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Good Enough For James Brown...

2012-01-18T21:54:00.000Z

I've blogged this before, but almost every item of clothing I wear (that isn't for work or riding a bike) is made by howies.
It must be about 10 years since I bought my first stuff from them. One of the first things I bought from them was this T-shirt. They printed it because apparently it is something they are able to do in their Cardigan Bay Paradise.
The idea really appealed to me, but given that there aren't a great number of rivers on my Leicestershire commute, I've had to settle for a bike rather than a boat...

...until tomorrow.
We have a team planning day tomorrow that is being held in a hotel whose garden has at the end of it the River Soar. So, it may be a little contrived that I have to drive for 3 miles or so to the get-in point, but from there it'll be a 45 minute paddle to work.

And back again later.

Tables they turn sometimes.

2011-12-26T14:03:00.011Z

I'm in Poland again for Christmas. For many reasons, this Christmas might have been a little subdued and difficult.

But it hasn't. As always, the hospitality has been amazing. Since we arrived, I haven't gone more that an hour without being offered food and/or drink.

I miss the English Christmas traditions but have got used to the idea of Christmas being over on the 24th.as in Poland, the main meal of the period is eaten once the first star is visible on Christmas Eve. I have my suspicions that there is no basis for this other than impatience to get on with the presents...

My Polish isn't yet good enough to watch TV here (a Christmas tradition the world over). Almost everything is British or American, but rather than subtitles, each film or program has the same, monotone voice speaking over it. No attempt at acting or any kindvariation in delivery, regardless of the sex or humour of the character. I'm told that natives get used to it, but how people can tell how well a film is acted or understand the subtleties of delivery I don't know.

So instead, I use my mother-in-law's old laptop and flaky wireless internet connection to catch up on the Google Reader backlog. It is the only time all year that it gets cleared. I actually started this blog on Christmas day, 3 years ago as little else was happening given that everyone had exchanged gifts and wishes and was too full to move.

I've taken a stack of photos while I've been here, but there's no chance of this machine handling the RAW files from my digital camera. The other cameras all use film, so they'll have to wait too.

That just leaves the iPhone pictures to post:

This is my Christmas present to myself. I bought it on the Polish version of eBay (Allegro.pl) for about 35 quid and had it sent here to the In-Laws'. It is new (although made in 1987) and unused and came in the box with the Russian instructions and the original handwritten service card.
I've already fed it a roll of EliteChrome...
I can see an opportunity in buying these on this side of the Iron Curtain and flogging them back home. Lomography want 250 quid for Chinese copies of these!

Waiting for Grandma outside her Christmas day church service. Yet another picture of Gosia that she hates.

My present from Gosia and her family. A 1966 Nikon F with early Photomic finder. It is in great condition and has already consumed half a roll of TMax. By Christmas day, I'd already bought a 50mm of similar vintage on eBay. Anyone want to by a Praktica collection?

Despite all the cameras, films, photoshop, developing scanning etc, I'm not sure I'll produce a picture on this trip that I like more than this one of my wonderful Mother in Law.

Happy holidays everyone.

Don't Look At Me (I Don't Like It)

2011-12-08T20:45:00.001Z

On Tuesday, I spent an hour and a half in Bradgate park. It was after 8pm, pitch dark and only a degree above freezing. What made it worth writing about is that I was trying out a different photography technique. I took 128 exposures, each 30 seconds long. I then used StarStax software to pick the brightest pixel in each position, so creating the start trails you can see on the result below.

I think that I've had more comments and 'likes' for this than anything I ever took before. I'm pretty pleased with it and will probably have another go it the technique on the next clear night...

We Might Feel Unsound.

2011-11-26T19:03:00.000Z

My friend Iain is a proper photographer.
I try, but my main technique is to just take loads of pictures and hope that few turn out OK.

Iain has a 'thing' for concrete. Be it roads, bridges or 'elevated urban landscapes', his shots of the architecture of Leicester and beyond are always interesting. People like Iain can shoot mundane things and make them interesting.

Today, I went to town to visit the Leicester People's Photographic Gallery and parked in Lee Circle just so I could try and shoot some 'Iain pictures'.

You can see Iain's pictures here, but before you check his out, scroll down for mine...

Tying String Between Tin Cans and Pulling It Tight...

2011-11-18T11:57:00.001Z

Among the films developed earlier in the week was one from the Holga that had been in the camera for a couple of months. The film included this picture of Gosia taken at August's Leicester Critical Mass Red Carpet Ride.

The Holga really is a cheap and nasty camera, but I love the results it (sometimes) produces. This was the first time I'd used it with the equally cheap and equally nasty flash and the effect matches the scene perfectly.

The lack of precision and odd colours produced by Holgas and other toy cameras is something that people (myself included sometimes) spend a lot of time recreating with technology. The Lomo-Fi setting on the Instagram app takes a perfectly good picture taken with hundreds of pounds worth of Apple technology and makes it look like it was taken with a Holga, a cheap Chinese toy. But each to their own...

Speaking of which, here's another picture for you...

Our Endless Numbered Days.

2011-11-17T10:30:00.001Z

Last weekend, to celebrate Gosia's birthday, we had a flying visit to Vilamoura in Portugal.I took a selection of film cameras including the 1990 Zenit 12cd that I was given by Gosia's uncle earlier in the year. The camera looks to have had a hard life. The black paint has worn off the prism, revealing the brass underneath and the anodising around the eyepiece has worn to bare metal.

Carrying a bag of metal bodied cameras with their cogs cams and switches through airport security usually leads to the inevitable 'is this your bag sir?', but it means that they can be thrown in a bag and exposed to salty sea spray and wind blown sand without worrying that they might get damaged.

With manual everything and my inexperience at guessing suitable exposure settings, using ISO100 film was probably a bit optimistic, but the results were OK. I love the 'feel' of the pictures and the fact that they aren't perfect (I have the 50D for that). Some of them look like they could have been taken any time in the last 50 years.

I look forward to experimenting with it further but with a faster film...

I should also mention that the film was developed by Luke at the Plastic Magpie Camera Club. He developed 7 films for me in less than 24 hours and at a great price. I really like the idea of riding to drop them through his door and then to collect them again - it seems to suit the whole analogue idea. He seems a decent sort too...

There are a few more pictures from this roll on my LomoHome

How Low Can A Punk Get

2011-11-10T11:46:00.001Z

I've been to 27 countries in my time - it's about to become 28.
But which will it be?

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Smooth Solidarity.

2011-11-03T21:36:00.000Z

October (2011):
commutes by bike 12 (131)
commute distance 310.5 (3597km)
total distance 703.5km (9255km)
commutes by car 7 (39)
turbo sessions 0 (1)
time trials 0 (17)
run 23km (63km)
row 7km (256km)
nights not at home 0 (47)

After yet more days of not feeling well and so lacking the motivation to ride, I've ended October having commuted by car 7 times. In February that figure was zero.

Still, the Polish trip has bumped up the mileage for the year for the year and I'd should achieve the 10,000km mark for the second time ever.
I appreciate that this is more than most people, but to put it into context, I was speaking with a rider from another local club who was telling me that he was already past 21,000 and would get to 24,000km+. He had records going back 35 years totalling 800,000km! No wonder, even at 57 years old, he is still kicking my arse on time trials.
Still, a mini-tour over the next couple of days should get me past 9,500km and closer to having a rest at Christmas.

Love and Other Planets.

2011-10-31T14:58:00.002Z

Yesterday, British Cycling brought the second round of the National Trophy Cyclocross series to Beaumont Leys of all places.
Gary Coltman and his band of Leicestershire Cycling Association (not just Leicester Road club) helpers did a great job looking after the riders with a challenging course. Given the area he had to use, he managed to fit in a start finish straight on tarmac, a section of BMX track (think steep climbs and drop-offs), plenty of off-camber corners, sections through trees (and leaf mulch) and a steep climb with a couple of hurdles. Being a British Cycling event, there were certainly some top riders there along with the usual photographers and even Hugh W Porter MBE.

It was excellent, free entertainment with close fought races and competitors ranging from 3 (really! DoB 2008) to 70 and a pretty friendly atmosphere throughout. It seemed that most of the audience were in some way related to the competitors as they all knew the riders and shouted support using their first names.
There were also plenty of Flemish voices supporting the large number of Belgian riders that had come over (to win).

So, a free event on a lovely day. Excitement, drama and friendly people. All close to a major city and only 200m from a giant Tesco megastore.

But still, very few people came to watch. The car-boot sale on the car park of Tesco was thronged with people aimlessly shuffling by the tables of tat before heading off to MacDonalds.

Next year, the club and I are running a city centre criterium event and while the priorities will be just the same as for this weekend's organisers (to look after the riders with a safe but challenging event), we really must try to find what the secret is to attracting regular 'punters'.

I went along with a plan of taking a few pictures that might help Gary - or whoever else might organise something similar in Leicester - with future promotion. Being my first cyclocross event, I had the pre-conceived idea that I'd desaturate the pictures for the gritty, muddy look, and that is what I did.

On reflection, I probably did a lovely, autumn day a something of disservice.

If you're at all interested, you can see a few more of my pictures over on FLICKR. I reckon I'll cheer them up a bit before offering them for promotional use.

I rode home thinking if I have all the bits I'd need to build a cyclocross bike and you know what? I think I do...

Kaffenback Sunset.

2011-10-23T08:44:00.000+01:00

I've had my Planet X Kaffenback since January 2007. Since then, we've covered almost 13,000km together. It is nothing special, just a simple steel frame with straight-forward components. There is nothing bling and no-one lays awake at night imagining owning one.

But this bike has been completely reliable as it has taken me to work through all weathers. There are rack and mudguard mounts to make it practical and I find the geometry perfect for covering long distances fairly quickly.

I've just treated it to a pair of SKS Longboard fenders/mudguards/wheelbrows. Apparently, they give better coverage (and therefore keep you drier) than any others. These are beige[!] and made from recycled plastic.

Planet X have now upgraded the Kaffenback. The mark 2 version offers the same, no-frills dependability but with replaceable drop-outs, giving the option of running disc brakes, fixed/single. I rode the prototype of this to Poland earlier in the year, a trip that I WILL write up soon.

But in the meantime, the sun isn't setting just yet on my original Kaffenback. And who knows, maybe more people will 'get' the name with the re-launch...

Harby Hill

2011-10-17T08:53:00.000+01:00

I took a ride over to Harby Hill yesterday to watch the Leicester Forest CC riders take part in the Melton Olympic hill climb. I rode the 70km round trip on the On-One, hub-geared, titanium prototype that I've never really got on with. The hub makes the bike really heavy and when you add a load of camera gear, it felt as heavy as the bike I rode to Poland. For some reason, the shifting has never been quite right either. I could spend time getting it set up, only for it to 'adjust itself' a few miles later.

On the way back yesterday, as I was out of the saddle climbing up into Rothley, it shifted and threw me over the bars.

I rode the rest of the way home grumpily nursing my bruises, cursing the bike and the hole it had ripped in my lovely Rapha socks. Within minutes of getting home the bike was in the workstand and several kilos of back wheel were removed and cast into a dark corner of the shed.

When a couple of final items arrive from Chain Reaction (in the blink of an eye usually), the bike will be reborn as a singlespeed cyclocrosser with 29er (carbon rimmed) wheels...

Yesterday's ride, and my commute in this morning have taken me to 8789km (5462 miles) for the year so far. In 2008, I rode 10,006km and it dawned on me yesterday that maybe I could achieve this milestone again.

I'll let you know...

Cross-Scotland Kayak Adventure Part 6 (the last bit)

2011-10-11T09:16:00.001+01:00

A picture just for Steve...

I woke before dawn on our last day. I sat on the beach and brewed coffee as the sun came up over the perfectly flat loch. It was so flat that if Nessie had blinked at the other end of the loch I'd have seen the ripples.
I've said previously that first light is the best light, and sitting on the beach, watching the sun slowly rise, was the best way I can think of to start a Friday. As a result, it was almost 4 hours later that we finally set off slowly for our final couple of hours of paddling.

Gradually, we made our way out of the beauty and tranquillity of the Highlands and returned, paddle stroke by paddle stroke to 'civilisation'. I've written in this blog before about arriving slowly, usually by bike. But kayaking gives the same experience. The scenery doesn't change as quickly as it can if you travel by car. It evolves. The outskirts of Inverness did the same thing. The number of joggers slowly increased. The buildings got closer together. Before long we were passed our first golf course and mobile phone mast. We saw the first litter in the canal since we'd started out.

The end of our adventure was the British Waterways facility in one of Inverness's least attractive areas. It is the final set of locks that lead down to the Beauly Firth and the North Sea. Despite our slow arrival, the beauty we had left 4 hours previously seemed a world away from the traffic and (relative) hustle and bustle of Inverness's retail park.
It doesn't take me long to regress back to my caveman roots. A week in the outdoors, not quite hunter/gathering, but pretty well removed from the comforts of everyday life, makes me frustrated when I do get back to what most people would see as normality. I see people in a rush, using cars to cover short distances, getting angry about trivial things. Suddenly, I was back to worrying about my kit getting nicked if I didn't keep an eye on it. I wasn't expecting to be invited in to stay in someone's spare room that evening...

But that was it, we'd made it. It had been beautiful, miserable, exciting and demanding both physically and mentally. While at no point did we consider giving up, leaving that cafe (and hand-dryer) in Fort William and heading back out into the wind and rain had taken about as much resolve as I could muster.

It had been dangerous too (the trip, not the cafe!). OK, so we hadn't needed the flares we'd been carrying, but there were times when we had experienced the real power of the weather and water and had 'got off with a warning'. I'm sure it wasn't as dangerous as driving to work or a Friday night out in Leicester, but it was a danger that was more real and personal.

When I did eventually turn my phone back on and get back in touch with my regular life, I received three pieces of terrible news. I won't go into the details, but they certainly put a new angle on my thoughts as I waited for Steve and Mark to return with the cars.

The news made me realise how far removed from 'normal' life I had been. I had been focussing on the important things to me each day. They revolved around blistered hands and dry underwear. I was completely immersed in the effort and challenge - nothing else. As I came to terms with what I was told, I felt selfish that I was enjoying myself away from the important things.

But on further reflection, the news made me feel great about what we had done. We'd raised money for LOROS and so helped many other people. And we'd also made the most of our lives and our health and done something special, memorable and satisfying.

I'd like to think we might even have inspired others. I don't expect a rush of my friends to start kayaking long distances, but maybe some will see that adventure and challenge can be close by. Maybe some will walk rather than taking the car, ride a bike to work, go for a jog instead of watching garbage TV, or even sit with someone different at lunchtime - it's all adventure. It's all doing something without knowing exactly what the outcome will be...

Cross-Scotland Kayak Adventure Part 5.

2011-10-07T21:30:00.000+01:00

Day 5. Loch Ness (nothing else).

Loch Ness is massive. It is 23 miles long. Averaging 182m (600 feet) in depth, the maximum depth, recorded just south west of Urquhart Castle is at least 230m (754 feet). Loch Ness holds the greatest amount of water of any loch in Scotland and remarkably contains more water than ALL of the lakes in England and Wales put together!

Sitting in a thin plastic tube above this depth of water you become aware of the scale. Imagine looking down from the top of Canary Wharf. That's how far away the bottom of the loch is.

We paddled quickly.

By now, the tiredness meant that I could do about 20 paddle strokes before resting. The crosswind meant that my boat wanted to turn left constantly. This meant that every 3rd (of my 20) stroke was a correction, not actually propelling me forwards.
The weather had deteriorated too. The grey cloud and misty rain added to the atmosphere of the place.

We stopped for lunch at the village of Foyers, about halfway along the southern edge. The village is a strange mix of power station, aluminium factory, a few houses and a wonderful waterfall. The village is spread across a hillside down to the water's edge. We abandoned our boats on the shoreline and walked steeply uphill, following the coffee aroma.
The boats are worth £700-£1000, the paddles we left next to them are £200 each and the camping kit, clothing, car keys and phones added up to much more. But the area, once we were clear of the larger towns, and the fact that we arrive unannounced from the water means that we could quite happily leave our stuff and wander off for an hour.

We climbed the path that takes tourists and walkers up from loch level to the lower falls and then the spectacular upper.

Many of the sights and experiences on this trip had reminded me of the Rocky Mountains in Canada - my favourite place in the world. This hidden gem of a waterfall was one such.

By the time we'd finished our delicious paninis and several large coffees in the lovely cafe/village store/post office and wandered back to our boats, the weather had improved and it looked as though we would make it to our targeted end point for the day - the beach alongside the Dores Inn.

We had read that the beach was a perfect wild camping spot and that it looked straight back down the length of the loch we had spent the day paddling. Once again, the pain and occasional monotony of the paddling was tempered by a thought of a pub/view/meal.

We weren't to be disappointed. Despite being chased along the loch by a storm that followed us from Fort Augustus, the rest of the day was dry and sunny and, as we'd dreamed of since we first stuck the maps up on our office walls, we got that sunset.

It was among the most beautiful places I have ever camped. So spectacular was the sunset that after we had pitched the tents sat for a couple of hours to watch the sun slowly set and the sky change colour from blue, though orange and pink until it was finally black.

The lack of light pollution allowed meant we could watch the satellites pass through the blanket of stars above us.

The combination of the beers, the wonderful Oban single malt and the satisfaction we were feeling being so close to completing our challenge meant for a contented sleep. The physical effort that we had put in each day along with being outdoors for almost a week in the fresh air and weather, away from the stresses of work and the daily grind brought an incomparable happiness and satisfaction.

Cross-Scotland Kayak Adventure Part 4.

2011-10-06T20:28:00.003+01:00

By now we were a full day behind our schedule. To catch up, we were going to have to cover a whole map in one day and attempt to reach the bright lights of Fort Augustus before dark. We'd need to paddle the lengths of both Loch Lochy and Loch Oich plus miles of canal to get there, but the idea of a pint and a proper cooked dinner was like a carrot dangling ahead.

Despite the tiredness, the aching shoulders and elbows, and blisters on blisters on our hands, we sprang from our tents because it wasn't raining! Skies were almost clear and as we ate our breakfast (instant porridge with honey and raisins) and watched the sun rise.

It was a beautiful site, and despite our challenging itinerary, we took our time packing kit that was getting drier by the minute. All of a sudden, after 3 days of challenge and danger, the trip seemed more sensible. We could settle into it and enjoy the paddling, the company and just how beautiful Scotland can be.

First up was Loch Lochy. At 10 miles long, it was the second longest freshwater loch of the trip. As we rounded a bend in the canal, we entered the southern end of the loch and had the whole expanse of the loch in front of us. The road ran along the east (right) side of the loch and so we headed left.

All along this bank were forests of beautiful, deciduous British trees. Their leaves were beginning to turn a patchwork of golds, yellows and oranges.

Dippers teased and posed for us. They flew slightly ahead of us before standing, dipping and showing off with a quick dart along the loch's bottom.

Everything looked better in the sunshine.

We stopped for coffee halfway along the lake. I took a great stove photo, but I realise I mustn't overdo them, so instead, here is my boat in recline.

We were tearing through the water now with a strong wind at our backs, feeling great and covering plenty of distance. Before long we were through the next locks and back onto the canal.

The Caledonian canal was finished in 1822 and provided an alternative for boats up to 150ft to going around Cape Wrath. It proved a bit of a white elephant, because in the time it took to build the canal, ship-building had developed and going around Scotland was becoming safer and often quicker than using the canal.

The canal is like the canal we know in the midlands, but 4 times the width.

Now, it is maintained by British Waterways and they do a fantastic job. Facilities along the canal are kept perfectly. Each loch or swing bridge has a dedicated lock keeper. There are competitions between them for the best kept locks and from the evidence we saw, that competition is fiercely contested. The facilities are aimed at people in rented cruisers more than kayakers, but once you have a licence and the BW key, they are your's to use.

For us, each of those 29 locks meant getting out of the water and hauling the fully laden boats along the tow-path before putting in again at specially constructed platforms at either end.

After Lochy came Oich. Prettier but less wild than its predecessor, it is only 6.5km long. For the first time on the trip we saw other people on the water. The rented cruisers were cruising by and a group of kids learning to paddle in open canoes were enjoying the sunshine.

Fort Augustus was a bit of a shock to the system. So far, Morrison's cafe on a wet Tuesday morning had been as close as we had got to civilisation (and thinking about it, that is still quite a way off). So the relative hustle and bustle of the town took a little getting used to.

I didn't like it. I preferred the wild camps. No traffic noise, pollution or street lighting.

But we were tired. Really tired. My shoulders and neck were stiff. They felt like lead - I could barely lift them over my head. My elbows were painful from the abuse they got as we deadlifted the boats out of the water at each lock. My knees complained every time we got out of the kayak. They brace the inside in an unnatural position to help with power transfer and steering.

My hands had layers of blisters. While they had had a drier day, they were still pruned.

My feet were dirty and damaged from days in sandal, water and stones.

And I was suffering the effects of being in wet underwear for days on end...

But a couple of pints of real ale and a huge steak pie later and some time to reflect on the fantastic day we had had meant Sweet FA didn't bother me too much.

To walk off the food, we strolled down to the southern end of Loch Ness. We would be on this mighty body of water for the whole day tomorrow and some of the day after.

Standing next to it in the darkness, despite not being able to see further than an few hundred metres, one could sense the size of it. The stillness. The mountains either side. It felt grand, impressive, dangerous, mysterious.

I was looking forward to seeing it in daylight...

Cross-Scotland Kayak Adventure Part 3.

2011-10-05T18:07:00.000+01:00

The rain that had begun as we arrived at our car park camp site the previous night continued into the grey halflight of the following morning. 'Rain always sounds worse inside a tent' I told myself as I lay awake, mentally preparing myself to unzip the door flap and start day 3. When I finally did, I was greeted by 'fast wiper-setting' rain. Bang went another theory.

We were back to the world in greyscale. Clouds were being blown down the loch at half the height of the mountains either side. You felt like you should stoop to keep your head out of them.
Wet wetsuits were the order of the day once more. The benefit of paddling in a wet suit is that once the rain has made its way past the 'waterproof' cag (cag being the trendy, kayaker's name for a cagoule), the water will be held against your skin. It will then warm up and provide some insulation. This works OK while you keep moving and keep that layer of water warm.

We stuck close to the south-eastern shore and the busy A82. We were close enough to see the drivers passing by with their 'rat race frowns', oblivious to us and the presence of anything outside of their limited field of attention. On the water, and despite the rain, we were seeing otters, cerlew, dozens of noisy oystercatchers and many other species that my limited ornithology doesn't run to.

Before long we were alongside the extended line of hotels and guesthouses that form the outskirts of Fort William. Despite the place not being a favourite of either of us, the idea of a cooked breakfast and a new pair of sandals for Steve (we'd had to gaffer tape his to his foot each morning after they failed on day one) was lifting our spirits. We paddled right into the harbour and beached outside of the town's leisure centre - quite why a town with Ben Nevis, Loch Linnhe and a thousand other natural sporting arena needs such a facility I'm not sure.

By now we were back at maximum wetness, and as we tramped across the hideous, dual carriageway bypass to Morrison's, the wind began to chill us. Morrison's that day had many attractions. The Large Big Scottish Breakfast (it really did have two adjectives), coffee that didn't require my pruned fingers to operate a stove to enjoy, somewhere to sit that was heated, but best of all... they had HAND-DRYERS.

We took turns visiting the gents to hold open the front of our (own) rolled down wetsuits and blow the beautiful warm, dry air over our underwear. First the front, then the back.
Then the front...

Men came into the toilets from time to time but quickly turned and fled when they were greeted with the site of a half-dressed wildman, standing in a puddle, grinning as he heated his groin.
My update on the (excellent) TrackMyTour app I was using to allow people to follow our progress catches the mood...

Several hours later, and after a squelch into Fort Bill for sandals, we were back at the boats. Since we'd left them, the tide had gone out and we faced a 200m drag through the sand, seaweed and broken glass to get to the water.

The tide going out had changed the next challenge we had to face too. The River Lochy flows out into the top end of Loch Linnhe. When the tide is in, the large areas of mud and sand banks are covered and the water is spread across a large area. With the tide out, the river if funnelled into fast-moving, narrow channels, separated by gravel banks. Out in the centre of the loch was 'The Muncher' as Steve christened it, an area of waves, currents and eddies that it was obvious that if you paddled (or were dragged) into, there would be very little chance of escape.

After half an hour of wandering backwards and forwards, dragging boats and trying to convince ourselves of the safety of each option, we decided we would head upriver a little and ferry-glide across. This involves pointing the boat up-river and paddling into the current, while at the same time moving sidewards across the river.

Time and tide wait for no man. It was time to go. Steve started 50m up-river from me and as I watched his progress, got caught in a whirlpool caused by the fast -flowing river re-joining having been channelled around a shingle bank. He flipped over as the flow caught him and he was dragged downstream. Again, he was out of his boat in no-time, testament to the training he had received with the coaches at PaddlePlus, but he was still moving quickly downstream and inexorably towards The Muncher.

I got to a bank in the middle of the flow and got out of my boat. It is important in these situations that rather than get myself into the same situation by rushing after him, to observe and if necessary, call for help. I wouldn't be able to do that if I was getting Munched too.

150m downstream, the water became shallow enough that Steve could get purchase on the on the bottom and stop his movement Muncherwards. Disoriented, he began to drag his boat back out into the flow and deeper water. I paddled out and guided him to another small island of stones. The tide by now was coming back in rapidly and it was obvious that this island would beck underwater again in 5 or 10 minutes.

We pumped out the boat, allowed our nerves to settle a bit before paddling out once more.

We had just 1km to go to get to the safety of the Corpach lock that separates the sea loch from the start of the Caledonian canal and calm water. The relief when we made it was immense.

We were cold and wet. Our confidence had taken another beating and for a moment we were questioning our sanity and the reasons we were doing this.
On the last occasion that we had been at such a low, we met the lady who guided us to the warmth and hospitality of the farmhouse. This time, our salvation came in the form of a gang of British Waterways employees who were gathered in the lock-keeper's office. They had been gathered for their annual medical checks, coming from their various workplaces all along the canal. While their dental hygiene was pretty shocking, the joking and banter, an incident with superglue, as well as the coffee they produced for us was priceless. The professionalism of these guys, who while laughing and joking were still delivering the important safety information we'd need in the next 60 miles or so was fantastic. And the lift they gave to us and our boats to the top lock was 'above and beyond'.
Someone seemed to be watching over us on this trip...

After the challenge of the next flight of locks at the fantastically named Neptune's Staircase, 6 miles of steady paddling, on the perfectly flat, non-tidal canal, in improving weather further lifted our spirits.

Our target for the night was Gairlochy. The BW guys had told us of a shower and tumble dryer there as well as space to camp. We arrived just as darkness was falling and the rain stopping. It was our promised land. The shower heavenly. The lift (ho ho) that having dry underpants brings cannot be underestimated.

Cross-Scotland Kayak Adventure

2011-10-04T20:35:00.003+01:00

This is the 'index page' for all the links to our fundraising trip across Scotland by kayak.You may have followed our tour using via the TrackMyTour updates as we went.

Either way, I hope you'll enjoy the story here:

Day 1 Oban - Appin

Day 2 Appin - Corran

Day 3 Corran - Gairlochy

Day 4 Gairlochy - Fort Augustus

Day 5 Fort Augustus - Dores

Day 6 Dores - Inverness (the last bit)

If you find any of this interesting enough to make a donation, then please do so here.

Cross-Scotland Kayak Adventure Part 2.

2011-10-04T20:19:00.000+01:00

After having slept like a particularly weary log, that had had its Ovaltine laced with Kalms max-strength, I awoke to the best view I could have hoped for. Not just a thousand horse-riding rosettes, but blue sky peeping around the curtains.
The world was now in colour. Scotland wasn't just shades of grey after all. We got quickly back into character and loaded our now dry kit into the boats, moving quickly in case the the weather god's woke up and realised that we were getting away.

We made rapid progress up Loch Linnhe with the 800m+ peaks on the north side of the water looking majestic - and deserted. If these peaks were in the English Lakes, there would be groups of people walking heavily eroded paths. As it was, we didn't see a soul.

In an effort to save time, we took a straight line across the bay with a plan to have a break on Eilean Balnagowan. This tiny island stood about a mile and a half from the shore and on the way across we were reminded of our crossings the previous day. Waves whipped up again and what had looked like a simple paddle across became hard work.

The stove was out in no time for our morning coffee. I have a habit of taking pictures of my stove in action. I am very attached to it. I bought it in Canada and it has been on all of my adventures since, always performing perfectly (apart from the time when the fuel pump split and leaked and I kicked the resultant fireball around a beach in North Yorkshire, trying to put it out).

As we explored the island, we disturbed a group of seals that had been sunbathing on the rocks. They slipped in to the water and bobbed around 15m from the shore, waiting for us to get off their island.

We duly did and began the crossing back towards the mainland.

Rain storms were now being rushed along the coast to the north by a wind that had steadily increased all morning.

I took my camera out to catch a picture of Steve with the mountains and rainbow behind him. By the time I came to put my camera away, the waves had doubled in size and the wind in strength. It was another sprint for land and safety.

Steve led the way again with me charging along to catch up. He was about 20m away and in the middle of the crossing when in the blink of an eye, his boat turned over. I had no idea what happened, but as I paddled towards the upturned hull of his boat, I called aloud to whoever it is we speak to in these situations... 'C'mon Steve, get out'.

He was out in no time and was bobbing alongside his boat by the time I arrived. He had managed to keep hold of everything apart from his hat. I retrieved this, but realised that I should probably be concentrating on getting him out of the cold water, rather than worrying about his millinery.

Steve calmly gave me directions of how we should perform the rescue. This involves righting the boat, pumping the water out of the cockpit before getting him back into it without taking any water back in.

Thankfully, it worked really well and he was back in within 5 minutes. This time spent in the cold water, along with the shock of the initial roll took it out of Steve and again we were heading for land in the quickest but safest way we could.

This trip was getting serious. Steve's expertise and our good fortune at being so close to land had saved him from getting too cold to be able to react or drive his body on.

After time spent in the sun (and wind) to calm down and warm up, the waves breaking on the beach on which we had sought refuge eased and we were able to make our way back out and around the headland.
Despite being shaken, cold and tired, we still had the two major obstacles of the day to contend with. The crossing, or diversion, around the entrance to Loch Leven and the Corran Narrows. Given what had happened so far, we were ignoring everything we thought we knew about the effects of tides, the wind and even basic paddling. We were making it up as we went along. Learning every minute.

With Steve's confidence having taken a battering (or maybe a drowning) we decided that we should compromise on the crossing. We would head towards the Ballachulish Bridge over the narrows separating Lochs Linnhe and Leven, but not get too close to be affected by the tidal race beneath it.

I should point out that I was using a digital SLR for these pictures. It was wrapped in a camera bag that was inside a dry bag, then strapped to the deck of my boat. This means that the only time I would risk getting the camera out was when the sea was relatively calm and it wasn't raining. As a result, the pictures make it look like we had the freakishly good weather that people were enjoying further south. That wasn't true, but more on that later...

The crossing went well, and after sitting out another storm at Onich, we prepared ourselves for the Narrows.

The narrows, as you might expect, are the narrowest bit of the Loch. This means that all those millions of tons of water that move in and out twice a day, are all funnelled through this restriction. We knew when slack water (my favourite nautical term) was and planned our passing then. We prepared ourselves, wished each other luck and set off into the sunset...

It was a doddle. The calmest conditions of the trip so far. All that remained was to find a suitable campsite in the gloaming. Loch Linnhe this side of the narrows felt more like an inland lake than an exposed sea loch. Maybe the high seas ands the problems that they had caused were behind us.

We found a car park at Sgeir Na Sean Chroit and given the darkness, the rain starting and our full-body-tiredness, we decided to ignore the No Camping sign.

My stove pictures usually have some kind of view or perspective, but this was it. With my raincoat zipped all the way up and pulled all the way down over my face, the headtorch's pool of light was my world for the evening. Pasta and meatballs with Mediterranean herb flatbreads, followed by Lindor dark chocolate balls and more Oban whisky.

I was asleep before my head hit the pile of wet clothes that was my poor excuse for a pillow...

Cross-Scotland Kayak Adventure Part 1.

2011-10-03T22:20:00.000+01:00

Phew. Well, where to start.

I'll just tell it like it was and hope it works out...

So last week, Steve and I kayaked across Scotland to raise a few quid for LOROS. Rather than the fairly standard Fort William to Inverness, Great Glen route, Steve decided that we were to add on about half again with a paddle through the sea loch, Loch Linnhie from Oban first.

After virtually no preparation on my part, we travelled up and as usual, how far away Scotland is took me by surprise. Carlisle was halfway. On the way we passed the northern shores of Loch Awe and already the seeds were sown for the next adventure...

Oban was pretty enough, but the on/off rain finally made its mind up as we browsed the Oban Sea Kayak shop, and the streets soon flooded. Our accommodation was the Corran House Bunkhouse. When we mentioned our trip and the fact that we were doing it for charity, the landlady insisted that the room would be reduced and the (huge) breakfast would be free.

After a final night of preparation in Markie Dan's, a solid night's sleep and that breakfast set us up nicely. Beforehand though, we had decided that we could still catch the tide after watching Scotland play Argentina in the rugby world cup. The loss, after being 12-6 up with 8 minutes to go could have been an omen. As could the wind and rain that was back as we set off from the beach right outside the hostel.

The fully loaded boats felt pretty stable in the calm conditions of Oban's natural harbour, sheltered by Kerrera, but as we passed out into the Lynn of Lorn, the swell began to combine with the wind and spring tide to make conditions more challenging.

After 5km or so, we pulled in to the beach next to the Marine Science Centre on the southern side of Ardmucknish Bay. A headland gave us a decent viewpoint to assess conditions in the bay and the crossing we were about to make from here around the headland of Fionn Ard.

The picture I took shows what we saw. Some small waves, wind and rain. We were fresh, it would be fine...

Halfway across this 3.5km crossing, the wind, tide, flow out from Loch Etive and torrential rain all conspired to create a swell of 5 feet or so with waves whipped up by the wind crossing the swell and breaking over the top of my kayak.

It was terrifying, exhilarating and great fun, all at the same time.. My heart pounded in my chest. There was no chance to rest, retrace our route or short-cut this experience. We were committed and only effort would get us out of it.

Steve was quicker through the water, his sea kayak much more suited to the environment. I did my best to keep up, but quite often, because of the size of the waves and the disorienting effect of the boat being thrown about on the waves, I lost track of where he was and the point of the coast we were aiming for. Steve sensibly took the decision that we needed to get ashore as soon as we could and so rather than rounding the headland and possibly exposing us to even worse conditions, he headed for the bay of Camas Nathais.

The wind and rain continued to batter us as we staggered out of our boats and onto the beach. Everything was shades of grey. Stuck in my head was the Withnail and I quote about going 'on holiday by mistake'.

I fired up the stove, believing that things wouldn't seem quite as grim with warm coffee and some homemade flapjack inside us. Unfortunately, they were. We were soaked to the skin (possibly beyond that if that's possible). As the realisation of what we were up against dawned on us, we weighed up our options. We could sit where we were and get colder and hope that things improved, we could paddle back out into the tempest and around the headland, or we could drag the boats across the headland - about 800m of knee deep seaweed and stone track.
I am delighted to say that Steve and I share an outlook that in situations like this, it is better to DO something - anything to try and improve the situation. So off we went, manhandling our fully laden boats across the hill that separated us from some (hopefully) calmer water and getting back out on the water.

The effort seemed to be worthwhile and although we had lost a lot of time, we were able to put back in in the shelter of Eilean Raibhach and continue along the coastline.
Before long, the weather and waves were back and we were forced ashore again on Rubha Clach Tholl. We had just crossed the mouth of Loch Creran and paddled straight through the tidal race there. This means that the tide is flowing out of the Loch and through some form of underwater restriction, causing waves to 'stand' on the surface, meaning that even though I was paddling full-speed forwards, when I looked across to the shore, I could see I was travelling backwards. After expending far more effort than was sensible, I made my way around the race and to the headland.
We really did have a lot to learn. Loughborough canal really was nothing like this...

By now, the ludicrousness of what we were doing was hitting home and the giggling fits began. My colleagues 500 miles away were just coming to the end of their working day in their air-conditioned offices and were going to walk a few yards to their cars before driving home to eat a balanced meal and putting the TV on.

I was peeing on my feet because the wind and rain made even the simple things a challenge. Still, at least there were no midges.

But we needed to get on. We were already hours behind the schedule we had set ourselves. Castle Stalker was just along the coast and that promised to be a highlight.

The weather improved as the light began to fail and we needed somewhere to camp. The main A82 road ran along the south-east edge of the Sound and so we headed for the island to try to camp away from it. The whole island appeared to be a marsh. Bits that weren't marsh were streams. It was hopeless. We headed back across the sound towards the road and an area of what looked to be flat grass. It wasn't. We were stuck.

Just then, a lady walking her dog appeared. She may or may not have been real.

Steve asked if she might have an idea where we could camp. She suggested that we ask at the farmhouse. When we did, the gentleman that owned the place saw the state we were in and invited us in. Not only that, but he offered us each a bed for the night, a shower and somewhere to dry wet kit!

We shared our basic pasta meal with him and opened our bottle of 14 year old Oban single malt to toast the kindness of strangers. After our free breakfast and now this, it felt like the people of the Highlands knew what their environment could throw at us and so needed to help.

I slept in a room that appeared to have been the owner's son's. It also appeared that the room had not been touched since that son, a fine young horseman by the look of his rosettes, had left home 20+ years before.
In the seconds between laying down and falling asleep, I had the feeling that I was still on the water. Like being drunk, but rather than spinning, the world was bobbing up and down on the waves.

Day one was over. We were miles short of our campsite, but we were safe and dry for what felt like the first time since we'd left Oban.

Zorki First Roll

2011-09-14T14:03:00.002+01:00

I had a delivery yesterday from the Plastic Magpie Camera Club.
It was the first roll back from the Zorki 4 that a work colleague gave to me. It is another old Russian heavyweight. This particular one was made 5 years before I was born and he wasn't too sure if it was working or not.
I cleaned it and checked it over - all seemed good and so I fed it with some Polish Kodak 200 film and carried it around for a couple of weeks.

Unfortunately, I'd forgotten that it was 200 and exposed everything for 400. Much of the roll was used taking pictures of the sunset as I rode home from the Ride Leicester festival and so things are a bit dark. However, I'm really pleased with some of the results. I love the very analogue feel to them all...

My Friday commuting bike.

Sunshine.

Daft bikes at the Ride Leicester Festival.

September the 1st in Bradgate.

Gravity Rides Everything

2011-09-11T23:04:00.000+01:00

As you may have read previously, Steve and I have decided that our next adventure will be to kayak across Scotland.
Paddling The Great Glen route is fairly common, so we've decided (well Steve did - it's his trip, I'm tagging along) to add 25 miles of sea paddling in Loch Linnhe to the start:

View LorosPaddle in a larger map

My first vague nod in the direction of preparing for this challenge (baring in mind that we leave in a fortnight) was a trip to the Lakes for a couple of days paddling on Ullswater.
Despite the fact that Hurricane Katia was heading our way, we travelled up on Friday night, arriving at the Sun Inn in Pooley Bridge at 2 minutes past 11. The barman laughed aloud as he saw the look of relief on our faces when he said that four pints of Cumberland Ale wouldn't be a problem.

Overnight, Katia began to make her presence felt. Steve tells me (I'd never hear anything less than a category 4) that the rain and wind battered the van, I'm sorry LODGE, for most of the night.
But the day started brightly enough with some fantastic 97% sausages from Debbie and Andrew. If you are a sausage fan (and who isn't?) you have to try these...

After quick look at the map to establish that even by travelling the length of Ullswater and back again wouldn't be equal to what we'd need to do every day for 5 days in Scotland, we were off...

We paddled against the fast flowing River Eamont, under the Pooley Bridge and out onto Ullswater. The going was ok. A little choppy with a strong wind, but nothing that we couldn't handle.

We passed the campsites on the east bank of the lake and gave cheery waves to the people from the Song Of The Paddle who had gathered there for the weekend. The wind and water conditions meant that their open canoes were going to be very difficult to paddle and so it seemed that they had chosen to sit and drink beer instead.

Crossing Howtown bay, the southerly wind was able to get a bit of a run up before whipping the top couple of feet of water into a pattern of waves that seemed to hit us from several directions. After 15 minutes of battling the wind and waves, we made it to the bank, climbed out and greeted each other as heroes!

From here we continued south-west towards the (Silver) point in the lake where it turns left and heads due south. As we approached, we could see that the tops of the waves were beginning to break and white horses were charging down the lake to meet us.

At about the same time, Katia decided that we weren't wet enough and began driving rain into our faces. The wind, waves and rain piled into us as we passed through the Ikea print view from the Inn On The Lake.

The rain stung my face and hands. The wind blew the tears from my eyes making it difficult to see the next wave that was about to crash over the front of my boat and into my chest. It was like paddling in slow motion. Through treacle.

If I'm struggling on a bike, I'll freewheel or just stop. If I feel the exposure on the side of a mountain. I'll take a breather and rest. Close my eyes. 'Take a moment'. When you're kayaking, 200m from the shore and with 60m of water below you, that isn't an option.

It was miserable, uncomfortable and dangerous but I WAS LAUGHING OUT LOUD!

It wasn't work. It wasn't my overdue gas bill. It wasn't watching shite TV.

It was feeling the power of the elements. It was the uncertainty of being in real danger. It was 'licking the lid of life...'

Eventually, we reached the end of the lake and quickly turned back to surf the waves to somewhere suitable for lunch. We found a sheltered beach and pulled in, brewed a coffee and exchanged excited experiences of the trip which was rapidly becoming (what the kids call) EPIC!

As we did so, the waves that were being blown by our small bay were growing all the time. They began to look like waves on a sea rather than an inland lake.

But of course, we'd now got the wind behind us. Things were going to get easier, right?

As soon as we left the bay, we were into the waves that were now three feet high and travelling pretty quickly. At one point, my boat was rushed towards a rock face that stood square on to the waves crashing against it. As they hit, the waves were 'reflected' back out, causing the water to thrash and churn in front of it.

My heart was pounding in my chest. I was now a passenger, having only slight influence on my kayak's direction and its avoidance of the scene.

The rain started again and we took the decision (probably half an hour later than was sensible) that we were probably a little out of our depth and that we really ought to stop and sit out the worst of the storm.

We sheltered under a tree that was being torn from the earth by Katia. I'm not sure what she was pissed off about, but it felt like it was something that Steve and I were responsible for.

Eventually, there appeared to be a lull. We paddled furiously to try to find some calmer waters, straining elbows and shoulders as we did so.

After another mile, we were in the lee of Place Fell and things got a little easier. I was tired. The stress and exertion meant that the simple task of paddling in straight line back to the mouth of the Eamont was far more difficult than it should have been.

Katia continued to calm into the evening. We walked to the pub to consume thousands of guilt free calories beneath her glorious sunset.

But she was back today. Through the night and into daylight, the wind and rain pummelled the Lake District. Rather than the paddling we intended to do, we watched rugby (Wales and South Africa in the World Cup) and drank coffee.

What more preparation could be required for the Scotland trip? Yesterday seemed about as bad a things could get. Forgetting the fact that we'd be paddling further, day after day and camping, not sleeping or eating properly, we'd survived. We were kings. It'd be a breeze...

Or even a hurricane.

Only A Mother Could Love It.

2011-09-05T17:10:00.000+01:00

You may have noticed that it got dark a little earlier on Saturday. That is because I took my new Planet X Exocet frame out of its packaging. The matt carbon finish (no weave; it looks like a lump of pencil lead) with darker grey graphics and black everything else just seems to absorb light.

Once it's built and ridden a bit (with lights obviously) I'll let you know how it rides, but initially it looks a very serious bit of kit. The super steep seat angle and low front-end (bearing races are built into the frame to take a few more millimetres off the stack height) give the impression that its design is all about function over form.
First race on it will be in 2 weeks time so I'll need to get it built and get some miles in the slightly different position before then.

And of course, there'll be plenty more pictures to follow...

Chelsea Girl.

2011-09-01T22:04:00.000+01:00

You might remember my trip to the Dark Peak with my Holga and the fun I had taking the back off the camera halfway through the film.

The Holga doing its stuff. Sharp and blurred. High contrast and low - all on the same frame.

I crept up on the gymnastic sheep. As I did, it gave me that look that said "you know, i'm gonna move before you get into range of your daft little camera...".

It was right.

Vertigo

2011-09-01T08:21:00.001+01:00

Apologies for the fake Lomo Instagram thing. I have been trying to only post the real thing lately. But I wanted to mark the first day of September, and what felt like the bike commute of Autumn.10 degrees when I left the house with mist lying in the valleys and over the water.

For two periods a year, my ride to work coincides with the sunrise. The light is fantastic and often only lasts for a few minutes before the sun is lost in cloud. I'll arrive at work and people will tell me what a miserable day it is. If only they had been around to see the sunrise they'd have a different view.

Whisper it, but I much prefer this time of year to 'summer'...

Secret Sound #2

2011-08-28T23:48:00.000+01:00

Yesterday saw the first Leicester Forest Cycling Club open 10 mile time trial for a few years. It was a really successful day with sunshine and dry roads and a new course record by Mr. Matt Bottrill.
Due to feeling a bit ropey for the last few weeks and just not getting the chance to ride much, I didn't start. Instead I volunteered to take the photographs of the day.
Here are a selection of them:

Some more can be found on the Leicester Forest Flickr page and many more on my hard drive. If you'd like a large print of any of them or even the big digital file, let me know. For a small donation here I'll send them to you.

I'm on a tightrope baby, nine miles high...

2011-08-28T23:05:00.000+01:00

Another week and another new camera to play with. This time it is the Lomography Society International's Sprocket Rocket. The camera has great old-fashioned styling (it is a rip off of an ancient German model) and despite being made entirely of plastic, feels a bit more substantial than a Holga or Action Sampler.

It has a few tricks up its sleeve too. You can wind the standard 35mm film both forwards or backwards (or not at all for multiple exposures on the same frame). You can also choose to wind on a full frame or less than that. This gives crazy, endless panoramas. The wide angle (plastic) lens shoots 106 degree panoramas onto a space on the film usually taken up by two standard exposures. Therefore, a 36 exposure film only gets 18 shots.

The obvious feature of the camera though (its given away by the name) is that the sprocket hole area of the film is also exposed. This poses no problem for the people developing the film as it's the same process. What is different is scanning the film. Most scanners hold the film with the sprocket area and as a result, you'll need a DigitaLiza or to be handy with tape and bits of anti-glare glass. (I chose the former). Because of the shape, they'll also be a bugger to get printed.

I'm pretty pleased with the results, but am very aware that they are a style that has to used in moderation as the novelty wears off pretty quick. Let me know what you think...

I look forward to trying it with a black and white film for some scenic panoramas. I'll post the results, but not TOO soon...

Chime

2011-08-22T07:35:00.001+01:00

A very short walk in the Peaks yesterday, but just time for a few photos...

The heather was at its maximum purpleness and my new favourite place (gate Side Clough) looked spectacular. Despite the evidence of the last picture, there is not a lot of water about up there and the reservoirs were as low as I've ever seen them.

Not Bad For an Old Girl.

2011-08-21T00:10:00.001+01:00

Well, I got the negs back today from the first film though my Smena Symbol for about 25 years.

It is one of the cameras I got from my wife’s uncle during our visit to Poland last month. It’d been in their family from new (1989) but only used for 5 years.

The reason that the camera hadn’t been used for so long is because the wind-on mechanism had jammed. I had it apart and freed it up and it seems from the results that it is winding on ALMOST perfectly. But I love the fact that occasionally it has joined two frames together. The is particularly effective when it is the war grave of a Russian soldier joined to a Catholic road-side shrine.

Two ideologies that don’t get on well, but looking good side by side on a roll of Fuji Superia.

The camera has been really simple to get on with. It raised a few alarm bells when my hand luggage was x-rayed on the way out of Poland. I guess they saw a large lump of metal and plastic with gears, pulleys and springs – not how cameras looks these days even in x-ray.

It feels really robust and I’ve quite happily chucked it into my bag to carry on my daily cycle commute. It is made of plastic and metal, but it seems that the bit you’d think might be metal are plastic and vice versus.

I tried to use the aperture and shutter settings rather than just relying on the picturegrams of different shades of clouds, and for the most part, it worked really well. The Fuji 400 allowed me to use the camera pretty much everywhere and catch action too.

It is a camera that I’m going to keep close by being reliable and quick and easy to use yet well built enough to survive my adventures.

You can find the rest of the album here: http://www.lomography.com/homes/placidcasua1/albums/1745184-smena-symbol-first-roll-for-25-years

They’re scanned on a cheap Aldi scanner but still look pretty good. I’ll re-scan when my Epson arrives next week.

Sorry the formatting is all over the place, I've copied this post from my LomoHome.

Broni Rocket

2011-08-17T22:31:00.000+01:00

Two new cameras to introduce you to.

This is a Sprocket Rocket from the Lomography Society International viewed through the viewfinder of a Zenza Bronica SQ-A.

The former is a panoramic camera that shoots an angle of 106 degrees onto (the equivalent of) two frames of 35mm film. As the name suggests, you can leave out the mask and expose the sprockets of the film too. It came from Amazon using some vouchers that I was given. It looks good (although extremely plasticy) and I've already shot a couple of the usual Cropston Reservoir sunset clichés.

The latter is a medium format SLR, the type used by pros to shoot weddings. The shutter opening is quite an occasion. A real sturdy cluck as the massive mirror leaps out of the way.

This was given to me by a colleague at work who suggested that it could sit in my loft rather than his. Not a chance! Can't wait to give it a go (once the battery arrives).

Thin Black Sail - Holga in the Dark Peak

2011-08-14T20:37:00.001+01:00

Usually, after a day in the hills or a trip somewhere interesting, I'll come home and post some photos for those of you out there that might be remotely interested.
So today, with Gosia ill in bed, I set off to the Peak District with a plan to take photos. I had in mind a couple of places I wanted to photograph and would spend some time getting the pictures I wanted.
I packed the camera, lenses, tripod, cleaning kit etc.

And so folks, here are the photos:

Yup, I'm afraid you're going to have to wait. Y'see when I took my camera out to take the first picture, I flicked the on/off switch and nothing happened. Queue the movie in my head when the camera zooms out from me, pans across the hillside, to the road, then further out, back along the motorway, back to our house. The camera zooms in now, until the point that you spot the camera battery sitting on the desk next to the charger in my kitchen...

Arsebiscuits!

Luckily, I'd taken my Holga and Смена символ along too and the day (in photographic terms) wouldn't be wasted. Problem is you'll have to wait for the pictures I took...

In the meantime, here are the Instagrams I took along the way - I've been trying to stop taking these things, but without the instant gratification of my digital camera, I fell back on the phone and this most addictive application.

The Holga showed its... umm, 'character' again today. The double sided sticky tape that holds the lump of foam that helps keep the film tight by wedging the roll against the back of the camera body (I make it sound far more technically advanced than it really is) gave up. I was winding the camera on after taking a picture and saw the foam pass by the window in the back of the body.

This meant having to zip myself and the camera inside my jacket to take the back of the camera off, and fish out the foam without letting too much light in.

We'll see how successful I was when I get the prints back...

It has been a while since I've been in the Peaks. I used to be there most weekends when I spent some time as a trainee National Park Ranger. The area I went to today I used to know like the back of my hand. It was great to be back. The heather was beautiful, in full flower. The weather was perfect too. As Andy points out, the area suits cloud rather than clear blue skies.

I hope that I've managed to capture some of the magic, but while we're waiting to find out (as if!), you could check out Al Brydon's most excellent Holga pictures of the Peak District.

The Red Carpet Ride

2011-08-12T23:40:00.002+01:00

Flyer thanks once again to Louise (Moonpie)

This month's Critical Mass promises to be our best yet - it's certainly our most ambitious.

August bank holiday weekend has loads going on for the cyclists in the city and Leicester Critical Mass is delighted to be teaming up with the Ride Leicester Festival to bring you the RED CARPET RIDE.

The route will take us on familiar roads but with a new twist, from Orton Square to Phoenix Square. Somewhere along the way, everyone that rides with us will receive a free cinema ticket that will allow them in to see a couple of very special films.

When we arrive at Phoenix you can walk the red carpet, through the banks of paparazzi and be our special guests at the world premiere of our very own Leicester Critical Mass short film.

The main event will be the second showing anywhere (does regional premiere sound better?) of BÖIKZMÖIND. A film about the bike scene in Bristol made by Leicester film maker Gavin Strange who'll be along to tell us the story of how it was made.

Then join us afterwards for a beer and some live music in the Phoenix bar.

Your ticket will also allow you entry into any other film or presentation during the festival weekend- details here.

So come and ride our red carpet as your favourite film star or character. Think glitz and glamour as Hollywood comes to Leicester and know that no outfit will be too over the top.

We're expecting a couple of Marilyns, Batmen and a Shrek or two. Or perhaps you'll want to relive the golden age of cinema and come in black and white and not talk much...

See you on the 26th. 6pm, Orton Square.

Critical Mass and Red Traffic Lights.

2011-08-12T21:40:00.000+01:00

We've been riding Critical Mass in Leicester now for 10 months and each time we ride we learn more lessons about routes, how to make sure people are safe, what themes people like and if a pun is going to work.
One question that we keep coming back to however, and have never really answered to everyone's satisfaction, is what to do at red traffic lights.

We make a point on our rides of being law-abiding riders and not doing the things that cyclists so often get criticised for. We don't ride on the pavement or the wrong way up one way streets.
We also use the phrase 'We're traffic too' to justify our right to ride around the streets and occasionally hold a few people up.

So all of this good work could be seen to be undone when we do go through a red light, but I feel that in the circumstances (and only these) that it is justified.

If I'm riding at any time APART from Critical Mass, I'll always stop at red light. And I get really annoyed by cyclists (and people on bikes) who do go through them. It is dangerous and antagonistic.

People will debate the moral argument of Critical Mass passing through red lights, but consider the moral obligation to keep people safe on such a ride. That is far more pressing and outweighs such a violation of the law.
Also, the people who might point out our reckless lawlessness may occasionally (or more often) break the speed limit by 5 or 10 mph. Something that there is rarely justification for. Two wrongs don't make a right, but it's difficult to make a case for the latter despite it being normalised behaviour these days.
Those people might also want to consider what might happen if we took 200 riders through Leicester and did stop at every red light. How long do you think we would take to pass by then? How many more people would we hold up and piss off?

We take our 'non-organisation' very seriously. We ride the routes a few days before the last Friday and think of ways to maximise exposure but limit risk and our likelihood of pissing off the rest of the world.

I understand that passing through red traffic lights as Critical Mass will upset motorists, but it allows our safe movement as one body. Critical Mass only ever feels unsafe when the group does get split and we are faced with what regular cyclists struggle with every day and that is being the underdog on our car dominated streets.
As a single body, a critical mass, that balance shifts in our favour, if only for a moment as we ride by.

Time for another Microadventure.

2011-08-11T11:11:00.000+01:00

If you read this blog very often you'll know that I occasionally head off on microadventures. These can be multi-day trips into wild areas, riding my bike to Poland or simply walking to work, going somewhere new for breakfast or even sleeping in the garden.

Each are challenging in their own way. Some physically, some will test motivation and willingness to put up with discomfort and others will test my resistance to having the mickey taken out of me (back to sleeping in the garden!).

The next one trip is likely to test all of these things and more. Steve and I have a plan to kayak, unsupported between Oban and Inverness, some 120 miles carrying everything we need to camp along the route.

To add to the adventure, we're going to do this in a month's time, leaving very little opportunity to get my arms and shoulders used to the idea.

Last night we paddled for 12 miles along the River Soar from Mountsorrel to Loughborough and back and I felt it. My arms were complaining still on my ride in to work this morning.

I'll get to the gym a couple of times a week for the next few weeks and do some rowing, but otherwise, as usual, I'll be setting off on another trip only half prepared...

Steve on Loch Ericht last year.

We'll be raising a few quid for LOROS by doing this so let me know if you'd like to give anything to this wonderful cause.

Football Head

2011-08-09T12:52:00.003+01:00

Mr. Football Head waits for a break in the clouds...

Sleep Well

2011-08-08T22:19:00.000+01:00

I could do the gag about this being Birmingham burning in the distance, but the situations in London and Birmingham are just too depressing to joke about.

We were in London at the weekend and it was lovely. We were talking about how we'd like to live there. But tonight, I'm very glad to be in sleepy Leicestershire and have the chance to go and watch the sunset on Beacon Hill in complete peace.

GE London Triathlon - A First-Timer's View.

2011-08-07T14:17:00.002+01:00

Yesterday, I had the good fortune to be able to race in the Dextro Energy Triathlon in London's Hyde Park. GE are the major sponsors of the British Triathlon Federation and the national squads. That meant that during the schedule of 'age-group' and elite events that are taking place during this world championship weekend, two 'waves' of 50 teams of GE employees and customers could race the same course that was being used for the main events.
The GE events were team relay races meaning that each competitor did an individual discipline rather than all three. That in turn meant that we were able to build teams of people doing 'their' thing rather than compromising.
Only one of our nine competitors had ever done a triathlon before and the secrets of transitions, non-drafting road races and open water swims were all mysteries to the rest of us.
Our three teams were:

Team H.I.T. - Helene Dogget swimming, Me cycling and Tom Whitmore running.
Team N.S.S. - Nick Massey swimming, Steve Rees cycling and Sarah Patrick running.
Team A.S.S. (maybe we should rethink our team names!) - Alistair McKendrick, Sara Bills and Steve Mitchell.

With the 'encouraging' words of Tim Povall, our business leader ringing in our ears, our teams and their supporters set off down to London with nerves, excitement and in some cases all out terror of what was to come leading to a subdued atmosphere on the coach.

The team heads for the start on Hyde Park.

After the accreditation process, working out the layout of the courses and transitions and many nervous visits to the toilets, race time was upon us.

The swimmers were up first. We'd watched previous races start and had seen the Serpentine lake being frothed by groups of 50 swimmers starting off together. The course started from a pontoon in front of the grandstands, but disappeared into the distance. The water looked a dull grey and I was very pleased to be our cyclist! I was and remain full of admiration for everyone who completed the swim...

Our three swimmers show what they're made of.

Nervous Helene?

I'd sooner be in the cafe.

By now the other 100 riders and I were nervously pacing our small area of transition next to our bikes, looking out for the first swimmers running the 400m or more from the water to meet us. Alistair appeared as one of the first. I've worked with Al for a few years now and am happy to say I've never seen such a look of pain and effort on his face before.

What seemed like seconds later, my team mate Helene appeared and this was it. Race time.
Everything else emptied from my consciousness. The nerves had gone. The niggling thoughts of if I'd eaten the right things... Had I got the right bike set up? Should I have gone to the toilet one more time?

To begin, the riders had to run down hill through the transition area and out onto the road before being allowed to mount their bikes. After weeks of build up it was great to be finally underway. I was so excited that I ran probably faster than was sensible and almost came a real cropper when my bike hit a lump in the grass, sending the pedal into my shin. It didn't matter - I just had to get on with it...

It was dry and overcast and the whole route seemed lined with people shouting encouragement. The cycling course was perfect. Long straights with some tight turns and a couple of gentle inclines. This allowed me to do what I do - that is getting into as aerodynamic a position as I can and riding to a point where the pain is just about bearable and maintaining it. Time trialling has been described to me as a 'crime against ergonomics'. Just don't tell EHS!

Sara on South Carriage Drive.

Sara was already out on the course after Alistair's incredible swim and I knew that Steve was right behind me as I'd seen Nick come in from his swim just behind Helene. This gave extra motivation of riding to catch Sara as soon as I could but also not letting Steve catch me. Due to the hairpin turns at either end of the course, there were two opportunities on each lap to see if the gaps were changing.

Steve begins his race.

The course was busy with all standards of rider. Some people were obviously seasoned racers while others wobbled around the sharper bends and had to be watched carefully.

I may have gone quicker if I'd pedalled with both legs?

I managed to make up a load of places and got back to the transition wishing that the race could have been longer. No-one had passed me during the 14.1miles and afterwards I found out that I'd covered it in 35 minutes (24.2mph - OK given the twists and turns), one of the quickest of the day.
Something that I'm not used to as a cyclist is leaping off the bike after half an hour of maximum effort and then running. My knees complained but eventually began to function as I ran back up the hill to hand over to Tom. The mass of runners, eagerly looking for their riders was confusing and picking Tom out difficult, but I found him after what seemed like a few wasted seconds, racked the bike and handed over the transponder. He was off...

I'd only found out that morning quite how good Tom was. As a cyclist I'm a fair club rider but a 'nobody' on the county or national scenes. Tom is the real deal. This was his distance. I'd felt a real pressure to make sure he had the best chance to do his thing and after the ride was satisfied that I had.

Sara and Steve soon came in from their rides and all of our runners were underway. Things were going well. The remaining team members now rushed to the last bend of the running course to meet the runners and try to keep up with them for the last 100m or so, allowing us to finish as a team.

Tom powers home.

In what seemed like no time, Tom sprinted into view and Helene and I set off. We crossed the line together, all having given everything we had.
There is a buzz to competition that people who don't race don't understand. It hurts; the training takes hours of your week; you get injured; it costs money. But at the end of an event when you've crossed the line, knowing that you've given your best, none of that matters. The satisfaction is extraordinary.
In fact, it makes you feel like this:

Silly grins.

We cheered home our other two teams as they too finished together and then it was off to the VIP hospitality area. While we were there, a tannoy announcement was made saying that there was to be a presentation for the GE events and could the Groby team go to reception.

For the first time in my life I was going to stand on a podium. OK, it wasn't the top step but we'd finished only 30 seconds behind the winners. Our trophies were presented by Helen Jenkins, the British triathlete that had earlier won the women's elite race and booked her place at the London Olympics.

The video of that podium presentation.

It was a great day. The opportunity to race what next year will be the Olympic course was a real honour. The organisation was world class. An example of this is the results service that shows the performance of each competitor in a virtual replay. Click here to see our teams in action.

Thanks to our supporters that came along. Congratulations to everyone who took part but especially the Groby teams. Everyone should be really proud of their performances and I'm sure we'll all be desperate to race again next year.

I'm off now with a coffee and a tin of biscuits to watch TV coverage of the men's elite competitors racing on the same course I got to know so well yesterday...

Interestingness

2011-07-22T12:35:00.001+01:00

Over the next few days I'm hoping to have a cull of the 4,600+ photos I have on Flickr. I've been using it for many years now and have never taken anything down from it.
For the time being, here are my most 'interesting' pictures on Flickr. Interestingness being an algorythm of views, groups a picture is posted in and the number of puppies and kittens in the picture. HDR seems to score bonus points too.

I have to warn you that there are rather a lot of pictures of bikes in here. If you want to see the picture on Flickr, just click on it as you scroll by...

Tak Edwardia?

2011-07-22T12:03:00.000+01:00

As promised a couple of posts ago, it's time to post up a few pictures from the first roll through the Holga.
I had the film developed at Peak Imaging in Sheffield who performed a super-quick turn-around, but not quite quick enough to get them delivered back more than 30 minutes before we left for the airport. I just had time to scan them but not enough to straighten them up or remove the crap that seems to be stuck to the glass on my scanner.
Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with the results. The double exposures that I took at last Thursday's Leicester Forest time trial almost did what I expected, as did the one taken on my commute. The simultaneous view of the ruins I ride past and the bike I'm riding on. Looks like the peacock that I snapped as I rode by hadn't seen a Holga before either...
My favourite though is the panda portrait. I've been doing them for years, but this is probably the first time on film...

I realise this lo-fi style is not to everyone's taste and there is a danger of flying close to the borders of Hipsterdom, so I'll keep this in mind and limit the aount of these pictures I load on here.

If you do want more, keep an eye on flickr...

Lubi, Lubi, Lubi, Lubi

2011-07-19T12:57:00.000+01:00

Further to my post of a few days ago about messing around with 'toy', film cameras, the one I have been really waiting for has arrived.
Thanks to a really nice lady on eBay, I now have a Lubitel 166 Universal to add to the Holga and the Action Sampler to take on our trip to Poland. I've had an quick play with it, but look forward to using it around Poland as I think the LOMO style will suit the subject matter.

The serial number tells my that it was produced in Leningrad (some say St Petersburg) in 1993, but from the condition, it could have been built last week.
Unpacking it was exciting in itself as it came with both the original Russian box as well as the 'Western' packaging, complete with its spelling mistakes and ropey colourscheme.
Next came a fantastic pink canvas bag that smelt like a loft or the inside of an MGB, before finally getting to the plastic loveliness of the camera.
A quick test proved that everything was in working order and even the little magnifying lens was intact in the viewfinder housing.

There is an irony that I fully approeciate in the fact that I have downloaded an iPhone application so that I can use my phone as a light meter when using this camera. I hope to find a period light meter in Poland, assuming that all the old Soviet camera gear has not already been exported to the West.

Anyway, I'll post the results as soon as I have some to show you...

Not Riding the Dunwich Dynamo

2011-07-18T12:09:00.003+01:00

On 16th July 2011, 18 members and friends of the club travelled to London to take part in the Dunwich Dynamo. The event is a 120 mile ride from London Fields (Hackney) to Dunwich, a village that fell in to the sea on the Suffolk Coast. The thing that makes this ride unusual (apart from it being free) is that it starts at 8pm, meaning that much of the riding is in darkness.
Most of our group travelled down on the train and met up with Conni, Simeon and I in London. We drove the van loaded with bikes, water and sugary carbohydrates down and parked near the start.

Rob Martin's local knowledge led us to the Mangal Turkish restaurant for what seemed like a strange choice of meal for a group about to ride so far. A selection of Kaburga, Lokma, Beyti and Kulbasti were ordered and Steve looked more and more concerned about what he might actually receive ("they don't have this sort of thing in Thurmaston" but as he pointed out when is was served, they were all just "lamb salads".

The stragglers of the group arrived and we headed for the van to get into character. The mood turned from nervous energy to even more nervous 'focus'. Bikes were assembled in near silence as people realised the scale of what they were about to do.
A 2 minute ride brought us to London Fields and the Pub on the Park - the traditional start to the ride. There were around 1000 riders of all shapes and sizes on all kinds of machine. The common link seemed to be an abundance of red, flashing blinkies attaches to bikes, helmets, belts, feet, spokes etc...

After a beer and a photo opportunity, our intrepid gang rode off into the gloaming and I was left to work out how to get to the first rendezvous but without being held up by all the bloody cyclists!

35 miles later (for the riders - I went along the M11) I parked up and almost instantly drew a crowd of cyclists hoping to buy warm drinks and sugar from me. I had to explain repeatedly that only Leicestershire's (and a couple of Middleborough's) friendly cyclists could use our facilities.

Pretty soon, our riders began to arrive and were full of tales of riding through London in huge groups of cyclists and the fun that following mile after mile for red LED was proving to be. I was jealous - pig sick not to be riding. To see how grateful our riders were to have a hot drink and a biscuit though more than made up for this.

Simeon and Conni were soon off into the night once more while others were happy to stay a while longer and chat.

The weather was kind and the cool, clear skies meant that the full moon acted as a floodlight to light the roads and countryside.

The second stop was at Sible Heddingham village hall. In the early days of the event, this hall was probably quite sufficient for the riders taking part. Now, because of its success, the queue for food in the hall meant an hour's wait to get food.

Luckily, riders of the mighty Forest didn't have to worry about this and once more wrapped themselves in blankets and drank Typhoo at their leisure.

Conni and Simeon by now were practising their 'through and off' in darkness with their nose to the bars and so missed this (and the next) stop.

My trip to the third and final meeting point of Coddenham took an hour and despite being about 15 miles away from the route, I still met puzzled looking cyclists with maps blowing in the tail wind, wondering where they might have gone wrong.

At Coddenham, riders were getting really desperate. I had to close the doors of the van at one point after a I found a couple of guys with our cups in their hands, trying to work out how to use the flasks. By now we were out of hot water and so thanks to Simon's preparedness, I was able to boil up another couple litres for tea. There would have been some pretty pissed off people if they'd arrived to find that they couldn't have tea after 85 hard miles.

By now our riders were split across four groups. Our European contingent were after a new record for the event (although were going to face a lengthy wait on the beach for us). The last group on the road of Janet, Simon, Andy and Steve seemed to be having the most fun. Unfortunately, Janet wasn't fully aware of the rules of sprinting for signs and accidentally took the Suffolk sign - she'll know better next time...

Last stop was Dunwich, the beach and the end of the pain. I arrived an hour after the sun had risen. I had seen the spectacular orange light-show as I drove towards the beach, but I now understood why so many people raced there to see the sun rise from the sea.

As our riders came in, there were some tired legs and faces. Aaron's 1000-yard stare had developed into a 118-mile gaze. He wobbled to a standstill and I'm sure wouldn't have made too many more meters, let alone miles.

The beach was full of dozing cyclists and tired bikes. A few brave souls went for a swim, as is tradition. The Forest gang more than most.

After about an hour of the drive back, I was working too hard to keep my eyes open and we rounded a corner on the wrong side of the road and realised that some sleep would probably be a good idea. Luckily, Simeon and Conni were already asleep and didn't realise what a near miss we'd had...

I really enjoyed the event. I'd love to ride it next year, but wouldn't mind providing support again. It was a great way to get involved and the heart-felt "thank you"s I received for something as simple as a cup of tea made it all worthwhile.

The other cool thing is, thanks to our new signs, 1000 more cyclists know of the existence of Leicester forest Cycling Club, and that must be a good thing!

The credits:

Congratulations to everyone that rode the event. It was quite an achievement, especially for our less experienced riders for whom this was twice or even three times further than they'd ever ridden before.

Thank you for the t-shirt and the whisky. It is delicious.

And finally apologies to Mark Cavendish as I slept through the live coverage of your latest stage victory.
Click the big play button for some photos - video will follow...

Hype Man

2011-07-15T22:38:00.000+01:00

Hello everybody - been a while hasn't it?

Apologies to everyone that gives a damn, but after my ride to Poland, I was intimidated by the task of writing it up. I took notes along the way and took plenty of photographs, but the idea of writing the story of a two week journey just didn't appeal.

And so it never happened.

And because of that, I've left the blog alone since.

On a couple of occasions in this time, people have told me what avid followers they are of this blog. People have quoted back things I've written on here or described their favourite photographs. I can't tell you how special that is, especially when there are so many great blogs and photographers out there and just so much "stuff' to read, follow, 'like' or retweet.

So anyway, enough. Time to get into the habit again. I have so much going on, I should share it.

Something I have been doing lately (apart from beginning to use capital letters again) is using Instagram.
Instagram is an iPhone application that takes photos captured with a fantastic piece of modern technology and makes them look like they were taken with a cheap, plastic, 'toy' camera.

I like some of the effects that it produces although I also share some of the haters views and see the arguments for getting the most accurate version possible of what is in front of you at that moment.
But I decided to compliment my digital SLR and compact that can give this accuracy with a couple of cameras that don't; a couple of cameras that produce the effects that Instagram does if you're very lucky.

Stepping back to film and losing the ability to instantly review the picture you just took is quite odd. As is the whole palaver of taping the back onto a camera to reduce the light leaks and carrying around something as ugly as a Holga.

Both cameras have had a film through them which have been sent to a couple of developers that offer mail order services (the Holga uses 120 roll film and i didn't fancy letting Jessops send it to the same place I was going to but charging me a few quid more for the pleasure).

I'll post up the results when I get them back...

2011: A Space Picnic

2011-06-07T21:44:00.000+01:00

Leicester Critical Mass (because it is still called that) is back on June 24th (the day after my birthday) with the SPACE PICNIC.

Rob wanted a space theme, I wanted a picnic. Simple as that really. All the usual stressing about how to theme it was bypassed this month.

It should see some of the best fancy dress outfits we've had riding yet, but if you don't want to dress up, that's fine too. Just make sure you ride...

We were involved in the Building Cycling Cultures Conference this weekend which was all a bit bizarre. There were lots of professional cycling advocates and council types. And us - two blokes from the pub who have managed to start something rather special.

We ran a 'workshop' explaining to people how we had used 'Social Media' to go from an idea to 900 Facebook friends and 170 people riding with us.

On both occasions, the workshop got a little side-tracked onto how Leicester Critical Mass differs from others.

The people we were speaking to were experts, in one form or another, in cycling, but their perception of Critical Mass seemed to be shared. To them it is a protest. It is activism. A couple of the delegates said 'I'll never ride a Critical Mass'.

This took me back a bit and made us think about the 'baggage' that the name carries. To these 'professionals', Critical Mass means something very different than to to the people who ride with us. In fact of the people that ride the Leicester Mass, I'm sure there are probably less than 10% that realise that it happens all over the world and is usually a tense, confrontational, agenda-laden ride rather than our mobile party.

For a while we though about changing the name - Leicester Bike Party perhaps? Something to break this association and reflect what we are and how we differ from other Masses. But after some thought, we're going to stick with Leicester Critical Mass. It is descriptive of what we achieve during the rides, if only for a fleeting moment.

The people that started the original Critical Mass in San Francisco and coined the phrase, shared exactly our intentions and objectives. It seems they were victims of their own success and the event grew out of their control.

If you're interested in learning more about how it all started, you should make a cup of tea, pull up the biscuit tin and watch We Are Traffic.

Let me know what you think on the 24th...

i shan't lay a finger on the crabby old bat face

2011-05-26T21:59:00.000+01:00

the inbred, now with slicks and a big gear.
fun.

Come As You Are just 2 days away.

2011-05-25T18:48:00.000+01:00

Just a couple of days to go and as usual we're super excited (and a little bit nervous) that so many people have said they're coming along to Friday's ride.

It's funny that we tried to give people free rein with the 'theme' for this month's ride but we've had more questions and requests for guidance than ever before.

Just come as you are. However you feel. Come as what represents you. Come as what you'd like to represent. Come in your work clothes. Or your play clothes... Just come. As YOU are!

And hopefully you've seen the news that we're planning a picnic part way around the route. So bring a drink and a sandwich or a barbecue and burgers, whatever you fancy. We'll stop somewhere along the ride for half an hour before heading into town for our usual clocktower finish.

As usual, we have no idea how this is going to work out, but if it goes even half as well as the previous rides, you know it'll be the best Friday night of the month.

Friday, 6pm from Curve, Orton Square.

LCM

This Blog Is Closed.

2011-04-21T19:34:00.000+01:00

Hello fokls.
For the next week or so, this blog will be closed while I finish my trip across Europe.
If you'd like to follow my progress, check out the map here

Godless Brother In Love.

2011-04-14T22:20:00.000+01:00

If you click on the picture, you'll get a version that tells you what everything is...

It doesn't look a lot to last two weeks, across four countries and about 1300km does it? It'll feel a whole lot more when I'm dragging it across Europe though.
So I'm almost ready to go. A nice meal tomorrow night and then a steady start on Saturday. A few of the boys from the club are joining us for some of the ride to Cambridge which will be great.

My parents came round tonight to wish me well. I could tell as they left that they were worried about me. It got me thinking about whether or not what I was doing was irresponsible in some way. Was it unfair on the people who care about me? Was it just a really selfish thing to do?
I need to think more about this, but I guess they should be happy that I'm doing something that I will get an awful lot from. I never really consider the dangers of cycling but when I do, I usually conclude that as a cyclist I am best placed to judge how safe or otherwise it is.

As a reminder, if you want to track our progress between Leicester and Poland, please take a look at my map on Track My Tour.

Well, t'ra then. Write to you next from on the road somewhere...

Arriving Slowly.

2011-04-12T22:37:00.000+01:00

Well, that's it. The 'training' is done (training that consisted of just riding a lot really). I've bought the last few bits and pieces I needed and it's just 3 more days at work before we leave for Poland.
I spent Saturday afternoon in the sunshine, studying the guidebooks that cover the route from the Danish/German border down to Berlin. It's about 700km of riding that will take 6 days to cover.

The guidebooks, like all maps, are invitations to future adventures. To some people they would just be colourful lines on the page. For me they are the scenery I'll see next week. Those simple orange lines on the page will be the hard miles of pedaling. The clusters of grey squares are the houses in town whose character I will get to understand as I pass through.

What I really look forward to is the idea of arriving in places SLOWLY. These days it is too easy to jump on a plane and leave home and two hours later be somewhere that is completely culturally and geographically different. The most striking examples I have experienced of this are travels to Morocco and Iceland.
Flying to Poland is similar. The contrast is stark enough traveling from familiar England, with all the things I love and because of the familiarity, so many things I hate to a country interesting in so many ways but so different. But what lies in between, in that gap between the two?

Our trip will mean that the change won't be so instant. The landscapes, the people, their lifestyles will evolve steadily over the days as we travel east.

Anyway, as a reminder, if you want to follow our progress across the continent, please take a look at our map.

Trial Run.

2011-04-04T21:26:00.000+01:00

The weekend before last, Rob and I rode to Ely for an overnight mini-tour to 'shakedown' before we set off on our ride to Poland.
En route, I used the excellent Track My Tour app. Every so often, you compose a brief update of your progress and update it to the site. These show as waypoints. You can see the result of our Ely trip here.
When we leave for Poland, I'll be updating this map, so maybe you'd like to add it to your favourites now...

The ride was hard work. We ended up doing 162km on Saturday and 155 on Sunday, all towing a large amount of kit. Most of Saturday's was done into a brute of a head wind. We don't intend to ride these sorts of distance on tour, but needed a test to gauge our limits.

The long, flat, straight Fenland roads, heading due east, directly into the teeth of the gale were soul-destroying, particularly the 5 mile straight after a place called Ramsey Forty Foot:

Not quite as bad as the wind in this video, but hard work when carrying such a load.
Cambridgeshire roads:

On the way back I decided that I could do without riding through the middle of the city and so opted to head home via some Leicestershire hills. Stupid, STUPID idea.
Leicestershire roads:

I was proper tired after the trip and had worryingly painful knees, but we learned a few lessons. We have a better idea of the sort of distances we can travel in a day and that kit needs to be kept to an absolute minimum.
My list is below. I never usually make lists. My packing tecknique is to get a big bag and walk around the house putting things into it. If I don't happen to see something then it won't come. A list seems to be a good idea for an adventure such as ours...

So, what do you think? Too much? Did I forget something?

Kit

bob yak trailer

yak sak

bar bag - topeak tourguide

cycle computer

Personal Kit

2 prs cycling shorts

2 cycling tops - Shutt Velo Rapide merino sportwool = many days with no stink

2 prs cycling socks.

cycling shoes.

1 pr comfort socks - big, thick woolen bridgedale ones.

cycling helmet
cycling cap.

2 base layers - short (Icebreaker)/long sleeved howies merino again

Swrve WWR shorts

Altura Waterproof jacket

Berghaus Deluge waterproof overtrousers.

1 Windproof (montane)

Cycling gloves.

Cycling glasses.

zip off trousers.

1 short sleeve T-shirt.

buff
Merrel trainers

Underwear.

Swimming shorts

Wash kit (toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, soap etc.)

Lifeventure light weight towel.

montane smock (windproof and thermal)

Watch.

Bike Repair + Maintenance Kit

Spare inner tubes

trailer tube

Puncture repair kit.

Multi tool

tyre levers

frame pump.

Small plastic bottle of general lube.

1 spare folding tyre.

shifter cables

spare spokes

chain links

Other Gear

2 large drinks bottles.

guide books, maps

camera

powermonkey + ADAPTOR

tripod

pen

Passport, E111, ATM card.

Waterproof stuff sacks.

Earplugs (for noisy camp sites)

lock and cable

First aid kit (plasters, anti-inflamatories, etc.).

Sunbloc

Insect repellant

chamois crème

washing powder for laundry and twisted elastic drying line.

Mobile Phone

notebook and pencil

Camping Equipment

Vango Banshee tent

sleeping bag probably Vango ultralite 1100 but might be Ajungilak Winter if I can fit it in)

spork

thermarest

pillow

stove

fuel bottle

pan

spatula

emergency food (breakfast bars, clif bars etc)

pepper

handwash

bowl

Washing up liquid and sponge.

Headtorch

Leatherman

fire steel and zippo lighter.

Your Own Spell

2011-03-31T18:02:00.000+01:00

A couple of pictures from last night's night ride. Nick rode the Whippet and I got chance to take a couple of pictures - soon to be seen on the On-One website...

Looking fast, even going up hill

Green Grass of Tunnel

2011-03-22T17:16:00.000Z

Inspired by the ever entertaining John Romeo Alpha's post Umbrella Me With Otherness on his One Speed Go! blog, I offer you pictures of my bike in motion reflected in puddles!

I understand that this is potentially the most dull post you ever heard of and I can imagine the scramble for the 'unsubscribe' button, but here goes anyway...

Get up. Go ride.

Leicester Critical Mass - The Leicester Fiesta

2011-03-22T11:29:00.001Z

There's less than a week to go 'til March's Critical Mass! This month's ride will have a Brazilian theme and will end at a Brazilian party in the Crumblin' Cookie on High Street (just next to Dominoes).

It is sure to be our loudest and most colourful Critical Mass ride to date. This'll be the sixth time that the 'two-wheeled charm offensive' has hit the Leicester streets and shown to the world that cyclists are traffic too.

It ISN'T a protest. It's a bunch of people having fun and making a peaceful point - that is that the streets are not just the domain of the car and truck and that they are spaces that should be enjoyed by everyone.

So wear a yellow shirt, find a whistle or a drum and join us in a celebration of cycling and freedom.

We've laid on ales, Brahma and caipirinhas (Brazil's national cocktail) and properly authentic cuisine like cozinhas (damn those things are more-ish) as well as meaty and vegan versions of the Brazilian national dish feijoada ...

The Crumblin' Cookie is family friendly and they're looking forward to our invasion. There'll be Brazilian music to keep the atmosphere on track so please join us for the AfterMass even if you can't ride with us!

To show some solidarity with the riders injured in February's Porto Alegre Critical Mass and to encompass the spirit of Brazil, we're bringing a bit of their Carnaval spirit to Leicester...

So, get your whistles out, hit those drums and practice your samba beats for the best cycle party Leicester's ever seen! Don't forget your boa, your headdress, your spangles and your shimmer....just leave your inhibitions at home boys and girls - we're going BRAZILIAAAAAAN!!!

Pictures of previous rides are here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?

id=100001740378816&sk=photos

And the video of last month, just in case you missed it...

Meet Ze Monsta...

2011-03-20T21:20:00.000Z

A weekend of beautiful weather and I've managed to ride a grand total of NO miles.
I did get to spend time with my daughters Ella

and Martha

and my Niece Mae

We had a walk in the sunshine yesterday

While today I finished building the bike for our trip.

I know the forks don't match (it's a prototype) and I hate that the front mudguard stays on the disc brake side are half the length of the other side.
I'm riding to Ely next weekend as a trial run for the first day of our ride to Poland. My bike, kit and legs are ready for it, but I have a feeling there's something I've forgotten...

Ghetto Man Skank.

2011-03-18T22:36:00.000Z

In just 30 days time, Rob and I leave on a bicycle tour that will take us 1250km from Leicester to Sycow in Poland, home of my in-laws. Gosia will fly out and meet us there. We'll stay for a few days, ride the Wroclaw Critical Mass before flying back. I'll bring the bike back in the summer when I drive out there.
It'll be the first long-distance bike tour I've done. I have plenty of experience of lightweight camping, bivvying and have been known to ride a bike from time to time.

I've borrowed a trailer and have been carting that around as I've been racking up mileage in preparation. 2680km so far this year have got me to the point that I now feel ready to go. Fit enough for whatever the elements and the East German roads may have to throw at us.

The last few bits and pieces I needed have now arrived. A Topeak Tourguide barbag and a new, non-knobbly (so less draggy) tyre for the trailer, spare tubes etc. The next couple of weeks will be about stripping the kit list down to the bare minimum and a couple of overnight trips to get used to the whole idea.

I'll be using the TrackMyTour app and you'll be able to follow our progress as we make our way east. I'll post a link to our map before we leave.

I'm getting really excited now about the trip and seeing the family again...

Monkey and Bear.

2011-03-16T20:18:00.000Z

I had to post this - all kinds of awesome!

Warehouse: Songs and Stories.

2011-03-16T13:10:00.001Z

We are very lucky living where we do.

Most of the houses in our village have their own Post Code. Our's is a little more modest, but it's all about 'location, location, location' apparently and we certainly have that.

At the end of our street is Cropston Reservoir. On my bicycle commute I pass it at either end of the day. For a few days each spring and again in the autumn, my journey coincides with the sunrise and sunset.

Now is that time of year, although this morning's sunrise was a little below par...

This morning.

April 20th, 2011.

March 4th, 2011

January 21st, 2011

January 20th, 2011

July 16th, 2010

February 3rd, 2010

October 12th, 2009

September 23rd, 2009

March 20th, 2009

February 13th, 2009

September 18th, 2008

My Kind Of Bike Club.

2011-03-14T13:02:00.000Z

The Tarik Saleh Bike Club sounds like my kind of club and I will be joining today.

He has now come up with rules of membership and I will try to adhere closely to them. They are duplicated in their entirety below:

1. Ride Bikes
2. Try not to be an ass

On-One Carbon 29er Race Review.

2011-03-13T22:17:00.001Z

I... am a lucky fella*

As you may have noticed if you read this blog more than occasionally, I have a bit of a thing for On-One/Planet-X bikes. I now take pictures that sometimes they use on their website, but have been a customer for many years - appreciating their value for money approach and knowing that a bike designed an hour's drive from where I live is likely to suit my trails and conditions better than something from halfway round the world.
All I have to do is take the photos. If the bike is a bit shit then I could just keep quiet about it and send off the pictures. On-One would still be happy. But this bike really is a bit special and so I thought I'd say a bit about it.
If you read my post about the Scandal 29er, you'll know that I'm no professional tester, just a bloke like you that reads around a bit before spending my hard-earned, but usually has to run the magazine and on-line reviews through a 'reality filter', knowing that the bloke doing the testing rides 10 different bikes a day...

It is an On-One Carbon 29er Race with a few tweaks to the spec. It is built around their super-lightweight (1100g) carbon frame, RockShox Reba RLT forks and XT bits and pieces. The wheels are On-One's own carbon rims with Schwalbe Little Alberts, FSA carbon bars, Thomson post and and On-One bignose saddle.

The bike is stunning. It looks like some kind of futuristic muscle car. It seems to bristle with attitude and aggression just standing in the shed. It's probably like the Lotus Elise Mark 5 will look when it comes out in 10 years time. The carbon bends and bulges all over the frame with subtle shoulders and angles. The gloss finish looks almost wet and the red metallic stripe around the inside of the front triangle (as seen previously on De Rosa road bikes) finishes it off a treat. Wherever I have taken this bike, people have stood and stared. People (riders and non-cyclists alike) all come for a look and comment. Even roadies like it. It could be all that carbon...
The line that really catches the eye is the arcing top-tube that continues smoothly into the seat stays. Just beautiful.

The idea of moving the makers name from the sides to the front of the down-tube works too. It means that the main frame remains un-cluttered, but also gives them more room for the logo.

Other features of the frame are the giant bottom bracket junction. A press fit BB92 makes for more rigidity and power transfer apparently. The head tube is equally massive with a tapering headset (bigger race at the bottom than the top), again adding stiffness. The chain stays are huge too, but still seem to have plenty of room around the 2.3" tyres.

There is a lump in the seat tube for the front mech to bolt directly to - no bands required and the back brake is where it should be - within the rear triangle.
It's a 31.8mm seat post fit too, so should be stiff but also allow use of those fancy dropper posts if you must.

All in all, it is a well thought out frame with all of my boxes suitably ticked - I really can't find fault with the finish, the paint, the graphics, anything.

And so to the ride. Well apparently, the geometry on this is based on the Scandal 29er that I'd ridden before. That may be true, but this bike rides so much better. The strange thing is that it doesn't feel like a 29er (and that's a good thing). Sure, you get the advantages of rolling over obstacles and carrying huge momentum along the trail, but it feels far more 'steerable'.
Until I'd ridden this bike and after a lifetime of riding 'normal' 26" wheeled bikes, 29ers had sometimes felt a little unwieldy because of their wheel size. Never quite so rideable and engaging unless I was on on swooping, and not too technical trails.

This bike re-addresses all of those reservations I had about larger wheels. A first foray onto the trails of my local woodland and I found that the light weight and responsiveness of the frame allow all the commitment and involvement that my faithful Inbred singlespeed has for years. But then add in the advantages of those big wheel and it is a very special recipe. Being light carbon rims, they spin up to speed just as easily as smaller wheels and so the major drawback of 29ers (the extra effort accelerating out of corners - something you do a lot of on tight, woodland trails) is gone.

With XT stopping power, RockShox to keep that front wheel where it should be and every ounce of energy you put in reaching the rear wheel, the ride is thrilling. The trails I am so familiar with are suddenly passing by much quicker. The stream crossing that I used to need to brake for to drop into is now tackled at speed as the extra diameter of the front wheel will handle that, just like it did the tree roots and kerb-sized trail lumps.
Climbing is a doddle with that power transfer and feather weight and I'm cornering and twisting through the trees with confidence and purpose with the bike feeling like and old friend already.

Home again and before I get the coffee on, before I take my helmet off, even before I shout 'hello' to the missus I've already got the bucket and sponge out to wash the mud off the bike. It'll be in standing in the kitchen again tonight so I can look at those curves for a little while longer...

*most of the time.

Lesta Fiesta

2011-03-07T22:08:00.001Z

So wear a yellow shirt, find a whistle or a drum and join us in a celebration of cycling and freedom.

Pictures of previous rides are here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?

id=100001740378816&sk=photos

And the video of last month, just in case you missed it...

Cheesecake.

2011-03-05T21:12:00.002Z

My wife Malgorzata.

We decided today that we were well suited and I like the biscuity bit of a cheesecake and she likes the cheesy bit...

photo friday

2011-03-04T21:53:00.000Z

you've got the moon...

2011-03-02T22:12:00.000Z

The MASSquerade mask gets another outing...

Independent Intavenshan

2011-02-28T21:23:00.001Z

February miles:
Total mileage = 1201km (746miles)
Bike commutes = 19 (632km - 393miles)
Car commutes = 0
Days ridden = 27 of 28

My second biggest monthly total ever and some great preparation for the trip to Poland. What puts it into context though is that I'll do 100km more than I did in February on that trip, and that is planned to take only 12 days.

GULP!

Leicester Critical Mass - The MASSquerade.

2011-02-27T07:56:00.001Z

Wow - what a ride! Our first Moist Mass, but still you all turned up and had a good time. Once again there were some fantastic outfits and a really positive buzz about the whole thing.

If you've missed out, Critical Mass is a celebration of cycling. It is a way for the bike riding folk of Leicester and the Shire to show that there is an alternative to the car in our city and so on the last Friday of each month we ride from Curve for 3-4 miles around town, enjoying the safety that a large group brings. We show the city that bikes are traffic too.

The level of support we have received from not only pedestrians and other cyclists, but motorists alike has been staggering. The friendly waves, the smiles and positive press have all shown that we're onto something special here. The city is ready for change.

You don't have to be a 'cyclist' to join us. If you own a bike, enjoy the freedom that giving up the car and riding instead gives you then come along.
We've themed each ride so far. October had a hallowe'en theme and was the Monster Mass. November's Mass'Tache raised awareness for the Movember prostate cancer appeal and December saw santas, angels and elves celebrate Christ-Mass. January's ride tied in with the comedy festival for Comical Mass before Friday's MASSquerade.

We have big plans for the rides this year and aim to make it the biggest Critical Mass in the UK and with the friendliness, good nature and positivity we enjoy on our rides, there's no reason why we shouldn't.

Thanks to Iain at Photophinale and Miles for the stills.

For more information search for Critical Mass Leicester on Facebook

answer me this handsome jack...

2011-02-26T21:09:00.000Z

ladies and gentlemen of blogworld, let me introduce you to my daughters, martha rae and ella kezyah.

The MASSquerade - A Final Rallying Call..

2011-02-24T23:41:00.000Z

Well, in just 24 hours we'll be drunk/drinking/back home/lost on the ring-road and another Critical Mass will be behind us.

The response to the first 4 (and a 1/2, for those that came to the Greenlight Mass) rides has been extraordinary.
YOUR response has proved that there are a bunch of right-minded people in our city that see there is an alternative to the car and that the streets are not only about motor vehicles, they are a space that we all have a right to and should claim back as ours.

YOU have shown that a point can be made without resorting to antagonistic actions and hostility and that the world isn't for the toilet just yet because a smile, a hooter and a clown suit might just be powerful enough to win a few hearts and minds.

Click through these and see what YOU have done... http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1853489579647&set=t.100001740378816&theater

See you tomorrow.
LCM

Drive ANGRY (3D)

2011-02-21T21:34:00.000Z

maybe i'm wrong, but as a cyclist who does daily battle with motorists, i expect that i'll disagree with the daily star's reviewer and generally disapprove of this film and its message...

nice work in posting this outside a school too.

Blanket Hog

2011-02-21T11:01:00.000Z

A bit more training for my trip to Poland in April.
Yesterday I dragged the Yak trailer 156.5km around Leicestershire on a route that was pretty much the same as the one we took on our attempt to walk the Leicestershire Round long-distance footpath in 3 days.

It was pretty tough and my decision to save the hills of Rutland until 100km into the ride was especially dumb.
The route is here if you're at all interested...

The Men Who Don’t Fit In.

2011-02-19T19:05:00.001Z

I don't usually rip-off other people's posts.
And I don't usually bother much with poetry.
But something about this feels familiar.

The Men Who Don't Fit In from Christopher Herwig on Vimeo.

The Men Who Don’t Fit In – Robert W. Service

There’s a race of men that don’t fit in,
A race that can’t stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and they rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain’s crest;
Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don’t know how to rest.

If they just went straight they might go far;
They are strong and brave and true;
But they’re always tired of the things that are,
And they want the strange and new.
They say: “Could I find my proper groove,
What a deep mark I would make!”
So they chop and change, and each fresh move
Is only a fresh mistake.

And each forgets, as he strips and runs
With a brilliant, fitful pace,
It’s the steady, quiet, plodding ones
Who win in the lifelong race.
And each forgets that his youth has fled,
Forgets that his prime is past,
Till he stands one day, with a hope that’s dead,
In the glare of the truth at last.

He has failed, he has failed; he has missed his chance;
He has just done things by half.
Life’s been a jolly good joke on him,
And now is the time to laugh.
Ha, ha! He is one of the Legion Lost;
He was never meant to win;
He’s a rolling stone, and it’s bred in the bone;
He’s a man who won’t fit in.

As seen on (and stolen from) Kevin's excellent blog: http://www.becauseitisthere.co.uk/

We Are Traffic.

2011-02-16T10:53:00.001Z

Whatever kind of riding you do, whether is social, transportation, for fitness or competitive.

Whatever kind of bike you ride, mountain bikes, cargo bikes, hipster-fixed, Bromptons or BSOs.
Whatever you wear to ride, lycra, baggys, chinos or a clown suit.

Whatever your agenda, activism, campaigning, or just to have a good time.

If you have the best interests of cycling and cyclists at heart, then join us next Friday for the MASSquerade.

get miles

2011-02-15T13:51:00.000Z

quiet on the blog just lately.

not because i'm not doing much.

if fact quite the opposite.

just too busy.

i do continue to clock up the miles in preparation for my ride to poland. only 8 weeks to go. i've been getting used to dragging the trailer. i need to start increasing the weight in it...

a milestone of any year is the first bicycle commute on which i am accompanied by the sun. i'd ridden for 24km before i took this though...

all in all, an exciting time of year with so many plans.

watch this space...

Red Wine Lips.

2011-01-29T21:48:00.001Z

I've been after one of these bad boys ever since my Italian friend used one on a mountain biking trip a few years ago. It seemed a complicated and potentially dangerous way to make coffee.

But that was before I became a coffee snob...

red lorry, yellow lorry

2011-01-26T21:50:00.000Z

kaffenback and bob yak

Come play with me.

2011-01-23T12:57:00.000Z

The last few years of my life* reduced to four and a half minutes.

*I should point out that there are a few sets of event photos in there where I have taken pictures of all the riders in an event. I'm not so nuts for people in lycra and pointy hats...

we'll see to that cuz we hate you

2011-01-21T21:32:00.000Z

full-screen please people...

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS from Astray Films on Vimeo.

The Chap - We'll See To Your Breakdown from Lo+LOAF TV on Vimeo.

That's Playing At The Wrong Speed.

2011-01-21T21:11:00.002Z

the sun sets on what was one what was a fairly average day at work, that was book-ended by bike rides under staggeringly beautiful skies.

Let the boys all sing and let the boys all shout for tomorrow..

2011-01-21T12:51:00.000Z

A cold commute on the Raleigh. Rob brakes suit the icy conditions as there is no chance of ever locking a wheel with them.

One of the most beautiful mornings ever though. Constantly changing colours in the sky. It set me wondering, why don't more people commute by bicycle?

Boing Boom Tschak

2011-01-20T16:16:00.000Z

The full moon sets over Cropston reservoir.
Reason #594 why I ride a bike to work...

More news from Leicester Critical Mass...

2011-01-19T08:51:00.000Z

Critical Mass Leicester brings you…

Comical Mass

January 28th, 2011

The final 3 months of 2010 saw the birth and first tentative steps of Leicester Critical Mass. But by our second ride we were already the second largest Critical Mass ride in Britain with more than 120 riders.

You don't have to be a cyclist to join us. If you own a bike, enjoy the freedom that giving up the car and riding instead gives you then come along.
We've themed each ride so far. October had a hallowe'en theme and was the Monster Mass. November's Mass'Tache raised awareness for the Movember prostate cancer appeal and December saw santas, angels and elves celebrate Christ-Mass.

We have big plans for the rides this year and aim to make it the biggest in the UK and with the friendliness, good nature and positivity we enjoy on our rides, there's no reason why we shouldn't. What better way to continue this two-wheeled charm offensive than by celebrating Comical Mass to tie in with the 18th birthday of the Leicester Comedy Festival. The festival begins a few days after January's Critical Mass and will feature over 350 shows at 50 venues across the city and county.
Festival director Geoff Rowe is very supportive of the Comical Mass and says
“It’s great that we can help support the brilliant Critical Mass and tie it in with our 18th birthday celebrations. The Leicester Comedy Festival has developed and grown over the last 18 years exactly because of the involvement of loads of groups and organisations across the county. We’re working on various ways to lower the carbon footprint of the festival and I hope that we can work closer with critical mass in future years.

Over Christmas, I took my bike out of the shed and plan to use it more throughout the year. I may even make the comical mass on the 28th January. Unless it rains. In which case I’ll be sat in a warm dry place.”

So join us at Curve (Orton Square, LE1 1SB) at 6pm on Friday 28th January and come dressed as your favourite funny-person and join the fastest growing social cycling group there is...
Prizes for the biggest clowns!
For more information search for Critical Mass Leicester on Facebook and http://www.comedy-festival.co.uk/

One Way or Another II

2011-01-18T22:01:00.000Z

Taken on the way back from a chat about getting involved in organising the Bike Film Festival in August.
It sounds a really exciting project. That weekend will be massive. A band and some cycling films on Thursday. Critical Mass on Friday, followed by some cycling films.
Saturday sees our club's open 10TT event, followed by some cycling films. Sunday is SKYride in Leicester, followed by some cycling films...

One Way or Another...

2011-01-18T16:54:00.000Z

They get to sit in a queue. I get to ride 20 miles.

Monday morning will always be miserable.

But to varying degrees...

Inní mér syngur vitleysingur

2011-01-10T19:26:00.000Z

The greater the suffering, the greater the pleasure.
That is nature’s payback to riders for the homage they pay her by suffering. Velvet pillows, safari parks, sunglasses; people have become woolly mice. They still have bodies that can walk for five days and four nights through a desert of snow, without food, but they accept praise for having taken a one-hour bicycle ride. ‘Good for you’. Instead of expressing their gratitude for the rain by getting wet, people walk around with umbrellas. Nature is an old lady with few friends these days, and those who wish to make use of her charms, she rewards passionately.
The Rider - Tim Krabbe.

I'll try to remember this on my rides in this week...

Rice Boy Sleeps

2011-01-10T13:47:00.000Z

Monday morning on my first commute of the year. There was less light than this picture shows...

Get ready to shield yourself from the night of the lotus eaters.

2011-01-05T13:46:00.001Z

Last year (2010) was one of the best I ever had for adventure. Some of these were multi-day trips into wild areas while others were microadventures such as simply walking to work, going somewhere new for breakfast or even sleeping in the garden.
I've gone on about the reasons for doing these things and what it adds to my life. I've also explained the inspiration that Alastair Humphreys has given me.
Well, the reason I'm directing you over to his site again is to share his manifesto for 2011. Have a read and see what you think and check out your Death Clock...

Sit right down my wicked son and let me tell you a story...

2011-01-04T21:38:00.000Z

My first ride of 2011 was another adventure through the snow and ice of Central Poland. It was a beautiful, crisp morning with a solar eclipse to see me off. Compared to last week's ride in -8 Celsius, today's -3 was positively balmy...

The roads are suffering from a couple of months of a snow, thaw, freeze cycle that just builds up layer upon layer of ice. Imagine this in the UK? People would be writing to their MP.

There seem to be plenty of marked cycle routes in the area. I just need to find a map showing where they go...

Time to get off and walk...

Most of the pictures that have been taken for this blog and a few I've had published in magazines have been taken with my Panasonic Lumix FX-35. I knew carrying it in my hip pocket was a bad a idea and sure enough, when I came off on the ice a few miles into the ride, I landed full on it. The case and screen are scratched and the Crumpler case has yet more battle scars, but the camera still seems to work. In fact, all of the picture in this post (apart from the last one obviously) were taken after I dropped 85 kilos onto it.
The route on Bikely.com.

Linger on your pale blue eyes...

2011-01-04T21:02:00.000Z

After New Year's eve in Wrocław we spent the first few days of the New Year in Janské Lázně in the Czech Republic.

It was one hell of a party with 10,000 people in the beautiful square to see the best in Polish pop before Ace Of Base finished things off (apparently. We'd already found sanctuary from the remorseless drivel a bar in a side street).
What no-one could complain about were the fireworks. Without doubt, the best I ever saw...

And so to Janské Lázně in the Krkonoše Mountains. It is a beautiful region. Nothing too steep or high, just rolling wooded hill-sides with pretty villages dotted around the valleys. It has cycle routes for both tourers and MTBs everywhere. I'd love to go back in the summer and explore.

The skiing on Černá Hora is nothing too difficult, even for an Englishman (as I can stand up on skis, I may be close to the British olympic team), but enough to keep us entertained for a couple of days.

The food is great. I could live (in fact I did) on two of the specialities, garlic soup with fried bread followed by Smažený sýr washed down with Gambrinus, all for a couple of quid. You've got to love countries who still don't have the Euro...

My favourite photograph of the trip was this one. It was taken next to the TV mast on top of Černá Hora. All civil works built in the Czech, such as this or an new motorway junction must have a portion of their budget set aside for a piece of art. This one is a mother and child shivering in the elements...

Stawy Morka, Kępno

2010-12-30T22:30:00.001Z

I really struggle with landscape photography.

If my friend Andy had been with me when I took these, he would somehow have got things just right and produced something that you'd happily hang on your wall.

But even using his lens and taking 50-odd pictures, I'm still not really happy with any of what I took.Maybe if I'd stood a bike against that bench...

I must practice...

These were taken at the Morka fishing lakes, about 500m from my in-laws' flat.

My Commuting Year.

2010-12-30T12:17:00.000Z

For the last few years I have been following Chris' most excellent lockring.not.included blog.

People often tell me that they admire my commitment to riding, especially through the worst of the weather, but his daily pictures and cataloguing of the changing of the seasons almost always get me wishing that I'd gone further on the way home (or at least used the fixed gear).

Once again, his year's mileage stats makes mine look pretty pitiful, but here goes...

Total distance: 7487km (4653 miles)

Ridden to work: 148 days

Run to work: 16 days

Car to work: 37 days. Given that I wasn't allowed to ride a bike for 6 weeks at the start of the year, I'm still pretty please with what I have chalked up, although it will of course be much more next year (as everyone who does this sort of thing says at this time of year).

Winter:

Spring:

Summer:

Autumn:

As I've said before, getting up early every morning and riding to work won't add years to my life, but it certainly adds life to my years...

Snow Ride

2010-12-28T17:28:00.001Z

I blew away a few cobwebs earlier with a ride out from Kępno.

It had been snowing before I set off and so the layers of black ice that covered the roads were masked with a fresh covering making staying upright and moving forward at the same time quite a challenge. The further I got from town, the less traffic had compacted the last months' worth of snow and the easier it became.

Air temperature was -8 Celsius (17F) that meant my breath froze onto my beard in lumps.

After 12km or so I headed into the forests. Logging work continues whatever the weather and so the tracks through the woods were passable.

The route is here if you're at all interested.

Critical Mass in Wrocław on Friday, followed by a party in the Rynek (one of the most beautiful squares in Europe) and then on to the Czech Republic on Saturday for a couple of days of budget skiing...

2010 (so far) In Pictures

2010-12-18T11:20:00.001Z