10 years ago....

[Night Train]

Thank you all, and I remember all of you whom I have chatted with and met.
We spent today at the Maker Faire in Newcastle on Tyne as a spontaneous decision so have not long got back.
First thing I did, after making some tea, was to give our Bromptons a quick service as we are on bikes tomorrow while the car is serviced.

I do miss posting here but with so much else going on, and most of our activity on Twitter, it is difficult for me. I was diagnosed with Autism a few years ago and that sorta explains why I struggle with so much 'stuff' and so much 'peopleling'. Also I had a period of extended illness, stress, anxiety, stupid high blood pressure, and a suspected minor stroke that took me out of teaching.
Not stopped my enthusiasm for life and making stuff though.

In terms of cycling stuff, we hardly get the chance to ride, partly time, partly laziness, but I have built a three wheel workshop trailer for a sewing cooperative , an apple scratter and pressing trike for an org working with local community orchards, and have just been approached about building a music bike, a massive kick ass sound system on a Bullet cargo bike for the festival and events season.

Been non stop.
If any of you are in Liverpool do pop into the Western Approaches museum the underground secret bunker where of the battle of the Atlantic was coordinated. Arch and I built the 1940's wartime street scene in the there last year and helped uncover some hidden rooms and history about the building.

Anyway, late now.
I will pop back in from time to time.

Thanks again and hugs to you all.

 

[Night Train]

Hi guys!
Good to hear from you, love to Arch :-)
Where you led, others have followed.
Best Wishes
FF

I heard about that!
Congratulations!

 

[Arch]

*tentative wave* Hello everyone!

NT is always the one to remember dates and stuff, I'm hopeless...

Thank you all for your messages, even though we've been missing in action for so long.

As NT said, we're both very happy, and life is varied to say the least. We're both self employed now (I had a job in a shop for three years but it closed), and trying to work just enough to get by, for a good work/life balance.. We spent last summer installing a full size street scene in an underground WW2 bunker in Liverpool, and that wasn't even the oddest thing we've done.

Most of my time is taken up with creating adventures for a tribe of small stuffed sock creatures, about whom I hope, one day, to organise myself enough to write books... https://www.mousevaarks.co.uk/

There's really only thing that's lacking from life these days, but tomorrow, for the first time in, er, over a year, we're planning to ride our bikes! (the car's in for a service, and we have to be somewhere). I'm afraid Salford isn't quite as conducive to cycling as York was, and I've got lazy. Maybe this is the summer I make more effort.

I still don't own a car though (although NT does let me ride in his), or a baby elephant.

Right, @ColinJ, that's one more post you have to make to catch up! Ha ha!

 

[Night Train]

[QUOTE 5228199, member: 10119"]Hello! It's lovely to hear from you two; you're often in my thoughts. Especially whenever I see the trikes or Beryl's little sister out [/QUOTE]
We often think of you too but rarely get over to York now unless it is a flying visit.
Hope you are all keeping well!
I still have Beryl and still have plans for her.

 

[Night Train]

I'm pretty sure I always knew Arch was a girl - but I'm sure half of you are girls and just pretend you're beardy blokes for a laugh.
Congratulations, and lovely to hear from you.
True love and bikes, what more could the world ask for?!

I really did think Arch was a bloke, and in hindsight, I had fallen for her before I had found out. However, looking at a lot of the stuff Arch does now I am still not sure if I was right he first time around! <looks across at Arch wearing a #GirlsWithDrills sweatshirt!>

 

[StuAff]

I really did think Arch was a bloke, and in hindsight, I had fallen for her before I had found out. However, looking at a lot of the stuff Arch does now I am still not sure if I was right he first time around! <looks across at Arch wearing a #GirlsWithDrills sweatshirt!>

Dangerous posting, that one.....


For you.

 

[Night Train]

Dangerous posting, that one.....


For you.

Nah!

 

[skudupnorth]

You say you are in Salford now ? Its only down the road to me in sunny Astley near Tyldesley The cycle friendly paths are getting better over our way especially on the canal tow path so we might pass each other at some point. This is a really heart warming thread, take care the both of you

 

[TVC]

Oh look, Ratvaark's humans have turned up

 

[Arch]

Oh look, Ratvaark's humans have turned up

View attachment 406667

Hello Red, Wonky, Phileas, Georgie and Thin White Vaark!

In case anyone wonders, or cares, the exploits of my little clan have prompted a lot of folk to make their own, and there is a Facebook group, and several have Twitter accounts. I have a spreadsheet of the ones I know, and it's over 250 now. I can't claim to remember ALL their names though.)

 

[Arch]

So anyway, we got the bikes out, and rode to our meeting and then explored the Greenway a little on the way back, and clocked up 4.69 miles. First time we'd ridden in over a year. Felt good, although I was saddle sore by halfway. Horribly unfit, but it's a start.

In true Arch style, we then called at our local cafe and had hotdogs and cake for lunch....

 

[Jody]

Lovely story NT and Arch. All the best to both of you for the future

 

[Night Train]

So anyway, we got the bikes out, and rode to our meeting and then explored the Greenway a little on the way back, and clocked up 4.69 miles. First time we'd ridden in over a year. Felt good, although I was saddle sore by halfway. Horribly unfit, but it's a start.

In true Arch style, we then called at our local cafe and had hotdogs and cake for lunch....

I had a 2 mile speed walk before breakfast as I dropped the car off for a service. The traffic was so bad I reckon I walked faster then most of it. Had breakfast, woke up a bit, and headed out on the Bromptons.
I treated myself to a Brookes saddle last year, by accident. I was buying a vintage saddle, from EBay, for a bike in the museum street scene and the one that came was a nice old Brookes. So I kept that and bought another 'vintage' saddle for the museum. The Brookes is nice, and a lot more comfortable then the cheapo one York bike rescue kindly gave me as a 'get me home' when the Brompton issue saddle broke. I had also changed the left pedal and crank as the old one would work loose in the first 1/2 mile without fail. A second hand Ebay one went on and it was fine. Now just need batteries for the cycle computer and find out what the occasional squeak is at the front end. It isn't related to the wheel speed so wondering if it is headstock bearings, or a frame crack....


If we didn't have work to do I think I would have been quite happy to continue the ride for a dozen or so miles after our lunch.

 

[Night Train]

You say you are in Salford now ? Its only down the road to me in sunny Astley near Tyldesley The cycle friendly paths are getting better over our way especially on the canal tow path so we might pass each other at some point. This is a really heart warming thread, take care the both of you

I think things are a little better then I was used to in Salford before. It was quite nice seeing more drivers waiting behind instead of close passing too.

 

[skudupnorth]

I think things are a little better then I was used to in Salford before. It was quite nice seeing more drivers waiting behind instead of close passing too.

I ride to and from Bolton every day and we still get the odd clown about but nothing to write home about. The ride we did with Colin on Saturday was brilliant with loads of courteous drivers out