http://www.gitevagabond.com/web/summer.htm

At that stage you are mid to off season so you might get a deal out of one of the cheaper hotels who will have plenty of free space – it'd be worth ringing round a few.

http://www.chamonet.com

I'm just back from Chamonix. I did a couple of days in Portes du Soleil but I found the natural stuff in Chamonix much more enjoyable. I did most of the stuff peasnotwar suggested and a bit of exploring. The French National Survey (blue) maps and a lift timetable are all that you need. I ended up walking one section from Flegere down to Les Tines, you are better taking the Petit Balcon back towards Cham. There is a great descent from Col de Balme to Trient on one of the GR5 varients. Le Tour and Les Houches are both worth exploring.

I didn't experience any difficulties with walkers, although nearly all the tracks are technically off-limits. Stop or slow right down and say Bonjour, Merci etc and they are usually very friendly. One old woman told me off, I said sorry, and as I was riding away her friend was pointing out that I had stopped and said hello etc.

I nearly ran over a marmotte last week, it was first time I'd seen a real one that wasn't stuffed. He had a good turn of pace for a fat lad.

I would phone Purple Mountain and ask them nicely, the 575 I hired there felt perfectly set up.

I never saw that 714. It didn't happen. 😆

I mangled my ankles ligaments snowboarding. I had a set of these lying about and they are great.

http://www.alsgym.co.uk/hanuthai-black-elasticated-anklets-p-90.html

I doubled them up at first, they are very strongly elasticated so they keep any swelling right down and give a lot of support. If they pinch wear them over a sock.

You should still be icing it, keeping it elevated where possible, and making sure the circulation isn't compromised, but you should be able to keep it mobile.

Depending on how you injured it you might be better on flats for a while.

Great idea, that way you get 5 months biking on it for free. I'm sure the shop will be more than happy with the idea too.

Krav Maga is very effective but it might be easier to find a decent MMA or Muay Thai instructor as there are loads around these days. I trained pretty hard at MMA for a couple of years, I was decent at it, but my preferred tactic is still to leg it.

I got followed from a bank machine a couple of years back, it turned into a footrace. I realised there was a police station nearby but my pursuers were between me and the cop shop. I doubled back round a parked car and after two lethal sidesteps made good my escape, back the way I'd come. The copper on the gates was pissing himself when I told him about it.

"Tax implications" sounds like they are fobbing you off. Tax calculations can be confusing to the uninitiated but any HR/payroll person worth their salt should be able to administer the scheme.

Maybe you just need to adjust the screws at the lever?

I would like something along these lines but there isn't a lot out there if you're 6 foot plus. There are plenty of hardtails around with slack head angles and steep seat angles. Dirt have done a few reviews of different bikes for this kind of use, they beefed up a Rush and ran a Roscoe with loads of sag on the rear.

Along the same lines as BMF, these guys do a good line in self-flagellation.

Gym Jones[/url]

Crap gyms give you crap results. I go to a uni place that is a centre of sporting excellence. Loads of different equipment, free weights and exercise classes, and a good pool, reasonably cheap.

Unless you have something you want/need to work on you won't make the most of it. If you're just looking to keep fit you could try another sport that compliments the biking but is a bit different.

I find this stuff drinkable enough, no wheat, just barley. When I first realised I was wheat intolerant I cut it out completely but I can now get away with the odd slip-up.

When I started avoiding wheat I lost a bit of weight in general bloating. I have more energy and don't suffer the big highs and lows in blood sugar that I used to get.

Haggling tips are great for getting the dealer to throw in extras. To really drive the price down its easiest to find 2 or preferably 3 similar cars from different dealers, then play them off against each other.

Just took a look at AyUps site and its down for maintenance. Aren't they only available from Oz now?

I'm torn between Deal Extreme and something bike specific with a UK warranty etc.

Just had my Cayo 105 over the cols de Montets and Forclaz, it did the job nicely. If I was buying again I would consider a Planet X or maybe something more sportive-orientated, as long as I wasn't losing too much efficiency.

Bit of a trek if you ask me. Plenty of family resorts around with proper ski-in-ski-out and something for everyone to do in the evenings.

Dandan have a think about the Gary Fisher Roscoe. They are pretty well specced with the Fox double chamber shock, QR15 forks etc. I also rode a Yeti 575 with a set of float 36s on it and it flew downhill. Not cheap though and I would be a wee bit concerned about the carbon stays…

Sounds wierd. I had the same problem with Rampage SCs but I have never had any difficulties with High Rollers.

Whats the craic with this Foes 29er then?

I did it last year on a beat-up rental Trance, its fine. If you're on your Blur you might like to do it later in the day and then head over Col de Cou for a slightly different descent into Morzine.

Gower is probably right about Bopara -they should bat him down the order until he has more experience. Ponting batted at 6 for years.

im going to deliberately run a red light today

BURN THE HERETIC!!!!

Priot had a back spasm playing football in the warm-up, definite parallels with McGrath!

Prior injured in warm-up.

Yes and I heard that rape victims wearing short skirts were asking for it. 🙄

Rest is dependent upon your pain levels.

If you can manage something without too much pain or swelling, do it – spin on a road bike, use a cross trainer, kick with a kickboard in the pool, lift weights, etc. The more you can build up the knee the better, whatever your eventual outcome. If you do need surgery the muscle will waste off your leg, you're better to start as strong as possible.

Exploratory surgery does sound unusual, I've only ever heard of MRI or CAT scans for diagnosis, certainly as a first option.

Paint in the threads on mine, bit of a pain in the arse.

Knee giving way is a major symptom of ACL damage. Sorry to say but your symptoms sound like a list of my problems with a snapped ACL.

For a diagnosis you will need a very good physio or ideally a specialist and a CAT scan. GPs aren't much use in themselves, but a good quality referral letter will help you see a good consultant.

If you really want to get back to your best you need an accurate diagnosis. You can't really make an informed decision without one.

At the minute I'm on Clif Bars and Torq energy drink most of the time. For a real trek you'll feel better stopping for some cold pasta. Keep the sugary sweets for last resorts, they'll give you the quickest burst of energy and if you know they're all you have left you can ration them out a bit.

My old man had 30 6 foot lleylandii up either side of his driveway. We ripped them out with a forklift in an hour and a half and had a nice big bonfire!

Otherwise, shovel and axe has always got me there in the end. Most lleylandii roots tend to branch out sideways not straight down so you should be able to dig down to all the main roots.

duck tape

I saw somebody get knocked down once, it was f*cking hilarious

Two things I can think of.

You're too ducked – knees forced too wide, weight onto outside of feet instead of on the balls

Your boots might be too narrow. Most brands have different fits. I was recommended Burton when I started and I stuck with them. Bindings to match the boots, Burton-Burton, Northwave-Drake, etc.

Edit – Try standing on the board in sock soles, no bindings. Squat down with your stance at the right width and see what sort of angles you're looking at, with your knees feeling strong as possible. I used a lot of duck when I learnt switch but when I took it off I found I was a lot stronger over the board.

Not everyone who jumps lights runs over old ladies though do they. Maybe they are extra careful to look around them before they cross, given the situation.

Next you'll be saying all black people are reckless cyclists because the man in the Bran Flakes ad tries to goad Chris Hoy into a winner-takes-all street race.

Classic forum-time-waste-high-horse post, and in itself, just as pointless as everything else on this thread.

1 A place in the Alps
2 Enough money to live out my days.

He isn't even wearing a helmet. Some people are just reckless.

And are your tyres made of plasticene? What speed were you doing you hooligan?!