My guess is 70%

In the words of Top Gear. Ambitious, but rubbish.

I’d say lucky to reach 50%.

Deaths right now are from admissions 2/3 odd weeks ago. I shudder to think what it will be like at the end of January. I want to go and hide under a rock for 6 months.

Tried it once with a set of Fox Vanillas. Thought it went well, took my time, had all the right tools. First ride out, landed a drop and the damper rod popped out from the top of the right leg firing oil everywhere. I don’t even remember taking out the part that shot out!

That was enough to put me off and no just send them off.

Wow those are some pretty long lists from most of you!

My list is very small compared. Not going to list the bikes I had before getting a 26″ MTB, plus I don’t really remember.

Early 90s: Raleigh Activator 26″
Mid 90s: Borrowed bikes, one was a Kona Cindercone

Had my break….

2007 ish: BeOne Aspire 1.0 Hardtail
2008: Upgraded the frame to a larger BeOne Karma 3.0 frame
2010: Commencal Meta 5.5
2011: Frame snap, latest Meta 5.5 frame replacement under warranty
2011: Ridgeback Storm rigid – for commuting and road rides
2012: Nukeproof Mega TR frameset, built up with Meta parts
2016: Giant Reign 27.5, after the Mega was stolen
2018: Ragley Marley 1.0
2019: *cough* Ribble Endurance AL Disc

Some of the dates might be a bit off. But that’s it for now. The Reign has been in the stable for over 4 years now.

Close work colleague and his wife have tested positive, both with fairly strong symptoms but at home at the moment. Also had two friends from home have it over the Christmas holidays, one is still struggling with it feeling exhausted every day.

Confidence with people. Really losing that. And confidence on my MTB.

Just over 60,000 cases reported today. Dare I say it, cases are starting to level off a little? Just over 800 reported deaths, also deaths leveled at around 550 a day. Obviously this will climb in the coming weeks.

I’m very tired today, I really need to get away from the internet for a bit!

Back to tiers end of Feb I think. So, a very light lifting of restrictions and they will run to Easter for sure.

Well I have been back to work from yesterday. I’ve done next to nothing. Motivation is rock bottom.

look more deeply and understand what I actually need to do to help me enjoy life

I think at the core, this is what I am struggling with.

Are you an engineer by any chance? Just going by your blog. You seem like a very logical person.

Messing around on bikes as a kid, got my first big 26″ MTB when I was maybe 12/13. It was a Raleigh Activator. Messed around on cheap bikes until I was 15/16 and then stopped. Football took over. Got back into it in my late 20s, think I was 27/28 when I bought an undersized BeOne hardtail from CRC. My biggest regret is stopping when I was younger. I remember being able to jump and wheelie all day long back then.

I’m more worried now than when this broke, TBH

I’m the same. Despite numerous posts about the vaccine etc. I’ve become really washed up in the media stuff this last 24 hours which I have tried so hard to avoid. This new lockdown just seems like the next one, and then there will be another. And it comes down to how long I can try and stay positive for.

My girlfriend went to the Trafford Centre just after Christmas to return a faulty item she could only do in the shop. Got out of her car and a car pulls up beside her. Fella asks, “Where is the main entrance? We’ve come from Newcastle and never been before”

10pm & 7am

This is by far the worst time period for me. Most of my panic attacks happen then. Getting into bed should be a comforting experience, but it usually the place I worry most. Makes thinking of going to bed really negative.

I bought a jotter a few years back. I wrote some stuff in there, but I never read it back. It does help I think, but I don’t have the discipline to commit to it long term. Like many things.

Full fat lockdown from Wednesday I’d say. Think the furlough scheme will be getting used by us again. We finished 20% down on 2019. I’m really starting to fear for my job now.

Scotland in full lockdown now until the end of January.

Looking at my empty fridge, shopping later might be quite something…

We’ll probably run out of needles before vaccine doses (maybe)

Really? Question(s) on that, can needles be recycled? And I don’t mean washed out under the tap and reused. Also glass vials, I’m assuming it is a capacity issue?

Yea, sadly here where I am is the same. Made it out for a short walk yesterday and the roads were very busy. We have 2 local water parks very close to us and the numbers of people was crazy. I try not to worry too much about people exercising outdoors, I just keep my head down and try to enjoy the fresh (very) air.

I believe the Ox/AZ vaccine started this morning?

4 slice toaster?

Show-off.

Really disappointed that this is not the return of the Spiral chocolate bar.

What a snack.

It genuinely feels like something has materially changed in the virus activity. Up here in Scotland we’re suddenly seeing numbers we haven’t before. Compliance up here has been pretty good and i haven’t sensed a significant change in the last few weeks. From listening to colleagues in London they are approaching the point of care rationalisation. My gut, although I’m hoping I’m wrong, is we’re about to enter a whole new phase of the pandemic in the UK, possibly worldwide. Thinking of my colleagues down south tonight.

This is my feeling too.

All these social media positivity posts for 2021 just seem like pie in the sky.

Cons:

– Didn’t ride anywhere near as much this year as I wanted.
– Lost a lot of MTB technical confidence from not riding it much
– Didn’t get away on a couple of trips
– Miss riding with friends and groups
– No racing

Pros:

– Got a few great weeks on my road bike during a short furlough period in April/May
– Enjoyed some very dry trails in the summer
– Got to Scotland for a short trip with a couple of friends from home
– Maybe just maintained my riding fitness

Stats:

– Just under 2000 miles, mostly road bike

Anyone else’s hope for 2021 waining by the hour? I’ve managed to avoid news and the gov website for almost 2 weeks now. Stuff is filtering through and it’s just turning into a nightmare.

I had some physio today and been confirmed with Tendonitis in my knee, so I’m going to have to rest up for a few weeks. I really enjoy my local walks these days to clear my head but walking anymore than 500m is too painful now.

I’m not positive of any races in the first half of 2021. Would like to do some races this year, hopefully the PMBA will run a couple of enduro races. I’d also like to do some XC, but very much at the fun end of the spectrum.

I’m sorry I’ve come on to read this :( don’t know what to think anymore.

Vaccines redundant? That’s the huge worry I’m sure.

Sorry to hear that. Just awful. Times are really shitty at the minute.

Worked to 5. Logged off. Now sitting down. Again. That will be tonight’s theme.

Furlough extended for another month, to the end of April.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55345392

The only thing I feel happy about today is us staying in Tier 3. I think it is the right decision. My gut feeling (never proves me right btw) is that perhaps February onwards we could have some restrictions eased.

My anxiety is back to where it was back in October when the situation was getting worse. The mental health impact is serious, and will only get worse.

Interesting thread. Obvious from most of my posts that I’m a huge worrier and suffer from anxiety. I’m not doing well at the moment, so won’t type anymore here.

Many will face the choice, but I don’t think they will change their plans.

Cases really gathering pace now and hospital admissions on the up again :(

Of course not. I don’t really know what way politicians think. I must note, I was born and grew up in Belfast. My view of ‘politicians’ and politics is quite different.

I don’t know how, I don’t know when, I just hope we can sort something and try our hardest to compete.

Pictures please :)

90s MTBs are my favourite era.

Well, perhaps I look at life differently. I like to see what I can do for someone else.

But lower standards of what? Food production? Transport and infrastructure? Employment policies?

Sorry, I’m just confirming my thickness here.

This country is about to find out in no uncertain terms how many things that we presently take for granted were only there due to EU legislation

I genuinely apologise if I’m asking a basic question here that has been asked a million times over. Why would our own legislation have to be worse than what we currently have with the EU?

Added – what is the real cost of leaving? Rocketing unemployment because we are no longer competitive in markets? Trading taxes and tariffs means we all need to eat our own fish and spuds and restart British Leyland?

I work for a German company subsidiary here in the UK making components for automation. I do fear my job is at risk. However, the majority of our competitors are also German.

I’m glad I’m thick and don’t understand politics. Otherwise I think this would tip me over the edge.

Sitting here gathering my thoughts, it’s almost 10 months since it all begin here in the UK. It’s quite frightening to think what I thought about what was unfolding in front of us. I remember saying it would be something none of us will ever forget for a very long time.