If the 20 quid is burning a hole in your pocket give it to a charity instead.

I’m in NZ and a lot of the time it’s less expensive to have stuff sent from the UK/Germany than buy here.

Endura Zymes again here, years and years of wear zipped pockets just excellent shorts. Ground Effect supertankers are also very hard wearing and last ages (pockets aren’t zipped though).

I would do what you can by way of persuasion and incentives to get him riding without stabilisers as soon as you can even if he doesn’t ride again for fun for a while, at least he will know how to do it when his mates want to. Having taught an older taller child if you don’t get it done soon it becomes complicated by wheel sizes and frame size and balancing on bigger bikes. I set aside 30 minutes everyday during one school holiday, by the 4th session he was riding independently. My son was almost 9 years old at the time and very timid and risk averse (as a result of his mothers unbearable mollycoddling in my opinion). The techniques I had to resort to might not get in the parenting manual but the self confidence I saw him gain from achieving and mastering the skill of riding and controlling the bike and for him to then have that learning experience as a transferable skill for other activities was worth it.
Good Luck!

I have some ‘Deuter’ Rack Pack II panniers which I’ve had for commuting and touring in pretty constant use now for 7 years and they are only just starting to show signs of wear on the fabric, zips and clip closures are all good though. Waterproofing isn’t the best with a pull out elasticated cover which is only really showerproof. When I replace them I think I will get the Ortliebs simply because of this.

@ teamhurtmore – bloody English language

have a stern word with your dearly beloved and remind her that it’s your baby too and put her ‘hippy’ birthing plan ideas into ‘soft focus’ of idyllic resuscitation, brain damage from hypoxia and a lifetime of peg tube feeding requiring wheelchair access wherever you go. Which will be mostly in and out of hospital for years and years.

Road bike
FS Aluinium 26″ mountain bike
Singlespeed Steel 29er HT
and soon to be aquired tourer/adventure bike in the form of a ‘Kona Sutra’

I’ve been out in the evening after work (so 2030hrs onwards) a few times now. The first time I did it I was amazed at how quiet the roads were so it was an easy decision to try it again. Shift work definitely helps in so much as you don’t have to worry about early mornings.

I haven’t lived in the UK for quite a while now and a few of these posts have me going “omg! are they still going’ e.g Echo & the Bunnymen (Jealous about this one), Carter, The Levellers and flippin’eck ‘The Fields of the Nephilim.
Anyway I’m contemplating the ‘The Datsuns’in late December and have ‘Black Keys’ tickets for April next year

Genesis bikes are tricky to get hold of as I’m in NZ

They fixed an out of warranty(3 year old) Vision 4 recently FOC (return post to New Zealand).
Quite Happy about that!

Have a look at ‘Ground Effect’ for some really comfortable hard wearing cycling gear.

March this year, inside four weeks, From Auckland.

I recieved a smile/like on my internet dating profile. My expectations of this type of thing are no longer very high even so we ended up having a chat which was a welome distraction.

A little while ago the lock out on my RCT3 stopped working, took it in to LBS (Auckland, NZ) and I was told it was a damper prolem (well known apparently) and I got a new damper under warranty Forks were 2 and half years old.

1:20 or 1:25

No photo but

It’s an Orange 5 (so I can stop now really!)
26 inch wheels
9 speed triple, single pivot
narrow bars and long stem (compared to nowadays anyway) 1 1/8 headtube all the way,
clipless pedals, no dropper, not tubeless, aluminium, no chainguide or bash ring.

and it creaks! 🙂

We have a gas powered fridge, one of the best camping related purchases I’ve made along with a roof-top box for the car.

Svelte

£ slices of Fruit- toast here

Ground Effect – ‘Half pipes’ excellent!

Have you tried using a snorkel for your front crawl/freestyle?
I wouldn’t even bother swimming front crawl when I swam because I couldn’t organise my breathing well enough and like you I’d need to stop after only a few lengths/laps as I’d be knackered.
Using the snorkel I’ve been able to focus on initially getting my strokes, body position and roll right without worrying about not being able to breathe and then continued with the use of a pull-buoy and hand ‘paddles’ which has built up my arm/shoulder strength and stamina so I’m ready now to go without the snorkel.

In a bid to exclude my involvement with our kids after our separation my ex filed an affa-davit accusing me of sexually abusing them. Allegations later quashed in court. Lots more evil from her to

Most NZ banks will accept UK bank cheques which take 21 working days to clear. Some banks charge a nominal $0.50 fee some like mine ASB charge nothing you just have to wait the 21 days. My relatives often send money gifts for my kids this way.

Weather is a bit of a lottery but generally January and February are the best months i.e most sunshine, warmest temperatures, least rainfall.

I live in NZ and I’d suggest driving and staying at motels would give you better vfm or just camping (lots of very well equipped campsites). You’ll pay a premium for the van over here and you’ll pay a premium to park it up overnight at a campsite and fuel economy on a car would be way better and increases your accessibility to the more remote spots (lots of roads out in the sticks still unsealed). The road network is not like in the UK (only motorways are around the major cities) Mainly single lane carriageways with passing zones linking major towns. Drivers over here are also a consideration (not just for cyclists) but people can’t drive over here especially in bad weather and the chip seal on the roads is cheap and dangerous and slicks up terribly with the rain. Having said all that you’ll have a bloody great time over here if you have money to spend.

What happens when one solo nightrider comes across another solo nightrider in the woods or on the moors?

Maybe because not everyone lives in the UK

I wanted to improve my fitness and buy a 29er

I lace mine with roughly chopped bits of bacon then grilled tomatoes and sunflower seeds on the top.

Lars and the real girl,
Animal Kingdom,
Balibo.

Bresnan’s injury is a shame. I think he’s done really well! wickets, economical and runs when batting.
I’d like to see Tremlett come in for him at the Oval if only to see what he’s got after his injuries.

Was this in the garden of the Big Blue House?

I don’t know if it’s been mentioned already but the ‘Hawkeye’ prediction is actually a cone (or triangle) of predicted path of which only the central path is shown. So on each predicted line they show you on the TV you can/should allow a little more either side as it’s all only theoretical.

I liked ‘matchstick men’

I have a day off work on Friday

Couldn’t you try and negotiate working at the office 20 mins away. That way your current employer has a chance to do something about one of the things that is proving difficult for you (and you’ll probably get a sense of your value to them in the process).

I should add – the stakes are somewhat higher for us expats down under. England lose the ashes then you guys back home get to be grumpy for a little while then forget about it. We get a whole world of hurt for the next 2 1/2 years…

This also applies here in NZ which is why Prior & Broad et al, did such a great job yesterday.

I was there. Fantastic! Fully expected England to lose at some point during the day today after Cook and then Finn went late in the day yesterday. What fight from Root, Bell, Broad and Matt Prior today. The Draw feels like a win.