Still happily wear black and yellow Fred Perry and DM’s. But then equally as happy to tell any person in the pub who wants to moan about their favourite right wing issues to me that they are in fact incorrect.

RNP must be doing overtime I’m usually home at 3:30.

Try a wiring loom. Connects battery direct to headlights so you get more power/brighter lights. Standard upgrade to do on T4’s whose headlights are like candles stuck to the bumper.

Lived on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula for 3 years lots of messing about on boats, biking, fishing beautiful place. I found Fort William our localtown a depressing dump in winter and never went if I could avoid it. Horses for courses and all that. Preferred Oban myself. Winters did me in and I left, still go back every year though.

Dirt bagging round Andalusia in my van shredding enduro trails and riding quiet mountain roads for a few months. Totally rad in my eyes old and rubbish to couple of 20 year olds I’ve ridden with who have far more skill than I’ll ever have, had. Off to work on a horse ranch for two weeks starting next week, grew up watching too many cowboy films. It’s never ending routine that does for you and you get old because you stop etc…..

Done that ride GPS is playing now Strava not, maybe free account doesn’t like it still got what I needed.

Not retired but sat waiting for Santander ferry in my van with two bikes in the back. Taken 3 months off to do it.

Longest trip was 18 months backpacking before I felt the need to return but would only do it with a vehicle or bike now.

Fancy bike touring South America but may learn to ride a motorbike and do it that way.

Get a vehicle you or the locals can bodge and fix!

Flats for uplift/downhilling.

SPD for everything else.

No where near as much fun without a purple om.

If it’s a huge outlay for a few weekends and one holiday a year I’d say no.

T4 owner and use it a lot as camper and bike bus at weekends. Used to be my works van now weekend use only. Heading to Europe in 2 weeks for a trip. French ULEZ so far is apply for a sticker 5 Euros job done.

Non ULEZ compliant vans will loose value as time goes there’s a pretty obvious price difference between Euro 5 and 6 now.

The conversion is useless unless vehicle is mechanically sound. Get a mechanic to properly inspect it if you don’t know your way around mechanics.

For minimal use I’d get an estate. Vans are great if you use them a lot if not it’s an expensive depreciating lump on your drive.

<p style=”text-align: left;”>30,000 a year to be a prison guard, no wonder they have staffing issues.</p>

A bust is on the way sooner or later. History repeating itself as always in construction.

Actually I retract my violence is not the answer statement, sometimes it is. In the 3 years leading to COVID our rampantly corrupt Labour council issued a licence for neo nazi groups from the NE to come and march in Liverpool on a Saturday. Lots of fighting with police trying to enforce the march and lots of trying to kick fascist heads in. The council only refused to issue a license when it was very visible to tourist and shoppers as a few hundred anti demonstrators fought mounted police and riot police and brought the Britain First march to an abrupt halt. More than happy to give up a Saturday and oppose it. Rise of extreme politics very third worldy.

Not in North West still busy and booming at least me and everyone I know.

Violence is not the answer really. The last big riots in the UK were a shopping spree unlike the political led ones in the late 80’s 90’s which I was happy to take part in. I’d place us as a second world country with worse infrastructure than most second world countries I’ve been in.

1. tthew that’s my coffee run ride at the weekend if I don’t go further afield.

Yep matt only for mist coats

Done local trains in Malaga with a bike no problem. Learn some Spanish, ticket guy who helped me turned out to be a big BMX fan. Doubt he’d be as helpful without me trying to help in his language!

I’m with the above. It’s my job as well!

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Breakdown cover is ok with Nationwide I appear to fit in all the small print. Thanks for suggestions may have to be cancel and renew.</p>

Current insurance is a few months old all online options appear to be 28 days can’t find 2 months worth!

It was the same when I lived out there 20 years ago. Mate just come back who left Queenstown due to lack of accomodation. Great spot though!

This is a follow on from another case where a drug dealer burst into someone’s house chasing another man and shot a child in the head by mistake. The mother wanted to make an impact statement to the murderer and he refused to come to the dock.

Would it make a difference, possibly to the parents whose lives are pretty much ruined for ever. Would it effect the guy who did it, I doubt it and don’t care my sympathy is with the parents.

Cable tie them to a chair and gag them, no kicking and screaming allowed. In the last two publicised cases recently of the guilty refusing to come into court the families wanted it to happen. It’s that opinion that counts not anybodies on here.

Absolutely if the family or families want it.

Give it a go, don’t t like it jump ship. I spent 3 years working and living on a dive charter boat all round the Hebredies and Norway. Had a great time,paid for my first house. In the happy position of being able to tell punters to **** off if they were being dicks.

Worked on refurb of super yachts in Palma, loads of money but rich people are essentially very dull and not much fun to work for. Paid for a few Heli biking trips in NZ so no complaints.

If you want to holiday with lots of cocaine private jets and airfields are how millionaires kids do it.

• Ah well interesting thoughts, only ever experienced it once in a place I have absolutely no connection to and was nothing to do with religion or spirituality for me or history. Reality or a brain fart going off. I guess I’d have to go back to the same place and see.

I’m my last house I just had an Asgard storage shed. I had 3 nice bikes in it and never worried. Yes you could bring a whizzer and wrecking bar and break in quite easily but it would be far easier to put a brick through the French doors and carry them out the house.

Scotroutes, what a great thing to have and is kind of close to my understanding of it though from my own experience it’s an actual set place that brings that experience rather than our memories and is a closeness to another “dimension”.

I appreciate it’s all a bit crystal mumbo jumbo vibe about it.

scotroutes agree on Iona I’ve been as used to live close by and it’s a very pretty island but that’s it.

“Thin” places and spooky are not the same. Graveyards are just dead people so not spooky unless you believe in zombies or vampires. You’ve kind of missed the point but never mind.

I do like prayer flags on mountain passes but that’s just a reminder of fun climbing trips.

<!–more–>

Change what you can don’t stress about what you can’t. Only checking on the news a couple of times a week helps. Enjoy the fact you are better off than probably 90% of the world’s population. Though that 90% may be heading to us if things carry on 🤷

Nothing to do with psychedelics I’d say, been there done that, great fun but not connected.

It was Ben Fogles Sacred Islands talking about it after a conversation with a friend that got me thinking.

Not a religious experience or any need for it to be a place of worship though if such places have been recognised why not pray to your God of choice there.

It’s the tangible feeling a doorway or alternate place is virtually within touch, I’ve only experienced it once but find it an interesting concept.

Mr Overshoot this must be fairly normal compared to previous chats!

Yep I get the stone circle idea and have visited lots but only thought interesting nice place and have spent months at a time in isolated remote places but again thoroughly enjoyed it but it was  no spiritual experience.

The Brick, sort of but no. Just the idea of a place being closer to the next step after death or another reality. Quite a common concept. No meditation or drugs required just the general feel of a place as a whole.

Stacked the wood store yesterday, booked the ferry to Spain.

Paid the mortgage off. Very liberating being mortgage free. Lots more holidays, less worry, can happily tell middle managers to get lost and leave me alone to do my job, sack me if you don’t like it.

Could have had a bigger pension but I like an active lifestyle and we’re all in a slow physical decline and gambling how long we will live for.

Spains great, heading to the Sierra Nevada for 2 months for gravel, DH, horse riding and drinking coffee watching the world walk by.

Crikey if you’re upset about fish wait till you find out we hunt poor people for sport.

Israeli bandage, new phone lead, don’t need anything else.

Horse box conversion, mates have done them self build to live in. VW’s etc too small for 4 people I’d say and I’m a big VW fan. I’m looking round for a new second hand <!–more–>van so self build all the way and taking my new VW cash to Spain to see about buying a house in the mountains. Loads more fun than sitting on a UK campsite!

I’ve got a half plot. Had loads of asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, onions and garlic this year. Onto courgettes, beans, tomatoes now. Squashes starting to grow, loads of spuds, I just chuck wonky ones in the ground to grow.
<p style=”text-align: left;”>Visit a couple of times a week for an hour or so.</p>