 | Mayhem! | Jun 18, '08 2:53 AM
for everyone |
Ok so noone wanted to ride with us last night! "aparently there was a mothers meeting on or something". Bob turned up for a chat & I think we have secured his place for the weekend, so we at least have a full team. Jack would u like to come up with me? & if so what time (am keen to go as early as poss now) Troy what time r u guys heading off? Shall i knock up a bike hanger for 10, or dose brownie have one? Anyone got a tabel? "will need somewhere to stand the optics" I do have a tabel I can bring if the missis dosent notice its gone! Answers on a postcard please.
 I am planning a trip on 18,19,20 of Jul.
Its a rare oportunity that I have a weekend free, so I got straight on the blower to Rob (cuts & bruises, destroyed bike, yeah thats the one) & we have decided on a long weekend in the Lakes.(Teaser pic) Rob has not been riding much & a few of Steves Tri (non Mtbing) buddies are already in, so be warned this WILL be a slow & casual one. Everyone is invited & we will be camping, so there are no issues with B & B, we will be going up to get a ride in on Fri so it is likley we will be leaving 6-7am (this is non negotiable), but of corse if u just wanna come up on sat thats cool. As for the riding, I have only been there once so am open to sugestions for Fri (Jack did u mention a really good loop round one of the res). Sat I would like to do something in Grizdale forest area, & Sun I am toying between my much loved Helvellyn route or an up/down of Skiddaw (which is claimed to be really good). Oh I should prob mention I think this clashes with the Fermin race...Sorry
Great ride last night, really good to stretch my legs like that! Well done to everyone for getting down "the drop" & Troys cookies were lovely....did we forget to save one for Jack?
 So the house still waits...For those who havent seen it yet, this is the stage I am at with my "rebuild" as it is turning out.
After getting my tool box to fit I proceeded to build it all in with mdf & put a cupboard & power outlet under it, then I made a bench on top with another of my hidden compartments in it! Now it was time to fit my rear flooring, for which I had been on ebay & got some black rubber. This was ok, but was badly creased & hard to keep clean, then as if by magic I "acquired" from a friendly site the grey roofing material u see here! Superb & wipe clean! I then went about fitting my bike clamps,which was difficult to get right. There was not as much space as I had first predicted & I had to angle & tilt some of them to stop bars clashing etc, last weekends dry run did however realise that one clamp did not leave enough length to get a bike in with rear wheel still in. This has of corse now been rectified! Next came remaking all the pannels, again from trusty mdf.I insulated behind all these with... well whatever I could get my hands on really & this has made a lot of difference to road noise! I also Rubbered  my side step & used all left over carpet for trimming around boot. I also have fitted hooks for bungees just about everywhere & a set of hooks on the right for clothes,bags,shoes etc. I've fitted a rather trick cup holder too, proving I still have a few old custom car skills! As u all know I have my 18" bling wheels too ;-) but I think a lowering is now in order (anyone know an easy way to do this?) 
Tonight I have been making a frame to box in the f/s wheel arch, but PH 4 is still to come, that is the sound system & the monitor for dvd's in the back, all 17" of it, hopefully in time for Mayhem;-)
 So after destroying the cab end of my new motor I thought I'd start on the back & bagan by choping a chuffin great hole in me floor! This was to house the leisure battery (curtosey of Troy), & after much descussion with various people about where to put it , I decided to keep it out the accomodation space & sink it in the floor.
This has worked well & it dose not quite hang as low as the fuel tank. Then after some well spent ebay cash the back was fully soundproofed & the timber floor was replaced complete with new carpet & a "now u see it, now u dont" type trap door. The fuses were set between the seats (one ready for a sound system He He) & my split charge system was wired in  . My stereo/dvd was then wired back in the opposite way to the lesuire batt & works a treat. I then pre set the mount positions for 4 bikes using front fork style mounts, this may not b the most space saving method, but I think is the simplest way of transporting our beloveds! I did have trouble with room though behind the back seat! Finally tonight I made a space like lump of metal which will hold my tool chest  so I have everything on hand! Still to go is covering the back half of the floor with rubber,( if it ever arrives), Remaking all the side panels & soundproofing behind them, fitting some lights/ auxillery power in there & of course building a nice sound system in there somewhere (those who know me are aware of how I can shoe horn these into incredibly unusual vehicles). & then I can start on the house!
I'm on the scrounge for some front wheel qr's, I need 3, these can be as crappy & old as u like cos they r just for clamping bikes in back of me van, but due to unforseen cash flow problems I can offer no money for them!.... still I know what a generous bunch u lot r 
 Yes its that time of year again, its the Gretton fun run!
This is the one my parents are involved in organising so I hope some of u can make it. Its on Sun 6Th of April (so youve got loads of time to train) & is a 5 or 10k ish run! This is a charity event with the emphesis on FUN so even if u fancie a walk why not come along. Its only £3 & £4 to pre enter the 5 or 10 or £5 & £6 on the day & the money goes to the village hall fund, but if u want to get sponsored u can donate to any charity of your choice. After some initial problems with the athletic authority the race is going to be a diffrent route to last year (more off road from what I hear) & I am being told is more accurate 5 & 10k, but apparently they are not allowed to advertise it as a 5 or 10k ??? So anyway aplications,sponsor forms & maps are available from Ailsa Dempter on:- ailsadempter@aol.com So I hope to see you all there
 A Wise man once said...when u buy a new van dont rip the dash board out for no apparent reason!
Dose anyone know how to put a vw back together?
 This year I got this...
Its a tiny weenie cyclist made from a curcit board & diodes & stuff, how cool!
Its the first Wadenhoe duathlon & I was hoping for a team plumz entry? I have been mega busy at work & therefore have not rode 4 about 3 weeks, so I am hopefull I will just get round this one.I'm sure Steve will b out 4 the win though. Mind you i did race 2 kids on a chopper on my way home from work last night, dose that count as training?
| Last Tue | Sep 27, '07 2:27 PM
for everyone |
Have to say thanks for enduring the quarry trail & helping make it better! I really enjoyed the ride with the falling off, getting wet, felling trees, wading through swamps,racing through woods, comparing peoples tools,talking "nige",jumping fires & general messing about. That was like a real old school Tue night.
Tonight Corey & I walked from boughton hs end of the quarry to try & meet up with our previous work. The first bit is very boggy & u are prob better staying on the top then droppin down to the second clearing, from here I forgotton how good/technical the trail gets,(I will have £5 in my pocket for anyone who gets through the "rock garden" without a dab) I cut through quite a few obstructing trees, (while still leaving things technical) & think I was close to where I got to the other day, but passing a makeshift hut thing "blair witch style" I was very consious of someone being there, then into a increasingly darkening wood section we suddenly heard a flute type instrument being played up ahead! Crap myself I did & got out of there faster than u would believe.So if anyone fancies it Tue night it should be a good tec challenge. P.s heres one for ya Jak, how about Pied Piper Trail?
With Jack's good efforts on the chase I thought I'd better get on to my appointed mission "the quarry" & while I am only about a third of the way through, I am pleased with the progress. There is a quite fast looking route through now (which would b excellent fun in the dark),there was a lot of small trees covering it but I could just pull most of these up! I do however need a good but carryable saw to clear a few big ones (if I could borrow your little one Jak that would b cool), & I must add that this will b best in the dry as it was still muddy underfoot today!
Havent been doing much just lately (missed last tue due to a rotten cold & wont b able to make this week either), but with a free Sun morn I dicided to have a go at at 10K at irchester I had seen in the paper on Sat. It was hot & seemed bloody hard work & I only just managed a 45.50, about 2 mins slower than my pb.Oh well thought I had better do something as I haven't ran for weeks & have just signed up for the Cranford half marathon a week on Sun, Doh! There is a 3h time limit too Double Doh! The Mayor started the race on Sun & she ran/walked the 5k too,but as they were congratulating her on finishing, she waddled staight to the bushes just behind me & threw up! He He that made my day. See u all at Cranford then?
| Chase! | Aug 26, '07 3:14 PM
for everyone |
Last tue night a group of us came home through the chase & found it really difficult to get through! Well yesterday I went with Jak & the boys on his 100k ride, & having got to Brigstock I realised I was running out of time & energy fast, so I opted to go alone back through the chase again. I was staggered at how much more it had grown in 4 days! This prompted me into action, so tonight Corey & I went (armed with a welding glove & an old pad saw blade & about 45mins) to have a look on foot. Our efforts were futile, although I did manage to clear a run into the first mud pit from Brigstock side. I did however meet the owner of the house right at the end & he said he owned the fields to the top side, but the chase was owned by the duke of somet & the maintenance was a council affair. So as soon as I got bak I sent em an Email onrightsofway@northamptonshire.gov.uk <rightsofway@northamptonshire.gov.uk> It sais on their own site that overgrown or impassable rights of way are an offence, so if u guys all bug em with emails too I'm sure we can get it sorted! Just think a quick passage out to some further afield singletrack.
  Have a few bits u guys may b interested in, (tryin to ebay them but cant seem to get the bloody thing to work). I have a hope 32h front disk hubin gold, its hardly been used, has a few (hardly visible) scratches on the body from carelesness when I threaded the spokes, but is otherwise spotless.
Also have a Formular B4 front disk brake (hope rotor that may fit it too), This is a super light xc brake ,which I did not find powerfull enough for the mad decents! It is still in good working order,although the back of the clamp has rubbed silver from my thumb & there is some surface rust on the hose barrels & cylinder body ( this is purely cos it has sat for quite a while. Would like £15 for the hub & £20 for the brake,give us a shout if ya interested.
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