I really thought that in my line of work I was exempted. Surely, I bring in more people in everyday to the fold, so there are
more new cyclists for them to visit, and more cyclists to bring them offerings? My little way to keep them happy.
But no …
Yesterday when I was getting Stella (my fixed bicycle) ready for the summer (I simply haven’t been on her since I got the Tank, my Surly Long Haul Trucker last year) I got the pump out and while I was at it, I thought that it would be a great idea to check the Tank over since it had been a while since I last checked its tyres. The pressure was only 5-10psi under what I normally run, so not too bad. It was a quick top-up.
But, this morning when I rolled the Tank out of the front door, I noticed that the fairies had paid a visit. A quick check, and the tyre wasn’t totally flat, so I decided that I would just top it up and hope that it would last until I got to work. I’d fix the visitation in my lunch break. But half way there I had to …

Thursday I had to got out to Greenford in west London to pick up my new toy, more about that in another post. Since I was in NW6 and therefore not far from the Grand Union Canal, which runs from near the Docklands in east London all the way through north/central London to the west. You can even go as far as Bath and Milton Keynes and beyond if you are that keen.
I jumped on the canal in NW6 and started to ride on what I really hoped would be a pleasant ride across London. Away from the cold north westerly wind and traffic, the sun even came out to play a few times on my journey. This part of London is generally very nice and at bit of nature in the city especially in the spring and summer. Spring hasn’t arrived yet in London. A wee bit late because it’s been cold for a loooong time and we even had snow that lasted more than a few hours. The canal does cut through a few parks and next to other green areas like a golf course, so plenty of green to look at. Even the odd wildlife like ducks, …

Our washing machine started a few weeks back to blink all its light like a discotheque. With a bit of random pressing of buttons and opening and closing the door we got it running. But over the weekend no matter how much pressing. swearing and dancing it would not do anything other than blink its lights.
So today I started to do a wee bit searching on the net and came up to a few things I could do. Armed with a Phillips screwdriver and my solar light cap I set to work. Pulled out the washing machine, took off the back panel and started to poke around, well I knew what I was looking for. I managed to get the jubilee clip off the last bit of hose before the pump, there is probably a technical name for that bit.
And in there I found a few hair bands, curtain hooks, some paper/plastic bits and 50p in change :)
Oh yeah the washing machine still blinked but it started.
UPDATE : at it finished its circle it made some worrying noises …

I finally had the chance to cycle in the snow with my Surly Long Haul Trucker. What can I say, it is sooo easy.
I have done my fair share of cycling in the snow and snow storms where I couldn’t see further than 50 metres ahead. Quite often I had to stop to remove the snow out of the wheels and away from the brakes. The most “fun” to ride on is when there is one layer of snow that have plenty of tracks from people moving about on bicycles or foot. Which slightly thaws doing the day only to freeze during the night while getting a new dusting of snow.
The main trick to cycling in the snow is pretty much the same when it comes to “normal” cycling.
1/ Don’t brake when you turn, do that before. And don’t slam on your brakes you will only skid.
2/ Cycle at a speed where you have control of your bicycle. Don’t cycle above your skills.
3/ Keep the momentum, not racing, but keep the bicycle going.
4/ Look ahead and around you, so you know what is going around you so that you can plan your route.
5/ If your bicycle is drifting/sliding …

The last few miles of a wonderful first ride of the year got ruined by a plonker. And now, after some hours thinking about what happened yesterday, I know that we should maybe have acted differently, since now it is too late. And I honestly can’t be arsed since the work from our side will be a lot and with some banging our heads against the wall for little effect towards the plonker. Such is the system today.
Here is a little background on why I did what I did last night. I ride in a zen-like way and don’t let others egg me on, because when I’ve arrived at my destination I really don’t want to spend time calming down again. Because my work and my friends do not want to hear me ranting along about the bad behaviour of some stupid plonker of a driver, pedestrian or cyclist.
So yesterday we had a day out with great friends and a beautiful ride and were on our way over to some good friends for a cup of tea and cake. This great day I was not in mood to be ruined because of some plonker with no road sense. So therefore …

It is amazing that you can post on the forum the night before and six others comes along for a cold ride.
The weather was just brilliant, sunny (though a bit low a times) and nice and fresh (which some would have called blooming freezing) and six wonderful people out for a ride with you.
The plan was to head straight to the pub but the consensus quickly turned to tea and cake, it is a yacf ride after all. A stop in Hampton Court coffee room with hot chocolate for me and tea and coffee for the others. With scones and a chocolate brownie which you would be hard pressed to put more chocolate into, and the odd slice of cake.

Then we headed straight to Cobham and The Running Mare where we had wonderful food, some more than others I’m looking at you Jane :) My Shepherd’s Pie was numnum with veggies that were cooked just perfect. Peli’s mushroom pasta thing was very creamy and tasted of mushrooms. How do I know this? Well I had what she couldn’t eat, burp :)
The ride back was through unknown territories for me and others, what looked on the online maps to …

Last year took us to Scotland (Grand tour of Edinburgh) , Wales (3 wet days loop), Surrey Hills (3 days tour with TEA), Isle of Wight (one small wet ride), Pyrenees (more up hills than you can shake a stick at) and Denmark (flatter than flat rides) and a few more day trips and pootles here and there.

Well, nearly. I have seen, and been let to believe, that the streets of London will be deserted on 25th of Dec. But they were not. Well, I suppose they were pretty empty compared to a normal Sunday morning.
But the sun was out and we had a nice 28+ miles pootle around town. We didn’t have to worry about anything other than tourists walking around photographing the empty streets. Plenty of pubs, restaurants and cafes were open in the centre of town. And of course every corner shop worth its weight in gold, e.g. cashing in on the “feed the little one some candy while out on a walk” and the “oh feck I forgot x, y, z, quick down to the shop” shoppers.
Oxford Street was total naked of its normal red snake of buses stretching from end to end (well, as far as the crowd and buses will let you see). We had a little stop on Oxford Circus, where we and other cyclists and tourists were busy taking pictures of the car-free zone. All the cyclists we saw were clearly out enjoying the sun and the empty streets: a cycling utopia.
Even Old Compton Street in Soho was dead …

Yesterday was a three legged test ride. We went out in the dark to Richmond Park in London around the “off road bit”, well the walking path.
Part I : As you know I got the SuperNova E3 but I haven’t really tested the light, a bit hard in central London. Too bad last night we had a bit of cloud cover which did give a bit of glare in the park. So I think that I could cycle around the “yellow brick road” without any light. Though I would probably not be going too fast or have spotted the man walking his dog, without the light. But it was dark enough to give a good idea how this light would work in pitch black. The SuperNova gives a very good cover and the colour warmth is spot on for me. So I can look into the light and not be total blinded when looking outside the light glare. I like the idea of being able to see what is going on around me. So still top marks for this light.
Part II : I also invested in the SuperNova rear light. Not that I could see it while riding, but …

Last night we went to the O2 Arena in London out on the Greenwich peninsula. It was the first time out there so arriving on bicycle was a bit of a test.
No clear signs for a cyclist from Greenwich town centre and the closer we got we only got a dual carriage way and signs for the dome erm the O2′s parking lots, for cars that is. After been told at one car par that we couldn’t get in there, we doubled back and found a cycle path. This cycle path were not clearly marked as road marking had worn of and there was plenty of grit, gravel and glass on it.
We then by asking found our way to the bicycle parking, quite a few unused Sheffield stands, only used by 10 or so motorbikes and only our bicycles. That told us that the O2 is not a cycling destination :)
We then walked over to the O2 under a marquee which would be a great cover for our bicycles. Walking in it looked like mini Vegas (though I have never been there) with all that light and big screens. The escalators up to the different levels was in full use …