@nthony

Today I headed out on my bike with the club, and had the kind of ride that makes you remember why you are out in the cold, wet, dark, and generally spend far too much of your life aching.

The route - no idea - new one on me, places we passed through from the Melyd were Mold, Rhosesmor, Llandegla, over 'the shelf' backwards (Pen Y Ffrith), Ruthin for a cup of tea, and back through Llandyrnog, Trefnant, and 'the waen' back along the foot of the Clwydians. Superb morning out. [ READ MORE ]

Riding has not been in my good books of late.

When you stop, and as much to blame, when other dont - when you come back to it - its not nice, in fact its down right unpleasant. My lungs felt like they had shrunk big time.

Two weeks of commuting and a second Tuesday night slog and I am feeling a little more on form now.

I sneaked out yesterday for a 'getting to know you' session with Mr TT bike. The weather was good, warm, bright, dry, low wind - lovely.

There it was in the cupboard, where it has been since late August last year. It was nestling behind the svelt summer bike. I swapped the wheels to something a little more practical, and headed out along the faster roads towards Denbigh, Llandurnog and the D1/9. [ READ MORE ]

Our Ugly Betty has taken a big chance and is now SUPER CONFIDENT.

Shes in the house when we are, shes all over the place. Not so sure if I like the idea - something inside says 'wrong'.

Jess is 50:50 with her. Sometimes shes fine. Sometimes she will hiss, or stay outside if she can see her inside. This really makes life hard for us. What to do?

We have spoken to the local animal rescue, and the vets. I think our next step is to get Betty checked out at the vets, see how she is.

I dont want my Jess any more stressed than she has to be.

Speaking of which she misjudged a jump to my first story window this morning. I saw paws a head, then the crunch of a bin bag that Cally had put out last night (thank goodness). She seems to be doing fine. [ READ MORE ]

As well as being the food stuffs most likely to get a growl or a hiss out our little ones if you are trying to separate them from it. However in this case I am referring to me.

On arriving at Manchester Veolodrome on Sunday with the club, I was suffering from a lack of confidence, and a basic issue of seeing me over and over again in my head becoming a spinning loud whir of meat and metal. Lovely.

So when it came to "are you confident to get straight up there and ride above the blue line" the answer was no - so I was a beginner.

So. There I was - 20 minutes in realising - I am now in the wrong group. [ READ MORE ]

For those who can - here are a few pictures from a January ride into work - the morning after the storm and the morning after the outage at the datacentre.

Because I am sad I carry a little camera with me quite a bit. I had headed into work early that day as opposed to go the gym so I could be in to field any support issues still lurking - but instead decided that as the sun was coming up AS I was heading in that it was simply too good a day not to stop every now and then and share the views... not least since the angry storms the day before had re arranged the woodwork and caused the rivers to spill over. [ READ MORE ]

I have just submitted my entry to the Gran Fondo Cymraeg. They have a choice of around the car park, hard, and volcano heat. I went for the middle one - despite knowing I will be mocked for not going for the insane option.

This is going to mean some longer base mileage thats for sure.

Last year VC Melyd(my local club) got the team award... lets hope I don't spoil that one.

1000 rider limit... thats a heck of a field coming by me ;)

My bicycle came to an abrupt halt with a grinding whirring sound, and the hiss of break shoes in the wet. The spitting rain picked out in the headlamps. Something had just gone very wrong.

Rather comically I attempted to turn the handle bars to see what was wrong. Think about that for a moment. As I did. There is no light inside a bike like there is in a car - a shaft of halogen brilliance in front of me, pitch black everywhere else. Winner.

Ouch ouch ouch as I fumble the hot lamp canister around for a look.

"ahh"

A stick has flicked up and entered my spokes. That's never a good thing. It has progressed around in a circle and hit the stays for the mudguards, which have bent up, pulling them closer to the wheel. The quick release mounts that attach them to the bike have given way and they have popped clear out. The mudguard is in a surprising amount of pieces and the bike came to a stop (as opposed to the option of 'extreme endo' and accompanying 'no hands dismount'). [ READ MORE ]

Break shoes - fantastic things really.

I have been cursing my bike ones of late for dumping black crap down the forks in all the rain we have been having of late - but memories of bikes of yore, its nice that they actually work.

It struck me today that with all this tightening of the cable (to bring them closer to the rim) either that was a real fine tune / highly efficient lever - or they really were wearing away.

Now normally you replace break shoes every couple of years... light riders (like Dan - who enlightened me) may not even be aware you can get replacements, or that heavier riders have to replace theirs (watch them while freewheeling in the pack - always tapping their brakes, unless at front - trust me). [ READ MORE ]

Tuesday nights always seem wet and windy at the moment.

Thursday nights always seem cold.

...and you are most likely to notice a puncture breaking into a corner.

"Why are you riding on the road when there is a nice smooth cycle path specifically for you less than a meter away?"

"Thank you for asking Mr. Car driver most thoughtful - maybe you sensed my discomfort. Well you see someone has cut the hawthorn bushes that run along side them and not swept them up, it happens all the time here, for miles."

"I had not noticed from the interior of my metal sided comfort zone - thank you for pointing that out."