Sir Fallsalot

Was the name of this years TRF Christmas trail ride and someone much better than me at photoshop came up with this for the header photo The day was starting from Abergavenny, so the bike and gear went in the marmite wagon last night ready for the off at 08:00 this morning just as i was gong through the door i realised i hadn't put in my bike trousers so after a quick visit to the garage i was on my way. 51 bodies had signed up for the ride and then split into groups of between 7 to 9 members and given routes with varying levels of difficulty. The group names were Chick Chasers , Sleigh riders, Mincing Spies, Tree Fairies, Frank Incensed, Myrrh and Tinsel Troupe. I was assigned to Frank Incensed group who were one of the smaller groups at seven and a harder route of around 70 miles so that suited me fine. Some of the members at the meeting point, Kim was the only one to dress for the occasion she said it looked nothing like that when she got back lol This was our route there were a number of different routes and some groups had the same route but would ride in opposite directions to keep the numbers down. I like riding this area as the lanes can be difficult and there are not many gates to open and close The ride leader kept up a good steady pace throughout the ride and with no navigation mistakes so i only had a chance to take photos when someone was stuck or we were waiting for others to catch up , The first of the lanes summed up the rest of the ride they were slippery muddy and very wet in places The hold up ahead was someone having to have their bike picked up of them i was a bit slow getting the camera out i need a go pro LOL We had to negotiate a few fallen trees on route due to the recent weather And some twat of a farmer deliberately blocking the road, he had the bucket of the machine close to the tracks it was tight but we all got though. Things never look difficult in the photos The Frank Incensed group Waiting again, one of the guys was falling off regular and as the ride went on it was getting noticeably more frequent we found out he only got into trail riding a few months ago so was understandable and to be fair was doing well I had a walk back down the lane to see what was going on and here they come It was harder to walk back up to the bike than ride up This was the last photo i took and was the last lane the lad that was falling off done as he decided to head back to the vans as he was fucked and the next few lanes were quite difficult We missed out the last two lanes on the route as it had got dark when we got back to the vans the yellow weather warning arrived i had just finished loading when it hammered down. The bike is and gear is going to have to wait until tomorrow for a wash now The jackets not too bad But i think i'll need a shovel to clear the pavement after i wash the bike off Still waiting to hear how the other groups got off and i think there might be some videos of todays ride turning up later Got to say a great end of year ride i must get out more often next year i think

Too dark and wet for that now it will be a job for tomorrow morning

Bloody muddy one today Bob everything is filthy after my day out

You been playing rugby again

Whats that old building just above the rear seat of that old barn

I'm lucky with the phone I've owned one almost since they became available through work. I remember the first one was like a suitcase with a handset attached to it lol but i have never bought one myself the only exception is i have bought a PAYG sim to put in one of the old works phones to go abroad, in case i lose the good one. The wife is on a PAYG as well.

We are heading out of Abergavenny the route i was on Wednesday was going up to longtown then taking in London road and around to Mamhilad and back up to Abergavenny, not sure what route i'm on tomorrow as i'm in a different group now and haven't seen the route.

And insurance, i think his dad is subsidising him i know how much he gets paid and it's the going rate for an electrician which is good but not good enough for that as well as his house and bills, now i'm thinking about it i don't think he has much to worry about when he retires.

One of the so called too skint to save lads in work is driving around in a £60,000 car i shit myself when i had a £3000 bike on finance around his age The wife only has to pay a one off sum of around £290 to top up her pension so totally worth it, she will get it back in the first 3 months of claiming her pension providing she lives that long LOL

No it was rescheduled for tomorrow because there was a yellow weather warning Wednesday so everyone played their xtreme cards Tomorrows weather

Providing the check clears that is

I'm voting for Clive to bring down the establishment just need 15 to join me

Surely not LOL

Exactly Bob people who are already there have no choice and i have total sympathy for some of them. I'm talking about me and people younger than me, there is so much info out there about retirement now and how to prepare for it there's no excuse to not plan if your working. A typical example is most of the people i work with are half my age or younger and say they cant afford to put money away for the future but can afford a £50 a month phone contract, when i suggest them having a £15 a month contract and put the rest away they dismiss it like i'm telling them to fuck their own daughter, well i have no sympathy for those. I started too late myself really but i won't be totally dependant on the state pension. Another thing we found when we checked on the wife's state pension is she hadn't paid enough to get the full amount when she retires and after looking into it if we pay just under £300 now she will get her full pension when she retires as well.

best not be on a basic state pension then

Hey this is bike of the year not bliss of the year

What have you got against @Six30's photo there's 15 if you count his as well

we had £30 a few weeks ago as well 3 numbers and the bonus ball LOL

You underestimate how little i need to be happy. It's the simplest things in life i appreciate now although i won't deny more money would help me out but only to help me retire earlier. I'm in a position in life where i find i don't really want anything more than what i have the only thing i desire is not to go to work everyday.

doing what i want when i want

For me this year has gone there was more good things than bad and i cant do nothing about anything in the past so looking forward to next year with hopefully more biking, camping and living the way i want, there are things that could fuck up for me but not even worth thinking about unless they happen so just going to look ahead at what i might do instead of looking behind at things i should have done bring on 2024

Don't start that here or you'll be burned as a witch

All i done was get out of bed to lay on the sofa and go back to bed i had no go in me whatsoever

Tomorrows TRF Christmas ride has been put off to Saturday because of the weather which is a good job because i woke up yesterday morning suffering from the flu and was totally destroyed all day, i just had a tickly throat the day before so the way i felt yesterday was a total surprise, this morning i was RAF but started feeling ok late afternoon and have a slight cough now so if the ride was still on tomorrow i wouldn't be going. Last Christmas i was i'll for the two weeks i was off work (not a flounce as @XTreme said ) and was unable to do anything but was ok when i went back to work FFS so next year i think i'm going to get the flu jab to see if it makes a difference. It's bad enough being ill in work but its a real kick in the nuts when your on holiday.