Robert old bean, want to borrow one of ours to try it out before splashing the cash? It will need folding or use a drawcord to nip it at the waist. It will be ok for a test the. If she likes it you buy a proper one.

Because all of their attention has been focussed on making money rather than enjoying it perhaps?

I love the ingenuity and genuine camaraderie of folks with less money, bit of a sweeping generalisation, but on the whole I’d stand by it based upon my experiences in the VW scene.

Can we upgrade later to a range of mountains?
A nice long xc route with bivi spots, complete with coffee shop, would be great.
Suggest we ask DCC to do the trail maintenance.

They look great fun, but what are proper ones like to ride? I’ve been on small hire recumbent trikes in both configs and the 2 wheels up front felt more stable.

This looked a hoot:

My eldest son’s birthday – wonder what will be on most of his cards, even though he’s 17!!

Used Glynwoods for past 10 years, they are very knowledgeable about camper vans, esp VWs.

As has been said – keep the van stocked with everything but fresh food and clothes, remember that most places have food shops so you may not have to lug everything from home.

I do a quick inventory every so often just to check the essentials – if you have onboard gas, make sure it’s topped up.

If it doesn’t have hook-up get it fitted, on a 2 week trip it can be nice to have 240v once in a while.

Don’t forget that you can load on the outside (spotted a T3 yesterday carrying a spare rear door on the bike rack!) but you can put a cheap plastic tool chest on for additional space.

And another vote for taking them round to friends houses to get their kids addicted – an hour playing in the pop top usually works!

This is us arriving in Anglesey a couple of years ago. We can pack me, Mrs Cat and 2 teenage boys plus all our various toys into/onto our T3.

@Pictonroad – that is just the best van I have seen in ages, is it a Syncro too?

Blimey! Never had anything stronger than booze and never been very good at that.
I don’t have faith that I won’t be sold something made from some toxic material or that I would’nt have a bad reaction to it.

Great point Rich.
Next ride with my lads they’ll be taught the alt right turn because that’s a bloody scary clip.
Makes me even more convinced everyone should ride a motorbike for a year before being allowed behind a wheel, people still query my lifesavers when I’m in a car, without them I’d have hit a big Yam trail bike in Sheff last night, he was in my NS blind spot. Observation and awareness are critical.

There’s the same mix of characters and personality types here as anywhere else. The only factor that may skew things are those that have retired here and bought a nice cottage adjacent to a green lane and then decide that they don’t want the noise of vehicles passing their house. But you get those type of people all over – cue tales of people wanting the banning of church bells, cows lowing and cockerels crowing.

(the other thing about the retired contingent is that many are well connected with a lot of time and experience to use in pursuit of their aims)

hora – Member
Jeesus the residents are idiots.

Not a completely clueless and sweeping generalisation then, how unlike you! 🙄

Up on Hope Cross this evening and it’s like a 6 lane highway, more and more parallel routes to avoid he puddles, it’s only water FFS!

I shall descend into Peak Cavern for a few years and emerge Gollum like, after surviving by eating fishesses.

Or, just watch my skin blister off, hair and teeth fall out, and die screaming in agony.

Weakness: easily distrac..
Solution: squirrel!

Hey Podge, only just getting back to riding after my op in Feb.
Good to hear SSEC was fun.

Mine, just back from it’s second outing round the Peak this weekend.

I use a Powergen pack, I get 4 recharges of an iPhone 5s out of it if that helps.
Super bit of kit and it helps when we are on site for long days with no access to main power.

Clickety

@akaskittles – as an employer GCSE English and Maths are used as gatekeeprs – it’s one of the first filters businesses use when recruiting, not a nice fact but I’d say it’s pretty much the same across the board. We have just taken on an apprentice and the college placing students only referred those with C or above at GCSE.

You seem to capable of writing well, with better spelling than many who have posted in this thread, if you are articulate and can write coherently there are opportunities out there but you will probably be looking at minimum wage and lots of hard work. I would agree with those above who have suggested getting you GCSE Maths and English – if you get a job your employer may support you through achieving them, ask them up front as it will show you are serious about progressing.

As has been said before, find something you love and throw yourself into it, if you have to start at the bottom, better that it’s the bottom of something that floats your boat.

Good luck.

Now:
E: Mushrooms on toast
D: English breakfast tea
L: 5 Live
W: “leisure suite/PJs!!!” 😳

No.
I have a group of friends for whom I would drop anything if asked and I would hope they would do likewise for me and for one another.

Result, nice to hear good stuff happens sometimes.

Just back from a ride on my rigid SS around the Hope Valley, low tech is the future!

If I was to judge mid morning by the realistic set off time for today’s mid morning ride with my youngest lad, you’ll be lucky if he gets there by 4pm.

3/4 of the way down a nice Shiraz, off to a party in 10 mins with Mrs Cat. Who knows what later may bring. 😀

Cash

@monsho – still going well Andy?

Chewkw – good luck chap, in my experience you may find you are working much harder and longer hours for smaller rewards for some time. Also, if you manage to make it work and then have to employ someone, this thread may make an interesting reference point when looking to recruit!!

We employ a small team, pay is about average, hours are flexible, we’re family friendly and try hard to ensure that staff have a good work life balance. In return we expect some flexibility when needed. Seems to work well, can’t see it being manageable in a large company as it’s based upon mutual trust and loyalty. And, we have just appointed our first apprentice. 😀

Llyn Gwynant[/url]

Weened myself off a lot of red wine by subbing Cranberry juice in a wine glass whenever I fancied one – worked for me.

Now drink juices and elderflower presse, if I drink the really odd stuff I feel a bit less ‘cheated’ when everyone else is having nice wine or beers.

(I do occasionally have a beer or glass of wine now but a lot less than a couple of years ago)

This one FTW

A format that has long outlived its novelty.
At least it was interesting when it still had Tiffany Dell and the 2nd hand car spiv.

Lived in Cornwall for 3 years, the recording’s perfect, they really do all sound like that.

No comb, I nick Mrs Cat’s brush if needed but I do have full head of greying hair, which I can cope with, it’s the other grey hairs that freak me out!

Please don’t take the piss.

You have posted on here before?

One of Iolo’s sheep in a right of way dispute!

I read On the Road as a teenager and then again in my late twenties, on neither occasion could I empathise or connect with the characters. May be that it’s a book of its time and geography or maybe I’m just an uncultured northern monkey.

The rigid ones are great, never tried an inflatable. I have a deep mistrust of anything inflatable on the sea.

We have an Ocean Frenzy – single seat but could take the kids up to about 10 but then they nicked it and go off on their own.

The two up ones are great but heavy so a pair of wheels will help getting it to the beach/sea. I’d get bouyancy aids, a bang on the head can stop even the best swimmer.

Seat backs make it more comfy and a leash for your paddle. After that it’s all about having fun.

Re: OP’s question about the best small dogs – we have a Border/Poodle cross for 18 years, seemed to have limitless energy, very few visits to the vets. Bit willful on occasions, looked like an animated door mat but would happily follow me on some long training runs then take my dad for a walk 10 mins later.

@Iolo – just that these seem to be oxymoronic assertions to me, “Livestock are there to make babies and meat,” and “Sorry I’m an animal lover”.

iolo – Member
Sorry I’m an animal lover but dog who brings a sheep down by it’s throat should be shot.The owner should be prosecuted.

Much better to shove them in a truck, stun them and slit their throats?

Happy dragon murderer day.
Hardly any wonder there’s none left.

A film that took in the sweep of the Great Game across Asia, following Peter Hopkirks book narrative.