Search found 324 matches
- 31 May 2013, 1:57pm
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: When are you too old?
- Replies: 49
- Views: 3271
Re: When are you too old?
There was a gentleman called George Berwick (I hope I have that correct) on a tandem on the audax I did on Saturday. "Only" (in the context of this thread) 75 (I don't know how old the pilot is) - but the audax was 300 hilly km...
- 12 Apr 2013, 2:12pm
- Forum: The Tea Shop
- Topic: Scenes from the Saddle (April pictures)
- Replies: 64
- Views: 4157
Re: Scenes from the Saddle (April pictures)
Flyte, where is that? I think I've been there...
- 23 Feb 2013, 8:10am
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: Ride route - how to get into Edinburgh from the east?
- Replies: 5
- Views: 721
Re: Ride route - how to get into Edinburgh from the east?
Here's my suggested route out of Edinburgh, if you'd prefer road to canal:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5828473
all of that is on tarmac, and the start through Edinburgh is on a disused railway line that is very popular with cyclists (it even got gritted this winter!!) There's a fiddly bit at the back of my arbitrary start point of Haymarket Station that I have not shown; if you are planning a long distance ride such as you describe I assume you'll be able to cope with a bit of Corstorphine Road! On the other hand, the A904 is a fast busy road, there are better ways for a cyclist.
Coming in from the east I know less well (I live on the west side of Edinburgh). From Duns you have two routes over the hills, I have cycled both, both are hilly. I've illustrated the less hilly one. Gifford - Pencaitland - Dalkeith is the route I know (note the little back road to keep you off the A68). You can't cycle on the city bypass (A702) so there's no point going down the A68 as there's nowhere to go on a bike when you get to the bypass. From Dalkieth you can (and I have) follow the A7 into town, but this does involve using a busy roundabout on the bypass (you are allowed to cycle on the roundabout). The roundabout has traffic lights. I've illustrated an alternative (and probably better) way.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5828476
Edited to add: it does depend slightly where you're staying in Edinburgh - if you wanted to get to Leith area you might be better going via Tranent and Musselburgh along the coast.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5828473
all of that is on tarmac, and the start through Edinburgh is on a disused railway line that is very popular with cyclists (it even got gritted this winter!!) There's a fiddly bit at the back of my arbitrary start point of Haymarket Station that I have not shown; if you are planning a long distance ride such as you describe I assume you'll be able to cope with a bit of Corstorphine Road! On the other hand, the A904 is a fast busy road, there are better ways for a cyclist.
Coming in from the east I know less well (I live on the west side of Edinburgh). From Duns you have two routes over the hills, I have cycled both, both are hilly. I've illustrated the less hilly one. Gifford - Pencaitland - Dalkeith is the route I know (note the little back road to keep you off the A68). You can't cycle on the city bypass (A702) so there's no point going down the A68 as there's nowhere to go on a bike when you get to the bypass. From Dalkieth you can (and I have) follow the A7 into town, but this does involve using a busy roundabout on the bypass (you are allowed to cycle on the roundabout). The roundabout has traffic lights. I've illustrated an alternative (and probably better) way.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5828476
Edited to add: it does depend slightly where you're staying in Edinburgh - if you wanted to get to Leith area you might be better going via Tranent and Musselburgh along the coast.
- 16 Feb 2013, 8:47pm
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Has anyone on here used the A9 cycle path?
- Replies: 25
- Views: 2930
Re: Has anyone on here used the A9 cycle path?
Thanks all!
- 10 Feb 2013, 10:47am
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Has anyone on here used the A9 cycle path?
- Replies: 25
- Views: 2930
Has anyone on here used the A9 cycle path?
Some idiot up here said that "no one ever cycles on the A9 cycle path". Someone's already tweeted photographic evidence to the contrary, but I thought that it would be amusing to do a quite head-count.
I've posted here rather than LeJOG/JoGLE because although I suspect a lot of the path users are doing that route there's obviously no rule that you must be!
Opinions on the quality or otherwise of said path are not necessary, but, I cannot stop you adding them if you so wish...
I've posted here rather than LeJOG/JoGLE because although I suspect a lot of the path users are doing that route there's obviously no rule that you must be!
Opinions on the quality or otherwise of said path are not necessary, but, I cannot stop you adding them if you so wish...
- 18 Dec 2012, 1:38pm
- Forum: The Tea Shop
- Topic: Fatuous disclaimers.
- Replies: 5
- Views: 911
Re: Fatuous disclaimers.
On a (rather cool) map of the Munros done in the style of the London Underground map - "This map must not be used for navigation"...
- 12 Dec 2012, 5:01pm
- Forum: The Tea Shop
- Topic: What To Write in the Dirt on the Back of a Van?
- Replies: 26
- Views: 2360
Re: What To Write in the Dirt on the Back of a Van?
"I wish my girlfriend was this dirty"
and then you need someone else to add in a different hand
"she is when she's with me"
(Hopes that the tone of this one is just about acceptable for the forum...)
and then you need someone else to add in a different hand
"she is when she's with me"
(Hopes that the tone of this one is just about acceptable for the forum...)
- 9 Dec 2012, 12:00pm
- Forum: The Tea Shop
- Topic: Standard Nicknames
- Replies: 53
- Views: 3265
Re: Standard Nicknames
I don't get most of these, being too young.
The one I like was the rugby player Martin Offiah (I hope that is spelled correctly) who was said to be known as "Chariots"...
The one I like was the rugby player Martin Offiah (I hope that is spelled correctly) who was said to be known as "Chariots"...
- 29 Nov 2012, 4:05pm
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Fully Loaded Touring on Entry Level Touring Bike
- Replies: 57
- Views: 7269
Re: Fully Loaded Touring on Entry Level Touring Bike
Can't help with the bikes, but would suggest you have a look at Alpkit dry-bags as an intermediate level of cheapness between expensive panniers and bin liners!
- 20 Nov 2012, 3:05pm
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Riding for 24hrs for charity
- Replies: 46
- Views: 3758
Re: Riding for 24hrs for charity
My boyfriend has done a couple of events (neither just cycling) that took him more than 24 hours. One think I will say is that you'll want proper food - and savoury food! Different people like different things, but some examples I've seen people eating include cold boiled potatoes, pasta, sandwiches (cheese, peanut butter, etc), rice pudding, malt loaf (I can't stand the stuff myself...) - at one point b/f had a bike bottle full of warm sweet tea, which he liked just for the warmth. He's partial to something called bouillion to drink as well - its quite salty I think. We tried to have a good mixture of stuff for him to eat, but by the end he was too tired to decide what he wanted and we'd have done better to just present him with something and say "eat this!".
Remember you'll be colder at night (even in summer).
Remember you'll be colder at night (even in summer).
- 13 Nov 2012, 2:40pm
- Forum: On the road
- Topic: From a van driver's point of view...
- Replies: 182
- Views: 14325
Re: From a van driver's point of view...
thirdcrank wrote:The point I was making earlier is AFAIK that you also have to have had no endorsements since photo licences were introduced because that's one of the times when you get the new style licence (surrendering the old one is part and parcel of getting the endorsement.) Also AFAIK, anybody with a paper licence with expired endorsements would have to apply for a photo licence if they wanted them removing on expiry. So, it's a sign of somebody who has kept their nose clean when behind the wheel.
Ah! I totally had not got that point.
(Mum AFAIK has a clean nose... Dad got 3 points for doing 70+ in a 60 (through a speed camera...) but I don't remember when that was relative to the photocard licences - though I guess he'll have had the points removed by now.... so I guess he'll be "modernised")
- 13 Nov 2012, 11:37am
- Forum: On the road
- Topic: From a van driver's point of view...
- Replies: 182
- Views: 14325
Re: From a van driver's point of view...
I'm slightly confused by people who are having issues with the "old style" paper licences - as I'm sure you know, the modern photocard licences do not remove the paper part completely (see Vorpal's post) - instead, you end up with a plastic photocard bit and a paper bit (my paper bit is not idential to thirdcrank's licence, but does not look that different) and you need to produce both parts in order to produce your licence.
(We don't own a car but rent when we need one - when you go to pick up a hire car it is the paper part of the licence they are interested in because that is where your endorsments are (not that I have any). They don't really look at the photocard.)
(I assume my parents still have old style licences as they have changed neither their names nor their address in nearly 40 years...)
(We don't own a car but rent when we need one - when you go to pick up a hire car it is the paper part of the licence they are interested in because that is where your endorsments are (not that I have any). They don't really look at the photocard.)
(I assume my parents still have old style licences as they have changed neither their names nor their address in nearly 40 years...)
- 8 Nov 2012, 2:38pm
- Forum: On the road
- Topic: Can happen to any of us - Wiggo down...
- Replies: 180
- Views: 11628
Re: Can happen to any of us - Wiggo down...
Has the president of the AA lost his marbles?
He's supposed to go on about cyclists needing lights and helmets and hi-vis, not say sensible things like drivers ought to look properly...
The AA's president Edmund King said: "This collision should act as a reminder to all drivers that we need to be more vigilant particularly when pulling out of entrances and turning at junctions.
"With autumnal weather and darker evenings it is essential to check and double-check for cyclists, pedestrians and indeed other road users before pulling out. We need to break down the 'two-tribe' mentality on the roads and co-exist in harmony."
He's supposed to go on about cyclists needing lights and helmets and hi-vis, not say sensible things like drivers ought to look properly...
- 5 Nov 2012, 6:52pm
- Forum: On the road
- Topic: Times cycling survey, utter dismay
- Replies: 42
- Views: 5694
Re: Times cycling survey, utter dismay
That was the only point that I found annoying, though - apart from the bit about "what would encourage you to cycle more" to which I'd really have liked to reply "more hours in the day" or "not having a job"...
- 5 Nov 2012, 1:46pm
- Forum: The Tea Shop
- Topic: Checkout security - supermarkets etc.
- Replies: 76
- Views: 7990
Re: Checkout security - supermarkets etc.
I once bought a bottle of whisky in a supermarket and set off the alarm when I left. When I got home I discovered (of course) that I had a large security tag attached to my bottle... fortunately we were able to open the bottle and get the whisky out without too much hassle. When it was empty it went into the glass recycling with its tag still attached, iirc...