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Monthly Archives: Jul 2022
Anglezarke moor
Kona Jake, 17°C, light cloud, light NW breeze.
After work ride. I headed up the moor towards Winter Hill. The total distance is not great but many of the inclines are. The Jake is a good climber with the right gears, weight and stiffness. I gave the path across Spitlers Edge but stopped at the 2nd gate (No Bikes).
Warm summer rain.
21°C, some sun, but mostly drizzle with heavy pulses. Moderate S.
A nice warm start, but drizzle set in. From the south. There were pulses heavy enough to make bubbles in puddles. I was tired at the end but after the last week, that’s not surprising.
Backache.
I wake absurdly early lately. Anyway, I felt the need for a nap at 11 this morning after getting up at 5am. My bedside reading is a guidebook for the GR20. Reading that fired me up too much for sleep so the rucksack got repacked instead.
We soon travel to Mallorca and I will take my boots and get some hill training.
I’ve stopped running this week. After a couple of weeks with tightness around the lower back and pelvis, I pulled something on the last run. Since then, it’s been extremely tight, or at times, painful.
Ride between summer drizzle showers. Cycling doesn’t trouble this backache until I get off.nswinging my leg to dismount is harder than riding at a decent pace for a few hours. On the bike is actually a relief.
Busy day and an airshow.
Up early, as I do in high summer. This was the fastest yet, helped by using proper running shoes. Ideally, I’d like a.oair that are a big less squishy and more springy. I don’t need to build stamina this way, it’s all about building resilience in my legs.
Watched the airshow for a while. From the back garden, Hawker Hurricane, then at the seawall: Mig 15. Then ride through the brown and stopped to see a P51 Mustang. That was great, I loved the sound. It makes a whirring as well as the clattering rumble from the 27 litre engine. It looked fine in silver and red livery.
Sounds ideal this; spent the afternoon killing around on the grass in the garden. The deep cerulean blue sky was perfect and unblemished. Occasionally, it was cut by a vapour trail or a pair of buzzards. Eventually, I rode back home. This time, the route was mostly towpaths and then gravel. Near the end, I grew tired of the vibrations, especially the last 5 miles. I shall sleep deeply.
Flying the fixed
17°C, moderate NW.
24.8 kph (mean) is quick for me, a bloke in his late 50s. I’ve barely ridden the Paddy Wagon this summer but I jumped on it today. With little time, I put the hammer down and rode swiftly. This is possibly the fastest ride of the year by me.I ran this m
I ran this morning too!
Running, me?
15°C, grey morning.
Walk, run, machine, run, repeat. I’ve never been a runner, considering myself too heavy for it. But I’ve done 4 runs in the last week.
Sunday CX
17°C, stiff W breeze, dry and sunny.
This week I have mostly ridden the CX. More gravel roads in gorgeous sunshine and dry. Everything about the bike feels right, except it hasn’t got a working speedo. Part of me doesn’t miss that.
Embankment and inflamed.
17°C, light S. Lots of sun.
Something bit me on this ride. I didn’t really feel it but my lip swelled up as I rode. During the tricky part of the embankment where I couldn’t let go of the bars. I did get a quick swipe but thought nothing of it. Towards the end, it looked like a Botox failure (mind you, botox always seems to look wrong).
Another thing I brought home was the smell of cow maure. The nature reserve allows cattle to graze the other side of the embankment. One part of the embankment was thick with dung and no way to get past to avoid it. My shoes and the tyres were caked in it. that suff is very difficult to wash off.
Joining up the gravel tracks.
17°C, 50% cloud, light S wind.
Today, I combined several gravel style routes to make up a 2 hour outing. The tracks were dusty but it was well worth it.
Micycle 