Just walked down the hill to the bridge in whalley.
Crazy levels of water and still rising.
Not much going on, as I think everyone was evacuated hours and hours ago.
Came across a dead sheep on the way :(

My plan to ride Gisburn tomorrow looks a bit silly.
Hopefully after today if stops raining !!

I am staying with my in laws at the top of the nab in whalley, so nowhere near the flooding.
But I can see the Calder has burst its banks.
Crazy levels of rain, and still coming down here..

Your boots are too tight at the top. Loosen off completely anytime you are mot actually skiing..

My local garage burns the waste oil for winter heating .

Loved it here..

Another Quattro ur fan here.
I had the original Audi 80 sport, which was a very poor mans version.

Check freeborn . They used to have some great deals on spesh when they were my lbs.

Can’t join the ride.
But I live in Brighton and am moving to Battersea in a few weeks time – so would be interested to know what the route looks like from London to Brighton via the off road
way ?
Are you going downs link ?
After initial reluctance, I am happy to be moving to the big smoke, and have grand plans for cycling length of the Thames or some such silliness..

I have just signed 12 months in London, with mutual break clause.

Baby oil mixed with dettol used to do it for me ..

Hopefully found a house to live in near clapham junction . We will see ..

Audi Quattro ur in blue..
The original one..
It is an investment..

Very strange.
Mine leave here all the time, and yet to have anybody else wearing them.
I think..

I ripped a huge tear in a tyre on a similar week long race.
Was saved by a dodgy tyre I was given at a feed station.
The lightest tyre you have carried as a spare between you, would be a thought, especially if you are running light / thin tyres.
But then I am 20% heavier than you..

I did it twice years ago, before tubeless was envogue
Whatever you get err on the tough side, and make sure you check them carefully at the end of the day.
I tried racing ralphs one year and they lasted 2 days, it was a rocky year ( routes change ) and I am bigger than you. I went tough inc thick side walls after that..
There are a few companies selling tyres cheaply at the event when I did it.
In fact they just change em for you while you have a drink .
Enjoy you will have a fantastic time – very jealous..

Great article captures the essence of why I will be riding my bike as long as I can..
A true British character ( I am assuming he is originally from here )..
The documentary he did on the making of his art house was super interesting, and prob available online.

used cilary blue and they seemed good..
Although would not replace them when I scratched the hell out of them – which I guess is fair – they did offer me a discount though..

Are they mentioned on checkatrade website ?
Asked on VW forum somewhere ??

Oh and I have had quite a few ti and steel frames, and a kona made out of good steel should feel as good as anything.

Surely worth keeping.
Have a look in your local yellow pages.
I got a random paint shop to sandblast and respray a frame at £50 for frame and forks
Godd job aswell..

Those kona unit frames are nice when they use nice steel, which I believe the brown one does..
You may find a new frame does not fit you in terms of geometry etc..
Ride the kona and enjoy, and save up for the next big upgrade ( FS 26 frames are super cheap and available if you want to move to geared) or a holiday..

I gave my last one to charity.
Seemed easy solution..
Got a letter to say they had got a few hundred quid for it.

Take a Wheeley bag . I have a 60l one I got from Kathmandu .

Not really been following actively but certainly very impressive.
Simply can’t believe the Team Vestas c**k up..
I watched the team SCA videos the other day – 8 short videos that show their preparation.
Would be interested to see any links to sail change footage and or a good / detailed tour of a boat if anyone comes across anything.
Interesting to see them gybe those big code zeros ..

I will be round the island this weekend, and there will be a few VOR 70’s coming round in silly times.

Natural healer here.
Bust after a simple over the bars.
If you are not happy/ want a 2nd opinion then go and get it.
Mine seemed to bond back together. Back on my bike in a month.
Big lump now, but no problems and I use my shoulders a lot..

I had no idea the national speed limit on a dual carriageway was 70. I was under the mistaken impression it was 60.

Me too until I did a speed awareness course, to be told I should be driving faster at some times..

As long as it is not a Sinclair C5..

I do about 8k/ year and have a diesel
Would get one again, as love the torque
Mondeo tdci by the way – which is the standard STW car..

Arundel and Lewes would be my vote for a 3 day trip. I live in Brighton, and it is too big to stop here – needs a weekend in its own right.
For a non keen/ fit cyclist three days may be a challenge, especially if you want later starts/ earlier finishes….

Yep :
Just go! Do Tourmalet, Hautacam, Col d’Aubisque etc.
I did a route from Biarritz to Carcassonne – in aabout a week – very cool..
Quiter and less steep than the alps.
Would love to go again..
Oo the descending……

Raw carrots.
Plain Ryvita
works for me when I was working from home for years..

Steak and chips

Climbing is fine on CX
Downhill get in drops and go steady
Flat bits – push a bigger gear than you would normally and float above the saddle – zen like..
Maybe take a spare tyre/ some tyre patch ( tape a folder to bike ), as a ripped tyre could end day..

You will be fine ish.
I would worry about ripping tyres on flints – get something substantial and as wide as will fit e.g. landcruisers – little bit draggee but will get you round.
My rigid old school marin eldridge is my weapon of choice for SDW.
Take it easy on descents to save wheels/ tyres..
Wear two pairs of gloves ..

Can you reset it to remove light.
I had this on a mondeo – disconnected battery and it went away – until I pushed the engine really hard..

Good mine from TKmaxx
Real lambswool – or someones wool anyway
Best things ever when you have no carpets
Starting to wear out and next pair will have backs raher than the backless current ones, as sometimes they fall off walking down stairs.

Talk to them mano y mano
In a Spanish accent..
Right down your objectives etc etc

Just get the dual sided ones.
SPD one side – platform the other.
Works for me

It’s nice to help, because there is not much you do if your car is on fire and you have no fire extinguisher, other than run away.
I think my dad got annoyed after a bit as it was costing him £50 a pop or so to help people..

Twice as a kid my dad stopped next to a burning car and sent me out with the fire extinguisher he always carried.
First time I went from asleep to fire fighting in about 15 seconds.
Second time some travellers in a car/ caravan combo.
Worked both times.