I might get out on the bike more often if I can tell the wife I'm off to 'church'!

The shoulder bolt fell out of the shock linkage on my Intense on Sunday. Extra UK were on the ball and have sent two new ones, or they will be doing once I've remortgaged the house to pay for them.

Needless to say, I have now invested in some loctite!

now, this ironing of shirts lark

For immaculate collars (this worked especially well with the old army 'hair' shirts) always iron from the collar tips inwards.

For creases in army jumpers, press once on the outside of the sleeve with the iron on high steam. Turn jumper inside out and run a damp bar of soap up the crease on each sleeve. Turn jumper right way out and iron the creases again, first with steam and then dry.

This also works on shirt sleeves and trousers – but don't put a crease in combats, as a razor sharp crease can be spotted by an enemy sniper from 1000 metres (probably).

For the shoulder and elbow pads on the jumper, use starch, but apply it in thin layers as you iron. Also use a handkerchief over the top of the pads to stop the starch going white. If the starch does go white then just wipe with a damp cloth.

Correct shaping of the beret is also very important, as you look like Fred Scuttle if you don't bother. Alternately dip said beret into hot and cold water to shrink it, then mould it to the head and leave it there to dry. It should then retain the shape, even when you take it off!

It all sounds a bit OCD, I know. However, the phrase bullsh*t baffles brains really is true of the armed forces!

When I was 'loaned' to the TA, the cadets who shared the centre were always immaculately turned out – unlike their instructors, who we had to have 'words' with on more than one occasion!

Is it shoes, parade shoes…

Parade shoes? Only the virtuous ladies of the WRAC wore shoes when I was in the mob. I don't know, the youth of today etc… etc..

For normal parade use we'd go with Klear and hope it didn't rain (boots go blue). Then the very nice people at RAF Bruggen sorted me out some Tornado nose none paint, which was okay.

However, I spent many, many hours sorting out my boots for a drill course the 'proper' way.

[*]Hot spoon on the leather to smooth all the dimples.[/*]

[*]Fill in cracks/dimples with beeswax and then use wire wool and fine sandpaper to get it nice and smooth.[/*]

[*]Kiwi Parade gloss (black) and Kiwi Oxblood (gives it a deeper finish) were then applied in a circular motion using damp cotton wool at a ratio of 3-to-1 for many, many hours.[/*]

[*]After each ten layers run toecap under tap (cold) while continuing circular motion with cottonwool.[/*]

[*]Once happy with the finish remove all polish smears by buffing lightly with the wife's best nylon stockings.[/*]

Boots were then transported as if they were filled with Nitroglycerin, wrapped in the wife's other pair of best stockings.

They were immaculate, but still got lobbed across the room on the first kit inspection!

Sorted now, thanks. I have to say, I am impressed with Extra's customer service. Five minutes after sending them a question I have a solution. You can't say fairer than that.

Hi Ton,

Looking for an 18"

Many thanks for the info lock. I think the Mmmbop will be the one I go for, based on your comments on both.

A lot of the Motorcycle Grand Prix riders are keen cyclists, both on and off road. A lot of them do it just for fitness, but some are committed cyclists.

Nicky Hayden (former World Champ – sponsored by Specialized)
Casey Stoner (former World Champ)
Ben Spies (hangs out with pro-riders when he's in Europe)
Randy de Puniet
Bradley Smith (took on Jensen Button in the London Triathalon)
Scott Redding
John Hopkins (sponsored by Specialized)
Ben Bostrom (AMA rider – just done La Ruta de los Conquistadores)
Anthony West (keen downhiller)

Never seen Valentino Rossi on a bike though…

I've got a mate who bought an apartment in Bansko. He's just returned from a skiing trip there and was telling me that they're planning on building a network of mountain bike trails in the area for the summer months.

There is some info here[/url]

Cheers for the info. I'll hold off on ordering any new discs/adaptors then.

The postie has just dropped mine off now. Didn't bring the XTR brakes I'm waiting for though, so it's not all good news!

Rereading Freefall by Charles Bruce (writing as Tom Read). The autobiography covers his time with the SAS and his plans to break Joe Kittinger's parachute altitude record, but the main focus is on the mental health issues he suffered, which lead to him trying to kill his girlfriend with a pair of scissors.

Bruce committed suicide eight years ago by jumping out of the plane his girlfriend was flying without a parachute.

Very interesting book, and very different to the Andy McNab style, despite the fact that the two served together.

Decided to reread it after seeing this: Red Bull Stratos[/url]

Gave the new bike a proper run out at Tollymore.

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Blackspire Stinger and Gamut bashring for me. All works perfectly and was a doddle to set-up.

Reign_Man – the 6.6 has been pretty good as an all-day bike. Mine is built up with Fox Talas 36RC2 forks and an RP23 shock, so it's not exactly lightweight, but it pedals better than a lot of other 6" travel bikes I've ridden.

The only issue I have with it really is that the back end is a little bit flexy.

I've just bought one for use in the Alps. I already have a 6.6 and there is no real difference in pedaluphillability between the two, to the point where I'm wondering whether it's worth keeping the 6.6 or swapping it for a more XC orientated full susser.

I've just got Tom Tom on the iPhone, having previously used it on a WM6 HTC phone. Seems okay, but then I've only used it a couple of times so far. It actually looks better on the iPhone than it did on the HTC.

Endorfin Speed II

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Try the Glan Aber Hotel[/url] which is actually in Betws-y-Coed.

It's a hotel/bar/restaurant, but they also have a camping barn attached.

Prices were quite reasonable last time I looked.

I haven't really given it a proper run out yet sola. It pedals surprisingly well uphill on the local trails though, which was a bit of a surprise.

I have a normal 6.6 as well, which is marginally better on the climbs, but that's probably down to being able to reduce travel to 140mm on the Fox 36 Talas that is fitted to it.

I've built up one of these for my Alps trip later in the year.

Frame: Intense 6.6 SS
Fork: Rockshox Lyrik
Shock: Fox DHX5.0

Thought about a full-on DH bike, but I'm not really a DH sort of rider. More XC jey-core, but trying to be a bit more freeride gnarly (and failing at the moment)

[/url]

If you decide to go North to the Antrim Coast then have a look at the cottages for rent here:

Maddybenny Cottages[/url]

Literally five minutes from Portrush and ten minutes from Portstewart, which has a massive beach.

Plenty to do in the local area and there is a pony trekking/horse riding centre on site for the kids.

We used to go up there for the New Year and it was excellent.

For riding around the area check out Trailbadger

The Mourne Mountains today…

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Another cheeky Robin

[/url]

I did a search for D Clips and ended up back here.

Bugger…

Stayed in Dyffryn, on one of the campsites, with two small kids. The following year we stayed in Barmouth.

The beach at Dyffryn is fantastic, although there's not much to the village itself.

Handy for the Pont Scethin ride though.

Barmouth was better with the kids, as they were old enough to ride the Mawddach Trail, which takes you over Barmouth Bridge to Dolgellau. There is a nice pub on the Estuary just outside Dolgellau – King George I think it's called, which was ideal for a lunch stop before heading back.

A four-year-old could do the Mawddach Trail, as it's completely flat. My daughter was five the first time she did it.

And your only 25 minutes from Coed-y-Brenin.

We were going to go back this year, but I've managed to talk the other half into going to Morzine instead.

Claudia Winkleman has replaced Carol Smilie in my TV Totty top 5!

Coed-y-Brenin, ealrier this year.

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And without any of the advanced weaponry which the US generously supplied them with when they were fighting Soviet forces.

Apart from the stingers that are still missing!

Ernie, the ultimate test of the British Armed Forces as a whole might well be a war as you describe, but for an individual any of the small unit contacts that take place on a daily basis in Afghanistan could be the ultimate test.

If he (or she) is not up to the job then he (or she) stands a good chance of ending up dead. How much more ultimate can you get?

The Taliban might not have the same level of equipment but, as the Russians discovered, they know how to fight and they know how to use the ground to best effect. (The Taliban are post Russian occupation, but recruited from the remnants of the Afghan resistance).

As for the length of the conflict, if you don't cut the mustard and get killed in your first contact it doesn't matter how long the conflict goes on for really!

no, I feel sorry for them for being conned into wasting their lives as political pawns

Don't feel sorry for them. I doubt there are very many British soldiers out there fighting who see themselves as political pawns to be pitied by people back home.

A lot of them will simply relish the opportunity to pit their training and skills against those of the enemy whilst fighting alongside their mates. It's the ultimate test, if you want to look at it that way.

Job wise, this might not appeal to a lot of people, but it certainly appeals to some – including me in my younger days. Don't just assume that they wouldn't want to be there as, for a lot of soldiers, that's simply not true.

They'll still whinge about the food though!

My current favourite

Why should we have unquestioning respect for all soldiers? Are there NO bad soldiers at all? Lots of them joined up to learn how to kill others, an element of "soldiering" as we seem to be euphemistically calling it. Frankly, not my type of people.

Sure, there are bad soldiers, just as there are bad people in other walks of life.

The word "soldiering" covers a wide range of activities/tasks you might have to carry out if you are in the forces, such as Military Aid to the Civil Power (firefighting, disaster relief etc), not just killing people. Having said that, the rule used to be 'soldier first, tradesman second' when I was in the forces, so everyone learns how to 'kill' as part of their training, although some are better at it than others.

Why would you automatically assume that everyone in the military is "not my type of people"? Do you know them all? Do you know their reasoning behind joining the armed forces? Does your generalisation extend to the medical staff in the military, a lot of whom are there because the forces paid their way through medical school?

Or is your opinion influenced by some history with the military which has caused you to tar them all with the same brush as a result?

As for the killing people, well, as you say, it's part of the job. It has to be done, so it gets done.

However, justifying the killing is maybe not so easy for some of those that have to do it, as the increasing number of serving and retired service personnel with mental health issues illustrate.

It's up to you if you respect the soldiers or not, but I don't think most of them will care either way if I'm honest.

Like Backhander, I doubt I'm your sort of person either, but that's okay as it would be a boring world if we were all the same.

1111 – enjoy your tour of the Falklands. It was a hardship posting the first time I went, but a proper watersports paradise the last time I was shipped south!

i'm not sure i 'support our troops'. each one of those who joined up knew what the dangers would/could involve if they were ever called up for tour. and if any of those who joined had any sense they'd know that they are the potential cannon fodder of those in power who do not care about a few thousand lives in order to achieve what they/the people pulling the strings in the background want.

I knew all this when I joined up and still went ahead and did it.

I joined because I enjoyed soldiering, wherever that took me. I was well aware, as were my colleagues, that we could end up 'up the sharp end' as it were. None of us had a problem with that.

In fact, a lot of us were first in line to volunteer for tours 'up the sharp end' or for certain duties/postings which guaranteed a bit of action and a break from endless training.

I ended up spending almost all of my 13 years in operational units and thoroughly enjoyed it all – even the bits that possibly didn't look so enjoyable to people from outside the forces.

Most soldiers aren't looking to be heroes and, I'd guess, that if you asked most of them what they were fighting for in Afghanistan the reply would be "my mates" rather than some political reason.

Rather than having people back home brand them heroes, I'm sure most of our troops in Afghanistan would prefer:

1. More troops, so they could actually dominate the ground properly.
2. Better kit, see above
3. Better welfare facilities for their families back home.
4. More cutting edge weaponry – but maybe that's just me 😀

I don't think I'd stand up and applaud our troops at an airport, but only because I'd have been embarrassed if people had done it to me in the past.

Most of them sign up so they can get a gun and be a hero.

For me it was the pictures of Frank windsurfing and skydiving that made me join up.

You can imagine my disappointment when I actually got to Catterick – in November!

I think the Scorpion Disco in Catterick was the most dangerous place I ever served, and that includes Iraq 😀

Very good point MussEd.

However, these are two parcels I sent that have disappeared off the system. On the other hand, parcels that were sent to me by Parcelforce (and TNT) on the same day, by the same service, via the same route have arrived here with no problems.

Maybe I was lucky and the parcels were delivered here by a former Ice Road Trucker who joined Parcelforce for an easier life and can't understand why his colleagues aren't out and about delivering parcels in this weather.

Or maybe people in the 'central hub' where my parcels have disappeared into without a trace can't get to work because of the snow.

I don't know, but it is mildly annoying, whereas other issues related to the weather don't, quite frankly, appear on my radar.

Good luck with the Styli…

Canon G9 – Paid £230 for it just before the G10 was released.

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I've just booked to go to Morzine for a week with the family at the beginning of August.

Will be taking all the bikes, as the idea is to get everyone out on them everyday.

Staying in a chalet organised by Jolly Good Alpine holidays, which was reasonably priced.

Keeping the kids sweet by taking them to Eurodisney on the way down!

For the Ruthin event last year my training consisted of doing the 60km Beast of Brecon route the weekend before. I'd hardly touched the bike for the previous four months due to an injury, so I thought I was going to keel over on the Gap Road, but I made it in the end!

And I'm no racing whippet either; it's fair to say I'm carrying a bit of spare weight!

I did the 50km route and just took my time. Stopped for a rest every now and again, and took advantage of the 10 million bananas laid on at the food stops. Ending up riding with the same group of people, who were all treating it as a leisurely day out in the country, with bikes.

It was a well organised event, which I thoroughly enjoyed. unfortunately I'm away working for most of the events this year, but I'll definitely be at Ruthin again, although I may do the 75km route this time around, especially if I get out on my bike more ahead of the event.

Just enjoy it, they really are good fun.

I did last year's Ruthin Merida Marathon and passed a bloke on a Surly Pugsley, complete with wide rims and fat tyres.

I think he's an STW member, actually.

He looked happy enough, but maybe a lighter set of wheels would be slightly easier to pedal uphill!

I did it on a hardtail last year, fitted with Hope ProII/DT5.1 wheels and Maxxis High Rollers – which were all okay.