bit mad at the start with everyone trying to get up near him and some heavy rain halfway through…Naysayers may snipe due to the drugs baggage he has but it was still a really good experience and i’ve also been fortunate enough over the years to have riden with Gilbert, Moncoutie and Obree too…you dont exactly get a chance to do this sort of stuff in any other major sport – imagine having a kickabout down the park with Messi or game of tennis with Federer. Even just been able to ride alongside so many other cyclists and take over the roads is pleasure enough in itself.

Golspie’s fantastic. Balblair’s better.

Would it be possible to do them both in a day?

Alot of the medium to larger clubs will have a series of rides catering from social riders there for a bimble and chat and some cake at a cafe stop to racers wanting a hard training ride. Average speeds vary so much on terrain – on a solo ride I rarely average over 17mph on a typical ride over 50 miles but dont have any problem keeping up with the fast groups. For what its worth on moderately hilly terrain if you can average 15mph solo then you will probably do ok with most club rides outwith the racing orientated ones.

The midweek chaingang (which is made up a few racers from a number of local clubs) is a bit different, i really need to dig deep to keep up with them and my main aim for the summer is to make it to the end still in contact with the main group. The same bastarding climb has me dropped every week! 🙁

Alot of the medium to larger clubs will have a series of rides catering from social riders there for a bimble and chat and some cake at a cafe stop to racers wanting a hard training ride. Average speeds vary so much on terrain – on a solo ride I rarely average over 17mph on a typical ride over 50 miles but dont have any problem keeping up with the fast groups. The midweek chaingang (which is made up a few racers from a number of local clubs) is a bit different, i really need to dig deep to keep up with them and my main aim for the summer is to make it to the end still in contact with the main group. The same bastarding climb has me dropped every week! 🙁

Its complicated – different states have different rules.

Non yet but looking forward to an evening ride tonight, just hope it stays dry!

I’ve just started researching cycle tours in Israel, have always wanted to visit. Led tours seems expensive, how practical is it to do on your own, with about 3 words of Hebrew ?? And how safe for women on their own ??

That is 2 words more than me. I didnt have any problems with the language as English is very widespread. Normally if i go to a country not knowing the language i put a bit of effort in to learn at least a few words before going (or while there) just for courtesy sake. But i never got round to that this time, shalom is all i know in hebrew (which is at least a bit usuable – my only arabic word is jihad!)

I’m not sure about women on their own – generally it felt ok, i was a bit apprehensive before going but it never felt dangerous. However my experiences could be different to that of a woman. From what i’ve read the likes of Tel Aviv are comparable to a typical beach resort in Europe in terms of dress and attitude but in Jerusalem and the West Bank people tend to be a bit more conservative and dress a bit more modestly (men too). I dont mean like being forced to wear certain clothes just that if you were cycle touring and wearing shorts then you might not be allowed entry into a few religious sites or monuments (I couldnt get into the church of the nativity for that reason).

Not that i need to justify it but while i was staying in Jerusalem (and really enjoyed my time there) the main reason for the trip was for a couple of projects in Nablus and Ramallah.

Perhaps my time would have been spent more effectively if i had stayed at home and moaned about one side or the other on an internet forum – the region could really do with some more of that to sort all their problems out.

and thought ‘chuffing nora!’

but, after my yorkshire gland had calmed down a bit, i realised that it’s really quite a simple, sensible, and really not that expensive idea.

any photo’s

I’m usually a bit of a cheapskate so would normally not be so extravagent but i figured if i hadn’t been cycling that day i’d still have needed to hire a taxi for the day to go and see the sights so figured i wasn’t spending any more than i would have otherwise been. Quickly started to feel like a bargain everytime i stopped to refill the bottles.

Unfortunately no pictures – had a bit of an altercation the day before which resulted in my camera getting thrown down a hillside!

I dont particularly like the mad shagger these days but would be great to see Coulson behind bars for perjury.

looks good

Ardgartan is pretty close by

My old geocities and netscape websites are still alive then…this will be of monumental significance one day, future generations can rejoice that all my hard work over a weekend a decade ago has been saved for posterity.

(although my attempts at prose sort of remind me of the things you read that some crazy teenage nutter who shot 20 people from a clock tower in Texas would write)

Going back in time is fairly simple but we have yet to be able to go forward in time. Contrary to the Brown Principle 1.21 gigawatts is simply not enough power to complete the forward jump so once you are back there is unfortunately no way to return to the previous time line.

I try to avoid adding it up as it quickly adds up to scary prices

Dawned on me last week when i was out for a ride that i had over £1000 of stuff with me that wasnt ‘essential’ for what i was doing – garmin 800, go pro hd, specialized carbon soled shoes, assos bibs, gore baggies, merino top, oakley jawbones, sworks helmet. Of course i can try to justify ‘needing’ this gear but the truth is i never had any of this when i starting cycling and i had just as much fun back then as i do now.

Cav is pretty good http://twitter.com/markcavendish

great result and some quality riding

more points for the world champs too hopefully GB will be able to get a full team qualified

looks good

will hopefully have reached level 50 on bad company 2 by the time this is released, it is taking me forever!

Yeah on before the camelbak. Will probably be comfy over a full day but i’ve only had it out on shorter rides (under 2 hours). Didnt have any problems for that duration

short clip on youtube now…rather impressive

Merlin tend to be the quickest for me.

Just about everytime i have ordered the item has arrived the next day.

Well if its fake that is a bit of a fail on my part, d’oh

Still scares me though!

actually the whole of the Miami Vice (the remake movie) soundtrack is pretty good

Forgot about this one, Manhattan – Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin

+1 The Doors The End in Apocalypse Now.

Trainspotting with Lust for Life is cracking too

My favourite would be Rosie Perez dancing to Public Enemy in Do the Right Thing

i’ve got the gopro chesty mount – i have it pretty tight but it is elasticated so reasonably comfortable. only problem is remembering to tuck the camelbak hose in to stop it flapping about and getting in the frame

Most academic book payment is a few free copies of the book – if it sells over a certain amount then you can get some royalties but it is a pretty small amount. Not just in terms of the hours of work involved but in the i have found more down the back of the sofa sort of amount.

party rings are 10p in the reduced aisle my local morrissons…more expensive than free but mmmm cheap nasty biscuity goodness

I put in for about £4000 worth and think i’ve “only” got the BMX final. Will enjoy that but going to be a alot of expense with travelling and accomodation just for the one event at about £20!…unfortunately the road race and the bmx finals are over a week apart so i wont be able to see both.

Already on garmin connect but you have to click on the icon to then see a single route plotted

Will give google earth a go that should do the trick.

Already planning a few routes that will spell rude words out when plotted together 😀

seems like really good value for money

try tumblr if you want some ‘artistic photographs’

nice video

I dont think they do a powerlink for 10 speed only the lock version.

the SRAM one works fine on a shimano chain

Quality player at his peak – wasted by the style of play of the english national team like has happened to a few before him – Hoddle springs to mind.

As for his tackling ‘ability’ playmakers and tempo setting midfielders dont need to tackle – Xavi rarely attempts to tackle but he is up there with some of the best midfielders ever. Even though he doesn’t tackle he is still effective defensively as he never gets sucked into trying to do daft slide tackles and as a result is much more effective defensively by keeping on his feet and pressing the ball.

adjust them like others have said plus try a new set of pads – koolstop salmon coloured ones or swisstop green are generally regarded as the best for alloy rims

The video with the spectators trying to get down is pretty funny too

looks like fun 😀

I’ve got one. Its about 29lbs, but i could get a couple of lbs off that relatively easily and more if no expense was spared.

I dont have much in the way of comparision as it is my first full suspension but it rides very well – doesnt really suffer from pedal bob so seems like a well thought out suspension design (basically seems to be a tweaking of the horst link). Has a slightly odd seat tube angle which supposedly aids climbing, and i reckon it does…although like i said i’m just comparing it to hardtails not fs.

Good review here: http://www.leelau.net/2008/altitudereview/

capable of withstanding RPG attacks, safe from chemical weapons and electromagnetic pulse….cant deal with a wee ramp though 😀