MooN

oooh, not heard that one, any sources cited ( other than " somebody told me he read it on facebook?) It's not on the news sources here yet the latest INFOX seems to be that "immigrants constitute 50% of covid deaths in France" and that tap water is covid positive... the only references I can find to a new variant in france are english, the only reference I can find in French relate to a varient back in november last year. The uk sites seem to report a variant imported from the Cameroons (?) even more infectious than Omicron, affecting 10 or 12 patients in the marseille area. I have no idea how reliable or not these sources might be.

"antivaxxers" is maybe not the right term as it evokes the rabid eejits who want to convert all and sundry to their cause, I mean those who refuse the vaccine on fallacious grounds. I understand the ethical problems linked to any limitation of freedom of choice but, it looks like ( from where I'm standing) that the freedom of choice of a small percentage of the populatoion is being valued more highly than the freedom of choice of a huge majority who want to be able to go to work, live without a mask, be able to see their family and travel freely. Please undesrtand I make no moral judgement here, I simply say that this is NOT how democracy is supposed to work. democracy in it's simplest form is "majority rule", though some would say that democracy is simply the tyranny of the majority over the wishes of the minority, Macron is not proposing compulsory vaccination ( he couldn't get away with that) but he is proposing that the covid pass becomes a vaccin pass, so those who are unvaccinated can no longer access bars, clubs, restaurants, cinemas, etc etc etc but those who have a full schema vaccinal can. Seems fair to me, with no vaccination these venues were closed to everybody anyway, with a vaccination they bagan to re open but are now closing again due, in majority, to people who refuse to get vaccinated, if that is their preference then fine but they mustn't impose their choice on the rest of us , they can remain unvaccinated whilst we get on with our lives. remember that in the UK the treatement of the unvaccinated is paid for out of your taxes. In many parts of the world (france for example) that is not the case ( or only partly) and we pay insurance for health care. Those insurance premiums are going to skyrocket in order to pay for the treatment of the unvaccinated and whilst I am happy to pay for people who are genuinely sick, I struggle to justify doing so for those who make a conscious decision to refuse a preventive treatement and subsequently fall ill as a direct result of that decision.

well Monsieur Macron has kicked up a fuckin storm here re covid, he said that he wanted to piss off the non vaccinated... I dunno what the fuss is about, he only dared to say what the majority are thinking, that's how democracy is supposed to work isn't it? the latest french figures ( which concur with my experience of friends and colleagues who have or have had the omicron variant despite being vaccinated) is that the vaccine doesn't stop you getting it but apart from about 1or 2 percent of cases, if your vaccines are up to date then it's o worse than a common cold or a mild dose of flu, doesn't stop you working or going about life as normal. which means that 90 odd% of the country are facing lockdown, restrictions, and even bankruptcy in order to protect the 10 ish% who refuse to be vaccinated. This is NOT how democracy is supposed to work. yes I'm pissed off with itand its about time someone uped and told the antivaccins that they can fuck off and die.

Amaury is out! had a good start this morning and was running in position 57 having made up more time on the leaders, riding hard he rode into the dust of the quad he was catching up to and thinks he hit a step or a lip which threw him in the air, came down hard and broke an ankle, he had to crawl some distance back to the bike ( that reminds me of someone, eh @Tym ) in order to activate his emergemcy beacon. A helico was there within 15 minutes so he's safe, if not sound, and of course bitterly dissapointed. Yer Welshman, Hewitt is currently 126th but he hasn't finished yet.

Amaury is now 64th, 45 minutes behind the leader and 77th overall, GO MOMO!

guy I know riding for 2nd time this year in the "Malle moto" category, Amaury Baratin, Bib N0 79. finished 87 of 144 on the first day despite a fuel pump problem, lost 2 hours or more on the 2nd stage due to same problem and getting very lost, finished 94th spent the night stripping fuel pumps and relays then gained 29 places and made up an hour today to finish 65th, ( 82nd overall) 1h08 behind the leader. having had no more fuel pump issues. long way to go yet. Simon Hewitt curently 135th. 3,5 hrs behind the leader

thanks Yen, great pics

Hi Tammy. Tymmy advertised your presence so it's all his fault!

@gymwitch If you're going to windermere, there are about a gazillion hiking shops in and around the town ( or there used to be) and they often have sleeping bags "on display" so you can get a look at the size and shape. They are also usually full of helpfull info, once they have understood the parameters ( weight being less of a problem on a bike then when backpacking for example). Though I guess you need a bag before you go up there... I love the lake district, I grew up walking the fells every summer cos we had no money but an aunt who had a B&B in Ambleside...

interesting, but not sure howlong it would last with my great bulk on it...

roads were dry where they were in the sunshine, not otherwise. I haven't the foggiest what that building is now though it was obviously once a church. Either the towers predate the church and are the remains of a previous building or the whole was once a fortified church, which would date the building back as far as the 9th or 10th century but rare in this part of France ( though commun in other areas).

El cheapo tent from decathlon bought years ago for about 3o€ specifically for the Bol D'or ( i.e to be disposable) but still going strong. reasonably easy to put up and take down, rolls up small and into a bag that is narrower than the panniers and is held on with 2 bungees. For a 2 night trip I have a change of clothes and footwear in one pannier. sleeping bag ( a good one) and inflatable matteress ( back packing item) with wee stove in t'other. Top box has the rest of my gear ( chargers, torch, spare gloves depending on season, 1st aid kit, bog roll, maps, one meal worth of food, coffee, water bottle and book) in the summer i'd fit waterproofs in here as well, out of season jacket liner if not wearing it. I usually manage a small tool kit in there somewhere as well. A proper waterproof roll bag is better and bigger than a topcase if your using a soft pannier set up like yours I expect. I do regret not having a hammer or something to bash tentpegs in with on that trip, the ground was hard as bloody nails in places!

quick couple of hours this afternoon as it was good clear weather again, too hot for the thermal liners really but I couldn't be arsed to take them out so I didn't stop much. nearly 15 degC. Rode west for an hour, then North for half an hour and then followed the "target" arrow on the compass home.

Bonne Année the lot of you.

The sun came out so I abandoned the kids and dissappeared off out of it for the afternoon. 200 odd km, finishin in the years failing light. temps up into double figures celsius! Tiger hiding in the shade. I actually stopped to wind out the preload adjuster on the rear shock cos my lower back was taking a beating. comfier following that. mostly still wet after 3 days of rain.

that probably would not be as good as you hope...

personally the low points on the forum are when people get their knickers in a twist and somebody feels the need to flounce. it's usually due to a misinterptretation of intent or of the written word lacking nuance. You could argue that this happens in real life too. and it certainly happens on nearly all forums. I just think its always a shame and the forum is almost never better off or richer for it. The high points, for me, are the writings and ramblings of some of our "raconteurs" who are real story tellers and have had me in stitches behind the computor screen. Being allowed to share in moments from the lives of members from around the world with different experiences and cultures is, and always has been, a privilege. Thannk you all ( or nearly all...) for that this year.

Boxing day 2021

I don't care Bob, I just know yoy can't buy them here and they were my favorite as a kid, after Terrys chocolat orange which you can't buy here either, despite it being made in strasbourg now ( i believe) Wow, I just had an idea for a ride out...

you park like a twat

but the best one was No1 daughter managed to get hold of a selection of chocolat bars from the uk that you can't get here, Cadbury's dairy milk,, fry's mint chocolat, Crunchy, pemguin biscuits... etc...etc, I got quite nostalgic

christmas is happening tonight here, Midnight mass ( at 6pm ! ) in the village followed by big feast at home with just us and present opening such as it is. Tomorrow will be spent driving to Lyon and back for a couple of hours with the Bruv in law. Then I shall sleep. " Have a good one folks"

I think...

That's the money shot! BOTM materiel right there.