"Do you live in a region?"

Hey, I don't. I live in a proper village, me. Calverley really is a proper old Yorkshire village, full of stone terraced 'back-to-back' houses, and it still has a real village atmosphere - it's lovely. It's expanded a bit from when it was mentioned in the Doomsday book, apparently but the old "stone" area where I am currently renting really does seem to have a life of it's own. The more I find out about the place and the more neighbours I meet - the better it gets. If I could muster up a couple of hundred grand I'd buy a little house in Calverley tomorrow. Actually, make that £300k - quaint village life is expensive ...

No smoking

So, we are to get a complete smoking ban in all public bars, pubs and other such places. About f*cking time, but hurrah for parliament and their open vote on this subject.
Goes to show what a blot on the social landscape this pathetic drug addiction has now become.

Dales biking

The bike trip out in the Dales on Saturday proved to be one of those "best ever" days out. Wonderful weather, glorious scenery and a great bunch of folk. I'd forgotten what it's like to go out in a big group, and also how much I'd missed it.
We did 26 miles of very hilly but almost totally gloop-free riding from lovely Clapham - round and through Horton (top cafe!); up and over Cam End; past the Ribblehead viaduct and finally the descent down Long Lane back into the village through the tunnels.
Our man from down south, Rich, enjoyed it immensely as well, and we proved to him once and for all that it's in no way grim up north.
We did come across one of the most badly injured people I have ever seen along the way - a biker who had face planted into the Cam End limestone path at speed - but fortunately the cave rescue guys were on the scene and he was eventually choppered out with spinal injuries. Poor fella.
If I can figure out how to get pictures in these posts I'll get a couple up of the trip....

Highlands and islands

I've just booked in to the youth hostel in Torridon round Spring Bank Holiday weekend in May. The plan is to drive up there and stop one night before heading off on a week long cycling trip north and then west, and then back to Torridon for Whit weekend before heading home. Sounds great - I've never been to Torridon and most of the places I intend to see, and these will be:
Ullapool and north of that - the circuit round round Suilven. Ferry across to Stornaway and then roll on down through Harris and maybe over to North Uist. Ferry over to Skye, across the island and then back up to Torridon via the Kyle. Hopefully I'll fit in the Applecross circuit at the end too.
I'm doing this all via youth hostels and it's mostly sensible mileage (only one long stint Torridon to Ullapool = 90 miles). It should still be too cold for the midges, and fingers crossed for the weather in general. But late May is a good time to go.
To be honest any time is a good time for being in the Scottish Highlands as it's wonderful.

EDIT: My good mate Rich is now on board for this trip, which is excellent news. He does seem a little over-interested in seeing stone circles, burial grounds and all that kind of funny old stuff en route. There's a lot of it about up there, mind.

Hip in London

Yes, Canada's second best ever band are doing one British show show in London this summer : Friday July 7th at their usual haunt -the Shepherd's Bush Empire.
On sale tomorrow (Fri 3rd) but I got my tickets today through a pre-order. Marvellous.
Hmm- how about the show in Amsterdam the following Tuesday? :-)

6 weekends long

It's nice to get paid early before Christmas, admittedly, but what a bastard this year when the January pay month then turns out to be 6 weekends long. Oh, well - hurrah for overdraft facilities.

Having been paid the new house is at least now equipped with spare bedding although the spare bed is a blow up mattress... Also on board is some shelving in the spare room, which tidies things up a great deal.

Liz opted for the snow (or lack of it) in the Highlands at the weekend and I had the kids. Great fun it was too, and a good time was had by all. They had perfect weather up there.

Rich Eatough is up from Reading this weekend and we will be off le biking in the Dales (Clapham) with the folk from bikemagic.com on Saturday. This cold dry weather is perfect mountain biking weather it has to be said, but several layers of socks will be in order.