Can only really speak on behalf of the squeezebox here – as long as the laptop has Squeezebox Centre/Logitech Media Server installed then the Squeezebox can play its music. However, you will need to select the library that you want to get the music from and it will stay connected to that until it loses connection (If the server is shut down) and asks if you want to connect to another library. If no libraries are online then it can still connect to squeezebox.com and get Internet Radio, Last.fm etc through there.

I’ve had no problems with the wifi whilst having several devices connected to the router (3 Squeezeboxes, 3/4 phones and 2/3 PCs) but probably haven’t used it as intensively as you describe – might be more dependent on your router.

I think you will be happy with either as they are both good. I have a Squeezebox Touch connected to the hifi and a couple of radios dotted about the flat, all synchronised together and they work great that way. With the Touch, you have three options – Stream music from your PC/laptop, stream it from a supported NAS box, or plug a USB storage device directly into it and play music direct from that. There is also a free app made by Logitech for iThings and Android to use as a controller. I find I use the app more than the remote, as it replicates the interface of the Touch almost identically.

Squeezebox supports Spotify, Last.fm and a couple of other streaming music services too (Napster and something else I can’t remember). There’s no remote streaming access that I know of, but you could install something like The Orb for that.

Totally agree, I’ve had to travel to every corner of the world over the last few years and always love the feeling of flying in over Britain. It’s still a beautiful place in its own way and is hard to top for safety and stability when you look at the world as a whole. The crap weather just means we really appreciate every good day we get, unless you’re stuck in work – then it’s depressing!

I’ve got Mountain Hardwear trousers I use all year round, really good range of movement and come in long lengths. Not sure what the current equivalent is but definitely worth a look. Patagonia and Mountain Equipments are good too though!

Aye, I’m very good at avoiding idiots normally but this one just drove straight through the back of me and the first thing I knew of it was the bike taking off then throwing me into the floor! Whole right side of my body is starting to seize up now, won’t be happy if I miss the Applecross duathlon because of someone not bothering to look in front of them. Thanks for your concern though chaps, if you have any more questions about fancy tents from North America please feel free to ask!

Sorry for the slow reply, was actually hit by a car on my way home tonight and have been waiting for the bleeding to stop! I think the quality is spot on and it is all very well thought out. The material feels very lightweight as it does on all these lightweight tents, but it survived a couple of very windy nights along the coasts of Uist and Harris without the extra poles. I’m not aware of the UK fly sheet option, but this may have been added at some point after I got mine.

Buying direct was no problem, just ordered through the website and received the tent after something like 3 weeks – after paying import duty of course! I bought some seam sealer at the same time but haven’t got round to sealing it yet, haven’t had to deal with anything more than the odd rainy night but no problems with seepage. I’d say it’s a lot quicker than 10 mins to put up, especially if you pack it with the inner ready attached – more like under 5 mins?

The Scarp is only a sub 2-kilo tent when it doesn’t have the extra cross over poles for winter use. Chris Townsend tested the one man version and it was fine under this:

I can’t remember off the top of my head, but it was pretty much as calculated from the HM Customs website advice plus handling from the courier. Maybe as much as forty quid extra?

Hi Elsa, I’ve got a Scarp 2 with both types of inner and the optional poles for 4 season use. I’m really pleased with it as it is exactly what I wanted from a tent with the low weight and two entrances. I’ve not actually had a chance to use it as a 4 season tent yet, but it had no problems during a windy cycle tour in the Outer Hebrides last year in it’s summer configuration:

We stayed down Dubrovnik way a few years ago now – I would recommend staying in Cavtat which is a wee place to the south, just a short bus or water taxi ride from Dubrovnik and has a really nice vibe with a collection of good inexpensive restaurants to eat at along the waterfront. In fact, I want to go back again now!

Used all three, Tredz and Cyclestore were good but Wheelies managed to string out an order for a saddle for nearly 3 months, which was disappointing.

I’ve been through a couple of times and can’t say it would make any difference which way you go through – either way you’ll have to lift the bikes over the fence in the middle!

I’ve got an iPhone 3GS for work and a Desire for me. I’d pick the Desire over the iPhone if I had to choose – slightly better in every way, though you’ll have to factor in buying a large micro SD card for music etc.

Aye, it’s good for marital relations to not push your luck when it comes to roughing it! That’s a great pitch for the Akto – always thought I was going to get one but wanted double sided openings and a bit more room so the wife would be up for coming along.

Good spot WD, thought it was time for a shower after three nights wild camping – the wife definitely agreed! So many great spots out there though.

I know you said no more recommendations but this the tent me and the claustrophobic missus use for cycle touring:

Scarp 2

It’s 1.7kg, tall enough for me to sit up in (6ft) and has doors either side. Also has a choice of mesh or solid inner liner and optional extra poles to take it up to 4 season use.

Pretty easy to do crossing Aberdeen every day, my goal is to do it without braking one day…

Other alternative is to do the Minigaig in winter so the bogs are covered or frozen:

This was from a Glen Tilt/Mingaig/Glen Geldie loop from Braemar in February.

Great for touring on and off road:

Hiding from the rain:

So good my wife now nicks it from me on our tours:

Thanks for posting that, I’d missed that write-up – stuff like this is brilliant and inspirational.

Messiah, know exactly the one you mean – great wee descent that! Was trying to save on ups and downs for a C2C though…

From Dinnet, go up Glen Tanar then you can either go over Mount Keen or the Firnmouth Road down to Tarfside. You then go a few miles along the road to Fernyside and up past Stobie Hillock heading for the track down the Water of Dye which will pop you out near the Bridge of Dye. You can enter the forest here and pop out eventually on the other side of the road from Durris forest. Getting through Fetteresso isn’t too complicated, just a bit wiggly!

Go with Messiah’s suggestion, you can also go through Durris after Fetteresso and then quiet roads to hit Nigg Bay for the finish. The Deeside path from Banchory is nice enough if you’re too knackered to contemplate doing Mount Keen, but definitely go for the harder option if you’re up to it!

From what most people say, I reckon the Stealth waterproof tights will be too warm to wear in Easter. You’ll probably be fine in normal tights if it rains, but well cut waterproof shorts, like the Gore ones will be spot on for keeping your nether regions comfortable in any prolonged cold downpours. I’ve got the Alp-X too and they don’t flap round at all compared to normal baggy shorts, plus they roll up pretty small and light for packing. Shame you can’t get the Freestyle waterproof shorts any more – they were really light and just as good.

I thought he was keen on staying nearer the coast? You could go to Dyce and ride the Formartine and Buchan way or national cycle route up to Maud. Then you can follow the cycle route to Turrif, Banff and on to Elgin and Inverness or cut off early and follow the Speyside way to Tomintoul (Obviously on a road bike you’d have to skip a few offroad sections!). You could then follow one of the nice routes already described back to Aberdeen.

Sorry for the late reply, I’ve had busy week starting a new job. The Inbred has a BB7 on the front and an SD7 v-brake at the back. I couldn’t be bothered with the faff of getting the rack to fit around a rear disc brake and it’s easy to lock up the back wheel with a v-brake anyway. My friends in the pictures both have Tubus Logos which come with spacers for moving the legs of the rack out a wee bit to clear their rear disc brakes. Seems to work well for them but it can depend on the profile of the brake used, I reckon.

Sounds like you’re after the kind of thing I do most of the time. I use an Inbred with coil sprung u-turn forks with lockout and have a steel pannier rack at the back with Ortliebs plus a bar bag on occasion. I reckon a Long Haul Trucker would be pretty decent too, but front suspension is very handy for really rough stuff. If you need any hints or feedback for routes, let me know, as this is what I do every spare weekend!

Here’s a random selection of my bike or friends on their poor imitations:

I’d do exactly what Del says.

What devs said, Pitfichie over Kirkhill in my opinion.

Where do you live at the moment that makes you think Glasgow will be such a shock to the system? It’s the same as any other big city in the UK for your chances of getting jumped. I’d be very surprised if you can’t find somewhere to do yoga too.

You could install Trekbuddy on a mobile phone and add a dinky bluetooth GPS and record your route that way? Works pefectly well and is easy to view in memory map or whatever. Might not be as portable as you want though.

You’re at the best end of Cuba for a holiday, it’s much less developed than the resorts near Havana and is much better for it. As said before, there’s lots of dusty tracks through the plantations which would be great to explore. I didn’t ride much when I was there though, as I got hooked on snorkelling! I’ve just realised it’s 10 years since I was there so who knows how accurate my opinion is?

Mullach Clach a Bhlair:

And below:

Corrieyairack:

Mount Battock:

Leathad an Toabhain:

Must remember to do more cairn leaning!

If it’s for more conventional mountain biking then I’d say there are better choices such as Nobby Nics or Fire XC’s. There’ll be a million other suggestions for grippy fast rollers though!

I think anyone who is happy with themselves and their life will defend their own upbringing and see it as the best way to go, so there is no all-encompassing right or wrong answer.

I got to see both sides of the education system, starting out in a normal inner city primary school where I was already one of the poorer kids to getting a scholarship for one of the best private schools in the country. After the initial bedding in period of getting posh people to understand what I was saying, I had just as great a time in secondary school as I had in primary. I think this was perfect for me, as I would never have got the grades I achieved at the comprehensive I would have gone to, due to being a lazy git. I would say that my school in particular excelled in extracurricular activities, which I think is a major contributor to that public school boy confidence (Arrogance?) that everyone is aware of. So in summary, I reckon you’re better off having both types of schooling if you can get it as there’s more to be gained than just grades.

As a comparison I have a sister who is doing very well in the retail world, a brother in the civil service and another sister who got knocked up at 18. I’m the only one who got any private education and went to university so I’d say it’s not the be all and end all.

Plus yes, the original poster sounds like a snob to me and I’ve met my fair share!

That’s pictures from a few different tours The top two are from a Glen Tilt – Minigaig tour I did one winter and the rest from some coast to coast Scotland rides. The last is from an icy loop round Alladale I did a couple of weeks back. I never get many pictures with the bike in as I’m always the photographer! Nice pic Stu, I’ve always wanted to do something like that in the Himalayas if I could persuade the wife!

I’ve had them on my Inbred for the last couple of years and think they are perfect for what I do, which is mainly multi-day off road tours. The centre tread keeps them nice and quick on road and firm tracks and they’re good enough for all the other off road situations I’ve used them in, though you can’t hammer round loose corners the same way as you might with more aggressive tyres. Mine have seen a good mix of conditions:

Not bad on sheet ice!

They’re tough enough for me as well as giving good cushioning in 2.25″ size.

Waterproofs are okay but if it’s really pouring for an extended period, I’ll wear my buffalo with my £10 Freestyle waterproof shorts and Woolie Boolies. No matter how wet, I always feel dry and warm with this combo.

There’s a lot of complicated discussion going on for what should be a simple act – buy a scraper for 50p and scrape the windows while they’re dry. So much neater than messing with kettles. Anyone else have to scrape inside the windows of their car?

Sorry, I should have spelt it Gleann Lichd, it’s a bit of a steep push at times, but the scenery more than makes up for it all the way through. I assumed you were looking for train stations, so yes you could start from Shiel Bridge as we did if you were driving, cos the water’s still salty!

My favourite route goes like this:

Ardnamurchan Point – Glendrian – Path to Fascadale – Ockle – track past the Singing sands to Acharacle then along the road to Strontian.

Strontian – Over the hill to Polloch – Beautiful track along Loch Shiel to Glenfinnan – Single track road to Camusnagaul ferry – Fort William – West Highland Way to Kinlochleven.

Kinlochleven – Glen Coe via WHW/Devils’s Staircase – Black Corries Lodge – Across Rannoch Moor – Rannoch Station – Forestry tracks to Loch Ericht – Boggy trudge to Ben Alder Cottage.

Ben Alder Cottage – Bealach Dubh – Loch Ericht – Dalwhinnie – Kingussie

Kingussie – Glen Feshie – Glen Geldie – Invercauld – Ballochbuie Forest – Ballater.

Ballater – Craig Vallich – Glen Tanar – Mount Keen – Glen Esk – Glen Dye

Glen Dye – Fetteresso – Durris – Minor roads and cycle route to Aberdeen!

There are tons of alternative options at various points, but this route as a whole is still the one we talk about, mainly because of the bogs! I did a write-up of our trip on STW but it’s long gone I should imagine.