Category Archives: Travel

Coastal ride, with punctures.

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9C, light SSW, dry, fine day.
Ride- CK: Distance: 40.60mi, time: 02:32:34, pace: 3:45min/mi, speed: 15.97mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/487826633
That didn’t go as planned! Decided on a coast ride, along the sea-front at Southport. Near Formby, the first puncture was dramatic, loud and deflated quickly. There was a car crash nearby and traffic was very slow.
The real problem was the crappy pump which broke the valve on one inner-tube.
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Fortune was on my ride today- hidden in a holiday centre was a bike shop. Not only did they sell me replacement inner-tubes but view fitted it. The Tyre was obviously split so the guy found a usable Tyre from out the back.
I will call in tomorrow and buy some kit. It looks like an excellent shop.
Gratefull.

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Creaky ride.

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CA-ride: Distance: 63.43mi, time: 04:14:13, speed: 14.97mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/485205951
Dry, though there were still floods to ride through. The sun shone, and little wind blew. The only blemish was a distracting creaking sound from either the saddle or maybe, the bottom-bracket. Those Campag brackets have a habit of un-screwing themselves, slowly and slightly. Just enough to make quite a noise.
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Not the coldest day.

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CA: Distance: 56.88mi, time: 03:52:18, speed: 14.7mph.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/466133843
On average, today is the coldest day in the Northern Hemisphere. So far this winter has been mikd and wet, characterised by frequent storms and heavy rainfall. This coming week is forecast to be a cold one. The recent floods are god’s revenge for the legalisation of same-sex marriage says a UKIP mp. Such a disfunctional mind in that man, David Silvester.
Today’s ride was mild, sunny with light winds. If only I had eaten better, it would have been more enjoyable in the second half. I set out averaging over 16mph, but that dropped after 30 miles.
I am aiming to get over 1,000 done by Easter, and Easter is an early one this year.

Windowsil

Rosie practised her calligraphy on the glass.

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Sent home.

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rode home with MapMyRide! Distance: 37.98mi, time: 02:48:08, speed: 13.55mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/459607041
Slow ride with floods, rain and sorrow. I was in no state to consider work, sympathetic colleagues sent me home. They even suggested a bike ride, if that helps.
It did.
Near Elford, a large horse wandered up and down in the inundated flood-plain. It seemed to be exploring and sploshing its hooves in the shallow water. It was like a child playing out after a storm in its Wellingtons.
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The horse is just visible, right of centre.

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Angry green van.

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CK- Distance: 44.37mi, time: 02:57:05, speed: 15.03mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/452001445
Wet roads; overnight rain has washed off problem mud, so the roads were good today.
Southport has advanced stop lines (for bikes). The first one, on the southern approach to Southport has a left filter lane so I stood on the left edge of the middle lane, ready to in straight on. Behind me was a small metallic green van. When the lights changed, I clipped in and rode on pulling left for traffic. The van hovered threateningly only a yard behind. Next, he overtook and swerved in twice before driving away. All the while, he was staring at me, shouting and gesturing. I could not hear any of it. Very strange, I puzzled over this for the rest of the ride- 45 miles.

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Regional habits.

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7C, very strong SW wind.
Tracked with MapMyRide! Distance: 21.03mi, time: 01:35:21, pace: 4:32min/mi, speed: 13.24mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/451560323
The above is probably wrong, short by a mile or two. It’s strange that the phone dropped the GPS signal in the same place as yesterday. Why, is there a rip in the space-time continuum just there?
Yes, that’ll be it.
My crap theory is that each reign has its own bad driving habits; Walsall, jumping red lights; Staffordshire. Drivers signal right to go straight on. Around Southport, drivers don’t switch their lights on until long after dark.

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In a gale.

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7C, v. Strong wind. Clear sunny.
CK: Distance: 23.5mi, time: 01:33:50, speed: 15.03mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/450339929
Very strong wind from the south. The return leg across the flatlands called The Moss. With no cover the full blast of that wind blew across this road built on a raised dyke. I leant over hard pulling on the right-hand bar just to keep a straight line. Good fun really.

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Drive safely.

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Very wet later. 10°C.
What can I do if I want to drive safely? I should use the motorway later today. But what can I do when I leave a space in front and cars cut in removing my stopping distance. Often they are cars moving back from the third lane where they all tail-gate one another. Nobody observes the two-second rule.

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Riding around rainbows.

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Rain & sun, 6°C, brisk SW

Sunday ride, tracked with with MapMyRide! Distance: 52.1mi, time: 03:39:22, speed: 14.3mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/449529887
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A long ribbon of dark cloud ran from the south-west. Under the darkest parts, the wind whipped up to quite a cold wet blast. William Turner would know this, I thought of him as I was blown along.
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That tantalizing clear air did blow my direction, only about half an hour after this picture was taken outside Twycross Zoo.

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