What have you done today thread?

[ZRX61]

Was just at the store buying tonight's winning lottery ticket. While walking across the parking lot I happened to notice that someone had hung a cowbell under a Chevy Tahoe.
This pleases me greatly & I'm wondering if the owner will notice it... or stump up at the dealership to complain about the strange noise emanating from the left/front suspension when he hits a bump

[Cousin Jack]

Was just at the store buying tonight's winning lottery ticket. While walking across the parking lot I happened to notice that someone had hung a cowbell under a Chevy Tahoe.
This pleases me greatly & I'm wondering if the owner will notice it... or stump up at the dealership to complain about the strange noise emanating from the left/front suspension when he hits a bump

Perhaps it's a bigger version of the bell that HD owners seem to believe keeps them safe?

[ZRX61]

Perhaps it's a bigger version of the bell that HD owners seem to believe keeps them safe?

Definite cowbell. Thought about getting a pic, but didn't want to risk the owner seeing me do that & wonder what I was doing.

[Count Steer]

It was yesterday but never mind.

Learned a lot about Mi Teleférico.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mi_Telef%C3%A9rico

Now I know what various colours are in Spanish and have a mental picture of the map so I should be OK if I need public transport in La Paz.

[Yorick]

Got attacked

Went out on track and felt something on left chest annoying me.
Flat out on straight it starts biting me
So had to bash my chest like Tarzan

Fark. It was painful

Huge hornet.

20241102_150115.jpg (405.61 KiB) Viewed 532 times

[Noggin]

I mostly had a lovely day today. I decided I needed to go up a mountain on a motorbike, so I headed to the Col de la Madeleine. Left home for the garage. Definitely didn't feel cold out, like, no where near freezing at all.

Headed down the mountain to get fuel and then go up to the Col.

On the road down, there is one section that never sees sunlight at all. It's always a bit damp. And three other hairpins that are generally a bit damp but they dry up cos they do get a little bit of sun at some point.

You know where this is going, right?!!

I was only bimbling, luckily. Even more luckily, I never 'grip' the bars, only ever put my hands on the bars (pretty sure it's helped me avoid worse fates before today!). I've also only been using the rear brake on the descent cos the front hurts my arm. 3 pluses today!!

As I got to the damp bit, I started braking (rear) and the bike danced. Literally - I had no idea which way either wheel was going to go, and they weren't talking to each other. So I let off, tried again. same thing. I really needed to brake now cos there was a bend in the road coming up and if it was as icy there as the straight bit, I REALLY needed less speed!!

After the third try, I spotted that the verge had gone from rubble looking stuff to a pretty flat gravel area, so I 'somehow' managed to slide the bike off the road onto the gravel

Slowed right down to almost stationary, then had to get back on the road at a much slower speed and get down the last bit of damp road to find the dry bit!!

Bloody hell that was exciting!! I think that was the worst 'lack of control' experience I've ever had and stayed upright!! Thank Fuck I did!! Can't break my mates bike and I need to stay unhurt for at least another week to do the exam!!

Soooooo - got down the rest of the mountain, got some fuel and decided I'd head up to the Col de la Madeleine. I'd spent half the rest of the ride down talking myself out of it but then realised that the roads up to the Madeleine face south east (mostly) and there aren't any areas as wet and covered as the bit that was icy!!

Bloody glad I did go up - beautiful. Good for the mind, body and soul (although my arm is not a happy arm now! - but the rest of me is much happier!). And there were some random free running horses up at the top too - awesome (pretty sure they weren't supposed to be free running! )


Totally awesome day finished with revision. My mates shop isn't open tomorrow, so I'm staying up here then heading to Chambery in the minibus early afternoon - less chance of problems on the road!!

Gratuitous pics

[Taipan]

Broke an air fryer. Bought an air fryer.

[Mr. Dazzle]

You break it, you buy it

[Horse]

You know where this is going, right?!!

I was only bimbling, lu

So I let off, tried again. same thing.

After the third try, I spotted that the verge had gone from rubble looking stuff to a pretty flat gravel area, so I 'somehow' managed to slide the bike off the road onto the gravel

Slowed right down to almost stationary, then had to get back on the road at a much slower speed and get down the last bit of damp road to find the dry bit!!

Well done for avoiding panic and looking for an escape route!

But wait until @Yorick sees this ...

[Taipan]

Went to my daughters for dinner. Lovely juicy chicken cooked in their new fancy schmancy bbq thing. Lush!

[Noggin]

You know where this is going, right?!!

I was only bimbling, lu

So I let off, tried again. same thing.

After the third try, I spotted that the verge had gone from rubble looking stuff to a pretty flat gravel area, so I 'somehow' managed to slide the bike off the road onto the gravel

Slowed right down to almost stationary, then had to get back on the road at a much slower speed and get down the last bit of damp road to find the dry bit!!

Well done for avoiding panic and looking for an escape route!

But wait until @Yorick sees this ...

I have ZERO idea how I kept it upright. All that was in my head that I remember was "can't break his bike/can't take my exam if I am broken"

Just shows how the brain really can do two things cos I was in full - How the FUCK is this happening + panic about breaking the bike or me - but still found somewhere that would enable me to stop.

Not sure I could say that I did that, not consciously anyway!! But it worked out!!

And Yorick has had to deal with rain on his trackday, so I'm sure he won't comment for a few days!!

I decided to bake this morning rather than risk that road again on two wheels, but when I drove down earlier so I could come to Chambéry in case I have the exam tomorrow, the road had been thoroughly gritted!! So I guess I wasn't the only person to experience unwelcome 'excitement' yesterday!!

(I was considering texting a mate that works for the local highways department but didn't want to bother him on a weekend. Although I did see him working as I rode home yesterday so I figured they would know about it!)

[Noggin]

Today I've baked a bit, sorted a bit, sewed a bit and packed too much!!

Had to sew as I had to change a couple of dresses to tops (not very flattering as dresses, not sure they'll be better as tops ) cos I need more smart clothes for the exam in case it isn't till the end of the week. I only have two shirts and one of those might not be described as 'smart' - just realised I forgot to sew the top of the v neck on the smart one FFS!! If the unemployemnet/training money comes in tomorrow I think I'll pop to a big supermarket and see if I can find a 'not to expensive' top or two!! (My T-rex t-shirts and other shirts with commentary really won't set the right tone!!)

Anyway, I normally wear strappy tops and jeans (or shorts and tights) in the winter and had planned on dresses when driving the bigger/smarter vehicles. But we aren't allowed to wear dresses on the course

Sooooo many rules!

I got loads of stick from the main instructor, she spent most of the last three months telling me I'll be marked down because I have pink hair I did say - I'm weird, I'm English, pink hair is minor and probably acceptable if they are ok with me being English!!

I baked a bit as well (final week, so I'm taking cake for the group and the instructors) and finally called a colleague that took his course before me.

I'd messaged last week asking for help with the Dossier Pro that was stressing me out and he left a voice mail saying he didn't know what I was talking about - which stressed me out more! So I didn't reply But he called back Friday and today so, finally we chatted this morning and his course didn't require a Dossier Pro!! FFS!!!

Mind you, he was so positive about my abilities and kept saying I'll be fine. Also told me that he's really impressed at how my French has improved (he wasn't slowing his speech down for me as much today!!) - such a kind bloke. He's been checking in with me through out the course which is so kind (the boss hasn't!! ).

So, here's hoping I can pass and then take the highway code again asap and get the bastard licence and carte pro in my hand before end of November!!!

[MrLongbeard]

Went to my daughters for dinner. Lovely juicy chicken cooked in their new fancy schmancy bbq thing. Lush!

IIRC you've got a Weber? Search Amazon for ASIN B0757SCB4M

[Count Steer]

Just come face to face with Ginny Buckley (UK TV person for those that know not). Funny thing was she looked at us in a 'I know you from somewhere' way while I was in blank expression mode.

I just went to get the luggage from the car and she did it again! (She's sat outside the pub with family and dog).

V odd.

[Taipan]

Went to my daughters for dinner. Lovely juicy chicken cooked in their new fancy schmancy bbq thing. Lush!

IIRC you've got a Weber? Search Amazon for ASIN B0757SCB4M

Just asked the fam for one for Xmas!

[ZRX61]

Went to see a mates band at a local bar. "Stevie Ray Revisited", absolutely fucking nailed 90 minutes of SRV.

Then found out a neighbor had carked it.

He's always been a raging pisshead & I've spoken to him maybe 4 times in 5 years. Each time was about some mechanical grief he was having with his Jag. He had multiple health issues, all related to the booze.

His missus had been staying at another neighbors for a couple of days owing to his drinking. She went back to the house this morning & found him DRT in an armchair. I got home about 6.30pm & there's a LASD SUV parked outside waiting for the coroner to show up.

[MrLongbeard]

Turned off the garage fridge.

[Count Steer]

His missus had been staying at another neighbors for a couple of days owing to his drinking. She went back to the house this morning & found him DRT in an armchair. I got home about 6.30pm & there's a LASD SUV parked outside waiting for the coroner to show up.

Steeripediatranslate writes:

DRT: Demand Responsive Transport ie Dial-a-Ride which he required from the Los Angeles (County) Sheriffs Department in a Sport Utility Vehicle. This is a marvellous community project offered by the LA fuzz.

OTOH.....DRT, IIRC and AFAIK = Dead Right There, flatlined, singing with the choir celestial, fallen off the perch, is no more etc etc.

[Noggin]

Had a stressful morning with the course. Exams started today and I so didn’t want it to be me as one of the two today. We had to pull cards until people took 1 & 2. Luckily the two guys just before me got them so I had a reprieve!

Already feel better about it for tomorrow so any day this week

Added stress was that the money from unemployment took it’s sweet time!! But that arrived over lunchtime so was able to sort stuff out to stay so I don’t have the almost four hour round trip and get more time to top up the revision!!

Heading out to the sun for a bit of revision as we all have to be here all day everyday even if we aren’t taking the exam or have already taken it!

Hey ho!!!

[Horse]

DRT = Dead Right There

As different from D,BGFAS, dead, but gone for a stroll?