Category Archives: Travel

Sunrise, 07.49

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-3.5 to 0°C, light ENE, thin cloud, very low humidity

I had to pull over on the drive to work today. The sun was poking its orange bald head through a forest on the horizon and more remarkably, beaming an orange shaft of light upwards to the clouds. It looked so striking that I found a layby and jumped out with my camera. The light was still low so the picture is blurred by camera-shake. Even on the drive to work, you have to make time for something like this. There are islands poking out in the ocean of mundanity.

Infamy, infamy, everyone’s got it in for me.

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-1 to 3°C. Clear, CA:43 miles

Three hour ride today. I really needed this one for its de-stress effects. The start was hard though, legs felt empty and riding hills was a disproportionate effort. I don’t really know what caused that so I rode along puzzling over plausible causes. Was that the stress causing the weakening too? I will never know, but it’s possible. It’s also possible that last night’s supper was guilty- too much cheese and not enough of the usual carbos.

Here we are, a new week. This one comes with a dark cloud hanging over it however. Maybe that will clear on Thursday.
Maybe not.

High Moor, Parbold

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9°C, drizzle. CK:40 miles

I normally hate riding in the rain so this ride was remarkable. The mild air, relief from strong winds and a strong desire for a good ride drew me out. The route included High Moor from Parbold up that steep climb which I have been up before. I have not made it to the top on the single-speed though, but for some reason today I ground on. There is a slight relaxation of the incline about half way up so I stared at that. Once I passed it, the effort didn’t reduce, but it did cease to increase, which was good enough. The last part just before the crest involved pulling on the pedals in addition to weaving. Weaving does decrease the incline slightly.
It seems a double victory to get to the top without any foot-down stops- I am heavier (14st 9), the wet, and my ankle problem which decided it was a good day.

I now have feet that feel considerably better than before. A very good day out in the rain.

There is a fly in the house- what are they doing here in early January?

Boxing day

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10°C, sun & strong wind. CK:57 miles

Good Christmases have to include a good bikeride, this one was despite the wind. It was warm (relatively) so much that I sneaked into a farm to use a standpipe to replenish my water bottles. Several recent rides have been spoilt by dehydration so I’m keeping on top of that. Using a 42×17 gear felt just right too. My troublesome tendon is  not noticeable when riding without overshoes. Those things put too much pressure on that achilles tendon. A good day followed by deep sleep.

no white Christmas

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5°C, rain & warming. CK26 miles

Decent ride around Lancs in the gloaming. The new Armadillo tyre seems fine. Naturally, I’m wary of tough, puncture resistant tyres but there are many punctures to be had in Lancs- especially on those cycle-tracks near Southport. Puncture resistant tyres have, in the past, given a harder ride & are prone to skids. They don’t even offer any real reduction in punctures.
Today’s ride tested them reasonably well on slimy roads with black clay mud in Lancs lanes. I felt no wheel-spin or skittishness on corners.
Interesting how two rides can contrast. Sunday, I rode 33 miles and was pretty worn out at the end. Contrast that with today’s outing. Fewer miles, yes but finished feeling refreshed and warm all day. It’s not good to miss more than 2 days’ exercise.

Tomorrow is to be warmer- possibly 12°C and no rain. What a contrast with last year!

Sunday’s 46

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6°C, lighter wind. Sun became rain early afternoon

Legs took too long to warm up on this ride. Perhaps because of yesterday, perhaps caused by food or perhaps the fortnight off.

Laughed hard; I needed this one, almost too much. The rest of the site misses the mark a bit, so feel free to avoid.

Had this book knocking about since 2008 and recently decided I need something boring to get to sleep. You need something to put between work thinking and lights-out. Trouble is, it hasn’t entirely worked. It’s getting interesting, especially since the book is full of first hand accounts.

30 miles to whizz

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8°C, sunny & brisk W. CA:30 miles

It’s always a tricky one to decide when to return to riding the bike. I’ve had nearly two weeks of with what should be the winter’s heaviest cold. Suddenly, yesterday (Friday) I felt ready to get back on. That fizzy legs feeling had come back but there was ice on pavements as I walked the dogs early. One more day I decided.

A pheasant

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10°C, clear, RW wind+chill. CA:26 miles

Rode to the usual cafe today, ate some simple cyclist’s food & came back at a plodding 13.5 mph. Perhaps it was too soon to ride after that awful cold of last week. Near Catton Park, there was the most unsettling sight. A pheasant, in a puddle of all places. I went back to check it and the poor thing was still alive. It had a head injury, a slightly broken end of beak with a little blood dripping. Apart from that it seemed reasonably alert. No attempt was made to flee my presence.

I have no idea what to do in this situation with these poor creatures, so I picked it up and placed it on a patch of longer grass in the sunshine. A vain hope I know, but maybe it could warm up enough to take off.