Thoroughbred Mules untouched by Godolphin Scandal

On the eve of the first Classics of the season, racing was rocked last night by one of the biggest doping scandals of modern times when the British Horseracing Authority announced that 11 horses, all trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni under Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin banner in Newmarket, have tested positive for steroids.
The immediate consequence is that the 11 horses have been banned from running and one, Certify, the unbeaten filly who is vying for favouritism for the 1,000 Guineas, will miss the fillies’ Classic at Newmarket.
The long-term the implications for Al Zarooni are serious. While Godolphin might one day just recover from the taint this brings to Sheikh Mohammed’s organisation, Al Zarooni is facing a long or possibly lifetime ban from the sport after admitting administering prohibited substances to his horses. His employment prospects within Godolphin must be under threat.

This is a clear indication that even the wealthiest of stables can not always produce the goods!!!!!!

HP News caught up with Race Trainer Paddy Shrimpton who heads the more modest 'Mules Stable' in Houston, Texas.
'Some of these big racing teams bring too much pressure on themselves. There is an expectation from the owners, Sponsors and anyone else that buys into such regimes'

The Mules are a million Miles away from such stables as Newmarket, Sky, and Orica Green Pastures but they feel they have got it right.

Paddy Shrimpton again.
'Our stables are empty on events day with all taking part in various events around the globe.
Somebody has to come first and somebody last but participation is equally important.
Without an event there are no positions to be gained'.
The only stimulus our entries get are Gatorade and Mule Bars 

Paddy a colourful character speaks modestly as recent results show that this approach has its merits.
Within the Mules Stable there is actually some real class.

Meridith Bunkers a young promising Filly is new to the Mule stable but has already shown off the Mules colours in the winners enclosure - competing and winning the Houston Grand Criterium
Cat 3 is surely within reach now

Meridith on the Top Podium Step in full Mule Livery -
'We are so proud' Paddy Shrimpton

Paul Wakefield has been racing for sometime in the highly competitive men's Crit racing and has a handful of podium finishes.

Paddy has the last word:-

I don't want to comment on dolphins they belong in the sea not stables.

I just want to talk about my Mules.

All of our stable are special, we are like a big family.

If one wins we all win

Waves to Wine - The Grapes of Wrath

In John Steinbecks heralded Novel 'The grapes of Wrath' he traces the fortune of the Joad family.

They travel  from Oklahoma to California leaving behind them their arid flat lands which have turned into a dust bowl.

There journey takes them in search of 'better' land on which to till and toil, and ply their trade.

Like most of Stienbecks work, the richness of this novel is as much  to do with the characters as it has to do with the story. He not only takes the reader on a physical journey across the United States but traces out the respective internal journeys of his subjects.

He lets us feel their pain, their anguish and sometimes their desperation.

Having spent much of my life travelling, both geographically and emotionally, I like Steinbecks literary inspiration.

For me any journey of consequence, is an adventure.
The more 'bolt ons' the bigger the adventure.
Often the experience can become ingrained inside you and deliver up long lasting multiple emotions.
Mostly positive, but other times, as in the case of the Joad Family things don't quite live up to their expectations.

In September there was mini migration of Mules following a similar ambition.
For us it was to take part in a two day charity ride called 'Waves to Wine'.
No ordinary journey - but from San Fransisco way up into the wine region over some big lumps on the way !!!!!!

The Mules came from afar.
Some from the arid flat lands of Houston, but others from further a field, China, Boston, and for myself Beverley in East Yorkshire.

Like the Joads we set out to California to find something different, something life changing, something spectacular.

In the Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck introduces his own Mule of sorts in his character- Muley Graves.
Muley is stuborn, he sees the attraction of moving, but fears the unknown and ultimately remains in Oklahoma.
How many times in your life do you say 'I wish I didn't go?
How many times do you say 'Awwwwwwww I wish that I had gone ?'

Its curious, as I get older, experience would traditionally dictate that I take less risks.
I'd be expected to look for my pipe and slippers, before my cleated shoes and helmet.
But putting tradition aside 'Experience' can also be liberating.
It teaches you that you must grasp things sometimes, or the chance will be gone for ever.

Like San Fransisco, I prefer my life with peaks and troughs - rather than stagnating in the flat lands


And so for the trip.......
As the plane swooped down over the surrounding mountains and made its final approach I could see the land on one side and the sea the other.
Fish nets and Fruit Trees,
Trawlers and Telecom Industries,
Wine and Waves.
Good name choice for the ride I chuckled to myself

Walking the streets of San Fransisco was certainly different from Houston.

For a start - there were pavements that you could walk on.

Secondly, you did not feel like you should be carrying a tin full of coins and carrying a plaque.
I'm sure you would have seen it - drawing attention to the fact that your dog was ill and that you had not eaten for a week.

Lastly when you walk in SF you are accompanied by others, hundreds of them - a living rainbow of diversity.

Cosmopolitan with a big Capital C.

With limited time to fully explore I found my 2nd visit ending like my first.

With a mental note to myself - demanding a future visit.

Us  Mules  turned our wheels at 7am on a Saturday Morning in late September.
We left San Fransisco along the Coast towards the 'GGB' as we affectionately called it.
By rights its burnt ochre structure should have been shrouded in fog or low cloud, but sensing our arrival it decided to show off.

The wind was turned off, the morning light intensified, and the clouds were chased off towards the horizon.

The Golden Gate was golden alright.
In its true majesty, It strutted across the watery void like an arrogant king.

As I crossed the divide I enveloped it and tried to memorise every second..
I knew what I was experiencing was a big tick, very close to the top of my bucket list.

After crossing the bridge we dropped down into Sausalito hugging the shoreline up Richardson Bay.

The water was so close you could smell the seaweed.

By this time the Morning coolness had departed and as the sun warmed our shoulders.
The calm waters provided an alluring aquatic invitation.

Thankfully I was strong willed, so my wheels remained dry. 

We followed Highway 1 north of Sausalito before turning north, towards Stinson Beach.

Not wanting to delude myself, I knew there was some real cycling to do before we might get sand in our shoes.

Ahead of us was 2,571 feet of rock in the form of - Mount Tamalpais

The only way was up, made possible by a steady succession of switchbacks.
Prior to the ride we had all promised to stick together as much as we could, but accepted that when it came to the climbs we all had to go at our own pace.
After watching Charles move steadily away from me and Lee come alongside, I remained focused and tried to keep a comfortable rhythm whilst being as relaxed as I could.
On the switch backs I was forced out of my  saddle much to Paddys annoyance by neglecting my domestique duties.

Even though it was tough - I loved the climbing, the scenery was  breath taking.
With constant turns and switchbacks there seemed to be a visual gift behind every corner.

Although some of my fellow Mules (The antipodeans)  were great climbers this was not really their territory, they were more used to the Texas flat lands.
Going up was great but coming down was very Technical.
It was like flirting with the devils daughter, exciting but F**king dangerous, and I flirted like mad.
I am sure my fellow riders 35 mph descent was thrilling and very exhilarating.

My 48 mph roller coaster ride to Stinson beach was just plain bonkers.
It was also by far the greatest cycling experience of my life.
Yes even better than my chance encounter with meeting Bradley Wiggins.

The rest of the day was tough. It got hotter and hotter and as we moved inland the lush green turned to  a scorched arid terrain. The climbs came thick and fast and we reassembled to look after one another.
Charles asked Paddy sympathetically  'How you doing mate did you go into the red Zone.
Paddy replied solemnly. 'Charlie..........I have never left the red zone.'

By own support for Sam also back-fired.
As we climbed the wall in the Midday sun Sam very flatteringly used me as a pace maker.
At one point she started to slip back so realising I was close to the top, encouragement was the obvious course of action.
Come on Sam I cried....nearly at the top.

Moments later I reached the visual crest only to see the road rise up again even steeper.

The smile on her face lasted only a few seconds, as I finished my first sentence.
Sam........Its not the top.

As we moved closer to the finish the thought of beer came to mind.....Cold Beer.

Not far away.

In such a momentary lapse of concentration I failed to see what could only be described as a small chasm on the road in front of me.
My last minute bunny hop only made things worse as my back wheel landed in the hole.
It was my first puncture for the year but I was in good company.

The hazard took a number of scalps as a samll posse assembled around, rider after rider cursing the highway agency.

It did not stop there after we had got going we then had puncture after puncture.

I felt guilty. Obviously I was jinxed by my earlier downhill dalliances with the devil and brought a curse upon the Mules.

Eventually we made it 104 miles of love and hate, pain and pleasure........Waves and maybe a few drops of wine.

On the journey I made some great new friends, not only my fellow riders of Charlie, Lee, Sam, John, and Dave but also BJ and Sonni who without there help in transporting our gear the trip would not have happened.

They also did 'Intel' checks on the beer and Vineyards.

Now thats what I call support.

Sonni from Aus is also a blogist who writes about Houston and what attractions you can find on and off the beaten track. Its called Finding Houston

When I was not drinking or cycling Sonni and I bored everyone else talking about writing.

She also tried to make sure I had a hangover every morning.

Thank you Girls

Cavendish a Yorkshire Man?

Mark Cavendish backs Yorkshire's Tour de France bid


Mark Cavendish and Ben Swift are backing Yorkshire's bid to bring the Tour de France to the county in 2016.

Cavendish, who won the green jersey last year for being the Tour's best sprinter, said: "My mum is from Yorkshire so I'm proud to be backing the Yorkshire 2016 bid."
Team Sky team-mate Ben Swift said he would love to see a stage of the race run in his home county. "It would be amazing to be part of the peloton through the Dales," he said.

The first two days of racing, the Grand Depart, are held in a new location outside France every two years.

The Yorkshire Grand Depart has a great ring to it !!!!!!!!!

The Yorkshire Tourism Agency called 'Welcome to Yorkshire' say that the route would take in Leeds, Scarborough, York, Hull, Sheffield and the Yorkshire Dales.

Yorkshire is competing against Barcelona, Venice, Berlin and Scotland for the right to host the 2016 stages. Stages were last held in the UK in 2007 when London and Kent played host.

Cavendish, who has won 20 Tour de France stages, believes the county's natural beauty will prove attractive to the race's organisers.

"The county would provide a stunning backdrop to the Tour as well as a real test for the competitors," he said. "I have fond memories of holidaying in Yorkshire, a lot of my family still live there and it would be fantastic if the world's greatest cycle race could come to Yorkshire."

Swift added: "It's special to say you've raced the Tour de France, I'm proud to be able to say I have. I would love to see the Tour come to my home county, and I hope Welcome to Yorkshire can make it happen in 2016."

More than 185 countries around the world show the Tour de France every year on 92 different television channels with the last hour of every stage broadcast live across western Europe.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, wants the public to back the bid by signing a petition on their Back le Bid website.

"Some may see us as outsiders but we think Yorkshire has a lot to offer, not just our stunning scenery but the passion of our people and the expertise we have in hosting world class sporting events," he said.

Being a Yorkshire man I am totally behind and will do what I can to provide support please visit the
 Back le Bid website. and pledge your support

Strict Liability

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 !!!!!!