but there was a looooong gap between me and the guy in front!

The winner of our race was cheering me on from the trackside while I was still on my penultimate lap! Made me feel very slow, particularly as he's about 15 years older than me.

Soggy Bottom SW XC Winter series starts this Sunday. Anyone coming?

As others have said, Jules, we need to take this up with official FC staff.

Alternatively put on your best Richard E Grant voice

I already have one of these.

I was chatting to an opthamologist at work a while ago about this, as my wife was toying with the idea. He reckons you should always get a paper copy of the procedure and keep it very safe. That way, if they ever have to operate on your eyes in the future, they'll know how much has been removed. Not knowing this could lead to some proper cock-ups in surgery, apparently.

Jules, I just emailed Carl regarding this, echoing the sentiments regarding public land already mentioned here. Seriously worrying considering I'm probably going to move back to That Plymouth soon. Carl told me that Log man reckons biking will be banned from Cann.

I wasn't aware that Mr. Log worked for the FC. Should we be speaking to someone in an official capacity regarding his behaviour?

He had a few things to say about use of the woods which i was not entirely convinced upon.

What things were these?

Notts & Derby is a bit far from Devon I'm afraid. I my try and venture afar for a race next season though. I've got a couple of mates in Bedfordshire, so I might see you up there, Oldgit.

My second cross race (SW series) and I didn't come last again. Managed to beat both Simon and Julian(just), although I'll admit to just cruising on the last couple of laps. That mud was like an energy magnet!

Definitely aiming to get a proper cross bike for next season, or at least something more suitable than my full-suss. I was thinking about a 29er with skinny tyres. I could use it for xc too.

Julian, have a look at Nick's bike at the next round. He's managed to fit cross wheels/tyres into an old Orange mtb (and beat us both quite convincingly on it too). Alternatively, I saw THIS and instantly thought of you.

I used to have a pair of Helly Hansen trousers that had an option of unstitching the hem and extending them by 2".

Not cheap, but I've been thinking that a 29er might be a good option, as I could also use it for xc racing. I did notice that Nick Craig used a flat bar on his cross bike to win the 3 peaks this year.

Ribble are selling Dolan frames for <£120

Here's a pic of my first trance (130mm x 75mm stem up front)

And a poor picture of my second – 100mm x 90mm stem (with old post & saddle):

I actually prefer mine with 100mm up front. I found the handling too slow with 130mm. On my second now, and really like it.

Does it matter if it's ugly? You are using it in the dark, after all.

HIJACK

GlennG, what's the riding like down your way? I've been around North Cornwall on my road bike, but never on my mtb.

Any chance of some coming in XL?

Stert/Somerton Combe on the Quantocks. Nothing too tech, just nice, flowing singletrack for a couple of minutes.

Whoever said that you can get away with a 5mm in Summer is either bonkers or surfs in the North East. I was in a couple of days ago and was roasting in my wintersuit.

Equipment is very dependent on where you live/surf. I lived and surfed in Yorkshire for a couple of years and it was **** baltic compared to South Cornwall. It's actually noticeably colder in North Devon than South Devon too. The thinner your wetsuit is, the easier it is to move, but you don't want to be cold. Too hot also sucks. Same with. Board dimensions are dependant on so many variables, it's imposible to say what's right just by your size. Go and speak to a few shapers and see what they reckon.

As for Bic/NSP/Cortez, etc, I'm not a massive fan, although they're a good idea for beginers as they don't ding too easily.

Reckon I'll be giving Haldon a miss from now on.

15 miles in through beautiful Devon countryside, 15-40 miles back depending on mood and tiredness. Frequency-not nearly often enough. 🙁

As a qualified (although not practicing) dietitian, I'd pretty much agree with hilldodger's statement. I've met quite a few nutritionists who really know their stuff. Unfortunately, there're also plenty who don't.

As for food allergies/intolerances , it's very unlikely (although not impossible). As most people have suggested, perhaps start by being really honest with yourself about the quaity of your existing diet and address any imbalance that may present itself. Reflecting on the balance of your overall lifestyle is a good thing for us all to do now and again, but particularly if you're not happy. Basic stuff, really.

As for dietician/dietitian, dietician with a c is an American spelling, and most dietitians get quite irritated by it (in my limited experience).

Hope you feel better soon.

More like half an hour, with several stops for gels. Or, maybe we just missed all the good bits.

Either way, the Qs never fail to disapoint. It was the first time there for one of our lads and listening to him holler down Stert Combe was most amusing.

Road bikes are loads of fun and it'll give you something else to tinker with in the garage.

I lived towards that way for 6 months and used to go riding at a spot near Axminster, which isn't too far from there. I think it was called Chute Woods, but I could be wrong. Don't expect anything too epic though.

That'll be with me. We're meeting at Crowcombe Park Gate for half-nine if you wanna join us, Monkey?

Oh, and don't forget that the clocks go back tonight.

Happy birthday!

I bought a flea a couple of weeks ago and it's proving itself to be really useful. Dead good as a second light for being seen around town without blinding drivers with my 'proper' lights.

I'm going for a surf this afternoon.

I'm having mine next week. I work in both hospital and community settings so my risk of exposure is fairly high. As all of my patients are smokers, and therefore have a relatively poor resistance to respiratory-affecting pathogens, it's in their interest too, particularly as they normally have a reduced immune function as a result of quitting.

As an added note, I was doing some promotional work in the street a couple of weeks ago and some crackpot pounced on me with a handful of leaflets detailing how Swine flu is a man-made virus. He was trying to convince me that the vaccine is a method of depopulisation, developed by our government to address our ever-expanding population. Bonkers!

As it's been pissing down for the last few days (although forecast is for dry from lunchtime today), how about Woodbury or East Exmoor/Quantocks?

I was talking to a FC worker up there a couple of weeks ago who told me they'd been instructed to decomission all non-official trails.

That picture of Coleman's Giant just made me do a sex-wee.

I looked at the Giants myself recently, but they're not importing them in xl sizes. 🙁

cyclocross is the new 24-hour racing!

Privately, my recent sale of a road bike cost me £25 to deliver, and that doesn't weigh as much as a mtb.

I'll echo the Hope experience, although mine have been fine since I replaced the metal screw ends with plastic Shimano ones.

What makes the widowmaker tricky is that you can belt down it at silly speeds and lose your front tyre just as quickly.

I had a rather pleasant bimble around Cann, although there doesn't seem to be much there for xc oldies anymore.

I use one of the brackets that holds a pump on your frame. Attached to lid with a couple of zip-ties.

How long do the batteries last on full power?

Thanks for the email, Crispy. Forgot to say that I had a fantabulous day on Exmoor today. Bluest skies and the best view of Wales I've seen up there, plus the ride I mapped out was cracking.

Have fun tomorrow.

Thanks for the email, Crispy. Forgot to say that I had a fantabulous day on Exmoor today. Bluest skies and the best view of Wales I've seen up there, plus the ride I mapped out was cracking.

Have fun tomorrow.

Too skint for the rest of the month to be able to afford entry money. Intending on doing two of the SW series next month, in addition to the first round of the Soggy Bottom XC series.

Millionaire playboy here. It' alright, I suppose.

10% on mine as Bikes For The NHS are shit.