Oh, FFS! Look, hit the hotel gym for the first hour then tootle into the “do”. You’ll be chilled out enough to drink moderately and make notes on who’s being a tool this year (to be used later!) and not make an arse of yourself.

Going early………………in 47 weeks!

Bonus. Bonus? An extra payment for doing your job properly? Nah, don’t get it…………….there again, I work in the NHS, failing at every turn…………. 😐

Locker key, trousers, socks , underwear, security pass/door cards, wallet, phone, lunch, cycling gloves – yup, done all those but not at the same time and usually have spare clothes at work. Tbh, I was more rattled by realising I’d not put gloves on, half way to work. Don’t like riding bare handed, wuss that I am.

RE. Haim – saw ’em, live, at a couple of festivals this year and thought they were pretty good. The album has disappointed , however, and I find, has reduced good songs to over-produced fluff. IMO, of course.

Extrusion. Although “manager”, in it’s NHS, strategic, connotation, is also bloody hilarious……………… 😐

We need some Clash, here…

Really impressed with my first foray into 29erworld – Cannondale SL1.
Rides much better than the sum of its parts.

Scott Spark (alloy) – XT/Reba 120mm/carbon bars/pimpy stem and seat post. It was fast, did all I asked of it and was capable of more but it was…………..er, just dull and uninvolving. We never got on…..

Thanks for all that, folks.

Ah, that old chestnut. “Sorry dad, I’d love to talk to you, but you know what the signal’s like…” You’ve been had, mate.

Nah, it’s usually her phoning us for various levels of “help”…..oh, hang on a minute…
She’s on Tesco Mobile, with an iPhone, and has Virgin broadband, btw.

8 year old boy on a road bike

– Gets the “Sox” award for rider of the day. The way he put down those adults telling him to put his drinks bottle into his back pocket in order to shoulder his bike over some steep stuff, was awesome – “I’m only little so how do I get a 750ml bottle in my back pocket?” – awesome ++++! 😀

Mrs Sox had a phase of “don’t really need/want anything for Christmas”.
An ironing board cover, a pack of pegs and some tea towels sorted that out. 😉

Tomorrow’s ride is going to a bit of an epic.

In what sense? *shudders*

Oooh, just a thought – I’ve got some Bontrager XR Mud Team Issue’s (26 x2.0), very good condition, done less than 20 miles in, er, mud. £30 the pair, if anyone’s interested. Can bring ’em on Sunday. Email in profile for pics.

Lift available from Roundhay/North Leeds.

Bump. Day shift?

Looking forward to walking down jacobs ladder

😯

Orange 5
😉

Never been on a STW ride before, so will respond to forum name/real name or “that dozy, old sod at the back/walking”. 🙂

adjustablewench – Member

No, they shouted “cake!”

Correct! 😀

*Somewhere above the Hope Valley 01/12/13* “Er, are you ready for this downhill?”

I play triangle in a reggae band. I stand next to the guitarist an’ting.

+1 for Botswana.The Okavango Delta is breathtaking. Check out this lot – http://www.maun-backpackers.com/
They helped organise various guided and self-driven safaris and adventure stuff for us for ££££££’s less than mainstream companies. Definitely recommend them.

etc,etc.

5thElefant – Member

If I’ve got grey pubes as well I may as well end it all now!

I thought they went out of fashion in the 90s?

Grey pubes or topping yourself?

A work colleague/riding buddy has been, mostly, grey since he was 20. It’s when the freakin’ stuff starts falling out that you should worry.

Stop it, now, K57. I’m beginning to worry, ever so slightly, about you. 😉
*Slurps more tea, eats more homemade chocolate chip cake*

Don’t worry, only half will actually make it in the day.
In my experience only, about, 25% turn up on the day.
Shall we take bets?

* looks to finishing in the top 70* 😉

Had a Cannondale Trail SL1 29er for about a month now (my first 29er) and have to say it’s a cracking (no pun etc) bike. For the kit that’s on it, as stock, it’s not as lardy as I/you thought it would be. Only thing I’ve changed is the saddle and grips – as you do – and am, now, looking to get more winterable tyres (Spesh Purgatory/Ground Control). Feels very “planted” and to that end is very much a “wheels on the ground” bike.

Berghaus Freeflow 30 + 6 . Covers most bases and if you don’t stuff the lid top pocket, it doesn’t catch/interfere with your, er, “lid”.

Pork loin and tomato on two slices of granary bread
Low fat rhubarb yoghurt
Apple
Pack of yoghurt covered sesame snaps

Been a big fan of Roy but the following lyrics always disturbed me –
“Forbidden Fruit”
Baby, won’t you play with me ?
Games that no one else can see ?
Leanin’ over out my window
Flashing me a mini flower show

Steal away from mummy, oh there’s my little girl
On the pillow of my tummy give my hair a curl
Run your fingers under and over, make us a little pool
And don’t forget about tomorrow in the same place after school.

Baby, make me calm your fears
Let me hold your thirteen years
In between the silky, love me
Race my heart and let ……….

Oh baby I can feel you, see my thunderburst
Melting us together in the plains of magic thirst
We can be forever and ever, watching the water fall
Floating in the lake of all peace after love and after all.

We can be forever and ever, watching the water fall
Floating in the lake of all peace after love and after all.

Drakes is a decent bike shop with very helpful staff – used ’em for years.
Only had experience of Crosstrax, at Adel, recently. Nice folks, very helpful and know their stuff – thanks for selling the Spark, chaps!

“He’s got that prostRate cancer”……………oh, Mother

Sorry but I choose to give to charities I don’t like being asked.
Quite. The Keswick Mountain Rescue, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Save the Children do pretty well out of me.

Never owned an Orange 5
Never owned an Audi Estate car
Never owned a “tablet” computer
Never bought anything by Apple
Never owned anything by Coldplay
Never watched Strictly/X-Factor/Britain’s got……problems
Never passed a bike shop

13 yrs less than actual – I’ll take that, thanks. 🙂

Just acquired a 2014 Crack’n’fail SL1 clown bike,soooooo……….it’s called Dubya. 😐