I have just opened a pdf on Google Drive and also downloaded it and then opened it.

So – pdf handling does still work.

Those Stirling Castle photographs look like Photoshopped nonsense to me.

Top photo is foreshortened but it’s a typical photo taken from the Bannockburn bypass.

The Great Hall is very cool – the roof is basically an upturned boat with not a single nail used.

I’ve just bought a Phoxx 1 v2 for Thud. He’s 6ft 5 and fits in it – which was its main selling point.

Not used it in anger yet, unless the front lawn counts, but I was really impressed for the money.

Stirling.

A proper castle: pivotal role in much of Scottish history, guarding the lowest crossing point of the River Forth, and Europe’s largest medieval banqueting hall.

Makes me go “wow” every morning on my morning dog walk.

I just know the aluminium one is going to break.

If your frame is carbon it will seize in place and the frame will need replaced under warranty.

I have just repaired my Carradice Camper Longflap, replacing a leather strap and patching some ripped fabric.

Pretty disappointed to be fair – it’s only 28 years old, with 23 years of near daily use.

I use the Carradice QR bracket and rack –  with brackets on 3 different bikes allowing a quick swap.

Seatpost Quick Release System for Saddlebags SQR

So – Carradice. From Spa Cycles too ;)

Oh no.

RIP Geoff.

Went to his house with about 20 others for a cup of tea. He had a spectacular HiFi setup for playing steam locomotive recordings at high volume.

As per hillsplease:
My money is on the 1mm spacer that sits behind the freehub.

Assuming that you replaced the bearings in the freehub too. There are 3 in there.

I use the prize checker site with my Holder’s number:

https://www.nsandi.com/prize-checker

I also get email notifications but ignore them.

I think it’ll be dropped in his pb account as he hasn’t maxed out yet…

That can be changed in your settings. Easy to set to transfer wins straight to another account,

I could just take the gravel bike and risk loading it to it’s limit with luggage.

Your Achilles heel is your back wheel :)

That’s generally the limiting factor – maybe not immediately but maybe after a few hundred or even a few thousand miles as spokes start popping. If it’s lightweight maybe treat yourself to a spare heavy-built one.

Fully loaded, front and rear with old-skool camping kit, lightweight frames can also suffer frame shimmy. Terrifying but even a Galaxy could do this. Unlikely with modern kit but load it up and go find out.

Enjoy :)

Galaxy is a name that people are happy to pay for in order to relive the aspitations of their youth.

No idea why – I’ve always thought they are over-long in the top-tube.

Touring bikes can almost last forever. I had a Trek 520 steel touring bike that had done 65,000 hard miles. It was a bit like Trigger’s broom, although the seat post was still original and the Phil Wood front wheel had done 60k+ of those miles !

Sold it to a friend for peanuts, which was a stupid thing to do.

Ton: you punting on the Spa leather saddle / instrument of torture that I gifted you ?

It was your tourer in borrowed with the B17… ?

There you are then. Brooks Ti-B17 purchased May 2003 from Spa Cycles. Didn’t have a choice of width so went for standard in honey leather. No breaking in – just rode it straight away on a 500-mile tour through mid-Wales.

Now on its 2nd bike after the Cannondale broke. They don’t make the Ti-rails now.

£92

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m18b0s144p73/BROOKS-B17-Standard

Where is the saddle discomfort : Which bit of your hiney ?

I run B17s (standard width) on my tourer, my Brompton and also on my dog-running bike. They can take a wee while to break in (like leather boots) but are spectacularly comfortable when you’ve done so.

That said, my most recent B17 purchase was 20 years ago because they do last well and Thump doesn’t like them because he sits on the nose – we swap a SDG Bel Air2 on for him

Cambian saddles are not the same as a B17 – completely different concept and I’ve never had the courage to try one.

On my MTBs I run an  SDG Belair 3 and a Fizik something or other. They work. I think I’ve got a San Macro Rolls in the spares box.

I do suffer short-chafe, but that’s definitely the shorts and not the saddle. Sudocrem solves that.

So: Buy a B17. Also, you are very welcome to swing round and try all these saddles out.

Ooh !
I’ve also hit a bat head on while riding my bike. Edge of woods at dusk, helmet light on: collided head-on, with the bat sprawled across my face before it flew away.  Couple of my mates have had the same.

Suspect the LED gives off an ultrasonic buzz that confuses the bat. That and we were on the same flight path.

I have a build-your-own bat detector – £20 from Waterstones.

https://www.waterstones.com/product/build-your-own-bat-detector-new/5060786540126

No idea how good it is but will build it and report back. Got it for Xmas and there are no bats then :/

You should be able to stand  on the edge of woodland or water at dusk and see bats flitting about.
A detector lets you pinpoint activity so you can see it.

In Stirling the local bat group organises occasional public walks and they are happy to attend scout groups for an activity. It is important to refer to the volunteer as “Batman” or “Bat woman”.

MMMmmm – interesting.

There’s an error in cell R4 – references H3  twice.

There are Excel Sudoku solvers out there – maybe that would give you some ideas ?

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2008/09/30/building-a-basic-understandable-sudoku-solver-using-excel-iterative-calculation-part-12/

how utterly spoilt we are by OS in the uk

Maybe once upon a time, but not now.

Locally OS maps are way out of date while Open Street Map has a lot more useful detail.

Harveys maps are excellent but have limited coverage.

Coming back to the Touch Hills, relying on the OS map would get you into serious difficulty: what are shown as tracks are waist-deep bogs. How they’ve ended up on the map is anyone’s guess – and they’ve been like that for 20 years or more.

Yes.

I wear a distance lens in my right eye – which is the more distance-orientated eye.

Left eye is good for reading and I wear nothing in that.

Gives me excellent vision over all distances from near to far away.

Garmin Explore with a TalkyToaster map.

Tend to follow heatmap paths – combination of quad tracks, shooting tracks etc that are on Open Street Map but not  OS maps.

This was Tuesday’s ride: (Carleatheran to Touch: https://www.opencyclemap.org/?zoom=14&lat=56.09508&lon=-4.07164&layers=B0000)

It’s just a featureless bog on the OS map:

Friends were in Torridon at the weekend. Those waiting in the carpark for the vans to shuttle did an extra 4km trying to dodge midges.
Then the rain started :)

key objectives that seem more about ticking all the right boxes

Attending a Cycling UK general meeting is an inspiring event.

They do so much to enable people to ride bikes and engage in society (very often battling a government that does not want that). Mountain biking is a small part of that although the access we enjoy in Scotland is very much due to the work of Cycling UK advocates.

(Off on a bike ride this morning to ensure gates on the local windfarm comply with equality legislation….).

I mean really, for **** sake, whoi cares.

I do (impressive numbers but there are women out there that can squat more. Let’s hope British Cycling stay away from them).

The Guardian article is a brutal read.

Had a double inguinal hernia repair 16 years ago.

Both sides done with mesh. Surgeon said key-hole was for wusses and so open surgery for me.

Was off the bike for a couple of weeks (because I needed to cycle to get to work) and it was seriously sore for many months after.

I guess once it’s done it’s done – but the original hernias gave me no problems at all. I only went to the GP about them after my dad suffered a strangulated hernia. I’d had the hernias for so long I assumed it was normal.

have lots of tracked changes that can be be a major slow down

Oh yes – always accept all track-changes.

I prefer to compare back to a previous draft. Lot easier to work on and the compared document is a lot cleaner.

MrsIHN is walking across Knoydart in a couple of weeks, any ideas how midgeyfied that might be?

Just keep pebbles in your pockets and throw rocks at them – she’ll be fine.

Head flies are the worst.

At walking pace – or a slow cycle uphill – they just hang around being annoying, the bastards, Their scientific name says it all: Hydrotaea irritans.

This year hasn’t been too bad, so far.

(Photo taken 1 July last year in Stirling)

:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1TufSbSBBLpyey5a7

All part of the Scottish experience – enjoy the bastards.

(and remember it’s only the female that bites).

PS: it’s the clegs you have to watch out for

We had a classic PE teacher: former professional footballer until his career was finished by a car crash. Permanent limp with pain-management by alcohol.

Most kids hated him but others say he took an interest in them, changed their life around and made them realise they could do more.

Was also legendary for stopping at a pub with the U15 cricket team and buying everyone a pint.

The amount of stuff we got up to would be instant exclusion now.

My school banned any haircut shorter than a Number 3 (early 80s).

Gibbo would go into an absolute rage and suspend you for weeks – FFS.

Made me smile last year when Thump – headboy at the local high school – was front of the school website with a Number 1 all over.

So, no. The schools today are welcoming with a caring atmosphere: love it.

And I hope Gibbo rots in hell.

Here: https://garmin.bbbike.org/

Although I’d just pay TalkyToaster because it works.

PS:  In the 90s I used to navigate my way round Ohio using pages torn out of a Rand McNally road atlas. If I got really lost I’d stop and ask an Amish farmer for directions. Happy memories  :)

I don’t do Macs, but –

Could be versions.  Save with a fresh filename and clear old versions.

Could be graphic files. Docx (on Windows) is a zip file. Make a copy, change from docx to zip and go have a look.

I don’t use Mendelev, but –

Turn off reference autoupdate. Just do it while making a cuppa (certainly works on EndNote).

Good luck !

Fartlek ((Swedish for “speed play”)).

Run for fun – chasing a tennis ball through the woods, doing an effort based on your mate’s random shout.

More of a chance to clear the head than obsess about numbers.

No love for the Shimano dropper lever ?

I have a OneUp lever and a Shimano – like them both. Definite improvement on the X-brand one I had before (fiddly is my recollection).

I ride in trousers all the time –

Troy Lee Designs Skyline MTB Cycling Trousers for most of my MTB riding and touring.

Lightweight, with laser-cut air holes around the back of the leg. Own two pairs and have recommended them to friends.

(Also own TLD Resist but they look so plasticky I can’t bring myself to use them. Make me an offer!).

Also Keela Roadrunners for bopping about town etc. Have a mass of pockets, velcro cuffs, and zippered mesh on the thighs if the sun comes out.

My point is that there are waterproof fabrics out there other than Goretex.

I own Goretex jackets but they all leak.

My Keela jackets don’t – so I wear them when it’s raining.

Keela make equipment for mountain rescue teams. Their jackets do not use Goretex.

I could not justify the mountain rescue issued jackets for walking the dog. Can’t remember what fabric my jacket is but it is very waterproof :)

SDP

Men's Stratus Jacket

Men's Munro Jacket

Aquaflex:

Men's Pinnacle Jacket

Men's Stratus Jacket

In Germany you not only have to offer staff a lunch break, you have to ensure that they take it.

Keyboard loggers installed on their PCs – but not for us Brits.

This Brits can still skip lunchbreacks and be unproductive in the afternoon (Not sure about the Portuguese).

BREXIT benefit !

Galibier Courcheval is extremely good and my go to.

Wore mine a lot on a recent cycle tour through the Highlands. Had many days where it was bordering between rain and dreich so just put it on over a t-shirt.

Big pit zips and waterproof in a full-on downpour. Was so impressed with mine that I bought one for my son too.  Only downside is that it is not very packable – doesn’t fit in a pocket or hip bag.

Keela Saxon is also good but I’d not want to wear it next to my skin. Is my go-to if rain is forecast and I want something I can carry in a hip-bag.

Most local rides I just shove a Ron Hill pertex windproof jacket in my pocket.

A Tim Hortons Always Fresh coffee mug.

Liberated from the Tim Hortons in Halifax, Nova Scotia back in 2002.

Was negotiating for it when the owner came out and said, “I don’t know what he wants but he’s causing a queue so give it to him”.

Drinking my morning coffee out of it right now :)

Recycling containers which dump water all over your feet when you pick them up.

Put the drain holes at the lowest point  FFS.