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Plan is to go end of March. Figured campsites/b&bs might well be closed and will need to lug tent about with.

North side of the range looks abit more isolated for resupply but I've not properly looked into it yet if we do decide to do the loop proper.

Definitely remember reading someone's account of it who I swore was on here. Or at least maybe I got linked to it from here? Scottish guy/bike reviewer iirc I think right before the pandemic did the route. That was the original inspiration if it rings a bell with anyone?

https://bikepacking.com/routes/bikepacking-transnevada-southern-spain/

Anyone done it?

Considering the whole loop starting/finish in Malaga with a train no doubt involved somewhere along the way potentially as we only have 7 days. Or taking in the southern section of the route and just cutting across to Alicante.

Did a ride when in Malaga in November with the gf and keen to get back as it was great!

I asked around installing something privately that runs across the pavement. No interest in entertaining it. I could still go the EV route, install a wall charger on the front of the house, run a cable over the pavement and put down something to guard / hide the cable but the fear is some old codger trips over it in the dark when out walking there dog.

Hadn't factored this in when buying the house.

Have Toyota hybrid. 64mpg average.

Having to give it up as company going EV / PHEV. I'll be going PHEV with no driveway, never charging achieving a measly 30mpg no doubt. Had the option of the EV but can't see how to make it work without a driveway or charging at office ( to which I cycle).

Realise I'm the bad guy in this instance. Asked the council about on street chargers in the future and no reply.

@Greenbank thanks for this! Very helpful advice. I think I was a bit guilty of doing far too short sprints but at max intensity. Sounds like I might benefit from backing off a bit and increasing distance/time of intervals. I can definitely see some sort of watch in my future, even just a basic cheap and cheerful thing for timing would be handy.

What's a good basic interval programme? At the moment I'm sprinting lamp post to every other lamp post, walk for abit, repeat. I'm sure it's fine for my very basic needs but thought it might be worth looking into something abit more structured. I don't have a running watch etc so that might be on the cards if I need to get one to do it properly.

The thought of riding 110km fixed is enough for me to cry off, nevermind 2500m elevation. Seems insurmountable and/or unenjoyable. Will keep the date free.

I may take you up on them - daft q. Can you interchange flightjacket / jawbreaker lenses? I had some jawbreakers and have a few spare lenses i'd like to still be able to use is all. Appreciate if you could double check as can't find anything to confirm one way or another.

I've went down with a hammer as a back up to smash the lead closed over if it gets biblical down there whilst cranking another hose clip on it for now

I'd feel bad fucking people over for water in winter by going down this route and capping it off Plumber 2 who attended suggested Fibrefix, failed. Still awaiting plumber 1 to reconvene with the Admiralty as to what they are going to do for me. I think next time I'll go with a more expensive insurer..

Yeah but unclear how I go about ascertaining who's connected to that pipe. I'd need to get everyone on the street to check under their house, explain to them they are responsible for maintaining it and get them to pay for it. I probably wouldn't get very far with that. However if it comes back to costing a fortune I guess I/the insurer will need to go down that route.

Admiral insurance emergency plumber has turned up.erc. Stuck his head into the hatch, made his excuses about having to consult with the insurer and left. Fuck sake man if this thing got worse I'd be shafted.

Yeah I just figured it's been down there for 100yrs already. Probably should be err on sound of caution before I create my own basement pool. I'm sure the insurance plumber temporary fix will be to simply do what I've done with more conviction. At least if it all pisses out they might be able to freeze /stop the pipe and buy more time before the house floats away.

Water update. Lead water pipe runs through my property but I'm not connected to it, looks like it services other houses on the row. No forbidden water for me. Still my disaster to fix as advised by United Utilities.

Worryingly the water is pissing out right by the external wall brickwork - so whomst knows for how long / what horrors lie beneath.

Managed to clamp a cut up bit of tyre (RIP Conti contact speed) which has just seemed to slow it slightly. I could tighten further but I'm paranoid about the thing shearing / making worse as I can't isolate the supply. For now I empty buckets periodically crawling under the boards hoping that the plumber I spoke to arrives..

Stuck my head under the floor to have a look. Obviously found an internal water feature. Shared lead water pipe trickling into the the ground for who knows how long just before it connects into the house pipework.

Do I need to really harass my neighbours about changing this as United Utilities are suggesting? They seemed to suggest it's shared responsibility for the entire pipework but that doesn't sound reasonable. Unless the repair is going to involve replacing the entire run of pipework, which I also figure people will tell me to gtf. Shall I just get someone in to fix the leak and continue to drink my lead? Any experience with this much appreciated.

I think a plasterer would tell me to jog on anyways as it'd be hardly worth there time.
I asked a roofer who was working on the house next door all week to quote me to fit a vent tile for my new extractor (something I reckon would take an hour max) and he said it wasn't worth his time to even quote me.

I look forward to my roofing DIY..

Tried to do some skim plastering in the bathroom. FFS what a mess. I'm now going with the apply it liberally and sand it down method as getting it smooth is impossible (not made easier with the walls being bowed).

Kudos to the plasterers who make it look easy.

May go in search of snow/slush tomorrow around Marple/Mellor/Roman lakes if anyone fancies it? Was planning a drive to Gisburn but don't fancy the drive.

Brother. Fork is sold.

Speaking of LVT. Ordered a load for the bathroom and the supplier has delivered twice as many as required so I'm considering using them on the walls. Is this a daft idea? At the moment I've hacked all the old ceramic tiles off, "sorted" the plaster best I can that came away. Wasn't sure if I needed something underneath them before applying them to the wall.

Longest of shots. The bolt/screw for my deore 6100 shifter fell out. It fixes the shifter to the clamp, had to bodge it with a cable the other day.

If anyone comes across something I could use in your shops/parts box of random crap, I'd appreciate it!

I think it's this that I need! Until then the cable tie fix is staying, I'll just carry extra..
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-spares/shimano-deore-slm6100-screw-m25-y0l010000/to

Take off old tape, put on new tape. Works fine as a rim tape? With/without heated piercing implements.

This was my other thought. Take it back to brick and stick insulated plasterboard up to tile over. The tile backer board looks like a great shout. Having never used it before would that just be a case of sticking that to the brick with some adhesive?

@macaroon. Thanks,helps to type out what I think I need to do!

Another probably a daft question for a DIYr , but is there a good way of knowing how much of the existing stuff to remove? It seems fairly stable but when tapping a little hollow sounding suggesting it's came away from the brickwork. I guess it's probably original plaster from the 20s when the house was built. Figured the tiles didn't fall off the wall beforehand so it can't have been failing entirely.

Removing tiles as part of bathroom renovation. Plaster under the window crumbled away. Was going to pva solution the brickwork and fire a load of bonding plaster onto it. Plan is to retile this area. Just sounding out if a sensible plan or if I should consider an alternative. First foray into plastering potentially.

Pretty much the whole route, we changed a few bits I think, mainly the start as we wanted to get Ferry to Rothesay for convenience and joined route up at Tarbet.

Have a look at the ferry times for the Corran / Fort William section. It was a lovely day when we went and don't regret it all as the riding was lovely. We just chilled by the ferry pick up point as had to wait for a while (90mins or so). You can just add an extra road section on around Loch Eil if you're in a rush. Alternatively skip the ferries and just take the road to Fort William it but it looked like a busy road for cycling and unsure if there is a decent path along that bit.

Depending on the weather you may or may not want to move to Scotland. Fair warning.

Balachulish quarry was class. Right next to the coop for handy cans/scran/public toilet. Very atmospheric.

Camped literally next to the view point at the end of loch Ness in Fort Augustus. Tucked round the side to the left is a little clearing on a stony beach.

Definitely stop at the fish food shack by Oban ferry terminal.