Here’s my tour I did around Wigtownshire last weekend. Loads of stuff if you like megalithic sites, books or places of historical interest:

Megalithic and terrific tour of Galloway

And these photos do not include Galloway Forest or the nature reserve at Cairnsmoore of Fleet.

So for me it is (the square root of 1*0) + 0 + 0)- 1

Edit – got my maths wrong. I am happy with my one bike, but I come out as -1??

Does any other cycling kit score this high on the “Emperors new clothes” scale?

There is a nice irony declaring high visibility clothing as the emperor’s new clothes 🙂

I think that adverts are tailored to individuals. I think that this is God really trying to tell you something. 🙂

I have read your post a few times and I really am not clear exactly what it is about. Have you seen a bike that you would not normally consider buying, ridden it, and then thought it was OK? Or is it the other way around?

I would say that was a cracking little video – well done.

Sometimes it is the basics you really miss

fresh milk
granary bread
marmite

And then of course there are other things, like simply being able to drink water straight from a tap etc.

And then there are the things that are not about products, such as fresh air, moisture in the ground, green countyside, security, etc. It’s amazing how you do not value things until you are away, then you can really appreciate what you have.

Ah glad you liked it. I am just back home from a somewhat truncated Kirrie ride with Davy G and friend Tom – I have had a totally mad day – will do some photos later tonight – I need a cuppa and a shower.

Well mate you were trying to counteract 100 billion years of natural selection with what looks like a dodgy 1 quid chew from Aldi. Let’s face it, there was only ever going to be one outcome ay?

I think it was Carl Sagan who said that “academic intelligence is no guarantee against being dead wrong.”

Yeah – I discovered that our local woods is a little gem of a place to ride if I am not feeling too energetic. There is also a local forest with great fire roads, and I have also discovered loads of little back roads too which are very scenic.

The one let down was riding up a steep hill up a farm track to a farm. On the map there is what looks like a bridleway, and I rode there as there was a the remains of an ancient hill fort to look at. But the field had an electric fence and it seemed to be connected to the actual gate – I didnt want to risk it so rode down again.

Apart from that I wish I had a sturdy road bike as a mountain bike can be a bit of drag, but still good fun.

Always a shame when that happens.

I have to say on a positive front that I recently bought a Camelbak Mule and a Camelbak cleaning kit both discounted from Merlin. Very prompt service, and there was no charge for postage.

Trekster> a reflecter? On your pedal?

That ain’t no Trekster 🙂

But so what – reflectors are super cool and help make you visible to traffic at night 8)

And thus spake the riding Gods of Singletrackworld 😀

Here are my photos from the STW group ride a couple of years ago. There are some little bits of video in there too.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonralli/sets/72157622336609883/

McMoab has 2 chutes, the likes of which I will never ride myself.

Kirroughtree is a trail centre. As far as trail centres go, it is absolutely fabulous. Is is more like a long flowing Red with Black obstacle sections, many of which I can’t ride but obviously some people here do not even notice 🙂

I always start at the cafe, and have some sarnies at McMoab where I watch others do the chutes and things, and then I have to walk up half of Heartbreak Hill. However, that for makes makes for a brillinant second half of the ride, which is the long long long flowy twisty singletrack back to the start.

Blimey – what a great post!

I didn’t write the review, I just added it 🙂

My book should be reviewed genuinely in Resurgence Magazine, Sacred Hoop and the UK Psychedelic Press in the coming weeks and months!

As of this weekend I am now a published author 🙂

People don’t want to pay for music and the majors know this.

My CD went live 2 days ago and I have sold a copy already 🙂 So that’s one person who still wishes to pay for quality music!

My sincere condolences. My sister died quite suddenly and unexpectedly ten years ago. Obviously the circumstances were different, but this was a huge loss to me, as your brother is to you, and I can relate to some extent, especially when you talk about a blur.

And do not worry about not being able to telephone friends. I could not do the same, but one friend telephoned the others to let them know. I do not know if anyone can do this for you, but I am sure that your friends would want to know in the coming days, so that they can be there for you and be supportive.

Take care. With the emotions, I was told by doctors that it is good to go with the flow. I was all over the place so just try and hang in there.

Take care

With great excitement I got the master copy of my CD from my producer today, only to find that he had burned the same track twice, and thus missed one of the tracks off. Not the end of the world, but a bit disappointing really.

Following his 2 match ban, to fill in time Rooney becomes a human lawn mower.

Davy – well I am trying hard with my new found pushing skills but don’t always remember to do it.

Bunnyhop – yeah – I really should organise a ride for next Sunday! Maybe Kirroughtree.

The word superbly needs a small ‘s’. How can you possibly market this to a bunch of pedants 🙂

To get more responses this thread should have been called “Talk to me about “Talk to me about””

What’s wrong with the phrase “fire roads” then?

I used to get phenomenal grief at school for being the only person to say “yoh-gurt” instead of “yog-urt”. I learned to say it both ways in order not to be hassled at home!

I recorded the piece in a studio. I got the CD back from the studio today but this is the only thing that I want to change.

I can of course contact them again and have it reworked, but I was wondering if this was something that I could do myself.

Blimey! Maybe it was the jumps then where it came loose! Only goes to show what can happen when you are “in the zone” so to speak. 🙂

I did notice it at the top of the climb, and fixed it, but yeah, I don’t remember anything being lose on the jumps. Maybe that was when it happened!

Ah would love to but unfortunately I am working tomorrow. Have a good one – I think the weather should be better than today, and today was not bad.

Actually I am solo right now. I recorded my CD last week and you can stay in touch via my album’s facebook page if you want to Like it 🙂

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Studio_25[/url] by simon ralli[/url], on Flickr

I miss our band! We used to play in Leeds and also had a small dance troupe as well 🙂

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Raise the Roof, Leeds[/url] by simon ralli[/url], on Flickr

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06-12-08SimonRaiseTR0056[/url] by simon ralli[/url], on Flickr

Tomorrow is looking pretty good too – I am going to have a pootle around Mabie and maybe make another video 🙂

Can’t help you there.

I bought these today. When there are so many nice things out there, I really just do not get what is with people eating these chemical gel thingys. 🙂

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April 5th[/url] by simon ralli[/url], on Flickr

Can’t remember how many choppers were on this ride, but it was an awesome group ride in a sunny London one Sunday.

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img044[/url] by simon ralli[/url], on Flickr

We rode up the royal mile to Buckingham Palace, and loads of tourists took loads of photos of us. nearly set of a bomb alert when someone’s tyre exploded. A grand day out.

Kirroughtree is great for kids but won’t you be totally gutted being at one of the UK’s best trail centres and not being able to ride??

Just for the record Glentrool has a really brilliant blue for kids, but obviously those aged 8/9 and upwards I would guess.

If you are staying in Moffatt you should be driving past Ae where there are shower facilities at the cafe and shop. However, check opening times.

I can highly recommend this one which amazingly enough happens to be for sale right now 🙂

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-vauxhall-meriva-14-active-5-door-mini-mpv-2006

STW’s very own Shamen Simon to the forum, please.

[/url]Front Cover[/url] by simon ralli[/url], on Flickr

This is what I have been working on these last few months 🙂 I was also in the recording studio last night recording a shamanic drumming CD which will accompany the book:

[/url]Album cover 5[/url] by simon ralli[/url], on Flickr

“Describes a unique odyssey through the many worlds of shamanism, filled with telling and important details of their healing paths. The author has had a wealth of personal experience, and, even more importantly, he has thought deeply about what those experiences mean, both for him and for us.”

Stephan V. Beyer, author of Singing to the Plants: A Guide to Mestizo Shamanism in the Upper Amazon

“This book takes us on a journey into the very heart and soul of nature – to a vivid realm where the powerful creative intelligences of the universe conjure up the powerful concoctions known to us as ‘matter’, ‘consciousness’ and ‘nature’. Read this book and discover possibilities for re-ensouling nature that are so urgently needed in this time of global crisis.”
 
Dr Stephan Harding, Head of Holistic Science at Schumacher College, author of Animate Earth: Science, Intuition and Gaia

http://www.facebook.com/theshamanandsnowwhite

I did have a novel published a few years ago but the publisher, which was very small, decided to end that line of their business.

You have the Galloway Hillbillies https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=90366998194 many of whom are local ish, and quite a few more of us Gallowayians dotted around Dumfries and Dalbeattie 🙂