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As the title really. This last year has seen loads of things to get everyone down, me included, so to lighten the mood a bit I thought it would be good to see some positive stuff shouted about for a change.
They can be bike-related or not, even choose 3 of each if you want. Pictures welcome, videos, whatever.
My non-bike list is:
1: Passing my HGV test. Took a bit longer than I wanted for a variety of reasons but was a great feeling to tick that box!
2: Having a summer of adventures in my Mini. There's a separate thread on it on here but the amount of times I cheered myself up by just talking it for a blast was great.
3: Dad getting given the all-clear from his Cancer. A massive weight off the families' shoulders that one.
Bike-related:
1: My new bike at the beginning of the spring. Arrived right as we were being allowed to explore further.
2: All the local rides during lockdown, seriously stopped me going insane with everything going on.
3: Getting the Rider's Rider award from the STW Zwift races. Meant more as it was voted for by some of you lot (although I secretly think there were only two others who voted to counter my vote for someone else!).
So over to you lot, what's been the good stuff in the last year?
Nice thread!
1) all my family are fit and well. Definitely grateful for that.
2) Mrs fadda bought a new bike and is talking about getting coaching in the spring
3) I passed my CBT and bought a scooter - brilliant!!
1. Eldest smashed his A levels, passed his driving test and got in to Cambridge.
2. Youngest has suddenly found her self confidence and has got really focused on her school subjects and other stuff
3. MrsMC has given me a talking to tonight and we have agreed we can afford for me to jack in the job that is killing me and my self confidence and take something less stressful and part time to fit in with caring more for my parents.
Writing that has felt strongly cathartic.
1. Worked from home
2. No need to get up early
3. Cooked my lunch
1) infection control awareness
2) the peace & quiet of those first weeks of lock down
3) i've a job I enjoy
2) the peace & quiet of those first weeks of lock down
Was that 2021?
1. I got a grandson.
2. Working from home means I got to spend the first 10 months of his life with him and forged a relationship that I could never imagine.
3. I started my dream job.
1) we're still here, fit and healthy, and avoided the 'rona with a vulnerable person in the house.
2) summer hols were ace.
3) I've peered at the end of our mortgage, hopefully that's the last ever remortgage.
Non-bike related:
1) Got married. Second time round. 100% right. Know I've found my soulmate.
2) Bought a house (finally at the age of 40). Took almost a year to complete for various reasons but really glad we held out for it. Perfect family home.
3) Got a dog. Have wanted our own for years after providing a free dog hotel for everyone we know. Knew that we needed our own place first. He completes the family and makes every day a joy.
Bike related:
1) Bought a titanium frame gravel bike for my 40th. Enjoyed building it up and then putting plenty of miles on it.
2) Great trip with 5 of the lads road biking in Scotland. Beers, banter and just so nice to be together after so much time in lockdown.
3) One of "those" days on a solo trip to Afan. Felt fit, rode well, endless energy and then finished off with a pint in the sunshine.
1) Got to see my parents lots
2) Had a family holiday
3) Managed to admit I needed more help to sort my head out.
Being able to go and ride my bike with my son in The Lakes and North Wales.
Deciding that 2022 will be my last year as the string puller/plate spinner for work.
Having all the close family remain healthy despite the virus.
1. My dad had his 90th birthday in October and is remarkably spry, all the close family but my sister who lives in Italy could come and it was a great day
2. My CFS went into a bit of remission and so my partner and I, my brother and his wife had an excellent walking holiday in Northumberland in June. It was fantastic.
3. I fulfilled a long term ambition of making a wood and metal 1/16th scale Sopwith Camel model and it actually looks OK
Really struggling with this one, tbh.
1. Elderly mum and dad both recovered well from major health issues, stroke and heart bypass respectively during the lockdown. Seeing them both in and out of hospital during the height of Covid before the vaccination program properly kicked off was terrifying. Thankfully neither of them have had it.
2. Son and daughter both happy and successful in their work and in great long term relationships.
3. Had a fantastic summer motorcycle tour in Scotland with Mrs Bloke on the pillion seat.
Great thread by the way! Thanks. I could easily extend the reasons to be cheerful well beyond three.
None bike
1. Had our first child in June. He's happy, healthy and I'm madly in love with this odd little creature who has given us both tears of joy and extreme sleep deprivation.
2. Went back to work full time after a few months of worrying uncertainty.
3. Did my CBT in July and passed my Mod 2 in November.
Bike
1. Broke the psychological barrier that was keeping me in the house and managed to actually ride a couple of times.
2. Found some new mates who are going to drag me out to new places more often.
3. Got a DJ bike ready for the new Velosolutions pump track in Hillsborough and the new dirt jumps up the road.
Tbh I'd struggle to get 3.
Can't wait for this year to be done, not been a good one.
Roll on 22.
Not a single illness in the last year for me or the other half.
Had an amazing year out adventure in Europe.
Decade birthdays for me, partner and my mum with a big joint garden party with loads of friends and family in the summer and we only got rained on a bit.
1) my lazier and not as academic son got 92% in his maths test after we spent a painful weekend studying together 🙂
2) all four of us have had covid, all at separate times, and are still alive
3)...lemme get back to you
Whilst it’s been a cr@p year…..
1. Completed my Coastal Skipper qualification.
2. Arranged for my mum to sell her house & move into my village. She now sees my kids far more than previous, and worships my dogs!!
3. With all the upheaval in aviation, I put my spare time to good use and trained as a vaccinator, both volunteer with St John Ambulance, and now with the NHS.
Really struggling with this one, tbh.
No one would expect you to be able to concentrate on 3 things. I should think just getting up each day is triumph enough for you @CountZero.
Man hug sent.
1) A photo a day - there is still so much beauty to find in my everyday world.
2) My family and friends are healthy and safe - no small thing in 2021.
3) I hit the early retirement button for next year - 90 days to go ,I am excited.
1. I paid my mortgage off,
2. My wife's headstone was in place for Christmas,its exactly what I wanted it to be & made her parents cry in a good way,
3. I bought a Porsche.
3a. Late November it was announced our site is closing on 31st March 2022 & with 31 years service and a quite frankly ridiculously good redundancy package, I'm really looking forward to next year 🙂
Its been a pretty rubbish year but like the idea of the thread and positivity is my new mantra for 2022 so may as well start early.
Finally got a new house... we had one fall through AFTER we packed all our belongings in the removal truck. We had to sell and buy twice this year. It worked out for the better in the end.
MIL recovered well from a heart attack
Got a new job last week with a 80% pay rise..yep 80%!!
TBH these all happened in the last 3 months, the first 9 months can f right off.
Non bike:
We managed to have Christmas dinner in our local!
We're both fortunate to have gone another year covid free.
Our greyhound, Jerry, has been a total legend during his recovery from a badly broken wrist.
Bike:
I managed to do a little drop on a trail in Wharncliffe that I'd not been able to. Totally chuffed with that one!
Swapping the mineral oil for putoline in my brakes (shimano) and reverb has improved them beautifully.
I discovered the joy of full mudguards on my commuter bike.
Great thread!
Riding my bike the whole length of Princes Street on the wrong side of the road in the middle of the afternoon, or was that lockdown No1?
Holidays in the Highlands rather than abroad was great, got to places new and walked up loads of hills.
Mrs C went up two Cuillins without needing a guide or a blindfold, might finish her Munro's next year.
I found MTB.
My wife fell pregnant.
We got a puppy.
Despite my dad dying last year, 2020 was a much better year for me than 2021 (which just goes to show how shit this year has been!)
I suppose making it another 12 months with none of us catching the plague is good.
New bike is good, better than good in fact; it’s awesome.
Finally accepting I need help with my mental health and starting to get that help is good.
Good
1. Family not got covid (yet)
2. I am not dead (yet)
3. Paid off mortgage
Bad
1. Lost my dog
2. Not managed to loose my wife (yet)
3. Big deterioration in my health
Objectives for 2022
1. Not to die
1. Seeing the Mother in Law get her confidence back after we spent a couple of weeks with her in the summer, she is still old but a lot less fearful.
2. Seeing people rediscover the enjoyment in things that they took for granted.
3. Seeing my daughter blossom as she returned to school and lots of actvities.
It has been a good year, next should be better but cynicism will return so I will have to work harder.
1. My family all survived 2021
2. So did nearly all the adults with learning disabilities I work with. We managed to keep them housed, fed, and happily occupied throughout the year
3. I gained part ownership of two Parson's Jack Russells and a house.
Bike stuff:
1. I commuted to work everyday by bike
2. A new Whippet
3. I got up a tricky little climb I've been trying for years
Personal
1. Rode a bike.
2. Met a royal.
3. New dog.
Other
1. Antibody was approved to treat Covid-19.
2. Vaccinations worked.
3. Omicron not SARS-CoV-1 as a VOC.
1.family have been happy and healthy - odd cold aside and some pregnancy related hospital time for the good lady her indoors
2.child 3 arrived on Monday - rather abruptly, but that’s another thread of its own
3.pushed my boundaries on the bike / my little lad really developed his trail riding over the summer.
Lots of crap, family left us etc., but otherwise, all things considered, not a truly awful year.
Some lovely stuff on here but this worries me
My wife fell pregnant.
We got a puppy.
That must have been a surprise 😮
1. Managed to get a lot of exercise in. Took up running, been all over the city, the roads have been pretty quiet
2. Had a big clear out of old bike parts. Did some eBay and jumble buying and have a new(ish) bike that is great to ride
3. Won 'hacks and bodges' on gmbn and now have a nice race top.
When visiting my family for Christmas I have to share a room with my brother. After a week I still haven’t stabbed him to death for snoring like an absolute train on steroids. But very, very tempted.
i have 2 very good ones, but the bad far outweigh the joy.
good.
we both retired from work.
we have 2 new grandkids under 2 who we look after a few days every week.
Only one needed for me. My daughter was born in August. Nervy start with a heart murmur and lung infection. All good now though 🙂
Ms Beej asked for a bike for her birthday, after never really riding since being a kid. It's been great seeing her getting more confident and actually asking to go out for rides!
Getting my new bike - frame built by a friend in his garage, completed 18 months after we first discussed it.
Volunteering at the local vaccination hub during the first half of the year. Got me out of a nervousness being around people and was good fun too.
1. Sold our little camper and bought a big one that fits bikes in.
2. We got our 10 year old to admit he loves riding bikes!
3. Dancing with friends at Craig Charles gigs.
1) Everyone in my family managed to get through the year alive and I was allowed to see my Nana to celebrate her 97th birthday a few weeks ago - hadn't seen her for ~18months.
2) Had a truly brilliant sailing season - the weather this year was by far and away the best on my living memory.
3) Ended the year with all debt paid off (bar mortgage) and managed to put more into savings than I had to withdraw.
I have high hopes for next year!
3)…lemme get back to you
Aha, this'll do:
Yesterday I finally managed to do 100 boulder problems in a session at the local Depot
I'm trying to think of highlights. The general political and pandemic malaise aside, it has been a fairly average year. So I'll go with:
1. Daughter's first school holidays. Taking time off to just hang out with my girl in hot sunny weather - just like summer holidays should be.
2. Outdoor swimming. Always liked a dip outdoors - got to it a bit more this year and its great for the soul.
3. Work. Yes, work. Not for work as such, but I've made myself a bit of a gameshow host personality at times of online Covid socials. Has been fun and good to come out of my shell in front of hundreds of colleagues.
After losing our 18 year old Springer Spaniel in 2019, and being stymied in our search of dog rescue establishments by the arrival of COVID, we were lucky enough to be tipped off about a soon-to-be-retired working Cocker Spaniel, in December 2020.
After quite a bit of head scratching about how to relocate him from the shooting estate, in Scotland, to his new home in Sussex, a mid-way meet was organised, and he finally arrived in April 2021.
He's adapted very well, considering that he lived in outside kennels before, and now has a nice sofa to snooze on, and 2 different local woods to run loose in.
He has even turned out to be a decent trail dog for a bimbling MTBer fast approaching 60
Happy days!
For some reason, Flickr only allows bbcode links to be generated via the website, when you force your phone's browser into 'desktop' mode.
Even the Flickr app seems to be devoid of bbcode abilities.
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Some great stuff from lots of you, really good to read lots of upbeat things for a change.
Those of you who are struggling to think of anything: doesn't have to be big things. Can be something simple and mundane. The idea is to stimulate happy thoughts so that it encourages more. For example I saw a little kid at the FOD grinning like mad as he was covered in mud from riding, that brought a smile to may face and others around me.
Oh and TOTW! That's a surprise but in a good way.
1.Spending a weekend riding in wales with my best mate instead of a week in morzine.
2. Spending 3 weeks with my family in the Uk doing things locally that we would not normally do when lying on a sunny beach.
3. Winning a 8th consecutive constructors championship.
RB fans, don’t bother because I don’t bite x
1. DNF on the mountain trail race I did in Switzerland, but still managed over 260km of running/walking in the Alps, non-stop.
2. My sister changed jobs and I'm now looking after her dog for a couple of years.
3. Lots of biking and running and swimming and general exercise, which is great as I turned 50 this year.
Despite my best efforts I failed to die.
Played a lot of guitar.
Found my niche working in the COVID business helping folk. Felt useful for the first time in years.
1. I finally got my motorbike licence and bought a bike
2. Err
3. Erm
2021 was generally shit for me, but I survived so could certainly have been worse.
1, got a new opportunity at work which really suits me well,
2, won the Magura brakes in the Megasack comp, the bike I'm bringing back from the dead will be very grateful for these.
3, had a Turkish breakfast the other day, which was delicious.
1. Had more time to ride during the lockdown in February.
2. Got engaged.
3. Started running.
1. Watched my brother buy a flat with his bf, and finally seem happy and contented in himself after years of mental health issues;
2. After a huge amount of work and frustrations, @p20 qualified as an advanced driving instructor the week before Christmas - super proud;
3. Despite starting 2021 with awful long covid, I finished the year with 1000+ miles on my bikes including my wonderful new Niner gravel bike and Stanton Sherpa which I have really enjoyed riding.
1) Our wildlife garden has been reaping rewards after 14 years, as a hedgehog started visiting regularly.
2) I'm only just managing to still mtb as an old lady. (need to get some confidence back as I have had a few weeks off and ride the tandem more now).
3) Through making scrubs in a voluntary local group, the organiser started giving me paid work (I'm a professional curtain maker and she's an interior designer), serendipity. The extra money is useful as our house needs a lot doing to it.