How about Baba O’Reilly on Who’s Next.

Can’t think of many better ways to open an album.

Not a debut album.

OK good point, I missed the debut album bit.

Switch to “Daft Punk are playin at my house” – LCD Soundsystem

How about Baba O’Reilly on Who’s Next.

Can’t think of many better ways to open an album.

I spent ages fiddling bits of celotex into crevices on mine, cursing it as I cut and all that horrible dust comes off it. BUT it is really valuable in the long run, stick at it. Warmth and sound deadening, I’ve spent many happy moments lying in the van and being glad I bothered being so thorough.

I braced the floor with more battens than you have to prevent the floor sagging and crushing of insulation, might be worth thinking about now rather than later.

Yeah that foot work is a joy to behold, have watched it alot and trying to reproduce it is very challenging. We went out drinking after the the crag. He can tuck it away too!

Have often heard dawes referred to as a genius but nice to see Dunne get the tag too.

I climbed with John a few years ago, was quite a buzz to have the big man holding my ropes. He cheered me up a 6b+ which was on my limit at the time. Really top guy, the Sheffield mafia ruled in the early 90s and he trod his own path. But I was always mystified by the antagonism. Will watch that with interest thanks.

The one near Ashbourne is called callow top and is nice, with playground and a pool if it’s sunny. Access on to the Tissington trail which is pleasant enough.

I’ve spent years stubbornly hanging on to my hardtail, taking pleasure from keeping up with mates on their FS. Then took the plunge last year with an aeris and absolutely love it, kicking myself I didn’t do it years ago. That said I’ve enjoyed the hardtail again over the winter.

Nice one rocketdog, enjoyed that.

I’ll forgive her drivel cos she picks some fine tunes. Agree with the Garstang observation though Binners.

I was up that way recently to call in to Evans at the velodrome on a match day. They had guys in high vis stopping you at the car park entrance, I told him where I was going and he let me in, no problem.

Think you chose well. Keep us updated with progress, love a good build thread!

big van conversion
It’s a cracking read!

My conversion is very similar to that above and unfortunately the bikes have to go on the tow bar rack. In an ideal world there would be space inside but not possible to do everything in a van this size. If you want bikes inside and space for beds you need to go for XL vans with a garage at the back. There is an awesome thread on a conversion like this, I’ll see if I can find it….

Garry – you asked about seats/beds on the last page, Kiravans are a good place to start they have the Rib seats which are very nice but pricey. It depends what you want, if you are planning to have people travelling on them they need to be crash tested which adds ££££. Another less spendy option is JAC campers they do a range of crash tested ones for under £1000. If you don’t want them to convert to a bed I’m sure there are much cheaper options, like getting seats from old minibuses, although that’s not a route I went down.

Nice one thanks, cracking van you have there!

I’ve got one very similar to cody, a 2010 2.0L and zero problems for me. Fitted the second row of seats myself, it’s a rock n roll bed, they cost anything from £500 to £2k depending on spec and comfort.

Apologies for the hijack but I remember you saying on a previous thread you got the 68mph restrictor removed. I’ve struggled to find someone to do it for me, if you could pass on details of where you got yours done I’d be very grateful, email in profile.

Heard our 8 year old rattling about but me and Mrs spacey waiting quietly til 6 yo wakes, he always sleeps in on Christmas day the lazy devil! Have a lovely day all.

I used foil backed bubble wrap stuff from an ebay seller and would recommend.. Easy to work with and made a real difference to sound and warmth. Although I did the kingspan and bitumen tape too and ours is very warm, snug and quiet.

As said above, night rides are your friend. Also swapping some weekend time so you and your wife both get a chance to have some fun. Means you value the time you spend with the little one rather than resenting it.

Looks like it is being filmed http://www.channel4.com/programmes/guy-martin-cycling-home-for-christmas

29th Dec 9pm

Daz, I could be interested in the inbred. I’m in Manchester too, email in profile.

Just voted, great enthusiasm – hope he wins it.

There is a lovely climbing book by Gordon Stainforth called Fiva. It’s a Norwegian climbing trip that goes wrong, based on actual events. It’s really charming, can’t recommend it highly enough.

I’ve got a roof box I no longer need. Bought it from roofbox.co.uk last summer, used for a 2 week trip but now have a van so it’s redundant. It is a slim one that you can mount a bike or two along side. Sounds like it’d be just the job, if you’re close to Manchester we could sort something out?

Never fussed by the bottle cage thing, but obviously it matters to lots of folk. On the sort of terrain the aeris demands does the bottle not just pop out of the cage?

Strange isn’t it. I’ve got the mk1 and one of the reasons I have it is because I love the way it looks. Think the bends take something away from that utilitarian, no nonsense look that is part of the appeal.

I found this helpful….

Best 50 films on netflix[/url]

Hangs head in shame. Will use the collapsable bucket in future. In my defence, our grey water is extremely minimal, all washing up and ablutions done at the block. Certainly wouldn’t be leaving food debris on pitches for others to camp on.

It’s exactly what we do. Only really brushing teeth, washing hands, draining pasta etc. If washing pots I’d probably go and empty it in the hedge.

My kids love it, the minotaur is their absolute favourite and the skills area has plenty for them to go at (mine are 6 & 8).

Where are you starting from?

If doing the Llanberis path up then Rangers down then you link it back to Llanberis with Telegraph Valley which is the bridleway shown on the map you linked which isn’t part of the agreement, so you’re free to ride that after 10am.

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Impressive white jersey performance again yesterday, good grimace too.

It’s state funded child care for the last few weeks. Saves the headache of how on earth you cover 6 weeks of holidays with 25 days holiday to spread around.

Interesting. I’ll measure that 45cm against my current rack later on.

or this is the slidey one, looks slick!

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php?AR2603

Seems like a good option….

http://www.rainbow-conversions.co.uk/fiamma-carry-bike-campervan/fiamma-carry-bike-cycle-rack-for-opel-vivaro-renault-trafic.html

If you go for Grizedale, don’t miss out parkamoor, it’s a belter! Other than that junkyard has it summed up nicely.

Tested this on my Trafic yesterday. My BuzzRack which has had ample clearance when tilted on the Focus estate doesn’t work on the Trafic. In fact it is nowhere near. I can’t see that it would be possible with any rack. The tailgate opening comes down so low that any towbar mounted rack is going to block it opening, would love to be proved wrong! The only one I can think of is one that slides away from the tailgate first and then tilts. I saw it somewhere possible on roofbox.co.uk – might be worth giving them a call, what they don’t know about bike racks isn’t worth knowing imho

Mine are 5 and 7, they love the bed in the pop top and it looks like they’ll be happy up there for a few years yet. By the time they hit the dreaded teens they can get out into a tent.

Punchy climb you say?

Hows about Joaquim Rodríguez

Agree it’s a dull trudge. Zig zags through the boulder field in particular.

BUT it inspired my wife to want to do more hill walking. The sense of achievement of getting to the summit of Britain is not to be under estimated (particularly to the uninitiated!). More hills, lead to climbing and bikes and a love of everything mountainous. I trace it back to that trudge up Ben Nevis.