We live in strange times... | 17/1/2021
Sigh...
I miss The Before Times...
It's admittedly something of a contrivance to write a "catch up" blog entry when there's nothing much of note to catch up on, but that's how these things work, so...
Firstly, I continue ...
Read More My early 60th birthday present... | 15/8/2020
I've been a mountain biker (to varying degrees of seriousness) for donkey's years - from riding my legs off in Trailquests and Polaris Challenges back in the day; to more leisurely local singletrack riding as the appeal of ...
Read More Is night fishing allowed? I'm going to argue NO... | 26/6/2020
I'm writing this here so I can use it as a one-stop expression of my view that the Angling Trust done the angling community a gross disservice in advising anglers that night fishing is now allowed.
Note that I'm certainly not trying to ...
Read More A habit I wish I could break... | 10/5/2020
For the most part I'm almost pathologically optimistic - I epitomise "glass half full". I like having this mindset, and it has served me well over the years.
But...
If I'm allowed to dwell on something for a long time, I always find ...
Read More Musing about what I might end up with... | 7/5/2020
What do I need?
Reliability
Reasonable load carrying
Comfort
What do I want?
Four wheel drive
Fuel economy
Affordable insurance
Performance/handling
Thoughts
Do I need 4WD?
I really like the idea, but 90+% of what I’m likely ...
Read More Time to be a grown-up... | 30/4/2020
I've been writing about my aspiration to own a Zero electric motorcycle, and the potential barriers to achieving that aim.
Well, it looks like I can drop the word "potential"...
Yesterday I contacted the insurance broker to check ...
Read More My Zero is looking less and less likely... | 25/4/2020
I write here about my ambition to own a Zero electric motorcycle.
Well, having spent a considerable amount of time recently assessing insurance options, I think I need to give up, defeated...
I don't mind a large premium: in ...
Read More Not celebrating the occasion in the way I'd hoped... | 8/4/2020
It was a year ago today that I officially stopped being a working stiff.
In reality I'd become a member of the leisure class a couple of weeks before, as I'd saved up some annual leave: but Monday 8 April 2019 was the first day of me ...
Read More People will DIE because of your selfish stupidity... | 29/3/2020
Although it seems to be the case that most people aren't determined to be self-centred, socially irresponsible, downright dangerous twats during the Covid-19 lockdown, there's a depressing recurring theme in the news, this being just one ...
Read More Dog-owners are retards... | 26/3/2020
After getting some air and exercise tonight, I was walking down a paved bridleway along the edge of Blyth golf club - a popular place for dog emptying, if the amount of dogshite all over it is any indication.
I found myself approaching a cluster ...
Read More Faith in human nature restored. A bit... | 24/3/2020
I've just been out for some essential groceries - still loads of empty shelves, a Unicorn is easier to come by than a loaf of bread - but I managed: and I'm gratified to see that at least some people seem to be grasping the ...
Read More The best-laid plans... | 23/3/2020
I know this is not a big issue compared to what is going on in the World right now, but I'm just getting it off my chest...
I've been planning for several weeks to wet a line this week: the long-range forecasts all suggested mild, settled ...
Read More There ARE some... | 22/3/2020
I've been around long enough to have seen SARS, MERS and Swine Flu come and go - but they were nothing like the current Covid-19 shitstorm.
It's a worrying time, sure enough - but dwelling on the negatives; and fearing the worst; are ...
Read More Woodlands Lakes - Episode II | 9/9/2019
Sara, the owner of Landrace Cottage in Carlton Miniott pinged me an email about a last-minute availability in the first week of September (2019).
The forecast looked reasonably good, so I thought "why not?" - and before I knew it, on ...
Read More Old habits die hard... | 24/8/2019
In my last post I made it clear that I'm rather disappointed by my new G&L guitar - especially the piss-poor job that they've done on the nut. and other sloppy manufacturing issues.
Well I've decided to let a professional sort them ...
Read More I've been busy! | 31/7/2019
It's funny how things turn out.
I've been getting some fishing in on the waters of my local angling club (which as I mention elsewhere, I co-founded, so I'm rather invested in the quality and appearance of these ponds) and I'm ...
Read More A fine time in Carlton Miniott | 27/5/2019
I've just spent a week (ish - 20 to 25 May, to be precise) in Carlton Miniott, N. Yorks, so as to fish Woodland Lakes - a venue I've fished many times, which I'd chosen this time partly because of my familiarity with it; and partly ...
Read More Problems... | 15/5/2019
Nothing is ever straightforward, is it?
I recently took delivery of the Okuma Custom Black CB-60 reels I talk about here. And they're great: good-looking, smooth, well-built - and they come with a freespool-to-locked-up-in-3/4-of-a-turn drag.
I'd ...
Read More I broke one! | 5/5/2019 |
Well now that's a pisser...
Everything had been going well with my BPX reel quick drag conversions, as I discuss here.
Last night I was having another play with the reels - as you do - and I noticed that one of them ...
Read More Pretty pleased with myself about this... | 1/5/2019
I mention in another post that I like a bargain when it comes to my fishing tackle.
So although I could easily have sprung for something more expensive, when the urge recently struck for a (mini) "big pit" reel (or three) - an urge ...
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