Travels with my Mule

Baah Humbug

2012-01-02T11:43:00.002Z

In the lead up to Christmas I seemed to Metamorphosis into a new being - a cross between Mr Scrooge and Victor Meldrew.
Impatience, frustration and temperance now hung from me like a well tailored suit.
Usually such characteristics are watered down by my cycling activity, but with a combination of severe 'Man Flu' and Storm force gales my cycling opportunities have been restricted.

As well as being battered by the elements , the country had a bad head. It was still hungover from a prolonged visit to 'The Public sector Arms'.
Mr Cameron may have provided some paracetamol, but everybody knows they don't work.
To make matters worse the saloon bar was still open and 'the hair of the dog' beckoned.

For my part frugality had already changed from a sub conscious notion, to a way of life.
Bike instead of Car, Jumper instead of Central heating, Water instead of Wine.......(Apart from special days) you get the idea.
In the same vein I had tentatively agreed to a Christmas present embargo.
This was not entirely by choice but by necessity - I was flat broke.
My children laughed when I told them to expect no more than a hug and a Clementine.
However their sense of humour diminished somewhat when I placed some spherical shaped presents under my tree substitute.

My weekly visit to the local outdoor market usually a pleasant experience was toilsome.
The stalls I usually visited to buy fresh fruit and vegetables were replaced by ones selling mobile phone covers. The fish stall was replaced by another selling other items that often find themselves on the seabed
RUBBISH !!!!!!
With my evening meal compromised I now contemplated the alternatives.
'I Pod Covers in an Ambre Solaire Sauce' .................... maybe not.

People close by to me smiled and engaged with one another.
'Have you got it all done yet?' seemed to be the most common phrase, where the act of Christmas shopping seemed to be treated with the same gravity as some 12th Century Church restoration.
Although I took no offence at this festive foreplay, I had questions.
Why should it be done in the middle of an over populated market walkway, directly in front of my path, and with the offending persons usually larger than your average Christmas Tree.

When I got home my twin brother Paddy called from Houston and he too was full of Christmas Cheer!!!

I tried to appear interested as he told me about the US Mules taking part in a jingle ride. Apparently they hold an organised ride around parts of Houston where they decorate their bikes. They then ride in an illuminated procession, singing carols, and spreading goodwill. Nice.

Usually I would have embraced such a venture and would have been excited for him, but I was as flat as a deflated tyre on the homeward stretch.
Sensing my ambivalent attitude he asked me how I was? This is not always the smartest question to ask. I grant you that most people say 'I'm fine' or 'Great thank you' even if their world is falling apart. But very occasionally somebody answers truthfully.

I started with the Clementine story and an hour later finished with ................'And the weather has been so rubbish my pedals have not turned once!!!!' I think my long suffering brother was finally pleased to put the phone down.

Later that day I received an E Mail from him. It read 'I loved the Clementine story so much that I want you to be able to buy some more' I have cabled you a surprise.

Although the weather was still rubbish, and my man flu went on and on and on........the Christmas present embargo was called off and the clementines were returned to the fruit bowl.

When I wrote to Santa earlier in the year I asked that the letter be directed to Rapha

with the hope of getting some new cycling apparel.

For those of you who have never heard of Rapha sending my wish list to them is the equivalent of sending a whiskey connoisseur to Scotland.

You can get Scotch anywhere but if you want quality there is only ever one place.

Happy New Year

By the time I get to Phoenix

2011-12-21T10:12:00.001Z

After hearing about our American exploits one of our premier Anglo Mules 'Bobby', decided that he wanted to experience some of it and did some 'Muling' in Arizona at the end of November.

Being Scottish he was even able to find a sympathetic town called 'Scottsdale' which was 'newer than than a single Malt'. Whilst out for a ride he came across a film crew who were by a lake making a film about trout fishing.

Now Bobby knows a thing or two about this subject matter and decided that he would share it.

Within the time it takes for a pedal to rotate the Camera was nicely focused on his 'Travels with my Mule shirt' (And him) where Bobby imparted his own experiences.

Although this started with Fishing, he soon skillfully diverted the interviewer to cooking fish - Scotland - Mountains - Cycling and finally 'THE MULES'.

Continuity was never his strong point.

Anyway it was all broadcast on the local news- Well done Bobby

Strict Liability

2011-11-06T19:42:00.001Z

I have recently had a few near misses with vehicles whilst commuting to and from work and as those journeys are now in darkness I feel more Vulnerable.
In reality I am probably easier to see illuminated than I am mixed together in an assortment of other roadside furniture.
Recently a driver pulled right out in front of me and then proceeded to get as close to the kerb as possible to shut off my obvious escape route.
With the bike skills of Danny MacAskill I bunny hopped the verge and onto safety

Unfortunately for the driver his progress was hampered at a T Junction ahead where he had to stop for other cars ( apparently they cause more damage than cycles)

When I got alongside him he would not engage my glance, not until I started hammering my fist on his window and his kids started pointing. Slightly embarrassed he summoned up a coy shrug of the shoulders and a tepid 'sorry' appeared on the surface of his mouth.
I instinctively gestured with a V sign moving it towards my eyes as if to outline his deficiency, and mouthed back. Unfortunately my reply was audible and was a non intended insult to people who are visually impaired. As he turned red with embarrassment and his children's jaws dropped I think I got my message home.
One of the problems in this Country is that the traffic laws do not really cater for cycle users.
I mean that in both ways.
To protect them and to protect other road users from them.
In Holland and other European Countries there is strict Liability when it comes to collisions.
What a great deterrent, especially when you consider that the biggest excuse for people not commuting by bike is that they worry about being hit by a car.

Even in America the law states that you have to provide a specified distance.
I don't mind Sharing !!!

On the subject of Safety apparently wearing helmets can be 'more dangerous'
Research suggests that cyclists who wear protective helmets are more likely to be knocked down by passing vehicles.
The study from Bath University found drivers tend to pass closer when overtaking cyclists wearing helmets than those who are bare-headed.
Dr Ian Walker was struck by a bus and a lorry during the experiment. He was wearing a helmet both times.

But the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said tests have shown helmets protect against injuries. I can certainly vouch for that having tragically witnessed an horrific accident with one of our Femules Karen. Her helmet use undoubtedly saved her life.

To carry out the research, Dr Walker used a bike fitted with a computer and an ultrasonic distance sensor to find drivers were twice as likely to get close to the bicycle, at an average of 8.5cm, when he wore a helmet.

The experiment, which recorded 2,500 overtaking motorists in Salisbury and Bristol, was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Dr Walker, a traffic psychologist from the University's Department of Psychology, said: "This study shows that when drivers overtake a cyclist, the margin for error they leave is affected by the cyclist's appearance.

“ This study suggests wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely ”
Dr Ian Walker
"By leaving the cyclist less room, drivers reduce the safety margin that cyclists need to deal with obstacles in the road, such as drain covers and potholes, as well as the margin for error in their own judgements.

"We know helmets are useful in low-speed falls, and so definitely good for children, but whether they offer any real protection to somebody struck by a car is very controversial.

"Either way, this study suggests wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely in the first place," he added.

Dr Walker thinks the reason drivers give less room to cyclists wearing helmets is because they see them as "Lycra-clad street warriors" and believe they are more predictable than those without.
He suggests different types of road users need to understand each other.
"Most adult cyclists know what it is like to drive a car, but relatively few motorists ride bicycles in traffic, and so don't know the issues cyclists face.

"There should definitely be more information on the needs of other road users when people learn to drive and practical experience would be even better."
Wig wearing
To test another theory, Dr Walker donned a long wig to see whether there was any difference in passing distance when drivers thought they were overtaking what appeared to be a female cyclist.

While wearing the wig, drivers gave him an average of 14cm more space when passing.
In future research, Dr Walker hopes to discover whether this was because female riders are seen as less predictable than male riders or because women are not seen riding bicycles as often as men on the UK's roads.

However, a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents insisted: "We wouldn't recommend that people stop wearing helmets because of this research. Helmets have been shown to reduce the likelihood of head and brain injuries in a crash.

"[The research] highlights a gain in vulnerability of cyclists on our roads and drivers of all types need to take more care when around them."

Story from BBC NEWS:

And Finally I have recently been using a Trion Z magnetic and Ionic bracelet as its all the rave in the sports world at the moment. AS I am currently on a diet and increasing my training I am feeling fitter and leaner each day with far more energy.

Is my bracelet responsible in some way? I don't Know

Will I remove it, NO WAY !!!!!!

New Girl on the Bike

2011-10-29T19:16:00.005+01:00

We are all used to see Victoria Pendleton climbing up rostrums to collect shinny Medals but training needs Finance!!!!

I think when her manager said you need some more sponsorship to get some 'bread' in she took it too literarly.

here she is climbing Gold Hill, in Shaftesbury, Dorset, UK.

BRINGING HOME THE BREAD and the GONGS.

Well done Vicky we are all routing for You

Cavendish comes home

2011-10-11T18:32:00.004+01:00

At last the speculation is over

British cycling star Mark Cavendish has announced he will be joining Team Sky for the start of next season.
Cavendish won the green jersey as the 2011 Tour de France's best sprinter and then added the world road race title.
"I'm confident that we can achieve success and my aim is to win stages and the green jersey at the Tour de France," he told Sky Sports News.
Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford added: "What excites me is the attitude he brings to the teams he rides for."
One of Cavendish's wingmen, Austrian Bernhard Eisel, will also join Team Sky next season.
Cavendish, 26, is rated as one of the greatest-ever sprinters in the sport's history.
He won five stages at this year's Tour de France with HTC-Highroad to take his tally to 20 in total, claiming the prestigious Maillot Vert - awarded to the best sprinter -for the first time in his career.

Then in September, the Isle of Man cyclist became Britain's first male world road race champion for 46 years when his eight-man GB team helped him to victory over the 266km course in Denmark.
Cavendish has also secured a further 10 Grand Tour stage victories in his career, as well as the overall points title at the 2010 Vuelta a Espana.

CAVENDISH'S CAREER
Wins gold in the madison at the track cycling world championships in Los Angeles in March 2005.
Secures Melbourne Commonwealth Games scratch gold medal for the Isle of Man in March 2006.
Takes madison gold in track cycling world championships in Manchester alongside Bradley Wiggins in March 2008.
In July 2008, he wins four stages of the Tour de France but, a month later, fails to win an Olympic medal
Becomes only the second Briton after Robert Millar to win stages in all three grand tours after success on stage 12 of Vuelta a Espana in September 2010.
Awarded MBE in Queen's Birthday Honours in June 2011.
Wins final stage in Paris to make certain of the green jersey at 2011 Tour de France and take total stage victories tally to 20.
In September, he wins gold medal at the Road World Championships.

His future had been subject of speculation since August when HTC-Highroad stated that it would fold at the end of the 2011 season after failing to find a sponsor.
Team Sky's lead rider Bradley Wiggins hailed his compatriot's decision to join the Manchester-based outfit.
"I think I speak for everyone in the squad when I say that we're all delighted to have Cav joining us at Team Sky," he added.
"He is the best sprinter in the world and has an energy and passion for cycling that is infectious. We have enjoyed a fantastic second season and Mark's signing is another statement of our intent for next year and beyond."
Team-mate Geraint Thomas said Cavendish will enjoy a smooth transfer.
"In many ways it's like he's coming home - the team has a number of riders and support staff that he grew up with and it won't take him any time to settle in," said Thomas.
"I think everyone saw that when we helped him to victory for Great Britain at the Worlds, and we are all looking forward to helping him deliver more wins for Team Sky."

Team Sky began competition in January 2010 and is led by Brailsford, who is British Cycling's performance director. Brailsford stated in 2009 that his aim was to have a British winner of the Tour de France by 2014.

The Paleo Diet and cycling

2011-10-09T10:39:00.006+01:00

As the nights draw in and my commuter cycling days start to become affected by the weather I finally acknowledge that my 2011 cycling season is over.
It has been an interesting year.
I expect by its end I will have completed 7,000 miles and there have been new PB's for both 'The flat out in the Fens' and 'The Manchester 100 ride'.
The hotter than Hell was completed with the highest recorded temperature in a respectable time and I completed the tough Big G.
All in all I should be happy.........but I am not.
You see this season I have been at my heaviest weight ever so I constantly think 'What if???'
With all that training, and all those Miles - What if I had been lighter?

What if my power weight ratio had been better?

Being 'rotund' I'm sure I present a figure of fun to other cyclists having the appearance of a fat bloke on a bike - rather than cyclist.
I would dearly love to look like and be mistaken as a cyclist.

As I rarely drink alcohol and don't eat too much bad food, I don't get it, why I don't loose weight? I am literally burning tens of thousands of calories each week.

When I was travelling to do the 'Hotter than Hell' a fellow Mule (Kenny) who is the fittest person I have ever known, told me about The Paleo or Caveman diet.

Personally I don't like the word 'Diet' for me it means putting less things in your mouth and I love putting things in my mouth!!! but don't be put off this is not really a diet more of a lifestyle change.

It basically means that you only eat what the cavemen used to eat.

For millions of years as we evolved we ate certain foods which provided us with the nutrition we needed to compliment our lifestyle. As hunters we were fit, agile and strong which enabled us to chase and kill things.

Its only recent times that we changed the way we eat and and now find ourselves getting sick, fat, depressed and out of shape.

It seems that one of my problems was that I was eating too many carbs.

Because I was exercising most days, I had been brain washed to thinking that I needed fuel in the form of carbohydrates. In reality I was saturated with fuel.

It was being stored in every bit of possible space on my body.

Although I was burning some of it each day there was always plenty left so when I did eat bad stuff it was just making me even heavier.

The paleo diet IS a low carb diet but you can still eat lots of fruit and vegetables. You get to gorge on all the good meat, fish, and good fats you want and the variety is plentiful.

The problem with today’s diet which was nowhere to be seen with our ancestors is WAY too much sugar and carbohydrate… They rarely had sugar, fruit was a luxury.

Today? All our food is carbohydrate/sugar based (toasts, sandwiches, pastas, rice, chips..you get my drift?) All these carbohydrates trigger insulin, and too much insulin over time leads to fat gain, inflammation, diabetes and heart conditions.
Going further, the anti-nutrients and irritants from grains and legumes do not digest properly. Neither us nor any mammal has the digestive system to digest all the grains we eat properly. Over time they irritate the gut leading to leaky gut problems, Crohns disease, nutrient malabsorption, contributing to the excess carbohydrate and sugar.

Dairy products from other animals were never consumed by our ancestors, most people after the age of 2 can no longer digest Lactose, one of milks sugars, properly, leading to all kinds of digestive problems. It irritates the guts lining. A lot of people develop problems with Casein, one of the main proteins in milk.

The basics? You eliminate problematic foods: Added sugar, sweets, chocolate, sweeteners, sugary snacks….
Processed foods: pre-packaged foods with additives…
Trans fats and vegetable oils: corn oil, peanut oil, soy oil,
Grains: wheat, oats, barley, corn…
Dairy: Milk, cheese, cream, yoghurt..
Legumes: chick peas, lentils, navy beans, kidney beans, black eyed peas….

You get to eat without restriction or calorie counting
All lean meats and fish.
Fresh fruits/ vegetables
Good fats: olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, flaxseed oil, duck fat, beef fat…
All nuts and seeds.

Ok, doesn’t sound too bad does it? And here’s why it works:
YOU CONTROL YOUR CARB INTAKE AND GET BETTER INSULIN RESPONSE WHICH LEADS TO FAT LOSS WHILE MAINTAINING OR GAINING MUSCLE MASS.
YOU GET PLENTY OF PROTEIN TO BUILD MUSCLES AND NEW CELLS.
YOU GET PLENTY OF GOOD FATS WHICH YOUR BODY LOVES/NEEDS WHEN THE FATS COME FROM GOOD SOURCES.
YOU GET YOUR FULL/BALANCED NUTRIENT REQUIREMENT FROM ALL THE
FOODS.

I have only been doing it for two weeks and have lost 10 lbs and 1" of my waist. Your meant to feel tired for the first few weeks and that is true enough but it seems to be working for me.

I will let you know how its going in the coming months and we will see if there is a cyclist trying to get out.

NEWS

As the Mule movement has increased over the past 18 months we have revamped the website which can now be found by clicking on the box on the right hand column or by the following link www.travelwithmymules.com

Although its not totally finished there is a lot of new features, gallery and information about our cycling team. This blog is also the official blog for the Travels with my Mule Cycling Club.

Honolulu century Ride

2011-10-01T20:14:00.005+01:00

As us Anglo Mules hold onto the last rays of Summer before multiple clothing and frostbite take over three of our US Mules have been raising money by completing a Century ride.

Departing Houston they sought a more exotic climate - Hawaii no Less

Here they are wating for the surf to get up.

Well done Taylor, Christian and John, we are all very proud of you for your time commitment and the money you all raised.

Taylor Bartholemew

John Olson

Christain Clark

Nice one Bradley

2011-09-30T11:45:00.003+01:00

Winning gold on the back of winning the Tour would perhaps put me into a different bracket as an athlete,' says Bradley Wiggins.

Bradley Wiggins is targeting both the Tour de France yellow jersey and Olympic gold next summer and believes British Cycling will decide in the next few weeks which events he should target at the London Games.

Fresh from winning silver in the world time trial in Copenhagen and helping Mark Cavendish to gold in the road race, Wiggins said he believes more strongly than ever that securing an unprecedented double is possible.

"I've done the Olympics, this will be my fourth, I've been there and got the golds. They haven't changed my life but winning the Tour would certainly change my life," he said. "Winning gold on the back of winning the Tour would certainly change my life and perhaps put me into a different bracket as an athlete."

Wiggins said it was the prospect of combining a serious challenge in the Tour, in which he finished fourth in 2009 but had to withdraw with a broken collarbone this year, with an Olympic challenge that had fired his enthusiasm for the Games.

"It's never been done so I think if I wasn't doing the tour next year and I was just going back to do the team pursuit and I had the winter to look forward to of going back on the track, the World Cups, the world championships in March and all that it wouldn't excite me at all," said the six-times Olympic medallist.

"I would really not be looking forward to it. The only way I'd ever do the track now is by coming back off the road. It's got to excite you to be able to do it."

The Team Sky rider – who has three Olympic golds, a silver and two bronzes in his collection – said he saw winning the Tour and securing a medal at the Games, which starts days after the Champs-Elysées finish to the Tour, as two halves of the same challenge.

"As crazy as it sounds to everyone, I don't see it as compromising one for the other. That's what I want to do – it's not a case of justifying why I'm doing it either," said Wiggins. "This is what I want to do, follow me and see what the results are and we'll talk about it afterwards. I'm doing it."

He said completing the Tour of Spain after breaking his collarbone and completing "the time trial of my life" at the world championships proved he could compete in both disciplines.

Wiggins said that given the choice he would compete in "everything" at the Olympics but he is likely to target the team pursuit on the track over the time trial on the road. "I'll ride the event I've got most chance of winning gold in and at this stage that will probably be the team pursuit, I imagine," he said. He said his coach, Shane Sutton, and others at British Cycling had "probably" already made the decision and expected to hear in "the next few weeks".

Wiggins, who set Cavendish up for his momentous victory on the final lap, hailed a "fantastic team performance" that helped the Manx rider to gold.

"Our plan worked perfectly. We always knew if we got him to that finish straight he'd be the fastest rider there. That's part of the belief the whole team had, that's why there was such commitment from everyone because knew Mark was going to finish it off," he said. "It's like a football team with the best striker in the world. Our job was quite easy in some respects in that we knew there was a 99% chance he was going to finish it off. It was an incredible day."

Wiggins said being able to hit the front with a lap to go was the "dream scenario". "It was like a relay race and we handed on the baton in perfect position each time until the home straight where I was able to give Mark the home stretch. It was phenomenal really," said Wiggins.

"I was always expecting the shit to hit the fan. I was like a dog on a leash who kept being held back to take over the reins with a lap to go. It couldn't have gone better really."

Displaying the focus that has been a feature of the evolution of British Cycling over the past decade, Wiggins said home advantage would not be a factor.

"It could be in Baghdad or anywhere it shouldn't change the performance in that velodrome," he said. "I haven't seen the velodrome, I don't really want to see it. That sounds dull but I don't want it to have any bearing or impetus on it. It shouldn't change the performance that day because the crowd's made up of more Brits or your family is there."

Owen Gibson guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 27 September 2011

Tour de Pink

2011-09-22T20:37:00.000+01:00

Whilst the Anglo Mules were engaged in Beer tasting at the Corner House in Beverley our US Counterparts were taking part in Tour de Pink.

Paddy says 'It was an eventful ride which saw the patricipation of three MULES
(Actually 1 Mule & two stallions). We galloped out at the start leading the
whole ride after 8 Miles, but a check on our speed saw us clocking 26 mph + . We
let others do some work for the next 25 miles but then it got crazy with riders
bunching at three & four deep at 24-26 mph and rain threatening. Lots of quick
turns had us loose Christian who we never saw again to the finish. SHawn and I
dialled it down after some cramping on my part followed by a wobbly back wheel.
A great ride though.

Well Done Guys

You can Take a Mule to water..................

2011-09-19T17:10:00.001+01:00

After my America trip I came back to England with new vigour about riding and being a Mule.
It was great riding with so many Red white and blue shirts and having people 'holla' when the Mules cycled past. The perceived problem of transporting my bike on a plane did not pan out. It was simple, my bike arrived how Id packed it and I would recommend it to all.
After unpacking my hoofed steed in Beverley I had to 'Trot on' because I had another ride to attend to within 48 hrs. The Manchester 100. It was to be my forth time and I was joined by Mark who was eager to multiply his Century rides.
We managed to get set in a number of Chain gangs and even did some pulling. Although the course is relatively benign there are a number of annoying hills in the first section which did there best to shake me out of Rhythm and send my hearty rate into the 170's.
We eventually finished in just under 6 hrs. 5hrs 58 mins to be precise.
With the ride completed our journey home was accompanied with mixed emotions.
High with a post event rush yet sombre in realisation that this was our last formal ride of the year. It had been a great one.
6 century rides (including the Hottest one in recorded history)
112 mile race
24 hour ride
Coast to coast
A sack load of money for charity
Lots of laughs, smiles and tears.

In order to cheer ourselves up we turned our attention to Next Year.
Before the endorphins had left our bodies they had surely influenced our discussions.
Flat out in the Fens?
Of course........
Big G?
That was a real ****ker....
Exactly....... and we should aim to get Silver standard
Mmmmmmmmm.........you mean shave an hour or so off?
Yes....we will just have to train harder
Ok.............I Guess so
What about Coast to Coast again?
Again .........Boring ....... we have done that.......
Not in one day we havent...........(Belly laugh) that a real challenge)
I see.....ok Im in
Ok then lets do a triathlon as well
You mean run and swim as well as cycle?
Thats what they usually do in a triathlon. You cant Ride, drink and sleep. Thats just your life and does not count.
But you would look ridiculous in a Tri Suit.......
I wont by the time I have to wear one
I didn't know you can run
I cant...not with my new 'one pack'
or swim.
Cant do that much either although I can do 63 different variations of the Doggy paddle.
So you will come last !!!!!!!
(Big Smile) No I wont, ill beat you
Ha ha
The fear of me beating you will push You on, the fear of coming last will do the same for me.
Are you serious????????
When its posted on my blog as an event I am entering there is no backing down.
So you can take a Mule to water and Make him Swim
You bet you can.........As soon as the dates are published Im entering. Paddy le Patron of the MULES has asked me if I could use my blog as the official blog for The Mules website which I have agreed to. So as well as the usual ramblings I will be reporting on events state side.
To start off I am joyed to introduce three new Mules to the stable

Greg Macarelli (USA)

One of the elder statesmen who belies his age with a fitness and cycling ability that somebody half his age would be proud of.

Shawn Chmil (Canada)

Powerful rider who can spin the big rings all day and is often pulling the pack.

Christian Clark (USA)
Each team has to have a flier and Christian is ours. Whatever the terrain he is champing at the bit. Totally able to sprint to the finish and ensure that the stable is full of beer for their thirsty Mules.

Hotter than Hell 2011 Part 2

2011-09-07T21:00:00.000+01:00

Texas in August is hot every year but in 2011 it was one of the hottest on record, with days of contiuous 100 degrees plus reaching double figures. For this reason Joanne and I decided to arrive in the 'Lone star state' ten days before the Hotter than Hell. We were later followed by our fellow Anglo Mules Simon and Karen. Apart from wanting to empty my brother wine cellar we wanted to ensure our lungs were not too scorched with some gradual aclimatisation.

Tragically on our first ride together, with a full compliment of Anglo Mules - Karen had a horrific accident. She had to be flown by helicopter to Herman Memorial Hospital with serious head injuries. (Thankfully she is now well on her way to recovery and on behalf of the Mules we all wish her a speedy recovery)

As a cyclist you are constantly aware of the risk of being on a bike.

Cycing can be a dangerous in all its forms and accidents can and do occur anywhere and at anytime. Every year hundreds of cyclists take part in the Tour de France knowing that some of them will not finish due to some serious injury. I am sure Antonio Fletcha did not expect to have his tour ended by the reckless driving of an impatient French Television Crew.

I am ceratin that some TV producers are more interested in recording the carnaage than the cadence at times.

I think that when you are involved in a serious accienent or have witnessed one as was the case with Karen then you fully appreciate the potential for risk in all its forms.

In Karens case it was a pace line 'wheel touch', but as we all know acccidents can be caused by a variety of things. Mechanical faults, Road surface, other road users and your reactions to all of them.

In true British Spirit Simon and Karen wanted 'The show to go on' so we hitched up the Mule Trailer and headed out of town.

When I was 7 years old I lived in Fort Worth for three years as my father was there with work. last year we revisited on our way to the ride having luch in the old stock yard area.

We loved it so much that it was inevitable that we would revisit. With saddles for bar stools, great beer and fine food it was the perfect lunch stop.

After lunch we headed north and as we did so the teperature rose from an already scorcing 103 degrees.

............... 105 degrees the surrounding land was brown where the lush grass had been burnt many months previous

............107 degrees the ocaisional wooded or forrest area were populated with chared black trees, burnt to the truck by fires and giving the appeareance of hundreds of Totem Poles

............109 a constant mirage appeared in every distant hollow where I was half expecting to see Bing Crosby and Bob Hope

112 degrees ...................that enough I shouted to Kenny asking him to stop at a gas station for a drink. I was not thirsty but wished to drink out of respect for natures heat.

As we got closer to Witchita Falls the lanes became full of assorted vehicles carrying bikes. It was a truly fine sight although I have to admit there was no other convoy which could compare to the Mule wagon Train.

Once at Witchita the Mules required water and hay before rest. That translated to water and Pasta for most but for Kenny and I it was Shiner and more shiner with some strange food chucked into the mix. I was hydrating myself after all.

We elected to start at 6.15 to avoid the heat of the day........well as much as we could. The Mules set off at a blistering pace of 20 mph which in traffic was quite remarkable.

We all wore pink ribbons on our helmets to acknowledge that our thoughts and prayers were with Katren and Simon.

With the combination of speed and congestion and the associated fear of crashing Joanne was our first casulty SAGGING after 35 miles leaving me the only Anglo Mule left.

As the sun came up the suffering started and having our progress hampered by a succession of punctures the temperatures were soon over 100 degrees. Although cycling jerseys have three pockets at the rear I have only ever used one however I soon realised that if you filled the others ful of ice and did the same with your helmet at each stop then you could manage to keep your core temperature from rising too quickly.

By mid day the heat was attacking from two directions. The sun 109 degrees and bouncing off the road at over 120 degrees.........Some of the Mules were wilting.

At Hells gate we stoopped at the garage to 'Re Ice' only to discover one of my blog readers anticipating our arrival to provide moral support for the second year in a row, this time he had brought his grandson..............I was quite chocked

Eventually we made it in a very respectable time averaging 18.1 mph........Some hours later the sag wagons were still bringing riders in. Those who did not quite make it.

This year was ceratinly hotter than Hell and the hottest ride on record.

Hotter than Hell 2011 Part 1

2011-08-29T16:08:00.003+01:00

This years Hotter than Hell was Hot!
Although the air temperature only got up to 109 degrees.........Only!!!!!!!
The temperature of the road increased as the day moved on and by the time we got to the 80 mile mark it was 125 degrees.
Hot enough to raise a souffle and to cook a Sunday lunch.
With such heat there were inevitably casualties and the telephone number for the SAG wagons was frequently dialled.
It would be true to say that even a fully manned call centre would have been hard pushed to accommodate all the calls for service.

Through the mirage there was a large group of cyclists who remained mostly unaffected.
Smiling, sweaty and scorching a blue and red line they conquered the very best that Wichita Falls could through at them...........Well done Mules

A full report will follow..............in the next few days with lots of pictures.

Gauntlet thrown down to Le Patron and his US Mules

2011-08-07T17:53:00.001+01:00

Earlier in the year I completed a sportive in the West Yorkshire Dales (Harewood) It was early season and I really struggled up the massive climbs. At times it was not unattractive picture with my face resembling that of a Wells Fargo Stage coach horse that has managed to out run the James Gang. My excuse was early season form.
Four months and four thousand miles I was unable to use that excuse and yet again found myself finishing a ride with a foaming mouth, an acute case of turrets, and a disposition which I could only describe as LOM- low of Mood.

The Reason 'The Big G' more formally known as – Grimpeurs des Wolds Cyclosportive.

The 160Km route started and finished where I live in the historic market town of Beverley and covered the best roads in the Yorkshire Wolds featuring many of the toughest climbs used in the East Yorkshire Classic and the 2006 &2007 The National Road Race Championships.

Featured climbs included Life Hill (Sledmere), Fimber, Wharram Percy Wold, Birdsall Brow, Thixendale Wold, Hanging Grimston, Acklam Brow, Great Givendale and Nunburnholme.

Each name now strikes fear in the same way that Frodo might have experienced when he first moved his little legs on his journey up Mount Doom.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that with only 3600 meters of climbing that it could not have been that bad. The climbs came thick and fast especially in the middle third where remaining in the saddle provided great risk of 'front wheel elevation' and getting out of the saddle required the balance of a tight rope walker.
My problem was not my lack of fitness, but my non lack of fatness.

When will I learn that the only way that the treasured climber can come out of me is if I stop squashing him with a A pasta induced poor power weight ratio.

On the flat and basic climbs I am happy with my performance, down hill I cant stop, and even on very steep but shot climbs I can survive. But if it is over 15% for more than half a mile I am like a truck moving into the crawler lane.
Anyway In post ride beer fuelled euphoria I realised that the only real way I can combat this is by setting myself a challenge that would totally fail unless I let my 'climber' out.

To face my fears head on and let the fear of failure be my champion.

So next July the Anglo Mules will ride 'The way of the Roses' Coast to Coast none stop.

What took us three days last June will now have to be squeezed into just 24 hrs.

As a warm up for this we will do the 156 mile longest distance on the Flat out on the Fens Ride a week before.

We also challenge the US Mules to take part in both too although we realise that Mouth foaming, turrets and involuntary wheel elevations are new skills they may need to acquire!!!!!

My next serious riding will be in The USA with Joanne where we will be joined by fellow Anglo Mules Karen and Simon to take part in the 30th Hotter than Hell. I understand that all the sins are that it may well be that hot this year that Satan himself has been appointed as the Race Director...........................we cant wait

24

2011-07-28T18:35:00.000+01:00

In the top TV series 24 every hour is packed with high octane energy.
The series begins where the Hero or Anti Hero Jack Bauer is working for the Los Angeles-based Counter Terrorist Unit, in which he is a highly-proficient agent with an "ends justify the means" approach, regardless of the perceived morality of some of his actions.

Throughout the series most of the main plot elements unfold like a political thriller.
A typical plot has Jack Bauer's racing against the clock as he attempts to thwart multiple terrorist plots, including presidential assassination attempts, nuclear, biological and chemical threats, cyber attacks, as well as conspiracies which deal with government and corporate corruption.

In the 24 hour bike ride there was no Jack Bauer but five equally uncompromising, determined characters.
Their collective aim was to help clear up jacks mess. To raise money for the victims behind the real stories that have influenced the production studios.

Although nobody got killed or maimed there were high speed chases, scenes of helicopters swooping down and buckets full of Drama.

There were also buckets full of cash which aculmulated on the route in order to help raise money for 'The Help for Heroes Charity. Although we have not yet got all the money in I am advised that it is well over £1000 which is not bad for the middle of a recession.

Two years ago when the 'Travels with my Mule International Cycle Club' started one of our aims was to raise money for assorted charities by taking part in challenging Cycle events.
We have now raised over $250,00.
Another aim was to encourage people to ride together as part of a cycling family 'The Mules' - where we look after one another and embrace differing abilities.
We may not be the fastest, the fittest or the flashest........but we have great fun and always cycle with a smile.

Anyway enough of Jack Bauer and me........here are some pictures.

Take a Detour with HTC

2011-07-21T21:36:00.003+01:00

For those of you who may be waiting for for a report about our 24 hour ride.......be patient. There will be a blogpost with lost of pictures which is what I am waiting for.
In the meantime I have discovered a real treat.

On the back of 'Chasing legends' HTC have stolen a march in cycle film, by providing us with 'Detour' an inspiring film to celebrate the Tour de France and encourage
members of the public to get on their bicycles. Its amazing!

Following the HTC Detour team, made up of cycling professionals including record breaking German cyclist and HTC Highroad member, Erik Zabel, plus sponsored talent and enthusiasts from all around the world, the film takes you on on a cycling ‘detour’ through Warsaw exploring some of the city’s most unusual places to which cyclists are not normally given access.
Shot in Poland at night, the film sees the HTC Detour cyclists exploring and cycling through ten unusual and hard to reach locations across Warsaw. As part of the route, cyclists travelled through a car wash in full action, a dazzling fairground, the underground, a tram tunnel, the famous PKIN building, the Palace of Culture and Science and one of Warsaw’s busiest city flyovers.
In addition to Erik Zabel, the cycling dream squad was made up of some of the sport’s most talented riders, including Leigh Howard, Charlotte Becker, Kate Colclough and Frantisek Rabon from the HTC Highroad sponsored team. Other professional riders included names such as John Shewsbury, Joshua Boothby, Thomas Ohler, Felix Mucke and Jakob Santos all of which compete globally in cycling disciplines spanning from trial, street to fixed gear. And that’s not all, locals from Warsaw equipped with ‘insider’ knowledge of the city and its secret routes, were also part of the film. These included cycling enthusiasts or those whose jobs rely heavily on cycling, such as couriers and messengers.
Throughout filming, cyclists were equipped with HTC smartphone devices, the perfect on-the-go accessory, to provide them with the necessary tools to get them from A to B and ensure their cycling experience was as stress free and fun as possible. Features used along the planned route included superfast internet connection, GPS and preloaded maps, in addition to camera and video features for capturing fellow team members enjoying HTC Detour. Cyclists were also able to push updates and ‘check-ins’ to Facebook via HTC devices, including HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa, whilst they were on the go, keeping friends and family updated on their whereabouts along the way.
Members of the public who are interested in cycling or who have organised their own cycling ‘detours’ inspired by the film can upload pictures and videos of them and their friends exploring their local surroundings on HTC’s facebook page.
Stefan Streit, HTC’s VP of Marketing and Retail, EMEA, commented, “HTC shares its passion of being ‘quietly brilliant’ with cycling, an activity which is accessible to all - whether you’re looking for an eco-friendly mode of work transport, wanting to get fit or simply riding for leisure and fun. The HTC Detour film is designed to inspire our customers to embrace cycling by organising ‘detours’ in their own surroundings’ and encourage them to use their HTC devices to enhance these experiences.”

CHECK IT OUT

Saddled with conflict

2011-07-03T09:26:00.005+01:00

There was a time when I used to think that joining any of the armed forces was a 'cop out' -
Boys with toys. Men and women who extended their playgroup activities into the adult world.
Where you were always provided with a roof over your head, money in your pocket and food in your belly.
Where the things most people in life had to organise or work for were instantly provided.
Having been brought up as a service child I witness it all at first hand.
If you were lucky enough to get an overseas posting it may have been Singapore, Belize or Australia
Whole generations of soldiers, sailors and aviators were on the whole 'pretty safe' and the only real risks appeared to be 'sunburn' or too much 'tiger beer'.

Many kids would join the army to get a trade or to further their education, to provide themselves with the opportunities that their parents were unable or unwilling to provide to give themselves - choices.
The expectation of conflict, of being maimed or even killed was not even something that was contemplated.
How things have changed.
We now have generations of our armed forces who know nothing but conflict, where there is a real expectation of being killed or maimed.
Where we witness mothers and fathers outliving their children, who risk burying their own parents and children in the same year.
I have my own very strong Political views about the conflict that we find ourselves in, but to air those would be doing a disservice to the people I honour and am so very proud of.

Yesterday I was out riding in the East Yorkshire Wolds, the sun was shining, and there was little breeze - it was a perfect day.
As the day wore on things got a little tougher.
The 78 miles of the previous day was taking its toll, and my legs were tired.
My water was running out and the sun was shinning more fiercely as I was struggling up a 20% climb. Poor old me !!!!!!!!

Within 20 minutes I was sat on a comfortable chair drinking a Latte, my helmet was off and my bottle replenished. Refreshed, I had choices, to turn towards home or to carry on.

I am certain that our service personnel would love the choice to turn towards home.

For those of them who are fortunate enough to get home they should have a right to certain expectations - to be looked after. To enable their bodies and minds to heal.

Troops who are killed or injured give zero political points for any party in power.
They are very costly to bury, or mend and provide no tangible use to those high up in operational command.
They are out of sight and despite protestations to the contrary they are often out of mind.

For Mothers, fathers, Sons and daughters, friends, family and other loved ones.........they are NEVER out of sight or out of mind. In 2007 a charity called Help for Heroes was founded by Bryn and Emma Parry out of a desire to help the wounded Servicemen and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. The message of the charity was simple: We are strictly non political and non critical; we simply want to help. We believe that anyone who volunteers to serve in time of war, knowing that they may risk all, is a hero. These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things and some of them are living with the consequences of their service for life. We may not be able to prevent our soldiers from being wounded, but together we can help them get better.

This is a charity that our nation has got behind with people taking on extraordinary challenges to support our troops.

Next weekend Myself and four colleagues intend to cycle for 24hrs to raise money for Help for Heroes.
During the event I expect most of us will endure a degree of pain, discomfort, tiredness and hardship, there may even be those who don't make it.

It will undoubtedly provide drama, bonding and even conflicts. I really hope so.
We all believe in our own way that it is important to try and feel some of the emotions that our troops feel EVERYDAY.
Its also important that people continue to help.
Any donation whether it be $1, 1 euro, or £1 would be gratefully appreciated.
This can be done via the link in the right hand column or using the following link.

Thank you for reading

HELP FOR HEROES

Todays the Day

2011-07-02T07:30:00.000+01:00

Come on You sky Boys

Mad dogs and Englishmen flat out in the midday sun

2011-06-30T19:51:00.001+01:00

Last Sunday saw the Anglo Mules take on the 112 mile Flat out in the Fens Sportive.
This coincided with the hottest day of the year with temperatures in the high 80's.
My twin brother Paddy in Texas remarked 'That's cold........I'd be wearing a coat in that weather'
I hope he was joking for any coat wearing would have surely have created the same affect of the culinary 'boil in the bag effect'
I would literally have been poached Shrimp !!!!

The course was flat if not monotonous and when the wind got up in the afternoon there was no hiding place. With long straight stretches over 5 miles at a time I saw numerous mirages in the road.
Not surprisingly they all looked like watering holes, the type that serve Ice cold beer in comparison to the warm juice that was simmering in my water bottle.With the earlier sportives seemingly choreographed by a tango instructor. It was pure joy to move away from the quick, quick, slow, of the Alpine wolds to dance a repeated quick step on this more benign terrain.

My peddles pured with the high tempo, sometimes being sent into a spinning frenzy.

My heart not so enamoured, repeatedly played catch up like a father chasing an errant child in the park.

What the Fens lacked in visual enjoyment they more than made up for in other ways.

When you are able to follow a back wheel at 2" away with speeds over 20 mph for hours on end, When you are able to feel part of the collective movement of a chain gang,

When the wind you feel is created by yourself and not by nature

Then you really know why you do it.

Next weekend five of us anglo Mules are plannning to Cycle 24hrs for Charity.........................................Life gets no easier

Mr Blue Sky

2011-06-25T10:44:00.003+01:00

Sooooooooooooooo Exciting !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Velo Nation Reports :- Team Sky have announced their nine-man team for the 98th edition of the Tour de France, starting on 2 July at the Passage du Gois.

Bradley Wiggins, who came fourth in 2009 to equal the best ever Tour de France finish by a British rider, and recently won the prestigious Critérium du Dauphiné, will lead the squad which includes fellow Brits Geraint Thomas, who will be riding his third Tour de France, and Ben Swift who will be making his debut in the event.

Talented young Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen will make his second Tour de France appearance after last year's debut where he secured two podium finishes. Joining him will be Colombia's Rigoberto Urán, both having proved key strengths in the mountains at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

The line up features experienced Grand Tour riders including Spanish duo Juan Antonio Flecha, who will be making his ninth Tour de France appearance, and Xabier Zandio, who has previously ridden in the event five times. They will be joined by Germany's reigning Road Race Champion Christian Knees, who will be riding in his ninth Grand Tour, and Simon Gerrans, previous stage winner in all three Grand Tours.

Tour de France squad named
Team Sky have also revealed that all kit, bikes, equipment and vehicles will change from blue to green for all 21 stages of the race to help raise awareness and support for Sky Rainforest Rescue, a three year partnership between Sky and WWF to help save a billion trees in the state of Acre, northwest Brazil.

Teamwork
All of the riders, with the exception of Swift who has sprinted to five stage wins already this season, helped Wiggins to his impressive victory in the Dauphiné earlier this month and Team Principal Dave Brailsford explained: "This is a strong and balanced team with a real depth of talent to cater for all the race's challenges, from the team time trial to its high mountain finishes.

"The squad have raced and trained together consistently well and are full of confidence after excellent results at Bayern Rundfhart and the Critérium du Dauphiné.

"There is a great blend of experience and youth in our squad. As well as riders like Bradley, Flecha, Simon, Christian and Xabier who have ridden the Grand Tours on numerous occasions, the line up also includes some of the peloton's brightest young talents in Edvald, Geraint, Rigoberto and Ben. We have a really exciting team that can't wait for 2 July."

Brailsford is particularly looking forward to Swift's first appearance in cycling's blue riband event, adding: "I am delighted that Ben Swift will be making his Tour debut, he is enjoying a breakthrough season with five wins already and he will absolutely thrive on this opportunity to test himself on the biggest stage of all."

Relishing the challenge
The action gets under way in little over a week and the riders themselves head to the race full of confidence following those recent successes, with Dauphiné hero Wiggins confirming: "The team is in great shape, full of confidence and riding well.

"We all want to put on a good show for our fans as their support for the team throughout this season has been incredible. It's going to be a great three weeks of racing."

That was echoed by Swift who told us: "Competing in the Tour de France is what every young rider dreams of and I'm really excited about the challenge ahead. The team is riding well and we can't wait to get going against the world's best riders."

Flat out on the Fens - Deja Vu

2011-06-24T11:41:00.007+01:00

Ever since the recent royal wedding the tabloid newspapers have been full of Pippamania projecting Pippa Middleton from a royal Maid of Honour to National Hottie.

Although I have to conceded she is rather pleasing to the eye I could never get caught up in this sort of exploitation. I am sure she does not want to wake up each morning to have half baked stories and speculative partners splattered across the nations tabloids.

This paparazzi fuelled literary drivel only has one use for me, and that is to keep my Fish and chips warm until I get home from the Fish and Chip shop.

Mr Murdoch must must have sensed my indifference and came up with a cunning plan to attract my attention.

Apparently not only does she carry a veil well, but she also runs and rides a bike.......fast!!!!!!

Pippa was snapped taking part in the Highland Cross challenge a duathlon across Scotland.

Her Bianchi looks a stylish as any Alexander McQueen outfit and the Mavic Aksiums will surely put distance between her and any 'Cannon clickers'.

This time last year most of the Paparazzi were over in South Africa drinking Lion Beer and being sworn at by Wayne Rooney as 'Our Lads' failed yet again in our national game.

As the Germans were peppering the English Goal with 'das fussball'.

I was cycling around Eastern England in the 'Flatout in the Fens' a 112 mile sportive by Kilo to go.

Although the field was reduced by the lure of masochistic tele viewing, I could not help thinking it was their loss. It was a glorious day and one of the hottest of the year.

Here we are again 12 months on and the forecast promises much with a cloudless sky and the temperature up in the low 80's. With a flat Terrain we could be cycling in Texas minus the Turkey Vultures and Gatorade.

This time there is a large Anglo Mule contingent with seven of us taking Part Me, Joanne, Karen, Simon, Bobby, Kelky and Karen W. its hopped that we can put in a good time and have people wandering....'Who are those Mules????'

Cycling - The new Cool

2011-06-19T20:48:00.001+01:00

Rapha + Paul Smith SS11 from RAPHA on Vimeo.

Coast to Coast - Day Three

2011-06-18T19:41:00.001+01:00

Appleton le Street to Bridlington

After ordering everything on the Menu and over hydrating myself at the wonderful Cresswell Arms I felt a bit Peaky on wednesday morning, and was grateful in the knowledge that we were close to our journeys end. As we flew down into Malton with our 'Wheeled Mules' proudly displayed on the backs of our jerseys we were joined by about 20 other fleet four legged beats. Thery came in the form of race horses who were exercising on the gallops which ran parallel with our road. Our horsey emblems were not lost on them and there were some supportive whinnying and neighing being emitted from both of the equine groups. After Malton we followed the road to Settrington which was the start of the only big climb of the day. Although the wolds bore no resemblance to the Pennines as far as elevation was concerned, its access roads were certainly comparable and uncompromising in the gradients they offered.

By the time I had reached the top, my thighs were so tenderised that any passing Cannibal may think that Tartare steak were on the Menu.

On the plus side it cured my hangover.

Once onto the Wolds the route was familiar with a long flat section from West Lutton to the outskirts of Bridlington.

On this stretch the Pace and tempo increased and Joanne made a guest appearance at the front. It reminded me a bit of Mark Cavendish, Totally anonymous in the mountains where he suffers, but as soon as if there is a whiff of fast flat riding hes hovering at the front somewhere.

As we passed through Grindle the smell of the sea was unmistakable and as we approach the brow of each new hill we looked expectantly for the 'blue stuff'. Eventually it came where photo opportunities presented themselves.

On our arrival Bobby being Scots got out his Quaich in celebration of our achievement.

It is a scots tradition of sharing Whiskey from a communal cup. It was actually something that I warmed to over the three days as it seemed to make the most odd appearances, and never semed to empty.
With the task completed we now look forward to our next event 'Flat out in the Fens' a 112 milen sportive next weekend.

Coast to Coast - Day Two

2011-06-12T19:15:00.000+01:00

Grassington to Appleton le Street

Having previously studied 'The Way of the Roses' route it was clear that much of its third part covered areas that we cycled regularly. It also meant that our second night stop would have to be close to York.
Not wanting to be bored or out of pocket, we decided to deviate from the map and use other cycle routes to take us on a more northerly tract towards Malton and The Cresswell Arms Appleton le Street.
The day threatened sunshine and showers (Heavy ones) with the mix being more in favour of the wet stuff than the bright stuff.

I elected not to wear my coat under the leaden skies on account of what I knew to be 'up ahead'.
I had previously suffered the long climb from Hebden in the Wharfedale valley up onto Craven Moor, so I knew that there would soon be more fluid emerging from inside my body than what the heavens could pour upon me.
As we stood astride our bikes ready to set off, I used both of my hands to gesture two 'V' signs which I crossed over each other and presented them to my fellow mules, who in turn looked upon me scornfully

The 'V' sign is a curious signal
The sign's meaning depends in part on the way the hand is positioned. With the palm of the hand facing the signer, it can mean:

An insult – largely restricted to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the United Kingdom,it means "fuck off".
Two – indicating quantity (but not in countries where it is an insult) although this is more common with the palm turned around;
Peace – in the United States and Canada without respect to the direction.
When used with other movement, it can mean:
Air quotes – flexing fingers, palm out, both hands.
This hand shape is also used in a number of signs, including "to see/look". When the pointer and middle fingers are pointed at the signer's eyes then turned and the pointer finger is pointed at someone it means "I am watching you."
With the back of the hand facing the signer, it can mean:
Two – a nonverbal communication of quantity;
Victory – in a setting of wartime or competition. It was first popularized by Winston Churchill. It is sometimes made using both hands with upraised arms as US President Eisenhower, and in imitation of him, Richard Nixon, used to do;
Peace or Friend – used around the world by peace and counter-culture groups; popularized in the American peace movement of the 1960s.
Rabbit ears – used behind the head of a subject of a photograph; OR...
"peace" or "everything's cool/OK" sign - by holding in front of oneself in a photo.
The letter V, in American Sign Language – used when spelling.

My fellow travellers clearly did not understand the further significance which is found on Ordnance Survey Maps to signify gradient.

Gradient steeper than 20% (1 in 5) Gradient between 14% and 20% (1 in 5 to 1 in 7) So I explained to them that the sign I was depicting was a goodwill warning of some steep climbs to come.

In return, I got similar signs directed back to me where the meaning had far greater clarity, and no requirement for explanation.If the climb to the top of Craven Moor was hard enough, the decent down Greenhow Hill into Pately Bridge would even have had Odysseus wimping out.

This particular stretch of road features high up in Britain's '100 greatest climbs' so by that alone it requires some healthy respect.

Within 200 yards I had reached 30mph, and the 70lbs in my Panniers was seemingly trying to race me to the bottom.

To ensure that they could not fulfill their ambition I applied half my brakes, but my speed continued to climb..........33...35.....

Full brakes applied......38, 41......42......44.......44.....43....

This was serious, my brakes were now full on and my hands were clamped so tightly that my wrists felt like they were about to disintegrate.

As each new bend was negotiated the hill seemed to get steeper and steeper, I felt like an old sailor worried about dropping off the surface of the earth.

Fortunately at the very bottom of the hill there was a Toilet, its funny how fear has a tendency to squeeze your bladder.

We allowed ourselves some moments of composure before setting off out of Pately Bridge and further East towards Brimham Rocks which was where our first calamity occured. Mark lost all power to his bike with the transmission stuck in freewheel mode.

Although the surrounding geological features looked like people they could not speak nor were they able to provide the required tools to rectify the problem.....to make matters worse it started to rain.

We managed to persuade Karen to use some feminine charm to bewitch a local farmer.

He agreed to take Mark a few miles up the road close to Ripon where he could freewheel town into this idyllic Market Town.

We agreed to meet him, and continued through the rain.

The Route took us through the beautiful Studley Royal Park which contains Fountains Abbey

As we entered Ripon Market Place I spied Mark.

Such was my delight at the prospect of the reunion I momentarily lost concentration. The type required to negotiate wet and uneven cobblestones within the market place.

The net result was a spillage, scuffed knee and elbow along with total embarrassment as a couple of old age pensioners ran to my aid. I rose quickly to my feet as a boxer slipping in the ring and declined any assistance. Gingerly I greeted Mark trying to disguise the wincing pain from my hip.

Its amazing what healing qualities can be derived from a bakery. Just entering the local shop made me feel better and before I had finished off a selection of local wares I was ready to re enter the Fray.

The afternoon took us onto the flat lands of the Vale of York and towards the White Horse carved into the Hambleton Hills on the South West side of the North Yorkshire Moors.

During this time there was thunder and lightening and torrential downpours all around us but we managed to dodge all of the showers. Maybe we had had enough excitement for one day.

The roads glistened and as the sun shone we were often riding through a thin film of steam evaporating from the road surface.
Even the local cows were pleased to see us.
Eventually we got to the Cresswell Arms in Appleton le Street which was a pub we knew little about, but one we all agreed would be well appreciated on anybodies itinerary. Great Welcome, Beer fantastic Food and beautiful rooms..
It was everything that the Forresters Arms at Grassington was NOT.

Coast to Coast - Day One

2011-06-09T14:14:00.007+01:00

At 5am on Monday morning seven Anglo Mules and our driver congregated around our 14 seater minibus . It was comforting to know that the capacity of our carriage was greater than our requirement on account of our luggage.

I was the clear winner of the heaviest load and it was suggested that I ought to be accompanied to the local weigh bridge by 'abnormal load' out -riders.

The humour was not totally lost on me as the 0.9 mile journey from my home to the pick up point usually a sedate affair demanded the lowest cog of my triple chain set.

When stationary it was similar to handling a large motor cycle, unless the bike was balanced upright there was the perpetual threat of toppling over with the ensuing crushed legs and bruised ego.

With no cycle rack or luggage space available it was always going to be a challenge to arrange the bikes inside the vehicle. Thankfully the collective minds of years of high level decision making soon came up with a solution.

The side door was slid open, the bikes minus panniers where randomly thrown in and then the vehicle was rocked from side to side.

Once the bikes had settled all the panniers were scattered evenly on top with a layering of blankets.

This successful recipe created the availability of 2 spare seats up front and 5 in the rear, which was all that was required. The bikes took up the rest.

I sat next to Dave our driver and old friend who had set up his own transport business after retirement.

On our three hour journey to Morecambe I was intrigued to know who had previously used these seats and subsequently heard the Confessions of a Mini bus driver.

I listened in awe as one of the tales included him hearing the sound of a rattle from the rear of the bus.

The sound emerged 20 minutes after dropping a family off at a local airport and belonged to a baby who had been left behind. By the time Dave had got back to the airport and found his errant passengers they had not even noticed the void in the pushchair !!!!!!

After hearing all the tales it was apparent that our bikes fared well in both style and behavioural ratings, however they scored badly in their conversational ability.

We got to Morecambe at about 9 am and were greeted with a strong chilly north westerly blowing off the sea and making us all dash for our coats, whilst smiling at the prospect of a tail wind.

We soon set off down the banks of the River Lune towards the imposing Ingleborough on the distant horizon which is one of Yorkshires highest peaks. This was our gateway to Settle and onto the Yorkshire Dales. The Roses Way cycle route was well sign posted and tracked a route along cycle paths and beautiful country lanes. Alarmingly this also included a section from Clapham to Wharfe which was soon daubed 'boulderville' It consisted of a green lane which ran through a darkened tunnel and along a mountainside. Although it was outstandingly beautiful and offered zero traffic, It also presented a higher risk of punctures, broken bones and broken bikes. If you have a mountain bike fine but for tourers or road bikes great caution is required and if its wet I would strongly avoid.
The climb out of Settle would have been extremely challenging if unladen on my carbon road bike, but fully laden on my tourer it was always going to be a tough ask. I had previously descended this beast during the white rose classic so knew of its perils.

In the early part of the climb I had settled on steady but slow tempo, my only chance.

One of my fellow Mules gratefully overtook me whereupon I politely advised him that he should keep his powder dry.

Some 100 meters later around the bend I overtook him. He had dismounted his bike with his legs trembling like a worried dog. No dry powder I noted. I managed to get two thirds of the way up before I realised that I was running out of places to dismount gracefully. Seeing a gateway ahead, breaking the line of dry stone walling I sensed a lifeline. Instinctively I aimed my slow moving crawler right at its heart and launched myself onto its horizontal bars.

Pushing my load up the remainder of this MOUNTAIN was no bed of Roses (Pardon the Pun). If the summit had not arrived when it had I was about to jettison everything but my wallet, water and wristwatch to lighten the load.After a short rest and saturation of panoramic brilliance my spirits where lifted and my heart rate able to drop to a sustainable level. More importantly the panniers were undisturbed.

With the prospect of fine food, ale and rest we pressed on to Grassington and the Forrester's Arms. I love using my blog to promote cafes, places of interest and hostelries but The Forrester's Arms found no favour with me. The staff were rude and unfriendly and Id rather eat my food in a public latrine. Resourcefully we still sourced fine food and ale before closing our weary eyes on our first day.

Coast to Coast - Preperation and planning

2011-06-05T05:20:00.001+01:00

Rapha Continental – The Movie from RAPHA on Vimeo.

Tomorrow Joanne and I are joined by five other Anglo Mules in a 'mini Tour' from Morecambe on the West Coast of England to Bridlington in the East. We will be following 'The Way of the roses' a designated cycle route, however there will be a deviation on the last day taking a more northerly track.

Being self sufficient, with no support team and I have offered to carry all of Joannes stuff as well as my own.With such an undertaking my tourer was the only choice however looking at the amount of clothes, equipment, and potions that come in the 'Needed' category I am starting to think that a trailer would be more suitable than my traditional side luggage.

As the point of departure gets closer the pannier's have become heavier and the symbolism of 'Travels with my Mule' is not lost on me.

The three day adventure takes us over the Pennines and through some of the most beautiful country within the UK (The Yorkshire Dales). The pace will be deliberately slow determined by conscience as well as by gradient. There is also a genuine expectation that 'walking' may occur on of some of the more demanding accents which are around 25% ouch !!!!!!

It will be a pleasure not to have to ride in a competitive atmosphere to just enjoy the pleasure of cycling. As a way of inspiration I have searched for video archives and found some which have been commissioned by Rapha.

Rapha Performance Roadwear is a really cool premium sportswear and lifestyle brand focused on bicycle road cycling, clothing and accessories it also publishes the classy Rouleur Magazine.
The clothing is strongly influenced by the famous British clothing designer Paul Smith a keen cyclists himself whose early cycling ambitions were dashed by a serious accident.

In 2007 Rapha commenced filming with 'The Rapha Continental' which was driven by the idea to discover, or perhaps rediscover, the lost art of cycling. Its amazing !!!

They sum it up beautifully:-

' Too many riders that we knew had started to lose sight of why we love to ride, slipping into a racer’s mentality and putting our focus on measuring watts, counting calories and doing ‘efforts’. Don’t get me wrong, many of us excitedly pin numbers to our jerseys and line up each week but we’d reached a point where somehow the ends didn’t seem to justify the means.

Now in our fifth year, the main sensation that we, the ‘non-team’ of riders known as the Rapha Continental, have encountered, is wonderment. When the goal of a ride is about the experience instead of the speed or the distance, it changes everything.

It seems an obvious statement but it’s one that is easily forgotten with the fast pace of life, work and family. The 60-plus adventures we have ridden across the country have been a constant reminder that something spectacular happens when you mix hard riding, good friends, beautiful surroundings and punishing roads.

The communities we have temporarily become part of as we have ridden through them have given us memories we would never have had if we hadn’t passed through them on bicycles, or if we hadn’t been open to the notion that a good conversation was more important than getting in before dark.

We didn’t create this style of riding. In fact, we’ve been inspired by hundreds of like-minded cyclists we’ve met on roads all across the country. To a man (or woman), they are riders who have a penchant for gravel, who delight in a local’s tale, and who share our appetite to push the boundaries of distance and ability.

On some occasions we’ve had the pleasure of riding alongside them; on others, we’ve exchanged a simple nod and wave as we pass by. Whether we rode alone, tackling the route of the Amgen Tour of California, or whether we joined the ranks of the best organized rides we could find, the goal was always to be part of, to help create, a story worth telling. And that, I suppose, is the point of it all'.

I cant promise such a classy film but when I get back there will be pictures, somethings to laugh about and some fond memories to share.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T05:28:00.000+01:00

Sporting Heroes - Please dont let me down

2011-05-28T09:20:00.005+01:00

For as long as I can remember I have always been interested in sport whether through participation or as a frustrated spectator.

As a small child I remember my father talking to me about the famous Busby Babes and of travelling all over the country to see 'The Red Devils' of Manchester United.

Although I never played football within a few years I was an expert armchair pundit, a walking Mancunian encyclopedia dedicated to my beloved team.

Although I may have struggled with my algebra in the classroom I could recount the detail of every game since my first.

Some forty years later the investment continues and I eagerly await the Champions League Final against the mighty Barcelona tonight.

All sport fans will know that when you follow teams there are always going to be highs and lows.

Today I am high with anticipation of the game and proud of my team for reaching their third final in four years.

I will temporarily lap it up, because win or lose there will inevitably be some future fall from these lofty heights.

There will also be heroes and villains who change the course of the game, your emotions and sometimes your life as a supporter.

I remember being shocked to the core at seeing my superhero Eric Cantona perform a Bruce Lee kick on an abusive spectator at Crystal Palace.

I felt so angry at him for letting me down it felt so personal as if it was one of my children or friends.

It was many months later before I forgave him when in February 1996 he scored a wonder goal against Sunderland. After the ball had struck the back of the net he turned around slowly with that Gaelic arrogance, scanning the crowd to seek my approval high up in the East Stand.

Having any sporting Hero can be that personal and that painful.

When it involves sports you actual play the experience is even more personal.

In my younger years rugby was my true passion.

A game I played right up till 40 years when my local accident and Emergency department reserved me a parking space for Saturday afternoons.

My Hero of this Sport was Dean Richards. He was a man who rarely found himself on the losing side either as a player and subsequently as a manager. He was hugely respected around the world and acknowledged as one of the great players of his generation.

I had the good fortune to play against him twice and he was awesome.

A mountain of a man and a real gentleman.

He was also the only person in the world I have requested a signature from such was my admiration of him.

In 2009 he was banned to have no involvement in Rugby for 3 years.

This was after 'The Bloodgate affair'.

He was the manager of the Harlequins where in a close game he wanted to bring on his already substituted kicker Nick Evans to close a game down.

The only way that he could do that in those circumstances was as a blood substitute for a player who might be required to leave the field of play for treatment.

Low and behold one of the team Tom William suddenly appeared to be profusely bleeding from his mouth. Little did we now he had just bitten into a theatrical blood capsule. This enabled the switch to be made.
Unfortunately Williams was not the brightest of players as he used no subtlety when producing the effect away from any obvious contact and then winking as he came off.

The story started to trickle out weeks later which ran on and on accompanied by smoke and mirrors and an assortment of lies.

Eventually Richards was man enough to come clean.

I felt crushed. Whats the point in cheating!!!!!

I inserted my only signature collection into a shredder. Dean Richards was no longer my hero but a cheat.

When I gave up Rugby I took up road cycling and instantly became addicted to following the grand tours. With no prominent British riders to follow my search for a two wheeled hero fell easily at the feet of Lance Armstrong. Not only was he a magnificent cyclist but he was heroic in some many other ways. Battling and defeating Cancer, setting up a charity and making us all believe that anything is possible.

I became transfixed watching him tackle the mountains of Europe.

In 2001, on the famous slopes of Alpe d’Huez, I suffered as Armstrong appeared to falling off the back of a lead group containing his long-standing rival, Jan Ullrich.

All day he appeared to suffer, prompting Ullrichs German’s Telekom team to set the pace.

As they approached the base of d'Huez, Armstrong pulled to the front.

He looked round at a struggling Ullrich, fixed a stare upon him, then blew him away.

He climbed the mountain and set the fourth-fastest recorded ascent of Alpe d’Huez, thirty-eight minutes and one second.
It was a thing of legends and something I used to keep myself going when things got tough.

In 2003, descending from the Alps to a stage finish in the town of Gap, Armstrong raced downwards, neck-and-neck with the main contender for his yellow jersey, the Spaniard, Joseba Beloki. With the summer heat melting the bitumen in an old road surface, and the two diving for a hairpin bend, Beloki’s front tyre snatched from under his wheel, leaving Beloki in tears upon the tarmac with a broken pelvis, and Armstrong taking the only available option other than a crash. At breakneck speed he rode through a field, dismounted, jumped over a ditch, and regained the road to finish in a competitive time.

There are countless instances of this natural ability and steely determination that has seen Armstrong not only capture my adoration but provide goosebumps to cycling fans and neutrals around the world.

When cycling seemed to spin from one drug scandal to another I always felt sure that Armstrong was clean.

I convinced myself that in overcoming Cancer Armstrong was able to combine natural ability with a pain threshold that no other cyclist could match. It would always be a winning combination.

When the french journalists shouted cheat, I dismissed them as being jealous at having no decent French riders.

When Floyd Landis directly stated that Armstrong took drugs I laughed.

Surely Landis was just trying to justify his own misdemeanours.

Now Tyler Hamilton has emerged seemingly offering direct evidence to a federal investigation linking Armstrong with the direct use of EPO.

I now feel less reluctant to bury my head in the sand

I know that you should not read everything you see but what of the other riders?

None of them are coming forward to provide a contrary view.

I have not heard Big George Hincapie rubbish Hamiltons claims or even state that he never saw Armstrong take anything !!!!!

For now the sun has not yet set on my relationship with Lance.

He is still my Hero and will continue to inspire me, but maybe I too am living a lie and cheating myself.

Whether you use EPO or the inspiration of false gods you still have to pedal the bike.

Lance please dont let me down!!!

I am sure this sordid affair that surrounds Armstrong will run and run.

To use the words of my less tarnished Hero Eric Cantona:-

"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea"

Eating in the saddle

2011-05-15T15:43:00.001+01:00

Last weekends Brig Sportive threatened to be a washout with high winds and torrential rain forecast.
Certainly as we travelled to the venue you could have been excused for believing that you were in a car wash as we were buffeted from side to side whilst seemingly being emerged in large quantities of water.
However as the start time approached the aerial sprinkler system malfunctioned and the only precipitation in sight was that left behind forming large puddles along the route.

The field had been depleted by those non attenders who suffered from acute Ombrophobia- (Fear of rain or of being rained on)

As Mark and I prepared ourselves, fellow Mule Kelky and his Colleague Karen turned up to do the Shorter ride. So at least three Mule Shirts were on Parade.The course was gorgeous and well organised although the last 15 miles riding into a strong headwind caused my energy levels to tumble as dramatically as a sneezing trapeze artist.

With my Garmin telling me I had completed 98.2 miles Mark pointed out some riders behind us. These were a couple of young bucks who we had recently overtaken. They were storming up the road and closing the gap rapidly, probably incensed that some tubby veteran was going to pick up a 'ten second pride bonus' at the finish. Mark asked 'what have you got left? With only 1.8 miles to go I knew I had something in reserve and can always be relied upon to lead out when the terrain is flat. 'Don't worry about me' I arrogantly shouted as I blasted past him ramping up the pace to 28 mph. Glued to my wheel Mark shouted out words of encouragement.

After a mile I was hurting, after 1.5 miles I was totally burying myself. Moments later as my Garmin hit 99.80 miles I suddenly realised that there was no finishing line around the corner. The urban area that we were now entering was not in fact Brig but the village three miles to the south of our destination. The sudden realisation crushed me and I let Mark through, frantically trying to hold his wheel whilst yelling at him to slow down. Fortunately the young bucks were now nowhere to be seen and I was able to compose myself and wipe the froth from my mouth before we crossed the line. 100miles should be 100 miles, not F***ing 103.2

This week saw the start of our summer team training on Wednesday evening where it was good to see some new faces.

This week also provided me with over 3,000 miles for the year providing me with a great foundation for the rest of the season.

To get better and faster I now need to get leaner and lighter - my usual problem.

With a 24 hour ride looming on the Horizon its no longer a wish, its now a necessity.
Bob and I had a ride out to Millington on Saturday and stopped at the 'Ramblers rest' for a coffee, a great spot which is a favorite spot for cyclists.

Bob asked me if I wanted my customary Cake which to his astonishment I declined explaining my new ambitions

All around us were other cyclists drinking Coffee and eating cakes which were obviously baked especially for me. I watched intently my head darting from each plate to mouth, as by saliva glands went into overdrive.

Unamused I told Bob that these skinny cyclists were obliged to eat as they had no 'personal fuel' to rely on, I likened their attendance to that of a racing car refuelling during a pit stop.

Bob liked the analogy and chucked.

Developing it further I patted by protruding belly and remarked how clever I was by developing my own fuel reserves which required no saddlebag and could be secured quite nicely on the inside of my cycling jersey.

I then seem to loose the plot and pronounced that when I die I could never be cremated.

I explained that such a course of action might create a large traffic jam with a backlog of funeral hearses trying to reach the crematorium. The delay would inevitably be caused by the time needed for my fuel sacks to extinguish.

Small villages could be heated for weeks or I could be used as an exercise my the local fire brigade.

Bob who was certain that my abstract mutterings were symptoms of some hypoglycemic condition and insisted we share a muesli bar.

It was not quite a cream cake ....but it did shut me up.

Commitment brings results

2011-05-14T15:40:00.000+01:00

Ambition is the last refuge of Failure

2011-05-06T06:57:00.001+01:00

When Oscar Wilde wrote that 'ambition is the last refuge of failure' people applauded at yet another insightful phrase from this perceptive wordsmith.
Once the clapping had died down they then argued about what was meant by it.
This in turn ironically played the phrase out as ambitious scholars had to accept that their own interpretations were possibly flawed.
My own take on this is that 'Ambition' is a positive attribute, a driving force, a will to succeed.
Where could 'failure' possibly find a refuge in such a state of mind?

I believe that Wilde probably perceived that with ambition there comes 'challenges'. A desire to do something 'out of your comfort zone' or 'out of reach' .

With such new ventures there is always a greater possibility of failure because of the unknown. Life often requires practice, a succession of dress rehearsals. How many times do you get things right the first time?

Last Saturday Simon and I took part in the Pocklington Pedal Challenge 100 mile sportive. A traditional type sportive with challenges provided through frequent arduous climbs, zig-zagging between the Vale of York and the East Yorkshire Wolds. It included two trips into Thixendale an idyllic village only accessible to riders who have put in their winter training. Somewhere you would be as happy to leave as you would to arrive. To visit twice by different routes was as imaginative as it was sadistic. I can just imagine the organisers having a jolly good laugh as they thought up that one !!!!

On arriving at the start I was overcome with a great sense of unease as I walked to the signing on area. The gale force blustery winds were tugging at my clothes and caused me to tilt forwards in order to make progress. As we lined up for the start I surveyed the depleted entrants knowing that the remainder had sensibly silenced alarms and pulled the covers back over there helmetless heads. It was one moment in time that I was actually grateful for my additional poundage as some of the stickmen would surely be blown from hill tops. We were set off in two minute intervals and Simon and I took up the rear, with an almost immediate call of nature by Simon we were soon adrift. The first hill soon arrived the 400 feet, 16% gradient, and 35 mph headwind was a difficult equasion but =3.8mph of progress. It also required the skill of a high wire performer required to remain on two wheels. After 35 miles we started overtaking folk.........some who were forced to walk up some of the hills due to the wind/gradient conspiracy.

After 75 miles we were as close to the finish as we had been all day. Simon was suffering the psychological affects of having me glued to his wheel all day. Sensibly it was a position I was eager not to relinquish without a significant reduction in speed. He questioned the satisfaction and pleasure that the day had brought and suggested that we call it a day. I agreed.

So is this failure Mr Wilde?.........No way. Surely in these circumstances the lack of achievement is never 'failure' but merely a lack of success.
As I complete this blogpost I am following the weather for tomorrows sportive in Lincolnshire.

High winds and torrential rain.......................Although I intend to start there may be some further 'lack of success'.......... and ample supplies of water.

"Stay on the road, don't go near the moors".

2011-04-20T19:35:00.006+01:00

When I decided to take part in my first Evans 'Ride it' Sportive I chose Harewood because it was fairly local. Although I knew where the start and the finish were.
I had no idea of the route, not until the day before the event.
An explanation for this is in case the organisers need to make some adjustments for roadworks etc.
Anything that could be considered dangerous to the riders would obviously have to be taken into consideration.

My own belief is that If the course were announced earlier people might make other arrangements.
Like gardening.............or gentle ride out to the pub for a spot of lunch.

I know sportives are meant to be challenging but I don't think that you should be frothing at the mouth like a horse who has just carried an overweight jockey around the grand National course!!

Depending on which calculation I use my maximum heart rate should be between 168 and 174 bpm - not 183 as some ascents dictated.

To say I enjoyed the ride would be similar to saying I enjoy unblocking a toilet.
Whilst the event was taking place it was thoroughly unpleasant and I felt nauseous.
However once it was over there was a definate a sense of achievement, I got through all the crap and cameout the other side and my recovery was instant.

Don't get me wrong I like climbing and descending as it usually occurs in areas of outstanding beauty, where the vantage point is often amazing.

When the slopes of a more extreme nature you see very little going up through the tears and sweat in your eyes and coming down its all a bit of a blur.
So lets recap.....30 minutes climbing ,90 seconds descent....for about 6 and a half hours.
No time for recovery, or for idle chit chat.
Most of my dialogue was in the grunt form, starting with the word 'OH' and followed by words mostly begining with the letters F or S.
To be frank I was not good company for Mark and Bob.

In one of my Favorite films 'The American Werewolf in London', two American backpackers are warned 'Stay on the road, don't go near the Moors'.

I was quite envious of my American Mules who were simultaneously completing the Houston to Austin MS 150 - as I ventured out onto the Moor.

This paarticulaar Moor is same locality that I will have to meet again in June when we do the Coast to Coast Ride.

On the plus side I will have a triple chain set and be on my tourer.

On the downside I will have a heavier bike, two heavily loaded panier's (One with girls stuff!!!!) So even heavier still.

My next sportive in two weeks promises the same amount of climbing but with lower elevations.

I have ordered a new rear cassette which should soften the blow.

I asked if they had any with 100 teeth.

The man in the shop looked at my frame (not the bike frame) and smiled.

Gravity can be a killer you know.

Guilt free shopping

2011-04-14T18:50:00.002+01:00

After months of training it is now close to action time with my first Sportive next Sunday.

Its a 90 mile sojourn around West Yorkshire, starting at Harewood.

This is organised by Evans cycle retailers and is part of the Evans 'Ride it' series.

As well as looking forward to the ride, I am also interested in evaluating its organisation, as I have never ridden in an Evans 'ride it' series before.

I will be joined by two new Anglo Mules :- Bobby and Mark who keep me fit as I try and hang on to their back wheels.

The beautiful Harewood House

As it is the first proper event of my cycling calender I wanted to make sure that I looked as smart as possible to do the 'Anglo Mules' proud, so decided to invest in some new bibshorts. Ones which could be colour coordinated with my Mule Jersey.

When I looked at what was on offer and the price range, the ones I really wanted just happened to be the more expensive type.

Naturally I had to set that in balance with my newly adopted recession induced, frugal lifestyle.

The result was NO new bib shorts.

Whichever way I looked at it there was no justification for the cost.

So with a sad face it was out with the needle and cotton to darn last years worn garments.

As I punctured my thumb with the sowing needle for the 8th time my white top was starting to take on the appearance of 'The king of the mountains shirt' with circular red blood spots strategically staining the surface.

It was at that point that I had an epiphany.

If my car ever needed a new tyre I would replace it

If it needed gas I would fill it up.

The same would apply for water, oil, and other more specialised fluids.

If the brake pads/discs needed changing or even a costly new cam belt.....my hand would reluctantly go into my pocket without a moments hesitation.

When the garage was paid Id mutter at the cost and kick my heels.

You never actually get something you can love for your money.

My car is rarely used now although it is kept for essential journeys - like taking by bike to events!!!!!!

With soaring fuel prices I actually save over £100 per month by using my bike through commuting.

The propulsion mechanism is in fact myself........me!!!!!!!!!

I am the engine.

You don't see many cars travelling down the road with their pistons exposed or with the bonnet open.....its totally unheard of.

Engines should be suitably covered at all times!!!

I'm sure there is a law that says so.

So within moments my New Castelli bibshorts were ordered.

Please note, they are not fancy cycle wear

They are my engine casing.

An essential part of human combustion.

The Hills

2011-04-03T11:03:00.008+01:00

This time last year I was out in Texas training for the Annual MS 150 Houston to Austin Ride.

I was out with the Mules and we were cantering around the plains close to Zube Park.

Paddy (Who by his own admittance was not in great shape for cycling at that time) became quite disconsolate about me 'Racing up the hills'. He insisted that if I had to approach such terrain in that cavalier way, that I should maybe 'slow up at the top'.

I was slightly disgruntled at the time as my speed had not changed and the slight incline that he described as a hill (under 4%) would be flattered to have been regarded as such.

Yesterday I cycled up to Scarborough via Dalby Forrest and Hackness and introduced myself to many hills.

For those of you that know Hackness there is a 'hill' that goes up to Silpho which is about a mile long with an average of 15% gradient. It is an absolute beast and not at all polite, trying to trip you up at every opportunity.

I was with Simon and Bob who see hills in the same way as I see cream cakes.

Upon viewing the ascent, they lick their lips with eager anticipation then devour them.

I however struggle with the forces of gravity, my legs pumping hard, the rest of my body wanting to go down hill.

Although I always enjoy such challenges 'Silpho hill' engages both the masochistic and macho sides of my personality - at the same time.

Not wanting to spoil my other Mulees fun I told them to wait for me at the top.

(Constitution Hill - Swansea featured in Tour of Britain)

The question that is raised from my two experiences is what actually constitutes a hill?

The official definition is vague A hill is a land form that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit (e.g. Box Hill).

Ok so when does a hill become an actual Mountain?

The actual distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is generally somewhat lower and less steep than a mountain.

In the United Kingdom geographers historically regarded mountains as hills greater than 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, which formed the basis of the plot of the 1995 film The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain.

In contrast, hillwalkers have tended to regard mountains as peaks 2,000 feet (610 m) above sea level: the Oxford English Dictionary also suggests a limit of 2,000 feet (610 m).

This has led to Cavanal Hill in Poteau, Oklahoma, receive billing as the "World's Tallest Hill" due to its height of 1,999 feet (609 m).

Mountains in Scotland are frequently referred to as "hills" no matter what their height, as reflected in names such as the Cuillin Hills and the Torridon Hills.

In Wales, the distinction is more a term of land use and appearance and has nothing to do with height. A hillock is a small hill.

One thing that most people agree on is that cycling up hills (or mountains) is the hardest part of cycling when you are just starting out. (great article from www.road-bike.co.uk)

Ignoring problems of speed, most new cyclists can manage to go along a flat road for a reasonable distance without any terrible difficulties. But what happens when a hill turns up? Even a small hill can be a big challenge if you don't know what to expect and haven't prepared.

To put the record straight first - hills never get easy.

They get easier with experience, but then you go faster. However casual that cyclist might look as he races past you on the hill, be assured that he is also suffering.

Suffering faster, it is true, but suffering all the same. Hills hurt. Hills for me, are still the greatest pleasure of cycling. They are the best time to really push yourself to the limit, and the pleasure of going 'fast' up a hill that you know you would barely have got up at all a couple of years earlier is very real.

Once you have recognised that hills are and always will be difficult, how should you approach them? Getting Started Find a positive attitude and a hill.

(Not this One 'Mow Cop' on Cheshire cat left me traumatised for three months)

Ideally your cycling practice will start with a hill 2-3 kilometres long and rising about 30-50m per kilometre, but we all have to take what is near us. Choose a nice relaxing gear, at which you can pedal up your hill at 65-80 rpm, keeping a consistent speed, and try to go up steadily.

At first, you don't need to worry about racing up, just focus on maintaining a constant speed. You should be able to speak if necessary, but singing should be beyond you. Depending on your fitness even a small hill can be very difficult at first.

Remember: it is better to start out too gently and have some energy left for a last minute surge than to start cycling up the hill too fast and then completely run out of steam half way up. Over-exertion for the first part of a climb is very common, especially when you are unfamiliar with the hill. Try not to look at the top of the hill until it is quite close.

I always stare at the road immediately ahead, or the side of the road, or an intermediate point on the road. The goal is to avoid panicking about the hill, but to just take it one section after another. For the time being try and do all this while remaining seated on the saddle.

Focus on breathing out regularly. Don't worry about breathing in, that will happen naturally when you breathe out!

Most hills have several sections, try and think about finishing the section you are on, rather than worrying about the whole hill.

If you can look down, and concentrate on your breathing and the rhythm of your pedalling, the hill will pass in no time. Initially the goal is simply to reach the top

- nothing is more demotivating than failing to reach the end of the hill, so first worry about finishing the hill, then later about improving speed.

Getting better

The next step is to slowly improve your cycling speed. After a few weeks of the above, you will find that hills are becoming slightly easier, that your speed (and more importantly your confidence) improves, and you can use slightly harder gears.

Now would be the time to start setting goals. Find a hill that you are familiar with, and two or three times a week do the same hill, noting which gear you are in and what average speed you can do. Try and do it a little faster by using a harder gear. Sooner or later you will reach the point where your willpower and new found abilities takes over, and you WANT to go and beat that hill.

You will know what speed you can keep going at, and be able to judge for yourself if you can go faster. The hill is no longer a scary place, it's where you want to be! Getting even better At this point you can think about interval training on the hill. More or less, this means cycling up the hill for perhaps 10 minutes, then going back down gently and doing it again. Perhaps three times. This stretches your legs to the limit, because just as they finish recovering from one exertion along comes the next.

Standing up cycling

Sometimes it is necessary to stand up

(cycling, not pushing!) for the steepest parts of a hill, but this uses more energy and raises your heart rate, so it should be saved for occasional use only. Having said that, when I restarted cycling after several years away from the sport, I found I couldn't cycle more than about 50 metres up-hill standing-up. If this is the case, you should practice this skill also. Probably your hill has one or two shorter, steeper parts. If you change to standing position for those sections, it uses different muscles and gives the others a brief moment of welcome rest. But ultimately, standing-up is more demanding than sitting down. Change to a harder gear when you are about to stand up, and an easier gear when you are about to sit down again. Try and maintain the same cadence (number of turns of the pedals per minute) whether standing or seated. Pull up on the handlebars as you push down with your pedal. After a few tiles, try and use a harder gear. Soon you will be able to burst up short sharp sections of hill on your bike. Standing-up cycling is also commonly used for short-sharp hills, especially when you can maintain the gear you are already using. Instead of changing to an easier gear for the short climb, stand-up and keep using the same gear. Keep pedalling until you are over the top of the hill.

Many cyclists stop the effort a few metres before the top, and 'cruise' over the brow. You lose valuable seconds doing this, and also lose important speed for the following section.

Overall With regular practice, the shallower hills that you once struggled up will start to seem like flat sections of road, and big hills will get much easier. If you really have no hills at all near you, there is one way that you can still practice. Wait for a windy day, and go and cycle straight into the wind. Almost as much fun as a mountain.

I got this book for Christmas and its now my in bucket list to complete all 100

Happy cycling

Good reasons for going to Heaven

2011-03-27T12:00:00.001+01:00

I have previously featured Cycle heaven in my blogposts because of the family connection with my brother Andy, it seemed an obvious subject matter at the time but I probably did not do it justice. Cycle retail is a competitive market and to succeed its not enough to be 'good' you need to be 'very good'. With the increased popularity of online shopping time spent 'discount hunting' online is almost as prevalent as that spent using social network sites. I am no stranger to this process and often spend hours on wiggle, evanscycles or chain reaction cycles websites looking for that 'great deal'. That 'great deal' is only possible because of it can be provided without the additional expenditure of a shopfront and everything that comes with it. I only purchase clothing or other items that might squeeze through the letter box. Items that can be pushed through the letterbox where the scope for surprise or disappointment is limited. When it comes to actual bikes or other capital items, I need to engage more senses than a visual interpretation of what I can see and read on my computer monitor. I don't only want to see my bike on display, but want to know that the one I actually get assembled is going to be put together properly. By somebody who is not wearing an orange overall and is looking forward to their next tea break. Somebody who can build a wheel rather than lift one down from a ceiling rack. Somebody who cycles home rather than gets in his/her hot hatchback. Above : Anne Clarke ..............attention to detail is key That is why I am on my fourth bike from Cycle Heaven. Cycle Heaven has been in business since 1993. It is the largest independent cycle retailer in York and one of the largest in the UK. The driving force behind Cycle Heaven are the owners Andy Shrimpton and Piers Maffett, whose commitment to the ideals of urban community life are reflected in the products they sell and the values of their business. The store offers a large array of different styles of cycle and is most famous for the kinds of bike that make possible a civilised and comfortable car free urban existence - namely classic and contemporary town bikes and folding bikes. As this ethic can also embrace jaunty but nonchalant rides out into the country, this is also the place to go for longer distance cycles such as hybrids and touring bikes. They also offer a lot of family options - child seats, trailers, child trailer bikes and the like. Make no mistake, at Cycle Heaven they 'cycle to live' (and not the other way around!). 'My Ridgeback Horizon has enabled me to cycle 30 miles a day commuting to work and back all through the winter saving about £160 in fuel per month....do the maths' Cycle heaven have also recognised the new attraction of sportive events for which they offer Scott and Cannondale makes. At the heart of the shop is their busy 'open' workshop, which can seem frenetic, come summer, but with their long opening hours and four full time technicians they can usually accommodate your repair, with a smile. This year there are plans to open up another shop at a rather interesting and innovative location. I am certain that this will be a massive hit. Not wanting to ignore the attractions of what the WWW can offer they have a great website and now offer a full range of their own branded T Shirts which can be purchased on line.

Cycle Heaven Shirts

Remember all good cycles go to Cycle heaven.

Cycling Upgrade

2011-03-20T08:07:00.003Z

A major revamp of cycling could put the sport on a par with the Premier League, says Garmin-Cervelo's director.

Jonathan Vaughters, who is president of the Association of Pro Tour and Pro Continental teams, has given BBC Sport a 10-point plan to rebrand cycling.

"If you look at cycling's demographic it should be infinitely more successful than it is," said Garmin's Vaughters.

"It should be on the level of Premier Football. The Tour de France is maybe the world's greatest sporting event."

Doping has cast a giant shadow over cycling and the UCI - the sport's governing body - has until 24 March to appeal against the overturning of Alberto Contador's one-year doping ban by the Spanish federation.

While admitting that doping is cycling's "Achilles heel", former professional rider Vaughters mounted a rigorous and passionate defence of a sport he calls "human F1 car racing" and the "exploration of the ultimate in human performance".

"Cycling has introduced the most strict enforcement of anti-doping regulations of any sport, so you will always see more people caught," said the Garmin-Cervelo chief.

"Cycling is absolutely transparent. What do you prefer - struggling with scandals but with a fair competition, or do you want to bury the scandal and the competition is unfair?"

As a way of boosting the anti-doping fight, Vaughters called for teams to be given long-term entry to the Tour de France in return for a significant donation to combat doping.

Garmin's Vaughters is also the ACIGP president
At present teams are given entry on an annual basis, but Vaughters believes a deal of five, 10 or 15 years could help provide cycling with financial stability and also beat the drugs cheats.

"Guaranteed participation could help teams generate more sponsorship," said Vaughters. "In return teams would be obliged to donate 20% of new money to combat doping."

The Garmin-Cervelo director argues such a proposal could generate a donation of up to 50m euros for anti-doping initiatives over a five-year period.

Vaughters put the proposal to the UCI soon after his election as president of the Association of Pro Tour and Pro Continental teams (AIGCP) in 2009, but never heard back from the sport's governing body.

"The UCI's willingness to hear and give credence to ideas put forward is fairly limited," added Vaughters, who is unhappy that he has so little say in the running of the sport, despite representing 28 teams and over 3,000 employees.

"My ability to vote on any regulation is essentially nil. The AIGCP is cycling's biggest stakeholder, but has no power to veto new regulations. That is ineffective governance."

The AIGCP is already in dispute with the UCI over its ban on radio communication in races and has threatened to boycott the Tour of Beijing in October if the sport's governing body does not withdraw its veto by 1 May.

"This a team sport that is conducted at 80/kmh," added Vaughters. "If we are going to have a modern sport there has to be communication and just as importantly that rule was introduced without speaking to anyone in the field.

"The regulations are limiting creativity, intelligence and engineering. There is so much more that could be done to improve cycling, but we're being held back by decision making."

Vaughters' 10-point plan to reinvigorate cycling:

1. More races of the highest level outside of Europe.

2. Consistent, understandable formats for cycling fans.

3. Long-term guaranteed entry to the Tour de France for professional teams.

4. More focus on prevention of doping, in the first place, as opposed to catching cheats.

5. More team-time trials more often.

6. Technical innovation, such as cameras on bikes, inside cars, helmets, inside team buses to make the "craziness and danger of the peloton more real to the viewer".

7. Equipment innovation to see if the the smartest team wins sometimes, rather than the strongest.

8. Open radios to the public and listen to your favourite team and what they are doing.

9. GPS tracking of individual riders to make races fun to watch.

10. Have an understandable and consistent way of determining the best rider in the world and the best team in the world. That might mean riders have to ride Paris-Roubaix, and if they do not finish they would be docked points.

Article by John Sinnott on BBC Website

This Charming Man

2011-03-15T05:06:00.006Z

A punctured bicycle
On a hillside desolate
Will nature make a man of me yet ?

When Morrisey wrote the iconic song 'This Charming Man' I am quite certain that 'cycling' was the last thing on his mind or was it?

Music can mean so many different things for, so many people. Who am I to question whether or not the erudite 'Smiths' front man may have actually known the difference between his deraillers and his front bracket.
I do believe that the opening to the song is pure genius and it can work in a number of different ways.

Does the punctured bicycle refer to an actual tyre 'puncture'?

Or could it be that the gradient of the desolate hillside has punctured the riders ambitions?

'Will nature make a man of me yet'
Surely this must mean that being 'at one' with nature allows you discover yourself - to become a man.
Or if you climb lots of hills, your fear of the more arduous aspects of cycling will lessen - you will become a better rider.
Not wishing do be sexist ....you will 'Man up'.

Anyway Mr Morrisey as well as banging out a half decent tune you have also got my brain working. Is that not the aim of art????
Enough literary stuff...........

This weekend saw my 15th consecutive day cycling.

Rather than look for an excuse to lie in or get a rest, Bob and I searched for some desolate hillsides of our own in the form of Dalby Forrest and the North Yorkshire Moors..................before finally heading to Scarborough.
It was a tough arduous ride but with the constantly changing scenery it felt like we travelled across a whole country.
Enjoy the pictures....Happy cycling

Wrong Legs

2011-03-09T18:05:00.001Z

When I prepare for my longer weekend ride I am far more methodical about my approach. There is no longer the need to simultaneously drink coffee, empty my bladder and brush my teeth - My pedal deity actually affords me some preparation time.

Whats more the time is now in daylight.

This enables me to have a fair chance of actually seeing what I am doing and also wearing.

It ensures that I am not later mistaken for a two wheeled advert for Josephs and his technicolour dream coat.

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to choose items other than clothing to accompany my ride.....Like a slim Torso, a thick mane of hair to protrude out of the side of my helmet, but most of all to have some 'bike legs'. I usually find my own about June time but it would be nice to borrow somebody Else's in the meantime.

For the flat I would have those belonging to Fabian Cancellara, for the climbs Marco Pantani, and for the mixed Terrain Miguel Indurain

Saturday saw my 8th consecutive day of cycling and 78 miles deep into the Yorkshire Wolds to the tiny village of Thixendale. Most local cyclists shudder at the name as it is usually features in all of the local sportives providing challenging descents followed by gruesome climbs by four different routes out of the village.

On this particular morning my legs were definitely not my own.

I strongly suspect that they had been provided from Shaun of the dead or donated from Douglas Badder they quite stubbornly decided that they did not want to obey my request for high tempo spinning, electing instead for a more sedate rotation.Seemingly this obstinate stance was contagious with the elements catching on.

We set off heading North - Gentle Northerly Breeze.....OK

Then North East - Brisker North Easterly Breeze ............mmmmmmmmmm

Then East - Brisk and cold Easterly.......Not Funny

We then headed back towards Beverley due South.

The wind playfully turned to a near gale and moved over to the South West.

NOT AMUSED !!!!!!!!

Still there was sunshine and good company, with the exception of my legs.

Music to my Ears

2011-03-03T18:56:00.004Z

Before February had turned into March and the snow had disappeared from the Wold tops I managed to break through 1000 miles for the year.

By the same time last year I had only done 368 miles, so I am well ahead of schedule for my goal of breaking 6,000 for the year.

In fact 7,000 may come into my sights very soon or even 8,000 (Steady Philip).

Although most of the cycling has been on my own I am always accompanied by my I Pod Shuffle.

Which is almost as helpfull as having Lance Armstrong riding beside me...although he may tell me off.

I know that the use of headphones raises emotions in a similar way to the 'helmet' debate, but I do believe that you can use them responsibly. I certainly try too.

If I am in a rural area I have both plugs in with the sound turned way up

In the commuter urban traffic I have no music at all.

The rest of the time I cycle with one plug in only or with both having music turned down.

I really do notice the difference in my riding styles with and without music.

With the right sort of music I am able to sustain a high tempo with perfect rhythm and little concentration.

To attain the same level without music requires much more concentration and my cadence is too variable, being affected by the wind or gradient.

My 'Shuffle' is clipped onto the shoulder strap of my 'bibs' so its covered from the elements.

Being less than 2 inches long and the same weight as £1 coin it is far removed from the original portable Music device - The Sony Walkman.

I owned several over the years and would wear them for running. If you got any faster than a mild trot you ran the risk of disengagement and the humiliation of having your priced asset broken and scattered all over your adjacent highway.

With long distance runs I would often come home with a sore hip from constant banging

If neither of the above affected you you always ran the risk of having to perform some improvised skipping as the Head phones tried to match make with your ankles.

My musical taste is wide ranging and for a long ride I have a complete assortment of Tunes from Wagner to Taylor Swift.

When I'm training though it has to be something with a fast tempo beat.

Having been brought up in the Disco age, i missed out on the Dance Rage and always believed that 'E' was actually a useful letter to have whilst playing scrabble.

Although I'm not about to strut my stuff on the dance floor I have certainly adopted some Dance tunes to keep my legs spinning.

Here are a few that are on my current play list.

Tiesto - 'Hes a Pirate'

Happy Mondays - 'Hallelujah'

Black eyed Peas - 'Ive got a feeling', 'The Time (Dirty Bit)', 'Imma Be'

Fat Boy Slim - 'Acid 2000'

New Order - 'Blue Monday'

Supermode - 'Tell me why'

David Pearce - 'Sandstorm'

Nelly Furtado - 'Promiscuous' (Axwell reMix)

Eric Prydz - 'Pjanno'

Last year when I was doing the Natchez Trace I would often hit the front at speed.My fellow Mules would just shake their heads and mutter 'Those Dammed Black eyed Peas!!!!'

Please let me know if you have any tunes to share.

The weekend weather looks promising so my Camera battery is on charge and I'm ready to do some dancing on my pedals.

Trick Cycling

2011-02-14T13:49:00.001Z

January was a good month for me.

After failing to reach my goal of 6,000 miles cycled last year I was determined to reach it this year. My plan is to try and beat last years monthly total each month which would put me well on target.
In January 2010 I cycled 94 miles
January 2011 558 miles plus ten lbs lost.

Apart from gifting us with sub zero temperatures, the weather this January remained mainly dry and I was able to commute most days.

Mid way into February the freezing arctic weather has been replaced by temperatures just above freezing. Not to be outdone by January, February has brought its own presents in the form of gales and heavy rain to ensure that the experience is equally unpleasant.

I'm not quite sure which experience I least like yet but I'm working on it.

Riding any length of time in the freezing cold is no fun so we are always on the look out for cycle friendly places to stop and warm our feet that serve good food and hot drinks The Gallery in South Cave
Certainly fits the bill serving us breakfast and preparing us for the climb up Brantingham Dale.
With a beautiful interior and gift shop/ gallery it is also a romantic setting for evening meals or intimate lunches.

Last Saturday the Anglo Mules embarked on a more challenging ride, wishing to increase our distance to over 50 miles and to find some climbs that make you wish you had pulled the covers over.

The weather did not look promising and Bobby and I watched the rain pour down from the bus shelter At our rendezvous point Dalton Holme

We encouraged each other using regular references to both the BBC and Met Office reports,that the rain would pass within the hour.

Which hour I asked impatiently?

despite my inbuilt optimism I sensed that such an hour would be one that may arrive sometime during the afternoon, way after I have got home and taken off my drenched clothes and maybe even when I might have stopped shivering.
Bobby was so disillusioned that he got into a nearby a telephone box - believing that it was some sort of mystic portal to take him home. I reminded him that 'Dr Who' had a blue police phone box and that the British Telecom ones were like the phones inside. 'Out of order'

Eventually Simon and Mark arrived like 'wheeled otters'.
With lots of stranding water and soil/flint washed off the fields the minor roads that we use were more suitable for mountain bikes.

I'm not a great fan of standing water as underneath there is often a pothole waiting to snatch at your wheel, nibble a few spokes and bend your rim.

For me potholes = ££££££

On one particular stretch I very masterfully announced that around the next bend 'The road may become difficult'

I explained that there was a very steep descent with a tight bend at the bottom, that the road would narrow and that there was a good chance of potholes.

Leading from the front I shot around the corner and soon accelerated up to 30mph.

Temporarily blinded by the rain in my face I adjusted my focus to see standing water ahead of me at the bottom of the hill.

Thankfully there was a narrow strip of 'causeway' in the middle of the road that attracted my heading.

As I got closer I noticed a small sharp piece of white flint smiling at me.

F**K me if it wasnt was right in the middle of my refuge.

I wanted to shout out.....to make it move but I guess it had been around since the Jurrasic period.

I was going too fast to break hard as the road was covered in a film of mud.

I missed it with my front wheel but before I could smile the rear Tyre popped like a champagne cork.

The sudden loss of air also meant a sudden loss of control and now I was fully submerged in the underwater pothole chicane.

Before I could reach for my life jacket .......Bang....... front tyre !!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!

For the next ten seconnds I fought to keep the bike upright and take off the spped.

Ten seconds does not seem long but when trying to keep your heart on the inside of your chest and your breakfast from covering the outside, ten seconds is a real drag.

Thankfully apart from my wounded pride there was no harm done and we stiill went on to do 53 miles.

Incidently I have just got my application form for the circus.

Bringing home the Bacon

2011-01-24T18:08:00.001Z

Puncture at 4 miles - £4.99
Puncture at 29 miles - £4.99
Two inner tubes given to stranded cyclists - £9.88
Ridicule faced at being last up The Devils Chimney - £12 round of drinks
Full English Breakfast by a roaring fire - Priceless
There are some things that money cant buy
But for everything else there are pounds shillings and pence.

Although the weather is still too cold for most people not to be able to turn off their TVs and venture out, the weather has been good for cycling.
Dry with light winds.
So as long as you are wrapped up well there are some miles to be had and I have been trying to get them in.
This Saturday saw the Anglo Mules have their first training ride of the year and it was democratically decided that we should have a challenging climbing route to sort out the Christmas puddings from the salad bowls.
My singular vote was as useful as voting Liberal democrat
I certainly came in the Christmas pudding category having to bully my burden up every incline.
This endeavour caused much merriment with my fellow salad bowls who seemingly had the ability to pedal, laugh and make up fattest jokes - all at the same time.
I was just shattered.
Whether it was the pull of gravity or the fact that I had already cycled the previous 5 days I don't know, but my legs and lungs were fighting to have their say on proceedings.

I had the presence of mind to not raise the issue of my previous weeks toils.
To do so would have been futile and only encourage more ridicule.

At one point it was humorously pointed out that it was in fact a 'good thing' that I had not brought along my Heart Rate Monitor.
The general consensus was that the readings alone could have caused my old ticker to stop.

To make matters worse I got two punctures.
Last year I had none.
In the summer you can almost get away without having tyre leavers. In the winter you need a full wheel brace !!!! applied with glove less hands.
By the time you have finished your hands make perfect beer coolers.

The second puncture came after we had assisted some cyclist up in the wolds who had multiple punctures and had run out of inner tubes. He and his partner were given two of ours.

The net result of this was that my second puncture (Thankfully a slow one) could not be remedied directly.
It meant that every half a mile I had to stop and pump my tyre up.
I had to chuckle to myself as I thought of Johan Bruyneel jumping out of his Radio Shack car and inflating the teams tyres as they rode in the Tour de France.

Despite the Ridicule, the sweat the exhaustion, and despite the mechanical it all seemed incidental when we had our post ride breakfast with some important hydration.
The fact that I had broken through 400 miles for the month of January in our coldest winter also warmed my spirits.

Beer and Toast................................................Why not I ask you ?????

I did not count these calories so don't snitch on me !!!!!

Me and Cav

2011-01-20T17:30:00.005Z

If I said that me and Mark Cavendish have so much in common people might laugh but the fact is it is true.
We both ride Scott bikes
We could never be called tall
We a currently both described as 'a bit heavy' by some commentators
We have both had a recent crash
We both can travel really fast on a bike. Him - on the flat, me - down hill with a gale behind me.

But it does not stop there,.....No !!!!!! We have both spent some of today weaving our bikes through traffic as we try to get to our destination.

Brendon Gallagher from the Daily Telegraph reports on his twitter page

The incident occurred after police opened up road to the public once the main peloton had passed.

"I did the whole last lap on open road, you had to stand on all sides of the thing and stop for traffic," said Cavendish.

Stage three included a rolling 12 mile circuit the riders had to negotiate three times and Cavendish, patched up after his crash on stage two, trailed in 12 minutes behind winner Rabobank's Michael Matthews. Simon Gerrans of Team Sky finished fourth.

Race director Mike Turtur said an emergency meeting would take place to find out why Cavendish and other riders had to negotiate through traffic to finish the stage.

"We've had a policy in place whereby the green light vehicle is the last vehicle on the road behind the last rider, for 13 years," said Turtur.

"For whatever reason, our understanding is that green light vehicle was called forward of the Cavendish group with about 10 kilometres to go and we don't know the reason why.

"Until we know how and why, I can't make any further comment - but it's not the policy we've had in place for 13 years, it's never happened before. It's not good, but sometimes these things happen. We'll be meeting as soon as possible with police."

Before the start of stage three, Cavendish had dismissed any thoughts that he might retire from the Tour Down Under.

"It is my job, I have got to do it, whether I had a crash or not, " he said.

"That's what separates bike riding from other sports. It is your job to get up and carry on with the race, and find out what's wrong later."

Poor old Cav.....I'm sure both our seasons will get better with some more miles on our legs.

Knowing when to sloe down

2011-01-17T17:00:00.001Z

On Friday night I had the most intriguing dream .
It was one of those that was so lucid that you really believe it is true.
I was on a train that had just pulled away from a station and realised that I had left my cycle on the platform.
The train was crowded with people standing and I frantically battled towards the conductor to plead for him to reverse the train.
Rather than laugh he replied 'Ok Sir I will see what we can do'
Rather disgruntled all of the other passengers gave a huge grown and stared at me.

Thankfully it was at that point that I woke - up never knowing whether I was to be thrown out of the window or reunited with my bike.

Not wanting to leave anything to chance I got up and ran downstairs to be comforted by my ever faithful 'Ralph' (Ralph the Ridgeback Tourer). He had subtly propped himself up against the radiator, not missing a trick for some additional warmth I noted.

I also noticed outside that the road was dry and the that the temperature was above zero.....just !!!!!!!
This meant that there was no real excuse to not go out riding, not even using the 30 mph winds outside which were trying to break an entry into my house.
So we set off - Me, Simon and Bobby on the first 'Anglo Mule' training ride of the year.
We decided on a circular Route to ensure that the wind would be able to have a good go at 'all sides' of our over-stretched torsos.
As Simon had already completed 13 miles Cycling from Driffield to Beverley, we decided to include Driffield on the way home via some compulsory climbing around Lonsborough and Water.
For 'anybody' standing roadside, even the blessed a village idiot, it would be easy to reckon who had enjoyed Christmas the most.
Not for the fact the he spent most of the day lagging behind.
But due to the Rotund form, blowing red cheeks and red coat - yours truly was surely an honoury member of the St Nicholas appreciation Society.

As we approached Driffield the Heaven opened and Bobby and I were persuaded to take some shelter and have a warming cup of Coffee.
We had already completed 36 miles so I felt we were deserving of such an excursion.
As we sat in Simon's conservatory the rain mocked us, playing solemn tunes upon the glass panes above, in readiness for our departure.
Sensing the mood change Simon asked Bobby and I if we wanted to try some of his Sloe Gin that he made for Christmas.
Now Booby is a Scotsman and as such he believes that to refuse a drink from your fellow man is worse than sleeping with his wife.
I of course agreed and within a few short moments the red silky liquid was more than a match for the transparent stuff outside.
As I took the final mouth full of my second glass I politely enquired as to whether Simon knew the local train times.
It was as subtle a question as I could muster but nevertheless Simon saw right through it, as he topped up my glass.
There is something quite odd about drinking alcohol after prolonged vigorous exercise.
Its like being in a video on the 'stages of inebriation' with the button pressed on fast forward.
One second I was taking my first sip and before the minute hand had travelled a mere 180 degrees I was giggling like a teenage boy in church.
Bobby and I both agreed that the train idea was actually quite a good one and we toasted the concept with another glass and discussed the general merits of locomotives with our respective tongues firmly planted in cheeks..
After wobbling our way down to the station we attracted much mirth from the fellow travellers.
Two over 50s gents, seemingly respectable yet giggling with rudden faces and smelling like moonshine..................very curious and before Noon no less.

We had to wait for ten minutes for the train to come and when it arrived I stumbled towards the door, like a Hobo joining the soup kitchen line.
Bobby my dear friend then reminded me that I had set off that morning with Ralph and that it would be a shame to leave him in the station.

Cyclist falls from the skies

2011-01-06T15:44:00.002Z

At the start of the week I was very alarmed to hear about thousands of birds falling out of the sky in Arkansas and other similar events happening all around the world.

My blog site also took a dip as the word 'birds' surged to the most searched item in search engines.

Religious bloggers soon loaded their own sites with Bible verse, Hosea 4:1-3: "The land dries up, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away."

My main anxiety was not from being hit on the head by a 'Pythonesque' blackbird, but from the omens that such an event may portend.

It even made me look at my Christmas presents in a completely new light.

I got a T shirt that depicted a man falling from his cycle

I also got a funky new cycle helmet .....Were these signs too?

In a state of near paranoia I visited York just after Christmas I noticed a bike that appeared to have been thrown in the river.

The culprit probably was unaware that the river Ouse was frozen and the cycle lay bruised and broken suspended on the surface, there for all to see and to haunt him.

Was this a sign for me too ? Did it for tell an impending cycling disaster?

I certainly was not going to take any chances !!!!!

On New Years Day I cycled ......... very tentatively

On the 2nd day of the month....... just tentatively

On the 3rd day my caution was fading

My the end of the week I scoffed with cynicism of 'The signs' that I had previously encountered and cycled with gay abandon.

My exuberance masked my senses and I failed to register the odd slipping sensation coming from the chain.

Today I set off as usual at 6am in darkness with an icy road -3 degrees c.

After about 5 miles and whilst travelling about 20 mph the three images ambushed me.

My chain snagged in the derailleur, which sheered off and tangled within my back wheel.

I had two options:-

Crash right and be hit by a car

Crash left and cross my fingers

I opted for the second one and was dispatched from my bike just like in the picture.

At that point my helmet came into play as my main impact was on my head an shoulders.

Then thirdly as i looked around I saw my bike suspended on a film of hard frost.

Spooky !!!!!!!

Anyway I had to take a day off work and take bike to bike hospital.

New rear wheel and new rear derailleur system which hurt me far more than my head.

So the moral of the story is if blackbirds fall in Arkansas make sure your helmet is on tight

Tidings of comfort and Joy

2010-12-22T12:09:00.006Z

I received this Christmas offering from Ed Thompson who is a reader of my blogsite.
Ed works for freshnetworks who have produced something quite spectacular.

Anyway I will let them continue the story.

'At this time of year, what better excuse to get people out of the FreshNetworks office than a synchronised cycle ride round central London dressed as Father Christmas? And all for no reason whatsoever, apart from the fun of it.

Tourists thought we were delightful, cabbies called us a menace and the police tracked our every move – convinced that, at any moment, we might start a student protest.

With mince pies in our bellies and iPhones strapped to our Boris Bikes we tweeted all the way to Buckingham Palace. Arriving just in time to catch Prince Philip who stopped his car to ask what we were up to and to wish us a Merry Christmas all round.

Thank you Barclays and thank you Boris. We love your bikes. And thanks to Asylum Films (our favourite London production company) for making the movie.

Cheers Ed..................to you all at freshnetworks

All I want for Christmas ............

2010-12-20T18:17:00.001Z

As the winter weather continues to keep us locked in its frozen jaws, I have finally conceded defeat in my attempt to cycle 6,000 miles this year.
Even if the snow and ice were to miraculously disappear, I would still need to seek further divine intervention to rid me of my current 'medical affliction', before I could remount my two wheeled steed. Fortunately I have gratefully avoided winter bugs and colds for some years now.
I find it frustrating when work colleagues feel they need to stay at home every time they are forced to buy some tissues.
You would not get that from me !!!!!!
I would literally have to be at deaths door with the old 'grim reaper' the other side pretending to be delivering some late Christmas post.

......... when I have had to take time off my ailments have been far more serious.
For the past two years I have obviously had pneumonia but still went in. Alas this year I am sure that I must have swine flu which I cant beat off.
It has probably lay dormant in me since my visit to Texas where it had blown over from Mexico and lodged itself in my cycle helmet. There is no other rationale explanation.

Thankfully tomorrow sees the arrival of the winter Solstice or the shortest day of the year.
After that the days get longer, each one after the another and boy will I be counting.

The actual celebration of the winter Solstice is seen as more important than the Summer one as if if effectively the start of natures 'cycle' - I knew Id get the word cycle in somewhere.

The Saami, indigenous people of Finland, Sweden and Norway, worship Beiwe, the sun-goddess of fertility and sanity. She travels through the sky in a structure made of reindeer bones with her daughter, Beiwe-Neia, to herald back the greenery on which the reindeer feed.

On the winter solstice, her worshipers sacrifice white female animals, and thread the meat onto sticks which they bend into rings and tie with bright ribbons. They also cover their doorposts with butter so Beiwe can eat it and begin her journey once again.

All I can say is that its a good job Beiwe and Santa travel on separate nights as things could get a bit messy.

Anyway on to the more serious stuff . If I cant cycle at the very least I can think about cycling and more importantly next years events.

This year will see some new events I and The Mules will be completing.

June 6-8th 2011 Inclusive.
Morecombe to Bridlington following the Roses Way from the west to the East Coast of England.

26th June 2011
Flat out in the Fens -112 mile Sportive across eastern England.

9pm 9pm Friday/Sat 8th/9th July 2011
Charity 24 hr challenge for 'Help for Heros' cycling for 24 hrs with a prise for the sponsor who selects the correct mileage for the event.
We have decided to organise this ourselves around East Yorkshire.

27th August 2011
Anglo Mules trip to USA where Karen and Simon will be joining Joanne and I in competing in the 30th Anniversary of Hotter than Hell 100 miles Sportive.

4th September 2011
Manchester 100 mile sportive.

Now all I want for Christmas is lots of Cycling gear, a tape worm to lodge in my digestive system for a couple of months and the temperature to get above freezing on Christmas morning !!!!!!

I dont ask for much...........................

Merry Christmas to all readers , see you on the Road.

Bah Humbug - not me

2010-12-12T17:58:00.007Z

As the early winter grips with its icicle teeth, cycling is now forced from my attention.

Even the prospect of 'spinning' has now been taken away from me.

The snow piled up so high on my local leisure centre that it brought down part of the roof - forcing it to close along with its classes.

Initially this was a big blow

Cycling for me is a bit of an obsession, but to be fair it is also much more than that.
I love commuting by bike and the feeling that it gives me. To know that with each mile I save 'x' amount of pence in petrol and also provide society with a moving billboard.
Showing that travelling by car does not have to be the conventional way to travel.

I love exploring my beautiful countryside at a pace that is quick enough to keep my interest yet slow enough to absorb what is visually on offer.

I love being a 'Mule' as part of the Travels with my Mule cycling team. I love the camaraderie of team work, competing and riding amongst large groups of other like minded people.

Today I ventured into town by foot.
As a cyclist I have always been able to relate to the expression 'Its just like riding a bike' but now I was ironically applying this to the prosess of walking.
A bit like Bambi in that early Disney production, I could have been mistaken for somebody that had already tucked into to the Sloe gin.
I was dressed in multiple layers of warm clothing and wearing boots with grips like tractor treads.
The pavements were thick with ice from old grey snow.
Snow that had tried in vain to thaw only to be crystallised during the night offering a morning 'slip up'.
My lack of cycling was making me heavy, both in mind and body and my progress was laboured.

My hometown Beverley is a pretty place, with traffic excluded from its main thoroughfare which leads between two market areas. Wednesday Market and Saturday Market.
As I followed this course I was entertained by brass bands playing Christmas Carols.

I have always associated brass bands with my native Yorkshire and when they play Carols it gives me goose bumps. Through emotion rather than the wind that is blown into the assorted instruments.

The street was filled with Christmas shoppers creating a sea of assorted bobbing winters hats and joyous faces. Children delirious with expectation, mothers anxious with anticipation and fathers weary with frustration and of getting their wallets out.

The air was filled with the smell of roasted chestnuts and Cinnamon and shimmering with festive cheer.
As I tapped my foot to the deep sound of the Tuba player and mouthed the words to the carol, I smiled and my mood instantly lifted.
You see there are some days in the year for cycling, some days for resting from cycling, but there should also be days when you should just take it all in.

Advent seems to fit this bill

du pouvoir de la pédale à pied

2010-12-03T13:30:00.008Z

sNOw go part 2

2010-12-02T19:28:00.000Z

sNOw go

2010-11-28T16:54:00.006Z

Early winter has gripped much of UK including East Yorkshire.........meaning the bike stays in the shed and the feet are used instead

Managed to get out on Friday before things got too White !!!!!!

Always use a rubber - ride a bike

2010-11-22T19:14:00.005Z

Riding in the Dark

2010-11-16T17:00:00.010Z

The bright sun was extinguished, and the stars
Did wander darkling in the eternal space,
Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth
Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air;
Morn came and went—and came, and brought no day,
And men forgot their passions in the dread
Of this their desolation; and all hearts
Were chilled into a selfish prayer for light.

Lord Byron

For weeks now I have been getting up in the dark, cycling to work in the dark only to return in the dark. When I started this winter comuting, it all seemed a bit of a novelty but as the days have got shorter its becoming a real test.

To make matters worse the black cloak that comes with the setting sun has definitely got darker.

I am fine with the dark....honest but am not too keen on the four miles stretch along an isolated country lane.

Its amazing how your imagination plays games with you.

Although I am certain that the rustle I heard in the undergrowth is only a rabbit, once my imagination has processed it I am off...........

Pedaling as fast as my legs will pump into the darkness in certain belief that there is some cycle chomping goblin chasing me.

The other thing that gets me is when a cars headlights suddenly illuminate the road in front of me.

I either count the seconds until I believe he will undoubtedly hit me from behind or look into the illuminated area ahead for mad axe man that has just escaped from the sanatorium.

Both scenarios show a spike of my heart rate on my 'post cycle' Garmin reading.

To try and combat my nocturnal fears I have bought some more lights.

I now have several.

Helmet - front and rear lights

Coat - front and rear lights

Handlebars -Light shining straight ahead and light shining onto kerb ahead of me.

Two rear lights and LED lights strapped on my ankles.

I guess If I do get knocked over the driver will say 'He was blinded by the lights'

As I write about darkness I am reminded about a different darkness that often fills peoples lives.

The darkness associated with bereavement, separation, illness and poverty.

One of our Mules Taylor Bartholemew has had such a darkness which hangs like a shadow over her

At the age of 3 1/2 she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). ALL is the most common type of leukemia in children under the age of 15, and progresses rapidly, affecting immature white blood cells (lymphocytes).

When she was sick, her doctor performed immediate injections into her spinal column, which were coupled with blood transfusions from her mother as the donor to replace the damaged blood. She spent weeks in isolation in hospital and then several months in isolation at home as her immune system had been destroyed.
After two years of oral and intravenous medications, and weekly blood tests, she had completed her treatment.
By the age of 5, she beat ALL (just in time to start kindergarten BALD!!)

She is now in her TWENTY SECOND year of remission!!! and is as fit as a butchers dog.
She is a regular rider of the Travels with my Mule Team but also rides for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training (TNT) Charity.

She is an inspiration to many myself included and it makes getting up in the dark all the more easier.

Next year she plans to complete a 100 miles sportive around Lake Tahoe to raise money for TNT.
We (Mule Team) all think she is an absolute star.

If you want to support her for this event follow this link = Taylor

The Answer my friend is blowing in the Wind

2010-11-12T16:39:00.000Z

The last few weeks have seen little activity in the rotation of my bicycle wheels however there has been some movement in my waistline which is starting to develop its own circular shape.
If I dont apply the brakes soon i will have my own unique tubular shape.
The lack of cycling has had nothing to do with dedication but more to do with climate.

Each day I watch the weather forecast and despair.

Nature seems to be in some sort of competition with itself to blow all of the leaves off the trees in record time.

I don't mind cycling in the Rain and there has been plenty of that. Nor do I mind cycling in the wind within reason.

1-20 mph not a second thought

20-25 mph without rain I'm still on board

but 30 mph + in the dark is no fun, and fool hardy.

This past week we have had 30-60 mph winds all week with heavy rain.

If that is not bad enough, amongst the precipitation there is an assortment of deciduous offerings.

Do you know a wind blown Horse chestnut leaf can cover your whole face and resemble the texture of a flying bat.

Having said all that I have not been a total wimp.

Last week I actually did 130 miles.

On one of the mornings I set off to work in the dark accompanied by a work colleague Anne.

She managed to get a puncture about a mile from work.

Coyly she looked at me proclaiming that she did not know how to rectify the problem.

Her excuse being that she never cycles alone and would rely on her cycle partner husband to 'sort it out' .

Although she had a spare inner tube, she had no tools.

I arrogantly proclaimed that I my pit stop procedure was akin to that of the Formula 1 Red Bull team and that we would be cycling again in the same time that it might take to apply some lipstick.

My ego was soon as deflated as the tyre, when I realised that my own tools were on my road bike. This particular bike being cosily resting at home.

It was then that natures rejects came to my aid.

Looking for divine inspiration I spied a couple of well shaped twigs which along with a ten pence piece was able to be used to strip the offending tyre from its wheel.

For my gallant efforts I was later presented with a fine bottle of 'Chateaux neuf de pape' from Anne.

It came as no surprise that on subsequent journeys I endeavoured to lead Anne over the toughest terrain praying for further punctures.

Although the weekdays weather has been poor the weekend has been great and I have managed to get out and record the rusty scenery.

Rainy Days and Mondays

2010-10-31T15:47:00.004Z

It seems an age since I last wrote my blog..... and in fact it is
I went away on a course for three weeks and when I returned last weekend winter had finally arrived as well as a few extra (Unwanted) pounds due to my lack of activity.

Last Monday I set off to work with great expectations all be it in completer darkness.
My shorts had been replaced by long johns, my fingerless gloves by gauntlets and my bandanna by a woolly hat. The overnight temperature had caused an icy sheen on the road and my chest to hurt as I breathed in the cold air.
On the first corner I was lucky to keep my bike upright and the enjoyment was frozen out by the need for total concentration.

Starting in the dark and cold and returning in the dark and cold ........ well it is just grim and I am not really enjoying it.

Thankfully my work came to my rescue......with late nights and vehicular requirements I only had to complete 3 one way trips and 1 return commute completing a paltry 68 miles.
I know I need to do more but this sobering realisation will need to be phased in.
There is one big positive though my new bike
My new winter tourer does make this process less painful, its stable and comfortable yet still retains some integrity as a road bike.

There are also other positives.......I can now start looking at my Christmas wish list.
With the increase in the popularity of cycling there is so much out there.
Ventoux http://www.ventoux-wear.com/ have a great site with so real cool shirts I particularly like this one.
With the Travels with my Mule Team expecting to grow bigger and stronger next year I need a helmet to go with the red,white and blue livery

I found this helmet on the Sustrans web site

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/

They also have some funky lights that just clip on to your bars and have a full range of colours to match your bike Finally cafepress do hundreds......yes hundreds of cycling T Shits
Cafepress

http://t-shirts.cafepress.co.uk/bicycle

Hopefully this week will see an improvement in my cycling mileage and to keep me motivated I will start identifying rides for next year.

Bike quango 'Cycling England' to be abolished

2010-10-17T11:12:00.002+01:00

Campaigners 'despondent' at the damage they say the decision will do to cycling provision around the country

The rumours that Cycling England would be amongst the logs on the government's "bonfire of the quangos" were confirmed last week with the release of the long-awaited (and dreaded) list from the Cabinet Office.

Next to the cycling quango were the fateful words:

No longer an NDPB [Non-Departmental Public Body] - Abolish body. We have announced a Local Sustainable Travel Fund and will explore ways of marshalling expert input on cycling issues, including to support the Fund

As quangos go, Cycling England is not exactly profligate. It has three permanent staff and overheads of £200,000 - a tiny fraction of its annual budget of £60m. Over three years it has spent £140m.

Malcolm Shepherd, the chief executive of Sustrans, a charity that promotes sustainable transport said the quango has done valuable work. "Cycling England has been a crucial conduit for funding which has touched the lives of millions of people by making it possible for people to cycle for everyday journeys."

He and others are worried that the Local Sustainable Travel Fund will not have the same focus. The government has not yet decided how much money will be in the fund and what restrictions will be put on how it can be spent.

"The new Local Sustainable Transport Fund must not be a smokescreen for wider cuts to the spending that gets people cycling, walking and using public transport," Shepherd added.

Explaining the new fund, the transport minister Norman Baker MP who has responsibility for cycling said:

"We want to give more power and more flexibility to local authorities as we strongly believe that they know best what is right for their communities."

"As there will no longer be a dedicated cycling pot of money, but instead a much broader fund, we feel that Cycling England is not the right way to continue to incentivise and encourage local authorities and others to stimulate cycling."

So what is at stake? The money dished out by Cycling England fits into 3 broad categories. Around a third goes to the cycling towns and cities programme - which has provided funding for local cycling provision in places across the country from Aylesbury to Morecambe.

Around a third went to funding Bikability - a scheme for teaching safe on-road cycling that is the successor to the old cycling proficiency test. It trained 300,000 children last year. According to the Department for Transport, responsibility for the programme will now move back to Whitehall.

Kevin Mayne at the cycling organisation CTC, who is on Cycling England's board said that would be a disaster. "Bikability is a scheme that works on a 'Big Society' basis. Whenever it has been managed [outside government] it has moved forward. When it has been managed by DfT it has stood still...We can be more flexible, we don't have to seek ministerial approval for everything and we have low overheads."

The third tranche of funding is a mish-mash of smaller programmes and nascent schemes that were being worked up for national implementation. Bike 'n' Rail, for example, is a scheme to improve bike facilities for rail passengers. The danger, says Mayne is that schemes such as this will be lost. In the process around £20m of funding for the voluntary sector is at risk.

"It doesn't matter what label to put on it. It matters where the money goes," said Mayne, "At the moment one can't help but be pretty despondent. But ministers still have a chance, if you like, not to wreck this."

Courtesy of the Guardian Newspaper

Way of the Roses

2010-10-02T08:50:00.008+01:00

For the next three weeks my cycling is going to be limited as I am attending a course in Manchester. That means travelling to and throw across the country, taking in the Pennines.

About ten years ago when I had more hair, less weight and and empty cycle shed the cycling seed was first planted. I borrowed a bike to complete a charity cycle ride from Morecombe to Hornsea cycling across the Pennines from the west to the east coast of England.

Last month. I recall it took in some breathtaking scenery, killer climbs and splendid watering holes.

Last month the National Cycle Network celebrated its 15th anniversary by adding a new challenging route to its ever-expanding network of over 12,600 miles the Way of the Roses

from Morecombe to Bridlington.

The Way of the Roses transforms 170 miles of roads and cycle tracks into a spectacular new 'coast-to-coast' leisure route for cyclists and walkers in the North of England. Starting on the west coast in Morecambe, Lancashire, and finishing on the east coast in the seaside resort of Bridlington, Yorkshire, the route passes through magnificent landscapes and past great points of interest along the way including:

Morecambe with its recently restored art deco Midland Hotel and famous seaside state of comedy legend Eric Morecambe
The Yorkshire Dales National Park
The Forest of Bowland
Nidderdale
The Lune Valley
Coldstones Quarry near Pateley Bridge
The Yorkshire Wolds
The historic cities of Lancaster, and York with its famous Minster
Ripon with its magnificent Cathedral
Fountains Abbey - a world heritage site (National Trust)
Beningborough Hall on the outskirts of York
Burton Agnes Hall - an Elizabethan stately home in East Yorks
Flamborough Head - a Special Area of Conservation - and an RSPB nature reserve at Bempton Cliffs, where there are puffin and gannet breeding colonies in the summer.

As I already think of next years itinerary this route is already being penciled in for early June.

Who knows I may even be able to attract a few American Mules to take part.

Radio 5 Cyclists in Mid life Crisis

2010-09-29T18:49:00.006+01:00

In an earlier blog post last month I wrote of the rise of the MAMILS (Middle aged men in Lycra)

and the thread seems to rumble on.

This morning on Radio 5 there was yet another report on recent research that found that cycling, and road cycling in particular, is the new sign of a mid-life crisis in men.

This all stems from a report by market research powerhouse Mintel that found that the cycling market is being driven by affluent 35-44 year old men. It went as far as to say that cycling is “the ‘noughties’ version of the midlife crisis”.

Another study carried out by academics at the University of the West of England

Fi Spotswood and Sarah Leonard commissioned YouGov to undertake a UK wide survey that asked: what do British people really think about cycling? Their research investigated the opinions about cycling amongst a representative UK sample of adults. 3,885 people aged 16-64 were interviewed in early summer 2010.

Professor Tapp comments, “We wanted to find out if cycling is still the 'poor man's transport' populated by badly dressed social misfits muttering about gear ratios, or a fashionable activity of good looking people who rock up to the office with the latest carbon frame. We asked questions about how congestion, global warming and ever rising fuel prices might persuade us out of our cars and back onto two wheels.

“Our findings suggest that most people see Jeremy Clarkson-esque critics of cycling as missing the point. An impressive 42% of the British public think that 'cycling has become cool nowadays', and, good news for those forty-something men with mid-life crises, 38% agree that bike technology is much sexier nowadays. Perhaps surprisingly there was also encouragement for government initiatives, with 43% agreeing that 'there's a new push by the government towards getting people to cycle'.

“These pro cycling feelings might be a symptom of traffic jam stress as much as anything. A whopping 43% of us agreed that 'When I'm stuck in a traffic jam I sometimes wish I were cycling'. The success of the likes of Chris Hoy and Mark Cavendish might be rubbing off on us as well: a surprising 18% of us admit that 'The success of British cyclists has encouraged me to think about cycling more myself'.

“But cycling lobbies can't quite break out the champagne just yet. It was quite clear from the study that Britain is still a divided nation over cycling, with a die-hard 28% of people agreeing that 'roads are for cars not bikes'. In fact, only 12% of us cycle quite or very often (once a week or more). What's for sure is that getting over our love of cars isn't going to be easy: 54% say 'I would not support any measure that penalises car use'. Perhaps the divided nation theory is best highlighted by the finding that 39% agree that 'global warming has been exaggerated 'with a similar number, 38%, disagreeing.

“Can things get better for cyclists? Well, we could certainly use our Olympic and Tour de France heroes to help us market cycling as a way of getting about. After all, at the moment, more people recognised David Cameron (picked out by 59%) as a cyclist than Chris Hoy (53%), and Boris Johnson (48%) was a more famous cyclist than Victoria Pendleton (27%).”

“Commuter cyclists not serious career people”

Accepting that the UK is still dominated by a 'car culture', the researchers investigated whether UK cyclists see themselves as a breed apart. How do cyclists see themselves, and what do the motoring majority think of them?

Findings suggest that the way cyclists see themselves isn't always matched by how outsiders see them.

Cyclists see themselves as independent minded and free spirited, environmentally aware, adventurous, and even a bit rebellious. They are also less likely to see themselves as conventional or boring. But a different picture emerges when non-cycling people were asked what they thought of cyclists.

Some descriptions such as fitness conscious and independent minded were not surprising but interestingly the general public thought that cyclists were less happy than they were- perhaps because they see cyclists getting wet and cold.

Professor Tapp concludes, “We were also surprised to find that cyclists were seen as lazy and non-cyclists perceive cyclists as less hard working than they are. Maybe the perception is that if you are a serious career professional in the UK, you don't cycle – you drive a 5 series instead.”

Well observed Mr Tapp.

As a cyclist and a career professional I am the first to arrive at my desk invigorated by my morning ride. I am also the last to leave !!!! I do pass lots of similar professionals in their '5 series' on route stuck in jams. Maybe I'm being lazy by not subjecting myself to life in the slow lane.

The Autumnal Equinox

2010-09-26T18:40:00.003+01:00

Last week was momentous.
It saw me break 5,000 miles for the year and have my 10,000 visitor to my blogsite.
It also saw the arrival of the Autumnal Equinox, where hours of darkness now become greater than hours of light. Its sad to think that the days of wearing shorts and a cycle jersey will soon be deferred to at the least next April, unless of course its in a gym.
This is usually the time that my bike gets put away apart from the occasional guest appearance at the 'odd' good weekend.
This double entendre is very apt in that winter weekends of good weather are both rare and peculiar.
Late September, early October is also the time I start eating really bad things..................You know the ones that taste fantastic, but weigh twice as much inside you, as they did in the packet.
This year has been a great year for my cycling.
After a slow start, I had a rude awakening with the MS150 immediately followed by the Natchez Trace.
By July I was really getting some form and when I took part in Hotter than Hell and Manchester 100, I was as fit as I have been for years.
On reflection its frustrating that I could not have been as fit in Spring as I am now, if that had been the case I could have taken part in far more events, but more importantly enjoyed them.

The old saying 'Make hay when the sun shines' certainly rings true here.

There are a number of reasons for not embracing the more trying seasons on a bike.

Some are real - Ice, snow and winter gales.

Some are excuses- Its too cold, dark and miserable, my feet get frostbite, by bike will get ruined, its not enjoyable !!!!!!

When I discussed these matters with 'La Patron' (My benevolent brother Paddy)
He accepted the real reasons, but had answers for the others.
Too cold- Wear more clothes
Too dark - use lights
Too miserable - State of mind bros 'suck it up'
My feet get frostbite - get better shoes/socks
Bike gets ruined - get a winter bike.

As his 'super domestique' on American rides he does have a vested interest in my fitness.
The fitter I get, the greater incentive he has to do likewise, and if he is not quite up to scratch he has the wheel of a willing mule to suck on all day long.

So when I pleaded poverty as a further excuse he very kindly offered to fund some two wheeled 'retail therapy'.
As the days have now suddenly got shorter It seems that I have also shortened my brothers savings account.

Over this weekend my summer speed machine was put away for the winter and I went shopping

I am now the proud owner of the following :-

Ridgeback Horizon Tourer
The Ridgeback Horizon is a multi-purpose mile-muncher. The only frame in the range not using steel, this frame is made with double-butted aluminium tubes and is coupled with a carbon fibre fork to give a light and responsive road machine. The transmission is provided by Shimano Sora, a recent arrival at the 9 speed party, using a triple chainset to give a massive range of gears. High spec 25mm Continental Ultra Race tyres sit neatly beneath the full length chromoplastic mudguards. Seat stay and drop-out lugs mean that any rack can be easily fitted.

With its mudguards and rack mounts the Horizon is an ideal sportive or Audax ride. (The Audax organisation used to rigidly enforce a rule that all entrants were obliged to have mudguards fitted - although now at the event organiser's discretion) These features also make it naturally a fast, light tourer or commuter, easily carrying a pair of panniers and a bar bag. The Horizon's third and no less important role is as a winter or training bike for roadies. Ridgeback is one of the few brands that offers a road bike that you can realistically use through the British winter. If you're a keen or competitive road rider this bike is an essential addition to your stock, allowing you to continue year round preparation without sullying your best thoroughbred.

Seal Skinz socks
To keep my plates (Plates of Meat - Feet) as warm as Toast

Some new Sidi Shoes - Mega
Which provide extra width so you can avoid frostbite by moving your toes !!!!!
With that out of the way I only have the Ice, snow and winter gales to contend with.
Bring it on !!!!!!!!!

She stoops to conquer - The Femule

2010-09-19T18:53:00.003+01:00

Way back in 2005 I first saw a young 23 year old female called Victoria Pendalton. She would not have looked out of place on the front page of any glamour magazine or stood next to David Craig on a film set.
However this was no glamour girl, this was a serious ‘butt kicking’ track cyclist clad in Lycra.

I found myself admiring her shapely legs, not for the obvious aesthetic quality, but for the serious horse power that lay beneath the surface.
Underneath an over sized helmet there was another similarly impressive quality, a steely resolve to succeed.
Since that time she has featured in more glamour magazines than those dedicated to cycling and I’m sure Mr Craig is still drumming his fingers in anticipation.
She has also obtained a large number of gongs, bronze, silver and lots of the gold ones.

The thing that has impressed me most about Ms Pendalton is how she has changed women’s cycling. It is something that I applaud wholeheartedly and something that I am very grateful for

For years the fairer sex appeared to be content with propelling their comfortable, aesthetic conveyances over the cobbled streets, or to the other end of the village.
Baskets and panniers would act as a storage facility for both household shopping and retail therapy. Speeds were governed not by ability, but by conversation and the ability to pass the time of day with welcoming gestures.
Accompanying clothes were not chosen by the bikes colour, saddle or frame dimensions but by what felt right.

Don’t get me wrong there were a small number of female cyclists on Sunday club run.

Although they were always welcome they were seen as ‘One of the guys’ and never taken seriously in their own right. They were also anonymous, constrained by male machismo and of a desire to conform.

Now when I take part in sportives I see a marked increase in the percentage of women taking part. There is no way that they could be described as being ‘one of the guys’.
I usually end up admiring their legs in the same way as I did with Ms Pendleton……when they fly past me !!!!!

These are often sassy girls with attitude, who will pull at the front, box you in, and shell you out of a chain gang like an errant pea on a dinner plate.
They don’t need to ask the question ‘Does my bum look too big’.

By regularly taking part in such events, this is one sport that helps subdue such a question.
You are more likely to strike up a conversation about cadence, power weight ratios and the new Sidi race shoe range.

Our ‘Travels with my mule’ cycling team has its fair share of women who all keep us in check.
Joanne my partner used to go shopping on a weekend on her dutch town bike.
The thought of covering herself with Lycra and being locked into pedals for five hours appeared as attractive as cleaning the cooker. Four years later she now has 1000’s of miles in her legs including a number of Century rides. She commutes to work by bike, and can change an inner tube in less than five minutes without breaking a nail.
She spends more time on the Internet looking for cycling gear than she does looking at anything else and can always give me give a run for my money on any flat course that we cycle.
She is also as feminine as it comes.

I am reliably informed that the wives and girlfriends of some of our Mules have thought about

getting on their bikes.

Well the message is clear

Our stable door is always open !!!!!!

Become a FeMULE

Night Vision

2010-09-11T07:41:00.007+01:00

After returning back from America I have started commuting again and intend to cycle as many days as I can during the winter.

However with dark mornings and nights, to accompany worsening weather conditions the risk through cycling increases dramatically.

During the summer drivers would expect to see cyclists on warm sunny days,but not around a bend in pitch black at six o clock in the morning in November !!!!!

It is a known fact that most accidents involving vehicles happen when the owner is within a mile of home. This is mainly because they know the area so well that they relax, subconsciously lowering their level of concentration.

For commuter drivers this is even worse.

Completing the same journey each day, drivers are often in auto pilot, knowing each bend, landmark and the exact times they arrive at certain points on their respective journeys.

If commuter drivers are delayed by natures forces ie: iced up windows and roads, condensation through damp weather it does not mean that their concentration level will increase.

It is often the opposite. They may become frustrated at the delay and often take risks to claw back time lost. They are even prepared to drive for a short time with limited visibility.

If a driver is trying to peer through a frosted porthole in the middle of his windscreen, whilst drinking coffee, sending messages on a blackberry and adjusting attire, the increased risk to cyclists tenfold.

As drivers become less aware of the presence of cyclists during the winter months, moaning about it does not keep you safe.

As I arrived at work the other morning I was greeted by chuckles at my illuminated arrival.

I currently have a fluorescent jacket, fluorescent rucksack, lights to front and read of helmet, lights to front of bike, rear lights on ruck sack and rear lights on back of bike.

The comments I received filled me with great satisfaction. 'You look like a Christmas Tree', 'They would certainly see you coming' ..........Its exactly what I wanted to hear.

A lot of truckers get very bad press from cyclists, not from me.

Generally they are professional drivers and without the ability to hold a Licence they can not earn a living. Although they may see cyclist as a hindrance to their urban progress, I genuinely believe that most are respectful and considerate.

The same can not always be said about cyclists in how they interact with such vehicles.

I think this is mainly due to ignorance and lack of perspective.

I have attached a film clip which may help.

Be safe out there

Red rose Country

2010-09-07T17:29:00.011+01:00

After leaving Houston at 4pm last Thursday I eventually arrived in London at 7:45 am on Friday. Somewhere on this journey I mislaid a nights sleep somewhere over the Atlantic.
Despite searching the pocket in front of my seat and everywhere else in the vicinity of seat number 39D I could not find it anywhere !!!!!
I did however find is a broken headset and a half eaten pretzel.
The sensible solution to this loss would be to rectify this loss as soon as I could.
But with four different train journeys this was not really an option.
Not unless I wanted to be woken up in some train livery Yard in East London.

I finally got to Yorkshire on Friday afternoon.
This not really the preparation I envisaged for my Century Ride in Manchester which seemed only hours away on Sunday morning.
The sensible thing would have been to buy into some extra portions of sleep, eat sensibly and drink lots of water.
But No....................I was met by my beloved Joanne and we ate drank and made merry until the early hours on Saturday morning.

By now my sleep overdraft had been compounded by too much alcohol creating a well known condition called 'nocto-depravitas sleepaholia'

Us Yorkshire folk are a hardy bunch though, and I was not going to let such a condition effect my performance on Sunday.

For some Yorkshire folk going over the Pennines into Lancashire is akin to parachuting behind enemy lines. Although the War of the roses finished in 1485 some people have long memories and in Pythonesque fashion often ask the question. What have the Lancastrian people ever done for us ?

Well they did not provide Aqueducts, sanitation, roads, irrigation, medicine, wine or public health ........

But they have provided Boddingtons Beer

the fantastic Morrisey

and the Holy grail of English Football 'The theatre of dreams'
They also have a rather good annual charity sportive called The Manchester 100

So at 4.30 AM on Sunday morning Simon, New Mule (Mark Bishop) and I set off to Manchester as representatives of the Anglo Mules. Obviously sensing that we were all from 'tother' side of Pennines the elements conspired against us to ensure that we had a strong head wind throughout the complete circular course !!!!!

The lush green landscape, forests and hills seemed a million miles from the arid conditions of The Hotter than Hell, but we managed to complete the ride in just under 6 hours.

Bearing in mind my previously described physical ailments, it was generally considered a creditable performance. Congratulations must go to Mark for completing his first ever century ride. Well done Mark

Spirit of the Gulf

2010-09-03T21:01:00.006+01:00

I have just got back from Texas and feel a bit melancholy from missing my dear and generous brother Paddy.
To my utter shock and amazement I have found this song from the lovely Yorkshire skylark Kate Rusby on u tube. Kate Rusby is my favorite Folk singer with an amazing voice and I have only ever heard her sing traditional British Folk songs or ones she has written which come into that category.
This sudden departure singing about the gulf of Mexico is as far removed from Barnsley as Texas is from Beverley, but very nice all the same - It certainly took me by surprise.
I chuckle to myself as I type Kate Rusby and Texas in the Tab bracket.

It may have nothing to do with cycling but has lifted my mood for the Manchester 100 on Sunday. Thank You Kate