Your Day Today!

[Sir Fallsalot]

I'm home and glad of it, i fucking hate going away i find it a chore i need the rest of the week off to recover now

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

16 minutes ago, XTreme said:

If it was just him and Fatty then it would be down to them to sort their shit out. But there's children involved so I have to step up.

As it is, I got them out of that Slavic ghetto and away from the war zone.

Then my boy managed to get a decent job in Madrid which has the potential to give them all a future......unless Fatty tries to sabotage things as she's done here.

So the way I look at it is I've done everything in my power to give those kids a chance in life. If their immature parents fuck it all up then it's down to them.......my conscience is clear.

I see your point of view and don’t disagree one bit. 

But thinking you’re now clear of it all is.. possibly a bit hopeful!

[XTreme]

51 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

I'm home and glad of it, i fucking hate going away i find it a chore i need the rest of the week off to recover now

Fucking miserable twat!

[XTreme]

43 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

I see your point of view and don’t disagree one bit. 

But thinking you’re now clear of it all is.. possibly a bit hopeful!

I know......but at least it will relieve the pressure with that fucking thing 250 miles away.

[Sir Fallsalot]

1 hour ago, XTreme said:

Fucking miserable twat!

When you love your country you don't desert it, you look forward to seeing it again every time you leave it, your 90% gypo so you will never understand 
 

[XTreme]

1 hour ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

When you love your country you don't desert it, you look forward to seeing again every time you leave it, your 90% gypo so you will never understand 
 

What is it that you love Fred?

The way they punch your teeth out?

[Sir Fallsalot]

21 minutes ago, XTreme said:

What is it that you love Fred?

The way they punch your teeth out?

As i said you will never understand not worth wasting my time trying to explain not that i could anyway

 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

1 hour ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

When you love your country you don't desert it, you look forward to seeing it again every time you leave it, your 90% gypo so you will never understand 
 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Spent all day emailing peeps about the trip next week and haven’t got anywhere near sorting my bike out which was actual job for today. Started the route planning which isn’t anywhere near as easy to do for France as it is for Spain. I can see why folk recce the whole route before they take people with them. 

It’s just not at all stressful when you’re doing it only for yourself (who cares if it goes wrong, you’ll just find an away around or accept it) but with a group it feels like a whole different ball game.

Honestly if I get any complaints there may be injuries

[Sir Fallsalot]

30 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Spent all day emailing peeps about the trip next week and haven’t got anywhere near sorting my bike out which was actual job for today. Started the route planning which isn’t anywhere near as easy to do for France as it is for Spain. I can see why folk recce the whole route before they take people with them. 

It’s just not at all stressful when you’re doing it only for yourself (who cares if it goes wrong, you’ll just find an away around or accept it) but with a group it feels like a whole different ball game.

Honestly if I get any complaints there may be injuries

I know where your coming from with the route planing even for just a day's trail riding with a group is a load of sweat i usually end up riding the route the week before to make sure it was rideable then on the day you'd have someone saying lets go here or it's better up there but not willing to plot a route or lead a ride themselves that's why i went back to being a miserable twat 

[boboneleg]

It's a thankless task at times as different folks have different expectations.  I tend to ride a lot more by myself nowadays or just with people I know.

[MooN]

39 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Spent all day emailing peeps about the trip next week and haven’t got anywhere near sorting my bike out which was actual job for today. Started the route planning which isn’t anywhere near as easy to do for France as it is for Spain. I can see why folk recce the whole route before they take people with them. 

It’s just not at all stressful when you’re doing it only for yourself (who cares if it goes wrong, you’ll just find an away around or accept it) but with a group it feels like a whole different ball game.

Honestly if I get any complaints there may be injuries

gimme a shout if there's anything I can help with France wise. 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

1 minute ago, MooN said:

gimme a shout if there's anything I can help with France wise. 

Thanks MooN I appreciate it.

I saved your previous advice about riding in France and will be putting that together in an email bout riding in France.

Perhaps if you don’t mind, when I’ve got that together you could check it over and see if it’s all correct. It will be mostly what you’ve said and some road signs everyone won’t be familiar with.. if I can find them

I read its illegal not to carry spare bulbs in France but couldn't tell if this is all vehicles or just cars etc. 

[MooN]

6 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

It's a thankless task at times as different folks have different expectations.  I tend to ride a lot more by myself nowadays or just with people I know.

I'm leading a ride from here down to Saint Cirgue en Montagne in the Ardeche last weekend in May.  " too long, too short, too much autoroute, too much minor roads, we should eat here... and so on and so forth.  Friday we have a club meeting where I will say that i'm happy to navigate the ride down, I have already plotted the route, I shal be leaving from this point at this time, following this route via here and here. either follow me or don't, I'll see you at the hotel at 18h00 for l'apéro. End of. 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

17 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

I know where your coming from with the route planing even for just a day's trail riding with a group is a load of sweat i usually end up riding the route the week before to make sure it was rideable then on the day you'd have someone saying lets go here or it's better up there but not willing to plot a route or lead a ride themselves that's why i went back to being a miserable twat 

I’ve organised a few trips (not group bike ones) but as Bob says it’s usually a thankless task and even if the majority are easy going there’s always one or two that moan with no idea of how much work goes into it and no intention of doing it themselves! Heyho.

I like these women and they’re not whingers by any stretch so I sure it’ll be dandy. 

Got to go and search for the travel first aid kit, I have three of the feckers, ones in Spain but what the hell are the Borrowers doing with the other two?!

[MooN]

2 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Thanks MooN I appreciate it.

I saved your previous advice about riding in France and will be putting that together in an email bout riding in France.

Perhaps if you don’t mind, when I’ve got that together you could check it over and see if it’s all correct. It will be mostly what you’ve said and some road signs everyone won’t be familiar with.. if I can find them

I read its illegal not to carry spare bulbs in France but couldn't tell if this is all vehicles or just cars etc. 

Cars only. you're supposed to be equipped to replace a headlight bilb at the roadside. So many modern cars ( specifically Renault & Citroen) need the fron bumper taking off and the light removing to do this that it is no longer enforced. On top of that vehicles with xenon lights and such don't even have bulbs so... If  you need a bulb most supermarkets and all motorway service stations have large selections readily available. 

 

 happy to look at whatever you've planned. 

[yen_powell]

25 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

I know where your coming from with the route planing even for just a day's trail riding with a group is a load of sweat i usually end up riding the route the week before to make sure it was rideable then on the day you'd have someone saying lets go here or it's better up there but not willing to plot a route or lead a ride themselves that's why i went back to being a miserable twat 

Back in the 90s I had a Kent trail ride planned, 2 weeks beforehand I rode the whole thing with two mates.

One lane, downhill, narrowish, chalk surfaced, with a semicircular cross section like a water course and lots of bends. I would just let the bike run at it's own speed in first or second and go up and down the smooth sides at each gentle bend, always liked it, felt like a roulette ball at slow speed.

Two weeks later I turned up with about 10 people, stopped at the gap in the trees at the top of the lane and let two people go first, told them to enjoy it as I knew they were proper quick riders and I didn't want to dodder in front and hold them up. One was a back up rider for the British Enduro team, but even he was white faced at the bottom when I next saw him. The other person lost the front half of his front mud guard somehow. 

Turned out that someone, I assume the local council, seemed to have tried to smooth it out with some sort of concrete type material. Instead of a nice gentle semi circular cross section it now had a deep rock solid square rut that snaked hard left and right with no give in it. You didn't see the rut till it was too late if you were going fast. At my plodder speed I managed to stay out of it and ride along one edge. The two waiting for me were in a bit of a state.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

3 minutes ago, MooN said:

 " too long, too short, too much autoroute, too much minor roads, we should eat here... and so on and so forth. 

This!

I started off asking people what they wanted… MISTAKE

Now I’ve booked the accommodation, am deciding the route and I’ll let them have that when there’s not enough time for them to consider what it consists of

[yen_powell]

Not sure if I mentioned it, but I have now got a second home, smack in the centre of trendy Shoreditch. A pied-à-terre I think they call it. It'll be lovely when I get the nets up and the scatter cushions in there, perhaps a window box or two. Perhaps a rug and some doilies.

Okay it's a really site hut, but it means I have somewhere to park my bike (inside a traffic warden proof fence), seats, table, kettle, toilet, heater and a microwave. This is for an upcoming job, I said I wouldn't do it unless I got one. Unfortunately the job it's for was meant to start on the 11th and has been delayed until at least May 9th as the building site is behind schedule.

I've just got off the phone to Mr Angry who is living next to the two huts (one for me, one for the actual real workers). It seems that only one of the huts is solar powered, the other is a temporary generator type which the hirer will replace as soon as they get another solar type. Turns out it has been switching the generator on and off through the nights, no idea why, it's not in use. I have calmed him down, also told him he is living on top of a giant medieval cemetery, I think he appreciated me letting him know.

The actual job is rebuilding a couple of roads that has been removed and put into storage 4 years ago by the developer. The first part, an old York stone alley way, even has a plan showing where each piece of cut, cracked and heavily worn stone came from and is meant to go back. Small sample screen shot below of a small part of the plan. Unfortunately the developers record keeping was not up to scratch and it has become a giant jigsaw. I always start at the corners myself.

There is also a couple of granite sett roads, but we can put that back how we want, no English Heritage following us about for that bit.

[skyrider]

1 hour ago, boboneleg said:

It's a thankless task at times as different folks have different expectations.  I tend to ride a lot more by myself nowadays or just with people I know.

nothing wrong with that bob i have always ridden on my own i dont ride with groups on the road thats when things can go seriously wrong when a slower rider tries to keep up with the fast guys 

[MooN]

58 minutes ago, skyrider said:

nothing wrong with that bob i have always ridden on my own i dont ride with groups on the road thats when things can go seriously wrong when a slower rider tries to keep up with the fast guys 

to be fair, that shouldn't be happening.  the better, more expeienced riders should be able to adapt their speed to the lowest common denominator and not incite them to ride beyond their abilities.  ( yeah, idealistic I know) 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

36 minutes ago, MooN said:

to be fair, that shouldn't be happening.  the better, more expeienced riders should be able to adapt their speed to the lowest common denominator and not incite them to ride beyond their abilities.  ( yeah, idealistic I know) 

And die of boredom along the way

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

This is rather putting me off my upcoming group ride  I’ll have to stick to the speed limit, slow down to accommodate the lowest common denominator and it’s going to be painful isn’t it

I know for sure two of the women are race level fast but the others  

Heyho.

[MooN]

8 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

This is rather putting me off my upcoming group ride  I’ll have to stick to the speed limit, slow down to accommodate the lowest common denominator and it’s going to be painful isn’t it

I know for sure two of the women are race level fast but the others  

Heyho.

organise. I've ridden in groups for years one way or another and 2 stand out in the effective simplicity of the organisation. It only works, however if everybody is aware of how it works.  

The group I usually ride with here, I rode with for years on my Tralp whilst others wre riding  FJR1300's, R1, CBRR thingies, all much faster bikes and some petty capable riders. Not everybody needs to know the route, but when riding, a fster groupe will often break away and leave the slugs ( me) in their dust. I just keep going straight on at my best speed knowing that they  will be waiting for me at the next direction change or at the top of the pass or whatever. When we're overnighting we usually plan to get to the overnight spot with enough time left for the speedfreaks to do a short sprint loop or even an out and back, depending on terrain. simple but effective if everybody plays the game. When we have a rider we're not used to, one of the group will always play the trundleslug and let the new rider know that when the nutters right wrist gets too much for them then at least one other bike won't be trying to keep up.

The other group whos' system I liked was Aus Touring when I met up with them in the Vercours in 2013 Glitch ( the organiser and experienced tor leader) and his wife Goodie had it sussed and a short explanation from them alloed me to fit almost seamlessly into the group for 2 days with no problems, Glitch leading ( failrly fast most of the time) and goodie bringing up the rear, whenever there was a change of road or direction, the 2nd rider would wait at the junction till Goodie arrived, with 8 or 9 riders, all experienced and capable, this worked brilliantly, progress was good and nobody got lost ( despite a couple of them falling off a some point before I joined them

I would still maintain that the price to pay for being a better rider in a group is that you have a responsibility to the less able. 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

7 minutes ago, MooN said:

organise. I've ridden in groups for years one way or another and 2 stand out in the effective simplicity of the organisation. It only works, however if everybody is aware of how it works.  

The group I usually ride with here, I rode with for years on my Tralp whilst others wre riding  FJR1300's, R1, CBRR thingies, all much faster bikes and some petty capable riders. Not everybody needs to know the route, but when riding, a fster groupe will often break away and leave the slugs ( me) in their dust. I just keep going straight on at my best speed knowing that they  will be waiting for me at the next direction change or at the top of the pass or whatever. When we're overnighting we usually plan to get to the overnight spot with enough time left for the speedfreaks to do a short sprint loop or even an out and back, depending on terrain. simple but effective if everybody plays the game. When we have a rider we're not used to, one of the group will always play the trundleslug and let the new rider know that when the nutters right wrist gets too much for them then at least one other bike won't be trying to keep up.

The other group whos' system I liked was Aus Touring when I met up with them in the Vercours in 2013 Glitch ( the organiser and experienced tor leader) and his wife Goodie had it sussed and a short explanation from them alloed me to fit almost seamlessly into the group for 2 days with no problems, Glitch leading ( failrly fast most of the time) and goodie bringing up the rear, whenever there was a change of road or direction, the 2nd rider would wait at the junction till Goodie arrived, with 8 or 9 riders, all experienced and capable, this worked brilliantly, progress was good and nobody got lost ( despite a couple of them falling off a some point before I joined them

I would still maintain that the price to pay for being a better rider in a group is that you have a responsibility to the less able. 

Hmm yes. It’s never full proof is it

Second man drop is something I’ve experienced twice and both times the second man forgot to drop and the group was split up for what felt like an eternity. On one occasion leaving me and one other up a mountain in the foggy dark in a foreign clime

But it’s France not some remote spot so I’ve asked everyone to sort out some type of sat nav be it phone or otherwise. We will stop every hour or so for a ten min leg stretch (one of the group is well into her 60’s and aches a bit), those stops will be given as sat nav co ords so faster members who don’t want to spare the horses can scratch that itch, the slower will have someone to lead and someone bringing up the rear (that’s what she said ). 

If anyone gets split up they can then easily continue on route to the next stopping point.

Everyone is using a locator app for a group I’ll create before we board the ferry (just for the trip) so should anything untoward happen it’s easy to find them or them us. They work really well for group trips, although not so well to prevent on the last Colts rugby tour 4 of them shaving off all their hair just before their uni interviews and one losing their virginity to a lady of the night