Probably not though because you'd probably now be dead with your intestines and eyes ripped out and your wife and children sold to be boiled down for ink.

That scenario was playing out in my mind when I heard the clang. 'Twas a bit of a Blair witch moment. Not an experience I'd want to repeat. Silly as it seems now in the cold light of day (night?), it was very unnerving at the time.

Brazilian or native species?
Do you mean badgers outside, sounding like they were inside? Didn't sound like it. That said, the walls were, I think, the sort of mud and straw whitewashed timber framed ones and you could hear quite easily through them.

+1 jj55

I'm not having this! Mrs T is a sublime driver. Many's the time we've been travelling quietly down the road at 40mph and she's dipped the clutch and shifted as smooth as you like into reverse without so much as a judder. If it wasn't for all the honking horns and screeching tyres as cars behind swerve to avoid us, I'd never guess that we were suddenly travelling backwards.

Some watercress or a tomato straight out of the greenhouse, thickly sliced and sprinkled with a little crunchy sea salt.
Dammit….gonna have to be steak again tonight. This is getting expensive!

@nickc – LOL. I heard the words "Fail" ringing in my ears as I typed that……

When my wife irons my 501s, she says that the legs are ridiculously bow legged. They are. She blames this on the drop handlebars and biopace chainrings that helped to mould my skeleton during my formative years. She's probably right. Hunchback, bow legs and "here's my nose, my @rse is coming" physique. Is that what you want, 'cos that's what you'll get.

I used to have the old style (52 Reg) Galaxy. Bought it because the family was about to become 6 and had "no choice" and traded in my beloved hot hatch. As a lifelong petrolhead I found the whole experience thoroughly demoralising and hated it. I actually had a lump in my throat driving it away from the dealership having just bought it (and I should be ashamed at how shallow that sounds I know). It just totally lacked any style, soul, pizzaz and bored me to tears. BUT, now that it's long gone I have to admit that it was a very sensible car (if that's what you want). Would easily manage 50mpg (115PD Tdi) on a long drive in comfort and was relatively cheap to service. Aircon a known weak point though. It was also useful when shifting "stuff" too big to get into a normal car. Swivelling seats were handy for having picnics when it was raining outside. I found it a bit of a marmite car – there are those that love them and others that don't. I'm in the "don't" camp. I occasionally looked at a Galaxy forum when I had problems (not often) and was forever amazed at how enthusiastic others were about theirs – nothing wrong with that, mind. We're all different. Vive la difference!
Unless you have a penchant for driving round in a wizard's hat or genuinely need the extra seats, I'd go for an estate any time. Lots of people rave about the S-Max, though. (Just don't get me started on Ford dealerships…could be the longest rant ever)

Never mind the last swallow of summer. This thread has to be the first sign of autumn, surely.

Dammit. That's done it for me now. Only a steak will do.
A thick slab of Welsh Black at room temperature.
A smoking hot heavy (ie holds its heat) skillet.
Oil the steak lightly, salt one side just before dropping it onto the skillet – salted side down.
Don't fiddle with it. Just leave it there for a minute or two
Salt the other side and turn it. Add a knob of butter on top of the steak just before you take it off (nothing worse than burnt butter)
When it's still got a bit of "give", remove it and let it stand.
When the juices start to seep out, eat it with fat chips, fresh crusty bread or dauphinoise potatoes (Delia's recipe). Maybe a handful of watercress too.
Gotta start with room temperature meat
Gotta use heavy, smoking skillet
Salt just before placing on skillet, not before.
Gotta let stand.
We have a butcher near to us who gets well aged beef. The meat looks really dark (almost purple) and the fat looks yellow. It doesn't look dayglo red like the meat in supermarkets but it would win hands down in any pepsi challenge. Also if you ever pass Raglan on the way to Cwmcarn, there's a butcher in the village who keeps longhorn cattle (and has his own slaughterhouse, I'm told). That tastes amazing and really does have a subtly "different" taste. Would also recommend Dewi Roberts in Llandeilo if you're in the area.

Didn't Raleigh have a specialist unit in Ilkeston (not far from the main factory in Nottingham) that dealt with their more specialist bikes? I remember in the 80s as a schoolboy, it was my ambition to go to Ilkeston to have a bike fitted and built to my own dimensions (a fellow cyclist in the club did just that – or at least that's what he said at the time). Unfortunately, the paper round wouldn't stretch to fund it at the time!

rkk01 – Yes, it was the Garth.

Quite often they'll run at you. Best thing to do is stand your ground and make like you're bigger.

Crikey, I think I'd better pack some immodium in my rucksack…….

My wife tells me that a man was killed not far from where I live last year having been trampled by cows whilst out walking his dog (in a place called St Fagans, for those that know it, not in the area I described above). Spooked me out a bit, having read some of the knowledgeable comments above. Reminds me to be careful and treat these animals with respect. It's a wide berth from me from now on (not that I was provocative in the past, mind you, just trying to get past).

Thanks Muddypuddle, that sounds like very sensible advice. I'll do just that from now on.

Funnily enough, it was the ones with horns (that I thought were bulls, but were probably cows) that were the most "twitchy" – in that they got up from lying down as I approached them. The calves were also stood next to these. Meanwhile, although he looked quite fearsome, Billy B***cks stood there quite calmly. Has anyone on here outsprinted a cow on a bike? If the worst came to the worst, I've got about half a mile of open moorland before I reach a very steep descent. If I've got a 20 yards headstart, how realistic is it for me to get away? (Apologies if this sounds like a GSCE maths question). If it helps, I'm on a Trek Fuel EX, running Jones ACX pumped up enough to make the bead sit in the tubeless rim nicely (I'm guessing about 120psi). I'm assuming that the bull, being the most muscular, is going to be faster than the cows.

Forgot to add that there are a smattering of young calves amongst them too and you have to sort of weave around them all to get past. The cattle are all stood on the "footpath" bit where the ground is firm and ride able. Either side it's very soft and wouldn't generally be considered ride able, with the obvious exception of having a charging bull a few inches off my back wheel.

I need to get between his girls to get past. I obviously wouldn't try anything (I'm a married man). He seemed quite laid back about it, in that he just looked at me, but I don't know whether there's any kind of behavior or worrying body language to look out for as I weave my way through his harem – snorting and stamping the feet being an obvious one that I would immediately recognize as bad news time. I also – seriously – wear a red cycling jersey (running shirt, actually, but you get the idea). I presume the "red" issue is just a myth?

Senses do it for me too. The smell of the old cottage hospital (a sort of musty cool stone echo clip cloppy footsteps place) where I would be taken when I had collected a variety of lacerations and breaks falling off my bike as a kid. Also when you get in the sea and the salt water goes up your nose and the feeling of sand on the toes – that also takes me back. Perhaps the most powerful of all are songs. Songs of the eighties, especially if I haven't heard them since those times, take me right back. Recently also the theme tune to the Channel 4 Tour de France coverage in the 80s. Finally, the theme tune to Panorama sends a shiver down my back because it reminds me of being a kid, having homework to do and time for bed (don't know why exactly – it must have been on the TV in the background when those things were happening)

Judging by my experience of a turbo trainer, I'd say you'd need one of these:

Actually, being a bit of a clumsy oaf with things like this, does anyone know if there's a place where you can get these things fixed while you wait? Is it worth returning to shop (vodafone) or am I likely to encounter a sucking in through teeth and a big bill?

Superb. Thanks, Cougar. Yes, everything works. Just a hairline crack right across the screen. Thanks for that.

I'm not arguing that HDTV per se is bad- – it's not. "Planet Earth" on bluray is incredible. It's just that I've been surprised seeing "old" films. Firstly just how clear they look in HD (appear to be proper HD quality, not a HD rendition of a poor quality film, if you see what I mean). However, mostly it's that the clarity really shows up lots of flaws. It looks like the actors are on a theatre stage rather than reality. To give examples for Raiders – In the submarine scene, you can clearly see waves through the portholes which show it to be hollow, there's a scene taken inside the sub and at portside at night which is very clearly on a set (whereas it looks "realistic" in SD), there's a bazooker that's clearly built using jubilee clips, some of the army vehicles paintwork looks like props rather than the real McCoy. Finally the lighting looks a bit odd – as if you're looking at somebody on a set rather than the real perceived environment. I've not noticed it in modern "made for HD" films, only the old ones where they were, perhaps, not expecting some of the flaws to show through as others have said.

I used to do this. Would wake the next day aching where the jaw hinges near the ear. It was really uncomfortable. So now whenever I get it, Mrs T would wake periodically throughout the night to see if I was doing it, and if I was, she'd give me a good hard slap. First dozen or so times she did it, I'd wake with quite a start, sit bolt upright, shouting, pounding heart, eyes bulging and flailing my arms. Now, though, she says that I'm used to it and that I now simply open my eyes, shout and go back to sleep. My doctor says it's some sort of pavloff treatment or something. Works though.

If you don't like long posts, scroll down now.
I've always hated having my haircut. I hate it so much, I prefer to get it over and done with quickly on a "first in" basis rather than the long lingering ordeal when you go at busy times. With that in mind, I made my way to a popular gents Greek/Cypriot hairdressers in the centre of town that usually opens at 8.30 before the crowds arrive. A "something for the weekend, sir?" joint. What follows is 100% true.
I arrived at 8.30am waiting for it to open. 8.45am another punter arrives and waits patiently. Finally at 9.05, the young oik who usually sweeps up turns up, looking slightly different but couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. We all go in. The other punter starts reading paper and I'm getting ready to jump up to the hotseat, coz I'm first, innit? Meanwhile, "Sweeper-upper" is searching around the shop looking nervous and distracted. Suddenly the phone rings and is answered by Mr Sweeper-Upper.
"What do you mean you're not coming in??……Are you serious?…..No I can't…..Seriously, I've left them at home and I can't see a thing…..I couldn't even sign a cheque…..OK…..OK….but I'm not going to be held responsible"
The other punter looks at me and I look at him.
Then Mr Sweeper-Upper takes a deep breath, pats the back rest of the hotseat and says nervously "Who's first?" (I'm not sure if he was talking to the hat stand at the time)
I look at the other punter and he gives me a look that says "You're first, son"
So I get up and sit in the hotseat.
"…and what will it be, Sir?" he says as he ties a sheet around my neck and flops a rubber mat over my shoulders.
"Erm….as it is now, only a little bit shorter, please"
There then follows a few minutes of opening and closing drawers, picking up and putting down a variety of combs, picking up various scissors, doing 2 snips in the air, looking surprised, then putting the scissors back down. I look at this nervously in the mirror. Meanwhile, the other punter quietly folds his newspaper, gets up and walks out, avoiding all eye contact.
Then there's a sudden "click" and a whirring noise and I notice that young Vidal has found the clippers. Gripping the clippers as you would grasp the throat of an angry ferret, he announces "I think we'll start with the clippers". By now my heart is pounding, my mouth is dry and I'm in two minds whether or not to call a halt to the proceedings. Unfortunately, my "anxious not to offend" British gene kicks in. My brain says "no" but my mouth says "yes".
He takes a few stabs at my scalp. Each stab reaches wood and throws up a chunk of hair which flutters down slowly while he lines up for the next stab.
I didn't pay too much attention to what happened next. I know that the ordeal lasted a good 30 minutes, involved lots of stepping back a few paces, squinting as if trying to focus and holding up a thumb to try to form some sort of perspective then taking a few more stabs. A few punters came, sat down, looked on in disbelief for 30 seconds and then departed slowly, walking backwards.
By the time he'd finished, I looked like I'd cut it myself, with one hand (the left one) in the dark, after downing a bottle of gin. In a strange way, I looked 6 stone lighter and quite unwell.
When he'd finished, and showing a total lack of insight into his own inabilities, he held up the mirror to the back of my head. All 3 corners looked equally bad – spiky bits, bald bits, traumatised bits and long bits. In order to end the ordeal swiftly, I said "Great, thanks", paid up and left. Twenty quid – 1995 prices.
While stood outside, waiting for Mrs T, I definately attracted some prolonged stares (and not in a good way). I could sense people bumping into each other as the unwanted stares at my head distracted attention. A few couples stared at me, then mouthed "Poor s*d" to each other before rushing past. It got worse when Mrs T arrived from her shopping trip. I could see her mouthing "WTF??" from 100 yards away.
What's happened to your hair?" she said. "You look mentally ill"
"It's a long story, let's go home. I've had enough."
"You're not coming home with me looking like that! Lets go to my hairdressers and get it done properly"
Now, that sounded like a good idea in theory, but in reality it was a non starter. Nobody walks into a ladies boutique hairdressers with hair ranging from 0mm to 5mm asking for a haircut.
So we went straight to Boots to buy some clippers.
Much as I love Mrs T, she's not a hairdresser and nobody in their right mind would let her anywhere near to their head with a hair cutting implement, not least one that is plugged in to the mains. But needs must and when we got home, she set the dial to 1mm and clipped away. There then followed the longest 10 minutes of marital tension we'd experienced in 20 years. However, when she finished, it did't look too bad. Although I looked like I'd been having chemotherapy, it looked 90% better than it did and all was well with the world once more.
Never been to a hairdresser since. Not a word of this is made up. DIY all the way now, as far as I'm concerned.

True story. I once had my haircut by the "sweeper-upper" one morning when the boss failed to materialise. To make matters worse he wasn't wearing his glasses. I could elaborate further……..

Sorry folks. Please close this thread. There's no point in me started a fresh thread about this – I just wanted to spread the love! Didn't realise that it had already been mentioned.

Isn't the motive behind handing over power to GPs a means of deflecting the blame when it all goes t*ts up? If there are tough times ahead and difficult decisions to be made, then find a whipping boy to take the flak instead of the government? If, on the other hand it works out well because GPs know "what works and what doesn't" probably better than anyone else does, then they can share the limelight and claim that they made the right decision. Good or bad, a win/win for the government?

In the interests of balance, I'd like to share my experience. I love music. No, I really do. If it's live, then even better. I was brought up in a household where music of all sorts featured heavily and one of my close family was a top flight professional singer. In 1992, I started my first job after Uni but decided to live on a student income for many months to save up for a good HiFi. I knew nothing about electronics (and I'm just as ignorant now), just went around a number of retailers and HiFi shops to listen to their wares and make my decision based on what I heard. Then one day, I walked into a BADA dealer, spent an hour explaining the kind of music I liked and arranged a listening session with my own records and Cds. I heard my music played on a Linn system (turntable, amp, "directional cables" and speakers) with an arcam CD player. I was alarmed to see no graphic equaliser, no flashing lights and no separate Bass and Treble knob…..BUT…..it totally, totally blew me away. Still does. As does anyone who visits my home 18 years later. You'd swear that the artist was there, in front of you, playing live in your own home. Breathing, fingers sliding on guitar strings, the lot. I don't know how it works or what the spec sheet says and I don't buy the "science" behind directional cables, but my God it sounds good. Granted it cost a lot, but it was worth it to me.
Many years later I did the same with DVD players but this time the £80 Toshiba player seemed no different to much more expensive ones, so I opted for the "cheapie". If you've listened to British HiFi and think that it's a waste of money, then fair enough. Mine's black and unfashionable looking and it may be that things have changed over the years, but I defy anyone to listen to a record – yes, record – on my Linn system and not be impressed. Rule Brittania, I say.

Haven't read all of this thread but it reminds me of when Mrs T was expecting our first. I couldn't believe the cost of prams and pushchairs that she was quoting to me. I only registered a flicker of interest when she said that you could get some made by McLaren (I had visions of some titanium and carbon fibre loveliness designed by an F1 team). Then one afternoon, I happened to be looking through an Argos catalogue and chanced upon a selection of pushchairs that were literally 20% of the cost of ones that my wife had quoted. I excitedly wrote down the product number of the flashest looking one and suggested that we go to Argos to get it asap. Wiping tears of restrained laughter from her eyes, she then pointed out that they were children's dolls prams…….
The shame. I've never lived it down since.
Best thing we bought though was a Jack Wolfskin rucksack style baby carrier. Had loads of use out of that. Four kids later, it still looks like new.
Whenever I've mentioned the cost of babies to older parents, the usual reply is "Wait until they get older…."

Weddings

I like my Tahoes. They seem overpriced to me when I see discounted walking shoes in some of the camping shops for a third of the price though. I like the velcro strip that keeps the laces out of the way and they grip well on DMRV12s. They'll get wet as soon as it rains, so merino socks are a nice addition. I used mine throughout the last winter for rides of less than 3 hours but they look more suited to summer riding if you are of a delicate constitution.

@organic355 – I've got a 5 door A3 quattro (3.2). One of the factors that swayed me was the AWD element because I need to be mobile in bad weather for one of my jobs. All I can say is that it gets places a 3L 3 series doesn't (direct comparison) when there's ice and snow around, but that's about it. It's not great in purely 4×4 terms but you do get a bit better traction when it's slippery. That said, a 1L Polo with thin tyres would probably do better in snow. When the weather's really bad, I use a higher ground clearance 4×4 and there's no comparison. The main benefit I see in the AWD is that it gets me off the line when on a wet hill start junction. It's a great car and I love it. I know what others mean about "Audi drivers" though. People watching at the dealership can be interesting while waiting to collect my car after service and serves mainly to reinforce the impression you get when being tailgated on the motorway by some. We're not all like that though……..

Not tried them myself, but thinking of ordering from these:
http://www.parrs.co.uk/category-Cycle-Parking-CYCLE.htm

"He who admits ignorance reveals it once. He who conceals his ignorance reveals it many times" A Japanese proverb.

Clipper organic decaff. The one with the green lid. It's so nice, I prefer it to other caffeinated brands. Highly recommended.

He was a Jag, but he's turning into a moped……….

Secret squirrel – The red cells are returned when you donate platelets so your oxygen carrying capacity shouldn't be affected. For this reason, you can donate platelets more often than whole blood. Platelets are involved in the clotting process. Still sensible to take it easy, listen to your body and not plan any competitions immediately afterwards, though, I would say. I would expect the effects of platelet donation to be less noticeable than donation of whole blood from the perspective of exercise alone.

A lot of it is theoretical really. Although it will take time to replenish your red cells (whereas volume replacement will be a lot quicker), it depends on your reserve capacity. If you're towing a caravan with a 200cc bike and somebody lops off 20cc, you'll notice it a lot more than if you're towing the same caravan with a 6L Jag and somebody lops of the same 20cc. Thus if you're young and fit with no known (or hidden) health problems then after the immediate donation period is over, you may feel ok, although your peak performance would suffer for a while longer (if you were to push it that far).

I don't think that anyone will be able to give you a standard single answer to that, grtdkad (but, no doubt, somebody will). It depends on your level of fitness and general health really. There are 2 main things to consider – your circulating volume and the concentration of your red cells (which in turn determines your ability to carry oxygen to the parts that need it).
Think of an analogy with a pint of squash. If you tip a little bit out (say, 10%), you're left with less concentrate and less volume (because a bit of the concentrate went out with the bit that you tipped out). If you top up from the tap, the volume is replaced but what's left is a more dilute squash. That sudden drop in dilution (as opposed to a slow decline as happens when you slowly become anaemic with some diseases) can be noticeable immediately afterwards and what you'll notice is tiredness, feeling "washed out", longer recovery time and even a little short of breath. It could take several weeks for the level of concentration of your "squash" (i.e. blood) to get back up to normal as the red cells are produced to top up but there are a number of factors that could influence that.
I wouldn't personally do exercise immediately after giving blood and would bank on reduced performance for a couple of weeks afterwards – and no competitions in that time – as a rule of thumb. But that's just me. Listen to your body and do what's comfortable. There are ways of quantifying it and measuring your performance etc but that's out of the realms of leisure cyclists. I'm sure that any sports physiologists, anaesthetists or haematologists on here will be able to elaborate.
Apologies if the squash analogy is confusing, but hope that it helps.

LOL@Jimmyshand.