After you’re gone, The Proclaimers

First off welcome. If you are staying BnB then you can go real minimum. For that type of trip I’d go flat pedal and therefore no second pair of footwear needed.Spare t-shirt and shorts that would do three days in accom, you can dry the riding gear each night if it gets wet. IME better to go minimal ...

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Dec 14, 2022 10:07 am To take Sean's idea a step forward - why not just dress up like a Geordie girl on a night out. Short skirt, boob tube(?) and a pair of decent heels - at least 4". You'll never be cold again.

You need to understand Geordie lasses use a significant vodka base layer

Lazarus wrote: ↑Mon Oct 03, 2022 5:40 pm you need 6 Billion other people to do the same.

Keep up at the back, 8 billion before year is out
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/

Planet doesn’t need saving, it will do just fine once we’re not around. Don’t look up …

My wife and I currently riding along north coast of Brittany, some lovely encounters with people on their own trips - young lady on ferry who was cycling solo to Spain to see if she could, young man on 3 month trip down Ireland and on way to Morocco. Again, just to see where he ended up. It’s these ...

OK, so who's using OS on their phones and PC's? Is it up to the job please? I use OS on desktop, iPad, iPhone and android phone. I use desktop or iPad to create a route - I love the snap to path feature. The routes I create go to cloud, and are instantly available on Android and IPhone. The Android...

A few ideas -

Bar codes wherever possible so can trace owner, make people accountable. Culprits to do litterpicking community service.
One day a month have school kids out and about collecting litter, urban and rural.
Make companies accountable for unnecessary/excessive single use plastic.

Number of swallows and swift’s seems much lower this year here in Shropshire, will get a better idea from the local swift monitoring which takes place every year and has records going back a decade or so. I was in Pyrenees foothills recently and numbers there looked same as ever (good), farming prac...

thenorthwind wrote: ↑Sun Jun 19, 2022 11:28 am
The A68 north of the wall is similar, but worse. Don't drive it after a big meal either!

Dere street and Clennel street run over the Cheviots N/S ish, proper dirt tracks with many offshoots for exploring

Just out of interest, does anyone actually take the opportunity when presented to let cars pass on long stretches of narrow road? It's something I'll always try and do when there's a handy gate-hole, lay-by or passing place. I tend not to stop but will slow right down and move into the space. Just ...

There seems to be more of this around here recently (Shropshire), last week I had a truck come by me, crossing double whites on approach to 90 deg bend. Car coming other way had to emergency stop to avoid collision, I had to take to verge as truck cut across before it’s rear was passed. Worst I’ve h...

In all walks of life and all fields of endeavour, just beating the next guy is enough incentive to win no matter what the means for some. So the issue comes down to some people being able to look at themselves in the mirror without guilt or shame, knowing that they cheated themselves. Maybe two cla...

Is the use of pharma aids directly proportional to the amount of money/sponsorship in a sport I wonder. Money in sport often seems to provide the incentive to win no matter the means. Personally, I’m in awe of what some of these folk are capable of at the pointy end, drugs or no drugs, but I have (m...

Choice - yep, reckon we have choice, which pretty much equates to control. Free will on the other hand … I’m increasingly of the opinion it’s an illusion.

The more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.
Marcus Aurelius

Recent highlights Saw a Dipper in stream down road in Shropshire, first time I’ve seen one local, and I do like Dippers. We’re in southern Hebrides this week, saw a pair of Marsh Harriers yesterday. First Cuckoo of the year today. A good bunch of Starlings in the outbuildings nearby - they’ve become...

It’s the age old dilemma of draconian vs libertarian solutions. The former is immediate/quick to implement but prone to unforeseen consequences. The latter involves education, which can be a slow burn. I do like the idea of litterers/LNT infringers having to get involved in some form of community li...

Restricted entry to national park, entry dependent on demonstrating an understanding of and being prepared for LNT. No motorised vehicles. Anyone caught littering or breaking LNT gets to spend some of their time picking up litter.

Massive fire covering Gruinard Island - started by the land managers. If you know anything about the history of this place then you'll appreciate the resultant health concerns of some of the locals Makes me wonder if there are still Anthrax spores around. I mean, they aren’t burning the scrub for t...

Chifchafs arrived here in Shropshire this weekend, always good to hear them back

I only ever rode at clubman level. Was involved in marking courses and marshalling in Scottish Borders in the 80s, when the likes of Dougie Kerr (he was head to head with Geraint for UK championship one year), Keith Bruce and Richard Hay were the top boys. I also remember seeing Paul Edmonson when h...

You must be (have been) seriously good on a dirt bike Duncan if you were giving the likes of Geraint a race. God status.

I did Hebridean way a few years ago, mixed weather but no days with non stop rain. I’d ditch the poncho idea, will be a PiTA in wind. And it’s always windy up there. Speaking of wind, I’d ditch the front panniers (too much volume and wind will catch them) and don’t fill the 40 litre tails. Tent on t...

I rank a gold medal in the Welsh 2Day as one of my best achievements. Mucho respect Duncan. I never got beyond clubman at either trials or Enduro - which is (or was back in the 80s) a sport where folk down at clubman level could ride the same course as the superstars. I lived in Enduro heartlands o...