Van all packed for Wales and heading to the WE after a meeting at 1pm

Very Happy Friday here

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:04 pm Van all packed for Wales and heading to the WE after a meeting at 1pm

Very Happy Friday here

Ditto. On train to Caersws. Quite crowded for some reason but luckily found a seat for the pandas.

Got a nice brew on and a bit of cake so all's good here as well.

Chips in Caersws later and a nice ride over the remote hills in the dark to Staylittle. Might force myself to have a pint in the Wynnstay too.

Good luck!
Also on a train but sans bicycle as off to mum and dads for the weekend. As per the train drunks have sat next to me I think for the next time I'm going to be the train drunk!

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:26 pm Good luck!
Also on a train but sans bicycle as off to mum and dads for the weekend. As per the train drunks have sat next to me I think for the next time I'm going to be the train drunk!

Just take all the empties from your recycling bin (or your neighbours) and spread them across the table when you sit down. No one, and I mean no one will sit next to you

It’s my eldest’s 13th birthday so I’ve had lots of cake. Double cheery really

voodoo_simon wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 8:37 pm

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 6:26 pm Good luck!
Also on a train but sans bicycle as off to mum and dads for the weekend. As per the train drunks have sat next to me I think for the next time I'm going to be the train drunk!

Just take all the empties from your recycling bin (or your neighbours) and spread them across the table when you sit down. No one, and I mean no one will sit next to you

Good shout Simon!

Last Friday wasn't cheery. Told by the mortgage advisor that I pretty much couldn't get a mortgage that was affordable to enable me to buy out the family house. Then yesterday was cheery, as mortgage advisor told me they'd done a complete 180 and I could in fact have a mortgage that I can actually afford and wont see me in sack cloth for the next five years.

Off up the A1, then back down the M1 tomorrow, buying amplifiers off random strangers via eBay.

Let's have some photos of your setup when you get it sorted. Interested in what you've gone for.

Good news on your house too.

Rapideye wrote: ↑Sat Feb 01, 2025 1:17 pm Let's have some photos of your setup when you get it sorted. Interested in what you've gone for.

It'll be a while yet till it's all setup, I'll be sure to post a cheery Friday when it is. Picking up a Musical Fidelity A5 integrated amplifier and a, relatively late model*, Quad 405-2 power amplifier. Still looking out for a Quad 44 preamplifier for a sensible price, or at least one that doesn't look like it's been used as a football...

Rapideye wrote: ↑Sat Feb 01, 2025 1:17 pm Good news on your house too.

It still has to get past an underwriter, so we're not out of the woods yet. But better news than last Friday at least!




* At least according to Keith Snook's schematic evolution PDF it's the last circuit revision. Not a DIN socket in sight...

Just how many systems are you setting up? Look like good choices. I remember looking at Musical Fidelity when I was upgrading my system last. That was 20yrs ago...and that is shocking to even think about.

Rapideye wrote: ↑Sat Feb 01, 2025 8:46 pm Just how many systems are you setting up? Look like good choices. I remember looking at Musical Fidelity when I was upgrading my system last. That was 20yrs ago...and that is shocking to even think about.

It was supposed to be one system, but then I also need music in another part of the house. So...

It's a cheery Sunday, as when I picked up the Quad 405-2, they only had a matching Quad 44. So now I have not only a Quad 405-2, which is in great condition inside, but also a Quad 44 pre amplifier! Well chuffed.

A day early but another piece of my imagination coloured in by the lovely and talented Louise.

Forecast for tomorrow looks brilliant here, sunshine and no wind, I'm like a rabbit in headlights... Can't decide where to go and should I ride or walk!? As long as I do something and don't fritter the opportunity

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 4:41 pm A day early but another piece of my imagination coloured in by the lovely and talented Louise.

Backstreet Heroes??

Backstreet Heroes??

It is. I've a monthly column but sometimes they let me write fiction too This is part one of two but the story continues with the plan to turn it into a book ... so I'm told.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/i-sh ... ravel-bike

An "all-road" bike for use on "polite gravel". Polite gravel. That's a new one. I gave up trying to keep up with all these sub-genres and sub-sub-genres ages ago. Makes for a much more relaxed life.

"Are you the Judean Gravel Front?". "F*** off!". " What?". "Judean Gravel Front. Pff. We're the Judean Polite Gravel Front".

Polite gravel....the roads dont even meet that standard with all the massive potholes.

that's the kind of tut i've ready plenty of times before...'I shouldn't have believed the hype, but check out this new hype...'

faustus wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 3:19 pm that's the kind of tut i've ready plenty of times before...'I shouldn't have believed the hype, but check out this new hype...'

along with "more choice is better" Trans:- buy more stuff!!

Bit of rubbish article I think - the guy got suckered into buying a bike he doesn't like so then buys another.

Reg, all the gravel round here is very polite - "after you!" " No after you!" etc. etc. Bigger rocks move out of your way too

Yep, was a cheery one. One big uphill, most of it in snow on groomed tracks, then some snow single tracks (snowshoe & skimo tracks) and an open bivvy under a moon with a halo. Thankfully the wind has settled now. Good night

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 4:41 pm A day early but another piece of my imagination coloured in by the lovely and talented Louise.

I was enjoying that and you cut the bloody corner off!

Cheery enough.

Headed up to the Lake District this morning and had a razz around the 'Sonder Gravel Round' from Ambleside Alpkit. Enjoyed the route and although it's still February, and still icy, it feels like spring is in the air

Then I made the short journey to Staveley for the Winter Jennride, starting tomorrow and with better-than-average weather forecast. Lovely stuff

Took the pooch for his first visit to a beach

He absolutely loved it and is now laying upside down on the settee dreaming

30 Cubs and Beavers on a sleepover. Wish me luck.

Mini voodoo passed her first belt grading today