Cheers guys, I’ve started giving him Sardines in sunflower oil to see if that helps so I’m going to order some of that supplement.

Bathed him tonight in a bit of dog shampoo I had left and it’s like dandruff on him. He has quality food so he must be lacking something.

Look on the Way of the Roses website, as you probably know, the route starts in Morecambe and I think they have accommodation listed.

Look at the calc above its 30mins over 200 miles if you can keep 70 all the way.
On my route, the dual carriageway had its speed limit reduced from 60 to 50 mph so, as a result, I was taking about 10 mins longer to cover the entire stretch. They asked me and I explained and the answer was ” and ? “

How long was the stretch?

About 30 miles.

Makes sense with limiting them to 60 on dual carriageways.

Why restrict a van to 60 mph ? Surely these days with technology in engines the fuel consumption between 60 mph and 70 mph can’t be too massive ?

Like has been said, they will pay more in overtime.

Having said that, a company I worked for didn’t care one bit about fuel used and how you drove as long as you got the deliveries done. On my route, the dual carriageway had its speed limit reduced from 60 to 50 mph so, as a result, I was taking about 10 mins longer to cover the entire stretch. They asked me and I explained and the answer was ” and ? ”

I left not long after not just because of that but that was the final nail in the coffin.

I often have a kip in the van after a ride, only time I get any proper peace and quiet.

I’ve lost count of the amount of times I have been overtaken when I’ve pulled over for a blue light. I’ve now taken to planning my place to stop but not pulling in until the vehicle behind has reacted.

Doesn’t cost any time and is safer for blue lights.

If you want to see impatience, put a Driving School roof box on your car.

Antics from Today

Range Rover little thing driven by a wannabe WAG blatantly saw me on the roundabout and pulled out regardless forcing me to slam on.

NSL country road I didn’t know, just following Sat Nav, I’m doing 40 – 45 as its narrow, downhill, windy get overtook by a Vivaro and forced onto the grass as another van was coming the other way. The other van had to swerve towards the stone wall.

50 mph on the motorway in heavy traffic, no one going any faster, some guy right up my back bumper screaming at me to get a move on. Guess the fact I’d actually left a decent gap between myself and the car in front upset him. Yes I was in lane 1 at the time.

What am I doing wrong ?

Nothing. But do that kind of mileage this side of the Pennines and you will see all the tomfoolery mentioned.

I can only echo everyone else, feeling for you mate.

Dogs are ace, they give unconditional love and are always there for you hence they leave a massive hole when they are not here anymore.

My eldest is about 16 and every day now is special and he is spoiled even more ever now.

Time is the healer, classic line that and you will never forget him and no dog will ever be exactly like him but, when you are ready, have a look for another and meet a new individual.

I always go for rescues as they are hard work but so loving 😀

As if by magic, the car appears on our local traffic polices Twitter feed having been abandoned on a main road.

Just have to look out for the idiots in another vehicle now.

I’m not really into football but I’m gonna watch it at home as I’ve a 4 hour gap this afternoon.

The joys of teaching football mad teenagers who decide the match is more important than having a lesson this week.

Unfortunately, clocking is still common.

I used to lease my cars changing them on a regular basis, I had 4 before buying this one I have now.

Bored one night, I went through the MOT history checker with the reg numbers of the cars I’d had. The first one was a 57 plate Fiesta, registered 1/9/07 which went back to the leasing company in March 09 with about 48 k on it.

The leasing companies policy was to keep them till 3 years old so it would have gone out again on a 18 month lease.

Went through first MOT 8/9/10 with 22 k on the clock 😯 some poor person is pottering around in a car now which has lost roughly between 35 – 40 k

I don’t have an actual drive but, being northern, I’ve two big gates that allow me to park in my yard.

Dropped kerb on it and signs saying ” keep clear ” but I still get morons nipping to the local hairdressers, tanning shop and chippy parking across it.

I now always have either the van or car parked across the gates depending on which vehicle I’m using. The only way of stopping the morons.

Update 7 months on…….

There has been nothing till yesterday when some white paint appeared showing where the lines are going to end and they are going to be at 10 metres as I asked for in my letter to the council so I’m happy with that.

Neighbour has been parking his van elsewhere for months so the lines will be going down soon.

Thanks to Onzadog for your advice, cheers mate.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets

I’ve reported it but they didn’t seem too interested until I told them I’d check the car on MID and it’s not insured.

Keeping my eye on Twitter as my local force love to brag when they seize a car for no insurance 😀

That was miles better than last week.

The star part is still rubbish and I think it always will be.

Regarding the cameras etc, I saw them filming the Blackpool piece that was in last weeks episode and the camera crews etc literally filled the prom with all their different vehicles. The tracking shots are done out of Discoverys and I think they had about 5 of them.

Various vans, lighting, mini cams, drones. At least the filming is still as good even if not everyone agrees about the presenters.

Nothing more to add so I will just post a pic of my terrible twosome

Despite having a bed each, they often end up like this. They are ace 😀

Just before Xmas just gone, I was having a shave and had the Bathroom door open. I’ve a downstairs Bathroom and out of the corner of my eye I saw one of the dogs walking past.

Looked properly and it was my dog that had died 10 years ago. Didn’t panic me or anything. She didn’t look at me, just disappeared past the door.

When Mum came round and I told her she freaked out though 😆

Holding down the door open button on the remote to open all the windows is a great feature

My mate had a Passat with that feature and the car was outside his house and a young lad knocked on asking if it was his car as all the windows were down on it and it was raining hard.

Mate had the keys in his pocket and must have caught the button whilst sitting on the sofa. He’s done it with his latest car as well only this time the boot opened 😀 luckily no one nicked his sons buggy out the boot.

Like Duncan said, it’s horrible here and we are still relying on steam powered electricity and washtubs.

But seriously, I live between Manchester and Preston and can be on trails within 5 mins, lakes, peak etc all about an hours drive.

Going away from cycling also within an hour I can either be in the middle of big cities like Manchester, Liverpool, Preston Lancaster etc or on the beach or out in the middle of nowhere on my own on the moors.

loads of property available as its a bit of a commuter belt.

Was covered a bit a short time ago

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/lancaster-short-term

Can’t help you with housing ideas though, sorry

Not in the last 5 years but I had a standard 900 about 15 years ago.

Look for rot under the battery and make sure the electric Windows work. My Windows had seized solid as water gets in the mechanism and rots it.

Spent the morning cleaning up at the allotment. It’s raining really hard here now.

CBA getting wet through, but with daylight till 9pm I will get out for a ride in a bit.

Paddy McGuinness

+1 for Vernon Kay

I’m supposed to be a prouder Boltonian ha ha

I went into Greggs at Manchester Fort the other week and they had prices for eating in and taking away, only thing I noticed was the eat in seating were a couple of chairs outside.

WTF ?!?!???!

Years ago the average speed cameras used to only cover a particular lane so you could go at any speed, swop lanes at each camera and not get caught.

So the urban myth went anyway.

I used to always drink oxo when I was a kid.

Serious question, is it proper bad for you or something ? Not got any so can’t check the ingredients.

I will never know why I did this but I was playing about with the dials on the top of my front fork whilst pedalling along and I was bouncing the front testing how much it responded etc.

Whilst doing this, I slammed the front brake on. Don’t know why, never will but I did.

Massive OTB and flat on my back with the bike bouncing off me.

I had a Mag Burner and I think it got taken to either the tip or charity shop when I got a Mountain Bike.

When Nan went into the care home, I was hoping I was wrong about the Burner and that I’d find it at the back of the shed but no luck.

Still got the Mountain Bike though a 1988 Raleigh……

my supervisor and one of my workmates taking about workmate going on holiday. This lad wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box….

S :- ” oh right, when are you going on holiday ”

W :- ” Saturday morning, going Dublin ”

S :- ” sounds good, who are you going with ? ”

W :- ‘ Ryanair ”

I have a touring and got some OS map for it which are loads better than the original.

The round trip function is great in my opinion as you set it to either road, touring or off road. The off roads are not really off road though.

I got these and new discs at the same time, they had a deal when I bought mine so it’s worth shopping about.

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-deore-m615-disc-brakes-front-rear-set-62194.html

Like cookeaa said, keep an eye on the prices of all the Shimano brakes as they do get deals at times.

Putting my Avids in the bin and buying some Shimano Deore was the best upgrade I made.

Stating the obvious but don’t just leave it on a street especially near the ethiad or velodrome unless you really don’t like your car.

I never got it offered to me.

These days it’s Bikeability and split into levels 1,2 & 3 with level 1 being playground control, level 2 basic quiet road riding passing parked cars, correct use of junctions etc.

Level 3 is big roundabouts, busy roads.

In primary schools, our company only does level 1 and 2 and they have to be really bad at riding or to be messing around not to pass level 1.

@Simmy – that’s interesting to know. I live in Lancaster and I don’t have much DAB reception.

It was fine till about 4 – 6 weeks ago now it just cuts back to FM and I have to listen to The Bay…..

Just to add, I can’t stand listening to FM after the sound quality of DAB, FM sounds like an old cassette tape whereas DAB is like a CD ( stepping back into the 90’s there )

I have a factory fitted unit in the Fiesta and a Pure head unit in the van.

Both are equally as good as each other, the van has a separate roof mounted DAB aerial and is as good as the factory set up in the Fiesta.

Regarding coverage, for some reason I’m losing DAB totally when near Lancaster when I’m in the Van, not been up in the Fiesta so don’t know if it is an area problem. Some stations have re-tuned to the national d2 ( I think ) transmitter so I’ve had to retune. Absolute 80’s and Kisstory are in the middle of a re-tune and the signal is loads better now.