what to do with the results?

you heard about the premier content right? :wink:

Keva – this was around at least 12ish years ago when I was at school, so not because of urban dictionary, but still crap as you say

if you have the skills to back it up it's fine.

If you ride like an pansy, well, now you really look like one too!!! :D

crispedwheel – I'm happy to go middle man for you and send it under plain cover to the UK to get around customs for you; that is a silly charge for less than 20 quid of stuff. postage should only be a few dollars, but they do the insure etc hence it's $12 i guess.

let me know.

Be grateful you have work; I arrived in Aus, only really knew my partner, her family are out in the sticks, so I'd be at home alone, whilst she was at work, looking through the paper for jobs and doing the washing.

All I could think about was how it sucked at that moment. I had a few times when I looked at and considered applying for work back in the UK and giving up and coming back, even though it'd only been a month.

However, I finally found a job. Then made some friends. Then started to do stuff, cos we could afford to etc.

Be 4 years in May and I'll be claiming my Australian citizenship (Dual – can't give up the maroon passport or the ability to heckle when we win the rugby/cricket/etc!!), we have a cool little place near the beach, biking has become 'my thing' (as not much in the way of skiing in Adelaide), and a little one on the way. Went home for the first time back in May and realised that as great as London is, the chilled pace of a smaller town is, overall, much better. I am way less stressed and generally happier for it.

I still miss things at times, but I can get marmite, soreen and decent beer, I just have to look a little harder which makes it worth it. And Skype, Facebook etc means I keep in touch probably more so than I would if I was 'at home' anyway.

I even just got organised enough that I bought Chr***mas cards to send back to Blighty this w/end; just got to remember to write and send them now!!

one reason (in league) is the U20 league down here; the kids coming out of school can only play in this feeder league if they are in fulltime education or working; no specific training can be done between 9am and 4 pm; they get looked after by the club, but not getting $1000's/week at 18 before they have actually done something in the game to warrant it. It certainly means that they focus and don't get distracted by FHM girlfriends as much as some of the younger players do in the Barclay's Primadonna League, for example…

Also, there is the expectation to win. You know about it because there aren't 3 days until another game comes along and so you can't just 'move on'. The players know about the criticism they come under and so do something about it.

Further to that, less games at the apparent highest level overall are played so the players are fresher; not as much of a rush to get back for the next game in 2 days time or whatever. the season gentley builds up in intensity; a pre-season cup tournament in AFL for example, before the league starts, not trying to compete in 3 comps at once like ERC, Guinness Prem/Magners/French super 10 and the Anglo-Welsh/French Cup in Union, all of which end at the same time of year; basically the management of the seasons and competitions is much better for the players.

A good example is how the Aussie cricket team are a bit vulnerable at the moment. Becasue most of the big names went to IPL when usually they would have downtime and a rest period, suddnely there is talk of too much cricket being played and a need to protect the players from that etc.

Also, skills seem to be a bit more of a focus than the gym junky culture in the contact sports in Europe, just like Simon Shaw stated a few weeks back. being fit and strong to compete is one thing, but what is the point of winning that contest if you then can't execute once in possesion of the ball? This starts at kiddies level stuff; the schools cricket and various Footy codes is all about the skills, not the glory or the bosh factor.

So, the Kiwi's made it!!

What price that somehow FIFA get them into the same pool as Australia for a bit of spice?

Arc'teryx do long options, but are more expensive. Worth it though, awesome gear.

agreed, yet to run the battery all the way down (outside of solo's, don't need 6hr burntime as I can go home and charge them).

There are no brighter etc but they are great for what I do, I don't feel I need anymore than this. I tend to use the two 3hrs batteries so I have a smaller one on the bars too.

I am more than happy and down here in Aus, there are an awful lot of them around – not sure how you could beat the value you get with them without building your own.

have to admit I love my DS; one of the cool things is re-living my childhood and playing tetris and Mario etc

Boringly, my current house (as in clear the mortgage). Do the same for immediate family; maybe some intrest free loans to the others, but not bank rolling them all – where do you otherwise draw the line?

Then a bloody big plot of land and employ a trail crew to do the grunt work for me.

Then build a new super dooper house on said land, that I would have had time to think about and help design.

Then another place in the 'proper' mtns – Alps of Rockies, maybe both.

Few bikes, skis etc.

But to be honest, I could only get to about 20-25million with investments etc and then they'd be enough to live more than comfortably on for the rest of my life.

So, I'd give away the rest; although it would be hard to work out who to give it to over another.

My first lesson, the instructor drove me to quieter area, traffic wise, then I was in the driving seat. Every other lesson, I drove from beginning to end IIRC

Then I didn't actually end up getting my license as I packed it all in; half a year in london, half in the US meant that tax and insurance and MOT were prohibitively expensive and working in central London meant public transport mon-friday anyway!

However, if my Dad had actually taken me driving, I think I would of progressed much quicker and passed, but having a lesson and then not driving for a week until the next one wasn't overly helpful; it's definitely practise, practise, practise; even as a learner, you can listen to the instructor talk theory whilst driving…

@ coffeking – that is indeed what I told my wife when she brought the subject up; it hasn't been raised again – think I'm now safe from that potential embarrasment!!

jon1973 – but it's why you keeping coming back isn't it? be honest… ;)

coffeeking – fair enough; but a lot of the time it seems to be more of the 'buy my unborn baby stuff' variety; that is more what is pushed in the trashy womens mags my wife very occasionally buys and the girls at work read too often!!!

But Coffeeking, it used to be that when you get the baby home people come and see mum and baby and maybe bring teddy or something, if interested.

Now, it's organised and people are invited; it's like bullying your friends in to buying you baby gifts. I think that is pretty weak sauce, to be honest.

(don't mention the war..!)

Ooooh and what if your feeling run down, do people operate a 'not fit enough to ride not fit enough to work policy'. I sometimes feel that riding in crap weather will guarantee the onset of a cold (when already feeling run down)

I find by riding in I am healthier = less illness; sitting on the train with some random next to you blowing their nose whilst another sneezes over you – that is a recipe for getting ill.

I don't even have a full driving license (although in the middle of changing that) so don't have the option; even if I did, bugger all parking near work and no way of making the drive to my work pleasant; a bunch of crappy busy roads whichever way I try to work it.

Only advantage to driving in I can see is putting the bike in the back and going to some decent trails for a good ride before going home!!

I've managed to put the wife off of having one…so far. I think they are pretty rubbish to be honest – as pointed out above, a 'made up celebration'.

Oh and the Americans didn't pull us out of a hole, per se, in 1944; It got to the point that they couldn't keep ignoring the threat posed to themselves any longer (the idea of the Japan on one side and a totally occupied Europe on the other wasn't appealing, obviously, so selfishly – yes, it was selfish first and foremost – they decided to enter the fray) and thus, assisted an economic ally; remember most of their assistance was initially in provision of materials, way before they sent troops in. Also, the timing was futher influenced by the fact that economically they couldn't sustain a war in the early part of the war (Great Depression, New Deal, etc), and also the ever rising threat from Japan to their west, which would truly isolate them if left unchecked.

However, none of this is to say that their was not a sigh of relief when the Yanks joined in on our side, I'm sure.

A shame that they don't hold off a bit more these days…

I'm sure someone will find fault in the above, but whatever, already waaaayyyyy off topic.

I blame the yankification being brought upon us by baby showers… ;)

Mon-Thurs; Road in and back, Friday is MTB in and out as I finish early and can make it worthwhile, add in an MTB ride on one of the w/end days.

However, at the moment, Fridays are Road too as I have the Tour Down Under "punter ride" in Jan so getting a few extra road miles in.

Fitting the riding in is quite easy; it's actually having the recovery time that is hard and is what prevents me from riding more.

@Fettler – is that on the 100mile road from WA across to SA? if not, where is it? been pondering a ride from Adelaide to Perth if I can swing it time-wise, so very much intrigued….

And back on topic; I'm so gonna get a roadie cap and wear it under my peaked MTB helmet just to confuse the crap out of both MTB and Road riders!!! Hopefully I can find a pink tartan one to make it look even more gash…

Adelaide; we actually get seasons, hence the need for a more wintery tread at times, although you lot certainly don't miss out on rain…though not a fan on monsoons!!! ;)

Coming down for Nationals?

used 2.1 medusas down here in Aus this winter; worked great. Have a long road commute to the trails and they are in an old quarry and found them great despite what folks have said about being less than great on tarmac and damp rock and squirmy on hard pack trails.

Then again, I'm light (65kgs/10 and a bit stone), so dunno enough that has something to do with it

agree with the credit card stuff; also worth setting your limit on them to help to that end. They may offer you 2k limit, but do you really need it? it is there to encourage you to spend which is not what you want to do – drop it to a 'reasonable' level; there are very few instances when you need more than 1k in 'emergency' credit, so why have a higher limit? if/when you NEED to up that limit, your rating will still likely have gone up to allow you to up it.

ALWAYS over pay debt when you can; focus on the small ones first – eg if you have a credit card that gets paid until zero; then a car or education loan, then the mortgage. The chances of you paying off a 250k mortgage in say, 5 years, are next to zero, but paying off a 20k car loan in that time – and not therefore not paying interest and fees on it – is very do-able.

Mortgage wise; always be able to pay it, but don't worry overly about it – paying it off in itself is not the point per se; having a home that is worth enough that when you do finally downsize again after having had your own family etc you will/should be able to pay it out.

set up a pension plan of some sort ASAP once working and always pay into it; standing order as mentioned above is a good way to do this. even 20 quid a week will be a lot of money for retirement when you've worked 40 odd years, especially once you add any interest back in. The days of the Govt taking care of you with an OAP are over TBH

Oh, and although advisers may not be independent, go see one every couple of years; they are usually at least up to date on the products available, a chunk of which you may not otherwise hear or know about. It may be you need to change nothing; but an hour of your time can pay off significantly if you do find out something useful.

me and the wife have found our Furi's to be good; great "feel" from a personal point of view, dunno where they sit with all the above mentioned stuff.

but no way should they be the "sole" xmas present; if you buy her them, they should be a "stocking filler" not "it".

@jojoA1 – as my wife very nearly found out in Italy this year!

The barista asked her again with a puzzled look if she wanted just milk – as an Aussie with very limited foreign language skills, she looked to me for help only to find me biting my knuckles trying not to laugh!! Fortunately she saw the funny side; and didn't make that mistake again for the rest of the week.

There was a very good interview I read ages back with a Quebecois who wanted to know what the deal was with "taking a s**t" (it was in relation to many of his American colleagues stirring him up about his English when he was first learning) – says much about how barstardised the English language is!

Call them out when you see it; it amazing how a little peer pressure and embarrasment will sometimes be enough.

I was stopped at a red on a busy main road at a pedestrian crossing. A roadie (in full team kit on an expensive carbon jobbie ie someone who theoretically should know what is up/better) comes past me, weaves pedestrians etc. I abused him for being stupid and inconsiderate as he did it. The lights went green, I caught up and so at the next light he actually did stop. Another little chat, let him go back into TT mode off up the road. But he stopped at all the reds up the road, for as long as he stayed on it. Seen him a few time since and he still seems to stop at reds now.

Filtering…if the traffic is stationary and you can get by and more clearly into a drivers field of vision, then its calculated risk. If we're talking left turn lane in moving traffic then fully agree don't be surprised if they turn across you.

But overall, mk1fan hit the nail on the head.

I've been practising/trying to manual and wheelie for a while now (with a fairly solid focus – rather than just slacking off and cruising on easy quiet bits of my ride) and whilst nowhere near consistent, it is fully the weight shift that is needed, not "pulling up" per se; it's pretty similar to the weight shift you use to get the front wheel over a log or up a step, but sort of over emphasised.

I found that it came on heaps after concentrating getting my front wheel cleanly up a curb or similar for a while – it gets the unweighting of the front wheel to become a comfortable feeling. Then take that and push the envelope more (and fall of the back a bunch!) until you find the balance point.

Maintaining the balance point is the hard bit and seems to be just practise, practise, practise. Which I've not done enough of yet!!!

Make sure you are in an easy gear too; being able to have that accelaration to drive the feet under the hips towards the bars helps ridiculously for both manuals (half to one revolution of the cranks then balance) and wheelies (continually pedalling)

However, from that I'm starting to be able to bunny hop better now too, although I'm sure I "cheat" a bunch with SPDs

***And for the spelling pedants :lol: it is practise with an 's' – the US version is with 'c'

sounds of it, yes, you were lucky.

remove the tyres, get some when you get here; way easier than proving disinfectant has been used etc, and give the rest of the bike a thorough clean. being an island, it is the thought of pests getting brought in to the country that aren't currently present that has them worried. all the crap that tyres may've been through is what they look for; doesn't mean that they won't make you have to get the bike cleaned by them, but they are pretty good about it overall, especially if you make some effort to start with!

The 12 months new thing – you'll be stupidly unlucky to get pinged on this if it's in personal luggage; bring in 20 tee shirts the same with tags on, they may think you are going to sell them on and are trying to avoid paying duty. pretty commonsense TBH; they'll only drag you on this if you have something else dodgy going on and then they hit you with everythign they can, same as UK.

Poor Skye Not just having a chavtastic name…

Oi! The wife's name is Skye!!!! Although, I might show her the link and she loves taking the piss out of chavs, so should get a reaction!

skydive
go to south america

done most of the others I've thought of…but I keep thinking up new ones!

not yet on "the list", but getting close to qualifying;
build own house – not pay someone to do it, actually do it myself.
work for myself – starting to get the necessary skills/qualifications I feel I need to do this.
hmm… some more that may get there yet I'm sure.

my wife ticks all; but remember the word you used; compromise?

shared values – for the majority, yes; but when combined with enough intelligence, doesn't have to be every sinlge value as you can discuss and agree to disagree and move on if needs be

job; she does now if by that you mean well paid and she is happy doing it; not necessarily so when we met (both in retail at that point!)

There is a lot of growing you do together and these ticks probably become more emphasised as this happens, compared to when you first meet.

Personally, though, smart, hot with shared ambition/interest would be the criteria I'd use to evaluate if, God forbid, I had to do so again!!!

make sure you use the gears to your advantage and in plenty of time; as above spinning an easier gear and going "slower" initially but being able to keep it up and then ride on once the climb is done is much more easily achieved if it's your lungs that have to recover, rather than your leg muscles.

I guess the question is then, which language and where would you go?

I've lived in the mountains and its amazing, but does have very seasonal work due to its nature; not sure if it'd be any better therefore.

Wouldn't see much point in moving from say London to Paris or Berlin as too similar lifestyle wise – if it were me, I'd want the job and a preferable lifestyle if going to that much effort.

Ho-hum…

doesn't affect me being in Australia, but what are the job prospects like for non-locals in Europe who don't speak the local dialect (in relation to these 'ordinary' jobs you speak of)?

working…but rode in, will ride home albeit road.

In general;
Becoming an expectant father.
About to start my qualification for massage which should help get me out of the office sh1t kicker position I seem to find myself in at present.

Bike related;
Petitioning for access to trails.
Building trail.
Pushing myself to do stuff that I used to talk myself out of – one more thing to overcome (steep roll-ins, in particular with a short, techy run out…) enough to ride, then I can focus on getting cleaner and I'll be stoked!
Getting a few maps ordered to start trying to piece together some big rides.

oh and ground effect do some i think…

without a pad – have you tried looking at the outdoor/climbing brands? I have a pair of Arc'Teryx climbing tights, midcalf, no pad, great for cool weather riding.

just upped from 15km/9.4miles to a new route of 18.5km/11.6miles, twice a day, every day. But probably only 50m change in elevation, so not too bad, but along the coast is often windy as, so not always easy riding into a headwind alone…

Road/commuter monday to thursday, friday I finish early, so will ride the MTB in then head the opposite way from home to the hills for a lap of the trails before riding home; that can make for a 60km/37.5mile ish day.

then throw in a ride or two over the w/end (usually a decent MTB, maybe a gentle road recovery ride, although often the recovery is a long beach walk or sea swim in the summer when the ocean is warm enough for variety and to get a break from the bike) and I easily get over the 200km/125mile mark for a week. Does take a bit of getting used to, but through gentle, progreessive overload I'm getting a heap stronger, fitter, more comfortable on the bike which is good as long rides are what interests me, not short, sharp racey bursts a la XC racing.

Fat Elvis – thanks for supporting MY local economy with the reisling; out of interest who was it from Sevenhills? intrigued to know what is available back in the Olde Country to direct friends to.

Joolz – mmmmm…Kleftico… been far too long since I've been to Greece and had that. If the Wife wasn't Veggie, I'd jump on that recipe!!

For us, Veggie Bolognaise with Gluten Free Spaghetti; about to head to the Bottl-O/Offie to ponder the local microbrews for inspiration.