Fantastic pics – especially the bikey one, obviously! I'm still desperate to shoot a bike themed wedding or TTD session – any takers? Email in profile…..

Still me – Gots me a pic in the attic of the STW archives…

Just wanted to throw Aberdeen into the mix – loads of employment opps and even better – real, big ****-off mountains on the doorstep. Beautiful scenery as soon as you get out of the city and into Royal Deeside.

There's an airport for getting dahn Saff too.

As for culture – well, you'd certainly do better in Edinburgh, but there's plenty happening in the Deen too – burgeoning live music scene, plenty galleries and so on.*

*Speaking as an exiled Scot, now living near Durham.

No idea why, but here it is;

Wow! Not a single comment about long grass, cr@ppy flowerbeds, weeds…. Just when you think you know folk………

Thanks for all advice – needed the bike in a bit of a hurry so after checking the Evans website, I just nipped out and bought this;

It should be fine for him and it was a lot lighter than the Carrera I lloked at in Halfrauds…

Off to stick on a pair of spare DMR V8s which are in the garage. Also, brakes need fettling – the brake levers nearly touch the bars before they do anything, and this despite waiting 25 minutes for a 'Pre-Sale Safety Inspection' The bike was already built so I've no idea what they did in the backshop for nearly half an hour. I suspect they were eating biscuits.

Some good ideas there – cheers all. All those bikes are in roughly the right price bracket too – all good. I do wonder if he'd be better off with V brakes because he likes to tinker with stuff and most of those cheaper mechanical disc brakes sound horrible….

Yup – the army's version of it. I have a full suit of this stuff for wet weather camping and it keeps everything out. It is pretty bulky though, so no good for stowing in a rucksack…..

OP – if you liked that, you'll love The Durutti Column.

Just to update, and for anyone interested in listening to audio books, don't bu99er about with software – buy a Sansa Clip.

I reckon ebay's probably the best place for them. Unless you know of any youngsters starting a photo course at college or somesuch? I wouldn't expect to get much for them either…. Sorry!

I'm no great advocate of unproven / anecdotal medicine techniques…..BUT…

I suffered a radial nerve palsy about 8 years ago and lost the use of my right arm (slept on it funny!). I went through all the usual channels and like you, after six months of not working and beginning to believe a normal life was never going to be possible, I put my faith in an accupuncturist.

Within a week of treatment, the feeling began to return. I had two weeks of intensive treatment and by the end of week two, I had full mobility. Full strength took a lot longer to return. Treatment consisted of being stuck all over with needles (doesn't hurt), lots of deep tissue massage and drinking vile potions twice a day (I began pouring these down the sink on day two!).

It really was a last resort – the western medicine 'system' had pretty much given up on me after trying everything at their disposal.

If you really have tried all else, all I can say is that it most definitely worked for me – Dr Ming Chen Robertson, Leith, Edinburgh.

EDIT: don't just pick a practitioner at random – there are a huge number of total quacks out there – I did a LOT of research before picking Ming Chen – I had a lot of time on my hands!!

Not suggesting for a moment that you'd deliberately flout your responsibilities as a law abiding, tax paying UK resident, but if you want to save a bob or two on import duties, ditch all the packaging and post any receipts / warranties to your home address and claim you took the camera with you from the UK.

And yes, B&H is THE place to be.

who helped get up me

8O

Hope you're OK now!

Nice to know what the event was, cheers.

Aye it was one of those days where you're soaked through within seconds of getting out of the car. Forecast was for showers but it poured down all bloomin day. Bah!

Just got a Deuter Bike 1 which swallows my DSLR with 10-20mm lens, sandwich, jacket, tools and 3L bladder no probs. Mule is far too small – I've relegated mine to non-camera rides.

It's also got a pull out waterproof cover – definitely a good thing.

Two Scottish cows in a field. Which one's on holiday?

_

The one with the wee calf.

Must be relisted (wonder why?!) – someone linked to this a few weeks back.

Yup – they go that way in the film too. Not sure, but I think the red plant was just alien excrement (blood red?!).

Did my C&W phase between the ages of 13 & 14, before discovering the Chicago blues sound. Listened to some awful cr@p but also discovered the likes of Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and some classic bluegrass acts.

Seem to have come full circle now – Old Crow Medicine Show are one of the best bluegrass bands I've ever heard.

Quite liking that link!

How do you crucify a spastic?

On a swastika……..

Great write up and like the details (blood and wild strawberries!). Cheers for taking the time to share your trip.

Deuter Bike 1 rucksack to replace my teensy-weensy Mule….

Needed something big enough for a DSLR, flashgun and stand, and a bladder. It's spot on – room enough for lunch, jacket and tools too!!

I've only bimbled up and down the track behind the house so far but by Thor! What a difference – not sure yet if it's good or bad – Keilder on Sunday, so I'll find out then……

8O

If the Government wanted us to stop using them, they would give us free public transport or bikes or something in exchange for giving up our cars.

CTW scheme? Although to be fair, that was introduced before the money meltdown….

Only had the one blowout – on the way back from a passed MOT. I came back into Aberdeen along the south Deeside Road – much loved by motorcyclists for its tight twisty bends and occasional long straight.

The front WHEEL collapsed as I went over a catseye – managed to get it back under control and stopped literally inches away from a 40 foot drop into the river below (though the trees might have broken my fall 8O ).

Wow! Loads of inspirational tales / people coming out in this thread. Just wanted to add my voice really.

Buzz – I suspect the "nice-looking lady" may actually be SFB's little boy – careful now. I'm sure he'll be along to clear up any confusion…

We caused a friend of ours to have a (minor) nervous breakdown many years ago. He was going bald, very obviously, but insisted on keeping his rather meagre dreads.

On holiday in Orkney, we spent a week sneakily putting stuff in his hair and then laughing when he went into the shop with 10 clothes pegs on his head.

He eventually snapped and cried for about an hour – he reckoned he'd been "persecuted" his whole life, by his family, his workmates and now his friends.

Did the job though, and he got a skinhead within weeks of getting back.

Tough Love.

I stopped riding altogether for a good few years, after a not altogether successful shot at being a cycle courier. It was unrewarding and badly paid – sprinting from one grey industrial estate to another in a headwind wasn't much fun. I actually looked forward to the rain!!

Gave it up as a bad job after two and a half years (my business partner caved in year one – didn't blame him!). When the weekend came round, I was physically too tired to ride and the desire just wasn't there.

Didn't learn though and have now turned my other passion, photography, into a living (with more success!). I still shoot for fun, but all my expensive digital gear is work only. I shoot B&W film through the week on old film cameras and print in my tiny darkroom.

Which, I suppose, is a bit like the difference between guiding and riding for pleasure.

? and again ?

I don't need 500mg of anything. But if it's free, I'll take it……….

Using a waterproof rucksack isn't just gor keeping the contents dry – I can do that with wrapping stuff in a poly bag but when it's pishing down the material gets soaked and stays that way all day.

Fair point. Bin bag?

Sorry.

What do you call a French shoe salesman?

Phillipe Fillope

Literally the minute I get in from a wedding, I download everything onto the desktop, and immediately burn a couple of DVDs of the untouched files.

As soon as I have a folder of 'worked' images (processed files after editing) I burn another couple of DVDs.

I also backup completed jobs onto two seperate external drives (Verbatim and Seagate). I don't keep them in seperate places (prolly should) but the Verbatim lives in a lockable, fireproof filing cabinet.

I know of other togs who keep a backup drive at a friend's house, and back it up once a month….

Just pick a rucksack which suits your needs and shove in a heavy duty plastic rubble sack. You can just fold the top over a coupla times and it'll keep anything out.

If you really want to spend money, you can buy size-specific purpose-made waterproof liners to fit pretty much any rucksack.

I remember Ainsley Harriot (sp!?) getting special dispensation to ride down Kilimanjaro – he wasn't half bad either IIRC…

HA haha! Stingy one! What a cloth-eared, daft bint.

Liking the hound on the beach :-)

And the rest.

Is it just me who can only see two pics?

P.S. – prices here;

http://www.jamieemersonphotography.com/page1493.html

Too late to edit………