Hope to make it, Jimmy, work schedules permitting :) Would tag on at Bonaly

Don’t think you can apply chrome by spray – its usually plated (electroplated?)

What is the Mortonhall Singletrack?!! I live in the area, just curious how close you might all whizz by my house…

On a slightly more positive note, bed bugs can’t move that fast. if they were running around, sounds more like cockroaches, but then they don’t bite…

You could ask why it says “Shimano” on the stays when there are no Shimano components on it!

Cheers, Jimmy!

Really enjoyed that, but found Stage 4 tough! The rest were all great, but by the time I got to the bottom half of stage 5 the mud was so churned up and sticky I was really struggling.

Hi Jim – Gerry is me ;)

Not too far away from you Steven, but to be honest I’ve been too busy to look out the window much today and was just going by the local puddle gauge when making my assessment!

I was down Black Hill last Friday night. It was raining at the time so there were a few puddles, but otherwise running fine. Has been dry all week and rain today hasn’t been to bad so think it would be OK. Even the squelchy bit in the middle isn’t too bad. If it’s 5 years since you’ve been, you will see some change at the top where the trail has collapsed into the gully that had formed on the right near the top.

No idea about Nail Trail though

Thanks, Bob :)

Thanks, b r. How would you say that Mince Baby Mince compares to the Golfie trails – eg Community Service?

Course Maps are out!

1: Mince Baby Mince – never ridden that, sounds challenging. how does it compare to Pre and post spacker?

2: Inners Face mashup: – looks like it will use bits of the downhill trails

3: Repeat Offender – same as EWS 2015, I think?

4: Jawbone/Walk or Burn – was going to be Boner but re-aligned on basis of weather forecasts, so now the same as the International Stage in May of this year.

5: The Classic (Demi Plora Version) – so large bits of what was used in EWS 2015, but with the new top bit that Northwind referred to earlier?

Coolest tribars ever! you could get into a real superman position with those

I’d have been interested, but going on holiday next day – assuming I survive K&QotH in one piece

In that case my character should be huuuuge!

(it isn’t :( )

Well, yes, it can Tracey, but hopefully not as cold!

Tracey – Member 
It cant be any wetter than the Easter one. Can it

US Heptathlete: English Gardner

Was down at the Golfie tonight, but hadn’t ridden any of the suspected suggestions. Really dry in places, squelchy in others but expect weather this week will dry things out further. Showery Rain forecast for weekend at the moment, though that could change. Still expect it to be drier than the International was though! (Crosses fingers)

Kimbers: Weather is b liking much better than when I was last up for Vallelujah

That wouldn’t be hard!

Take that Fritz! Argh Schweinhund!

What’s odd about the grips?

Is there a matching hole on the other side?

MPDG: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manic_Pixie_Dream_Girl

Has to be extra 10 days paid leave after 5 years – can’t be 10 weeks! If it says 10 weeks, it will be an error

I once watched a buzzard trying to get off the ground with a thrashing little bunny in its claws while a bunch of rabbits took turns at charging in and jumping at it. It eventually gave up and flew off

I’m in exactly the same position, Ben. First break was over 35 years ago, and turns out I’d broken it at least twice since. I had always had some discomfort in it from time to time, but nothing that held me back, then it started to swell after longer rides. By time it was properly diagnosed, all cartilage had gone and it had worn about 5-6 mm into the arm bone it butts up against. Doc told me only solution was complete fusion, but he didn’t want to do that until he had to. He told me just to get on and do what I like for as long as I could, and the decision about when to do the op would be when the pain became too much to bear. I asked him if riding would damage it further and he said it would, but it was already so f***ed up it wouldn’t make any difference to the outcome. The op could be done regardless of further deterioration.

That was 5 years ago. I ride 3-4 times a week, but I’m wary of what bike I use where. I wouldn’t ride a rigid down rocky drops for instance, but I would happily do it with decent forks. I’ve managed it by taping it up every ride to minimise movement in the joint and hold everything as snug as possible to avoid it moving about. I sometimes wear a wrist brace as well to give extra support. With that set up I can ride fine, but big hits or sudden jarring really hurt. I usually take an ibuprofen after any rough ride to head off the inevitable swelling and pain I know will happen.

Downside is it’s getting worse. Had another x Ray 7 months ago after a fall and the scaphoid and arm bone are both more worn, to the point where the scaphoid has dropped further over and the other bones are shifting around. It’s getting stiffer, movement is more limited and I dread shaking hands with people – especially the muppets who regard it as some sort of contest to grip and shake as if it’s some kind of contest. My writing was never good, but it has also really deteriorated.

All sounds gloomy, but I haven’t let it hold me back. I love my riding and getting out and what’s the point in giving up something that means a lot to you? I know I’ll need the op some day, but the meantime I’d rather get the fun and fitness benefits of riding, even if it hastens the op, than avoid doing this and other things I like and delaying it. If anything, it makes me appreciate my rides more

Cane Creek ZS 44 did the trick

I know, Mugboo, you said :wink:

All done now

Was doing them one at a time, nonk, but because it’s such a wide headtube, the press would have disappeared inside it, so left one old cup in and used that to get the first new one on. Ended up using the other old headset cup upside now to spread the load across the new cup. Got them in – stressful!

Next bodge: crown race. All I need to do is find my old bit of pipe…

Thanks otsdr, both are the same size so looks like that’s the way to go :)

Actually, I don’t believe it’s a tapered headtube at all. the top cup looks exactly the same size as the bottom one and the external diameter of the HT is the same top and bottom, it just flares out a bit at both ends compared to the middle

Thanks for the feedback guys. Lots is useful and encouraging info.

To answer some of the queries, May was definitely a hard month in terms of duration and intensity, but it was on the back of months of easy, steady rides at sensible pace all through winter, with a few interval sessions a week (spinning or sufferfest on turbo). Months like this with no problem, also in previous years. Only difference this year was in March and April I cut back on longer rides and did a lot of hill sessions (~1800m in 2.5 hours off road).

Stress wise, probably also more of this in last month (kids & work) but sleeping like a baby. Always could enjoy more though!

I’d say my diet was good, balanced and healthy. Maybe I’m just getting old

Planning to ease off, back to steady rides – good opportunity to work on technical side of things – focus on diet and will get some supplements. No EPO planned though!

Thanks, guys. I usually don’t do quite as much as last month (combination of keeping training and events) and probably haven’t rested as much as I should have. No useful feedback from doc other than follow-up bloods in a week, so in the meantime will lighten the load a bit, take it easy in between rides and get as much iron rich food/drink down my neck as I can.

Molgrips, Useful to know that about Vit C, thanks

Pieface, Thanks for the further comment.

:)

Pieface – that’s useful, your symptms sound exactly like mine. I too am a regular donor, have been for a few years now and was fine last time I went. Moderate to low consumer of milk (1 bowl cereal per day, 1 small yoghurt). Interested in your comments about a lot of training making you amaemic – got any info or links on that?

Brassneck – not a veggie.

Central scrutinizer, laying off is of course an option, but what I want to understand is why it’s happened.

“Northwind – Member

On that subject, don’t suppose anyone got any shots of me? I’ve trawled Peterjsmith’s photos, just going through Ann Halls… I’m that rare oddball that actually buys photos Rider 29, glowing yellow bike, can’t have been that hard to spot…”

Check out article on front page!

I’m wrecked now.

Can’t find Brokeback, Shatner’s Bassoon, Barrymore’s Passage, Uphill Gardener anywhwere in GT. Might know them, but I don’t know the names! there’s loads of Enduraloo stages listed but none with these names.

Wondering now if I should stick with flats or change to SPDs as I was planning to do later tonight….