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May. 3rd, 2007 11:12 amIf you're not in Lodnon, please remember to vote today.
Thank you.
Thank you.
May. 3rd, 2007
(no subject)
May. 3rd, 2007 11:50 amUK Transplant site for registering as an organ donor.
If you haven't done this, and there's no reason you want to keep your organs after you're dead, please consider it.
There is also information about living kidney donation and bone marrow donation.
For blood donation the National Blood Service is useful.
If you haven't done this, and there's no reason you want to keep your organs after you're dead, please consider it.
There is also information about living kidney donation and bone marrow donation.
For blood donation the National Blood Service is useful.
UNK UNK UNK UNK UNK!
May. 3rd, 2007 01:26 pmHappy ewt.
Assembled bicycle. It didn't take long, partly because I'd already done it once and partly because I managed to find the correct attachments for ratcheting screwdriver, which is easier to use than the allan key provided.
Rode to the end of the street and back. Did not get squished or fall off. Tyres are a little underinflated, so I need to get a decent pump - preferably one with a pressure gauge. I also have to be quite careful not to bugger up my hip mounting and dismounting, with the seat at the correct height for me (can put balls of both feet on ground, or one foot flat - this is what I was taught as a child and for now I shall stick with it as it feels most comfortable)... on the other hand, having the seat at the right height seems to reduce my tendency to use excess tension in my arms, so all and all this is a fair trade-off - I just have to pay attention, that's all.
I need to either find the lights I have (um, I think most of them got taken apart as blinkygoff costumes at one time or another...) or get some new ones. I'd prefer something that will run on AA or AAA batteries, because I can charge those with a solar charger. I'm considering whether I need the "bright enough so that cars will see you" type, or the "bright enough to be able to see the road etc" type - the latter are far more expensive and will take more power, but if I'm going to be cycling on canal towpaths they would greatly reduce my chances of ending up in the drink, which is, IMHO, a rather important consideration. (And yeah, ending up in the drink is better than ending up squished - I might not even sustain any real injury, since I can swim, whereas "squished" for me probably means months of physio at the very least - but that doesn't mean I should be reckless; being able to see is always better. Of course, if I can't see I'll just walk instead, but that's kindof not the point of having a bicycle...).
I should think of a name for the thing. Suggestions so far include ewticycle and w00ticycle, but these are both a little long.
Mudguards come in orange, dark blue, and forest green; I'm leaving the orange ones on for good visibility. I am sorry they are not pink.
I want metallic pink handlebar streamers, even though it is frivolous and people would just laugh at me...
Assembled bicycle. It didn't take long, partly because I'd already done it once and partly because I managed to find the correct attachments for ratcheting screwdriver, which is easier to use than the allan key provided.
Rode to the end of the street and back. Did not get squished or fall off. Tyres are a little underinflated, so I need to get a decent pump - preferably one with a pressure gauge. I also have to be quite careful not to bugger up my hip mounting and dismounting, with the seat at the correct height for me (can put balls of both feet on ground, or one foot flat - this is what I was taught as a child and for now I shall stick with it as it feels most comfortable)... on the other hand, having the seat at the right height seems to reduce my tendency to use excess tension in my arms, so all and all this is a fair trade-off - I just have to pay attention, that's all.
I need to either find the lights I have (um, I think most of them got taken apart as blinkygoff costumes at one time or another...) or get some new ones. I'd prefer something that will run on AA or AAA batteries, because I can charge those with a solar charger. I'm considering whether I need the "bright enough so that cars will see you" type, or the "bright enough to be able to see the road etc" type - the latter are far more expensive and will take more power, but if I'm going to be cycling on canal towpaths they would greatly reduce my chances of ending up in the drink, which is, IMHO, a rather important consideration. (And yeah, ending up in the drink is better than ending up squished - I might not even sustain any real injury, since I can swim, whereas "squished" for me probably means months of physio at the very least - but that doesn't mean I should be reckless; being able to see is always better. Of course, if I can't see I'll just walk instead, but that's kindof not the point of having a bicycle...).
I should think of a name for the thing. Suggestions so far include ewticycle and w00ticycle, but these are both a little long.
Mudguards come in orange, dark blue, and forest green; I'm leaving the orange ones on for good visibility. I am sorry they are not pink.
I want metallic pink handlebar streamers, even though it is frivolous and people would just laugh at me...
Been looking at bike stuff this afternoon, particularly pannier racks/rack packs.
Are there no ethical ones? They all seem to be made out of various types of nylon, it looks like you have to pay about £30 for anything that has decent pockets and versatility, and they're probably all made by slave labour by toddlers in nobodyknowswhereistan.
Maybe I shall make my own. The rack on the Strida is not as large as the standard ones anyway, so it might be better that way. I don't think I have the skill (or materials? It's the seam taping that would be getting in the way...) to achieve full waterproofness with recycled waterproofs from second-hand shops, but I could at least make something that is fairly water-resistant.
Have also been looking at bike lights. It seems to be a matter of "decide how much you want to spend, then look for the best lights you can get in that price range", because you can pay anywhere from hardly anything to £400 for a front light. Lights that are worth more than the bicycle are probably not a good investment for me; lights that are going to fall apart or require stupid small non-rechargeable batteries are definitely a bad investment for me. There's still a large range in between, though.
Must find my cycle maps. TFL is nice but requires me to do an awful lot of planning of where I want to go, whereas maps can be shoved into a pannier (once I have a pannier...) and consulted as and when I need them.
This Saturday and Sunday the DLR is broken between Mudchute and Canary Wharf, and both days I need to get places. I'm wondering about cycling to Canary Wharf instead - it isn't far - and either locking the bike up there or taking it with me.
Are there no ethical ones? They all seem to be made out of various types of nylon, it looks like you have to pay about £30 for anything that has decent pockets and versatility, and they're probably all made by slave labour by toddlers in nobodyknowswhereistan.
Maybe I shall make my own. The rack on the Strida is not as large as the standard ones anyway, so it might be better that way. I don't think I have the skill (or materials? It's the seam taping that would be getting in the way...) to achieve full waterproofness with recycled waterproofs from second-hand shops, but I could at least make something that is fairly water-resistant.
Have also been looking at bike lights. It seems to be a matter of "decide how much you want to spend, then look for the best lights you can get in that price range", because you can pay anywhere from hardly anything to £400 for a front light. Lights that are worth more than the bicycle are probably not a good investment for me; lights that are going to fall apart or require stupid small non-rechargeable batteries are definitely a bad investment for me. There's still a large range in between, though.
Must find my cycle maps. TFL is nice but requires me to do an awful lot of planning of where I want to go, whereas maps can be shoved into a pannier (once I have a pannier...) and consulted as and when I need them.
This Saturday and Sunday the DLR is broken between Mudchute and Canary Wharf, and both days I need to get places. I'm wondering about cycling to Canary Wharf instead - it isn't far - and either locking the bike up there or taking it with me.