Best way would be to do a PGCE, there used to be some on the job training schemes but not sure if they still exist.

Think long and hard before going for it though. Teaching is not the cushy number that everyone on here seem to think it is.

It’s a really tough year, I’m on my final placement and I can’t think of the last time I didn’t work all weekend and every evening till midnight.

and it will continue to be so for the first year as an NQT and then some.

I learnt to drive in a Morris traveller, it was a really cool little car. The one I really miss though is my old Renault Clio 16v, really fun car. It was like driving a go kart.

What makes hl any better than any other online stockbroker . Cheaper trades, more analysis?

I have a spare one if you are interested, would just want the postage refunded.

I am not sure that now is a good time to be buying shares, shorting them maybe.

There are loads of bike hire places in Banff.

The trail to Cranmore is Ok, there is also some singletrack along the side of Lake Minniwanka, 25m out and back.

This is as cool I reckon:

We’re going back here for the third time this year:
Camping Du Verdon

Take the bike and go up to Allos (30mins away), ace little bike park.

Never knowingly underbiked

:-) :-)

And only a quarter of the price of a “mid range mountain bike nowadays” apparently :-)

Yep, definately as long as you dont mind repeating tails. A bit of exploring also opens up a web of off piste from Valnord into Massana.

Weekends are particularly good (outside July and August) as the top lift will be open and the trails up there are ace.

E166 seems a lot, dont think I paid that last year.

Edit for 3 days, I would stick to Valnord.

Possibly a broken scaphoid, its worth getting an xray JIC.

Im pretty sure I would not have felt I missed out if I hadnt had one. The one I did have has turned out pretty cool though so I am quite happy, top riding partner for long summer holidays :-). However, if he had turned into a PITA I would probably be regretting the decision.

Each to his own, I fully understand why some people prefer to not have the hassle of kids and prefer to do their own thing.

The argument against having kids that there’s too many people is ridiculous. Why don’t you campaign against medicine saving lives instead? Perhaps ban life support machines or cancel cancer treatment?

Or nuke India and China, that would sort it.

Beavers, Badgers, Hedgehogs pah, a good bike park needs plenty of these:

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Marmot orcieres[/url] by ianvincent[/url], on Flickr

Would agree that tigne/Val d’isere is a good option as well.

Pyrenees road trip. Andorra bike parks plus Bagneres de Luchon Ax les Thermes, St Lery, La Molina, Les Angles.

Top trip, Luchon is a bit crap for downhill so forget there, too much for a week though so stick to Andorra (Valnord/Soldau) and maybe La Molina.

Deux Alpes/Alp d’huez/Os en Oisans

There’s nothing difficult about driving in, round or through Paris. I’ve done it dozens of times. First time included rush hour and the Arc de Triomphe.

Nothing difficult but, rush hour does tend to be a right pain in terms of congestion and avoiding the mass slaughter of crazy motorcyclists. Avoid rush hour, take the n104 and avoid Saturdays during the holiday period and all will be cool.

Deux alpes

most ski resorts make more profit in the summer from MTB’s

Doubt it, I am sure places like deux alpes and Valnord makes money but, nothing like the winter season.

The only resort I know of that apparently makes more money in summer is Lac Blanc.

Front brake, disc wheel and a fork. If you were looking to really save, get some old marzocchi air forks with v brake stubs and then you wont need a new wheel.

Got a shred 24 as well, rebas and discs for my lad. Decent bike. The Voltage 24 is a good option as well.

Good article on exercises to do. I did the exercises when I had golfers elbow and it made a massive difference.

http://www.athlon.com.au/articles/r&i_dodgyelbow.pdf

N104 la francilliene is an outer ring road, really easy to follow if a bit longer, but much less busy. Second junction after CdG direction euro Disney. Otherwise, I passed through Paris on the periferique at 10.30 am one mid week and it was really easy going with no hold ups.

I’d rather see less unemployed than gloat over how shit the govt are.

Trouble is; Osborne’s policies are the reason that there is so many unemployed and that GDP growth is so comatose. No one is gloating about the fact the economy is so shit, just pissed that the current shower are doing such a bad job of improving things for the majority of the population.

Is there any reason why that guardian article has a picture of the premier of Star Trek into darkness on its report?

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d7578e0a-baee-11e2-90b4-00144feab7de.html#axzz2TAGcXwY2

A slightly more measured tone than that rabidly positive tosh.

To paraphrase; its still going to be shit for a fair bit but it might be a bit less shit than recently. Lets not get too excited just yet.

Also we’re talking about sports people at the top of the game taking huge physical risks – 6 figures per year is nowt relatively.

Really? for a non mainstream sport it sounds pretty good to me. As a comparison, the BEST climber in the world (with a very high/positive media profile)is probably on 50K max. He will train just as hard as an Atherton or a Gwin.

When I competed at World cup comps (12th world ranking until I ran out of money) all I got was free boots and climbing gear. I had to pay for my own travel and prize money was at the level the juvaniles won at the BDS in Fort William. :(

Ffc centre at Arles sur tech, not far away. Nearest bike park is les angles, approx 1.30 in the capacir. Good riding around ile sur tet, not far away.

Anyone?

I bet Gwin is on way more than 100K

Briancon would be good for the road (or Vanosc/Bourg d’oisans) but XC might be a bit limited. Having said that, there are a few waymarked trails going out from Briancon towards Montgenevre.

Pyranees might give more scope for a Xc and road combo, somewhere close to Luchon or Lourdes (tourmelet etc).

Thinking we might fly up to paris to see the champs elysse tdf finish while we are there.

I was at a finish years ago when my sister lived in Paris, it was an occasion but I wouldn’t break up a trip to the alps to do it again. Really busy, difficult to see anything and not very interesting to watch. If it was me, I would miss out on the logistical hassle and watch it on the tele.

Should you even be riding in Cottingley Woods

Seems like its fair game for all sorts nowadays: pissups, bonfires and even saw some campers the other night :? . Its becoming a right tip in places :x

some fat guy getting off the funicular at Les Arcs with his Dialled Alpine and a Trail Addiction Guide ticked a lot the STW boxes for me.

what size voltage? A friends son had a 24″ one with an 8 speed set up.

Edit, pretty sure this was with the original wheels.

Your son didn’t come home telling you that he thought he was going to die, or that he was on the verge of sh..ting himself, so it can’t have been that bad. In fact you say he enjoyed it.

At the end of the day, the centre will have been appraised and the instructors will have qualifications and experience. I am sure it was not the first time they have taken kids out in windy weather either, so the spot is likely to have worked for them before. As for the school, they will have taken a similar view and assumed that the centre could make better decisions than them on what was acceptable on the day.

I think you might be overreacting.

Deadlifts for me, but any core exercise is likely to be beneficial.

Most bike hire places rent REALLY crap bikes. There are a few places just on the main road between Loule and Villamoura avoid, the bikes are shit and they are expensive.

The guy in Olhao is more DH, he is a good bloke and has some decent stinkys as hire bikes. Maybe email him and ask about other alternatives (although checking, his site seems down).

There is also this lot, no experience of them though:http://www.rideportugal.com/

There are some really good tracks off monchique. There is also loads of downhill east of Faro and slightly in land. Both need uplifts really.

There is a place in lagos (i think) that does uplift/bike hire, and a guy in Olhao, used to be called Freeride Portugal, that does the same (more downhill orientated though). The area north east of silves looked promising but not ridden there.

2011 Scott Spark 35, truely awful.

Not that one, much further back towards cottingley.
For info, it comes out on the lower road into the woods, about half way between the gates and the millennium way.

http://www.avalanchecup.com/news.php?news=116&titre=TRANSVESUBIENNE%20LES%20PARCOURS