Why have I got a troll at the side of my name??

It’s a sign of respect.
😆 damned near spat my coffee out, hohoho

*Mountains
*Bikes
*Beer

…would be an awesome t-shirt!

oh, alright then – mountains/uplifts/techytrails

I didn’t know I would be interviewed, do I need to be wearing a suit?

– i refer you to Shallow Grave… mwahahahahahaha

A DFC well deserved by Jon Singh for his actions and his ‘blind flying’. I’m flabbergasted by the big set he displayed.

+1. I was amazed that he was allowed to compromise a hugely valuable/important asset (the Cab) and the MERT team in such conditions – but the determination to get the job done overrode everything. The lads on the ground are my local Regiment and chuffed to bits that a regular Line Infantry unit is shown in action rather than the “sexier” Paras/Booties. Quietly proud of all portrayed.

Professor fate – that was only an attempt to keep the scumbag climbers out and stop them pinching paying customers food when they popped out to the toilet. Unfortunately Chongo got hooked on it and everyone else stayed in the hope he’d quote them in his next book on astrophysics. That and drinking the ‘coffee’ was better than dodging the camp 4 wardens who suspect you of sleeping under a bench for the last week, or come at you with a gun for sleeping under a boulder when the campsite was full. I took the coffee every time!

– the lengths you guys go to for your art, eh! *dofs cap* 😆

Yosemite visitor centre circa 2004 – absolutely Gopping, went straight in the bin. The grimmest bilge sold in one of the most glorious locations on the planet… 😳

Just buy it… 😉

Good luck to the lad. Preparation is key IMHO – not just the training to get in, but awareness that day-to-day Infanteering/camplife can be boring/humdrum. Be aware that an alternative is the Engineering element to the Army (RE/REME) allows doing the All-Arms Commando course (to suitable canditates) after getting into the chosen Corps – a bit less intense than the direct RM route. Just an option…

sort those blown bricks out, they’re a disgrace…

Or get a Duff-bag

This

and strap it to one of the generic boot-mounted chrome rack-type-things said cars often have?

Forgot to add the new post will be swapped between two bikes – a different size shim for each of my two frames, so just the shims will be (relatively) fixed…

Methinks i’ll pop into the lbs Monday and confuse myself a bit more. As the post came from them i’ll use their stuff (if any). Cheers Coatsey for the offer, looks like i need to learn more stuff!

An “abrasive grease” – blimey, another term i’ve not met… is that related to Friction Paste? The Destructions state Not Grease… confusion reigns ❓

Cheers all! Odd that i have to Oversize Baggage my big ‘ol Bergen (due to the straps, apparently) so i know where that is at Gatwick, yet it comes out the regular luggage at the destination… Seems pretty straightforward 🙂

Due to lack of affordable accom in the area i booked Champery (time to explore PdS from the Swiss-side :-))

Currently 17th, i believe… and behind NZ/SA :oops::lol:

aliens is a true classic….you must be on drugs

+1

My Offerings of Bilge…
-Terminator 3
-Terminator Salvation
-Robocop 3 – walked out of that one!
-Transformers (in any form)
-Talladega Nights

Just UNBELIEVEABLE, how she blasted to the front on the last part of the last lap…. words fail me! And as for the British crowd, well! And Mo’s just got gold to boot!!!!!!

Thankfully, it’s not PdS though, it’s mostly more natural single track and hiking paths.

-That’s my kind of thing! I’m no DH speed-demon – i prefer slower,techy stuff (albeit with shin/elbow guards :roll:)

(Top of Scalottas lift heading directly down past a small hut)

-I remember that bit… short but sweet. Kept wondering if someone was going to come out of the hut and have a go at me 😳 , but never happened 😀

Hopefully the new freeride trail is open, now. I got 3/4 way down it until it simply stopped in a meadow and i spent a while getting back onto a path – turns out they hadn’t quite finished it… 😆

Arosa was a disappoinment in that the main lift (Hornlibahn)flatly refused my bike and bikes on the Weisshornbahn were only allowed to mid-station. All free but of limited use… Great camping, though. Lenzerheide’s Rothornbahn was out-of-service all that summer so riding was pretty limited to the other side of the valley and didn’t really inspire me. Guess i was expecting more testing singletrack than i found in the 3 days i found in each resort. Flims-Laax seems to be pushing itself more as a biking resort and biking’s allowed on all the trails (?). Plus it’s quick to get to from Zurich on the train. Any similar alternatives within a couple of hours from Zurich?

Cli-Machx may still be a pointless diversion with all the harvesting operations and trail diversions going on till late this year (if i read the signs correctly a few weeks ago). Recommend Cadair Idris (just up the road) instead.

I have hardly eaten since Friday so I don’t think I will have the energy, I’m also likely to be massively dehydrated

sounds like it’s a job for a Full English and a big bottle of Lucozade/Powerade in the trailpack! Go on, get out there and get the endorphines flowing…

Grim news, Mate.
The time has come for you to climb out of the rut you find yourself in. It’ll not be easy and may take time but it will be worth it.
Go for it, fella, and good luck! 😐

If you feel the need…
here[/url]

hold on tight now…
plug your headphones in, turn vol to 11… enjoy!!

My Seamaster is 10yrs old now and bar new batts (as previously mentioned…) and a replacement plastic strap it keeps on going – as expected. If your heart says Seamaster then just buy one, if you don’t it’ll just bug you! Enjoy.

Do you want to use lifts or your legs… most lifts should be open when you’re there, but Chamonix has restrictions then. Whatever bike you take i’d really recommend 180mm brakes (at least on the front) and rims that are happy with big-volume rubber – other than that anything is good for trailriding there. If you hit Les Gets/Morzine be aware that pretty much everyone is on dh rigs but get away from the rat-runs and a trailbike makes more sense. The Morzine campsite is a bit out of town with a short climb to the lifts so factor that into any thoughts. Les Arcs is ace with a good campsite in Bourg-St-Maurice next to the funicular and supermarche (with free wi-fi!).

I liked these…

Firing weapons is a real buzz, albeit a short-lived one. The main reason to carry one is self-defence i suppose, although i reckon the real reason is to impress/intimidate others… I struggle to think of an occasion when such an item would’ve actually been useful so a pointless exercise? If i wanted to artificially inflate my self-esteem i’d probably buy some Fox 40’s 😀
But i’d recommend blatting off a few rounds in a controlled environment – what a rush!

Had it changed recently here in Wimbledon at an independent watch specialist, was initially quoted £70 but when i queried it it was reduced to £50… still done in 30 mins. That’s the thing about “premium” brands, they expect premium upkeep costs, but inform yourself and you can circumvent the patter. Nothing wrong with more mainstream watches, but my Omega was a once-in-a-lifetime purchase after a lot of um’ing and ah’ing and i feel good wearing it so it’s worth it – i’m not a brand-snob either (i drive a Skoda! 😀 )

My Seamaster needed a battery change so i got some quotes here in the uk. These were coming in at between £250-350 with a 4-6 week turnaround… but as i was due to go travelling in SE Asia shortly afterwards i flew into Bangkok and went to the Omega Thailand Head Office for some info – they changed the battery and pressure-checked the watch in the service dept there and then (was there less than 20 mins!)for the princely sum of £7:50.

Grim news indeed. It staggers me that a Colorado citizen can legally own an Assault rifle with up to 20 rounds and not have to register it. I can understand handguns for personal protection and shotguns for vermin control, say, but an Assault rifle whether semi- or full-auto is quite unjustifiable in normal society…

How much reader costed you for?

er, it’s in the link…

My Skoda has a vw 1.4 engine and i got myself a fault-code reader this which is really useful. As the Honda equivalent is a whole lot more expensive and vw spares are pretty cheap and plentiful, i’d give your car more of a chance before jumping ship (but if you did go to Honda it’s a fine brand, along with Toyota!).

Just got back from a mini-break in Garmisch, Germany. Not a mtb hotspot but some fine riding if you get a decent local map and are prepared to ride up the hills. This should apply to the Vosges, too, i’d imagine. Go on, explore and give up the info here… 😀

Ewan, that pic is most impressive – my compliments, Sir!

If you really want a powerful luxury car and feel you can afford it, then just buy one and be done… if it works out then fine, if not you’ve learned something.
Check out good advice[/url] for useful/scary info about your intended.

I like Moyles – there, i’ve said it.
Listened and laughed to him since ’97 when he started on R1. A very Northern sense of humour + healthy dose of antagonism to authority/establishment + ability to speak his mind wrt crap tunes = entertainment in my mind. You can’t accuse him of being bland…
Seeing he’s spend heaps of holiday time in the States over the recent years it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s trying to break there – can’t see R2 making a good slot for him for a while, Haters relax!

Be wary of standard travel insurance as it may not cover you in a lift assisted resort.

Please expand… could affect a lot of people here. I generally find that “Mountainbiking Non-competitive” (or similar) should cover most bases, maybe i should look closer in future!

Ohhhh, i have Windows Media Center on my laptop (a new thing to fiddle with…).