Search found 42 matches

by Monsieur
16 Oct 2015, 5:02am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pump)
Replies: 15
Views: 1669

Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Nice and simple - always the best way.
Thanks for sharing
by Monsieur
7 Oct 2015, 7:58pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Julian Mustoe - recreating the voyage of the Beagle
Replies: 17
Views: 1235

Re: Julian Mustoe - recreating the voyage of the Beagle

Ann Mustoe's step son...sounds a real character!

I love the foreword to his book...

There is one activity so clearly meant for Ancients, so perfectly tailored to their physical capabilities, so cleverly designed to preserve and enhance their vitality that it is bewildering that few, so very few, ever discover it.

It is an activity that has at its prime precondition the slow and unconscious absorption of experience. It is an activity that enlivens the muscles as it oils the joints. It lengthens, preserves and justifies life. It throws the practitioner among the beautiful and adoring young. It confers an inviolable mantle of authority and allows you to wear a cute hat.

It takes you to faraway places, unreachable by jet by your richer and more moribund contemporaries. It tempts your taste buds with exotic offerings and disallows constipation by scaring the [inappropriate word removed] put of you. It fills your ancient eyes with new wonder. It contradicts the cynics and negates the naysayers. It is the way a man, especially and old guy, should live. And perhaps best of all, you may, if you choose (and why not?), use it to wallow luxuriously in the soothing mud hole of the world’s envy.

When the alarms and excursions of your life are over, when your kids are doctors and your wives have found better things to do, when your enemies have had their comeuppances and your friends all bore you, when obituaries prove interesting and when the prospect of earning even one more dollar appals, then the moment has come to look about for a boat in which to sail around the world. There simply ain’t nothing else worth doing.

Author unknown.

by Monsieur
7 Oct 2015, 7:56pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Measuring Blood Pressure
Replies: 406
Views: 30543

Re: Measuring Blood Pressure

I'm becoming quite obsessive about measuring my BP after starting medication a year or so ago.

I'm 53 and somewhat overweight and pretty idle to boot.

Average readings are around the 135/85 mark with highest ever about 150/95. Palpitations after eating are my bugbear now - not serious but enough for me to notice it.

What's classed as a 'high' BP reading anyway?
by Monsieur
2 Sep 2015, 8:10pm
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: Halfords Letchworth - poor service
Replies: 3
Views: 4505

Re: Halfords Letchworth - poor service

Twitter page for a company is always a good avenue for complaints, and mostly a quick way of doing it.
by Monsieur
1 Aug 2015, 7:53am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Anyone Use Taptalk?
Replies: 13
Views: 5402

Re: Anyone Use Taptalk?

I use tapatalk on my iphone and ipad to follow 5 forums and it works well - no issues at all
by Monsieur
16 Jul 2015, 4:59am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: 10 year old - how far?
Replies: 18
Views: 1990

Re: 10 year old - how far?

There's a book titled '20 miles per cookie' or something very similar about a family cycling tour which included young children
by Monsieur
1 Jul 2015, 6:46pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Long tour
Replies: 4
Views: 684

Re: Long tour

Not had the opportunity to do such a long tour but the end of my teaching career beckons in possibly 2 years but more likely 7 years time.
Reading such blogs as yours certainly inspires me - must admit I hadn't heard of that particular bike before.
How is 'regular life' suit you?
by Monsieur
30 Jun 2015, 4:49am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: La linea or Gibraltar?
Replies: 9
Views: 1141

La linea or Gibraltar?

Sometimes the Spanish get a tad irate and have an effect on the border which can really slow down the in/out movement - gib itself gets a bit busy and you may see no delays at all but summer is the favoured time for border hassle to take place.
by Monsieur
17 May 2015, 5:30am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: My first proper cycling tour
Replies: 10
Views: 727

Re: My first proper cycling tour

I'll keep an eye on your blog - best wishes and stay safe :)
by Monsieur
25 Apr 2015, 5:13pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: People who have cycled the Pamir Highway...
Replies: 33
Views: 14015

Re: People who have cycled the Pamir Highway...

Those photos are stunning Kieran!
by Monsieur
13 Apr 2015, 4:15am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Off touring tomorrow! (well later today)
Replies: 10
Views: 3232

Re: Off touring tomorrow! (well later today)

Sounds a great trip!
Similar to a route I've been thinking of later this year - please keep us posted of all the details :)
by Monsieur
18 Mar 2015, 5:34am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Aurora Watch Red Alert
Replies: 3
Views: 3650

Re: Aurora Watch Red Alert

Heavy mist last night and now thick fog - bugger!
by Monsieur
20 Feb 2015, 6:23pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Another cyclist death: left-turning lorry
Replies: 252
Views: 22335

Re: Another cyclist death: left-turning lorry

Horribly sad story.
But I agree that some sort of training/advice/publicity is needed so that no more needless and tragic incidents such as this occur again.
When I cycle or drive I know that something bigger than me is liable to cause me harm if I come into contact with it so I ride/drive accordingly.
Accidents will always happen but being aware is so important.

A tragic death.
by Monsieur
20 Feb 2015, 6:19am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Really good serious travel camera
Replies: 80
Views: 9949

Re: Really good serious travel camera

I've got a decent DSLR with a few good lenses and several other pretty good compact cameras but the one I always have with me is my phone camera (iphone 6).
Knowing that 'the best camera is the one you have on you at that moment' most of the the best (and my favourite) photos have come from my phone.
by Monsieur
16 Feb 2015, 2:18pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: How is the Local Bike Shop going to survive?
Replies: 106
Views: 11009

Re: How is the Local Bike Shop going to survive?

Those kids at halfords have to learn their trade somewhere though