Category Archives: Rides

Hard Work. Wet. Fell Over. Damn you #July150

By 19 commentsCycling Challenges, Rides, , , ,

I’m all in favour of being motivated, but jeeees!

Tuesday Night Is Hollingworth Lake Loop Night.  The weather looked a bit ropey, but I crossed my fingers, made a (delicious I must say) quick pasta tea and lined myself up for an hour’s ride out.

By the time bike o’clock came, it was raining a bit.  “Ah well, never mind”, I thought as I pulled on an extra layer and my buff.  I set off. The rain got a bit harder. The wind got a bit blusterier (that’s a word, really).

By the time I got the t’Lake I was knackered.  I resolved to do one lap instead of my usual two before heading home.  Halfway round the Lake I checked my phone in a sheltered spot, to make sure my new tracker software was working…

User Error 1.

When I started the new tracker software, I hit the standby button on my phone.  Don’t do this kids.  Use the “backlight off” button on the software instead.  Balls!

I did it right, after losing about 5 miles of tracking, and set off again from under the shelter of the big trees.  It was very windy by now, and pretty rainy too.  Ah well, I was nice and warm and this was dong me good.  Wasn’t it?

User Error 2.

I thought it wise to double-check the tracking software.  There’s a little bench opposite the Wine Press pub so I rode the bike down a couple of steps to get under the shelter of some more lovely big trees.

And fell off! Mossy paving slabs and rain do not mix well with MTB slicks.  Before I knew what had happened, I was rubbing my knee and elbow, whilst the Fat Boy lounged somewhere off to my left.  Balls! Again!

Time To Go Home.

From there, I was relived to be heading homewards to be honest.  I’m glad I put a few miles in but I’m crossing my fingers that the next time I go out, the weather’s a bit kinder and that I’m a bit less of a numpty with the tech. 🙁

I’ll review the new software in a bit more detail when I’ve tested it properly.  Initial feelings are positive, I think.

The route’s on MapMyRide if you fancy a gander. Sorry there are no photos, since the weather was pants and my touchscreen phone wasn’t happy so I kept it in my pocket as much as possible.

No Hills To Hebden Bridge #July150 Ride

By 15 commentsCycling Challenges, Rides, , ,

The weather was lovely on Saturday and I was on my fortnightly commitment-free Saturday, so I sat down and tried to map a ride I could take instead of my autopilot Hollingworth Lake loop.  I chose a 27 mile run along the canal to Hebden Bridge then back over Blackstone Edge, a route that would involve a 4 mile steep(ish) climb and a big descent designed to lay the ghost of not hitting 30mph yet.  I opted to leave the slicks on from last week’s Blackpool run, because (a) on roads they’d be nice and fast, and (b) I couldn’t be bothered fettling in such nice weather.

As it happens, I totally ignored the climb and took the soft option!

Cracking Canalside Capers

I headed northeast along the Rochdale Canal, until a signpost showed a diversion off for National Cycle Network Route 66, which led me up a steep little hill through the woods just outside Todmorden. As it happens, this landed me by the railway station so I dropped down back into the town centre from there and couldn’t find the canalside without turning back a couple of hundred yards.

So, I took the road from Tod to Hebden Bridge, only a little bit lost 😉  The undulations were a nice short workout, and unbeknownst to me, I hit 29.2 mph on the second descent.  Bloody 29.2 mph! 🙁 If I’d have known, I’d have booted it a little more just to hit the fabled 30 mph.  Meh. Never mind.

At the park in Hebden Bridge, I looked at my watch and decided it was time for a drink, a rest, an ice cream and a turn back homewards.

Meeting Point Rest Stop, Littleborough

I have to recommend this little place to you.  I think two ladies have put together a cracking little rest stop here.  It’s basically a portakabin by the road & canalside, with a bunch of picnic tables outside.  It’s a very welcoming little place and I believe you should support it if you’re ever in the area.  I really hope they do well.  I had my second ice cream of the day there.  I didn’t need one, but I couldn’t cycle past without stopping to say hello and ask their opening times.  I’ll take Number One Son there in future, for sure.

It’s right here.  You should go. Tell ’em Phill sent you 🙂

The route’s on MapMyRide too, if you click the linky.

The #June100 Awards

By 21 commentsCycling Challenges, Rides, , , ,

I Did Promise, Didn’t I?

Those with elephantine memories will recall that I (sort of) promised prizes for performance in the June100 challenge.  I’d quite happily let it slide, but the problem with publishing stuff is that people can remind you what you said.

The June100 was free to enter, a characteristic which meant two things:

  1. There’s no money for prizes, and
  2. There’s no money for prizes.

So in the best tradtitions of the internet, here are the virtual prizes….

And The Winners Are:

In case you were wondering, the Mutton Bird has the furthest annual migrationary flight of any bird.  In a figure-of-eight circumnavigation of the Pacific, it covers around 74,000 km (45,954 miles) in an average year.  Give or take.  John Berry has the furthest June 2010 leisure mileage of any man and thus he wins the Mutton Bird TShirt.

The other two shirts should be self-explanatory.

Special Awards:

My personal Special Awards are given, fairly arbitrarily, as follows:

  1. Carrie Foster, for using the June100 challenge to actually motivate her to ride less.  The weirdo.
  2. Rafe Forgot, for attempting to cover the 100 miles in just over a week despite not being allowed on his bike until the 18th on account of sawing his own thumb off.  He only failed due to mechanical failure.  Of his bike, not his half-a-thumb.
  3. Clive Chapman, for only recording his off-road Mountain Biking miles and still smashing the target, despite logging impressive (non-qualifying, demoralising) commuting miles.

You three get individual hugs from me.  Except Clive, who doesn’t do hugging.

Onwards And Upwards!

You probably know that the July150 Challenge has already started, so if you haven’t already signed up, do so this instant.  Follow the #July150 hashtag on twitter too.

Kiss Me Quick, Ride Me Slowly – #July150 Started

By 19 commentsCycling Challenges, Diabetes, Rides, , , ,

You’ve probably already read a few blogs about the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride on Sunday, so I’m just going to mention a few of my personal highlights and hope that you identify with them too.

Bumping Into Friends

Despite not quite meeting at the start as we’d planned, Jon of Riding The Moor fame arrived at the Standish rest stop just after I did.  His chat, his encouragement  and his Ibuprofen were very welcome for the next 25 miles or so.  As he contemplated heading off whilst I checked my blood sugars, Emma came over so we enjoyed a few minutes, then she bought me a brew as Jon buggered off.  I must say that it was the nicest brew I’ve had in a long time, and the company was good too!

My Diabetes.

I packed just 2 SIS gels and 2 Decathlon-special ceral choccy banana bars.  A good porridge breakfast at home was consumed and I didn’t test my sugar until my first break, 25 miles in at Standish.  It was  3.3 mmol/l (59.4 in American) – Whoops!  I hastily necked one of the gels and one of the bars with my litre of water.

At Preston, another 18 miles or so later, I tested again.  This time, 5.5 mmol/l (99 to our friends over the water).  Cool!  I may actually have found a system!  The final gel and cereal bar went down along with the brew Emma bought me.

So from now on, my secret is 20g CHO in gel form plus 29g CHO in complex form per 20 miles of hard riding.  Sorted.  I’ll work with it for few rides and let you know how it works.  Or how long I’m in the hospital for 😉

Not Getting Off.

There’s a steep hill just outside Kirkham, about 50 miles or so into the ride.  It’s not nice.  I managed it in 2nd gear.  Yes, second gear.  Normally that’s just too bloody spinnyto even contemplate, but on Sunday the granny ring was my friend.

On the front at Lytham, the wind was ridiculous.  I was actually buffeted.  Sometimes the windfeels a bit gusty but, bloody hell, the wind on Sunday was in fine form!  The only benefot was from a beaty point of view.  I mean, riding North along the coast meant that the skin on the left side of my face is now wonderfully exfoliated – ladies, take note!  If you ever want beautifully smooth skin, ride by the coast on a b*stard of a windy day!  Another half an hour of that and I’ve have looked like Skeletor.

Achieving A Goal.

It’s 9 years since i completed the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride.  On Sunday, it felt better than ever.  I’ve raised about £300 for the Hospice where my Mum and I said goodbye, and I’ve made some fantastic friends in the process of getting myself motivated to do it.  I’m proud of myself, my family are proud of me and my Mum would be proud too.

Thanks, all of you. Here’s the map.

The #July150 – Sign Up Here

By 22 commentsCycling Challenges, Rides, , , ,

It Had To Happen.

The #June100 has spawned a monster.  It’s Summer, it’s dry (so far) and we’re all loving our cycling, so here it is, sign up right here for the #July150 Cycling Challenge:

The rules are just the same as before.  Clock your leisure miles and just do more than 150 in the calendar month.  You can log your commute miles too but there’s no official kudos for that.

The Official #July150 Spreadsheet

You can look at the spreadsheet here.  Once you get your login details, you can Sign In to it and punch your information in throughout the month.  Please don’t break it!

Right. Enough said.  Please forward a link to this post to any cyclist you know, let’s try and beat the 31 participants we had in the #June100 (thanks!).

Join the #July150 and enjoy your cycling!

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