Merry Christmas!

1998 Pine Mountain frame as commuter
2011 Alu Spark
2010 Pipedream Scion
2012 CAAD 10 roadie

Musician?

Johnny Marr
Keef
Leo Kottke

Did anyone see how hard the ball hit Torres’ head in the chelsea game, it flew off at some rate of knots.
That bloke who “crossed” it at him, Azpilicueta, should be BANNED FOR LIFE

+1

Merry Christmas.

They are meant to snap in the event of ham-fistedness .

Yup. You only do it once.

I think most people (myself included) learnt the hard way though

Yup. You only do it once.

Massive lows – me dear old Mum died, suddenly, in May, which hit me a lot harder than I imagined it would.

Middling lows – Work, having to do “more” with “less”…….well, “something” with “virtually nothing” – NHS woes.

Massive highs – going to see my eldest in the Kalahri and then holidaying with all the “kids” in Botswana – stunning
The middle child being head-hunted to a really good management job.
The eldest getting the offer of a funded PhD.

Funny old year. 😐

Ooh, that Ritchey Logic looks nice!

MODS – I have a request from my bank for you to remove the pictures of said Ritchey road bike. 😐

Much sympathy for JuniorP. I don’t “do” sick very often but had the norovirus ove a 36hr period last week and it was NOT GOOD at all. 😐

True STW style, attack the op…
Serves him right, I say. Bet he hasn’t even got a 650B S/S rigid Fatbike made out of Nickel impregnated spaghetti, either. 😉

Once I sell the Spark and Scion I’ll be looking at building up a light, possibly carbon, 29er.

TW slow folk and invalids ride
I may be up for that as I’ve not, knowingly, ridden with any of the STW massif.

I’d be honoured to ride with anyone………….as it is, I’d have to say that I’d be happy for anyone to wait for me every couple of miles. 😐

I’d like me dear old Mum back for one final Christmas – she died in May.

OR

Have the eldest home for Christmas – she’s a research scientist in the Kalahari and this will be the second Christmas she’s spent away from us.

OR

A winter road bike.

Just walked through our A/E Dept and it looks like Armageddon down there.

Pint mug of tea
‘puter/printer/speakers/keyboard/mouse
4 completed copies of Performance Development Reviews to be put in personnel files
A red and a black marker pen
Scissors
pen drive
A black and a red ballpoint pen
A selection of (unused) blood tubes
A mahoosive file of EQA data
A photo album of recent trip to South Africa/Botswana
Erm, a 7″ fixed blade knife.
A Lezyne light – charging from PC USB.

Work colleague has the Dolan winter bike, he’s really impressed with it and I must say I am considering one. Thing is, I really need to shift my FS in order to fund one………………and shift the 26er H/T in order to fund a 29er H/T. Why is life so complicated…..? 😐

Nobby – Member
I’d ‘convert’ current bike to the winter one & buy a shiny summer bike in the new year.

Hmm. How about a CAADX disc for winter? 😉

druidh – Member
N+1

Thread Closed
I was hoping someone would say that.

*shows Mrs Soks the “case for..”*

Kryton57 – Member
I’m getting more convinced now that I should wear vests.

Don’t forget to tuck it into your Y-fronts, though. 🙂

The missus has just re-stitched my 2yr old Humvees – she reckoned the thread used was crap so she’s used some heavy duty, waxed thread.

“SPOTY votes Mo Farrah 131k Miserable Murray 230k Jess Ennis 372k Wiggo 492k”

So I’ve been told….

Good for Wiggo and DB!

Reported. *sighs*

to make sure they did it justice

Sorry??? 😯

tonight, have a few beers while wearing your riding kit and see what happens!

Last time that happened……………….anyway, the case comes up before the beak in a fortnight. 😐

Always go for quality in padded shorts/shoes/helmets/jackets.
I have many, many Aldi/Lidl shirts/gilets/winter jerseys. Nowt wrong wi’em.

Wha………?!?!?

John – it’s not going to happen, though, is it?

Jeezus, we must have been lucky with our three kids! My heart reaches out to the OP – I can’t imagine not being able to engage with my bunch of daft but loveable twerps.
The eldest was never a problem – always motivated and driven, has been all over the world by age of 25 (currently in Africa), has a MSc and is applying for funding for a PhD.
The middle one was a bit of a problem – bad friend choices, disasterous attempt at A levels, alcohol and (probable) substance abuse which we managed to catch before things got really out of hand. Sat her down (forcibly on a few occasions) and got her to discuss, frankly, what she thought she was doing, what she really wanted to do and where she saw herself in ten years time. We ended up letting her drop out of school for a year and make her part time, supermarket job into a, virtually, full time one, all the while looking for an area/subject that she was really interested in. Finished up doing voluntary work in a theatre and a BTec in technical theatre studies – she loved it! Due to the recession theatre jobs are few and far between so she went into fashion retail (OK, clothes shop assistant) and is now an assistant manager at a quality, national clothing store.
The youngest……………hmm, yes. Lovely lad but as daft as a brush – didn’t think he’d get through GCSE’s let alone anything else BUT! – between me and his eldest sister we got him through Science, Maths and English and he did his own thing with Art and Design Technology. There was no way on this Earth he was going to do A levels/stay on at school, so, once again we sat him down and asked what he really, really was interested in. He ended up doing a BTec in Graphic Design with the idea that he’d then look for employment because he didn’t want to go to university……….er, he’s, currently at Uni(2nd year) and is predicted a first!

What I think I’m trying to say is that the OP must, must, must try and find a way to engage with his son…………even if it means breaking down in tears in front of him – it’s because you do care – worked with my middle one, she was so shocked that her Dad did actually love her so much. Once he can see and accept that love the rest might be just that bit easier.
*crosses fingers*

philconsequence – Member
that joke is worse than a cat covered in tattoos

*giggles*
IGMC

Excellent! Good effort/pics.
Love the suits (sir). 😀

Never really considered CX before this months mag but found the articles interesting.
Can’t see me buying a CX bike , though…………..no, no, really. 😉

Got the “sorry, I wouldn’t normally bother you on Sunday but you’re the only person available to cover on-call between 08.00 – 20.00” call. this morning. 😐
*Due to some cretin getting woefully trollied on the staff Chrimbo outing on Saturday night – said cretin may well be getting a few slaps come Monday morning*

The sky, at night, will never be the same – one extra star.
RIP, you mad old giffer.

Doh! Was just about in a position to, finally, push the button on a 29er…….now this! Shame on you all! (Particularly the chap pushing the 9:Zero:7!).
Quite like the look of this –

Hmm……eeny, meeny……………………. 🙂

I’ll hve to watch it to know why I’m being shouted at/run off the road during tomorrows commute.
*Straps fake plastic crossbow to rucksack, Mint Sauce stylee*

I’m not the fastest or the most skilled of riders. In fact I get my arse kicked, more often than not, when riding with friends. BUT I’d never give it up, unless there was a *very* good medical reason,as the feeling of being “out there” is the most addictive of drugs.