Fater Faster

A couple of guys from work fancied a road ride so I planned out a route pencilled in for last night, anyway it got cancelled and it was raining in the morning so I was on the pompino, the route has some big steep climbs so I wasn't going to drag the singlespeed round there. Anyway it brightened up during the day and I fancied a bit of a ride on the way home so I ended up giving it a go. Not bad, just shy of 40miles and 3800ft of climbing mostly b roads once out of manchester. Legs were tired when I got home so I intended taking it easy riding into work today. A lovely morning so I grabbed the canondale, gears will make it even easier.....no. This bike isn't subtle, it doesn't whisper to you, it just shouts at you "faster, FASTER you bastard" and your legs say OK. I caned it all the way in and I was on a green wave most of the way to the city centre, it was looking like I was on for a good time but oxford road is all screwed up, I don't go down oxford road but they've screwed around with light timings on nearby roads so I had to stop at 4 red lights one after the other. Grrr. Still managed over 18mph average, not good for recovery tho. Lets hope this glorious weather lasts a while, bowderdale at weekend.

Hyperallium

It was our wedding anniversary yesterday, as we got married in Greece Mrs D and I decided going to a greek resteraunt would be nice. We had a meze which was superb but I'm feeling a bit rough this morning, thick head and that, I only had 1 pint so it's not the booze, pretty sure I'm suffering from garlic poisoning :-)

Sokrates in Horwich top notch food.

Pics

Lowey has put up some lovely pics of us see all of them here.

I'll claim my hero biscuit now please

Phew Jonnie hasn't been on abusing me yet. Tour of coniston, what a brilliant day! Weather was gorgeous, blue skies, nice and warm, gentle breeze. We parked up above coniston at the bottom of walna scar road. A rocky, slippy downhill threw us straight into the action, very wet but good fun. Through coniston and up through lawson park, everyone rode to the top, a good start. Parkamoor was fantastic as ever, dropping down to high nibthwaite on the fast rocky track, you had to pick your lines round the bigger rocks and drops/ditches. A quick stint up the road to Blawith and away across the moors. Sat having lunch it was gorgeous, chilling in the sun watching the buzzards. A bit of navigational trouble followed but we quickly got back on track. A new (to me) BW up to broughton woods was much nicer than the road route and I thought it was a good climb (others may disagree) Juicy singletrack goodness through the woods and a quick rest at the river belwo stephenson ground before "The Ascent" A looooong climb to the top of walna scar, upto natty bridge was a nice leisurely ride in the sun after that it got steeper and technical and our tired legs protested but everyone pushed on. As we got to white peak while we regrouped I lay down, the sun on my face, listening to the birds, thinking there really is no better way to spend a bank holiday like this. We had a break before the final climb, walna scar side. 20+ miles in we were all feeling the strain, we sat discussing the climb, a clear wide track with a not too steep gradient twisting away to the top, it looked doable but our legs were indicating otherwise. We set off, I was in bottom gear and dispite never changing every couple of minutes I was clicking my shifter looking for an easier gear that wasn't there. I was doing OK and just about managing when it got steeper, I slowly winched up that untill it leveled of to its constant steep gradient but I could see another coming. I tried to recover taking this relativley easier section as slow as possible. I got to the steep bit not confident a bit of wandering side to side but I kept on keeping on. Then it got steeper, then came the (steeper) switchbacks. All of my mental effort went into breathing as hard as I could and eventually I made it, cresting the top I fell to the side and remained motionless (apart from my heaving chest) and tried to keep my lunch down. I'm quite happy with that :-)
The descent was sublime, absolutley fantastic fast rocky downhill, some big loose rocks for drifty cornering and the odd section where it got all steep and techy. Bloody brilliant, downhill all the way to the cars where we had cake waiting. Best ride of the year so far, no doubt about it.

Shoulder Barging With 2 Tonne Tess

Commuting in this morning was interesting, several people passed me in their cars then moved over to try and prevent me passing them on the left (they failed in most cases) so I was a bit nowty by the time I got to the city centre. Coming up bridge street not far from the (red) lights there was a HGV parked on the left so I started to move right when a big gold lexus came slowly passed me and again tried to box me in, there was plenty of room to the right but car was within 2ft of the HGV, suitably riled I decided to push it, 2ft i splenty of room so I kept going, car has slowed so I'm slowly passing it when it moves even closer in, eek. I actually end up leaning on the car both hands on the bars, my elbow against the rear window, both of us coasting along for a few feet till car has to stop but not before the driver points the nose even more to the left. I keep going till I run into the wing mirror and have to stop. Not sure whether driver has not seen me the whole time (despite having overtaken me) or has just been being a cock trying to push me around, but the driver finally see's me (or admits defeat) and moves right slightly. I called him a knob, then realise it's a woman, then get on my merry way. Funfilled way to start the day which admittedly could have ended in tears, partly my own fault for being so bloody minded (having the audacity to ride down the road) but mainly hers for being blind/being a knob
Ho hum.

Wet weekend

Was suffering from some serious lethargy all weekend, even the offer of a trip up Helvellyn on sunday did not stir me into action. Saturday was spent on the couch until the father in law rang to say he couldn't get the hang of his new laptop. "how do I get rid of the letters I've just typed?" and "I've got to confirm my password but I can't type on the confirm password line" (I kid you not) So a quick trip round there to help setup his broadband and show him keyboard basics. Virgin BB installation was crap BTW, the guy wouldn't setup the cable modem in the room where my FiL wanted it and the wireless router doesn't turn up till next week! Sunday was a little more active, after a long lie in and wha'd'ya know there are better ways of spending a wet sunday than storming down helvellyn.

Day off

Nasty horrible weather today but my wet weather gear did a sterling job again, just a bit damp this morning. This doesn't bode well for a ride tonight tho and weekend is looking like a wash out, we shall see. Me and burk went to Grizedale on wednesday and we struck lucky, sun and clear skies for most of the ride, a nasty bit of headwind ontop of parkamoor but otherwise lovely. Still got filthy mind you, loads of puddles about. The view from parkamoor was fantastic, I've never been up there when it was so clear, we could see the sea to one side and a lot of the lakeland peaks (most of which we failed to name) a good view of walna scar road gave us ideas for the next ride. We did the same route as the STW ride in March, it was even more fun in the dry(ish) and I did OK navigating, saw a few other bikers and the odd walker but it was pretty quiet. Burk had his new tyres on, Panaracer Fire DH, huge chunky tyres with big man-size knobbles, unfortunatley his chain keeps catching on them which is not great, but he was rocking on the downhills and no punctures so good stuff. The weather turned as we headed home tho and the car was getting blown about on the motorway. Nice long bath when I got home then chippy tea cos I couldn't be bothered cooking, a cracking day off work.