Category Archives: Cycling Challenges

Christmas Haul

By 13 commentsCycling Challenges, Tat, , , ,

God Bless You, Santa Claus

I must have been a good boy in 2010.  Santa brought me pretty much everything I put on my list (what’s wrong with a letter to Santa if you’re 41 years old?) including some bike stuff.

Here’s the bike stuff I got, including a bunch from Secret Santa at work:

Bike stuff for Christmas

Cycling Santa Goodies

My favourite is, without doubt, the light.  It’s a 900 lumen job straight from China, as recommended by Jon.  It’s as bright as a really bright thing and seems very simple.  At £50, it’s excellent value without much weight and lot of seeing power.  I can’t wait to test it properly.

What did you get?  Call me nosy, I don’t care, I just want to know what you got…

Next Time…

…Some more news about the monthly cycling challenges for 2011.  I’ve only been out once in December thanks to the weather and a sore elbow, so I’m hoping to impress myself next year.  Watch this space.

Don’t forget to tell me about your Christmas Goodies 🙂

Things Achieved

By 14 commentsCycling Challenges, Tat, , , ,

I’ve not been very happy with myself this month. Focusing on the rides, I’m going to be very lucky if I hit 50 miles in the November 100 challenge, which doesn’t make me proud.

However, a quick look at the goals I set way back in January has made me feel much better.

  • With your help, I’ve raised over £500 for Springhill Hospice, a wonderful and necessary place where they looked after my Mum until she left them, and us, in December last year.
  • I completed the Manchester to Blackpool ride, the first time for me in 9 years and a major step in becoming the fitter bloke I want to be.
  • I’ve ridden over 600 miles this year, something which I absolutely know I would never have done without this blog and the support that so many people have given me.

So, now I feel better.

The community which I’ve joined whilst writing this blog has been a massive source of motivation for me.  Cajoling, mickey-taking and gentle but firm pokes in the (virtual) ribs have been extremely necessary.  I’m not self-motivated enough to get the shed door open on these cold nights and without you lot it simply wouldn’t happen.

So I just wanted to say thanks.  You’ve helped me a lot.  Give yourselves a pat on the back. 🙂

My Final 2010 Goal

I’ve not put this into the little box on the right, so I’m putting it here.  I reckon I can force myself to clock up a total of 700 miles in 2010, so I’m publishing that to force myself to try.

God, I hope I do it now.

So… who’s going our for a ride in the next few days?

Spot The Difference Plus #Nov100 Update

By 5 commentsCycling Challenges, , ,

November 100 Update

We’re halfway through the month now, and I’m amazed to have seen daily updates being put into the Nov100 spreadsheet.  Three people have already completed more than 100 leisure miles this month, and 23 people have logged some mileage. It’s awe-inspiring stuff, and without it I know I wouldn’t have gone out for 12 miles in the pouring rain a fortnight ago, nor would I be planning to get out into Rochdale’s darkness tonight.

Spare a though for Matt though, who took a tumble on a trip out and mashed his face quite badly.  Get better soon, mate.

Spot The Difference

I’ve not cycled for over a week.  A combination of bad weather (ok, it’s not the weather, it’s me being a big girl’s blouse) and too many things to do has kept me off the bike.

Thankfully though, Wiggle never sleeps.  I spent some money on a bit of bling for the Fat Boy and invested an hour in some minor upgrades.

I’ve got to be honest, that’s £50 I’ll never see again, but the fat Boy does look rather smart with his new accessories 🙂  I’ll review the gear when I’ve had a chance to test in properly on a ride.

So, if you haven’t done this on Twitter already, what differences can you spot?

You Only Get Wet Once… Off The #Nov100 Mark.

By 5 commentsCycling Challenges, Rides, , ,

There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather…

… just the wrong clothes.  So said Billy Connolly, and so said Clive Chapman too.  They were right.

I was determined to get my Tuesday night ride in this week.  Hitting the 100 miles is going to be very difficult this month so I needed to get started.  The Big Man Upstairs decided to set me a challenge by providing lots of water from the skies.  I made the mistake of showing my indecision earlier in the evening and suffered a barrage of motivational abuse via Facebook.  Thanks, friends, you made me go out.

After a quick tea, I layered up and unlocked the shed.  The beanie that was free with this month’s MBUK was a bonus.  Lights on and head down, off I went.

The autopilot loop through Milnrow and twice around Hollingworth Lake was the chosen route tonight.  The rain prevented me dreaming up anything new.  I came back home on the main roads, as the canal towpath seemed like a very unwise idea, with the slippery cobbles and wet leaves under the bridges.

Just over an hour after setting off, I was dripping quietly onto the floor of my shed with a big smile on my face.  Now I’m showered and warm, whilst my clothes steam gently on the radiators.

The phone GPS tracked less than half a mile of the ride.  Maybe the plastic butty bag I put it in touched the screen in the wrong place, I don’t know.  Anyway, I mapped the ride manually so you can see it here.

Saturday's Muddy Happiness.

Mud = Good. Saturday’s Coating Of Goodness. Tonight, It Was Too Dark For Photos.

Just remember: it’s only water, and you only get wet once.

Join us in the November 100 challenge.  Visit the spreadsheet then email me at the address in the sheet. 🙂

Breaking The Law, Breaking The Law…

By 10 commentsCycling Challenges, Rides, ,

Those who get the reference, hit this!

Lawless Risk-Takers

They’ve ripped up the train track around here.  If George Osborne doesn’t pull the plug, the plan is that the trains which used to run the loop from Manchester through Oldham to Rochdale will be replaced by spanking new trams.  To us, what this means is an opportunity to sneak onto a lovely, temporary cycle track of the type so loved by Sustrans.  Old rail tracks are usually pretty even and not too steep so they make ideal family trails.  Trouble is, this one’s supposed to be a building site.  “Ah, what the hell, let’s give it a whirl”, we thought!

I took my son along to make things look like we weren’t looking for trouble (officer), and because I knew he’d see it as a bit of an adventure.  Also, when he’s a grown man travelling on the line himself, he’ll remember the day he cycled it incognito with his Dad.

We got onto the track easily near Jubilee Bends, Newhey.  There’s an unmanned level crossing so we used the cycle gate and on we went.  This was a couple of miles from home, so we headed back towards Rochdale.  There was only one awkward bit, where a road bridge was almost totally obscured by scaffold, but we found a path through.

Caught By The Fuzz

Here you go. 🙂

No we weren’t.  The police helicopter was in the sky not far away the whole time we were riding, which lent a certain frisson to Number One Son’s ride.  When you’re 12, you actually believe they care about a bloke and his lad trespassing harmlessly on the railways.  But they didn’t notice us.  I think.  If you see me on Crimewatch next month, please don’t call them.

We rode along and I took a few photos before I dropped my phone and fell off my bike.  Then I had an attack of sensibility and before long we decided to get home for tea.  Scrambling up an embankment near Milnrow, we hopped over a bridge wall and headed back home via Firgrove playing fields.

It was cool.  A great way to have a slightly unusual ride with my boy.  Only 5 miles or so for the October 100, but I just hope N1S remembers it when he’s on the tram in years to come. 🙂

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