Burghfield Common, S (woods), Mortimer, SW,(via Calleva) W (on coughpath) to Silchester, loop through woods, back Calleva, red dots, Mortimer, back to BC

can’t do photos, but, afer a nice Berks bimble me and gf got (later than expected – thanks punctures, no really, THANKS punctures) to White Waltham airfield, and wandered in. mmmmm – that’s a Hurricane over there (30 yds), blimey that’s a Spitfire behind it, I could have walked up and touch them, no crowds, nothing. Anyway we sat outside, admired the view and ordered lunch, generally enjoyed the ambience – sunny, a little windy, very few people around, Anway a few chaps in overalls came out of the clubhouse, chatted, and then walked over to the planes, some tyre kicking, CRACKING engine noise, then they both taxied together,along the grass, to runway, for a truly glorious moment I though they we’re going side by side, but the Hurricane went first, then Spitfire, the noise was awesome, up, bank right, circle round and then waggling wings over the field, absolutely directly above us – fully side on, felt like 100 ft but I suspect it was higher.

To cap it all the bloke next to me was a spotter and he mailed me a cd of the entire sequence.

happy days

can you put a bit of wood under a sledgehammer, or spade in left hand sledge in right

bike kit is trendy, ie last years model cheaper, (*hideous price rises over last couple of years), Pedal On Tadley http://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/giant_talon_2.html
do giant, have some sale bikes now, see also Pauls Cycles http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/brands/giant_bikes.php who also do giant, and other internet dealers etc etc, ebay.

kit – helmet (eg bell slant), gloves(padded palms), shorts(baggy and pad), pump, puncture kit and learn how to use.

Hampshire Council v good
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/cycling/cycling-maps-leaflets.htm

Get OS maps of area as well.

A cheap shower curtain/plastic sheet will protect car

pea shingle is the same size at cat litter, if you want other peoples cat shit all over your gravel get shingle, otherwise get the bigger stuff – also better for throwing at cats.

don't buy cheap membrane, buy some membrane pegs as well, seal all joints well/edges

carry out a pre membrane glysophate based weedkiller attack in the style of Bomber Harris

gravel does flow slowly downhill, (can be raked back up) or I guess terracing might work. (I rake min about twice a yaer – no real problem)

fimd an amount calculator – plenty sites (2" deep appears to be common) and get a bulk bag delivery and check local suppliers as cost is in travel (and yes you can get gravel off ebay)

cheers for the cracking pics, it's a great area – happy memories and new dreams
and thanks JohnC – gf has done her traditional 'I wanno go there'

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/interests/cycling/mountainbiking.html

I've not used the routes but this 'appears' to be a useful site.

Hi

yep can do 2.

Re Newbury area, I do a couple of routes from there (don't really know them but can follow a map and just see what happens – there's a lot there)

don't know what you're doing but you can use grout whitener to 'freshen things up' if existing grout is ok

Pug 306 hatch
Used to leave rear seat back up, removed 'seat base', shower curtain on seats etc, Myka 13" both wheels out across seat, Orange 5 16" rear wheel in, across – just, boot free and clean for luggage, one rear footwell free, ditto, be a lot easier with one bike.

sorry 'tent pole' – Millets etc

elastic temp pole 'connector' string

interested, esp if pace is slowish ;+),

how about N of Newbury, Beedon, E Ilsley, Ridgeway area.

extra cost in terms of process to them (ie no shopfront etc – which is pretty common, no cash etc handling facilites on site…, al automated systems around ebay + paypal )
they might not have it in stock, just 'pass on' the purchase once it's made

I use it (cv is up there) and I do get occasional job queries via it.
Worth it for free.

Hopefully – http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?x=118695&y=911467&z=120&sv=118695,911467&st=4&ar=y&mapp=idld.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=668&ax=118695&ay=911467&lm=0

arrow should be at Location is at 117440,909787, at work and some stuff doesn't display

W then S on cart track, scenery ride, as opposed to tech etc

Hi

this may not help if she can't reach the shifters, but I've taught my 4ft 10 gf to 'pump' the lh thumb shifter – she hasn't the power or the reach to chane in a oner but if you just do smaller pumps that works

rollers idea as above,
linear poles, greased, block and tackle to pull
– take a while but – trolley jack and rope lift one end, swivel as far as you can, down, other side, repeatez etc (can do this with levers as well, man on each side levering up swivelling on edge etc etc)
– can you get it up on one end and walk it on the corners

ernie +2

given your question I suspect you don't know how grinding/depressing having a noisy arsehole twwunnt neighbour can be, and what little help you'll get doing something about it…….

check sunsail and neilson sites (sail/windsurf/biking/pool etc)

also try surf south west for a surf holiday, good crew and crwod when I did it

clean, crush, add vodka, leave, drink

you won't believe this but

Austin Maxi, long time ago, £300 with a years MOT, could get a DT175mx in back to go to Wales, commuted for a year from Maidenhead to Twickenham, odd trip to Wales, never serviced it, just topped oil. Anway after a completely trouble free year I sold it for £30 scrap, bloke with a lorry/crane turned up – chains through windows, lifted and off he went. Strangely enough about a month later, mountain biking in the shrubbery, went past a council estate and a bloke shouted 'bargain, bargain', there was my maxi, lights off, dinged to buggery etc, acro props across floor and holding roof up and this bloke was waving a demolition derby trophy – he'd won it and £50 ……………….

get a small flask, will insulate

johnmandy – do you need to use the stylus on MM

Currently using Memory Map sw and Garmin old Extrex – and looking at Satmap, Dakota/Oregon, MM2800 and now Quo – but find it a bit hard to justify, massive cost esp as I'd be carrying a map anyway.

PSA MM2800 Full bike package ebay 299/offer, I tried an offer of 170 (fail)

http://www.unstbusshelter.shetland.co.uk/

been getting better for years

when getting on put elbow on horses head side out at 90' – if they turn around to bite they get an elbow in the head
remember that in an RTA you cannot be blamed – so get out there and cause havoc
– best piece of advice (from a riding school to me) – it's like shagging, at lot better if you work together, shag the saddle

before reading this
– do you need concrete – ie will sheds be taking a lot of weight

– sleepers, can go direct on soil or gavel
– slabs on sand
– weird click mesh tiles that fill with gravel and mesh edge acts as abse (mates shed on this)

– if you are going to remove base:
– sledge, pickaxe, substantial metal bar with pointy end – pref more than 1, fence post, few mates.
using pick and metal bar, try and pry up edge of base and get post under it, hit above air gap with sledge (will break now – it wont if you don't have it up with a post under it), repeat. Just sledging a flat base will take ages.

http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Article/build-a-shed-base
lots of links (*use old base as hard core, get frame totakly level – side to side, diagonals, back to front and then slide a bit of wood across frame to level)

make base slightly smaller than shed – so run off doesn;t sit on base

yes, 3% is about right, down from 5% with recentish law changes and upgrades.

Other % are
rambling 100%+ (the plus is right to roam, open access, forthcoming coastal path etc)
horses/pushbike – 21%

Rightly or wrongly (*wrongly as far as I'm concerned as I've just got bargain Beta Alp) but it's a dying hobby, for a variety of reasons. In a nutshell if you put a lot of rats in a wide open space they're happy, if you put the same number of rats in a much more enclosed space they all start fighting. The UK ain't getting any bigger, however it is getting more populated …….

mmmm
the country (*well government [them all]) bought hospitals on storecards and they opted for the grossly overpriced extended warranty.

Wow – I can have it now, I get 2% off my purchase and I only have to pay 33.5% apr over 10 years, WOW that's a bargain, I'm saving 2%.

when you're hating bankers, try looking at politicians, I don't see much difference – not going to loose their own money, reward for failure(they still get salary and pensions – the voting out argument isn't that fair – too many 'safe' seats), personal short term gains (of staying in power).

chicken chaser

aka Honda C50/70/90 (probably 90), you might look like a twwwat BUT you'll be riding the longest lasting, cheapest to run and most reliable mechanically engined object know to man. You get leg shields, buy a handle bar fairing, 120mpg, ins and tax miniscule. Change oil every 1000 (and don't use car boot crap)

my parents were at a particularly Scottish funeral (of a female friend) on a particularly Scottish day, absolutely lashing it down, as the coffin went in there was an audible splash, and somebody said "well if she's noo deid noo she will be soon'

some old honda XLl25 on ebay

IMHO I'd say that finish/quality wise Honda are best, cool is something a fridge does, also consider running costs(insurance), parts cost, service costs, reliability record, ability to get spares (esp from breakers yard as they're cheaper)

from a purely practical perspective if you drop a traile, you don't have reams of expensive bodywork to repair.

take a clear, high quality facial photograph of the seller if you buy it (and make it very clear you will be doing so at viewing and watch reactions)

HPI plus find out where engine chassis nos are on that car and compare with logbook. If they look like stickers try and pull them off, look for inconsistent number styles – ie on motorbikes some people used to turn 3 into 8 etc …. If service history or MOT has previous garage/owner details try and get the mileage off them. Check service history/MOT mileage/dates chronology (*I think you can poss do on intenet with MOT ?????)

google/search on the phone number (address etc etc) and see how many cars they are selling, always on phone say 'I'm calling about the car' – if they don't know which one they're probably a trader

are you viewing it at the address on the V5, and their nameis on it, if not why not ?

only view in full, clear daylight – crouch down and check lines for dents etc etc out of line panels/slight colour mismatches, note tax, tyres etc and make sure they're on if you go to buy later.

Make sure the mileage 'equates' – so do some previous checking so you get a feel to car seat wear, wear on steering wheel (run hands around and feel for wear), driver pedal rubbers (ditto), gear lever, carpets etc etc and switches paint etc etc where hands etc rub – a lot of those are easy to change though

if you have a mate with a car find a bit of road where the car drives straight with hands off and ditto under braking – this is tricky and take care but try barking and not sterring (road camber etc impacts) but it should stay straight (*check mirror… and for plod etc)

as above with lifting carpets, also check front carpets and that roof lining etc is a great fit etc

I use Parkdean holidays (in Devon) but they have Scottish bases.

That should give you a 'butlitz base' of stuff for kids and make sure it's near nice local facilities for you

*tsk *tsk, youngsters

started on a farm at 30p hour ……………..

Many thanks Guys (and Gals)

will drop you a mail some time.

Cheers
Gus

yeah, you're right, drum is one piece, what a crap design in a green world. Ditto – my last hotpoint did about 22 years with one set of bearings and a pump, only let it go when the dryer blower motor went and the cheapest spare was 120. If only they would standardise parts the world would be a better place – but less profit and sales and marketing ….

last para – possibly could do drum yourself if diy competetnt (digi photo everything before disassenbly)
http://www.howtomendit.com/answers.php?id=204346

To be honest at 2 years old I'd have a go under trades description/fitness for purpose, 2 years really isn't good enough, could try hotpoint.

open door and get hold of metal drum, try and rock it up and down(*beware they are spring mounted) but the bearing is in the middle at the back so try and feel if it's rocking around that – ie clunk rather than spring movement.

Also if you take the back cover off, you might see running brown stain (I did on mine) where water has leaked through bearing.

I managed to do mine on an older hotpoint – 25 quid for bearings and seals.

*My initial feeling is that the whole drum thing is bolleax, however the twonks are making things more and more integrated (less recycleable and green – nice) ……………
Exactly what model is it ?

blimey, my shower curtain was 4 quid from B+Q ….

I ued a Hollywood 'boot rack' on a vectra.

Added windsurfer pads across places where rack sat on cat (as one bar was across glass hatch)
From rear seatbelt mounts in car(throuh sides of hatch) I had two motorbike 1" straps to rack legs that bike sat on (to take load and extra security)
– light bar plugged into rear light clusters via scotchlocks
– std rack clips well tighetned (before and after loading)
– I used a 12ft plastic coated windsurf security cable cable through two etc for security

fine 2 bikes 90mph tops, fine

ps rack for sale, Reading/Basingrad/Swinetwon area