Guernsey 30in30 cycling for Les Bourgs

So for the second year running, I’m taking part in the 30in30 – a charity cycling event, raising money for a local (Guernsey) hospice that looks after the old folks. The challenge gets its name from “30 days, 30 rides” although was supposed to mean 30 people, 30 rides, 30 days. It’s actually 41 people this year. And what it really really means is that for the next 30 days, I have to cycle for at least an hour every day. Here’s the website from last year… hasn’t yet been updated for this year.

Anyway, predictably, it’s all about raising money… in the two years it’s been running, it’s raised around £75k – so the obvious target is at least £25k this year to make the £100k.

So… send me some cash!

How to remove a Datatool System 3 from a Honda CBR600FX

Way back when, I thought an alarm on my motorbike was a good idea. I got it shortly after it had been vandalised by a drunk and I had got a bit paranoid. And, in fairness, since having it, my bike has never been stolen. Admittedly, I’m not certain there were actually any attempts to steal it, though. The times that the alarm did get triggered was always me (or an ant looking at it and setting off the motion detector) and even on those occasions, any passers-by in the vicinity barely gave it a glance before moving on and ignoring the apparent attempted theft of my bike. Had I been trying to steal my bike, then I doubt the alarm would have done much to prevent it. Seems to me that alarms arepretty ineffective nowadays. Moreover, I can think of at least one easy way to completely disable it with very little fuss.

So when I recently had to replace my battery again due to its inability to maintain a charge – no doubt caused by the permanent drain that the alarm system puts on it – enough was enough, the thing was coming out. It was surprisingly easy to do, which made me wonder about its status as Thatcam approved and all that. It took the installer quite a few hours to put in – he did do a proper job – but I’d say it took me around 20 minutes to get it out. Not something you’d do on the side of a road in order to nick it, but still, surprisngly easy. And to think I paid around £400 at the time.

This isn’t supposed to be step by step instructions and I won’t describe how to dismantle your bike or get at the particular pieces – if you can’t work out that much on your own, you probably shouldn’t be doing this. And needless to say, but it needs to be said, this is what I had to do to my own CBR600… no guarantees it’ll work for your bike or be the same or anything. And I’m by no means an electrician. So if you permanently immobilise your bike – it ain’t my fault! And note that my alarm was functional but I had taken a rather unconventional route to completely disable the bike before I did this (took out the main fuse for the bike) – so the alarm actually wasn’t alive.
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Best. Road. In. Cornwall.

If you ever find yourself in Cornwall and looking for a decent driving road, especially if you’re on a motorbike, you can’t do better than this one:

Best road in Cornwall. Ever.

Link to Google Maps

DIY

Define irony

I’m an avid recycler. In fact, I now actually cringe if I have to put a glass, plastic bottle or tin can in the regular trash. I go so far as to take my recyclable rubbish with me if I’m not able to recycle it there on the spot.

I think it’s true to say of most people who recycle that they’re inclined to make a little bit of extra effort in order to do their recycling. Indeed, in most cases where recycling pickups don’t happen, you will need to keep your recycling in your house until such point that you can take it to a nearby recycling centre and then deposit your stuff in the appropriate bins. This certainly requires extra effort, and perhaps, recyclers do feel a tad smug about their apparent helping to save the planet. I’m not saying they’re on the same level as the sanctimonious wankers who drive a Prius – I don’t care what you say Top Gear reporter Paul Horrell, it’s a shit car, stop saying it’s good – but nevertheless, the very fact that people are prepared to put the extra effort to separate your stuff and then actually take half an hour out of a weekend to go and deposit it, says something.

Well, it says something about some people. I’m not sure what it says about these people:

Recycling madness

In case that’s not clear… virtually all of the visible plastic bottles in the near-overflowing plastic bottle recycling bin still have their plastic tops on, despite the BIG sign that says please remove bottle tops (presumably because they can’t be recycled).

So, the types of people who care enough to actually separate and keep their recyclable material, take it down to the recycling centre on their own time, put it in the right bin… can’t manage a further 3 seconds just to remove the bottle tops and put them in the regular trash.

Idiots.

30 in 30 for Les Bourgs Hospice

So that’s that. Completed the 30 in 30, raising money for Les Bourgs Hospice. Well done to everyone who took part, including the 4 people who completed 3 100 mile rides in 3 days, and the one crazy foo’ who rode his bike continuously for 30 hours. Nutcase. Personally I managed 613.6 miles – so roughly 20 miles per day. I’m happy with that!

Combined, we’ve raised over £35,000 for Les Bourgs Hospice.

There’s still time to sponsor me if you want, clicken sie hier.

isolation

I wrote this nearly 3 years ago. Nothing has changed. I’ve done nothing about it. I’m in the same shit situation as I was then.

Except maybe now I get paid a little more at work.

What does it take for someone to finally grab life by its arse and start making changes? I watched the film `Wanted` the other night – the theme of which is just that. Some guy, living a meaningless life and things eventually change. OK, so it’s because he’s apparently son of some legendary assassin – right – but ignore that and look at the bigger thing for a second and it helps with some perspective.

The only person you’re kidding, is yourself. YOU KNOW the issues. Yet you mislead yourself. How pathetic is that?

The only way things will change is when you make it happen.

So do it. Now.