Spirit of the Gulf

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

MS 150 Houston to Austin 2010 the Journey Starts

Usually when I have completed the MS 150 I have had the luxury of staying in a ranch close to La Grange the location used for the overnight stop. With such accommodation you get basic amenities such as hot and cold running water, fluffy pillows, and an environment relatively safe from third party intrusion.

For same insane reason which now escapes me Paddy and I decided that we would renege on the ranch and join the majority of the 'die hards' in a large communal tent.
We talked the whole thing up with views of fellowship and brotherhood and beer, after a while the notion became quite appealing.

On the Friday before the ride we helped load up the van that would be used to move 'The campers' gear. Not having slept under canvas since I was 11 years old I was surprised at the quantity and variety of appointments people brought for a single overnight stay.

One couple brought a bag that was so big that it could feasibly contain all of the contents of a small bedroom. Half jokingly I commented on this. The response which I recieved, I took to be delivered in the same tongue in cheek way as it confirmed that what I was suggesting was in fact true.

On Saturday morning I was up at 3am which I pointed out was closer to evening time, than morning!!!!! However being as resourceful as ever I soon found a 'pick me up'

WE started at about 7 with wet weather and a strong tail wind. Our team soon got into stride with a pace line that saw few rivals and gobbled up the miles. Without stopping we had soon arrived at Bellville for lunch having completed 50 miles. I struggled to keep up at times and when I got detached from the group, I had to work even harder to get back.

That Christmas cake and all those other bad things tasted great when I ate them but the added poundage was really taking its toll.

After lunch I became conscious that this two day event was only the start of something much bigger with 'The Natchez Trace' to follow immediately afterwards.
I allowed myself to be shelled from the group and was joined by Paddy and Taylor, we found our own pace which enabled us to enjoy the surroundings and not have to concentrate on half an inch of rubber.

We arrived at our refuge camp early in the afternoon and were each allocated a cot to sleep on. That's about 150 people in one tent.

Cosy

I managed to find one next to an exit and chuckled to myself as I observed the 'Big bag couple' unpack a blow up king size mattress, sheets, four pillows and a duvet.

Apart from the apparent loss of hot and cold running water, and fluffy pillows I was ever so perturbed about some unwanted guests. The floor of the tent appeared to be covered in spiders.

I don't like spiders and only wearing a pair of flip flops increased my anxiety. It was difficult to tell if it was a blade of grass of a 'legged' creature that tickled my toes.

With spiders on my mind I went to bed about 8pm knowing that we would be rising at 5am.

As I dozed off I dreamt of spiders crawling all over me and woke up in a start thankful it was just a dream only to see TWO spiders seemingly having a chat on my forearm.
My sleep was broken from then on as was my sense of humour as a storm broke outside.

My cot soon became an island surrounded by a shallow puddle of water.

Call me a wimp-camping out is not for me.

Sunday we set off at 7am and I was pleased to leave spider camp.

I found the ride to Austin tough going against a moderate headwind but we had a good group and got in just after lunch.

It was not my best MS 150, but like all of the five I have completed -it was memorable.

Natchez tomorrow..........bring it on.

Yellow is the colour

This week the weather has changed. Gone are the northerly winds, now replaced by winds from the south bringing much milder weather. Although they have brought rain, they have also brought the sort of temperatures that have enabled me to give my legs an airing.

When the rain has stayed off, I have even been tempted remove my bright yellow fluorescent coat. But that would currently spoil natures symmetry.

The roads are now lined with rows of daffodils, nodding away behind the safety of roadside kerbs, like crowds of spectators egging me on towards the finish line.

There has also been a noticeable increase in cycle traffic. Roadies are now out there in abundance showing off this seasons Lycra shirts, and increasing the felling of fellowship.

Whether they are commuting, training or just wanting to fill their lungs with something different from recycled air. I embrace their company.
The racing season has also got underway, along with the indoor world cycling championship.

I am following developments with interest especially the expectations of the new teams from Radioshack with the great man himself, and The British based Team Sky with Bradley Wiggins. One of my other favorites Mark Cavendish (also sporting yellow) has had some early season teething problems, not with his bike, but his actual teeth!!!

However I am pleased to report that he has just captured his first win of the year after sprinting to victory in stage two of the Tour of Catalunya from Salt to Banyoles.

It will be interesting to see who wears the real yellow at the business end of the season.
For me I have 22 days left till I start my big ride, from Houston to Austin and then from Natchez to Nashville. My bag has appeared in my spare room and I have started packing.

I have also started to get some new tunes on my I Pod. Until I started visiting Texas regularly Country Music was alien to me, but now I am a big fan. I am really looking forward to spending a night in Nashville after we finish our ride and having a country music overload.

One of my favorite country bands at the moment is Lady Antebellum

One song I will have to have comes from an entirely different genre.

Being a very poor singer, I have always been attracted to the more simple of songs when i sung to my children. I use the term singing very loosely, but as a father you have to try, anything to send them off to sleep.

Even now my girls remember and say 'Dad' can you remember singing 'colours' to us.

Seeing the daffodils this week brought it all back to me.

On the Road

This week prior to the 'Hotter than Hell' Paddy decided that we needed to rest our bodies and prepare our minds.

The first bit was fine by me as I sought to change the colour of my body from a Yorkshire Tan (Pale White) to something that might just stand out in a snowfield.

Paddy idea of mental preparation was a 'Road trip'. Yes by car.

This was a real novel concept to me as my own car had only done barely 2000 miles this year.

When we were Paddy and I used to watch the famous 'Road to' films staring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope with the romantic interest always provided by the delectable Dorothy Lamour. This was my first introduction into the Road film genre.

Personally I have always believed that any 'journey' whether physical or metaphorical is usually far more interesting and revealing that the point of departure or arrival.As a film genre it has always been popular with Hollywood.The genre has its roots in spoken and written tales of epic journeys, such as the Odyssey and the Aeneid. The road film is a standard plot employed by screenwriters. It is a kind of bildungsroman, a kind of story in which the hero changes, grows or improves over the course of the story. The modern "road picture" is to filmmakers what the heroic quest was to Medieval writers.
The on-the-road plot was used at the birth of American Cinema but blossomed in the years after World War II, reflecting a boom in automobile production and the growth of youth culture. Even so, awareness of the "road picture" as a genre came only in the 1960s with Easy Rider and Bonnie and Clyde. Road movies traditionally end in one of four ways:
* Having met with triumph at their ultimate destination, the protagonist(s) return home, wiser for their experiences.
* At the end of the journey, the protagonist(s) find a new home at their destination.
* The journey continues endlessly.
* Having realised that, as a result of their journey, they can never go home, the protagonists either choose death or are killed.
About Schmidt
Broken Flowers
Duel
Easy Rider
Elizabethtown
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Little Miss Sunshine
Midnight Run
Paper Moon
Paris, Texas
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Our trip takes us to San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Witchita Falls (Hotter N Hell) then back to Houston. We will visit the Alamo to raise our spirits and generate a rallying call for our pedalling on Saturday.

The rest today was not totally adhered too as we did have a little ride around the beautiful 'Terry Hershey' Park in Houston.

Simon Paddy

So you want to be a Mule ?

Sometimes in life good things emerge from those that are perceived to be bad, where clouds reveal a true silver lining and the mythical Phoenix really does rise from the flames.

Way back in April of this year I came over to Texas to ride with my twin brother Paddy in the Houston to Austin MS150 charity cycle ride.

For the first time in the events 25 year history the first day was cancelled due to severe weather conditions.

Despite the tornado risk, flooding, and indiscriminate lightening strikes we decided to complete the first day regardless. Not wishing to have our official team associated with such reckless behaviour we abandoned our issued cycling jerseys and rode 'freelance' as renegade riders.

When I say 'we' there were in fact a total of four of us.

A Yorkshire man (Me), a Yorkshire/Texan (Paddy) and two Texans Dave Hill and Kenny Rhame.

If any outsider was searching for the sort of belligerent behaviour that would accompany such an attitude, they would need to look no further than Yorkshire or Texas, as belligerence is what we are weened on.

For those who may be interested the actual events of that day are featured in a previous blog (Renegade Riders).

During the course of that day the birth of 'The Mules' was devised.

As we were riding we all expressed our love of cycling and of raising awareness in respect of charitable causes.

We also loved the concept of cycling in unity and the togetherness that comes in being part of a team.

On that day we were all virtual strangers, but our collective views had brought us together.

We talked about the fact that teams were formed by big companies to support events like the MS150 and other one off events, only to be abandoned until the following year.

Surely charitable needs last everyday of every Year.

So we decided to create our own team.

The discussion was lively especially as we were dodging storms and lightening strikes at the same time.

Paddy suggested that we name it after my blog and we all agreed because of its universal appeal.

Ambitiously we perceived that people from all over the world not aligned to any team or riding club could attend charity rides and meet up with other riders in our unique club.

The concept never really evolved at the pace that we wanted it too, but it is still alive and 'pedaling' and growing steadily each day.

We have a website which is developing thanks to Kenny and we now have our own merchandise. (Non Profit Making).

Our first batch of Cycling Jerseys have been made and have sold out approx $85 each depending upon the numbers ordered.

Further batches will be ordered when there is enough demand to satisfy the minimum run requirement.

So how do you become a Mule ?

If you regularly ride a bicycle and complete one or more charity ride per year you can become a Mule.

How do you apply ?

Send us details of your name, where you are from and a short resumes of your cycling events, bike and a preferred Mule/Donkey picture if you have one.

You will then feature in our stable.

How do you get a Jersey ?

Once you are a member and are committed to purchase a jersey let us know and your name will be added to a list. Once the minimum order requirement is met, new Jerseys can be ordered.
Once the jerseys have been purchased, badges can be sown onto the depicting the countries and areas, that rides have been undertaken

Badges are not compulsory

How will the website be developed ?

A forum and features page will be set up once the numbers have grown.

members will be encouraged to share their ride experiences.

Contacts

Any further questions or applications should be made through the link 'Are you a Mule' on the website. This page is currently being developed so if the link is not working properly initial contact can be made through my blog right here

Hotter than Hell
Today we had a rest day from training after completing 145 miles in the previous three days. Being dedicated to the cause though we decided to keep our sustenance cycling related as you can see below.

The long range weather forecast for the weekend looks interesting.
Rather than being the Hotter than Hell it maybe that those flames mights be dampened by a cool snap making it more like 'Ice cold in Alex'. I have even left my arm warmers at home.
I was really pleased to observe this week that bob one of my followers was my first American to donate online to the charity I am raising money for on this particular ride. Thank you Bob !!
Please don't be shy, the Justgiving link takes American dollars too and credit card payments.

Travels with my Mule

Have you ever taken part in a cycle charity event ?

Are you an International cyclist?

Have you ridden on your own, as teams in their pace lines go whizzing by?

I have, and sometimes when its been really tough going I have longed for the company of a comrade in arms.

To encourage me or to pull me along and visa versa.

After completing this years MS 150 my twin brother Paddy and I decided to put together a website for charity bike riders called Travelwithmymule.com.

The concept was simple to form a group of International or Cross border riders who regularly completed cycling charity events.

Two charity rides in two different countries or states would make them eligible to become an honorary member of 'The Mules' or 'Travel with my Mule Team'.

If you wish to join such esteemed company, its easy and free.

All that is required is that a brief profile is completed similar in length and structure as others on website. This should be sent with information about your rides and a picture of a mule to my e mail address. dragonfly04@dragonfly04.karoo.co.uk

You will then feature in 'The Stable'

Our Aims are outlined within the website but our dream is to have a 'Mule' in charity rides around the world.

You will never have to ride alone, there will always be a Mule to help lighten your load.

A discussion board will be devised for questions and assorted topics and will be updated regularly.

An appropriate team jersey is currently being designed and will be available for all honorary members to purchase. They will be produced and sold on a non profit making basis and the availability will depend on demand. We have some great ideas but welcome input from any prospective Mules.

Weekly Update.

My weekly update has been delayed due to my travelling down to London on Sunday for a weeks course (No Cycling). However my Hotel has a Gym so I have no excuse for not keeping my training going.
This week the weather has been beautiful with warm early summer sunshine.

I am convinced that my skin acts as some sort of solar panel reactor as the warmer it is the more energised I seem to be. Gone are the arm warmers multiple layers, and bootie covers and out comes the sunscreen much to its surprise at such an early introduction.
Although its not quite Texas weather there is genuine heat, with very the sort of air quality you would normally expect on a crisp winters morning. It has still been windy though, but ill take anything that goes with sunshine right now even a plague of locust. One analogy That I can think of is that its like eating Chocolate. Although there is a huge difference between a kit-kat and chocolate eclair, each provide pleasure through their unique chocolate content., its only the measure of pleasure that differs.
Sunshine is my emotional chocolate.

Like an 'on form' baseball slugger, I have also been spreading my hits all around the geographical cycling arena. South to Lincolnshire, West to Broomfleet, North to Scarborough and East on Sunday to Hornsea.

Hornsea contains a Mere (Lake) which was formed after the end of the Ice age. Although its less than a mile from the sea it’s a fresh water lake with no contributory rivers.

Weekly mileage 175
Monthly Mileage 682.

On my virtual Cycle ride from Beverley to Houston, I have finally made landfall at New Brunswick.Next stop Maine and the US of America. Cant wait for the virtual exploration of the USA.

Lightening the load for new Horizons

In the early days of exploration, ships left the shores of Albion to find riches across new horizons and to further explore lands and continents previously discovered.

It must have been really frightening for them.

With only charts, limited navigational tools and a bible to help guide them, they never really new exactly where they were going.

No illuminated neon road signs or hazard markers, just the stars, the sun and the moon.
At that time everybody believed that the world was flat.

It was well recognised that if you travelled a bit too far you would just fall of the edge, like an errant chip falling from your plate.

To make matters worse sailors came home with exaggerated stories of sea monsters, sirens and wild storms.

Sea travel in those days was about as precarious as you could get.

Even worse than popping over to Mexico, without a face mask.

Each day ships would sail into uncharted territories and the crew would see for themselves, huge whales and giant turtles - Scary Stuff.

Some ships sank in storms or the crew perished through disease or starvation, others just just never returned.

Despite this they were never deterred continuously slipping their moorings and sailing towards forever changing horizons.
Out of the journeys came experience and knowledge, as well as a few novel ideas.

For instance In order to go to the West Indies they devised a great idea.
Basically head south till the butter on board melted, then turn (right ) due west and the Caribean Islands were straight a head of you.

Pretty Smart stuff.
You can just imagine how your satellite navigational system in the car might be adapted.

To the voice of Clint Eastwood.
'O Ah-ah, I know what you're thinking, punk. You're thinking, "Has the butter melted yet, or is it still hard?" And to tell you the truth, I've forgotten myself in all this excitement. But being this is a butter melting detector - the most powerful navigational system in the world, you've got to ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?!

Right now, I feel a bit like one of those salty sea dogs.

I want to move forwards, but seem to have lost a bit of direction.

The Euphoria of riding nearly 500 miles in three weeks in Texas has sunk.

Drowned in new found complacency.

I came home full of vim and vigour, yet I have only cycled 25 miles since I got back.

I know I always promised myself a bit of a break, but this feels more like a sabatical.

I feel like 'The Ancient Mariner'.

Stuck in the doldrums with the weight of further expectations around my shoulders.

'Day after day, day after day,

We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean'

Although I have not entered any cycle events in May, in June I have two killer rides.

'Flat out in the Fens', followed a week later by the 'White Rose Challenge'.

For both these rides and the following 'Hotter than Hell' in August, I will need to be much fitter and much lighter. They are all tough rides over 100 miles each with demanding cut off times before your swallowed up by the SAG Van.

This means a number of things:

Like swapping over my six packs.

Getting back on my bike
And I will also need some goals to fuel my motivation.
So here goes, today I decided to set them out. To slip my own moorings and set a course for new horizons.

Distance

1. I have cycled 1,873 miles so far this year.

It is 4,772 miles from Beverley to Houston.

Before I go back to Texas in August I want to complete the remaining 2899 miles.

To help me with this I have put a funky Widget on my blog to record my Mileage from today with 2899 miles the target.

Weight
2. I need to loose at least 40lbs.

I have started a proper diet for the first time in my life

Again I have put a Widget at the bottom of my blog page to record my progress.

A lot of people make excuses about why or how they have put on weight.

I am no different, but I am honest about it.

My problem has never been that I eat bad food, its just that I am a big pig.

I just like eating, and the delicious process of tasting nice food.

Throughout my life, I have always controlled my weight by exercise.

In fact I have often specifically exercised, so I could eat more.

On Sunday mornings I usually cycle an extra ten miles so that I can have more roast potatoes with my lunch, believe me its well worth it.

The more I exercise I do, the more I eat.

This strange approach has served me well for years.

However recently It seems to have been affected by bouts of Amnesia.

Well for about five years.

The maths now, does not quite add up

You see when I have not been able to exercise, I am meant to cut down my food intake.

Well, what can I say.... I forgot.

My love handles have turned into saddlebags

So drastic times have called for drastic measures.

I need to get rid of all the weight I put on during those sedentary periods before I can go back to my old regime.

I have named my diet the swamp diet.

It is broken down into three parts.

Part One - Detox - It is a mixture of starvation for two days and drinking things that has the same consistency, smell and colour of water you would normally find in a bayou

Part Two - Stomach shrinkage - Further swap water, and diet shakes, with proper, healthy food phased in.

Part Three - Continuous Healthy food with portions the size you would get on an aeroplane.

Right now I feel a bit like Oliver Twist and wish to ask myself for some more.

However looking over the swamp diet menu, there is only one thing available.

Yes, you've guessed it

More swamp water.

I guess its better than weevil infested biscuits that the sailors had to eat.

The Texas Cycling Experience - Travels with my Mule in Texas

As I start thinking about going home this Sunday I have been reflecting on my cycling experiences in Texas

Living in Beverley, (East Yorkshire,England) I have always felt spoilt about my cycling opportunities with so much contrasting variety in both the terrain and the natural beauty of the countryside. If you go East you have fast flat riding on the coastal Holderness plain which borders the North Sea. To the South you have the impressive Humber bridge with the Lincolnshire wolds beyond. To the west you have the East Yorkshire Wolds and the Vale of York . Finally to the North you have the Howardian Hills and North Yorkshire Moors, where the monster hills prey on tubby cyclists. Whatever route you choose you are in open countryside within five minutes.

Coming to Texas I have had to adjust considerably. To go anywhere you first had to encounter the vehicular gauntlet that is called '1960'. I am sure all major urban areas have their own equivalent, but to me this highway is particularly terrifying, even to drive on. To venture out on anything that contained less than two axles, and four wheels would be be like turning up at a slimming club with a family sized tub of Kentucky fried chicken.
The thought of having to drive somewhere - and then to cycle seemed to defeat the whole liberating experience. My own car is rarely used with an annual mileage of about 2,000 miles a year, about a quarter of the distance I cycle.

In Texas, like a lot of the big American cities the roads are cluttered with 'Drive ins'.

This viral epidemic which had previously only affected cinemas and fast food outlets, has been virulent, spreading to Banks, Chemists, Post offices, Dry cleaners, and supermarkets.

Seemingly there is very little you cant do from the drivers seat of an automobile.
This is such a great shame because once you get past your '1960' s of this world. Cycling is a great an healthy alternative, with huge enviromental positives. In Texas there are in fact some great places to cycle, most of which have been put in place by local government.
Memorial Park,Terry Hersey Park, Cullen Park, Beaver creek and Bush Park to name a few.

The fascillities are first class.

There was also an added attraction - It may just be at one time the Great man Lance Armstrong could have ridden the same tracks.

Even if you do have to venture out onto the main roads and highways most of them have a hard shoulder as wide as some of our own motorways back in England. Places are accessible by bike !!!!!!

Once I allowed myself to relax, I felt far less intimidated by traffic than I ever do in my own country.

In England cars like to engage with you.

You know get 'close up and personal'.

Stroking your leg with a wing mirror would not seem out of place at all.

I realise that this sort of intamacy is usually monogomous and reserved for a human relationship, but cars are sleezebags.

They dont mind you embracing other items such as kerbs and hedgerows and are all too willing to encourage you.

If you dont take care they will have you kissing a lampost without a second thought.

And they say that English people are not warm hearted!!!!!

The many cyclists I met on my trips in Texas we ALL incredibly warm and friendly and there was none of the bike snobbery that I have sometimes witness in England.

At one time or another we were all bought our first bike.

The very first time we revolved those pedals 'unaided' we became cyclists.

Although we may have embraced different disciplines, intensity, frequency and type of use, we are all still just cyclists.

The moment we forget that we risk losing the thrill and freedom it can bring in differing degrees - to anybody.

One winter morning I was once passed by a pace line from one of our local cycling clubs. Being a bit larger than I am now, but still in Lycra, I received some looks that suggested I was not worthy to be out on a road bike.This was accompanied by some sniggering as they snaked passed.

Ten minutes later I overtook half of them climbing 'The Devils Chimney'.

A beast of a hill that climbs 800 ft in a mile, which just happens to be my favorite local climb. Scott has even warmed to it too.

As the uniformed skeletons ascended the steepest part of the gradient they rocked from side to side, out of their razor edged saddles. I sat back in mine setting a steady rhythm and admired the wold top view. Taking a drink from my water bottle, I remarked with a very anxious voice that my drink had contained too much brandy.

When I got to the top the others were waiting. As I cycled passed them I smiled saying 'Not bad for a fat lad eh?'

Texas I loved cycling here !!!!!!!