Slowlycatchymonkey

Jeeezus Christ. That describes the feeling of being out it traffic brilliantly. I feel quite sick now. The flashbacks had only just stopped so thanks a fucking bunch It is impossible to understand how far away a vehicle is and how fast it’s going to be on top of you on a motorway. It almost doesn’t make sense. It’s also a shock how far you go before you stop. I too stopped looking as a lept to the hard shoulder, it was a stay here and definitely die or jump and maybe die. Brrrrrr. Thank for sharing that. It kinda makes me feel a bit better about it, not much though cos you were only twenty and didn’t want to risk killing someone. I was just being dumb as fuck!! Bet the traffic was even faster than usual cos everyone sticks their foot down and drives a bit more aggressively if they’ve been caught in a jam.

Yer well the group I’m going with are the ones who fail at the second man drop thing. So will have a tail and a lead and if I get to a straight and can’t see the tail I’ll slow down or pull over. If they all have the next stop destination in their sat nav it shouldn’t be too hard. If it is I’ll go back and get them but I don’t see that happening (famous last words) because they’re kind women but all of them underneath that are pleasingly tough. I’m sure I’ll be pleasantly surprised

Oh the swept out to sea thing scares me!

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

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.

And die of boredom along the way

Women just don’t think in innuendo to the same extent. I joined another forum recently (please don’t ban me, I know it’s not allowed and I’m sorry, I’ll leave there immediately.. oops no, thats the other place ) and as it’s a food forum I just type a sentence and post it, thats it. Here I re-read it, look at the possible innuendo and rephrase it if I’d rather the post read than a scene from a carry on Mind you it’s also funny to leave it as is and have a scene from a carry on At home all three of mine do “thats what she/he said” and “title of your sex tape” from bloody Brooklyn 99 So something innocent like squeezing a loaf of bread and saying “its gone hard” “thats what she said” Or “that was a mistake” “title of your sex tape” It’s a sport here to see who can pick them out fastest!

Not a chance in hell

Cheers Tango

I reckon it is You don’t get to go deaf in a nice uniform fashion so some sounds are far more audible than others, god in his infinite wisdom decided I should continue to hear feckin wind noise good n clear

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

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?!

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.

I think if you have a read up on Billy’s or in general the Pro is better than the Basic by quite a margin but whatever suits I wouldn’t go back to non flip lids now, they are just much easier. My C4 pro was about £340 two years ago. It’s definitely quieter than my Shoei although side by side testing on youtube etc showed little difference. I find the Shoei whistles at certain speeds, the Schuberth doesn’t. If I was buying now I’d go C4 pro or would wait for a few more C5 reviews and fork out for that. Flip lids are known for being noisy but they’ve kind of mastered them now, they can’t be put on with the flip down. You have to pull the sides out to get it on your head and when in locks into place it pulls the helmet in towards you head limiting the airspace that makes lids noisy. If you have a helmet city near you it’s worth asking them to get in the models you want to try. Doesn’t cost anything and they tend to know their onions.

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

From the looks of her you’re about to become a daddy.

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!

Well you’ve asked for it so here it is- Schuberth were taken over by an investment firm and they wanted a fast return for the share holders so they forced the quick release of helmets without without the usual Schuberth care, they had issues, quality control problems, niggles with use and wind noise and that is bad if it’s supposed to be your USP. C4 Pro is supposed to be the remedy for these ills and is the one I use in Spain. The guy who owns helmet city in Cheddar who was telling me the misfortunes of Schuberth said they’ve almost fixed things is but one C4 Pro flaw plagues the lid - the integrated coms, the housing is not secure enough and the battery pack can rattle itself loose n disconnect. This doesn’t bother me because I don’t like coms systems. I have the C4 Pro and the Shoei Neotec 2 I think they’re both good helmets but the lining and comfort of the Shuberth is for me ahead by a margin. I would imagine the C5 is the fix for the bad coms fit but I’d specifically google that to see what the reviewers say. Billys crash helmets generally do useful reviews. https://billyscrashhelmets.co.uk/schuberth-c5-modular-motorcycle-helmet-review/

YouTube usually has a nobber showing how these things are set up, tried that?

Why are you paying that, he’s a grown man with a job. You’re too nice. Or is it that you’re doing everything in your power to make sure they actually go?

And in the mountains in Austria a couple of years ago. And in the French/Swiss border Alps this January. The bar reeked!

Demand what you like no-ones going to listen and tbh I don’t care although MountyMcMountyFace sounds better to me. My only gripe is changing the name of a tourist destination which brings in income to and area to something unmemorable and unpronounceable when 70-80% of Wales don’t speak Welsh seems so nuts it must be a publicity stunt. How else can they dream up an imaginary animal being bad for the environment? Surely publicity. If it’s not it’ll be short lived or turn into - that place people used to visit that no one can remember the name of, but maybe that’s what they want?

Lovely photos And a cracking pair of trousers - her not you!

Snowdonia’s name was changed to ‘Yr Wyddfa and Eryri’ last year