Anyone managed to do a successful “stink-palm” in real life, and if so, to who & why?

Anyone ridden anything in Montana or Wyoming?

Card Sharp

Enjoyed geograph, TJ. Not seen that before, thanks.

Thanks for all the advice chaps. Sounds not dissimilar to the waggonways we have round here in the NE England then. Cinder tracks- some that’s been sanitised to tarmac and some that is just being left to deteriorate.

I’m probably going to take my 29er, good for the long miles and tough enough for the rough stuff. We are going to do N to S so we finish in Glasgow. People to meet us there and easier for everyone to get back home all over the country for work the next day.

Any more cake advice? I foresee much cake being eaten. And espresso based beverages…

We’re thinking gathering during day at Inverness. Then having a shorter afternoon ride to Boat of Garten / Aviemore once everyone’s arrived.. Further over nights at Pitlochry then Callendar before finishing in Glasgow. Sound like a reasonable way to break the trip up?

Looks like there’s always a road alternative for my skinny wheeled friends, though.

1/ Night ride. Stood in a pothole covered by leaves whilst getting over a stile within 100m of the start. Thought just badly sprained ankle so, after 5 minutes of being blinded by helmet lights, I persuaded everyone to get on with the ride, I then realised I was going to have to crawl back to my car and drive home 1footed. When I finally MTFU’d enough to take off my sealskin sock, the ankle swelled to melon size PDQ. 18 months it took to get fixed after MRIs confirmed 2 knackered ligaments and I needed ankle reconstruction surgery, physio, roadbiking, bike theft and finally back out mountain biking .

2/ Lost front wheel whilst airborne on Morzine downhill. Learning points: bolt thru is king; Met Parachutes are stronger than they look; even if you buy the same size the next day, your head won’t fit in it if it’s that swollen; chicks love guys with 2 black eyes; the kids in the swimming pool don’t (I’m sure the speedos the frenchies made me buy to go in the pool didn’t help either?)

And in the last month…
3/ bars too wide for gap in fence misjudgement
4/ new bike lighter so wheelie onto camelbak in Glentress carpark

I am not a riding god

+1 Caol Ila
+1 Ardbeg
Also consider Lagavulin (16yr good) and Bunnahabhain.

Agree Highland Park is overrated. IMO its a Mondeo of whiskies.

02 Rav4 192000 miles from new. Legen-wait for it-dairy! Can’t beat Japanese reliability can you?
Never needed nuffink doing. Won’t die no matter how bored of looking at it’s dashboard I get.

Remove 1 seat and it takes 3 riders and their bikes on the inside. The newer ones seem less agricultural and I’m not so sure they are as versatile though.

Touring over here in the spring sometime too…

When mine were nicked, rang Thule and they sent me some free replacements with a suggestion that I give a few quid to the charity of my choice.

Was impressed with that attitude, have they now stopped doing that?

I’m average. I specialise in mediocrity with an interest in apathy.

Somehow got it into my head that the Hub at Glentress was having it’s last weekend today (maybe I dreamt it). Drove up from Newcastle at 7 am with 2 semi-reluctant mountain bikers, and me with my now fixed again hand (after a 4 month lay off after being hit by a car) to say goodbye and end the year on a bit of a high.

Turns out none of us was that reluctant at all: great day, reasonable weather for December, red and blue loops at pace. Turns out new cafe has great food and excellent facilities. And getting to have a warm shower before drive home was awesome. Sorry to see the Hub boarded up but that’s life… Everything changes.

There is however, no way that I am going to last until midnight.

8×3:

Swim bike run
Hit by car
Knocked off bike
Helmet saved life
I just know 😉
Lost my fitness
Back on track
Swim bike run

I’ve got a carbon one and I love it. Built it up with discount XX from on-one too (brakes and revelations), XO drivetrain, and Flows on Hope Pro2s. Oh and a reverb. About 25lbs. Getting hold of the right headset was a pig at the time I bought mine.

Come from alu Stumpys (2006 then 2010 – both stolen!) but not missing the “brains” at all. Climbs well even without adjusting the shock. Seems really light – fast acceleration. Nice fast / responsive steering. The Revs are 150mm rather than the recommended 140 travel, whilst slackens it a touch but head angle probably still a touch steep. On-one were murmuring about a slackset which I’d probably try, but haven’t seen any sign of yet though they now are starting to get a few in for their own range.

Sizing is something to consider. I’m 5,10 and a bit. Medium Stumpy was just right but I seem to remember it was a large FTM that I went for.

Fresh Meat
Misfits
Dexter s6 (OMG!)
Walking Dead
Friday Night Dinner
The Slap

Also just seen first few eps of Breaking Bad and does seem v promising.

It’s defo a tarsier. Seen the freaky little fellas in the wild in Bohol in the Phillipines.

Mrs Doubleu’s Dad is a vet, so she was insistent that Jeff, our Bernese Mountain dog, be on Hill’s Science Diet.

Gave him pretty loose bowels though periodically. Not had a problem since we tried a few others and eventually settled on Purina Pro Plan. I guess Jeff must have doggy IBS… You nay be better off finding one that suits your dog rather than fixing on a particular brand.

That is sick.

I have the Lezyne one. It’s shiny and does what’s supposed to. Best portable pump I’ve used.

Finally got my 15 yr old ones done recently, old air titaniums with wire rims. They’d been well abused and even posted surface mail back from Europe when left in a hotel, survived with no padding. Had to sign a disclaimer to get them reglazed- ie wire might break, but it didn’t and now they’re good as new.

Bought a new set of rimless, which I promptly broke within 3 months then got reglazed no bother.

So you should be fine.

Anodised brown bike. No wash.

I’m sure just before it was stolen, it was the dirt holding it together.

25 mile pootle out to Tynemouth for coffee and back. First ride on new road bike. First ride since RTA that smashed last bike and me! Mainly stayed away from traffic. Nice n sunny. Panno choc with latte – all good. 🙂

I really like them. Have 3! One mini one for compact camera and 2 are SLR models. Just got surplus one for my birthday… Didn’t have the heart to tell them I already had one.

Selling that. Boxed, unopened. £25 posted if any wants. Email in profile.

Mike

I don’t use anything other than a ziplock bag by you got me thinking…

http://www.pelican-case.com/i1015.html

I’ve always found the bigger ones of these pretty bomb proof.

I thought CRB was for working with vulnerable people too. Not sure how much it counts for abroad.

I had to get one of these:
http://www.acpo.police.uk/NationalPolicing/ACROCriminalRecordsOffice/PoliceCertificates.aspx
when Mrs Doubleu was going to work in Canada and I was going to sponge off her (didn’t end up going so I’m still just average at biking and boarding).

Nowt. PJs for hospital only.

Tempted by an old school nightshirt though if it’s another proper winter… Where the hell would I get one from in this day and age?

Work 40 hours each week over 4 days- with no guaranteed breaks at all – it depends on workload. Can usually scrape 20 minutes for lunch. Have to do a bit of research / training on top of that to keep up to date. Work an extra overnight 8 hour shift approximately every fortnight – it’s well paid – and I think of this as the bike / holiday fund.

CRC didn’t have the hub I wanted in, but I went ahead and ordered anyway. Estimated time 2 weeks and I was in no hurry as they were for a build I hadn’t even started.

Hadn’t turned up by week 3 so I gave them a ring. The customer services guy was ace. Saw that the hub was now in stock so he went down to wheelbuilding to see what the situation was then rang me back within 15 minutes. The result: my wheelset moved from pending to top of build list and I had wheels 48 hours later.

Still running true. Ace service even though it needed a call to hurry things along.

Agree that most mags are a waste of money… and time (take no time to read and most of that is flicking through all the ads!)

Dirt has the best photography. ST not far behind for photos and travel stuff is inspirational. I find privateer a bit cliquey… It’s all about how cool MTB was back in the day and if you’re a johnny come lately you can just do one.

The Ride Journal though is my favourite by far. The scope of its writing is excellent, from vastly different contributors and sub-genres of cycling. You can get issues 1 and 2 off their website as free PDF downloads if you want a taster.

Phonecall from friend’s sister:
“I’m worried I’ve got a puncture”
“How bad is it? Is it completely flat?”
“No, not that bad, there’s plenty of air in the top half”

Haruki Murakami is one of my favourite authors. Hopeful that Mrs Doubleu has bought me 1Q84 books 1, 2 & 3 for my birthday.

Norwegian Wood gets me every time.

I am a GP and currently having hand physio! So it does exist. I’ve broken my ring finger (volar plate fracture through the joint) but the middle finger that wasn’t broken has a very similarly limited range of movement and I’m getting the same treatment on that.

It’s now 5 months since your accident so physio will find it harder to get it going but is surely worth trying. There may not be a hand unit at your local hospital but there will be one nearby. Options for referral would include
1/ hand clinic itself (you have described an ongoing flexion deformity- but with no fracture and no effect on daily activities the surgeons are unlikely to intervene)
2/ what’s been said above: referral to a more specialist physio / hand clinic. Below might help you find your “local” unit.
http://www.hand-therapy.co.uk/regional-networks/regional-networks.html

If you find out what’s available nearby, then go in with a “I’d like a referral here” attitude, the GP would have to give you a good explanation as to why that wasn’t appropriate, it may just be that the GP wasn’t aware of this service if it isn’t that local.

It may be very cold: go prepared. Cape Cod is worth a mooch and Provincetown has a nice mellow vibe but is a long drive to get there. Salem (of witch trials “fame”) was interesting and I had “Scallops and chips” there in a seaside restaurant: amazing- lightly battered and I got more scallops than chips (about fifty!)

Used to get it in quads,hams and adductors, sometimes all at the same time. I’m a “salty sweater” – always loads of salty residue when sweat dries. Wondered if that’s why I got it so bad?

Longer lycras when really cold helped, but ELETE additive helped completely settle this.

Having said that, now much less problem now I’m fitter so I’m sure thats part of it too.

I have to say that the one thing that “pleased” me about the whole incident was the seriousness with which the police took it. None of the “only a cyclist” or “he was asking for it, being on the road” shizzle that I was expecting. They took it seriously and once they had witness statements “were on the side” of the cyclist… it might help that they do their beat on bikes round here sometimes (with helmets, bike ones not just tits)

Met parachute- correct. Can be worn with or without chin-guard. Not using as interferes with camelbak use when mountain biking.

Wore chin guard on previous Met that “literally” saved my face in The Alps. (That’s a whole other story involving a QR that came undone whilst airborne… and also I’ve had 4 bikes stolen in that last year too… I think I might give this game up… work colleague was just about to get himself a bike in the sales but when his wife saw this helmet, he came home to find an iPad and pair of slippers had been bought for him with bike cash)

I can understand the public health argument. Helmets put people off cycling, they are than fatter than they would be otherwise (contentious argument in its own right) and suffer more ill health than they would otherwise.

That is the population based argument… however on an individual basis the helmet probably saved my skull on this occasion (no, TJ I am not prepared to act out some sort of freakish control experiment where I rig up the same crash without the helmet – you however are welcome to). The personal choice argument is a bit naff: as one’s actions clearly affect others: the widow you leave behind (financially cheap but emotionally costly option), the NHS bill thats higher since I’m on ward drinking through a straw for 6 months, the witness who has flashbacks about holding my brains in Jackie-O style and the driver who gets a more severe sentence, loses job, wife and kids.

I’m loaning out my smashed lid to concerned mothers for their kids to take to show and tell at school. I’m sending it with the slogan “Wear a helmet – don’t be one”

I’m presuming you’re doing Coast and Castles South or are you doing the whole thing to Aberdeen? Just the Newcastle to Edinburgh route? That’s the best direction to do it in IMHO.

We did it in 3 days this spring to avoid the Royal Wedding and stayed nights at Bamburgh (stayed at Sunningdale – beds too soft but good brekkie, bikes locked in outbuilding) and Melrose (Station Hotel- central, reasonably friendly, bikes locked in a breakfast room after our arrival until next morning).

As far as the route-finding went. Only 2 sections caused us any problems. Entry into Blyth – presumably because of stolen / turned signs. And exit from Berwick, missed Right turn about a mile out of town.

Our day 2 was “hardest” but good rolling countryside. Our group was a mix of roadies, hybrid, 26 and 29ers. Only the roadies struggled with route and had to skip coastal parts on days 1 and 2 (some of the best scenery and most interesting trails).

The hills after Innerleithen on way over to Edinburgh weren’t as bad as feared and were “neutralised” by a good feed at the Whistle Stop Cafe beforehand in Innerleithen. Another good cafe on the route was in Kelso (not sure of the name but just south of the main square ?called horse market) and when staying in Melrose we walked over the chain bridge to Gattonside for a slap up meal at Chapters Restaurant (excellent but expensive).

Thanks all. Not going to try and make the hole bigger in the carbon frame!! Still waiting to hear back from On-One… the man I need to speak to is on his lunch (gets a very long lunch, it seems).

Dont thinks the alligators will fit any better, anyone use them? It would be an expensive trial unless anyones got a little left over I could try for size?

1×10 might be the way to go I suppose. Just dropped from 3×9 to 2×10 so might try 1×10 when/if the reverb arrives.

Mike