Billy Connolly

A case for kneepads

I have no words that would ever truly help but thinking of you and your kids.

Ha, just worked mine out for the year so far: 2.7 over 1582km.Live in the middle of the Cairngorms.

85km in elevation in a year! Blinking hell, where do you live? Not trolling by the way, genuinely interested in how people manage that😊

Looking at the instagram post of this it would appear that there’s quite a few roads/paths heading up to this ridge.

Ridgeline

I can confirm @scotroutes confirmation for 10 miles south also 😊

Sna

Na not psychopaths in that they enjoy killing things, probably don’t give it a second thought, but maybe physcopaths in that they DON’T give it a second thought, just a bit of fun, a day out with likeminded individuals. Referring to the driven shoots of course.

Raleigh Grifter: 15+ years, currently (10+ years) in pieces awaiting restoration.

On One Pro Carbon with upgraded wheels: 4 years, don’t see any need to upgrade given the amount of road riding I do.

On One Scandal V3: 4 years, upgraded frame from V2 and added dropper. Perfect for the usage it gets. No need to upgrade.

Santa Cruz 5010: 3 1/2 years, again does everything I ask of it, no need to upgrade.

Sonder Camino AL V2: 2 years, 2 sets wheels (46mm slickish, 42mm knobbly) and mudguards. No need to upgrade

Raleigh Super Tuff Burner re-issue: Sits in my bedroom as an ornament so no need to upgrade.

Trek Rail 7 e-MTB: 2 months. Ironically the most up to date and technologically advanced bike will probably be the one to get upgraded in the future as battery size/ life, motors, general construction etc improve and come down in price.

I’m lucky in that I have been able to save for and buy bikes to cover all my usage and not all people are in my position.

Awaits @epicyclo to turn up with bikes he’s had longer than many of us on here have been alive 👍

100% Brisker all day long, tried others, all rubbish comparably imo.
Hydromatic? If you want a bit more waterproofing,(although not on your priority list) bought a set to see what like but haven’t even felt the need to use yet over normal ones so can’t comment on the waterproof properties.

2005 SAAB 9-5 Turbo estate:

Purchase price, tax and insurance cost exactly the equivalent of 2 months PCP payments on my previous 2019 BMW 330 M-Sport. Came with 3 months MOT so even if it fails and I get scrap money for it then I’m winning 😊

2012 Vauxhall Vivaro 90bhp:

The speeeed😂 Owned for 3 years, not a single unforced problem. Perfect for so many things.

Instygramy stuff

Took my new (second hand) Ebike out locally today. Sitting sweating on top of a Corbett and not from the effort was just crazy but ace 😊

Just in case anyone is interested, the Specialized Turbo Kenovo mentioned up thread is actually located in Biggar not Dundee. Was interested in it myself and was messaging seller but too far away from me to travel.

Any of mine judging from the (lack of) responses I’ve been getting lately on dating apps :)

“To understand him fully, we need a general view of how revolutions work. The determined reformer has to decide at what point to make peace with morally ambiguous methods for bringing about the desired changes. What is at stake at this moment is the very idea of a “rule of law”, something that insists on what is due to citizens, irrespective of their convictions or of the convenience of government. Once it is granted that someone has the right – in the language of some modern political philosophers – to declare an indefinite “state of emergency” in which the rule of law is suspended, no person or institution is safe.

And there is another aspect to this. Revolutions need a variety of political personalities; they need theorists and managers, but they also need enforcers, people with less intelligence or conscience than their colleagues. To some extent one can assess the moral jeopardy of revolutionary movements by the ease with which such figures rise to the top.”

Not actually a quote referring to anybody of our time, but to master political manipulator Thomas Cromwell’s tactics in the 16th century.

No parallels with modern times there then. Didn’t end well for Cromwell though.

Cromwell

Sorry, long boring nightshift :)

Back to how it rides, I got a frame during the second round of cheap frame/headset/seatclamp sales and built it up using kit of my V2 scandal with some boost adapters, new brand x dropper and some new cheap judy silver 120mm forks. It’s become my go to bike for most things in preference over my SC 5010 and Sonder Camino as covers the middle ground between them so well. I enjoy it so much that I’m upgrading the forks to 130mm higher spec ones and also upgrading the drivetrain from 10 to 11 speed. A long winded way of saying that it’s a great frame/bike that rides really well and proves you don’t need to spend ‘boutique’ money to get a really good bike.

Hey now, I ride an example of the aforementioned American brand and I’m always happy to stop and chat (berate for their poor choice of conveyance) with riders of obviously inferior brands 🤪😉

To be fair bought because it’s a pretty colour and was reduced substantially being a previous years model.

Bright is right

Its an attitude thing, old enough not to care about being too old (48 years young) 😊

Appears to work on all of their brands websites…..

I’m in ;)

Although I’m willing to bet you a half eaten ham and mustard sandwich that we will be outbid by a local small business owner with a danish surname.

Just a note on the mention of offshore workers travelling through Aberdeen at the moment. We are probably in one of the most highly monitored groups in the country just now regarding this pandemic for obvious reasons. My company requires me to fill out a travel disclosure form asking questions about any symptoms I may be suffering, if I have travelled to any restricted areas in the previous 14 days, do I share a dwelling with anyone showing symptoms, have I been in contact with anyone showing symptoms or anyone testing positive etc etc 7 days prior to my mobilisation. I then have to fill this out again 48hrs prior to mobilisation. I must then attend for a test covid 24hrs prior to mob and quarantine within the allocated hotel ( no leaving room permitted) until my allocated transport arrives to take me to heliport. My temperature is then taken and only then if clear am I allowed within the terminal building. At all times having left my hotel room I have to wear a double layered snood that supposedly is impregnated with some fancy chemicals to assist its effectiveness even during the flight to the installation. Once on the installation I have daily temperature checks and if there is any sign of a deviation from the norm then the emergency plan for this scenario would kick in. This involves many steps up full medivac in hazmat suit on the specially prepared ‘covid chopper’ if required.

The oil industry, for once, has been pretty much on the ball with this one.

Saying that shutting down the Spiders / any other pub is to prevent onward transmission from offshore workers is a bit of a red herring imo, best shut down the Tesco just down the road so they can’t buy a carry out for the train then, or any other shop they may go into…

There’s far more danger from the thousands of tourist flocking to the Highlands just now than a few offshore workers passing through Aberdeen on their way home after a few weeks of quarantine but there’s **** all really being done about that.

No real point to this post other than a wee rant!

Last week, bit ranty, but agree with above once you get away from the Highlands version of Benidorm there’s still plenty of space to go round.

Cairngorm

A wee push/carry up Sgor Gaoith, weather was interesting…..

Great view!

Thanks for that👍

Not tracking that one but was looking at flight radar this morning about 9 checking our our Monday crew change chopper flight and noticed a Norwegian crew change chopper south east of us doing a strange flight pattern (circling) for about half an hour a thought it a bit strange. For reference we are right on the division between UK/Norwegian sectors due east of Edinburgh

I’m in the position that the op talks about. 25 years in oil and gas in the North Sea coming to an end in August due to my company shutting down 4 of their 6 UK assets as unviable in the current economic climate. As mentioned above, certainly would not advise anybody to see O&G as a good option (at least in this sector) unless you want to get into decommissioning. Over the last 5 years it’s been a race to the bottom on all fronts (working practices, terms and conditions, safety related etc) and can’t see it improving as more companies go the same way as mine.

Personally I’ve had a good lifestyle out of it with the time off being the major benefit.

I’ve applied for a couple of relief signaller positions with Network Rail, from what I’ve seen looks like an interesting, responsible and varied job with good T&C’s and a lot skills required I can transfer from current job (control room operator)so fingers crossed. Ironic really as I live 5 metres away from a large signal box and never even considered it before seeing the jobs advertised!

Re mounting I use the largest supplied band and mount it round my stem spacers. Sits nice and tight, faces forward for maximum effect, easy to flick on and off, keeps it out of the way and gives it a bit of angle for the clapper as mentioned above.

Ah, if I could get the link to instagram to work you could see the set up, basically keeps me upright :)

My sister works in the local small village Co-Op.One middle aged ‘lady’ at the counter had, amongst other things, 5 containers of baby milk powder, essentially clearing half the days stock of this item. My sister, who has young children herself asked whether the powder was for her or a relatives child and how old they were. The reply was ‘oh no, its for our tea and coffee when the milk supplies run out’. My sister has now been temporarily removed from her customer facing role as telling a customer that they are a wretched ignorant selfish see you next Tuesday is not an appropriate response.

I’m torn between my natural see the best in everybody leanings and my hope that these type of people are indeed wiped out by this virus…..☹️

Garve to Contin. Having spent 35 years within 5 miles of the Contin end and driven along it many hundreds of times my perception is that there’s no way I would ride that section on the road, and I’m not particularly risk adverse.Statistics probably don’t back me up and other views are available.

47mm Byways mostly, good for 80% of riding/year, 42mm resolutes for the other 20% slop/snow times

That youtube video thumbnail looks like they are jumping 3 early 90’s Mitsubishi Pajeros!

Nobody else biting so:

Large frame (although may not make any difference as would not think rear triangle would be any different due to physical size required for wheels) 25c continentals (measured at 26mm fitted) 4mm clearance each side at tightest point. All other points slightly more clearance. Front forks about 5mm each side.

I realise not answering question but gives a real world example of clearances.

Koulin Trail 3/4 Tights [Mens]

Koulin Trail Tights [Mens]

Thanks for that, as I thought.

Wheels ordered 👍

A good trail centre often provides far better and easily repeatable riding than your ‘must do’ natural trail.

For example I give you Laggan Black (or even red) vs Lairig Ghru in my back yard.

To gnusmas, I’m 47, separated with four kids and a face that looks like its been slammed repeatedly in a car door.You would think that separated with 4 kids might raise red flags for women as in he must be a barsteward leaving his kids, must be a bad guy etc but not the case in reality.Women are a lot more open to giving people a chance in my experience and not being so judgemental.None of these accusations above could ever be made against you going on your previous posts. Your doing the very best you can in very difficult circumstances.Dont you worry mate,if I can get dates then when you are ready they will be beating your door down :)

franckconway- are you a solicitor? Just asking,not provoking.
I do think your being rather defensive regarding my comment hence asking. I’m not at all bitter, and to be honest I think you are in breach of rule number one by suggesting so. Hey ho, probably says more about you than me so crack on wee man.The OP was asking for advice, I was giving advice based on experience. If there are children involved then they are of the utmost importance,and this is not always based on financial needs. Your advice given is sound,and would not contradict it in any way.All solicitors are not equal, as in all professions, and some, not mine I will add, will put financial matters above any other considerations.
Anyway, I’m oot and I wish the OP all the best

Sorry, don’t know where you are located but Scotland/England have very different legal approaches to division of assets so make sure any advice you take from here is applicable. From experience, things can be very amicable right up until solicitors get involved, then it can go very wrong very quickly if they decide to get involved in negotiations for a settlement. Above all ensure access to your child is written in stone, do not allow them to be weaponised, and knock any attempt of that on the head sharpish. You may not think that would happen but never under estimate the sheer nastiness of solicitors and the depths they will sink to in persuading your ex that it is the best way to ensure the financial future of the child. Cynical? Me? No, just experienced.

I was recently in a similar position. Having lived on the Black Isle for many years was fed up of predominantly fire road riding from my door,and the requirement to drive my bike somewhere if I fancied some more ‘gnar’ riding. Seriously looked at Forres as an option as a nice place, not too large and some decent riding.I eventually settled on Kingussie instead. All types of riding straight from my door easily accessible for all large population centres (Inverness,Aberdeen in good weather!, central belt etc), no time difference (from Forres) up to the West Coast. Another advantage is the area is set up for all types of activities year round. Downside is not such a large pool of property available, and can be I bit more expensive like for like. Just my take on it, other opinions are available!