But what’s after a shed-load?

Several quantities.

Metric or imperial shedload? They still use the imperial shedload in the states, though they tend to call it a hutload.

No, no, no – a hut-load was the old Whitworth measure, the Yanks still use shack-loads…

Is the V70 petrol? If it is, £1500 will get you a gas conversion.

Do not confuse a shed-load with a sh!t-load. Different thing altogether.

Also don’t forget that the more you bend, batter and stretch an aluminium rim, the more likely it is to fail as the aluminium becomes brittle through work hardening.

Fancy a bit of s**t-stirring? Your local newspaper will love this…picture of the kids and Mr Fluffy on the front page, etc….!!

Contact the RSPCA, press the police. If you don’t get the response you need from your community officer, ask for the name of their commanding officer and ask to speak to them.

If you still aren’t satisfied with the response, get the names and serial/shoulder numbers of the officers involved and contact the chief constable for your area.

As for being reported for trespass, that’s bollocks. Trespass is a civil offence, not criminal. The police won’t be interested unless they can show that criminal damage has been caused. Tripping over an aerial cable is an accident, not deliberate. If anything, you could claim damages of your neighbour for causing an accident.

I have Sunline V2 bars and a V1 stem on my Alpine 160 – light as you like, 740mm wide, cheap as.

Could be a genuine reason he’s not replying – on holiday, work, family emergency. Annoying I know but give it a few days.

Should I pay just a bit on Paypal as a sort of deposit?

No, absolutely not – don’t hand over any money at all until you’ve spoken to the seller.

As it is, you’ve lost nothing – better to still have your money and no goods!

Love all the physics analogies – and then they throw in “4 lactating cows”!! Brilliant!!

Guess maybe the GPS was set to OS co-ordinates not Lat/Long?

A good operator should be able to work from both. Outdoorsy-type people generally know how to give OS co-ordinates, but giving Lat/Long is a whole different ball-park.

Do you have a positive contribution or are you angry about something?

I’d say it’s time of the month… 8O

The first half of that sentence contradicts the second.

Eh?

Offer to take them back, but poiltely point out that a) your listing clearly stated “no returns”, and b) make him aware that you won’t give the refund until you are in receipt of the goods and are certain that they are the ones that you sent.

If the buyer is being truthful he should have no objections.

In Spain – buzzards, kites, ospreys, vultures. NOT eagles. Repeat NOT eagles.

Doesn’t it use a Mugen-Honda F1 engine as a fuel pump?

UVs are OK for protecting glass but can cause chromatic abberation at higher magnifications. Better off using a lens hood and being careful. When you’re not using the lens, put the caps on.

Other than that, the only other filters I use are circular polarisers. Don’t bother with neutral density filters, shoot in RAW and learn how to expose properly.

Oh and I have an infra-red filter too, but I don’t know why…??

He now wants me to pay the extra.

Now, I’m not inclined to pay. But am I being mean?

…and you’re having to ask…??? 8O

You’ll struggle to find a compact with an optical viewfinder at that price. Double your budget and you may have more luck.

It’s amazing how easily people are parted with their money. I’m currently selling a Jaguar X-Type on eBay – it’s got two days to run on a ten-day auction, it’s been bid up past it’s reserve and yet no-one has asked me any questions about it or asked if they can come and see it or test-drive it. That says to me I’m either an absolutely miraculous salesman, or people are happy to take the risk of throwing several thousand pounds at a complete stranger without doing any background checks first. I suspect the latter. As and when the car sells, if there is a problem with it after the buyer has paid and taken it away, no doubt it will be my fault.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m overly cautious, or because I’m part Yorkshire, but if I’m going to shell out on a bike, car or whatever, wherever it’s from, I’m going to check it’s history very carefully and I either want to see it first or I want to collect it in person from the buyer.

I too would advise the OP to seriously consider his approach to eBay if he doesn’t want to get stung again – admittedly, he got his money back but I think in this case he’s been extraordinarly lucky.

People are too lackadaisical and too trusting of strangers in their financial dealings, which is why we repeatedly see the same old sob stories on the likes of “Watchdog”, when a few simple background checks would have saved a lot of heartache.

My birthday too. I’m now an official senior citizen, free travel on Scottish buses. I can garage that bike and take the omnibus.

You are also now legally entitled to have a house that smells of wee and cabbage.

Oh well – at least you got your money back. Let’s hope you’ve learned something today…

Guess Cuba is pretty close – good education, good healthcare, low personal wealth, seemingly happy people.

No inward investment, no outward investment, no free speech, reduced to trading with North Korea. Sounds idyllic…

Armed Forces Day in Lebanon and the People’s Democratic Republic of China?

National Day in Benin and Switzerland?

Emancipation Day in Jamaica, Barbados, Anguilla, Bermuda, the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands and Trinidad & Tobago?

No, I know – Rastafrian Liberation Day!

Try the Old Monkey on Portland Street, The Old Wellington Inn and Sinclairs Oyster Bar in the Shambles (near the Cathedral) and Mr Thomas’s Chop House on Cross Street

TBH I would never buy a bike off eBay unless I could either a) go and see it first and/or b) pay cash-on-collection.

I’m always amazed that people are prepared to part with so much money without seeing the goods first, or at least making sure that the seller is genuine before the trade goes through.

I tried looking for their address yesterday, but couldn’t see it (oh, actually, don’t think I tried logging in to paypal to see if it’s in there. Sellers user ID is kellie9981

Send a contact request if you can’t find it – eBay will provide the info for you.

Have you got the seller’s address/phone number? Which you should have if you’ve paid by PayPal.

What’s the seller’s eBay user ID?

I once knew a Yorkshireman who dropped 50p. It hit him on the back of the head.

Mind you, they reckon that a Yorkshireman’s just a Scotsman with all the generosity removed…

Kite feeding at Belliemack
Gem Rock Museum at Creetown
Any of the beaches, especially Brighouse Bay and Carrick Shore as in lemonysam’s photo (but if you go to Nun Mill Bay at Kirkcudbright make sure the tide’s going out, because it’s very shallow. If the tide’s incoming it can catch you unawares).
Cream of Galloway
Drive along the Raiders Road (picnic at the Otter Pool on Blackwater of Dee obligatory), then the Red Deer Centre at Clatteringshaws
Threave Castle (boat trip across the river from Kelton Mains. Also nesting Ospreys visible from the castle via warden’s spotting scope!)
David Coultahrd Museum and Chocolate Factory at Twynholm
Cairn Holy
Carsluith Castle
Cardoness Castle
Dundrennan Abbey
Sweetheart Abbey at New Abbey
Drumlanrig Estate
Tours of the Hydro-Electric powerstation at Tongland
Stewartry Museum in Kirkcudbright great for rainy days – it’s a proper old school Victorian type museum with lots of dead animals and stuff.
Scottish National Museum of Costume at Shambellie House
John Paul Jones birthplace museum at Arbigland

I could go on…visit a tourist info place as soon as you land.

Airwalk are as cheap as chips for a reason – and one of those is that the soles are very hard polyurethane. About as much grip as a freshly-buttered weasel.

That said I use a pair but I had some stealth rubber soles put on them by Feet First in Chesterfield. Which cost more than the shoes did 8O …

TBH not been out on the trails since last weekend, I’ve been road riding mainly. That said I can’t see it being too bad, the ground is so hard and baked that the rain’s just been running off – hence the severity of the floods in Todmorden this week.

That said, I will probably venture out tonight and report back…

£20 to fix a puncture. JHC.

And a puncture right on the edge of the tread too. Double JHC.

Tyre fitter’s clearly a doofus.

Just report online at Crime Stoppers and be done with it.

^This. Give the index number of the car and then it will have a flag put against it. If he drives past an ANPR camera – instant pull.

Jenson Button races, doesn’t he? He’s reeeaaaalllyyy slow this season…

Anything by Clutch.

Seriously though, Calderdale / Hebden bridge has IMO the best English riding outside of the Peaks / Lakes, that I’ve discovered. I’m sure someone can come up with a decent route.

^This. My happy hunting ground. Although it may be worth staying out of Todmorden for a week or two. I can set you up with routes if required. I may be persuaded to do a bit of guiding on Sunday if necessary…

Failing that, the Dales. Can’t beat it.

Except if you go to the Lakes. Oh wait…

Can I get some recommendations, then, for:
Shorts;
Socks;
Gloves;
and any other suggestions to help make soggy rides more bareable; maybe even enjoyable?

Shorts – why? What’s the point of waterproof shorts? It’s like having a Ferrari estate. Utterly ridiculous.
Socks – Sealskinz, mid light calf length. But again they’re only any good if you don’t get water down the top of them.
Gloves – Sealskinz again.

Soggy rides are more bearable if you keep moving – the minute you stop you start getting cold. Personally I’d put emphasis on keeping warm in wet conditions, before keeping dry. Warm and wet can be unpleasant at worst. Cold and wet can be fatal.

To own a firearm, you definitely need both a reason, and a proven approved place to shoot that firearm.

It’s not that clear cut – yes you need a reason, but the proven approved place is pretty flexible. If you give “deer stalking” as your reason, it’s entirely feasible that you are not going to limit yourself to one state. A lot of it is down to the issuing authority.

Bombers. Take no prisoners.