What have you done with your California today?

On the ferry from Santander to Cork. Started off last night in a gale. The wind has abated but there’s a huge swell. The van is on the open deck but the deckhands hose them down with fresh water. As a truck driver I’ve been on any number of ferries and I know it’ll be out with the bucket and clammy leather in Cork.
 
We've just got back from a trip from Bristol to Kendal to see family. Exploring the roadworks and speed restrictions on the M5 & M6, and there are lots of them. We thought we might divert to the Ribblehead Viaduct to see the Flying Scotsman going over heading Northwards. I had allowed an extra hour on a 4 hour journey, but we missed it by just 10 minutes.
P1020382.JPG Lovely viaduct, all that was missing was the big green steam engine.
P1020384.JPG Lots of people did make it though. The height of the Cali does make it easy to find when you go back to look for it.
The M5 & M6 were dire. So many miles of 30mph restriction and then 50mph, the traffic all bunches up and it gets quite scary even in a Cali. The adaptive speed control and auto braking is a great backup for the daft drivers whose actions you don't anticipate. Every drive in traffic I appreciate the sophistication of the vehicle and the features on it. The drive back yesterday was through torrential rain and was very similar to the way up. We were so glad not to be heading North on the M5 as there was about 6 miles of 4 lanes of stationary traffic just south of Birmingham and they would then have had to filter into 2 lanes to go over the spaghetti junction part at 30mph. We did spot a couple of Californias stuck in it. Hope it was no-one from here.
Have a Happy Christmas break, see you at a meet next year.
 
Set the Sat Nav for Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Hyde Park Corner, Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square and home.

Loaded the boys and took them to see some of London’s Christmas lights.

21.8 miles, and 4 hrs 30 min of environmentally disastrous indulgence.


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My Beach are sleeping, can’t wait to get out and and get a good nights sleep near the Ocean or whatever. Considering an e assisted mtb to save miles on the california.
 
Parked up in Heathrow T5 Long Stay for 4 weeks.
 
My Beach are sleeping, can’t wait to get out and and get a good nights sleep near the Ocean or whatever. Considering an e assisted mtb to save miles on the california.

I’ve been looking at e-mtbs too, but just can’t get my head around the prices...
Would love the Specialized Levo 2019 bike, but it cost serious £££
 
I’ve been looking at e-mtbs too, but just can’t get my head around the prices...
Would love the Specialized Levo 2019 bike, but it cost serious £££
There are some good e-bikes out there now but the prices do make your eyes water. My daughter paid under £2k for her car!!
 
There are some good e-bikes out there now but the prices do make your eyes water. My daughter paid under £2k for her car!!

I stick my lad on the back of my standard mountain bike.
It’s heavy with him on the back. Would love to invest in an eMtb, but they are just silly money. Especially as it will be used around town and therefore locked up outside supermarkets/work.
I do believe they could really help ease congestion, they just lighten the load enough and are great for commuting.
I wish the government would open their eyes and offer decent tax relief or some kind of incentive to buy into them
 
I’ve been looking at e-mtbs too, but just can’t get my head around the prices...
Would love the Specialized Levo 2019 bike, but it cost serious £££
I have my eyes on the Canyon Spectral:eek:n 6 for 4000€, its reasonably well built for the money, ie working suspension, ok brakes, not too heavy etc. The specialized Turbo Levo for arround 5000€ has a terrible fork etc. The specialized are more or less sold out for the 2019 MY.
In the uk you have the Vitus Sommet VR for arround the same money. For us in sweden it’s more expensive then the better speced Canyon though.
 
I might be wrong.
But don’t Canyon sell direct to the public, no middle man (bike shop) therefore you get a very well specced bike for the money...
 
That is true, more or less the same with Vitus also, only wiggle and chainreaction sells them.
I do all the service my regular bikes need myself so I dont need a dealer tinkering.
 
I got a cracking deal on a Canyon Exceed CF 29er, when Canyon do “sales events” the discounts are pretty big, worth waiting for.

I’m a bit concerned that if I go e-Bike there’ll be no turning back..... and I need to shift some burgers and beer from my ass first. :(
 
I got a cracking deal on a Canyon Exceed CF 29er, when Canyon do “sales events” the discounts are pretty big, worth waiting for.

I’m a bit concerned that if I go e-Bike there’ll be no turning back..... and I need to shift some burgers and beer from my ass first. :(

I have read ebikes increase the average cyclist mileage and also encourages riders to ride further for longer and thus become stronger and fitter.

I still believe road Cycling should stay pure. But for mountain and commuters, ebikes for the win.
 
I got a cracking deal on a Canyon Exceed CF 29er, when Canyon do “sales events” the discounts are pretty big, worth waiting for.

I’m a bit concerned that if I go e-Bike there’ll be no turning back..... and I need to shift some burgers and beer from my ass first. :(
Well, you can’t outrun a bad diet, probably not outride either :). I am bike enthusiast, I have both a road bike and a good XC MTB, I don’t see the Ebike as a replacement for either. On the contrary, I think I will be even better trained riding a Emtb, search fo MAF trainig. I think it will save my life.
 
Fitted the xmas present. :)

Testrun before cutting it to fit.
WLzVsZb.jpg


Fitted! I will probably make another one for camping-use at actually works with sliding the bench forward and that's more tailored around the cabinets. The mat has thick rubber on the bottom so that all the snow and melting water is absorbed. 160 SEK or 14£ is not too bad.

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A bit of stealth camping in the halls car park after taking one of the kids back to uni.
 
Cleaned the carpet between the front seats. Must stop spilling coffee. Dr Beckmann carpet cleaner did an amazing job, like new now.
 
Alfie has been busy this week.

Part of a funeral cortege Monday, Mum loved travelling in my Cali's so a family request to include Alfie. He was my bedroom whilst staying with family.

290 mile drive home yesterday and tonight overnighting in Southampton for an early appointment tomorrow..

Back home tomorrow night and on Saturday he becomes my camper and my sister's tow car as the pair of us head off with her caravan for a week's rest in Kent somewhere after what has been a highly traumatic year.
 
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