Slave

Speak to Nacy Drew. She's a hubber who does the spruit regularly.

Ok, ok. I will leave the rifle at home of you promise to make sure there are no crocodiles in the area we ride in. 10 billion is more than a few Dollars. If I had that much, I would have put in a bigger offer for GOv2.0's Prince. Andy, I am going to leave the binocs at home for this trip. I am going to find a small pair for our next trip to SBR, but only if Nance is with us. If you join the ride, I may need them to see how far ahead you are.

Oxman, Some old dogs just never learn new tricks. 2700 feet is 2700 feet. Translates to roughly very high muzzle velocity of a high powered rifle, noatbly the FN. I never did learn the metric equivalent. Now, an R5 on the uvva hand Oxman, is 900 m per second. Just a tad faster than any taxi driver can manage, even in a hiace. BTW, hiace is an abbreviation for High Impact African Culling Equipment.

Quite Porky. The known brands (Gud, Fram, Ferodo, ATE) are usually good quality at a good price. Several years ago, I drove an Opel Monza. Very good on fuel, exceedingly heavy on brakes. I went to the agents and they wanted R450 for a set of brake pads. (It was a fortune back then). When I informed the sales person, he loftily told me that ATE was not OE on Opel. So I went and spent the R150 on ATE anyway. About two years later, we bought an Astra. Brand new. When it came time to put in new pads, I pulledout the old ones and went off to LSS. Guess what, the calliper and pads were ATE. Agents deserve what they get.

IDJ. Initial cost is almost always seen as a huge obstacle when first investigated. I think that the powers that be though often overlook the long term savings. Big cost now, big long term benefits. As Go lefty has just shown, things are not always as simple as they first appear. There are a number of other factors that determine the price of goods. Simplistically, supply and demand are key factors in determining price and are by no means the only ones. Global warming is certainly something that concerns me deeply right now. If we think about it, we are almost at mid winter. So far we have only had one cold snap (this past weekend). How do I know this? I have cycled every weekend so far this year and this is the frst time I got cold and I don't have much in the way of winter gear. I remember winter before when we used to get frost in late April and early May. This year, only very late may. No matter how it is done, crude oil useage has to be reduced radically. (Of course this is only my opinion.) If one is to believe the conspiracy therorists, then big oil companies control a lot of decisions with big bucks. It certainly cannot hurt to use more environmentally friendly ways to generate cheap power even if those savings are longer-term. In the long run, we need to save the environment as well as find sustainable way to do it and keep commerce going. No matter how blase many are about the environment, now would be a good time to turn it around. Riding in the SBR nature reserve on Saturday, I looked towrds the city and was appalled by the cloud of dirty poluted air hanging over the city. Little wonder so many people suffer from asthma and other lung problems today. The shyte in the atmosphere just over JHB alone was enough to cause me concern. Do we really breathe that air every day? IMNAAHO, not enough is going on to curb global warming, behind the scenes or not. Perhaps this would be a good time for me to end as I seem to have gone off topic.

idj. even if they had two or three hydro plants, it would reduce a massive amount of coal consumption. That's a lot of greenhiuse gass. Don't kid yourself on the amount of time left before we run out of options to turn off global warming. I believe the problem to be in need of very urgent attention. There is solar and wind energy as well and I see precious little use of that in Africa.

Perhaps I mistated my point. The quality of the parts is often the same (Some would disagree and I'm talking of my own experience) between priate and OE. Only the boxes vary, the content is often the same. You pay more by buying it at the agent. So same part = more money just because it is in a GM box. The agents make huge profit on the parts and they make a fortune on the labour. You pay journeyan rates of several hundred and hour and they put an appy to work on the car and pay him minimum wage. Yes I agree, you have saved yourself a fortune by doing the work yourself. My point is you need to familiarise yourself with the relative difference in part quality and see if you can save some more. Yeah Slowbee, we invest in Shares and want bigger dividends. That only comes from higher profit so it goes full circle and comes back to bite the consumer, right where the sun don't usually shine.

I guess it is pretty much the barometer of economic cyclesstarting to turn the corner. However, I'm not convinced though because GM are filing for chapter 11 (Bankrupcy). Unless the market has already discounted this, I think a large correection in the Dow and then the JSE is likely. Just how long this will take to recover is unknown. But then again, GM have been deep in t for a looong time now. I'm talking years. A lot of demand came out of China recently and their GDp had been double digit for some time. (Funny how an economy can perform when the labour cost is low. Perhaps the Africans need to leran something from this instead of holding the economy to ransom and making unreasonable demands.) Anyway Chinas GDP has come down some, just not sure by how much and it is entirely possible that they and India will lead the way out of world recession with the US only turing the corner sometime next year. In the meantime, Oil demand is up and so are the prices. So we just k2k off again.

1 hill, dude. I have already explained that there is ususally little difference between OE and pirate. Sometimes there are and when I know this, I will always go for quality over price. In most cases though, pirate are the same quality at a fraction of the cost. Simple arithmentic says, the motor manufacturerers dropped the ball big time when they priced themselves out of the market. Profit is one thing but to rip off the comsumer is another. Time that the monster they created bit them on the ass. Tony Factor was smart. Reduce the profit margin and you will increase the turnover. I'm afraid we are all victims of our own greed.

It's little wonder that GM are filing for chapter 11 in the US. They (the motor industry) have ripped the consumer off for far too long. In doing so, they have actually created the pirate part market and only have themselves to blame. Some time ago, I saw Toyota's efforts to put the fear of pirate parts into the consumer. They showed the genuine part and the pirate part and I was truly gobsmacked. So I took it upon myself to buy an oil filter from my agent and at the next service (which I do myself) I disected the part. I would go so far as to say that both parts, (pirate and "genuine" were identical in every way except price.) So, the motor manufacturers have dug a pit only to fall into it themselves. I feel rocks for them even though I drive a GM car. Bring on the electic car that will be enviromentally friendly and go for years without the need of a service and have done with the motor industry. That will probably push up bike prices though. Damn, always someone out there to try and rip off the consumer.

Yeah, the bad economy is making the dealers / service staions become very creative at finding new places to get profit. I had an issue with my exhaust flange gasket a while back. The gasket was R10.90 at LSS (Local spares shop). Undoing the bolts. one broke. Sheared right off. Went to speedy and they quote me R1400 to fix it. One trip to hardware store, several drill bits and helicoils later and the job cost me R90.00. Scratch that, the parks cost me R90.00 and the labour too me no more than an hour. Drilled out old broken bits of bolt and replaced all the exhaust mounting and flange bolts at the same time.

Not too sure there but most of use five toes on one foot. Someone told me once "you don't have feet, you have yards." (30 cm = 12 inches = 1 foot)

Yeah, Joe, careful you don't cut yourself dude. You def need shoes to cycle though, becuase "pedal bite" hurts a bit uless you have those old rubber pedals, then you can cycle barefoot.

You found my bird. Which one would that be. A mocking chat? A red billed wood hoopoo? No dude, the binocs are for use checking out the birds while I wait for the rest of you okes to get to the top of the hill, although I suspect that Andy will be doing all the waiting. The rifle was for keeping the crocs at slightly more than arm's length away and maybe for use on a taxi or two and from short range either. The fookers drive a bit too fast, but not faster than 2700 feet per second.

No way! They are merely "foot clothes". You still have the same legs and feet. Speed training helps your speed. LSD helps you forget the pain and see wondrous colours while you ride. (Wait, that was the body induces endorphins that do that. Long slow distance helps your stamina. Shoes merely make for more efficient peddling unless you have turbo rocket boosters on them.

How about getting Admin to create a new thread forum / topis where you brag about your races, training or anythng to do with cycling experiences?

Slowly, slowly big fella. I want to live to tell the tale, you know. Post a write-up of the ride if that's ok with you. You can keel me afterwards. 'k? Now hear this Ox. I would sooner take my chances with Rhinos, hippos, baboons, corcs and other fauna before I take my chances with humans. The rifle was for the crocodile (which I have discovered is the name of a river and not the animal itself. The binocs ar for a closer look at the birds, or are these the feathered variety? (Yeah, I know they are. All the more reason for a closer peek.) Our fine feathered friends are so pretty. IMNAAHO, it is the humas that should be locked behind electric fences and the animals should roam free. The animals are less damaging to the environment and are far more trustworthy. They also don't drive cars, wield guns and only hurt you if you threaten them or they are hungry and want to eat you. Humans on the other hand, always have some hidden agenda and would take anyone esle out for no sane or logical reason, including gross stupidity. But like tha's just my Five Zim dollars worth.

In answer of the question as to why I consider you faulty. Andy, this just sounds painful and obscene mate, not to mention insane. I'll let you know after the ride and then comapre it to sweet bush.

How about I drive it? Easier than riding. Er Ox, how about that co-pilot friend of yours? 'k, so I was looking at that map. I see a Crocodile and a bird fauna park. Do I need to bring a rifle and binoculars?

Yeah, Visas are one thing, passports another and at the price of petrol.. and all that green house gas.

Depends on how many hills Nance is going to have to push me up.

Andy, mate for what it'sworth, I think you are faulty dude. Have your circuit diagram checked.

Is that the best you can come up with? This is all good for 94.7. How long do you figure this is going to take. Is Owl going to come and pace us? Trubes is in, WW and Slave. Kid is throwing weights around the gym these days,so he is probably not going to make it. Maybe some of those eastern fellas might want to ride. Delgado, Mr. Bond et al.