[Jaspersharpe]

Push on. Surely she can get her century.

[Nibile]

Passed my motorbike driving license exam yesterday, not without some drama.
I was using a driving school bike, a Suzuki SV 650, because my beast is still at the mechanic's with carburetor problems...
When I got at the DVLA with my instructor, it turns out that I had with me only the copy of the temporary driving license, the original being in a small bag that USED to be carried in my bike but was nowhere to be found for a few days now, despite two phone calls to the mechanic to make him search more and more...
So I am temporarily allowed to go to the place for the driving exam with the others, while the instructor drives back to his school to print a new one.
I go there, chat a little bit pretending that I know something about motorbikes (usual ego boosting, willy-waving, pant-filling stories, including one guy dressed in a full track suit...); then the instructor gets back and tells me that you can't print new licenses on exam day.
I'll have to wait for September.
No way.
With everyone already there, I tried one last chance, took the school bike and drove to the mechanic's, on the other side of town. Small town, but still on the other side.
Got there, they had JUST found all my stuff.
Took everything, drove back to the examination area faking calm despite my heart pounding.
There still was a couple of guys before my turn... One told me: "Hey you managed it! Cool!" To which I replied: "Yes, no problem really. The guys offered me coffee, so I just twisted the throttle a bit more on the way back..."
Phew.

[Muenchener]

ego boosting, willy-waving

Any fool can get a knee down on a sports bike; it takes proper recklessness to get a panier down on a tourer 

I never owned a serious sports bike. I looked after a mate's 900 Ninja for a couple of weeks while he was on holiday, and quickly realised that if I ever bought myself such a thing, the life expectancy of my driving license would be measured in weeks.

[Nibile]

I have absolutely no intention of putting my knee down or "doing the Ton" either...
I drive very very slowly and I want to keep it like this.
An old 125 is more than enough for me!

[JackAus]

I have absolutely no intention of putting my knee down or "doing the Ton" either...
I drive very very slowly and I want to keep it like this.
An old 125 is more than enough for me!

Nice work on getting your licence!
This Sat I've got the next stage of my licence, lots of slow speed riding... Will still be restricted on size of bikes for another year but after that I can ride what I want. My 250 already isn't powerful enough..... Can't wait to get a decent 600 super sports...

[Mike Tyson]

Finally I have a climbing related YYFY! Booked for my first trip to Font in November with the right honourable TC.

Yippee!!!!! 

[SA Chris]

Nice. At least you won't need a guidebook, provided the memory isn't failing

[Ally Smith]

Got the keys to my first house last night   

Cashed in on the psyche and started stripping wallpaper in the master bedroom, only to find some atrocious plastering in one corner - 

[andy popp]

Congrats and good luck Ally.

[Luke Owens]

Onsighted my first 7a sport route this evening, the best part of it was that I had read the guidebook wrong and thought I was on a 6c!

Really psyched, been a big goal for awhile!

[Wood FT]

Onsighted my first 7a sport route this evening, the best part of it was that I had read the guidebook wrong and thought I was on a 6c!

Really psyched, been a big goal for awhile!

nice one Luke, the art of the self-sandbag is a fine one but you're on the right track.

[moose]

Onsighted my first 7a sport route this evening, the best part of it was that I had read the guidebook wrong and thought I was on a 6c!

That delusion was probably the key.  Often, the only thing that's got me up an on-sight that's turned nasty is the shame of failing on something "easy", and the prospect of having to waste more of the day RPing it!  Doing routes with unpleasant moves can help too - powering yourself to the chains with the motivational thought "I really don't want to have to do that sequence again..."

[Luke Owens]

Cheers guys, thinking I was on an easier route helped for sure, stayed relaxed. I wish I could sandbag myself more often!

[andy popp]

Get someone else to do the sandbagging for you?

[Doylo]

I'll get you on some 7as and tell you they're 6c if you want.

[SA Chris]

I managed that on my first ever route in Europe. Arrived fresh off plane at El Chorro read the old Rockfax "pamphlet guide" wrong, and thought I was on a 6a to warm up, and got on a 6c, was with climbing with some people I'd never met before and didn't want to make a tit of myself failing on something easy, so scraped my way to the top thinking " f-me European grades are stiff!".

[JackAus]

Just seen final proof of the local chapter of Simon Carter's new photo book... Got basically a full page photo of me on my DWS project. Fucking awesome photo that I haven't seen since he took it. Big and unnecessary cut loose with a skier/ski boat in the background. Definitely going to get a big print of it.

[Nibile]

Went to the ostheo yesterday to fix my back, elbow, etc. He's a good friend of mine and knows me well. When I undressed he told me: "Jesus Lore, you turned into a body builder! How much weight did you gain?"
Terrified by the idea, I jumped on the scale: I had lost one kilo.
That now I can replace with muscle to get back to 65.
Now where's my protein shake?

[hstmoore]

I don't usually post here but...

On Saturday me and my friend did our first E7. We solo'd Magic in the Air at Highcliffe Nab which is a class arete. We had previously done it with side runners at E5. We worked it a bit on top rope before going for the solo - it was great to do such an awesome line with no rope. Get in.

Here's a vid:

[erm, sam]

Gite booked for Font, Easter 2015! Get in.

[galpinos]

Gite booked for Font, Easter 2015! Get in.

[erm, sam]

Could you not squeeze in a long weekend solo mission?

[spid3rz]

Gite booked for Font, Easter 2015! Get in.

We have just booked a gite for October half term!

[lagerstarfish]

I now only work a French style 30 hour week - which means only bothering to turn up at work four days a week

This means that every Tuesday, between school runs, it's just me and the little lad (aged 3) to do whatever we want (mostly Grit, some plastic)

Y Y F Y 

[Nibile]