National Mining museum.  It’s great for kids as well us older kids.

@jamesoz its just the way it is in Swaledale. There is no rush.

I’ll ask the winder but I suspect is because he wears a knackered Garmin.

When you are at the event remember the roads are open and busy at times. There have been a couple of close calls by riders old enough to know better. There are those in our area who don’t like the Ardrock being here, so a bit of road sense and being polite to those not on bikes really helps.

Have a good time and if you must hurt yourself, do it racing the stages and not with a car.

Get off the ferry in Cherbourg and turn left. Follow the coast road down, do not miss St Vaast la Houge (cafe La Port has great food), going in land at St Mare Eglise towards Chef Du Pont, then just ride all over the Cotentin peninsula. If you go over to the west coast Barneville-Carteret are good. The whole of the area is full of small roads little villages and small towns often with little campsites. Places to eat are often simple and superb. Bricquebec is great beautiful. Cotentin is a Parc Naturel and full of history.

Enjoy.

Since my predictions for yesterday were as for out as its possible to be i’ll not be suggesting anything. some of the performance are outstanding, incredible and I hope believable.

What a tour already!

thanks crazy-legs and NBT today.

Epic yesterday, I’d have thought that there may be some complaints from the teams to the organisers about putting cobble stages in the tour, particularly after yesterday. Mind you I think that every year that they have an epic on the cobbles. the riders certainly earned there money yesterday.

Reckon today there will complaints all round if any riders try to force another day desperate ridding. So I shall suggest a break getting away without anyone to worry about but who knows.

brilliant, great ride and a pleasure to watch. Its about time we got a it of XC success given the talent we have around.

Skidz is for kidz.

Been following the dots then going out to encourage as they passed. Just so impressed with them all but that Chris chap is Really stunning. The distance he put in with hours after the Dale’s Bike Centre check point amazed me.

John Cooper Clark

Thanks Lunge, much appreciated. Another year gone.

What a great finish again, I’m a Cav fan all over again. Its like being under 60 all over again.
Having listened to him say he is just happy to be there and have the chance. I’m just going to enjoy watching what happens with my fingers crossed. You have got to love him.

Were can I follow what he is doing?

@joefm Spot on!

I cannot tell a lie, I cried. What a pleasure to see.

@lorax, thanks for the further links. Spot on with the “they’re all playing the same game”

That BBC link I gave helped me be more understanding of how we are mislead and a little more forgiving of those that fall for all the lies. the background history of the way industries lie to us was interesting. We consistently fall for it, including governments and politicians. Every time its the same play book.

What I really find insidious, is the way that educated (doctors, scientists etc) people are slowly drawn into defending industries by having there personal positions compromised, initially without them noticing (they get groomed i think), they then have to defend a position they would not necessarily have taken. The pharma industry is particularly good at this.

I’m starting to sound a bit tin foil here but having worked in industry for years I have seen how easy (initially innocently) it is to defend the indefensible.

@lorax thanks for linking that article, really useful. You could interchange tobacco for oil or plastic’s industries, also the anti climate change lobby (I know thats oil but not exclusively).
As soon as I hear an industry person say “its complex” or “its down to individuals”, I know the industry in question is lying to protect its self and its profits, no matter what the human cost.

I’d recommend “Super Size Me” the documentary thats as relevant today as when it was made about the fat/obese debate. McDonalds hated it.

Also for those on here who think “its complex” or “its down to individuals”, you are the product of successful lobbying (as am I) of the industries that only have their own interests at heart. Have a listen to this:
BBC Radio 4 – How They Made Us Doubt Everything
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000l7q1

its depressingly illuminating and fascinating to learn how we are being lied to constantly, you might as well have “we are stupid” tattooed on our foreheads. Thats how we are being treated by household name companies and whole industries.

@lunge, I’d appreciate the TdF daily up date, really enjoyed your efforts in the past. Thanks in advance

@rsl1, I’d write to Feedback for a moan about not challenging Freeman but as a regular listener, I know they’d attempt some shytty defence then try make me look like the grumpy nutter that I am (I believe you youngsters would call me thick bacon), what would be the point?
The anti cyclist damage is done.

Question, are lawyers allowed to knowingly tell untruths, especially whilst be listened to by hundreds of people? Or is just the same as their day job but a bigger audience?

Goes of to mumble some more at the BBC.

Just listened to that Freeman guy tell us that there are thousands or injuries a day caused by cyclist. I know lies and fraud are a regular BBC offering these days but a least a challenge to his claims should have been made Nick Robinson

Greenland paddle. Make your own.
Easy on the shoulder and wrists, lovely things to use. At one time very niche but now becoming more popular

Have a look at what they did in Rhayader.
I believe Clive Powell was involved from Elan Cyclery. The track there is brilliant

I lusted after a Trimble, especially if painted in tiger stripes. Remember seeing one close up at the Man v Horse one year, ride by a now deceased journalist of these parts. that’s as close as I got. An alpinestars Ti-mega was on my target list at one point, perhaps a Nishiki Alien, loved em.

I sold my 4th RC200 with carbon fork RC30? for £900 in about 2011 ish. I loved those frames but my body was rejecting its ride, fast but stiff. I had a set of the forks fail and dump me in the road, I never fully trusted the Pace stuff again. Shame.

Joe’s presence has been noted int dale.

What’s needed is an S410

There is a well established Independence Party for the north. It’s called the Yorkshire Party. Freedom for Yorkshire and it better be cheap.

as a person of a certain age who was set free by punk rock a secret love of:

Greenslade and the drummer Andy McCulloch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itf4CtBsIww

Has anyone mentioned Kieth Moon yet?

Isn’t it fantastic, a refurb.
Make a change to see this type of kit not being seen as a throw away item. Refurb kit is the way forward in this wasteful world.

Why would anyone trust children, they are here to replace you.

Valloop.com

At the moment you’ll need £100k though.

Look at Triodos Banks funds.

spot on cody.

Circularcomputing.com

They may be able to help

Well that was just what I needed given what’s going around us all. I wish them well, where did I leave me hanky.

That was brilliant, always thought he was one of the good guys. Loved his bike.

They have no one young enough to want to carry the business on, no apprentices or trainee’s over a number of years. You would know this if you picked up the phone and asked (Brant, I did) as I was hoping help. They made the decision and they are all retiring, its a shame. Agree the name must be worth something though not slapped onto a frame made in asia. The Bob jackson frame has to be built by some grumpy Yorkshire bloke to extract the full value, sort bloke that thinks answering emails is not important as getting the torching done.

“Why does UK manufacturing / engineering always blame the youth? Go down on almost any shop floor and you’ll find a bunch of old guys banging on about apprenticeships but if anyone shows any interest they get given to the most miserable person down there who effectively says “I hate my job, work hard for the next 40 years and you’ll hate it too”.
Also why do the same people think the business plan of “we’ve been doing it 50 years, lets not change” show surprise that no one wants to buy their stuff.”

This is so not true of much of the UK’s manufacturing, there are some around but any manufacturing company that wants to get on know they need youngster coming through. Its hard at times but you need to work on getting the right people employed and not waste time on the wrong people.

Customer service has never been their strong point, tried them a couple of times but never found them interested in sale.

Whats the car behind the bit of carbon?

Have a look on the Blauberg UK site.

I’d suggest that they have been doing that for some time. As we are witnessing a change to the world order we need to get used to it. If we treat China as an enemy or friend, they will be reminding us of who is now in charge.