SV-Wolf's Bike Blog

[dr_bar]

Then look for a camera that shoots RAW images, don't use jpg. Tiff is another compressible format, but can be saved as a "lossless" file. The big issue with these files are the size, jpg 1.7MP will be close to 30MP as a tiff and more as raw. so storage is an issue. Another big thing to look at is the process speed of a camera, both the chip and the card will affect this issue.
For example, the faster the processor, the quicker you get to take your next picture, during the day, this is no issue, but say a time exposure while photographing fireworks, a slow processor can make you miss a lot of shots. Don't ask how I know this... LOL

Just some thoughts...

Doug

[JackoftheGreen]

Wolf, I've been meaning to get over and catch up on your blog for awhile now, today I sat down and did some reading.

Well, it looks like the United Kingdom has survived the Scottish referendum - it's still one country and not two. But there are now going to be endless recriminations and bad feelings on both sides of the political fence. Campaigners are already sniping at one another. and there have been accusations of vote rigging which have given the conspiracy theorists a field day.

I've never come across such a lot of hot air, wild promises and dirty tricks in any political campaign as in this one. The shock waves will reverberate for years. And even though the Scots voted (by a relatively small margin) to remain part of the UK, there will now be huge constitutional changes on both sides of the border.

It was fun, though, watching the Westminster government go into a complete panic-driven meltdown when they realised that the devolutionists might win the vote. What a bunch of clueless tossers! 'Scuse my French.

Oh well, at least that means I won't have to get my passport changed.

This jumped out at me. Whatever other fallout or complications arise from this event, I can tell you that as a political junkie I was in AWE of the level of civic participation you guys experienced in the UK. Something like 95%+ voter turnout right? Simply amazing. Granted that was arguably about the biggest decision the electorate of a country can be asked to make, but even given that fact very impressive. Here in America we can't break 50% even on presidential elections, and midterms and other local elections get even less interest. Hell, we can't even get our congress to vote on whether or not to go to war.

So, good or bad or neither, at least you guys stood up and did your duty.

[drumwrecker]

I believe voter turn out in the UK has been as low as 30%. Wolf might correct the figure.
The thinking is that whoever gets in it would be difficult to notice the difference, the country comes second to the interests of those in power.

[sv-wolf]

Cheers DW, I would mostly agree with that.
and yes, I think you're right. The percentage turn out in the most recent local elections was somewhere in the mid 30s.

Sorry Jack, the whole referendum thing depressed me unutterably. Many of the world's catastrophes are facilitated by nationalism or patriotic sentiment - two of the worst political vices in my view.

I don't think it was 'civic duty' that caused people to turn out; it was the delusional belief that the result of the ballot would make some sort of difference to their lives. But swapping one bunch of parliamentary thugs for another doesn't seem to me to merit much interest. People are still going to be exploited whoever is in power. If Scottish working people were this engaged with the real issues, ones that concerned their actual interests, I would be a lot more enthusiastic and optimistic about events - though I wouldn't expect their problems to get resolved through the ballot box.

I suspect our political beliefs differ rather more than a little.

[drumwrecker]

As the vote affected all of the UK then all the UK should have voted.
I would like think Scotland would have stood a better chance of getting their independence.

[sv-wolf]

As the vote affected all of the UK then all the UK should have voted.
I would like think Scotland would have stood a better chance of getting their independence.

LOL. You are suggesting that the rest of the UK would be only too pleased to get rid of them?

[drumwrecker]

Just put a couple of earthquake bombs at either end of Hadrian's Wall and watch it break away and float north out of site.

[sv-wolf]

Once every eight weeks I attend a weekend residential course down near Abbotsbury in Dorset. I ride down on a Friday afternoon to arrive about 7.00 and then back on Sunday night, usually getting into my house a little after midnight. It's a round trip of about 320 miles. This last weekend I rode down on the DR. It was the first longish trip I had taken on the bike and it did it very well. It gave me a chance to put it through its paces. It taught me that it likes to cruise at about 70 mph. It will do 80 with ease and even 90, but 70 feels like its natural, unforced pace. And it feels very natural and comfortable at that speed, too.

Riding back from Dorset at night during the winter is often something of an endurance test. It can be bitterly cold, and from October on, there is a good chance that there will be at least some rain. I generally make at least two stops on the way at motorway service stations to get a cup of tea down me and to warm up. Even though the journey took a little longer this time on the DR, the comfort of its upright riding position was a real boon - no aching wrists or crampy hips by the time I hit the A1(M) for the last stretch home.

No pics (Sorry blues!). I have my old camera back, but it appears to be bust and I haven't bought my new one yet. Next time. Here are some stock pictures from the web showing the Swannery, Chesil Beach (a long sand bar that divides the river Fleet from the sea), the remains of the WWII coastal defences, the sub-tropical gardens, the medieval tithe barn, and a load of other stuff.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=abbot ... d=0CCAQsAQ

When travelling down for the course, I normally take the motorways and A roads. There's not a lot to see for much of the trip apart from traffic, but down at Abbotsbury itself the landscape is spectacular. The twisty, hummocky coast road from Weymouth to West Bay is a joy to ride when the weather is good. I would love to be able to afford to live there.

One other thing I learned is that I am going to have to get my luggage system sorted on the DR before I do any more trips away from home. Although my soft panniers fitted neatly over the saddle without touching the pipes or the end can, their weight proved too much for the plastic side panel which lay under them. When I got down to Dorset I found that the panel had been compressed onto the can and a portion of it had melted. Fortunately it was the original damaged panel, and I still have the spare provided by the dealers.

[sv-wolf]

Hi Doc

Sorry, I must have missed your post somehow. Thanks for the advice. Appreciated. I've never explored the world of cameras and photography before, so it is all something of a mystery to me, and I can do with all the advice I can get. I'll check out what you say against my anticipated needs.

We haven't spoken for a while, so I hope all is well with you and yours.

Cheers.

[drumwrecker]

I hope the Wolf don't mind me publishing this but this is his bike in the showroom just before he picked it up.

There were some interesting bike in that shop