Heston only does it like that because he’s got a KP to wash up after him…

I’ve got a similar setup on an old Tassajara frame, but with Ultegra bar-end shifters. Had to buy a higher angle stem (Uno +35° one) as the drops were far too low for comfort riding normally. Love it though!

“Everything is idiot-proof until they give you a suitably talented idiot…”

Honkie, that looks fantastic!

I don’t have any tats (yet…) but do have a question for those like Tazzy and Honkie who are: How did you come up with your design/concept, and why? I’ve always said that off I get a tattoo, it’ll have to be something personal to me, but I’m not sure of anything personal and individual enough that I’d wear permanently. What’s the story behind your tats?

Could be file format, maybe? i-w–k sometimes uses odd formats (m4a, I think)

Ooh, cheers for the code Slugwash. Was after the same thing since my old Gores have just come unstitched, ordered a set of the DHB Aeron 3/4s. The Vaeon look like a thicker spring/autumn Roubaix-esque material, but they’re (sort of ironically) out of stock until May.

A mate had a San Andreas when I was about 15 and I wanted one as well, but just couldn’t justify it since I really only rode XC

I wanted a Rocky Mountain ETS-X for years, when I got round to buying a new-new bike (as opposed to just a frame and build) I ended up with a Trek Fuel EX ’cause I didn’t want to spend the same money on the lowest-spec ETS.

Then D45yth from these parts put up a fame and fork at a price I liked, so now I own one. And it’s flamey-patterned. And I loves it. :)

Just waiting for a higher rise stem to arrive, so my chin’s not resting on the steerer quite as much. Currently used as a commuter, but well be using it for longer touring/bikepacking stuff as well.

Frame – Rocky Mountain ETS-X 70
Brakes – SLX
Fork – Fox TALAS 32 (90-130mm)
Gears – SRAM X9
Wheels – Bontrager RaceLite Disc

B-llocks to all this road nonsense.

80km Grand Raid des Pyrenees, off-road, 5000m ascent: 22:56:32

Our cheese board for tomorrow is currently:
– Bluemin White
– Cave-aged Emmental
– Todmorden Pexommier
– Buffalo Blue
– Delice de Cremier
– And some crap Cheddar just to keep the brother-in-law (who has possibly the least adventurous taste ever) happy.

With quince and damson jellies and 4 different biscuits.

I’ve got a cheapy Jansport 40l holdall type thing that’s bang on the size limits, cost me about £15 on Amazon and has been absolutely perfect for about 3 years.

Edit – it’s the one that’s isted as the “20 inch Dufflepak”.

Was Oyster Stout an hour or so ago, Cumberland Ale now, will be homemade eggnog in a bit.

Looking at our larder, you’d never tell someone in this house worked for the Marstons group of breweries….

My cat has rusted through where the exhaust pipe exits

You need a vet for that, surely?

Robert Earl Keen – Merry Christmas from the Family
Half Man Half Biscuit – All I Want For Christmas is a Dukla Prague Away Kit
Fountains of Wayne – I Want an Alien for Christmas
Lemmy, Billy Gibbons & Dave Grohl – Run Run Rudolph
Bob Dylan – Must Be Santa…

Bumping this up, especially in light of the “Mad Friday” thread.

Thanks to all of the services mentioned so far, especially those who will have to deal with the consequences of the rest of us having a good time. Whether that’s police, ambulance crews, nursing staff, MRTs, any of them, thank you for all your hard work and I humbly apologise in advance if it’s me you have to deal with. I hope you all have a chance to celebrate and enjoy yourselves in turn.

Anyone sent for this chap yet?

I might have been one of those zombies, Binners. Workington and Whitehaven both get pretty mental on Mad Friday. Keswick’s not far behind them some years.

It’s the excessive thinking of the children that’s getting people into trouble.
Thoughtcrime and all that… ;)

Edit: Great minds, apparently. And slow fingers…

PS – I shoot the same as you, biking, boating and adventure racing.

I’ve been using a Nikon D80 for years, but when I upgrade in the New Year it’ll be a D7000. The D90 i’d a lovely camera, but (as far as I see it) both it and the D300 have been superseded, the 300S wasn’t much of an upgrade on the original 300 and while the “consumer” range (D3000-3100-3200\5000-5100-5200} have had a lot of development, the “pro-sumer” range (D90/D300-300S/D7000) are due a bit of work.

Anyway, on the Nikon vs Canon – take your pick! Having used both (D80 and 50D) I prefer the Nikon, but that’s more because i’m used to the setup and idiosyncrasies in metering etc. I know the Nikon better (have had it longer) so it’s what I use more. Results-wise, they’re much of a muchness, the consensus amongst people I shoot with is that Canon’s sensors are better, but Nikon wins in the processor stakes. Don’t know about video because I don’t use it, but stills-wise i’d say stick with what you know.

If she pulls at the office party, you could taunt her for ages with bags of Paxo chestnut stuffing….

…I’ll get my coat.

When smothering your Jam Roly Poly with custard before warming up in the microwave, check that its not actually leftover cheese sauce from the cauliflower cheese you’ve just had for your main.

A mate of mine did the same with toffee sauce (for a sticky toffee pudding) and gravy…

Eating spag bol
Drinking tea
Watching the paralympics

(Another mildly homophobic one, I apologise…)

Did you hear about the gay wizard?

He vanished with a puff.

Did you hear about the two gay ghosts?

They put the willies up each other.

I love the fact the term “Banhammer” took off on here. There may have been others using it, but I think I brought that one in.

The fact I got it from a site full of argumentative, geeky role-players is an irony which hadn’t escaped my notice ;)

You’ll have a problem with some lenses, the 3100 doesn’t have a built-in focus motor. You’d need something AF-S to have any autofocus.

Aside from that, take your pick..

I’m alright. Don’t crash that often, fairly smooth, probably very boring and overcautious in a lot of cases, but not bad. Typical former XC Jeyboy, really. Now spend lots of time mincing and reading maps under the guises of Trailquests and Bikepacking :)

My old bands were ‘Sofa’ (and various other badly punned variations on the furniture theme) and ‘Miss Marple and the Chainsaw Masochists’

There’s a balance for most folks between racing and enjoying the journey, but you can still travel pretty fast, sleep well, hit the cafes etc, and post a respectable time -that’s my style.

< mode = “Devil’s Advocate” >

Your style indeed. But it’s not mine, so why should I add in a bunch of extra constraints that could potentially make my journey less enjoyable when I know I won’t come anywhere close to challenging any records?

I’ve been Adventure Racing, mountain biking, kayaking and orienteering for a while. Over the last couple of years I’ve run an Ultramarathon or two. I, honestly, don’t care how long I take for these things. There’s a couple of events in the UK i won’t enter, because i’m not confident of getting in under their max finishing time, and I aim to complete. I understand the necessity of a rule set for those who want their names on the cup, but for those of us who are just out for a bimble? For us it’s less of a concern whether a friend hands uys a sarnie or two, for in the long run, it doesn’t really matter, so long as we finish the journey with a smile (or at least a happily-knackered grimace) on our muddy faces.

Should I enter an organised event of this nature – the BB200, say – then I’ll happily play by the rules, because they’re part of the conditions of my entry. But otherwise, i’m not out to break any records, i’m just out for a ride, and I’ll play to my own rules (or lack of them!) :)

< / mode >

I think that’s the big key, Gary. If, like Rich R, Steve H, Rob Lee et al you’re trying for a noted record time, then a standardised set of rules should apply. A record has to be a record to a recognised standard.

For the rest of us, who just fancy riding these routes for the hell of it and seeing how long we take, the rules don’t really apply. Not to charity jaunts, not to chancers like me out for a bimble, not to the vast majority of people of riders who are into bikepacking and self-supported solo journeys – making it into a race / time trial defeats the object of enjoying the journey to me. Each to their own, though. Those that want to race can race. I’ll take my time and enjoy the scenery without puking up into bits of it.

If, by some MASSIVE fluke, I should look at that site after a ride and find I’ve managed a quicker time than the record, I’ll note it down and maybe plot of a legit, rules-bound go at a later date. ‘s not very likely, though ;)

The Fight of the Navigator – trouble breaks out on a Scouts expedition

What’s ‘e trying to sell? < squints suspiciously >

Only kidding. Welcome to the Asylum…

I’ve got both the Alpkit Numo and Pacific Outdoor Ether mats, both brilliant airbed-types. Very light, small pack size and not overly expensive (got the Ether on sale for about £25, Numo at the Alpkit yard sale for £20…}

Don’t road ride as such, have owned a couple of cheap roadies in the posty, normally just for specific races that required them. Recently got a Dawes Galaxy for free so might indulge myself in some quiet touring at some point.

The Book of Daniel

“….And Daniel was cast unto the lion’s den, for the paranoid King was determined that it were he who had drawneth ar*eholes upon the King’s favourite shield.

Upon the first day, the King came unto Daniel and found he had not been eaten, and gave him a chance to repent. “Daniel” spaketh the King “Was it thou who dreweth ar*eholes upon my favourite shield?”

Vexed with great anger, Daniel picked up a large lion turd, 3 spans by 4 cubits, and smote the King in the left eye with it.
“Sh*t!” said the King.
“Well spotted” said Daniel.

Upon the second day, the King came again unto Daniel, bringing with him the Queen. “Daniel” said the King “I ask again, was it thou who dreweth ar*eholes upon my favourite shield?”

Vexed with even greater rage, Daniel picked up a huge lion turd and smote the King in the right eye with it.
“Sh*t! SH*T!” said the King
“Right again!” said Daniel
The Queen merely sniggered.

Upon the third day, the King came once more unto Daniel, bringing with him the Queen and all his Courtiers. “Daniel” said the King “I ask for the final time: Was it thou who dreweth ar*eholes upon my favourite shield?”

Vexed with an ALMIGHTY rage, Daniel picked up an ENORMOUS lion turd and smote the King full in the face with it.
“Sh*t! SH*T! SH*T!” said the King.
“10 points and a Noddy badge!” said Daniel
The Queen, again, merely sniggered.

Then, upon the winds, came the sound of a thousand zips unzipping, for what the King said was law, and the Courtiers obeyed. A thousand pairs of trousers were doffed, and a thousand ar*eholes strained and heaved in the desert sun.

The King, upon seeing this yelled “STOP!”, and a thousand crystalline turds were nipped in the bud.

“**** me…” murmured the Queen, more in hope than anger, and the King and most of his Courtiers were killed in the rush. …

So Daniel was set free from the lion’s den and exiled, sent to wander in the wilderness. He wandered for some time, and one day he came upon a village where lived a flaxen haired young maiden.

“Daniel” said the flaxen haired young maiden “Wouldst thou tarry a while with me?”

Daniel consented, and they tarried a while, and he left to wander some more. 9 months later he returned to find that the flaxen haired young maiden was with child.

“Daniel” she said “I am with child. What steps art thou going to take?”
“F**king great big ones…” said Daniel, and strode off into the wilderness… “

Thus endeth today’s sermon. I’ll see you in Hell :)

Can haz some (mebbe topicul) muziks?

There was a young lass from Greenodd
Who thought all good things came from God
But it weren’t the Almighty
That lifted her nightie
It was Roger the Lodger, the sod.

Cougar – was it not:

Jingle bells,
Batman smells,
Robin flew away.
Santa lost his underpants
On the M6 motorway…