Category Archives: Cycling

One hour’s blast.

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7°C, calm with thin broken cloud. Dry.
I rode Fixed with MapMyRide+! Distance: 16.21mi, time: 01:00:23, pace: 3:43min/mi, speed: 16.11mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1418899685
Early morning ride to set up for the day. I’m stuck in the house marking until teatime, so this should make it bearable. I saved the route as a favourite, it was ideal.
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Artificial lights: in a room that’s filled with sunshine, and you’re, say, watching TV. Why would you put the lights on?
I wouldn’t bother, but kids do every day and I’m baffled.
If you’ve experienced this, have you thought to ask ‘why?’?
Maybe, your experience tallies with mine. Unfortunately, the answer doesn’t clarify anything. In fact, over the years, I have never heard anything approaching an explanation.
Today, the reply was just to squirm and mutter ‘I don’t know’. That’s pretty much always the same answer, from different kids too.

I remain baffled. If you have any clues, please reply.

Roast pigeon, no.

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11°C, 4/5 white cloud. Light NW.
I rode Racelite with MapMyRide+! Distance: 27.84mi, time: 01:59:42, pace: 4:18min/mi, speed: 13.95mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1415353749
This afternoon lacked the fizzing energy I get sometimes, so a steady ride. Though the bike felt light and nimble, I ‘tapped on the wheel’.
I still feel too stretched out though. It looks like a change to a 10cm stem would solve that.

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Pigeon in the chimney,
Opened the flue to find a pigeon’s tail moving about. Poor thing had fallen down the chimney and was trapped.
I got it out wearing rubber gloves and it flew around the room until I could chuck over a blanket. When let out, it took off without difficulty flying without a tail.
What a E.A Poe kind of nightmare. There was a few spots of blood to clean off the window from when it flew round the room trying to escape.
I wonder about its chances of survival, he had plenty of energy but rather battered, bruised and blooded. As long as he can feed himself, then recovery is more likely.
Sorry about the tail.

Jake, wear.

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Is this something to worry about?
The inner chain stays age rubbed down to the bare metal on both sides. This can only happen when the mud buildup on the rear wheel rim is enough.
As the frame material is aluminium, corrosion won’t be a problem. The abrasion has gone through the paint, under-coat and some metal layer.
Besides, the tyres are now new. Previously, punctures were becoming frequent on the rear and grip quite poor.
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Schwalbe Rocket Ron types and the same kind of thing as the original pair. Perhaps fewer punctures also.

First bumbus.

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I rode fixed with MapMyRide+! Distance: 49.63mi, time: 03:17:30, pace: 3:59min/mi, speed: 15.08mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1393579517

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Perfect conditions for a spring ride. Both Dalton and Bannister hill were crested comfortably. The latter, slightly less so than last week. The rest of the day was at a decent pace.
With these light winds, a taller hear would work. Note to self: swap with summer wheels later in the month.

1,000th mile.

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7°C, NE chilly breeze.
I rode Arrow with MapMyRide+! Distance: 18.40mi, time: 01:23:07, pace: 4:31min/mi, speed: 13.28mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1388479221
Started this morning’s commute with 999.9 miles on the collective clock.
The first mile, barely out of my home road clocked up the magic mile.
That’s the first milestone. Planning is underway for the Diamond challenge. Ambitious, but it looks doable. The main threatening variable is the weather.

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Satisfied, moi?

First proper day of spring.

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14°C, light wind and clear sky, mostly. Ideal conditions.
I rode Fixed with MapMyRide+! Distance: 55.06mi, time: 03:36:22, pace: 3:56min/mi, speed: 15.27mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1383738887
Bannister Hill, Dalton and a decent pace for the rest of the day. Result.
A local rider tracked behind me up the climb, and I pulled away near the summit. ‘Did I do good?’ I said when he latched on when it levelled. If rode choice aluminium like with 10 gears. The descent was his though.

White dusty salt.

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I rode Arrow with MapMyRide+! Distance: 54.12mi, time: 03:47:00, pace: 4:12min/mi, speed: 14.31mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1372582069
Dry salty roads, and a cold northerly.
Speed rose as time went by, and I turned for good only because I was cold. Wrong clothes.
It takes hours to warn up once home if you have been cold for along time. Days like these, I need a hot bath. The shower doesn’t do it.

It started well…

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I rode The Jake CX with MapMyRide+! Distance: 10.39mi, time: 01:46:36, pace: 10:16min/mi, speed: 5.85mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1371496079
Cold and deep mud, only once did I stop to run around the mud patches. The others, I powered though. Not once did I grind to a halt, nor fall off. Result!

Then a puncture.
The pump let me down, it barely offered any pressure so that after vigorous pumping, the tyre had lower pressure than before.
I will take it apart to see whether it is too dirty to keep pressure. Maybe, it’s just crap.
By now, the pressure is so low that I couldn’t ride, that meant a 4 mile walk home.
Good job that I like walking.

Empty legs.

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I rode the ‘paddy wagon’ with MapMyRide+! Distance: 28.20mi, time: 01:54:46, pace: 4:04min/mi, speed: 14.7mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1363319339
Took the flattest route. Warm-up was a full 12 miles. Yes, it took that long before I felt sort of normal. All that time a little voice told me I should go home.
I blame yesterday’s irregular food. I ate plenty in the morning, but didn’t have a proper evening meal.
The same thing gap happened in the past when I had chips for supper. I don’t have chips any more. Pizza is nearly as bad.

I look quite pale in the mirror.

Unnamed storm.

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12°C, grey, clearing to sun later; very strong WSW.
I rode Paddy Wagon with MapMyRide+! Distance: 52.68mi, time: 03:49:16, pace: 4:21min/mi, speed: 13.79mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1354437681
Furious howling wind, a tempest even. I tried to select a route that makes the most of the wind direction. Ideally, yet want to come home with a tail-wind. That’s not possible here, upwind is out to sea. Second choice then like a sailor, choose cross-winds. For most of the day, it worked well. The return leg ayr very hard though. Flat, for exposed moors offered no shelves from hurts over 40mph. There was I, standing on pedals, head down trying to offer a small profile, still only able to make 9mph. How my muscles burnt, and how my legs complained.
I map glad to get home.
Geology: stopped in Crossens for a reason you’ll have to guess at. There is a prominent bolder outside a water-works. It was easy to identify as granite. The large square crystals were clear as there is very little weathering on this bolder. It has a plaque:

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Crossens erratic.


That stone travelled over 100 miles way back 12,000 years ago. Somehow, it circuited the glaciers that advanced out from the lake district. Its route must have curved in the Irish Sea. I’m impressed by things like that.