RIDES 2017 — add yours here

[geocycle]

By golly, Geo, that's a lonely landscape. A few years of shepherding there will make a man of any milksop.

One of the more remote parts of the Yorkshire Dales (actually in Cumbria). Would be interesting to go back 5000 years before the neolithic farmers cut down the trees, sheep grazing and impoverished soils has prevented any regrowth.  A great place to have a ride on a sunday afternoon.

[John Saxby]

Your photos give a tremendous sense of space, geo -- I'll bet the winds blow hard up there.

[jags]

pure class geo.

anto.

[John Saxby]

Not really a day ride, but here's a snippet from my there-and-back to Toronto last month. There was a fair amount of barn art on display, on both the northern route and my return along the waterfront. Some of the designs were stylized Canadian flags, others variations on the points of the compass. I particularly liked the imagining of a quilt on a barn, below.   

It works much better, don'tcha think, than a kilt on a bairn?

[jags]

 8)great photo John you have a great eye for a good photo.



anto.

[Andre Jute]

What happened to Piet Mondrian after he emigrated to North America? Now a moot question.

[Matt2matt2002]

Just back from a week on Shetland UK.
Apologies to my Thorn friends on the island. Time was not on my side for visiting.
I used the excellent Bods ( converted buildings into cheap and cheerful ' hostels ')
I stayed at Skeld, Voe and Mid Yell.
I visited Haroldswick for the fourth or fifth most northerly UK geocash, and the most northerly Tea Room. Victoria's.
Memories: the wind was fickle and strong.
The local folk excellent company.
Both sea crossings (150+ miles each way ) were horrendous.
At one point I seriously considered calling Mrs. Matt to wish her goodbye. Yes, it was that bad. Folk unable to walk across gangways.........
But what an adventure.
I'll be back next year for my fourth visit and promise to catch up with old Thorn friends.

[John Saxby]

Wow, Matt!  Glad you're home, safe & dry & warm, and I'll bet that Mrs Matt is too

Andre -

What happened to Piet Mondrian after he emigrated to North America?

Here's the Wiki-bio:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet_Mondrian

[Andre Jute]

That's rough, Matt.

While you were away adventuring, we discovered Piet Mondrian is alive and well, cruising the Canadian countryside, painting quilts on the sides of rustic barns.

[geocycle]

Sounds horrendous Matt, I would love to visit Shetland but I know Mrs Geo wouldn't make the crossing.  Has that boat washed up in the poor chaps garden?

[Matt2matt2002]

Thanks geocycle.
That boat shot you refer to is, I believe, the house they use for the lead characters house in the TV series, Shetland.

As the boat crashed through the waves and I thought my time was up, I reflected on my life.
Lucky that I have few regrets.

[rualexander]

How long was the rough crossing Matt?
I've heard of folk being on that boat for over 24 hours!
When we went in May the return trip was rough but on time, spent the whole crossing lying down in cabin and didn't feel too bad thankfully.

[Matt2matt2002]

17.00 left Aberdeen.
Docked at Orkney midnight
Arrived at Lerwick 7 am

[rualexander]

So, pretty much on time, not too bad then 

[Matt2matt2002]

So, pretty much on time, not too bad then 

Those were the scheduled times. We were half an hour late arriving. Not at all bad considering.
As I was wheeling the Raven off at Aberdeen there was a guy with a very well loaded touring bike next to me. He looked very grumpy and with the crossing we had experienced, I didn't blame him. He was pushing a bike that could well have had his kitchen sink on top of the over stuffed panniers.
You know the kind of sight?
Anyway, I thought I'd ask if he had come far.
Innocent question?
He snapped back, " Well, considering I've been on the road for 3 years, yes".
Normally, just the kind of person I buy a beer and offer accommodation to, but not this time.
Oh, what a great crosssection of folk us cycle tourers are.
There's always one, as my granny was won't to say.