Julbo are good, and make their own stuff.The transition ones are excellent.

Cheaper on Trekkinn, and a massive selection.

Or if you’ve got some frames you like, get some decent glass put in by people like Reglaze Glasses Direct (other suppliers are available of course).

Using Android 12, Singletrack usung 420Mb. Next largest using 25mb.

you can’t I’m afraid

https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/sports-equipment

it’s a pain, as it also restricts monopods

I’ve heard alu can have condensation issues?

Need Aluminium with a thermal break in (basically a bit of plastic in between)

@prettygreenparrot

to be honest, when we signed up for the mesh, the speed we took had 2 extra nodes thrown in. Then when we renewed, for some reason they sent another two nodes. I’m not paying for any more, and I think they think we only have 3 still.

Whether this is an indication of what Gigaclear are like, I couldn’t say.

And, as another indication, they were only supposed to do the part of the village BT/Openreach wouldn’t do. Gigaclear did the whole village by mistake. Good for us. Bad for people paying Openreach

As mentioned, watch out for price increases. It’s the usual phone up and complain, and they’ll bung another 100Mpbs on the speed and knock a tenner off.

And also watch out for a need for extra mesh nodes. I think we’re now up to 5 (thick walls!), but they do cost another fiver a month each.

I think we’re now up to 400Mpbs, and £50 a month. But it’s worth it; we’d lose the signal every time the wind blew when it was overhead wires. And the upload speeds are great.

Another thing to remember – at the end of the end of the contract you can’t nip off and join BT/Voda/etc. Completely different fibre provider, and your alternatives are https://gigaclear.com/our-partners

And possibly the most important to some people….no landline. Great for us…but some people like it. I did rig up a free incoming VOIP using GSWave and Sipgate, porting the existing number. But 5 years down the line, no-one calls it now.

I do hope the recommendations above are tongue-in-cheek and that none of you would actually be seen dressed like that

Old Town are excellent clothes; they manage to make their promotional images turn every model into a numpty.

But as you can choose your cloth, and they can alter the fit to suit (extra half inch in the sleeve sir?), they actually look a lot better in real life. And you don’t have to stand exactly like the models do.

It’s all Monty Don-esque. A Telegraph link I’m afraid. But he “loathes jeans”.

Norfolk is a hot bed of hand made clothing

For quality UK hand made clothes, there’s always Old Town. Made to measure, in the fabric of your choice

Daft pictures aside, they’re very well made clothes, and last for years

lived very close to goring for 20 years. Commuted to town (daily!) for 15.

the roads are getting busier; didcot/wallingford have expanded exponentially in the last few years (they’re outside the AONBs, so can get estates). Obviously all those people need to drive somewhere to work…so use the old narrow country lanes.And with Whitchurch bridge having gone from 20p to 65p, the number of bridge crossings is reduced.

Come weekends, you get people out to the country for the day. It can get busy; walking season is now on us in the village; hoards every weekend – there may be some hyperbole here, but it can feel like it

Having said all that, off-road up the ridgeway is great. And there are loads of little lanes in the Compton area that are quiet (and look how much space around Compton does not have any roads at all. Loads of byways though).

Even road cycling – stay off the main roads, and you’ll be fine. I can still go out and see nothing but a tractor over two hours.

I now work locally. Cycle to work occasionally. Ask away!

Puy St Vincent is a small place. Mostly French people – I think the only British company to go there is Snowbizz.

Apparently “The obvious choice for the mixed ability ski family with something for everyone.”

Went with the kids once (I think their second time). They very much enjoyed it. But it’s not a party site, so 14 years may hanker for more apres ski action

talking of fish and chip shops, there’s two in Wells; French’s and Plattens.

One is always empty. One has a perpetual queue out of the door. Always amazes me. Personally I think there’s no real difference, but the local family completely disagree.

[You can get around the queue by phoning the order in – then walking straight to the front.]

in-laws are there – even after 40 years they’re not really ‘local’. Even getting married there doesn’t help me.

at this time of year, it can be a little bleak on the coast. Not everything is open, and if it’s cold and wet, it can be grim

So that’s when you find a pub, roaring fire, and chill.

But – if nice, there’s nowhere better. Long walks on the beach (esp overy staithe to wells). Enjoy the wide open skies.
and as mentioned Norwich is a fine city. Excellent pubs there.

Can be pricey – the hoste is burnham is now up to the £8 a pint mark. But socius is a lovely restaurant, as is the duck in stanhoe. Wells has some nice places as well

take some binocs – awful lot of migratory birds at the moment; and the estate manager at holkham is doing some great rewilding work see here

I’ve still got an EOS 33. Keep looking to resurrect it, as it’s what I did a couple of courses on. Lovely thing

What puts me off is a) price of film (£8 a roll?), and b) cost of development (£10 a roll). So – with postage – let’s call that £20 for 36 shots that you don’t know if they’re any good. Kodak went bust for a reason.

So yes, an old SLR is cheap (tried selling the 33 to Wex and MPB recently; neither would touch it). And lenses are cheap – check out MPB for the complete range of old cheap EF lenses https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/category/used-photo-and-video-lenses/dslr-lenses/dslr-canon-fit-lenses?sort%5BproductPrice%5D=ASC. But costs build up. And it’ll be a big drain on a teenage budget.

She’ll be used to snapping away incessantly, as that’s what you do with digital (phone or camera). Surely the thing to do is to practice not firing off loads of shots, but taking it full manual on the existing camera (maybe supplemented with some old school fast primes from MPB). Then, if she still likes old school composition, and precision, that’ll be the time to invest in the older, less user friendly, set up.

The other issue with Canon is that EF lenses and dSLRs are now not being built. Canon has gone completely mirrorless with RF lenses, and R bodies. Completely incompatible with EOS cameras. It does mean lots of bargains in old cameras, but repairing replacing could be tricky (but you can use EF on R cameras with an adapter). An EOS 5D mark 1 (so full frame, which gives the ability to use better, and more lenses) in excellent condition is £204 at MPB, with a six month warranty. Full frame vs APS-c would introduce noticeable differences with the narrower depth of field…a whole new way of looking at things

Good guess on what I was after!

Thanks. I’ll bung an order in.

hi Brant

Sorry to ask stupid questions – but, you know, Friday

If I get two pairs, and one’s on backorder, I’m assuming they both come out when that size comes into stock?

ta!

gosh @squirrelking

that’s a bit of diatribe

Might I point you in the direction of this thread, four years ago? Recognize the poster? I know the GL has changed, but the principle remains.

Next, as long as his pellets aren’t leaving his land and said pigeons aren’t being caused undue suffering then there’s not much you can do.

Unless the GL specifies the non lethal actions you must take, it is open to interpretation. What you may classify as impractical may be different to pondo’s. You don’t know his garden, his situation, his anything. Apart from probably his regret at starting this thread

however, seriously. We shall agree to disagree about legality. I’m out. The cycling is on

oh good.

We’ve now reached the targeted abuse stage.

I’ve never mentioned I wanted to kill pigeons. Never. I just pointed out (more than once) it’s not illegal to kill them

In fact, ridiculously, you will get into less trouble shooting them with an air rifle than a BB gun.

But please, I’ve not given you ( @brads ) any abuse; I’ve asked a couple of polite questions. Please reciprocate.

bigger issues than how you dispatch them

Garden birds should rarely if ever need killed.

None of which I disagree with. My disagreement is solely on the blanket & numerous posts of ‘It’s illegal‘.

It’s not. And spreading an incorrect interpretation of the law is wrong.

However, now we’ve all agreed it’s not illegal, I shall comment no more.

that’s a hypothetical “move onto shooting them”

okay, so we’re agreed I (or anyone else) can [hypothetically] kill pigeons that interfere with the garden (either through being detrimental to my health or eating my crops) with no illegality involved*.

That was the only point I was raising.

*obviously using a firearm at all brings other restrictions.

Why do you need to kill them ?

I haven’t said I want to kill anything. Not my pigeons after all

All I’ve said is it’s not illegal as long as you follow the law.

The two examples I came up with; what is illegal about either?

honestly – I’m not trying to start an argument. And I’m sure Brads knows his stuff. Pretend I’m a naif, reading the licence
The GL I linked to says I can kill pigeons over health concerns
I should try non lethal methods first, unless impractical

So two questions
1) I’ve tried non lethal methods. Didn’t work. So I can move onto shooting them (it does say ‘before using this licence’). Why is that illegal?
2) I’ve not tried non-lethal methods as impractical; they eat my crops when I’m asleep. I’ve proof over weeks I’ve been asleep. So I can shoot them. What’s illegal?

Honestly – I want to follow the law. The law to me says both examples are legal. You say not. Could you elaborate?

ETA – I’m not talking BB here. I’m talking air-rifle

reasonable….unless

there’s a catch. You don’t have to make reasonable efforts. I did highlight it

however, i will bow out. I’m not trying to start an argument. I’m just posting the actual

rules, rather than the guidance

You are not required to use alternative, lawful methods under condition 1(a) and 1(b) where the use of such methods would be impractical, without effect or disproportionate in the circumstances.

it’s not illegal

https://basc.org.uk/gl/england/

Pigeons can be shot for a number of reasons. Inc nesting in the wrong spot

also, you don’t need to try and scare them first

Can I shoot or trap pest birds if I haven’t tried non-lethal methods?
Yes.

The general licences require that, before and alongside their use, reasonable endeavours are made to achieve the purpose in question using lawful methods not covered by the licences, unless such endeavours would be impractical, without effect or disproportionate in the circumstances.

However, I don’t think one of the reasons is ‘depriving other prettier birds of a bit of scran’

now, if you were to change the OP and say you slipped in poo, or they nibbled your peas, go for it. Nothing stopping you.

it’s at this point I’d generally say chromebook

Get one with a flip screen.Like this

It’ll let you use all android apps, and will act as a tablet when you want, and a computer when you want

course, personal opinion and all that. And someone’ll be along in a minute to say Apple.

bet there was hardly anything left in the shop!

@weeksy

Lovely offer, thanks, and normally I would, but I’m a day into a second Moderna jab. The way I feel at the moment, I won’t be doing anything on Thursday!

@weeksy

the taproom has become the kids’ default meal out, and the go-to is the bavette steak. They’re obsessed. It’s all changed so much in the last 20 years though

If you want a decent local pizza (collection only, naturally), find a Sole Luna location, and go especially for the diavola. Lovely stuff

Glad – in a way – they’ve sold out. It’s a lovely brewery, and the beer is great. There’s a wonderful set up now, and it’s a great little cycle from here.

the only problem with cycling to Wycombe, is ending up in Wycombe…
And I say that as someone who spent his first 25 years there.

However, lovely scenery around it; surprisingly hilly. No long climbs, but short punchy up and downs, one after the other. It’ll be small country lanes, lovely little pubs etc

There are probably two methods getting to the chiltern escarpment; the vale of oxford or the vale of aylesbury. Both are flat and dull (to my mind)

The O2 thing was a fair use policy, which they were allowed to set when we were part of the EU anyway; it was almost a non story

Naturally, a number of newspapers have thus described O2’s change as the “end of free roaming” or the “return of roaming charges,” but it should be said that data usage when roaming within the EU has always tended to be treated a bit differently from texts and calls, even when the UK was still within the EU. Indeed, O2’s rivals have long had fair usage limits, particularly for UK plans that offer unlimited data or large data allowances.

For example, EE’s Pay Monthly plans already include a 50GB roaming cap when within their own Europe Zone (i.e. if you have a usage allowance of that size or bigger) and “surcharges” will apply if you go over that (here) – this equates to 36p per MegaByte. It’s a similar story for other operators’ too, with Three UK enabling you to use up to 20GB of your data allowance at no extra cost when within their Go Roam in Europe destinations.

In short, O2 are largely just adopting the same approach as their rivals, which have long had FUP caps on data for EU roaming.

However, the EE thing is not, and that is a “benefit” of the sunlit uplands

Gang of Youths, MTV unplugged. Bit less rocky than their normal stuff (obv…)

or

MMJ – Okonokos

I know that’s two…

it is sodding bonkers

who on earth do they think it will appeal to?

seriously – as mentioned above – welders’ gloves, like these. I have the prickliest blackberry (not to mention gooseberries), and these are the only things that work

Also great for stove/BBQ/pizza oven and other STW staples

deer can’t get into so have to assume they are “safe” ticks

I wouldn’t rely on this. Most ticks are actually spread by mice/voles/squirrels (they act as the secondary host). They can go in and out of gardens, pick up ticks dropped by deer outside (the deer can obviously spread it over a larger distance)

chicken feet, and cat in Vietnam. And biscuits with little red insect eggs on

the usual crocodile, camel, shark, etc in Australia.

And androuiette in france.

no, it’s not a different animal.It’s the same genus, different species

um – as a biologist, that does mean it’s a different animal. You wouldn’t say a lion (Panthera leo) is the same animal as a tiger (Panthera tigris)

Ditto Ixodes ricinus (UK) and Ixodes holocyclus (Aus)

ditto the “never used it for cleaning windows but it can’t be beaten for condensation in winter” comments

we have loads of kites here (Wessex Downs/Thames), and a family of buzzards continue to nest in the trees about 200m away. They don’t seem to compete with each other – and don’t fight, unlike the crows and either of the larger species

Judging by the number of owls we can hear each evening, they’ve not affected them either!

Is there a STW-recommended tick repellant?

We’re plagued by the little devils in the garden.

Repellents containing 50% Deet or 20% Icaridin are best. Deet is losing favour, due to dissolving plastics and all

Smidge is Icardin, but £8 for 75ml is kinda pricey.

So…buy a litre for £25 https://www.bitebackproducts.co.uk/horse-and-rider/biteback-neem-supreme-fly-spray

Went in the garden last night after my evening shower (to find the badger I could hear). Got a tick crawling on me. I’d spent all day in the garden in flip flops – having coated myself in Neem Supreme – and didn’t get one. The shower obviously washed it off

Obviously there are many more with the same ingredients, but 20% Icaridin is what to search for.