Installing app as I write!

80’s themed food night at our place, Toddler Kip hopefully fast asleep upstairs as we catch up with old friends and eat cheese fondue, steak frites with peppercorn sauce and finish with black forest gateaux!

Living the dream, boys, living the dream!!!

You F***ing B****rd, now it’s doing our heads in too!!!

We think it’s a compilation of Back to the Future, Jurassic Park and other stuff by John Williams and not one single piece.

But please someone…ANYONE…put us right with proof.

:?

Kip Jr is asleep in her pushchair in the kitchen after waking at 5.40am again this morning for a pee. I was shattered so Mr Kip stayed home to let me get more sleep. Kip Jr and I then had a lovely morning out at gym club only to return to discover Mr Kip has drilled through a cable below the Consumer Unit whilst fitting skirting boards (don’t say it, I’ve bitten my tongue and he feels rubbish enough already). :roll:

I’m in the process of fixing it and it’s not the end of the world but did feel like I needed a whinge about the other “kid”. I am however, just glad that when Kip Jr had her only vomit bug it was in the day and only lasted til 12pm. She slept most of the time she wasn’t chucking up and was good enough to throw up in a potty.

I feel all your pain and hope your little ones get better soon.

Had issues sorted well by both nhs physios and chiropractors. Also had less than great treatment from both at times. Generally though I’ve been happy with the treatment I’ve had from the people I’ve dealt with, they’ve sorted the issues using their area of expertise. If it works, it works.

mulv1976 makes a good point on cost and treatment, it just turns out expensive against NHS care.

I love my chiropractor and will be making an appointment to see them fairly soon as I can’t lie properly on one side. Been seeing one on and off for maybe 10 years and they have sorted a number of issues relating to broken collarbone, past car crash, pregnancy, muscle imbalances/lack of stretching. Had all sorts of treatment from adjustments to massage to acupuncture depending on what was wrong. Can’t speak highly enough for them. They keep me moving and pain free!

Oh god, who knows…toddler kip just started to melt down about bedtime last night.

Should be 7.30 upstairs for bath, lights out by 8.10 after story. Last night 8.45 lights out and tonight 8.30. Lots of upset and “not yet, not yet, not yet!”

Waking anywhere between 5.40 and 6.50am regardless of time to sleep. It’s all gone pete tong in this house this weekend!!!

Chiropractor – costs loads and you need to be prepared for it to take a while to sort, but a good one will re-align then keep adjusting until your body stays in the position it should be in and not the one it has been in. Once that’s done it’s usually then a case of a check up every couple of months or so for the rest of your life. Or they’re like mine, you call them when it all feels a bit wrong and they re-adjust you.

This sounds costly – it is, but it really can make the difference between a lifetime of pain or waking up one day to realise it doesn’t hurt and you’re not sure how long it’s been like that.

Nice weather at the moment.

Hard tail and trailer for well over a year in all weathers. I used to leave the trailer at nursery under the fire escape stairs outside with a cover over it in the rain. Worked great for us and have only stopped because my work has moved to 25 miles away!

My advice is go for the best trailer you can afford as ours is trashed now!

Wish I’d never read this post. Sold my 80mm anthem for an EX8 I’m not really in love with and wish I’d gone for the new anthem instead. Grrr! Considering buying a frame and swapping everything over, or as much as I can!

Cheers. Email was pinging back and thought I’d ask the knowledgeable masses!

In Oldham.

Bib
and Gore do a girly one with zips that mean you don’t have to get all you kit off (sorry maccruiskeen!)

It’s coming from an old school and I have no idea of the type of earthing system.

I’ve told him to get someone in to take a look, best idea all round me’thinks.

Cheers.

Our courier is DPD but they won’t be delivering anything within the London Olympic zone during the Olympics. Everything is to be delivered by UPS (the official logistics company of the Olympics apparently). This means that all parcels can be checked outside the zone and that only one courier company’s personnel will have to be security checked.

Please feel free to put me right on this one as DPD don’t have a clue and we are trying to let our London based customers know what the hell is going on!

Probably a bit late but have a look on the bkeability website. Scroll down for the games and look right for the teacher’s notes resources.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/bikeability/schools/games/

http://www.dft.gov.uk/bikeability/schools/teachers-notes/

Please use the name Zephyr somewhere in there. My Mother in Law has friends with a grandchild by that name and she can’t bring herself to call the girl by her name!

Wish she’d told us the name before our Josephine Tara (Josie) was born! We like the idea of her being street with Josie T or posh with the whole thing or somewhere in the middle!!!!!!!!!

Wow, what a wealth of replies. Seriously, this was exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

We have a Vango Beta 450/650(?) at the moment and now people mention it, the inner always did look a bit tatty, although it has stayed up and dry in some fairly manky weather.

The Outwell tents are getting good reviews which is what I was looking for. I’ve seen them at Go Outdoors but some are just so big it’s unfeasible.

Commander – we’d pefer more windows than yours sorry. We anticipate a certain amount of indoor time due to the joys of the UK weather and decent light is a must.

Petrieboy – A teepee is cool but would prefer more normal boring tent. I like rooms!

Good shout with the UK camping site, going to go there next, as well as Decathlon, forgot about them.

If anyone else has anything to add then all opinions (on tents) appreciated.

Cheers again.

Check out the following:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html

It’s from the CIA World Factbook, a useful place to discover facts about the world!

Save up and buy a Reverb. It has completely transformed my riding and made me glad I didn’t sell the bike that I thought I didn’t like.

I have absolutely no experience of any other post; however my riding buddies do and they have all sold their other brand posts and gone Reverb…it will go down as one of the best things to happen to MTB along with suspension and disc brakes.

IMHO :wink:

Apparently I’m standing alongside The Dalai Lama!!! :roll:

I had one of the original Anthems (80mm F and 90mm R)and rode it everywhere from Aviemore and Glentress to Dartmoor and the Alps as well as racing it at Mayhem, 24/12 and others and I loved it! I sold it because I was going to be off the bike for a while, had a great price from the buyer and wanted something with a bit more bounce.

I now own a Trek EX8 (120mm) and have had some issues getting to like the bike due to its more laid back angles. It’s only with the addition of a Reverb post that I’m beginning to get the most out of it. I’m still not sure I did the right thing going for the Trek but I’m sticking with it. As for the Anthem, it will go up and down more than you can imagine and you’ll have fun showing off riding rough things on the supposedly wrong bike!

Cheers. Will check out Strider tomorrow.

Mr Kip says he digs scars on chicks. I suspect mainly because I have the same collarbone scar as Prezet, although my plate shows up a treat. If I roll my shoulder forward right you can see the screw heads!!

Anyway, I was once told that scars are like tattoos but with better stories…I like that.

This thread has been really interesting especially as we’re looking at something for Toddler Kip. However, she’s following in the fine family tradition of being a bit of a shortie at 22months old but only 76cm tall. We had a massive wooden balance bike given to us that she loves trying to sit on and be pushed on but by the time she’ll reach the floor on that she’ll be about 4!

I’ve looked at all the links and bikes you’ve recommended but most seem too big. Her inside leg is about 11″ on her toes and the Puky is just too big, as is the Islabike and what seems like every other on the market (they all seem to start at 80cm at the least). Although the Strider bike looks interesting – is it likely to fit? Has anyone else had this issue and if so, what did you go for? We are pretty practical types and can adapt things if there’s scope for it.

We were in A&E last Wed morning as Toddler Kip (19 months) was messing around on the bed and turned strangely on her wrist. I swore I heard a crack, she screamed and wouldn’t let us near her arm…1.5hrs later she’s Calpoled up by triage nurse and happy as larry. No break, just a sprain but Dr told us we absolutely did the right thing as you can’t really tell with the little ones.

Go with your gut, and trust you know her better than your GP.Good luck, let us know what happens.

As for nursery sniffles, expect them every 2 weeks for the first winter then they have a solid immune system and shift most colds in 3 days. Toddler Kip has the immune system of a goat!!!

Whereabouts in Exeter? Just curious if there’s a location pattern. Will keep eye out but I’m sure you’re aware of the chances.

And yes, that Jo!

Oddjob:

Not all foods are equal, correct. Each type of food has a different calorific content per gram. So fewer grams of fat will give you more calories than the same grams of protein, however…any excess of calories will cause weight gain. If you eat more than you burn off you will gain weight, how is it any other way? Please explain. Cheers.

Oh, it did it all by itself!!!

The need for huge amounts of extra protein is an over rated myth when weight training, yes you need it for muscle repair and growth but most diets only need a slight increase. Beware of dropping your carb intake too much as this provides the most easily stored energy that your muscles need (glucose/glycogen). This page gives a nice bit of reading on the value of protein when training (but I’ve no idea how to clicky it, I teach PE not IT. Sarcasm and tea that’s my way!)

http://www.humankinetics.com/mediasvr/MarketingPDFs/Clark/Clark%20127-130.pdf

Energy balance goes thus:

Calories in = calories out = weight stays the same
Calories in > calories out = weight gain
Calories in < calories out = weight loss

Doesn’t matter where the calories come from (Fat, Carbs or Proteins), any excess is stored as fat.

Cheers for info, we have access to offers on train tickets so that’s not an issue. Luckily our event starts at 1.30pm (unluckily it’s at the Excel) so we have all day to get in. We are aware we have to give extra time due to “airport style security” at the venue and lots of people snarling up the transport (yup that’s us!).

We are also planning on staying on the West side of London, mainly to cut down on driving. Neither Mr Kip or I fancy a drive to the far side of London and Toddler Kip loves train journeys!

We are probably going to stay outside the M25 along the M4 corridor and have it as our main holiday. Any other ideas welcome :)

17 for me and 16 for Mr Kip. We’ll be off then…just the excuse we needed!

First time at BBB and only because Nacho told us about it. Toddler Kip (16 months) was filthy all weekend, probably ate a large amount of the pine tree floor, loved the hay bales and had a whale of a time!
We will be back next year but hopefully with more of us.
Please keep this as an ad-hoc family event…we loved the concept that a “race” would take place sometime on the day advertised but not necessarily at the time specified!
Hopefully scoot bike will be on the cards for Toddler Kip, we can’t wait :D
The only thing I’d like to see different is the lake jump…I would’ve loved to try it but I’m a big wuss (too many injuries create too much fear of pain!). The run-in really put me off and I’ve never done anything like it before. Perhaps a “training” session the day before or smaller jump for wusses like me to practice on?
All in all top time had by all though.
Cheers :)

You doubt what geoffj?

Just been on the Haldon site and looked at maps which took a bit of deciphering. I knew about most of the shared sections on the blue and ride fairly conservatively on them. I have a kiddie and often take the trailer out on the green and also don’t want “some pillock dangerously whizzing along” because it’s shared with the blue. But I don’t think that’s the point simon_semtex is making.

BTW he’s not the only one to use as a training route, I know of many who warm up on it before blasting the red.

The non-shared sections…I think that’s another matter especially as they are designated intermediate ability routes (although I’d let my little one along them on a scoot bike when she’s able).

I too ride at Haldon on the blue, red and cheeky trails. I find your answer interesting Yunki as I wasn’t aware that sections of the red and blue are walking trails as well (apart from the very start of both).

I think is down to both signage and the leaflet/trail guides that are supplied. I don’t think there is a single guide that includes all trails for all users, this then means that when I’m whizzing along on my bike I think I am the only type of user allowed on that trail.

I have encountered family groups on the red run though, the 3rd section of singletrack just after it crosses that dodgy corner where I desparately try to stay on line and not ride over the bloomin’ tree root! I was going pretty quick and had to slam on brakes as a 10ish yr old lad suddenly appeared around the corner, followed closely by mum and brother.

I’m a polite sort and nicely pointed out the error of their ways (more about direction than placement as one lad was on a bike)but did warn them that people do ride the route very quickly. They were lovely and turned around, no harm done.

Similar has happened elsewhere and to be honest I do now ride expecting someone to appear randomly around a corner!

However I also agree with simon_semtex in that we, as bikers, get all sorts of abuse from pedestrians on shared cycle tracks even when doing nothing wrong; so it’s a bit galling that it still happens when the track you are on is a cycles only track. It’s a no-win situation…we are scum (apparently)!!! :roll:

That’s the one. Cheers!

Fair play Jedi, I had to dig out the issue to find what was actually written and it seems that I have distilled the advice given a little too much :wink:

The pads/flats thing is to help reduce anxiety about getting hurt (and in fairness I swapped to flats and pads and it helped me ride a couple of sections I was struggling on). The diferent bike was about creating success so you had a positive riding experience over a section. I did the same but in reverse when I got my new full suss. I wasn’t used to the riding position and actually felt more confident on my hardtail. Once I’d sorted my lines on that I moved back to the suss and it all clicked.

On a final note, it does say that these are some techniques to help reduce anxiety and increase confidence, as opposed to teaching a particular riding skill.