Yay, it's cheery Friday.

[Richard G]

Get this, I can teach from next week but can't put my bike in the car to go a ride in the hills!

Ride to the hills.

[summittoppler]

Get this, I can teach from next week but can't put my bike in the car to go a ride in the hills!

Ride to the hills.

I can and do but need a different fix now. Never thought I'd say it but sick of riding up Conwy mtn and Tal y Fan!

Easter Bivvies for sure

[RIP]

Was going to put this under "Listening..." but it's probably better off merged into the insanity of this thread. After a bit of chit-chat with the esteemed Mr Barter of this parish this week, I went off to look at "Puckoon" again. Could have just re-read the 1963-issue of the book off the shelf, but turned up an audio reading of it by SM himself which I enjoyed. It has to be said that some of the language is, um, how shall we say, best interpreted in the context of its time, but many of the jokes and linguistic constructs are sublime and surreal. As you'd expect.

After that I thought, right then, this weekend will be Surreal/Absurd Weekend (ok ok, no change there then in the Perrin household....), so I moved on to a few clips from "Big Train", then some Toy Dolls, and just now it's been an interview with Richard Burton which wasn't surreal but it was sublime. So leading on from that, I realised that tomorrow we obviously need to have Under Milk Wood lined up (fillum, with Burton/Taylor/O'Toole, and I know many would say the wireless version knocks it into a cocked hat.. but, come on... Burton/Taylor/O'Toole...), culminating in a viewing of Sir Henry At Rawlinson End which will require the imbibing of huge quantities of ale beforehand otherwise it will all make complete sense to me and that would never do.....

If that's not surreal enough, tea ("supper" for you damn southerners) was an intriguing fusion of apples/pears (not Cockney rhyming) with strong blue cheese and walnuts on puff pastry, with a few side things. Bit of a taste explosion. Shouldn't work at all. But does. Mr Barter would have liked the pears.

Cheery Friday indeed. Oh lordy, I nearly forgot - got to watch Coogan and Reilly on telly at 8.20pm in Stan & Ollie.... all of a bit of an overload really.....

"Drinking"? - Old Hooky tonight, just for you Stevo. It's not what it used to be. Where's that toffee flavour gone?

[BigdummySteve]

You’d like the hooky brewery, only a few miles up the road, for one it’s an amazing building, they still use the steam engine to pump beer around and best if all is the beer wagon. Towed by two shire horses and driven by a gent in a bowler hat. Proper

[RIP]

You’d like the hooky brewery, only a few miles up the road, for one it’s an amazing building, they still use the steam engine to pump beer around and best if all is the beer wagon. Towed by two shire horses and driven by a gent in a bowler hat. Proper

Well indeed - used to be my favourite tipple. Once popped in to the Pear Tree for a pint or two with some chums years ago, sort of a pilgrimage if you will, and ended up staying all afternoon.... all evening.... all night (three in an old Lichfield tunnel tent... gawd that was bad)... all morning....

Your "local" of course

[RIP]

?

[RIP]

Once popped in to the Pear Tree for a pint or two with some chums and ended up staying all afternoon.... all evening.... all night......

After some thought, I realise there may be a slightly more, um, recent outing that was remarkably similar and may have some resonance with you

[voodoo_simon]

Had an annual leave day, so did a walk local to me and found a secret cabin in the woods Now stop is to email the land owner as it looks part of a private fishery to see if I could use it

[BigdummySteve]

As you know well I’m partial to a libation, to the Bikepacking gods, (or several) but on this occasion I was entirely innocent, as was pickers. You both led your selves astray

[BigdummySteve]

I was going to pop this in a separate thread but it’s cheery and Friday.
Is anyone else starting to feel a little more optimistic about this year’s cycling prospects? I’ve been a little gloomy recently, since the 3rd of January I’ve ridden only to the local shop, I’ve been a good boy! But the last two days I’ve done some work on the bike, even re-fitted the frame bag, done some test fitting of gear in new way etc.
I’ve started looking at maps again, 2021 is tentatively looking like it might pan out ok.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Is anyone else starting to feel a little more optimistic about this year’s cycling prospects?

Not really. I envisage more setbacks and U turns. While there may be a little more freedom in the coming few months, I don't hold out that much hope for gatherings or travel.

[BigdummySteve]

Is anyone else starting to feel a little more optimistic about this year’s cycling prospects?

Not really. I envisage more setbacks and U turns. While there may be a little more freedom in the coming few months, I don't hold out that much hope for gatherings or travel.

While I appreciate your caution may be realistic, you live somewhere which is reasonably nice to be isolated in. For many of us ‘local’ is pretty grim.
I’m just looking forward to be being allowed to travel somewhere alone and ride in the hills.
I do think we’re going to have some events, they might not be like they were in 2019 but it’s something to look forward to

[Bearbonesnorm]

While I appreciate your caution may be realistic, you live somewhere which is reasonably nice to be isolated in. For many of us ‘local’ is pretty grim.
I’m just looking forward to be being allowed to travel somewhere alone and ride in the hills.
I do think we’re going to have some events, they might not be like they were in 2019 but it’s something to look forward to

I really do hope you're right Steve.

[Verena]

You’d like the hooky brewery, only a few miles up the road, for one it’s an amazing building, they still use the steam engine to pump beer around and best if all is the beer wagon. Towed by two shire horses and driven by a gent in a bowler hat. Proper

Wow, where's this?

[BigdummySteve]

You’d like the hooky brewery, only a few miles up the road, for one it’s an amazing building, they still use the steam engine to pump beer around and best if all is the beer wagon. Towed by two shire horses and driven by a gent in a bowler hat. Proper

Wow, where's this?

Hook Norton, Oxfordshire. I’d recommend Hooky Flagship...if you don’t have plans

[frogatthefarriers]

I was mooching around the web a week or two ago and came across this. It made me smile. Perhaps you’ll get a smile out of it too.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed...

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things .... your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions; and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car... The sand is everything else—-the small stuff".

"If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness...
Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Ride your bike. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.
Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand"

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said,

"I’m glad you asked. The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend".

[BigdummySteve]

Cheers froggy, that made me smile.

[Bearlegged]

Not Friday, but here seems as good a place as any to wish Reg a happy birthday.

[Bearbonesnorm]

but here seems as good a place as any to wish Reg a happy birthday.

Indeed. Apologies for missing that Reg. Many happy returns.

[RIP]

Aw thanks chaps. 62, blimey. Just cementing my position as Old Fart Of The Forum .

[MuddyPete]

Happy Birthday Reg

[Fat tyre kicker]

Happy birthday Reg

[sean_iow]

Happy Birthday Reg, from me and Ralph

Are you only 62

[BigdummySteve]

Happy birthday

[Dave Barter]

Aw thanks chaps. 62, blimey. Just cementing my position as Old Fart Of The Forum .

Dig dig dig dig dig that groove Reg