Borsh ski bish ski borsh !!

Chocolat Moose !

Borsh ski bish ski borsh !!

Chocolat Moose !

Glad the wee toerags did not succeed. Shame about the damage.

If you have to leave it in the car again it’s better to chain it to something more substantial than doorhandles (though i guess that stopped the doors being opened). My car has nice steel loops that anchor the back seats. Great for padlocking stuff to.

On a related vein, was up Ben Lomond today. Posters for a missing dog there too.

Black lurcher type dog with white panel on chest. Called Tara.

Missing on the Ben since 27/5/11. Local police have owners details.

Just in case anyone is in the area.

For heavens sake people, everyone knows you just get a broccoli cutting disc for the angle grinder !

Once saw two landrovers side by side at a scottish off road event…MUD 1E and LAN 1E. Liked that.

And at a Doune Classic event, way back, a guy called Campbell McLaren had his cars there. The registrations were XK 120, XK150, V 12 (on an MK3 E- Type) and then the cream of the crop…JAG 1 on his XKSS (D Type).

Pal has C8 SSY on his Sierra Cosworth that lives most of the year in a bubble !

I am so glad i live in Glasgow !

Sounds like another Parliament building job. How many extra millions will it cost to complete it ?

Craig’s blog is a very good guide to the Ben.

Very technical route indeed. Certainly way beyond any of the Stanes for sustained difficulty.

Did it last August on a perfect day. We were 3 1/2 hours to the top with only about a third of it at best being ridable.

The descent was the hardest ride i have ever done in terms of technicality, effort and length. It was brilliant !!

You can ride about 95% of the descent, providing you can manage blacks at trail centres. The only troublsome bits are some of the corners high up where they are very tight and some choke points between rocks.

But don’t let any of that put you off, it’s a blinding day out.

The rim stickers don’t line up with the valves.

Oh and please pick up that elastic band before the dog swallows it !

p.s. That seat post is hideous. (among other things, sorry).

Move to Scotland, no meters here !! Plenty of water too ! And Midges !

Ees pigion in water tank ? Oww he get there ? Oink oink !

Apologies to Manuel.

Go with Matthews’ idea. Possibly ending with leaving the offending tap on full to ensure it is flushed.

Check for a high point in the pipe run if possible too.

Yes there is a Coulthard Museum but i think it closed ?? (may want to check that).

Err, you could go fishing.

Or arrange the wedding for a weekend with forest rallying on ?

Scraping the bottom of the barrel here.

Having googled stealth blackhawk i now see i was talking mince.

One image for Silent Hawk is very similar to the photo.

Silence or at least a reduction in noise would make more sense for a covert insertion, though a reduction in radar signature is no bad thing either. Dificult to do in a helo though.

Why use a stealth Helo in pakistan ? Doubt Bin Laden had radar capability.

Could it not be a recon drone ? Need a bit more image from over the wall.

There are midges out and about but don’t be put off.

The only time you notice them is if standing about or if slow on a climb.

Any wind and its not a problem. Never has put me off yet.

Pal had an ex Tulliallen (Scottish Police College) Omega MV6.

Brilliant big bus and definatly not standard engine or suspension/brakes. Other pal at Vauxhall garage uttered lots of “ooh interesting” while looking it over.

My pal stopped to help at an accident once and one of the Traffic Officers there asked “does the diff still whine at over 135 ?”. Err, emm, Yes it does says the pal !

Even though it was a training car it had a few new panels on it but all the work was to a high standard.

The Aviemore/Rothiemurcas area is very good. Brilliant trails and scenery. Bothy Bikes will help with routes but plenty on the web anyway.

If you fancy a big hill then Ben Lomond is a classic. Lots of pushing on the way up and super technical on the way down. Lovely views over Loch Lomond too. Don’t consider it on a bank holiday though !!

You could do the Ben as a wee detour on the way up to Glencoe/Ft William/West coast area.

Currently running Goodyear NCT5’s on my 206. Perfectly happy with them.

Previously had Uniroyal rainmasters which were (no surprise) very good in the wet.

However, in between those i had a full set of Yokohama 510’s.

They were without doubt, the worst wet weather tyres i have ever owned.

In fact, not even wet weather, but the slightest hint of moisture and they would break away without warning. Utterly terrible tyres.

Made the big mistake of only replacing the front set with the Goodyears and got the back end snapping out on me at a very sedate pace. Got another pair of Goodyears for the rear the very next weekend.

Never again will i trust Yokos. (even though i know their motorsport related tyres are good).

Those who having obviously been stuck on the train for 15 hours (20 mins ?) must light up the second they get outside the station.

Or on the way home, they must stand at the station entrance (Glasgow Central is terrible for it), having a last drag whilst simultaneously blocking the frickin entrance and forcing me to walk through a haze of carcinogens !

Can you guess smokers annoy me ?

Oh and the Japanese have the right idea about taking a very dim view of mobile phone use on a train. ” OH LOOK, ANOTHER LIFE OR DEATH CALL ABOUT WHAT’S FOR DINNER !” AAAARRRGGGHHHH.

Still think Seldom Seen Kid is their best Album. Do really like “My very best” from Leaders of the free world.

Off to see them at the SECC on Tuesday. Should be excellent.

Elbow – One day like this. Great song to fall head over heels to.

Seeing them on the 15th, sadly without the girl. Pants !

On the theme of unbuilt kits……

2 X MK11 Ford Escort Rally cars.( One to be built up like my pals real one)

A Celica GT4

A Pug 206 WRC (Grondholm)

A Focus WRC (McRae/Grist)

And actually completed a Stratos and an 037 before i got distracted.

One recommendation is to get an airbrush. Miles better paint finish. Still had mine from years ago. Need to get back into it someday !

He got back on the bike and rode to the finish then collapsed !

(“Tis but a mere flesh wound !”)

Parkhouse Road on the southside is going to cause an accident with folk swerving to miss holes along its whole length. Pardon the pun.

We cyclists are at least in the fortunate position when driving of being much more tuned in to pothole recognition and avoidance.

It is noticable that when you head down towards the Clyde coast the roads are less knackered. Still bad but nothing like Glasgow. This may be down to being a milder climate down that way or better maintenance. Who can say ?

Oh and the old A77 cycle route is completely covered in gravel/grit. Was going to phone East Ren council and request it be swept but realistically it may as well wait till spring so the gritting is over.

Had this happen coming down Ben Lomond. Never had it before.

Problem for me is that i can only ride with my right leg forwards when standing ( i’m weird i guess). So i only had it on the right calf. Had i been able to change the leading leg i think it would be much less likely to occur.

Dropping the heel does help for a bit but i guess its just a fitness thing.

Scotchlocks = all kinds of problems a year or two later when the exposed wires start to corrode. Solder joints and heat-shrink is the way to go.

As for light boards, well its a legal requirement for a start. Also just think what the first thing to get bent is, if your brake lights are obscured and the car behind stops too late.

Oh and if your number plate is obscured it will flash up an alert on the ANPR system in traffic cars. So you are in for a wee chat with the nice Officer !

On my Claud Butler Majestic touring bike i did once hit 49.9 on the Crow Road above Lennoxtown with a tailwind. Front end was shimmying all over the shop ( me no likee).

Oh and did have a front end blow out on the Fintry side at 40mph plus another time. Still astounded at my skill/blind luck in not stacking it ( must be the fastest i have ever gone round a corner on a grass verge). Probably the most scared i have felt on a bike.

I do like the Crow for the ability to overtake cars. Always give a polite wave of course !

Luked 2, Err, not that it’s exactly a nice thought but you do know each spherical object can have up to three tubes to deliver the little swimming fellows ?

I was tested afterwards and i am still loaded for bear !!!

Not looking forwards to going back for the doc to have a right good rummage about for the missed ones. Ouch.

What Superpower is easy…….the ability never ever to crash !!

On the bike i would be a riding god.

And World Champion at F1 and WRC would be handy for cash and naked ladies !

Sorted.

Druidh, the forecast for Sunday on Metcheck is for lots of snow from the afternoon onwards.

That’s for Glasgow so you best check up your way.

Personally i am not expecting to get the road bike out for several weeks. Had a go a fortnight ago and the wheelspin up hills put me off.

Jiggle valve ?? oh come on ! someone is taking the mick.

Anyway, everyone knows its a McGeechie valve that causes that sort of problem !

Nothing to worry about anyway, all french cars shed parts as part of their normal operating mode.

Or in the case of my Pug, using the rear wash wipe changes the dashboard LED display settings. Weird, non ?

Day at Whistler, day float plane biking, day at the Shore, day at Sun Valley, day at Moab, day at Las Vagas, Day at Daytona. Several further days to have a lie down in the sun.

Or spend the week in the Swiss/French alps taking in a day of Le Tour.

Greenock cut may be ok. Not very technical at all but it’s ok for a standby.

The Succoth loop from Arrochar to Loch Sloy is a possibility.

I was hoping to do Ben Venue but i think that’s completely stuffed now !

Investigating the possibility of a coastal path trip in the Portpatrick area, no snow there i think.

Few years back coming down the M77 towards Glasgow there were various bits of dirt and gravel strewn across lane one. The bits were getting bigger as it went on, as these things do. I was thinking “this could get interesting”.
Sure enough, couple of miles later, a Jag is parked up on the hard shoulder with two flat wheels. That’s flat wheels as well as tyres ! A two foot by one foot slab of rock will have that effect.
The tipper truck with an unsecured tailgate was stopped by a traffic car a bit further on.
Just very lucky indeed the Jag did not crash. Scary stuff.

Who is Shaun Ryder. Seriously.

Have to agree with DezB.

2.35 Nevagals are almost exactly the same width as 2.5 High Rollers.

I used to run a 2.35 Stick-E Nevegal on the front with a High Roller on the back. The Nevegal was very predictable and gripped fantastically well in most conditions. Took ages to wear out when on the front end.

I trusted it so much i even put the worn out one back on the front for doing Ben Lomond in the dry.

Will run High Rollers through the winter but it’s back to a Nevegal on the front come the spring.

Neilston, south of Glasgow
There is hilly singletrack on three sides of the village. With nice views too. Such a burden.

Its very simple really.
Just jack the car up onto blocks so the wheels are only just off the ground.
Hopefully you will get to see the look on their faces when they try to drive off.

Molgrips, good idea that.

Easy to fit a video camera to the undercover bike. Have a Motorbike cop travel ahead or just put a traffic car further up the road and stop the offenders.

That said, the worst bit in Glasgow for cyclists is a junction near Central Station where only bikes can travel in one of the directions. Lemming pedestrians anyone ?

Rattling down a fireroad at 35mph my mate missed a deer by a foot. That could have been well nasty.

Did clobber a rabbit recently, just going too fast to swerve and miss the beggar. 16 stone of me and 38lb of bike were not much affected. Don’t fancy trying that on the road bike though.