If you read the last issue of FSN, you will have seen my report of last weekend's excellent winter event for folders at Portmeirion. A more complete report, with photographs, can now be found in on our web pages.
For the first Portmeirion event in 1996 I used my Bike Friday, and rather regretted it, as I was the only person not using a Brompton, and I spent more time folding it than riding. In 1997 I decided that I didn't want to suffer like that again, and took the Brompton; Sod's Law being what it is, I did much more riding and much less folding that year. This year I decided to use the Birdy, and it performed impeccably throughout the weekend. I covered just under 100 miles over the four days, and apart from travelling on the train to and from the event, the only time I needed to fold it was for the journey on the Ffestiniog Railway. For so little folding the Friday would probably have been even better, but I certainly had no complaints about the performance of the Birdy - and come to that, the Brompton would no doubt also have coped without any problems.
I took my new digital camera with me to produce pictures for the web pages, but in the end all the pictures I took were produced with a Yashica Samurai half frame camera. The main reason for using it was that I needed pictures for an article in the half-frame magazine, but it too behaved very well.
I'm now eagerly looking forward to next year's Portmerion weekend - but now that my three main folders have all been there once, what am I going to use in 1999?
I'm getting cold feet - literally, as a result of the weather. I didn't take a ride today in view of the freezing conditions, though this was as much to do with the risk of sliding off as with the pain to my extremities. As I have rather bad circulation, the hands suffer too, but it is the feet which are most difficult to do anything about. Two pairs of socks don't seem to help much, so if anyone has any suggestions regarding keeping the feet warm in this weather, I'd be very grateful to hear from you, and we might manage a web page on the subject! Matters are made more difficult this year by the fact that I have converted to SPDs, so that the rather substantial boots, with room for 3 pairs of socks, which I have worn the last few winters, are not suitable.
In FSN 11 I asked for the help of readers in a survey on folder and cumbersome use. Many thanks to those of you who have already replied - the response really has been very good. I'm still keen to have as full a response as possible, to prevent any suggestions that the survey isn't representative, so if you haven't yet replied, please do so. The results will appear in FSN 13. The survey only involves two questions, namely:
Those who have not already arranged to go on Mr Portly's Christmas Ride on 12th December, and who live a bit further north, may like to be reminded that there is an Origami Phoenix Ride on the same date, starting as usual at Meriden at 11.00am. This particular event is designated as our Mince Pie Ride - those attending are asked to bring a mince pie with them, and we'll have a pie swapping session at lunch time. Last year the local Central train service entered into the spirit of things, and on the way to the event a group of Santa Clauses came round the train handing out mince pies to travellers. Web pages Don't forget to keep an eye on our web pages, which are at: http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/foldsoc
If for some reason you don't want to receive future issues of FSN, just send me an email; to this effect.
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Copyright (C)1999 Ferrets Anonymous
Last updated: 31 January 1999
URL: http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/foldsoc/fsn/fsn012.html