double post

just come to the ridgeway. Park in Streatley at the end of Rectory Road, cycle on ridgeway for a few hours, turn around

or quite a few loops as well – loads of bridleways/by-ways that’ll have no-one on.

CBA to go much further south

streatley is about 10 miles further south. And if you stick on the A34 it’s probably quicker from the north

The few times I’ve been to the Bear (both Stadhampton/Beaconsfield) it’s full of people up from London for a weekend away. there are much nicer places around.

And I remember – even when steaming drunk – being shocked at the price of drinks in the beaconsfield branch one evening

there’s not a whole lot to do around Stadhampton…(course, that may be the objective!)

more to do around Beaconsfield

or [in a similar but nicer area] try http://www.swanatstreatley.com/. But don’t eat in; it’s not worth it. Instead, go to one of the better pubs nearby.

Bring a road bike, and try the national hill climb route – this weekend of course

just go for something like this

(mine was about a tenner, so you might have to explore)

Never going to run out of batteries, quiet, doesn’t rust.

What’s not to like

it is a sad thing to be impressed by, but the Shark is ace. The cordless one, with two batteries, and animal tech (we don’t have animals, but the females of the house have long hair. Same thing!)

And the [free] car attachments are more useful than I thought they would be.

not to come over all middle class, before we had it we had a Dyson. And the cleaner would bring her own Henry over. Since we’ve got the Shark, the Henry has not been back.

To be fair, they’ve been around since 2013

selling used cars https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08404143

Bit of money in there. So it is a proper company.

Now, whether the website is related to the company is another issue

I [personally] think you should follow people you disagree with. If you only follow people who have the same views as you, it leads to the polarisation of thought. It’s either my way, or I’m not talking to you. And from there it’s a slippery slope to my way or no way. Which is not good in any society.

There are vast numbers of cretins who take things too far even for that train of thought on Twitter (I’m now up to 1500 blocked accounts). But of course, people notice the one controversial tweet, and not the ninety-nine boring tweets about cats

Now, everyone is different, but if you don’t engage (or read) with people with different thoughts,how can you counteract their arguments?

Also remember there are a lot more people who are on twitter but don’t shout about it, but there are vocal minorities on all sides. They shout the loudest, and the media (of all stripes) write about their views as it’s controversial from one side or the other. And controversy sells

i like a kindle, as i can read in bed without disturbing my wife. Also, as I read a lot there’d be loads of books lying around

however, a decent penguin book (the format of the physical book) is great. I love them. Less keen on the modern trend of big books, with big type. Harder to hold etc.

for second hand – I use http://www.abebooks.co.uk. It searches all (most?/some?) second hand book shops throughout the world

It is owned by amazon now though…

according to this, it wasn’t made in 1930 https://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Dates/Birmingham.html

either 1913 or 1938 https://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Dates/Birmingham/Date%20Letters%20O.html

so, could be the latter, as a memory of something

Surely the thing to do is go to your local library (if you still have one!), then you can read the magazines gratis. And of course it helps keep the library open

Bit old school I know.

Most drinks cans in the UK are steel

I work for quite a large can producer.

we’re converting a few of our lines to Aluminium from steel at the moment…better recycling, and the ability to make more customisable cans

Golf is the old cycling.

this I think

All the 40+ blokes (mostly blokes, still) who used to move into golf when the kids are old enough to look after themselves are now [road] cycling. In massive packs

It’s cyclical though. Give it a few years, cycling will be down again, and golf will be back up

Is it actually a company car, or a van that would otherwise sit on site overnight, but in the past people have driven home, and management have not complained? So there’s nothing in a contract, and it’s just been a small perk.

If it’s that, and management are now saying ‘all vans to stay on site’, i’m not sure what can be done.

Same as @weeksy. Same shop too, I’m guessing (And yes it will be Vicars @anagallis_arvensis – superb place)

Also, by the in-laws, the local estate culls each year, and sells theirs in the shop.

And there’s a very good restaurant near here that stalks, then cooks and sells the produce in various guises

I use an Ascendancy Apparel neck guard thing https://www.ascendancyapparel.com/accessories/endure-neck-guard

or the equivalent free TdF one from the official magazine a couple of years back but it is bright yellow, obv

the only downside i’ve discovered is they make it look like you’re wearing a cravat if it’s down, and you’ve got an open shirt on

I’m 6ft, and 75kg, and wear a Fjern Arktis in medium.

it’s quite tightly fitted. Pretty good, as most of their stuff seems to be (I know it’s the sports pursuit home brand)

in hindsight, i’d have quite liked a https://www.isobaa.com/products/mens-merino-wool-insulated-jacket-black-blue – seems sold out, but used to be on SP as well

We have one; use it most Winter nights as supplementary heating. We don’t need to, but it’s lovely

we’re on the outskirts of a small village, in a wood. I think the BBQ gives off more smoke than the stove

so no neighbours, and free wood (a lot of ash are falling this year; die back is really hitting)

I have probably five years worth of wood lined up; it’s very dry when I use it. That’s before starting on the 10 (?) ash trunks carefully placed just behind the house.

Personally, I’d like a second stove. But we have free wood, and the space to store it for a few years.

I doubt I would have one in a bigger village or town though

I’ve had a pair of Shimano M647s on my hardtail for years.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-m647-clipless-spd-mtb-pedals/rp-prod4516

Decent platform for when you don’t want cleats, but can easily clip in when you do.

Very good; won’t change them till they die

oooh. I’m a …..

it does beg the question – could someone in India have done that for half the cost?

Our first/second line support and development is done out of Bangalore

We spend an awful lot of time saying ‘No’ to them. Because it’s not their firm, they appear to have less concerns about making mistakes/trying things out in Prod. Most of my actual team are based around Europe, and the difference is palpable, due – I think – to being actual paid employees, rather than outsourced contractors.

Now, obviously just my experience. And it does take a lot of personal off our payroll. But it doesn’t appear to work effectively for us.

It’s happening

Our road, in our semi rural village, is definitely a target. Two houses (out of 30?) for sale and sold in days. At quite a lot of money. Both families out from London, and both moved in already.

We’ve had a few notes through the door along the lines of ‘If you’re thinking of moving, we want a house’. If it all helps with the pub and school, I’m all for it.

and we do have decent FTTP broadband – up to 900Mb – so it’s better than at work…

I’m not a football fan. Used to be able to go to a lot of decent matches when young, due to family connections. And the spectacle is (was!) good. Now, not so much. I have no interest in the tribalism. To me it’s just unnecessary – like religion is.

My wife is a fan of a particular team; we go tickets to see them at Chelsea once, and sat in the Chelsea end (20 years ago?). The women next to me was fine, chatting pleasantly until the visitors came out, and then the vituperation was amazing. For 45 mins. Then half time, and she was pleasant again, until the second half when the abuse started again. Why?

Similar watching the team at Reading once, except we were rightly sat in the visitors’ end this time, and it was a visiting fan. It’s just amazing.

I compare with rugby, when you can go and watch a premiership match, with no segregated seating, and a have a proper chat with the people next to you. So now, on Saturdays when I’m free (rare), and the team are at home (even rarer), I go and see the local rugby first team. They’re maybe 7th league down, free to get in (council ground) and there’s maybe 50 people watching. Couple of pints, right next to the action (as in move out of the way for a line out), and it’s great. People like me (rather than professional athletes) out doing it for the enjoyment, rather than the money.

As for internationals – of any sport – I don’t care who wins, as long as it’s a good match

the family have discovered that a multitude of kayaks wasn’t enough this year, and what they really wanted was a paddleboard, so…. https://www.aquaplanetsports.com/shop/aquaplanet-pace-sup-package-stand-up-inflatable-paddle-board/

It’s good (from what I can tell). Very rigid when inflated, stays rigid enough for a good few weeks. Coupled with a https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08696TW6R/, which gets it inflated most of the way (and deflates it more efficiently as well)

There have been a few people on the river this year (as it’s been the fad of the year….which obviously we’ve embraced with gusto) who just haven’t inflated enough; the sagging in the middle is a definite give away.

a chromebook? If all you’re doing is being online….it’s all you need

personally, I like a Fjern Orkan, off Sports Pursuit. I know Fjern is the in house brand, but i’ve got a few of their items, and they’re all pretty good.

The Orkan is tight fitting, very breathable as it’s eVent, and very light. They do another, that’s not quite as waterproof, but it a lot more breathable, and even lighter

Come down south. Walk the Thames or Ridgeway

Either http://www.swanatstreatley.co.uk/ or https://millerofmansfield.com/. The Ridgeway is still very quiet. The Thames path is a little busier, but paddleboard hire from the Swan.

Or Norfolk – https://www.holkham.co.uk/stay-eat/the-victoria-inn/welcome, https://www.morstonhall.com/ etc The beaches may seem busy from the carparks, but there’s so much space when you walk 10 minutes.

Both spots depend on budgets etc. Some places are poncier than others. Some places still appear not to be doing rooms since reopening like http://www.perchandpike.co.uk/accommodation.html

there are a lot of nice backroads, once you get closer to the north coast. Avoid the coast road, and ride the roads that are parallel but a couple of miles inland.

there used to an excellent small sportive set up called Pedal Norfolk, from Holkham. Most of the routes are on RideWithGPS, and some – like https://ridewithgps.com/trips/14931912 – pass close to Norwich

All I would say is the main roads are full of fast cars, tractors, and sugar beet lorries. The back roads are very quiet indeed.

a nice route would be out north, (via the back roads!), Blicking, Aylsham, etc. To Wiveton for the cafe.

The Spa Cycles [cheaper] equivalent of the Brooks range have a more waterproof bottom (so to speak)

Allows flex, but stops them getting drenched apparently

They are thicker leather than the Brooks; take a little longer to bed in, but are completely indestructible. And as they’re cheaper, you can get a Titanium one for cheaper than a steel Brooks one.

we climbed a mountain in the lakes for my 40th.

bliss.

was with immediate family, no party, no real presents

had a few beers with the lads a few days laters. Nothing planned though

Ask me again in a few years; the day before my 50th, my daughter is 21. Could be interesting (or of course I could be replying to the latest email telling me where she is on her round the world travels)

But having a birthday so close to a child means you don’t really celebrate (and there’s 4 family bdays in 3 days at that time. Busy busy).

All I’d suggest is do what makes you happy. If it’s sitting in a bath of baked beans, sipping warm lager, do it. If it’s having a bash everyone you’ve ever met, do it.

Proper tallow soap works wonders

the fat in it is more similar to your body’s oils than a plant’s oils is

Not easy to get, and not to everyone’s taste (or conscious) but I can recommend it (and tallow is often a waste product…)

this one is the current go to https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/641722976/soap-on-a-rope-natural-creamy-non-drying

personally, I like these https://store.google.com/product/google_home_max_speaker

Couple of them definitely fill the room. Often on sale (at £200). Sounds very good.

These are also very good https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/gbr/en/products/yoyo/yoyo-m, but bluetooth only, rather than wireless.

just reading that article

Under the first photo.

You now you old home brewing kit. Stu’s is much bigger.

I think I can work out what is meant…

The other alternative is go to a decent opticians, and get them to put some lenses in. You might need to phone around a few to find one that does it.

I had (have…) some lovely decathlon titanium sunglasses, which had delaminated. Really light, really strong etc

My mate – who is an optician – put in some decent polarizing lenses for £30. Bit cheaper than getting another set of Ti framed glasses.

this chap http://www.counsel.direct/ always seems to advise quite well on petrolheads

not that I read it of course, but it might be worth putting on there first anyway https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&f=10

went out 10 days ago…could see quite well with the naked eye, but it really becomes visible with a 3sec photo. Very impressive when you look back the next day

Also amazed at the number of people randomly walking through a field full of cows at midnight. They could of course be saying the same thing about me!

West Berks Brewery have just (well, 4 months ago) brought out a range of low alcohol beers called Solo

Solo Alcohol-Free Mix

Not bad actually.

heavy…paddle

tell me about. The daughter lost it the first week we had it. Sank like a stone

it is a good deal though. All the little bits that come with it (that shoulder strap makes all the difference! Simple things and all that). And a decent waterproof bag

Coupled with a pump like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08696TW6R and it’s a bit easier to pump up by a river bank away from cars/houses etc

obviously not in stock…but soon back!

Aquaplanet PACE SUP Package | Stand Up Inflatable Paddle Board Kit | 10’6″ Long

No idea whether it’s a good one or not, but it’s kept the kids entertained for the last year or so

Like all these things, I’m assuming most are made in the same factory in China, and just rebranded for each website

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