SV-Wolf's Bike Blog

[sv-wolf]

Honestly if I could possibly manage it I'd be over there in a heartbeat. I'd love to visit the UK. Unfortunately it's not in the cards at the moment, financially or time-wise. This stupid "work" thing doesn't give me enough free time and doesn't pay enough to have fun on said free time!

All well! That's a shame. If circumstances change, and you do get over, though, be in touch. You know how to contact me if you want somewhere to stay, or just a point of contact.

Cheers

Hud

[Wrider]

So I just read an article saying a small glass of Olympic wine will be $7.29, a glass of beer will be $11.10, fish & chips will be over $10.00, porridge will be $3.29, a bottle of water will be $2.79, and a regular bottle of coke will be $3.79.
This presents you with a business opportunity sir! Get stocked up beforehand, put some saddlebags on the bikes filled with ice and various stuff, and sell it for double what you paid, because it's still cheaper than buying it from a vendor! Plus if the cops try to arrest you, you'll be on the bike already and out of there! haha

[sv-wolf]

Fleecing tourists is a well-established passtime of Londoners. The Olympics seem to have encouraged them to turn it into a fine art. Have you seen the price of tickets!!!!!! A friend has paid close to £200 to watch an hour-and-a-half event!

The only effect the Olympics will have on my life is to give me a huge headache. I have to travel through the city a couple of times a week. By all accounts the transport infrastructure is not up to coping with all the expected visitors and it is predicted to be a shambles. I hope that doesn't happen, but Heathrow airport and the rail, bus and underground systems are only just coping now.

The Olympic organisers have also had the cheek to ask Londoners to volunteer for clean-up duty so that 'we' can make London 'look its best' for the event. (There are posters everywhere.) 'We', of course, means those that are going to make a mint of money out of the games. Thousands of Londoners have already had their lives disrupted by the whole shebang. There have been loads of complaints - many of which have been quietly ignored by the media, and the 'justice' system has been 'dealing' with those that protest at having the lives and environments wrecked. Landlords near the Olympic stadium have been kicking out their tenants, so that they can charge astronomical rents to Olympic visitors. Ah! the entrepreneurial spirit! (Liberterians and anarcho-capitalists will love that one.)

That's the other face of all the hysterics and hoo ha!

Apart from the few who will coin it in, I can't see why anyone would want to put themselves through all this. As you can see, I'm no fan.

[drumwrecker]

Richard, You forgot the London council tax increase to help pay for it together with the massive raid on the Lottery.
The bit I can't get my head around is an organisation such IOC can make such demands on a countries who would like to host the games after all it is just running, skipping and jumping.
Anyone know where I can go and miss the whole games preferably on my bike?

[dr_bar]

The IOC demanded that there be improvements to our highway that connects Vancouver to Whistler before approving Vancouver to host the 2010 Games. Cost of said repairs and upgrades were in the neighborhood of 600 to 900 million dollars. We also had to upgrade our LRT system...

[sv-wolf]

I read somewhere that in the last fifty years all but one Olympic event has resulted in the organisers being in hock up to their eyeballs for decades afterwards. I understand the cost of the games is going to be about ten times the predicted amount - tens of billions of pounds. 'Austerity' only seems to apply to those who can't make a killing out of things like this. "Land of hope and glory, mother of the free", my arse. Frankly, I think it's a pity the tube drivers are no longer threatening to go on strike during the event.

If you find a good two-wheel escape route DW, let me know.

[dr_bar]

So sorry, the Mayflower already sailed...

[blues2cruise]

DW and SV....we have plenty of good riding roads over here. British Airways can fly you out of Britain and you can ride Doc's Valkyrie... I'll have to work, so you can ride my Vulcan, too.

[drumwrecker]

Unfortunately I am planning our trip to the USA for September plus my wife is a sports fan and always watches big events like the international football (soccer), tennis and especially the olympics so I am banjaxed as far as watching TV is concerned. So I guess it is some long rides or set up camp in the garage.

[sv-wolf]

So sorry, the Mayflower already sailed...

LOL.

I was in Bermondsey, London, three weeks ago and stood on the dock it sailed from. Damn! I'm always late.