Category Archives: Travel

Volvo V60

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18°C, heavy showers, then sunny.
Poor car, it needs some work, but the cost could be equal to a new replacement. If not new, nearly new. Therefore, I’m shopping around. First way to eliminate a car is to sit in it. Almost all cars are too small. Most cars have too little headroom. I don’t want my hair brushing against the ceiling, what happens over a speed-bump?
1, Audi A4, fits and promises good handling. Not able to test drive today, but it remains high on the list.
2, Skoda, related to VW so should meet the first criteria. Slightly ugly.
3, Volvo,
4, Seat, another VW clone. Better looking than n.2.

The salesmen often ask what colour I want. It doesn’t matter, I can’t see the colour from inside. And I am not going to stand around looking at it from outside, I have better things to do. I explained how I’m too selfish to care what other people think of my car. I want it to be fabulous inside- where I will be.
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Volvo were willing to do a test drive, in the end, two. The first was the big V70, bigger than my Passat. It felt big but refined. It stood a little uncertain on the road, but nothing like the wallowing motion I have to live with currently.
Then V60, a slightly sporty version with stiffer suspension and it was immediately obvious that it was great. The D4 engine was probably more powerful than I need but the R-design suspension was excellent. I had the fizzy feeling!

Online reviews have said the R-design’s ride is too hard. Are they written by middle-aged men who’s core strength makes the shaking a problem?

How to make a mistake.

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I commuted with MapMyRide+! Distance: 9.91mi, time: 41:00, pace: 4:08min/mi, speed: 14.51mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1158327043
An ordinary ride but for the thick fog. About a quarter of drivers think it’s fine to drive in dense fog with lights switched off. I shouted at one who was also clutching her phone. She wound down the window and clearly didn’t realise her lights were off, only the daylight running lights were on at the front. She didn’t know how to put the lights on because they are automatic.
You have to question automation, it has undesirable side-effects. More automation makes people think less.
Here is the seed of errors.

Pigeon?

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I rode Arrow with MapMyRide+! Distance: 16.42mi, time: 01:03:53, pace: 3:53min/mi, speed: 15.42mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1153061165
Not a long ride, but add on 10 miles from this morning’s commute.
Speaking of that, something strange seen on the way to work. Under the railway bridge, a bird standing in the road. I veered round it and it didn’t even flinch.
So I stopped.
Ruffled feathers suggests a youngster, perhaps he took wing too soon. The Bird just stood there, blinking.
What could I do, I scooped it up in my gloved hands and placed it in a garden.
With luck, somebody will do something more useful, something before a cat gets there.
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A wasp struggling after getting stuck in the car.

Canals are getting squidgy

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I rode The Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 16.25mi, time: 01:23:20, pace: 5:08min/mi, speed: 11.70mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1148282977
I have a pair of summer cyclocross tyres on order. They have a faster rolling file surface in the middle, and blocks at the sides.
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However, the towpaths are soft again and quite muddy in parts. It’s seems that I don’t need these tyres this year.
The latest news in cycling is Gravel Bikes. They are like ‘cross bikes but for different geometry. The also make excellent commuting machines, most come with eyelets for guards and rack.
Gravel racing isn’t going to take off here, it’s not dry enough.

82 out of 100.

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17°C, no wind, grey sky to start and light rain after lunch.
I rode Racelite with MapMyRide+! Distance: 82.56mi, time: 05:38:45, pace: 4:06min/mi, speed: 14.62mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1144905001
I wanted 100 but had to settle  with 82 miles today. Afternoon rain and tiredness counted against my effort. However, the bike was comfortable and it was warm enough to tolerate the drizzle without a waterproof.
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The roads were remarkably quiet for a bank holiday weekend.
There are two things I like about this time of year: berries and mushrooms. This one was over 15cm in diameter. Magnificent.
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To do: change the gear cable.

Summer summary.

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I rode Fixed with MapMyRide+! Distance: 42.2mi, time: 02:35:11, pace: 3:41min/mi, speed: 16.3mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1137096633
Back down, and looking back to one of the most adventurous summers I can recall.

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Before cleaning, they are showing signs of wear.

Mountains, in Wales, Corsica and Scotland. Slept in a bivvy bag, a bothy. Burnt 71,000 calories and lost 7lbs (which needed to go).
Today, my body weight is 14St. 5lbs, a drop of 7lbs.
Incidentally, how many calories is each pound of body fat worth?
New mountains are added to my must-climb list:
Beinn Bhan, 896m,
An Rhuadh Stac, 892m,
Benn Arthur, ‘The Cobbler’. 884m.
All Corbetts, often the most interesting mountains.

I am nearly ready for the Hill and Moorland Leader assessment. Currently logged 50 QMDs.

6 hour delay on the A82.

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21°C, brisk SW wind, bright sun, torrential rain in North England.
Picked up two hitchhikers in Glen Coe who wanted Glasgow. A young couple from Brittany who were headed home. I offered to take them as far as Preston. Good start.
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Then the A82 was closed alongside Loch Lomond. The most obvious detour was West to the coast road.
That road soon fouled up with the weight of camper vans, coaches and lorries. We were stuck there for over two hours. Eventually, after the longest reverse in memory, I headed back to Tarbet. Stick again. Another fatality blocked to north route and that was escape routes closed. The highways agency people said the only way to Glasgow was by ferry.
So, that’s it; eventually we eased passed a pub food place and stopped for early supper.
My hitchhikers were lovely, and obviously, very much in love. She was cheeky too, she asked the waiter whether he was naked under his kilt. He misheard her strong french accent, so I helped; ‘she wants to know, are you commando?’. He grinned and said ‘of course’. Thus the tone for the day was set. I bought them lunch.

Eventually, the road was opened after a period of single lane go slow. 6pm, the route was open south.
Underway, we settled into the 300 mile trip. Other drivers seemed reluctant to use the 60mph limit. Is there an unwritten rule, out of respect? We were going home alive and well, several other drivers would not do so this night.
Into the borders, the rain began. Torrential by Gretna, and a mad dash into the services. Road markings were invisible under the depth of water on the M74. Large drops punched bubbles on the surface water.
The picture above shows my two hitchhikers dropped off in Preston. Safe, relaxed and well. Actually, I was quite sad to see them go, both were delightful company on that long journey. I hope life is sweet for them both.

Thoughts go out to the families grieving from this night.

Gairich, 918m.

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14°C, falling breeze, run but rain pm hill fog too.
A very boggy approach, especially near the start, by the dam. Gairich has quite a long, gentle lead-in with steep schist rocks near the top. It took me about 5.5 hours round trip, including distractions. Scotch mist disorientated me for a short while, just at the track became indistinct.
Worse was later, without checking, I headed off on the wrong direction. A simple compass check would have prevented a 150m diversion. Embarrassing.

I was not alone on this climb, a German couple, who were not well equipped and turned back before the first steep section. They were probably dispirited by the bog anyway.
Another couple of retired teachers who probably have done all the munros but never kept a list. Some they have climbed 20 times or more. They recommended the Severn Sisters Of Kintail. Severn munros in one day!

I was delayed by that mist and the false turn, but a red car was finally visible next to mine in the dam car park. I thought a flash of headlights was visible, so I waved okay. That was kind of them to wait and check.

Falls of Glomach,

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13°C, SW breeze that brought heavy rain later.
Rainy day walk; it’s quite logical to use a wet day to walk low level to waterfall. This one is supposed to be the highest single drop in Scotland.The walk starts after a 6 mile drive up a single-track road. There follows a Glen walk and the waterfall is up a side Glen. The side Glen is steep but to only 150m. This is also the stage where the rain started.
Beforehand, in the valley is a track that is easy walking for about 7km along a Glen that is very attractive. You can admire the clarity of the glacial features, drumlins, nunateks and various moraines.
Then you can look forward to see the most enormous Highland cattle. The adults must weigh over 2 tons, and they had calfs. Admittedly, the calfs were probably 1 year olds. But still, their curiosity was strong, as was my desire to take a wide detour.
Eventually, I got to the falls after climbing over gneiss boulders. Their grip was plenty despite the water everywhere. More frogs too.
On the return, the herd of cattle had become two, but the divisions were easier to find this time.

I have found another mountain to add to the ‘must climb’ list: Benn Bhan, in the Applecross region. It has 4 fantastic looking spurs that loom out of hill fog in an intoxicating way.