Just finished Dave Barters latest potboiler, for which I paid 99p from Amazon (sorry Dave, I now know only 23 of these made it into your pocket) defo worth a read and with plenty of Dave's anecdotes that we know and love....

I got GBBR last year and currently formulating a vague plan to do a UK road trip to bag some of them (but on a fixie which is probably stupid) now that I've read the 'making of' I can appreciate it a lot more

Cheers Dave

Thanks Phil. Makes it all worthwhile

Started Barter's book on my Kindle last night on the train to London. Discovered I am a retired psychopath and an error in the following paragraphs about a rail journey to Leeds. Network Rail don't run passenger trains, they are responsible for the infrastructure. Train operators run trains and I think, from memory, that Branson was responsible for running Cross Country trains at that time. Expecting all copies to be pulped.

Have recently finished Where the Crawdads Sing which I really enjoyed. A bit of a departure from normal for me but quite evocative in its portrayal of the coastal marshlands and [notwithstanding it's a work of fiction] its relating of racial inequalities in the USA from only 50 or so years ago.

Currently reading a [apparently non-fiction] tome put out by some IT type claiming to be 'a cyclist' who at a still-tender age seems to believe he's worthy of an autobiography Still, a moment of pity stirred me to purchase a copy thereby hopefully putting a morsel of food on the table for his family* ...


*not to be bloody spent on bike parts Barter

I really appreciate any readers now that my Mum has passed away. She was the only one I could guarantee. Go gentle on me as this one was self-published on a very low budget.

Expecting all copies to be pulped.

Starting with your kindle?

Starting with your kindle?

Yes, I did think about that as I typed it.

Sorry to hear about your mum Dave, I was on the way to/from a funeral when starting your book. I am enjoying it other than the NR oversight. And there were a few psycho's there, just not all of us.

Middle England by Jonathan Coe. Christmas present 2019 I think....

"Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's nasty, a lot of the time it's as weird as hell. But that's England for you. We're stuck with it."

"Theatre for Dreamers" by Polly Samson. A story about the expatriate colony on Hydra in the early '60's. I've enjoyed it although these artistic groups always seem to end up in drama and pain!

I have just re-read 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', I love that book, I read it for O level English Lit when I was 15, and have read it at least once or twice a decade since then. So that will be several re-reads

Desert solitaire by Edward abbey
Brutal in some parts

Nobody's read anything since February 26th so I thought I'd order 'The Trespasser's Companion' to go with my 'The Book Of Trespass'... just out today I think....

https://agreatread.co.uk/the-tre ... 646453/

RIP wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 1:15 pm Nobody's read anything since February 26th so I thought I'd order 'The Trespasser's Companion' to go with my 'The Book Of Trespass'... just out today I think....

https://agreatread.co.uk/the-tre ... 646453/

My copy came yesterday

Amongst other things, I'm reading a couple of books about aerodynamics at the minute - I tell ya, the stuff you thought you knew, you really don't. Quite surprising what isn't actually 'aerodynamic' yet you'd think it would be ... and did you realise that at 100mph, 90% of power produced is used in overcoming air resistance?

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 4:07 pm

RIP wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 1:15 pm Nobody's read anything since February 26th so I thought I'd order 'The Trespasser's Companion' to go with my 'The Book Of Trespass'... just out today I think....

https://agreatread.co.uk/the-tre ... 646453/

My copy came yesterday

Is it bad to take a small delicious pleasure in a bit of harmless trespassing do you think? It gives me enormous gratification whenever I indulge in a soupcon of judicious snook-cocking. Far better than feeling guilty about it. What a naughty boy I am.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 4:24 pm Amongst other things, I'm reading a couple of books about aerodynamics at the minute - I tell ya, the stuff you thought you knew, you really don't. Quite surprising what isn't actually 'aerodynamic' yet you'd think it would be ... and did you realise that at 100mph, 90% of power produced is used in overcoming air resistance?

This wouldn't have some relevance to the Fukcing Death Trap would it perchance? Nicely low-slung so I can't imagine there's too much resistance? Ideally I think you should be testing her under laboratory conditions in a wind tunnel. But yes those sound very interestingly esoteric books .

This wouldn't have some relevance to the Fukcing Death Trap would it perchance?

No, project Honda Reg, which in truth is potentially much more of a death-trap

Oh Lordy

Went round to my old pal Lord Jezzer of Bell End on Tuesday evening for a gentle bike ride, curry and beer. He felt it appropriate to unveil his new squeeze - a Triumph Bonneville 1200. Mid life crisis? The bloke's 59 years old. I suppose it's a midlife crisis if you think you're going to live until 100 but I'm not convinced she's going to let him survive that long .

Hitch 22
Christopher Hitchen's memoir

RIP wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 5:32 pm Is it bad to take a small delicious pleasure in a bit of harmless trespassing do you think? It gives me enormous gratification whenever I indulge in a soupcon of judicious snook-cocking. Far better than feeling guilty about it. What a naughty boy I am.

A little bit of naughtiness proves that “They” don’t own you and makes life bearable. Silliness is similar in a way, but makes life fun.

^ spot on Lu...

Downloaded the two Trespass books to my Kindle this week but not started either yet. I am currently reading Slow Road To Tehran by Rebecca Lowe who set off from her London home during the Syrian crisis of 2015. Not a cycling book but very interesting and informative on the whole Middle East and arbitrary formation of borders. British and French getting most of the blame... A lot to take in but I am enjoying it.

I'm currently enjoying "Underland" by Robert MacFarlane. The chapter on fungi is particularly good.

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 1:56 pm I'm currently enjoying "Underland" by Robert MacFarlane. The chapter on fungi is particularly good.

Try 'Entangled Life' by Merlin Sheldrake next - it gets a bit heavy going at times but fascinating.

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 1:56 pm I'm currently enjoying "Underland" by Robert MacFarlane. The chapter on fungi is particularly good.

Really enjoyed this!