Try the abrasive method first. If that doesn't work, buy some disc brake cleaner and apply it to both discs AND pads.

Could be a bug or something else she'll shake off in a day or two, but to be on the safe side I'd go with what Ernie said and call them now.

We used to go to a very anonymous looking pub (on the A51 I think near Tarvin) that did brilliant Thai. Have had some good pub grub in and around the city too, but can't think or a restaurant I'd recommend.

De-cluttering.

Thanks all – some valuable comments in there. Will definitely give it a go.

SM

….until the day KINGTUT came into my life.

Sounds like the beginning of a love story :P

Found it too stressful.

I thought swimming would be quite therapeutic … but I guess d1ckheads/traffic/lane rage can change all that.

Without wishing to sound rude, do a Google search

I have done a Google but wanted to get the perspective of MTBers and road cyclists more than anything.

great for toning the physique and cardio but not so great for weight / fat loss.

Yep, I was hoping the toning/cardio side would be a winner, and I've read that it's no good for weight loss (because of the way calories stop being burned after the session or something?).

Great for building upper body and core strength

That's probably want I want to aim for too.

Methinks I'll give it a go.

Cheers

I bought one of these 3l Deuter jobbies[/url] a few weeks back. Better VFM than CB and a damn sight easier to clean.

Clove oil and some kind of pain numbing pastel thingy. If it gets real bad then just find another (private) dentist – might cost £50-£100 but it'll be job done.

Thai chicken curry made by the good lady – proper num nums.

Torq with a splash of salt.

Probably a were-badger.

Sorry to hear that Bert, but the trouble with pubs like the Royal Oak is that they're reknowned for bikers, hence thieving scumbags are probably gonna stake these places out on occassion.

It really pi55es me off that they get away with this sh1t, even more so when we're the hard-working folk and they're the wort on society's ar5e. Feckers. Hope they get what's coming to them.

PS will keep an eye out.

Yeah, as everyone's said it's pretty flat and unengaging. However, I'm also thinking of doing it similar to you, but I might instead go cross-country parallel with the A23 down to somewhere like Devils Dyke, head west along the SDW, pick up the DL at Steyning, take it to St Marthas and then attempt to cycle home from there. Should make for a nice little clockwise route, but could also do me in. Whatever you choose, the DL is about as simple as it gets off-road.

Sorry to hear your sad news SD – I've just been through this myself. I also agree with your sentiments regarding pets and humans – hopefully things will change for the positive in the near future.

Another tuppence in case you (or indeed Ti29er and anyone else) find this of use … my 15/16yr old (Bert) had a stroke in the middle of the night a few days ago and we had to rush her to the vets to be put to sleep. Absolutely devastating. For a day or so after, I just couldn't think straight regarding burial/cremation, but … after getting my thoughts together and doing some research, I found a local pet crem (certified) and opted for them to provide an individual cremation and casket (with me doing a personal drop-off and pick-up instead of them). Bert has now been home for a few days and I feel a lot "better" as a result.

I only mention this because I had no idea how messed up my mind was going to be for those 2-3 days. Sure, we handle these things differently, but for some of us it can be particularly unpleasant. Also, I had piece of mind having met the people at the crem. So overall I felt I was doing the best thing for us and Bert.

Like I say, just my tuppence …

Oh yes waste of money to pay IMHO and I hate coaching NLP is a bit better but both a bit of BS IMHO

Hate coaching? I'd be interested to know who you qualified with … some organisations are shockingly bad, some are good, some are excellent.

Like you say, NLP can be very powerful in the right hands, but I wouldn't say it's better than coaching. Depends on your training/background/application and who you're working with.

I agree both can be BS at times, but IMO that stems from the same issues I pointed out in the NLP statement above.

I honestly think people who say negative things about coaching (and indeed NLP etc) haven#t worked with a genuinely good coach. There are so many BS ones around that they leave a bad impression … and therefore the few good ones sometimes have their work cut out undoing that stigma.

If you go to the wrong organisation/individual or you approach it "incorrectly," then you might well end up pi55ing your investment up the wall.

However, I've been a coach since 2005 (do it less so now because I'm involved in other work) and have helped numerous people get their careers back on track. I also know other career-specific coaches that can help.

So long as you ask the right questions when "qualifying" them, then you'll know what option is best.

SM

I've always wanted to like the iPhone but something (unknown) still holds me back.

Hence I opted for the Hero back in August. Awesome piece of kit. Now waiting for the 2.1 OS upgrade to appear in April – looks fantastic.

If you can't settle on the iPhone then check out other smartphones (if you're gonna be using the additional functionality that is).

Defo a scam.

A few weeks ago I had a call from an African-sounding chap that flagged as international on the Caller ID and went like this, "Good afternoon Sir, my name is Stephen and I am calling from BT." Put the phone down immediately. Same international ID appeared on half a dozen calls over the next few days, all of which I ignored. They then stopped.

Bunch of scamming cockbags the lot of them. They should be rounded up and culled.

Solpadeine

Teggs, I'll send you an email in the morning.

SM

+1 for chilli – probably the easiest to makes masses of

+1 for lasagne or spag bol plus garlic bread, salad

So long as you trust each other then go with a Bankers Draft.

Only weird experience I had with one of those was when a couple of burly blokes drove 300 miles from Darlington to buy my 1yr old BMW. I went with them to a local bank where they had the BD drawn up, but I noticed a spelling mistake – which made me think they might've been given me a fraudulent one instead. So I pointed out the mistake which they accepted right away, and saw them have another one drawn up. Debited it straight into my account and handed them the keys. Nothing dodgy at all in the end – just a couple of very big blokes, one who whom wanted my exact spec car and was prepared to travel a fair number of miles for it.

I'd second what Chardo says and check out the route, e.g. do 50 miles or so from Winchester, and then the rest from somewhere like Truleigh. Familiarise yourself with some of the "turns" and be prepared. It's not a nice place to be when it's close on 30deg, you've made a wrong turn, you're miles from your car, and you're running low on fuel.

IMO we have to be realistic here and recognise that people have "different make-ups" and not everyone has the physical/mental "set up" to meet the challenges that others can.

Sure, the SDW is do-able in 1 day for some, and certainly 2 days for others. But some people struggle to step up from riding say 2-3 hours to even double that. And then you've got to go maybe twice as much on top of that again. And then get up the next morning and start again.

Not everyone can sustain that level, nor can they recover effectively enough overnight.

However, I do believe the mental aspect can make the difference here. If the OP is seriously determined about doing this, then a combination of the right motivation, the right training, and the right preparation on the day(s) can make all the difference.

It is do-able … but for some it requires considerably more effort than for others.

I went from a Merc to an M3 to another BMW to an Audi … does that maketh me a cock?

We managed about 5 mins in the middle of the first episode and agreed it was absolute, unadulterated to55.

Wenger's inability to see anything other than what he chooses is getting increasingly ludicrous. The next reporter to interview him should say one thing, "Arsene, you complain about opposing sides being too physical when playing against you, yet your side have the word disciplinay record, e.g. highest number of red cards, in recent years. How do you explain that?"

EDIT: something like 73 reds between 1996 and 2008!

The trails are gonna be horrendous if they're anything like last Sunday's. Hence if I'm going out it'll be to break in the Schwalbe Big Apples with some road miles.

+1 for I can't see the value in paying £6 to ride there. Did a few rides back in 05/06 but haven't bothered going back because most of it is pretty dull. Like others have said, you can scoot round in 1-1.5hrs.

Would only be interested if the trails became more TC-like.

Am not going to get involved in the politics – I'll leave that to those that know more about the area, etc.

Always look around when buying tyres, etc. Best bet to begin with is Audi forums, e.g. Tyresmoke and Pistonheads. Main stealers are rarely able to compete.

Just saved £60/corner this week by going to my local (reputable and very decent) fitter instead of dealer.

Pretty much the same for servicing. Check your warranty (extended or otherwise), and see where you can go locally to save another few quid. Usual stipulations are 1) must be serviced in accordance with schedule, and 2) must use genuine manuf parts. Saved £140 last week by going to a specialist instead of dealer. And it was only a tenner for hire car:)

SM

Check out the deals on mobiles[/url] – plenty of good stuff to be had for a good price.

IMO take a look at the Android range.

Went for a 3hr run over the N Downs this afternoon. Didn't bother thinking about the conditions beforehand, and was met with horrendously sticky/claggy mud throughout. Was slipping around all over the place. Must've added a good 20mins to normal route time and really felt it on the last section.

I've got nothing against the iPhone – I think it's a great piece of kit. But I chose the Hero as my preferred upgraded back in August – that too is an excellent piece of kit.

Both (like other smartphones) have their strengths and weaknesses. And whilst, IMO, they can be great for "doing stuff" on the go, they're not yet a realistic substitute for a laptop with a dongle (or whatever). Biggest issues are still bandwidth and speed-typing. Therefore writing emails and other documentation is just a pain.

But outside of that, the iPhone, the Hero, and other such beasts will do the job admirably.

Main reason I chose the Hero is because it multi-tasks and has (when flashed properly) a very good battery life. E.g. I can do a 4hr ride, map the whole route with GPS mapping, and take pics etc on about 25-35% battery. Or I can go for a 2.5hr run, again with GPS mapping, take pics, listen to MP3s, make a couple of calls, check calendars, send/receive emails/texts, check RSS feeds, on the same 25-35% battery.

That said, I'll take a serious look at the iPhone 4G and swap if I feel it's worth it.

FTR, I have a PC and laptop, and travel around on occasion too. The phone is good, but not a substitute.

There is no "one off" item and I'm not a tradesman. Anyway, job done. TVM.

But be warned you may have just been given the brush off

No, not at all. The organisation (6000 people) is already a customer and I know a few people there (in other Directorates). THis isn't a "When are you gonna order that bathroom off me" kind of thang.

Hmm, I don't know her well enough to say "… let me know if I can help …"

Might have to be something like, "I'm sorry to hear about your mother. Call me when you're ready."

Check out one of the sub-forums at TSF. You might have to wait a day or so but the people on there know their sh1t.

Afternoon Rich

Can't do this Sunday (should be heading out Saturday instead), but will probably be up for some ND joyhem in another Sunday or two. Will PM you nearer the time.

Cheers
SM