A month on from the last blog post and still nothing interesting to say.

pretty much nowt has happened

a few rides, lots of commutes

but a ride along a beach made me stop and think about how I want to ride my bike

and of course the swans are back ( I might have said this already)

so....

plans are hatching once again (if nothing else I'm good at making plans, sticking to them is a different matter)

next Wednesday I'm planning to ride throughout all of the daylight hours (its the shortest day), starting in the dark, and ending in the dark, also seeing the sea under my own steam, no substantive reason to do this other than it seems like I'm putting down a marker for my future, I intend to try and do things based around the changing of the seasons, changing of the tides, changing of the whatever !.

This idea has come around after a number of years of thought, but mostly due to the excitement I feel when the swans return, combining my riding with such things makes sense right now.

its been over 2 months...

since vanity kicked in, but kicked in it has...

2 months after turning 50 years of age I think I "may" have come to terms with it, there's been one or two reality checks of late that have given me some perspective

So, Barcelona was wonderful, 3 nights is not long enough, we saw most of the city using the open top tourist buses, a great way to grab the geography of the place, took lots of snaps and ate lots of food, a grand way to become 50.



Family party and friends party also helped ease the trauma.



Bike wise, well its been a bit on and off really, my back finally gave in a few weeks ago and this meant a few days in bed, I'd already started my Pilates type exercises and this was helping, all seems fine now but I'm shy of really riding too much, been keeping it down at a low level for now.

Fat bikes, in case you hadn't noticed I'm a convert, so much so that I now own a Salsa Mukluk thanks to my good friend and bike pimp/pusher Tim Johnson, since getting it a few weeks back its all I've ridden.



This last week I've started commuting again, its my favourite time to commute because coming home in the dark means a free night ride every night, the search for fitness begins once again.



And, another winter of swans begins



Along with some other bits and bobs of sadness came this,

Chris Mearns died.

57 years old, riding his bike with another good friend, out of the blue.

what happened next ?

Weds and nothing, my back was not in good shape so the day was spent sorting out phone and computer issues and photographing reflections in the city centre whilst waiting for the computer to get fixed.



Thursday and nothing, more time wasted working on the computer, back not too bad.

Friday and no riding, visit to the museum was good though.



Saturday, just an hour in the morning on the cross bike.

Sunday, sposed to ride to the seaside here today, I didn't.



Monday, nowt....

Tuesday, rode to work on the fat bike, 22 miles, no back pain.

Wednesday, rode to work on the fat bike with my sleeping bag, sleeping mat and bivvy bag strapped to the bike, all seemed to work well, no swingage. Jandd frame bag ordered now, that should take care of the stove and food, also hoping to be able to put spare tubes and tools in that and that just leaves the Ortlieb dry saddle bag to fit for extra clothing.

In theory that means just water for food to go into frame mounted water bottles, drinking water and bit and bobs in a rucsac on my back and I'm good to go.

26 mies today



Thursday, The day started cool and damp, autumn is here early.



But then ended with 33 fat and dusty miles on the fat bike, in sunshine and warmth, I also saw an albino Swallow today, first time I've ever seen one.



Friday, nowt, legs tired, and the bike I pulled out of the cellar last night had a front wheel puncture this morning.

So, 500 miles ?, nope, about 250 was all...... but I did enjoy those miles :-)

mid week check in

So, the weekend at the caravan came and went, weather was mixed but I did get out on each day...

Friday, my back was playing up after a night on a strange bed, just got out for a few hours along the coastal path on the fat bike, unfortunately the beach was too wet to ride on, must have been a high tide the night before - 12 miles - 2 hours.

Saturday and feeling better, I headed along the coast in a northerly direction, a few tiresome miles along the road to the coastal path and then dirt all the way, heavy going on the sand as it was very soft but I persevered, a full fat bike would be a better option., I eventually got to Sunderland Point (after a pint and a burger) and rode along the point, again the sand was way too soft so I turned back for home. Got to about 6 miles from home and the sky started to leak heavily, thoroughly soaked to the skin - 45 miles - 6 hours.

Sunday, Singular Kite single cross bike, wasn't feeling too perky after yesterdays soaking but got out anyway, up along the Glasson Dock path to Lancaster and back - 31 miles - 2 hours.

Monday, tried to persuade the boy to do Saturdays ride but I knew he wasn't keen so decided to drive to the dirt and skip the tedious road miles, we got to Sunderland Point, this time I'd brough my camera so spent a happy hour shooting the derelict boats whilst Jack played on his phone ! - 33 miles - 4 hours.

Tuesday, early start on local trails to beat the rain, upto Latchford then back down to Northendon, again enjoying the Singular Kite single cross bike, currently my favourite bike, back still painful but bearable - 40 miles - 3 hours.

161 miles so far, only 339 to go by next Tuesday :-)

500 miles in no particular order

Done quite a bit of riding since that last post, even done some longish 75 mile plus rides, but on one of them I hit a tree and twisted my back, didn't think much of it at the time but its been paining me since.

SITS was fun but I knew before I got there that I wasn't going to be racing, did my 1st lap at a sedate pace and then the rain came down, bringing back memories of 2007, our team didn't take much persuasion to hit the beer and relax through the night even though the course was drying.

Getting up at 6 to a glorious sunrise and I took the first lap, tried a bit on this one and enjoyed it but my back was paining me so that was it for me, the others all got out and finished the event in style, it was a good weekend but I've no desire to race for 24 hours again at the moment.

Last two weeks have seen little enthusiasm for riding, just commutes with the odd extension thrown in, last weekend saw me out on the road bike, snapped chain, snapped spoke evaporated that ride, Sunday was better, Trek 69er on dusty trails right until the end when the sky started leaking heavily.

Monday's ride was on the Kite, surprisingly dusty trails again, about 30 miles, today was a straight there and back affair, a run in with a Galaxy was enough to dampen my enthusiasm tonight.

So, I have a ten day break from work starting on Friday, we have plans for the weekends, this weekend at the caravan so I'll be taking the fat bike and exploring around Silverdale/Arneside and a couple of road rides, mid week 3 long rides, next weekend in Anglsey with the fat bike again (hopefully).

500 miles is my target, 500 enjoyable pain free miles.

100 miles

as predicted being on call tempered my enthusiasm for riding, Monday was a car journey to work to take in supplies, Tuesday was a mountain bike ride, 29 miles of dusty durt, and then it rained, Wednesday was road bike day, but just a quick 27 miles, Thurs and Fri were straight there and backs, another 20 miles.

Saturday morning and my thoughts of a weekend 100 were dispelled by the rain, so I got out the mudguarded Croix de Fer and knocked out a sharpish 37 miles, just over two hours, quite happy with that.

Sunday, and again the rain put a dampner on my idea of riding to Delamere, I was hoping for 70 miles today, instead I got maybe 15, but it was around the forest, in the woods in the rain, showing Barney around (its about 15 years since he was last here).

So, 138 miles for the week, not as much as needed but enough to keep me happy till next week.

BTW, the photo has no hidden meaning, I just like it :-)

up da te

Skye


Skye was a big success we had a really nice time

lots of photos taken

a couple of decent rides

a couple of boat trips

all good

1600 miles travelled

phew !

185 miles ridden this last week, back on track now

at least as much next week needed, although being on call might temper that

could always do a Sunday 108 again, thats up and down the river rune 4 times for those who know it