bimble. Not done it myself, I’m more pool/sea/beach orientated. Cycling is something you do in The British climate thanks

Btw I managed to get a parking ticket at a fairly remote beach on a small, quiet rural road north of Alcudia last time as I had one tyre onto the yellow line which seemed a bit harsh. Trying to figure out the multi screen, multi button ATM machine where you pay is a challenge. 100€

I’ve hired a few times in Mallorca, never a problem. Last time used Hiper near the airport, nice car and no problems, quick minibus to/from airport.

If you read the reviews all get bad ones, especially the big international names. So far I’ve been lucky perhaps.

Unfortunately it’s one of those worry/paranoia things that detracts from the holiday. I’ve got to book hire for Crete tonight, just roll the dice and take what comes.

All I want is an estate that can take 3 full size suitcases and not to get ripped off..

Country wants: genuinely right of centre party to replace fake conservatives.

Country gets: communism….  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/07/02/labour-inheritance-tax-policy-redistribute-family-money-lea/

Wait.. it starts in Italy? Wtf is that all about?

Went past the end of my brother’s road in the hills outside Florence, couldn’t go anywhere on Saturday.

But srsly… shouldn’t it start in France? I’ll never understand roadie business

Avoid sad songs, take each day as it comes, time’s a great healer

There’s no getting around it, saying goodbye is going to be horribly emotional. But at least you’ll have that goodbye… You’ll know what to say. And at least there’s WhatsApp/facetime when you get home. Good luck

I see Coldplay have plumbed uncharted depths of mawkishness, didn’t think it possible so I guess that’s some kind of achievement

‘pay money and we’ll stop annoying up you’ doesn’t work on me as a business proposition unfortunately

wtf is this $h1t pop act on the pyramid stage? how did we go from jimi hendrix to this??

There’s something very controlling, top-down command-control, meddlesome and incompetent about those in control of the Welsh “parliament”.

Unfortunately the same mind-virus is coming to Westminster on 5th of July

I’ve got a long drive across the middle of Wales in a couple of weeks, driving there used to be a joy

Possibly the ad was written by a car enthusiast relative of the elderly lady… perhaps a son who persuaded mum to upgrade to LEDs??

It doesn’t read quite like a trader to me, but it’s not an elderly woman either.

There are plenty other cars out there, if something seems a bit off, move on

You seem very triggered. Hmm. You must be aware of all the different factors leading up to the invasion of Ukraine? eg, the 2014 Donbas war, threat of NATO expansion, etc etc, I’m not going to go over all the points leading up to it and triggers? Many commentators have been saying more or less this long before the invasion:

**Sorry, link to extremist left wing propaganda rag…**

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/28/nato-expansion-war-russia-ukraine

So given the various facts and the various perspectives, why are you struggling with the reality that you will meet people with different but equally valid opinions to your own? Seems a very, erm, socialist reaction.

Buying private is riskier, you need to be aware of the potential issues…

Potential log book scam, read this:

https://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/threads/heads-up-log-book-loan-finance-scam.266418/

No warranty/comeback if it has a fault.

I would always pay for an enhanced vehicle check eg vcheck, not rely on HPI

But it could be fine.

Surely we’ve all got bicycles to avoid the indignity and pain of running.

What will happen when the Labour Marxists impose Vat on private education…

https://www.economist.com/europe/2015/10/30/greece-reconsiders-a-tax-on-private-education

I’m going with the end of While My Guitar… played by the all star band at the Rock n Roll Hall of fame induction where Prince takes his guitar off and throws it in the air

Or when Chrissie Hynde throws her harmonica into the crowd at the end of Middle of the Road.

Basically, chucking things

think I can survive without it.

Do like that Zero 7 set from 2004 on YouTube

there’s been an awful lot of guff spouted lately about bee numbers by the usual politically motivated doom merchants <evil Tories poisoning OUR BEES> but as usual the truth is somewhat adjacent… https://www.apicultural.co.uk/exponential-increase-in-global-honey-bee-populations-as-a-driver-of-wild-bee-declines

So sky high business rates and energy costs that mean British manufacturers can’t compete.

Vote for a party that lowers taxes and prioritises cheap secure energy supplies, especially from the north sea industry

If you can find one

Elections coming up, after the ram raid the other day it looks like the people of Bristol need to be electing officials who prioritise crime fighting and jailing the crims

Interesting advice in this thread.

It is an offence to ride a pedal cycle on a road or other public place whilst being unfit through drink or drugs…

you probably know from the physio already but those resistance band exercises are generally the way to go

If your legs want to go faster why try and stop them?

Could try going for longer rides where keeping something in reserve is wise. If you’re usually doing 2.5 – 3 hr rides, up it to 5-6 hrs

Pack some binoculars and stop every so often to look for interesting nature stuff??

I’ve also reached the stage in life where I have to cover up the clues to how ancient I am.

When recruiting it’s been suggested that requiring experience is discriminatory against young candidates! End of the day people have their prejudices, just have to cross your fingers the recruiting manager looking at your cv isn’t an arse.

Nightmare trying to choose a new vehicle these days. You decide on a model that meets your requirements, then try to choose an engine.. would sir care for the diesel that is wrapped up in umpteen different emissions reducing devices that will inevitably go to $h1t and cost a fortune to fix? or perhaps sir is seduced by the 3 cylinder 1.0 highly stressed turbocharged petrol with a cambelt slowly being eaten by engine oil, with gasoline direct injection which is guaranteed to gum up the intake ports with gooey carbon deposits? No? Then how about the 1.8 petrol hybrid? An underpowered badly tuned engine and the maintenance complications of a hybrid drivetrain and parts. Great when it’s new and works but good luck with the bills when it’s racked up the miles…

Whiskey is generally manky, but I’ll make an exception for a glass of Oban, straight, no ice

Cheap supermarket steak is chewy and grim, decent butchers are too pricey, but Lidl do fantastic quality fillet steaks, you’d be a fool to miss out.

Peggy> Peglet> Peggles > Piglet> Weglet> Pegatha> Baggins

Good luck finding a table, everything is rammed now the sun’s out

People who say they’re into the “detailing scene” when what they actually mean is they waste too much time obsessively cleaning a car

I love my 6 speed Brompton, though it seems to need more chain/gear cleaning/general maintenance than my MTBs. Rim brakes, the 2x derailleur is a bit Heath-Robinson, most exposed nuts and bolts rust if you ride through winter.

The lowest gear is pretty low so should be good for winding you slowly up most inclines.

If you get one the only must have accessory imo is the largest bag to go on the front.

True story The Spy And The Traitor by Ben MacIntyre is easy to read and unputdownable.

If you do go to st Catherine’s Dock see if you can spot the prototype monolith for 2001 Space Odyssey. I’d pop into the Waitrose on the other side of the dock for scotch eggs and sandwiches, then sit on a bench near David Wynne’s Girl with a Dolphin sculpture. See if you can guess which tennis star modelled for the girl

Very sensible choice, though I don’t like the fact that you should probably get locked into a long term main dealer servicing plan which means the hybrid drivetrain Inc battery is covered by a rolling warranty. But you’d have similar issues to square with any hybrid. So if it has to be a hybrid, and you don’t mind the cost of main dealers, why not.

If worn unevenly you might want to get tracking looked at. Or perhaps you live in Milton Keynes.

I think you’ll be fine, unless it gets wet, and then you’d have to be extremely unlucky to have a problem, especially with the wear just on the outside.

Having said that I take no chances with tyres and just changed 4 that had less than 10000 miles and were under 3 years old as they were starting to get a weird cracking in the treads. Garage said they don’t make em like they used to. First time I ever drove on a motorway I had a rear tyre blowout at 70 and since then I’ve never skimped, they’re the only thing between you and the road.

Speaking of the Gwaun, there’s a brewery on the eastern end with its own campsite I think…

https://www.gwaunvalleybrewery.com/brewery-campsite

does it get any better than that?

Stopped at National Trust cafe at Hindhead to refuel this morning, £8.50 for coffee and a sausage roll

Poppit Sands beach is lovely and also dog friendly
If you’re lucky you may spot a rare bee orchid in the dunes here or the bottlenose dolphins (not sure how rare a sighting is these days)

IF you were in this neck of the woods the Ferry Inn, St Dogmaels is a very pleasant places to chill with a pint if you can get a seat outside, you may see a seal paddle past

The Gower is beautiful… the South coast beaches are big, open and very surfy – combi vans and boards everywhere