What are your jeans doing today?

[Double 0 Soul]

The kids were doing some 'Escape Room' thing this morning so we had an attic full of teenagers last night.. I was too tired to go to work.

Got up and yawned.. then yawned again.

Then i Pepsi Challenged some nut butter

..and headed out to the Peaks

..tried to find a route from Padley Gorge through the woods..

..to Nether Padley

..but it was more of a push and carry over rocks than a rideable trail so i bagged it off and rode up to White Edge

..all the way to the trig point

..nailing it through the Devils Elbow on the way home

..i got barged out of the way by a herd of cows... cows eh?

4hrs later... I stuck the headphones on and walked to Abbeydale road, it's Pakistani mango season.. i nearly hooked up with @MJF9 here once upon a time

Tagging is a middle class affair in S11

through the park

Feeding the ducks

..along Sharrow Vale Road

..restored garden furniture at Gilberts junk emporium

..kept walking

..past Kenwood Road

..and down to London Road wearing Supreme work shorts, Blue Lug t-shirt and Odd Future Vans.

If you were going on Springer in the 90s you'd need a couple of hair pieces

"Jerry, Jerry, Jerry"

Drooooool!

..and home

Edited July 14 by Double 0 Soul

[MJF9]

^ ahhh yes... and a fine part of the world tis too... in fact, me and the lad are somewhere around the Peaks for a couple of days at the end of the month getting away from it all... nice Supremes, the colour is giving me Michael Portillo trouser vibes from Great Railway Journeys

Can't beat mango season... reminds me when my daughter was a tiny tot we used to give her Pakistani (and also Indian alfonso) mangoes all mushed up - she'd get so excited she'd do a "mango dance" in her high chair.  Certainly worth dancing for imo.

[Geeman]

@Double 0 Soul too tired for work.... but went on a bike ride and a long walk eh... 😉

 

Edited July 14 by Geeman

[MJF9]

I might try that one tomorrow @Geeman and then collect my P45 on the way home

[Double 0 Soul]

I have to use my brain at work which doesn’t work too well after only a few hours sleep..  the body is still pretty good at dealing with tiredness tho..

[smoothsailor]

Did our annual bicycle camp trip with mini sailor( not so mini anymore)

this year was our eight edition. We cycle about 45 km and camp in the Woodson a little campground, we brush our teeth twice if we think about it, change our shorts once and swim in in a local lake. The lake is a sand digs, looks like a Norwegian picture.

previous yrs I had to push my boy along the way, not going so fast , this year we flew both ways

we agreed to keep doing it even when I ride a scootmobiel 

 

[MJF9]

@smoothsailor brilliant... love it!! 

[Double 0 Soul]

Early morning walk down to the Sunday market in the pissing down rain

Paramo, Buco, Supreme shorts, Vans

[rbeck]

Bathroom is at a standstill while we figure out what we're doing about the floor. Have ideas for new tile, but gotta pick a contractor. So in the meantime I started working on patching the water damaged plaster on the ceiling of what will become our master bedroom.

Cut along the joists with the sawzall yesterday. That was messy as hell. Then today I sistered some studs to the joists and hung drywall. Only reason I used the mold resistant boards is cos I had a sheet leftover from the bathroom. 

Then I went for a bike ride with my girl and found a pump track a mile down the road from our house. My parents will be pleased that this means I will be getting my dirt jump bike out of thir basement sooner rather than later. 

[CSL]

Earlier this week Mrs. CSL and I decided to escape the heat and head to the California Coast for a few days.

We had no definite plan other than to stop wherever seemed interesting and fun.

Half Moon Bay was our first stop. After a night in a very smoky hotel room (from a fireplace apparently without adequate venting) we found a nice row of horticultural shops. Lot's of nice orchids here. We bought a few. 

 

Then we headed to San Carlos to visit Brogueshop (I lied when I said there was no definite plan...).It's a beautiful store and perhaps the only place in the US that stocks Freewheelers? Definitely the only one that stocks Timeworn/AtLast Co. It was great to see their products in person. 

A cap and glasses that I didn't buy.

I did snag some things however, and Mrs. CSL got a sweater (already put away). I really didn't need another FW flannel shirt but as I've now become fond of saying, "Sometimes even when you don't need it, you need it..."

 

We headed back to Miramar Beach, had dinner and searched for lodgings, finding a nice B&B by the ocean. 

 

Obligatory seagull pic

 

His tracks and mine (Paraboot as usual).

 

I think these structures are some kind of an art gallery made to look like a viking stave church I think.

 

The next day we headed south planning to stop somewhere around Monterey.

Encountered what I'm told is an authentic British pub along the way😉. 1st wear for the new FW shirt. Now it'll be in the closet until November probably.

 

After this we encountered some LA grade traffic around Santa Cruz. After driving round in circles trying to get to a Starbucks, mainly for the bathroom we took a random road and pulled into a parking lot to regroup. By a complete coincidence we were at the Universal Audio facility. Those involved with music and recording will no doubt be familiar with the brand. 

 

Braving the road again we started our search for the night's accommodations. We found a place in Pacific Grove which worked fine as we weren't bothered about being in Monterey proper. (I visit there every year for a music festival).
We enjoyed the neighborhood. A good selection of restaurants, record shops (one with a bar), and an art museum focused on local artists of the Steinbeck era, most or all being associated of his.

 

I was very keen on this guy's work, of which I was previously unaware.

 

After that we had lunch and visited an antique mall. I didn't buy these books but thought them cool enough to photo.

 

Then it was back to the 101, and gradually rising temperatures, before arriving home at sunset.

 

Since I can't figure out how to delete these extras let's call them bonus pics.

 

Edited July 21 by CSL

[MJF9]

Day 2 in the Peaks with my lad

Walked up Mam Tor… the plan had been to do it early but it was lashing down with rain… we so went later and there were tourists everywhere (ironic I know)

Next year, I expect to be the smallest

A present had been left at the car pfffff

Even more ironically, passed this sign driving back… I did feel I’d been…

Denime 10^th anniversary ‘37s, Tezomeya and McCooys Daisy Mae… plus more meat

Next day, we were in the lido at Haversage before 8am... dodging the blue-rinse old dear brigade swimming two abreast like CHiPs... only different as there were no motorbikes in the pool ... it was a invigorating start to the day

Haversage main street

And a really nice breakfast… (even more upmarket than Sharrow Vale Road Neal!!)

Only 48 hours away... but it felt rejuvenating… the end!

Edited July 27 by MJF9

[Double 0 Soul]

I've just got back from the Peaks.. you're right, there are a lot more tourists out today, it's sign it's the school holidays.

Good and bad experience for me.. the bad part was, i had an argument with a National Park (i thought he was more of a national socialist tbh) Ranger about whether or not i should be riding where i was riding.. a fat rambler joined in taking his side.. i showed them on my phone that i was indeed right.. they said, "ah, but that's the internet.. it was probably written by a spotty teenager".. well that's where you're wrong, i can tell you who wrote it.. it was Derbyshire County Council ..

F'kin little Hitlers!

The good part was.. i was so annoyed, i pedaled faster to get it out of my system and did a PB for the route

Where did you get the parking ticket @MJF9 ?

[MJF9]

Near Mam Tor... my fault in hindsight... there were cars parked up on both sides of the road in what I thought were little lay-bys... it turned out my side of the road wasn't a lay-by, the other side was.  It was chocka with cars so I thought I'd got lucky a bit further out... parked and went... wrong!!  I see what you mean now about the big cars, narrow (and bendy) roads and bellends driving fast <insert fist shaking emoji>   

[Double 0 Soul]

It's all the crazy instagramers, they want to park as near to the peak as possible, take a selfie and go home, like they've accomplished something.. my neighbours have been living in a van out there, they've said there has been an increase in parking tickets, to dissuade them.

I like it when you see a car club out on a Peak District run out.. a convoy of Impreza WRX's for instance. The best car is always at the front, the worst at the back.. 40 something yr old men with 17yr old girlfriends.. alas, 40yr old women don't tend to hang out in B&Q car park on Friday and Saturday nights so their options of finding an age appropriate partner are limited.

[Maynard Friedman]

They’re not even proper mountains, just hills (you owe me £5 for saying that @Duke Mantee)

[Double 0 Soul]

Don’t accept a Scottish fiver they’re only worth 3 quid

[Maynard Friedman]

But that is counterbalanced by their rarity factor (usually firmly rooted in the pockets of dour-faced owners or stuffed into mattresses) which makes them worth £5.01

[buler]

Drying...

New UES 400WW on the left. My new favorites!

[smoothsailor]

Delivering two cargoforks , I made two for someone in Denmark , and my friend can bring them with him on his holidays there. Turns out he is holidaying around the corner from where they need to go.

 

[MJF9]

@smoothsailor great work mate... and always love seeing your Lee jacket... top notch!

[smoothsailor]

Thank you @MJF9. 
I wish I knew how long I have it. But close to 15 yrs and I bought it used from a member on denimbro forum

[Double 0 Soul]

Have you missed me?..

We've been visiting Crete so get yourself comfy for a mega-post

I picked up this Suzuki Ignis Hybrid in the airport.. small cars rule here, the last thing you want driving through villages on narrow roads or passing a local in a battered old pick-up truck on a mountain pass is a big-ass car.. It wasn't as enjoyable to drive as the Fiat's i've driven around Italy, but decent enough.

This is the first year i've had a modern smartphone.. google maps is just a revelation for travelling! .. the places where we stay are often on "unnamed roads" which i can't type that into the Nav.. additional confusion with the Greek alphabet with their Pi, Omega and upside down f'kin triangles!! .. it's more like a maths equation ..I dropped a pin on google maps and it took me straight there.. our house was here.

..before we left, I was trying to build a gmaps itinerary of addresses so i didn't have to worry about typing confusing shit in while i was there. I was struggling with one aspect so I called the offspring over (he types with both thumbs simultaneously) .. he said, and I quote “Oh my god, you’re such a fucking boomer" (I’m actually Gen-X) "give it to me” .. 10 seconds later and he’d sorted it

Then he said “this is an impression of you trying to use your phone“ and started repeatedly poking it with his index finger.. .. Just wait till he wants his laptop fixing!

This is our first house in Kalami* (more of that later) nestled in the trees on the outskirts of Kalyves

..the view from our balcony, the cicadas were deafening! .. the mantis were in their millions!

The first night we drove into Kalyves looking for somewhere to eat.. it's a very traditional Cretan village, i spotted some tables and they invited us in, we were starving having not eaten since leaving the house at 6am.. we ordered lots of food, there was just us, a large Greek family and a young Greek couple having a romantic evening meal.

A small band set up, a guy on keyboards, a guy on guitar and a guy on bouzouki, i thought 'Ow! i hope this isn't going to be some tourist shit' but i couldn't have been more wrong, it was very traditional Greek, folks were taking turns to sing songs, even the restaurant staff came out for a sing.

..after a couple of hours Sarah said 'i wish they'd clear our table' so eventually, i asked for the bill, at which point they cleared the plates immediately and brought out a small vase of ice-cold Raki and 3x shot glasses.. we obviously didn't know the etiquette.

Kid was like, "Hellooo!!" I've never really liked Raki but this village Raki was different, no aniseed flavour, made with herbs.. when it was gone, they brought out another bottle and 3x free desserts..

The Greek dancing started, just the old fellas then the younger women joined in.. i was applauding at the end of one song.. an old timer came over and said "i'm glad you liked it, our timing was a bit out, the old folks dance a different style to the younger folks" .. What the!? .. I'd drunk 2x 500ml Mythos and 9x shots of Raki.. like i'm going to understand the intrinsic nature of Greek dancing..

We had to leave to car and walk home through the dirt.. we got home at 2.30am.. having walked off the alcohol, the boy and i went night swimming.

Deserves a quiet night

This is another village where we ate called Aptera, every single meal in the villages ends with lots of free Raki

..nice view of the mountains

Hello

I wanted to explore this abandoned village while we were in *Kalami.. it's not mapped so i spent hours searching satellite images

https://filmfreeway.com/1385354

..eventually i found the coordinates on a Greek hiking forum, it was a different 'Kalami' at the other side of the island .. the fk! no wonder the sat-nav doesn't work properly.

..

5 days later we moved on from the peace and tranquility of Kalami and i drove to our next destination on the outskirts of Chania Old Town.

We rented this fancy-ass house for 5 days (it cost more to rent this place for one night than the previous place cost for all 5 nights).. top balcony was the doors from our living space and the bottom balcony was the doors from the front bedrooms.

Kitchen..

..out of the doors was the roof terrace to the top right you can just see a minaret which rang a bell around 6pm..

..it slept 8

..The street view below our balcony

Chania is a mix of Venetian and Turkish with traditional and modern architecture, old town has historic monument status.. it's built.. according to the archaeological research, on the ruins of ancient Kydonia, Kydonians are supposed to be a pre-Hellenic tribe.

During the ancient period (3.000-2.800 B.C.) the old harbor was used by Minoans, as a crossroad of all five continents.. it was conquered many times during the past by Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Turks, Hebrews, Egyptians, and Arabs, till the end of the 19th century, when it was liberated... so a good mix.

The city comes alive at 11am and goes to sleep at 4am.. (my teenagers preferred hours) i took these photos at 10.08am and the streets are still deserted.

..harbour panorama

This was part of Chania Film Festival, it was an exhibition of album artwork

..crumbly old Cretan mixed with urban hip.

..street market

..herbs

..A yawning cat photo which the boy took featuring my Dapper's shirt, Supreme shorts and Nike 78 Elite

..tourist shot of the lighthouse at sunset

More Later...

Edited August 11 by Double 0 Soul

[Double 0 Soul]

We often ate breakfast at Monogram at the end of our street

..iced rose (or white) tea and freddo-espresso (sadly, it didn't come with a chocolate frog) was the drink of the morning.

..in the footsteps of Anthony Bourdain, one day i walked from Old Town to Bougatsa Chania, most of the city is pedestrianised so i just left the car on a dirt banking on the outskirts of the city for the week and walked everywhere..

Bougatsa dates back to Byzantine period and became popular in Crete following the Greco-Turkish war in the early 20s when a population exchange saw Greeks living in Turkey returned to Greece..

Anthony will elucidate..

It only cost me 3€

..kid didn't fancy it so he went to the Greek Football Museum instead

..he said the owner was super-passionate about football shirts.

Soon as he walked through the door the owner said "what country are you from?"  and took the boy to the vintage England section, showed him photos of Pele, Maradona and Cruyff wearing shirts then let him hold the actual shirt in the photo .. lots of amazing donations in here.

..again, gmaps was great because i could just pin the boy coordinates and say.. "i'm eating lunch here do you want to join me" ?

 

This was Dominico's .. the only hand rolled gelato on the island

..mixing

..it's stainless steel with liquid nitrogen underneath

..spreading, i had espresso (with a shot of espresso)

Sarah had pistachio

..offspring had strawberry and mango with coconut milk and yogurt base

..rolling

..a couple of days before we left, his friend Oli turned up.. we didn't see much of them for the last 2 days.

fin.

Edited August 11 by Double 0 Soul

[indigoeagle]

Nice, love Crete.

I think, the Raki there is more like Grappa. The Turkish Raki is like Ouzo or Pastis, Pernod.

They are very friendly there and one gets offered Raki all the time. The food can be a bit heavy (if you have say an anticristo) and the Raki makes it surprisingly easy to digest.

You got to try some sheep or goat ice cream. And try the Mastica taste, kind of special. There is also a mineral water infused with Mastica (supposed to be good for the stomach).
I really like Rethimno. Perhaps an idea. 

Also, if you have the time- go to Spili. Nice chill town. Nearby is a herb garden and store with a restaurant. Amazing stuff like Mountain tea and salad herbs and much more.

From Spili you can go to Preveli beach.

In Chania I remember a nice old cafe/bistro near the fountain in the center of town. Perhaps you've been there already.

Enjoy your trip

Edited August 11 by indigoeagle

[Maynard Friedman]

Kefalonia

[Hopethisoneisnttaken]

As August usually is here. The dead of summer. All goes sort of quiet because people stay indoors mostly when it’s not dark. It’s been mostly routine stuff - office, baby stuff, sunset dog walks etc. no jeans in site for a month now. 
 

Cloud makers. 


 

Upside down for some reason

decent steak from a few days ago.  

Also, a friend of mine opened the first denim shop in our parts. Very nice store and much more convenient now that I can go and try on stuff in person and buy it, rather than DM brands on IG about how they measure thigh width. 
I bought this Pherrows Henley. 

 

[Double 0 Soul]

7 hours ago, Maynard Friedman said:

Kefalonia

Thanks for the write up Martin.. Judith Chalmers job is safe for the foreseeable 

[PartTimeBarista]

Off work this week, took a day trip to Mackinac Island today. Mackinac Island is a historically significant car-free island technically in Lake Huron, one of the 5 Great Lakes. Lake Michigan ‘flows’ into Lake Huron through the Straights of Mackinac, an almost 5 mile wide channel that separates Michigan's lower peninsula from the upper peninsula. Due to this strategic location, Mackinac Island has been used as a fort since 1780 to control the Straits. Originally built by the British, it was taken by the Americans not until 1796, 20 years after independence was declared. The British also briefly reoccupied the fort and island from 1812-1815. Of course, the location was also strategically and culturally important to Native Americans long before. I remember reading an excellently illustrated book as a kid about Mackinac Island, which according to Native American legend was formed by a giant turtle. The name Mackinac actually orginates from the Ojibwe word meaning ‘great turtle.’ Interestingly enough, the French spelled it Mackinac and the British Mackinaw. The island and bridge use the French spelling, but the city on the mainland the English. As an island, the only way to reach it is by boat, plane, or if the straits freeze over, snowmobile. There is a small year round population, but it’s largely a (very popular) summer tourist destination. It’s an incredibly unique and beautiful place!

Fort Mackinac, where you can see historic reenactments.

Typical ferry

The Grand Hotel (view from the ferry), which boasts the longest front porch in the world, and has a formal dress code (and is very expensive).

View of the Mackinac Bridge from the ferry, which connects Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. When it was built, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world at 5 miles.

 

Downtown. The only transportation on the island is horse-drawn carriage and bicycles. 

Fort Mackinac sign

 

American Trench / Whitesville / Left Field / Hokas

Edited 2 hours ago by PartTimeBarista