Despite missing two weeks of riding due to rain and illness, it didn’t turn out too bad this month. I finished off with a ride with a couple of the Techies from work, nothing too strenuous and topped off with a pint in the pub on the way home. The perfect end to an imperfect month.
| Bike | Rides | Miles |
| Lemond Buenos Aires | 4 | 82.25 |
| Specialized Langster | 15 | 58 |
| Kona Unit | 3 | 38 |
| Cove Stiffee | 2 | 24 |
| Totals | 24 | 202.25 |
There are salt stains on the back from dried sweat which don’t look particularly pleasant, it still smells nice and fresh though. I’ll try and remember to chuck it in the machine after tomorrows ride. Or maybe the ride after that, or even the one after that.
After what turned out to be nearly two weeks off the bike I finally got out for a ride this evening. Nothing particularly taxing, just 15 miles on the Langster to ease the legs back into things again. Apart from the wind, the weather was almost perfect for a change. Hopefully it’ll hold out for tomorrow night as well when I should be leading another work ride.
If it hadn’t been for the weather and me being ill, it’d have been a nice high mileage month this month and I might have caught up a few miles, it’s still the best month of the year though, but that’s not saying much.
I’ve managed to completely waste this bank holiday due to being ill. Apart from a quick trip to buy food on Friday evening, I’ve not left the house since I got home from work last Thursday. I was hoping to ride a bike tomorrow night, but it looks like I might have to put my photographer hat on and go out and do some work instead.
For all the stalkers out there, you can see my house on here, and my car as well come to think of it. You can even see my office if that excites you.
It’s a sad day today, Grant’s Tinbred has just died, following on from Jon’s original 853 Inbred which died earlier this month.
I’m still ill, and my ceaseless coughing seems to have taken its toll on all my chest muscles. Doesn’t look like I’ll be riding a bike any time soon.
I’ve not ridden a bike properly now for what seems like an age. In reality it’s only a week or so, but feels like a lifetime. The only days it’s been dry enough to ride are the days I’ve been tied up with something else, or as is the case today, suffering from lurgy.
It’s almost enough to make me consider getting a turbo trainer!
They were even better than last week. I danced like a loon for a good hour or so, so am a bit broken at the moment and partially deaf.
The venue was very civilised with tables and chairs round the outside. The setlist was broadly similar to last week but with a few minor alterations. The finale of Green and Grey followed by 225 was a fitting ending to the night.
Over The Wire
Stranger
Water
Island
Carlise Road
Another Imperial Day
Wonderful Way To Go
51st State
Here Comes The War
Snelsmore Wood (JS acoustic)
Too Close To The Sun
Rumour & Rapture
The Hunt
Vagabonds
No Rest
Poison Street
Get Me Out
Purity
Green & Grey
225
Hobbes seems to be doing his best to bankrupt me at the moment though various illnesses, currently he’s got FIV, a thyroid problem, and a suspected throat infection. There was another trip to the vet today and consequently another bill for £100. He’s got to go back again on Wednesday for more injections and the associated hit to the credit card.
To make things worse, it’s still raining and therefore I’ve not ridden a bike since last Wednesday, and looking at the weather forecast and other commitments, I don’t think I’ll be riding one anytime soon.
The usual suspects are off to Afan this weekend ostensibly for a weekend of bike riding, but most likely it’ll be a weekend of beer drinking. Given the current weather, I’m not that upset that I couldn’t make it due to other commitments.
Tonight was a scout hike, due to transport issues I ended up parking at the end of the route and walking down to the start, then walking back again with the scouts. Fortunately it didn’t rain too heavily during the walk, it seems to have saved it for afterwards as it’s raining quite heavily now.
Tomorrow is Ethan’s birthday party, I really ought to wrap his present at some point.
Despite the best efforts of the RAC to stop us finding the venue, we finally arrived in time to catch the tail end of the first support band. New Model Army were fantastic as always, we were stood right down at the front, so had a perfect view of the stage. They started off a bit slowly with Whirlwind, Stranger, etc, before finding their feet a bit more with some older material. It was good to hear some old favourites such as No Rest, White Coats, Vagabonds etc. All in all it was a thoroughly good night.
Same again on Tuesday please.
Whirlwind
Stranger
Water
Island
Carlisle Road
Another Imperial Day
Wonderful Way To Go
Fate
Here Comes The War
Snelsmore Wood (JS acoustic)
Too Close To The Sun
Rumour And Rapture
Whitecoats
Vagabonds
No Rest
Poison Street
Get Me Out
51st state
The Hunt
I Love The World
I’ve now finished work for the week, and tomorrow sees the first of two trips to see New Model Army, the second will be to Frome next Tuesday.
Thanks to the shit weather, the work bike ride was cancelled again tonight for about the fourth time in a row. Hopefully we’ll actually manage to get another ride in at some point.
I thought we were only going to go out for a flattish 15 miles or so this evening, so it was a bit of a shock when Ian decided to drag me up virtually every hill between Bath and Timsbury, and that was only the first half of the ride. I did shade under 26 miles in the end, most of them seemingly uphill.
The best bit was that I didn’t break a spoke this time.
Last night saw the last ever episode of The West Wing, one of the few series I watched religiously throughout it’s 7-series life. It’s had it’s ups and downs, but on the whole was one of the best things on television in recent years, and it’s sad to see it come to an end.
This is also the first week without a skittles match since last September, so I’m at a bit of a loss with what to do this evening. I’ve repaired the rear wheel on the road bike, and the weather isn’t really good enough to ride, so I think I’ll start a West Wing retrospective and work my way through all 100+ hours and 156 episodes.
It turns out I snapped another spoke on the road bike yesterday. This time it was a non-drive side one so the wheel didn’t warp too badly, it just got a bit wibbly.
Somewhat later in the year than planned, we finally made it down to Chew Valley Lake for tea and cake today. It was pretty much perfect weather for riding, a slight chill to start with, then lovely and warm once the armwarmers came off after 10 miles. This being the first proper road ride of the year it was fairly short at only 36 miles. We’ve got a vague plan to do either 50 miles, or a metric century on the bank holiday weekend, and might even aim for a proper century before the end of the summer.
Fantastic.
Another top ride tonight. I ended up riding the Unit ‘cos the Stiffee has a puncture which I didn’t have time to mend. I was home by 4:15 and out on the bike by 4:30. It was hot and sunny, and the trails were almost perfect, dry but not too hard. I’m now sat watching Roam which looks pretty good so far.
This was our last match of the season, and unfortunately it wasn’t a worthy swan song. Widcombe Extras comfortably won 5-0, and beat us by 40 pins.
It’s all over now until September.
Tonights post-work ride was very poorly attended. Four people pulled out for various flimsy reasons, leaving just two of us to head out on the ride. We headed out of Weston, over the hills, down into North Stoke, then home again. A nice gentle 12 miles or so.
The semi-broken wheel from the road bike is now at the shop being repaired, and whilst out on the ride I noticed that the saddle currently on the Unit is falling apart. I’ve only had it five years, nothing lasts.
That doesn’t happen very often does it?
In proper Samuri style, I had to finish a ride on foot.
I snapped a spoke in the rear wheel of the road bike sprinting away from some traffic lights, causing it to pringle to the point it wouldn’t actually fit through the frame any more. Luckily I was just under a mile from home, however Sidi shoes and Time Impact cleats are not the most comfortable walking shoes in the world.
Now then, how do I get this Campag cassette off without the proper tools?
The bank holiday weekend is over, and the weather has deteriorated.
Tonights ride has been postponed until tomorrow, so I’ll probably end up having a night off tonight unless the weather improves dramatically in the next couple of hours or so.
Another day, another ride on the Unit. I headed out round the Uni again, but skipped out the exploring which was a bit of a let down yesterday. As is customary these days, I stopped off at the top of the Downs for a Chunky KitKat and a swig of whisky whilst enjoying the evening sunshine.