‘Open Bar ‘in Glasgow paid for by the Australians surely you would take advantage of that?

I bought my ticket for the first test in Christchurch today. Test match Cricket and  mountain biking in the port hills what better ways are there to spend your time.(hope the weather is good))

Agreed. I’ve seen those in boat shots of the recumbent cyclists on AM.  It just looks really awkward and frankly not very powerful. Maybe SRAM will want to take their stickers down?  I’ve also read stuff about their struggles for a happy medium in their flight control.

I think it’s a shame American Magic lost Paul Goodison to injury. All that expertise not to mention years of preparation and practice to perfection and money out the window in an instant. Effectively replaced by a rookie who’s then thrown into a match with Luna Rosa.

You’d have to be gutted if you were a member/supporter of the American syndicate.

I like to think  that SDG stands for   ‘So Damn Good!’

The ‘Bel Air’ for me

Sadly it’s a common occurrence here in NZ

people load up their trolleys  and walk out, staff are advised not to challenge incase things get violent

In fact a month or so ago  in Sydney Australia  a member of the public and a security guard were stabbed by the thief when she was challenged

https://au.news.yahoo.com/iga-worker-allegedly-stabbed-shoplifters-202800720.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAt-kB6vWBm0BF3GhWAz8M3DeUauT-jwlDdpAwUdihJxDkN3awSmdkkERsyQzEi_nLWekTCfjo7LgOp3n4wiUQ3k9M9q2dBxSdSqXvubnP_JqSbgv-G_ImHKm0Cq6pSsKGOgK34pFmAs_rv9dSTLlld6RPi3mjnkCMnUW5_ToZKY

Reading that through about the potential punishment makes me wonder what it would be in the UK these days

(slapped wrist and be on  your way??)

I had big plans after a very slack year

However I’ve been sick since the 27th (possibly with some glandular fever type thing/variant)

Saw the Doc today bloods and rest for another week.

Not Happy!

I’m in NZ and some decent weather has finally kicked in and I had planned some riding and sailing.

however my current energy levels get me to the toilet an back to Sofa/Bed

Well I’m in NZ and I’m sad about this, as Summers barely started

Under James the 1st and the 6th this was ended (by war) and a very deliberate colonisation project started to wipe out the Irish culture there. Unlike previous colonisation efforts large areas of land were seized and towns created on them populated by English and Scots who had to be protestant in order to keep them separate from the locals.

Reading this made me think of what the Israelis’ have been doing in Palestine (Gaza +the West Bank) for decades.

See also the Russians in Ukraine, Crimea and Georgia

Nasser informs us England have dropped 13 catches and had a missed stumping

we’ve had two tests and one morning of a third

Oh dear! Jonny

I’m dissapointed with the England team selection for Headingly

with Pope out I would have picked Foakes as Keeper and moved Bairstow to No.3 (an ideal time to see how the England  team can work with a specialist Keeper who is no slouch with the bat)

Moeens’ inclusion is by default as there not brave enough to pick any of the other spinners

I thought Josh Tongue deserved another game

Still not convinced by Robinson

Ultimately England don’t have enough pace and accuracy in their attack on what appear to be dead pitches

Saw the Guardian article about the cost of tickets for one day of test cricket. 190 of your British  pounds W0w!

I remember paying 40 quid for a day at Trent Bridge around 2001 v South Africa.

Watching cricket in NZ is pretty good value I saw England here in February (in Tauranga and in Wellington)

for $35 (you could buy 5 day passes for $110).

What are your predictions for how the series will go? I get to see the the Australians a lot over here in NZ and you do get totally brainwashed by their confidence and attitude of invincibilty. With this in mind I’d love to see England win overall but can’t see it (I’m psychologically intimidated by Australia and their media).  I think 3-1 to Australia

I think Wrexham can still set an English football points record in the National league

@theotherjonv and Caher

you’ve both obviously seen the coming fixtures

Sheffield United, Blackburn Rovers, Millwall
I can’t see any points coming from those games

Now I’m no handyman but earlier this week my hot water cylinder died so I needed to get under the house to Isolate it so we could at least have cold water until such time as it can be replaced. Problem was the hinges on the inspection hatch were seized making access a problem. Fortunately they bent so I could get in.
Anyway today I bought brand new set of hinges and replaced the seized ones. Inspection hatch now works as it should.
I also completely restrung the rotary washing line. This is quite significant as I didn’t break and wasn’t told it was broken (i only found out when going to put laundry out to dry) and upon finding it broken I haven’t waited several months to get around to fixing it.

Try the ‘Leffe Brun” best dark Beer ever

I went to the first day, I thought I was going to see Ben Ducket get a Hundred in the opening session. Then it looked like Harry Brook was on for his fourth consecutive ton.
Great day out, Great weather and Superb English support.
Subsequent days have been equally entertaining.
England haven’t won a test match over here since 2008 so what’s that? 15 years even longer since they won a series here.
I remember two years ago Jofra Archer getting flogged like an old cart horse on a tour here but this time round it’s looking good! Archer might even play in Wellington.

A few years ago I had a bad crash and almost completely broke through the top tube on a Carbon Framed road bike (Scott Solace). I had it repaired and it was a brilliant repair and still is, tens of thousands of Km’s later.
If you can afford it then I’d repair it.

recycling a previously used box and now you have a good sized box for something.
What’s not to like

I’ve just finished ‘Brothers in Arms’ by James Holland’ The Sherwood Rangers (tank regiment) post D-day landings to VE day What a story incredible! The ultimate sacrifice of so many young men is truely humbling

I just saved $1200 on a Commencal Meta TR Essential. Glad I waited as I nearly clicked the mouse 10 days ago when they discounted $600
All this discounting does make me wonder what the mark ups are as presumably there is still a significant profit on the cost price.

Just an after thought as you’re both teachers and you want to come to NZ.
New Zealand is crying out for teachers atm. Would you consider coming to teach over here for a year or two? That way you could get all the riding in you want all over the country and in the best weather and maybe some bits of Australia as well.

As others have said winter is pretty bleak in NZ even in the North Island, that is much milder temperature wise than the South. Imagine the UK December to January.
Do you really want to spend as much as you are likely to and go all that way for a poor experience when compared to the summer riding here.
As you have so much time available surely a North American or European summer experience with some sun and warmth is a much better idea.

Shane Warne
loathed his talent when he was playing but his Cricket analysis is second to none
and he’s just an absolute top geezer, Auctioned his baggy green for the Australian bush fires. and turned his Vodka plants over to manufacture alcohol gel during the pandemic.

Level 4=3 Lockdown (week 6)
and the NZ governments pursuit of it’s covid elimination strategy

Some sobering stats ahead of this evenings game
England have played Germany at Wembley 9 times since 1972, They’ve won once in 1975.
7 defeats and one draw.

Great video and loved the tune too

I live in NZ so we haven’t had the lock down issues you guys have had. Must feel pretty good to be able to get out and about again

I’ve sold three bikes this week and I’m donating a 4th when I’m in the right part of town to drop it off.
None of them were really being used that much so I needed to do it, but I was still sad to part with each of them. Good quality bikes in their day with good quality upgrades (that you never see your money back on). You clean them up really nicely for the prospective sale and then the bikes all clean and gleaming and looking great and your having second thoughts about getting rid of it, Trying desperately to convince yourself that it’s better that it gets used by someone, Arrgh!!

So yes Saying goodbye to a bike or bikes is (has been) pretty hard

Glad it went well for you
Some others on the Midazolam thread seemed to be still awake or not sedated at all.
I don’t know about you but I felt really good/healthy afterwards and it made me wonder whether the experience is similar to colonic irrigation which is heralded by some as a de-tox.

I’ve recently had the ‘Kiwi Experience”
Refered by GP due to reaching 50 with a family history of Ulcerative Colitis, Celiac disease and Bowel Cancer.
GP didn’t believe the blood test available now is thorough enough. Usually here in NZ you have to wait till 55yrs for a colonoscopy.
2 weeks later referral was picked up by private system as they seem to take up the slack when public system is log jammed so by passed the 3-4 month wait and was able to pick a time and found myself at a very posh clinic after a Low fibre diet for two days then the picolax equivalent and NBM. Midazolam (see STW thread), Woke up, lift home and I even got given some holiday snaps which I shared with my siblings.
Very impressed with the service and the standard of care
Enjoy pissing out your arse for twelve hours (and with that in mind get some Vaseline it will ease your discomfort)

I had a Colonoscopy, yesterday as it happens. Awake whilst being given IV Midazolam, next thing I know is I’m waking up in recovery all done and dusted. Given photo’s of my Colon to take home. The only thing that was specified was that I shouldn’t drive for 12 hours so O/H came and picked me up.
My Dad had at least four at various times beyond 55 and had them all under Midazolam
I’m a Nurse (granted not in Adult Medicine) and I was only ever aware of the use of Midazolam for the procedure

It is a Dualis but I was informed in the original thread that you don’t have them under that name in the uk and that they’re Quashqia’s.

Ok Thanks
Can the moderators please close this thread

I really like the idea of a ‘Meta TR’ not sure which build though, probably ‘Essential’ as although I prefer the look of the ‘Race’ model I’m much happier tuning air shocks and don’t really need 160mm of travel.

For me it’s Ben Mendelsohn

Surely the answer is simple ‘New Bike’
Whatever you do to it to fix it it’ll still be an old bike
So you need a ‘New Bike’

The’hand’brake on my vehicle a Toyota Ipsum (‘Verso’ in the UK) is a foot pedal so you don’t have a choice – it clicks when depressed. Before I left the UK I drove a few Mercedes and BMW models with the same system for the ‘parking’ brake. When using an actual handbrake I always click and was taught to but I learn’t to drive in 1987 when engine braking was a thing.

I’m going to Rotorua on Sunday till Friday (I will also go to Taupo whilst there as it’s only 45 mins down the road) Sadly the weather forecast is looking a bit bleak for the whole week.

No substantial rain here in Auckland since December, including over 7 weeks of no rain at all back in Jan/Feb. The cities three main reservoirs are each less than 40% and we have water restrictions in place. Even when it rains it’s a proverbial drop in the ocean.