Thanks for the advice, Keith. I sold the Sutra to part fund the Tempest.
I’m going to stick with the existing Altura panniers and go with a new bar bag. I included the boxy Altura one with the sale of the Sutra as I couldn’t be arsed removing the attachment unit.

Thanks for all the advice. I will likely be practicing in the winter for a few nights at a time with a tent. The potential bigger tour would be for a couple of months with tent and occasional hostel type accommodation.
Would fork bags á la the strap on Podsacs ones on Planet X site be a total no-no on carbon forks, even with protective wrapping? Could I swap the forks…
I’m thinking based on the info on this thread I’ll go with my current rear panniers on a lighter rack plus a frame bag, bar bag and maybe fork bags if possible.

Thanks Druidh. Was going to ask you directly, but thought I’d ask on here first.

I was in Cambusbarron (backing onto the fab trails) for 5yrs. Currently in Causewayhead (foot of the Wallace Monument).
Both a 2.5/3k walk to the town centre and very nice areas. Causewayhead prone to flooding,though I’ve only had my garage flood since being here.

In my view, Brewdog on Baker Street is the best pub.
Best Cafe is The Burgh on King Street. A good selection of restaurants and bistros depending on what kind you like.
Town centre is small and bog standard, but nice to sit at a pavement café in the sunshine and pretend to be on holiday with all the tourist’s foreign languages.
Great access to cites of Glasgow and Edinburgh and the Trossachs on the doorstep. Highlands only a couple of hours away (depending on where you consider the Highlands to start… 😉)
Bridge of Allan and Dunblane are nice and both have a few nice pubs and eateries.
If you are buying, check flooding history. Recent flash flooding affected low lying areas and historic flood areas have housing on them. It’s a massive alluvial plain with the Forth meandering through it.
Cambusbarron is a nice place to live and close enough to walk into town.
I running away from everything urban to live on Ardnamurchan in 4 weeks, but it’s not the location that has led me to that.

Have resurrected my account on here to add my words. BJ is a huge loss to us so I can’t imagine how it is for his family.
I have been spurred (why does it take a tragedy) to get my bikes trail-worthy-one booked in for payday on Tuesday and carpé that motherf****g diem.
Tomorrow may be too late.
Stay safe people x

Texting/phoning between rooms in the same house as I can’t be arsed getting up. It’s usually to request a cuppa.

When the computers and the phones go down.
Ah, peace!

It hurts to move my eyeballs. Temperature and chills, shooting pains all over. Chesty cough that really hurts. Me no like.

Some creative ideas :)
Keep it up!… So to speak ;)

Small spaghetti portions?

Scotroutes, only the ‘before’ ones.

Ah, I’ve thought of one of my own; a “finger of fudge” protector, like a banana-guard, but smaller :)

Njee20, you posted your suggestion while I was writing my last reply. For clarification, I will not be creating an apid based self gratification device for my amusement during wet weekends…

Jokes aside, not a bad idea for a rainy weekend ride trip. Thanks Mr C.
Any more?

Before or after use?…

Al gets the puffer fakes in early! ;)

Mrs TJ = SWMBO

Actually it was quite comfortable. It just didn’t suit my bike. The ‘patches’ are of thinner leather so have some give in them. You’re never resting on the studded bits. I have delicate lady bits too! It was my “Miss Whiplash” saddle ;)

Are they rare/niche enough to have maintained much of a value do you reckon? Would retrobike frown on my joining their forum just to flog something like we would here?…

DezB, my piece de resistance!
Northwind… Oh that thing…

?????? :wink:

Previously a regular contributor. Now an infrequent lurker. *waves at the big hitters* Cooee! Remember me?!

All midges deported. Hot and cold running Irn bru taps installed in all homes. Oor Wullie made first minister (London can’t have the monopoly on blonde, messy haired politicians. New currency created called the Jock. There will be 100 Jimmies to the Jock and a pint of heavy will cost 2 jock, 50 jimmies exactly.
Chris Hoy will be crowned king of Scotland.

Shortbread’s point about sometimes being unable to act due to capacity issues and legal proxy is an important one. There are delicate balances to be found and weighty decisions to be made when we seek to limit or remove a person’s right to self determination. These processes take time (often more than they should due to an overburdened court system). The ‘systems’ were strained and clunky engines already before the sand of austerity was poured in.

As a social worker in community care, I can tell you it’s because there are not enough suitably qualified workers in insufficient posts, carrying too many cases to get sufficient through-put; not enough affordable, quality care home places or people willing/able to do the job of community care work for the money or paysto create robust/safe/personalised packages of care and a myriad other reasons mainly to do with lack of finding and the magnetization/corporatisation of social care. If we want health and social care to work it needs to become non privatised, non profit making integrated and funded properly by us all. Can’t have something for nothing and no one should be trying to profit/make money from it.
That’ll be 10p please.

Whatnobeer, I think you’ve got it. I was busy and didn’t read your reply before submitting my last post.

It’s a post-grad paper for coursework rather than for publication, Graham S.

The passage goes like this at the moment, but I wondered if the ‘list’ of references was ok.

“The implementation of Self Directed Support in Scotland as a principle and policy now embedded in law by The Social Care (Self Directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, has been driven by the Disability Rights and Independent Living movements originating in the USA in the 60s. These movements are proponents of the view that people needing care and support should be fully and actively involved in the design, choice of and delivery of the support and services they receive. Similar movements evolved gaining stronger voice and impetus in the United Kingdom in the late 60s and 70s. The first legislation giving Local Authorities’ the ability to offer cash budgets paid directly to those in need of community care services for them to purchase their own, self-selected provision (Direct Payments) in the UK was enacted in 1996. Pilot schemes for Personal (notional) Budgets took place in the UK in the early 2000s through the process of closing large scale, long stay residential care institutions, becoming a national policy in 2007 (Spandler 2004, Rowlet 2009, Lymbery 2012, Williams & Tyson 2010).”

They are my words summarising, but I want to acknowledge that I’ve read the other writers’ work.

Ps. My eyes are fine, it’s just that my arms aren’t long enough. Hence needing geps before you do, chronologic -al

Hi 5s are for dem yout. Pass the Horlicks mo-fo!

Chuckling to myself in my new readers right now. £2 Primani.
Perched on the end of my nose to go between reading phone and watch telly…
Getting old together :)

Just looked at mine from yesterday’s half too. Upwards of £20 to have a high definition pic of me looking like I’ve never even run for a bus before; my rippling cellulite frozen for posterity; I don’t think so!
Bike event ones are much nicer.

Did the guy on the ladder used to be one of the naked cleaners on Eurotrash?

The Netherlands. Johnny Cash and Duffy.

Tina Turner, Thunderdome outfit.

Cougar, that’s exactly what I was singing to the Danish entry.

The reincarnation of Kirsty McColl on the piano there.

Switzerland also showcasing some large wheels of Gruyere round the front of the stage.

I loved the golden Cagoule’s “fingers on buzzards” round.

Not on strava, but with an old my tracks app, I cycled my name on Findhorn beach when the tide was out. It amused me.

Love going to special gigs solo. I just want to immerse myself and not worry about anyone else.

I have a long weekend of bliss coming up at end of April/beginning of May. Solo trip to London to do what the hell I like, visiting museums, shops, cafés, bars, parks etc and topped off with Billy Bragg’s May Day gig in Hammersmith. :)

Yes, POA need the person to be ‘capable’ but other legal routes can be taken if he’s deemed ‘incapable’ I think it’s called the same in England. It’s Guardianship (financial and or welfare) or an intervention order (for powers relating to a single transaction or process eg selling a house or decision on place of residence etc) in Scotland.