Your Dream Place Or Country That You Would Like To Visit

[the_leander]

Sorry for going completely off topic.

The falkland Islands, purely for the recent history of the place.

Other places I'd like to visit include Canada, Iceland and Greenland. Maybe Ireland as well... Been to Wales and Scotland.. France, Germany Spain and Denmark...

I'd visit Sweeden but for the fact that the beer is stupidly overpriced there :-D

[smithy]

New Zealand seems popular.  I'm going to have to go for that too.  It really is the most fantastic place I've ever been to.  I'd absolutely love to live there.

My favourite place in NZ is a pebble beach at Kaikoura.  One day, when I was feeling stressed and tired, I stumbled across this fantastic pebble beach with nobody on it.  I sat down, watched and listened to the waves of the aqua-green Pacific Ocean, the perfect blue sky, the seagulls, and the cliffs of New Zealand stretching off into the distance and I felt so relaxed, possibly the most chilled I've ever been.

The funny thing is that this beach wasn't mentioned in any of the guidebooks and unfortunately I don't even have any photos of it.

[PMC]

Speelgoedmannetje wrote:

And I'm going to Scotland next week :banana:

Speel, if you're passing through Essex (as in Hoek Van Holland - Harwich ferry) then I'll buy you a pint :pint:

[PMC]

When I was about 13 and living (briefly) in Cape Town, my father took me for a drive one Friday evening along the coastal road out toward Sea Point.

The sun was going down out to sea and lights were starting to be turned on in the houses that dotted the mountainside next to the road.  

We pulled over to watch the sun set.  Behind us were the mountains silhouetted against the blue/black sky with lights glowing from windows. Above was a sky that changed in colour from dark blue, through cyan, magenta, red and finally a vivid orange around the horizon as the sun set.  The sea was glowing with what can only be described as a metallic turquoise colour.  This was accompanied by the gentle sound of the surf washing up a nearby rocky beach.

I was very nearly moved to tears by the overwhealming beauty that was all around me, and one day I hope to watch the sun set there again.

[Speelgoedmannetje]

PMC wrote:

Speelgoedmannetje wrote:

And I'm going to Scotland next week :banana:

Speel, if you're passing through Essex (as in Hoek Van Holland - Harwich ferry) then I'll buy you a pint :pint:

Alas, I'm going with the airplane, from Eelde to Aberdeen

[PMC]

@Speel,

Have a good time up in Aberdeen and don't forget to say a big hello to all the regular Aberdonian posters here!

[PMC]

Cymric wrote:
@PMC

Should've realised you were into biking (your avatar is a dead giveaway). I like to bike too, unfortunately, here in the neighbourhood there is not so much suitable terrain. There is supposed to be a very nice trail through the dunes about 40 km from here with a maximum height difference of *gasp* 50 meters! (Which is really a lot according to Dutch standards.) How do you fare where you live?

@Cymric,

Yeah, as Blob pointed out sand plus chain oil makes a fantastic grinding paste, destroying your chain, rear cassette and chainrings in the process.  You also end up sinking right to the hubs in dry sand, while wasting a lot of power.

Actually the terrain in my part of Essex is probably less hilly than you describe.  There are a few decent trails around though with some nice countryside views.  The mud is a mixture of clay/sand and sticks to your frame/tyres/clothing like chewing gum to the pavement!

Glad you approve of the Hope M4 hydraulic disk brake in my avatar.  I have then fitted to my Enduro and they stop on a sixpence.

[Cymric]

blobrana wrote:
Hum, beach sand is the worst thing ever... Gets everywhere, and mixed with oil becomes a fine abrasive destroying your chain....

Yes, that's why I don't use oil, nor Teflon spray to lube my chain. I use something called Supreme Black, which is a suspension of wax in various alcohols with just a teensy bit of oil. The theory is that the oil is sucked into the bearings of the chain through capillary action, and the wax creates a dry, hard, somewhat flaky, and non-stick outer coating. I haven't tested it fully yet---dune biking is very heavy-going and I need to build up some stamina first :-)---but I've read sufficient stories of people on the 'net who are pretty enthusiastic about it.

Now of course chain cleaning and lubing is almost a Holy Issue, but to me it sounds like it might work.

[whabang]

New Zeeland and Canada.

[Cymric]

PMC wrote:
Glad you approve of the Hope M4 hydraulic disk brake in my avatar.  I have then fitted to my Enduro and they stop on a sixpence.

I've been on more or less permanent lookout for decent brakes. I am quite a heavy fellow, and I don't trust the regular V-brake pads very much. Do you have experience with both?

[PMC]

Cymric wrote:

PMC wrote:
Glad you approve of the Hope M4 hydraulic disk brake in my avatar.  I have then fitted to my Enduro and they stop on a sixpence.

I've been on more or less permanent lookout for decent brakes. I am quite a heavy fellow, and I don't trust the regular V-brake pads very much. Do you have experience with both?

Yep, I certainly have!

My Spesh Rockhopper was supplied with Avid rim brakes, which were the most powerful I'd tried at that point in time.  However after a winter ride when my bike got clogged with mud their shortcomings were readily apparent.

I fitted a set of Hope Mini brakes to the Rockhopper and was amazed at the difference.  They stop you on a dime in all weathers, didn't noticably wear (even during a week long session on the mountainsides of north Wales) and don't rub the rims when muddy.  Oh, and the brake fluid only needs bleeding about once every two years or so.

Even if you're a serious heavyweight, a set of Hope Minis will stop you without issue.  For my Enduro I went for M4s, which are four calliper units - purely because the Enduro is more of a downhill / freeride bike and I wanted a little extra security.  Hydraulic disks are the upgrade that made THE biggest difference to my biking enjoyment.

Oh, and as for lube the wax stuff is good but AFAIR it's only suitable for dry weather as it washes off easily.  I use it in summer though.

[bjjones37]

whabang wrote:
New Zeeland and Canada.

New Zealand is soooo pretty, I'm not sure it actually exists! :-D

[blobrana]

Hum,
you mean it was all just CGI in Lord of the Rings...?

@Speelgoedmannetje
where in Aberdeen...? and when? (or why?)

Oh Canada, Our Home and Native Land
True Patriot Love, and oh the Suns come up (?)
With glowing hearts, we see thee rise
Over true North strong and free!
From far and wide, Oh Canada
We stand on guard for thee
God keep our land glorious and free
Oh Cananda, we stand on guard for thee
Oh Cananda, we stand on guard for thee!

yeah anyway, Canada

[odin]

Wasn't speel's sister in the Land of the Scots?

[that_punk_guy]

JonoPike wrote:
Oh Canada, Our Home and Native Land
True Patriot Love, and oh the Suns come up (?)

That thing you're connected to is called the internet. You can look this stuff up on it quite easily:

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

Very patriotic for such a hippie country!! ;-)

Oh yeah. Um, I always wanted to go to Japan. I have a friend who wants to go to Russia. Maybe we'll do that. Last but not least: Scotland.