Its not all about pedling

This week has been good for me, my mileage has increased, I have started climbing proper hills and I am finally starting to get some real rhythm on my bike.
But getting bike fit is not all about cycling, Core strength is just as important, as is being lighter and leaner.

What has given me the most satisfaction this week has not even involved the turn of a pedal.

Through healthier eating I have lost 4 lbs and I have started going to Body Pump Classes.

Rather than do isolated gym work with no real plan or objective I decided that this year I would change that. So I signed up for 2 BODYPUMP classes a week, as well as my two spinning classes, to compliment my outdoor cycling.

I started this week.

I have always been put off by doing weights, as having a broad frame, I end up looking like Popeye, however these classes are more aerobic with lighter weights and multiple reps focusing on all of the main muscle groups. All of this is done to funky music.

A TYPICAL CLASS

1. Warmup
The opening track is designed to warm up all the major muscles and prepare the body for the workout ahead. First we adopt the BODYPUMP™ set position of standing upright with great posture, heels under hips with the toes turned out slightly. The tummy is held in tight, the chest is proud with the shoulders down and back and knees are soft… Then we do shortened versions of each of the main exercises to follow, warming up all the major muscle groups and preparing the body for the workout ahead.
2. Legs/squats
The first real working track targets the biggest muscle groups of quadriceps, gluteals and hamstrings with squats performed at different speeds – slow for strengthening and toning, fast for burning calories. Participants will use their heaviest weight selection for this track.
3. Chest
The focus changes from legs to the upper body and lighter weights are used as participants lie back on their bench to work the barbell up and down at chest level. This track targets the major muscles of the chest, shoulders and triceps with moves of varying range and intensity.
4. Back
Participants return to the standing set position for the most athletic track of the class. A selection of lifts and deadrows trains the postural muscles of the upper-mid and lower back and the cardio-vascular system soars with clean and presses, where the barbell is lifted high above the head. This engages all the muscles of the upper-mid and lower back, as well as working the gluteals and hamstrings.
5. Triceps
Time to lie back on the bench again and sculpt and tone the triceps using lighter weights. The barbell is held at chest level and lowered toward the forehead or chest by bending the arms at the elbow. Other moves may include tricep kickbacks using a single plate, tricep push-ups and tricep dips.
6. Biceps
Similar of slightly lighter weights are used to isolate and train the biceps with a succession of lifts and curls.
7. Lunges
Weights are optional in the lunge track, which revisits and trains multiple leg muscles by extending one leg forward (on or off the bench) and dropping the back knee towards the floor.
8. Shoulders Barbells and single, hand-held plates are used in this track to work all areas of the deltoids in a range of different ways. Exercises can include lateral raises with plates, upright rows, rotator and overhead presses – and the ever-faithful push-ups.
9. Abdominals
The last working track is focused on all areas of the body’s core, relying heavily on the use of sit-ups and leg raises, with bodyweight ‘hovers’ and ‘planks’ also frequently incorporated. Single plates may be placed on the chest or lifted overhead to increase the work-load.
10. Cooldown
Soothing music is usually used to accompany a final sequence of stretches to complete the workout and help reduce any risk of muscle soreness or injury.

I highly recommend it.

Spinning around

For the third year in a row British weather forecasters predicted warm still summers.

On this advice many UK residents stayed at home rather than go abroad for guaranteed sun. BBQ sales have risen and Ice cream manufacturers increased their production.
This year we were warned in June that a heat wave would grip the country, that breakfast could be cooked on the roofs of cars before being served in sun drenched gardens.
This week they finally admitted that they had got it wrong again and are reviewing the whole concept of Mid to long range forecasting.

I was sure that they had dispensed with predictions based on the changing texture of a piece of seaweed or and opening pine cone. That they now have multi million pound computers in place maybe I am wrong !!!!!

Wet or Dry I think you get the same odds on a roulette table.

Enough bitchin!!!!

Ironically my training from January to June was rarely affected by rain or exceptionally high winds.

Now I feel like I should have chosen an aquatic sport instead like water Polo or Tombstoning


Before cycling, I should now be liberally coating myself with 'Ambre Sloaire' instead this is replaced by arm warmers and a coat !!!!!!! Yes a coat.

After running out of places to hang my wet soggy clothing I decided that I would take in a few spinning classes to remind myself of what it felt like to feel sweat rather than rain drops falling from my nose.
In three weeks time I will be sweating bucket loads in the 'Hotter than Hell', so I'd better get used to the feeling.

Spinning was wonderful and really reignited my dampened enthusiasm.

I'd forgotten how much I had loved it. (the spinning) not the sweating.

I am also sure that it will help me in my efforts to increase my cadence. I now look foreward to including at least one session of week into my training schedule.
I would really recommend it to anyone.

Whether your a newbie or a previous spinner like me, the visit was well worth it although the scenery is a bit limited.

Miles mean smiles

Smiles are good for you!!!!!!!!!!

It seems a long time ago since those short winter 'training days' of multiple layers and frosted fingers. Where snow lay as thick across the land as the fat did around my girth.When my weekly Target was achieving 50 miles without the desire for an oxygen tent.

When shadows were long, and even the simplest inclines seemed longer still.

When gravity helped me to zoom down hills like a rolling barrel, but hurriedly pulled me back when I attempted to go up the other side.

When I entered the gruelling 102 miles sportive 'The Cheshire Cat' in March and nearly gave up cycling for good. Oh such was the agony, and tears from constant climbing at double figure gradients

When my number 8612 on the Houston to Austin MS150 ride reflected my waist line in millimeters!!!!!!!!! When other riders sought me as a wind break as they hopped from one paceline to another, and farmers mistook me for a stray longhorn.
When I stood at the end of Photo shoots praying that the camera might miss me out or at least the lumpy parts of me.
It seems a long time ago since me and my kitchen made up and became friends.

Where it stopped stocking naughty food to tempt me or leave traps in the middle of the night.

I can now visit this room day and night without fear of ambush.

Where previously I might slip up only to dislodge some peanuts or chocolate biscuits off shelves and into my unsuspecting mouth.

Those days are gone and new days have arrived.

Miles have brought smiles in abundance.

50 miles per week became 75, 100, 150 and now I do 200 miles + a week and I get high on the endorphins that they now give me.

On my recent Flat out in the Fens sportive I was proud to pull a paceline for the first time.

By that I don't mean just for a few minutes of heavy perspiration and blowing out of my arse. (After all I had done that dozens of times)

I mean pulling for hours at a time, for miles and miles that were recorded, registered in my heart and in my legs.

I have completed 3,724 miles this year with 151,607 feet of climbing and burned 219,468 calories. I have lost 28 lbs with still more to come off.

My biggest event of the Year 'The Hotter than Hell' (100miles) only 7 weeks away I am no longer intimidated by such distances.

I look forward to it as a new challenge even if that means 100 f heat to throw into the mix.

Bring it on I say.

For me Miles really do mean smiles.

Smiles at the ability to wear clothes that look as if they were sold in a shop rather than a product from a marquee retailers.

Smiles at seeing my car gather dust and unused petrol remain in the garage forecourt.

Smiles at encouraging others to ride too and sharing the same enthusiasm that I have

Smiles at being able to see the world at a slower pace and being able to record it all by my blog site

To pinch a phrase from my favoritve cycle blog 'Change your life, ride a Bike!!!!!'

Rather than see it all as the end of a journey I see it as the start of a new one.

This week my virtual ride reaches Lexington (officially Lexington-Fayette Urban County) is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 67th largest in the United States. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region. Lexington ranks 10th among US cities in college education rate, with 39.5% of residents having at least a Bachelor's Degree. It is home to the headquarters of Lexmark International, the Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland race course, Red Mile race course, Transylvania University, and the University of Kentucky.

It is also where two well know actors hail from: George Clooney or George 'Swoony' as many women see him. I am a great admirer of his work both in front and behind the Camera. Then to balance things out there is also Ashley Judd who has occasionally entered my virtual world too, but not riding a bike.

Beverley and its beligerant Bovines

I have recently realised that since I have started blogging I have never featured my home town Beverley.

Beverley is a market town, civil parish and the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, located between the River Hull and the Westwood.

The town is noted for its main feature the Beverley Minster and architecturally significant religious buildings, as well as the Beverley Racecourse and the market place; the town itself is around 1,300 years old.
The town was originally known as Inderawuda and was founded by Saint John of Beverley during the time of Angle kingdom Northumbria.

After a period of Viking control, it passed to the Saxons, a period during which it gained prominence in terms of religious importance in Great Britain.

It continued to grow especially under the Normans when its trading industry was first established.

A place of pilgrimage through the Middle Ages due to its founder, Beverley eventually became known as a noted wool-trading town.

Beverley was once the 10th largest town in England and among the richest, owing broadly to its connection with founding saint of the town John of Beverley.

However, following the English Reformation, Beverley's regional stature was reduced.
For twenty two years, Beverley was the administrative centre of the local government district of the Borough of Beverley, and is now the East Riding county town.

It is located 8 miles (13 km) north-west of Hull, 10 miles (16 km) east of Market Weighton and 12 miles (19 km) west of Hornsea.

According to the 2001 United Kingdom Census the total population of the urban area of Beverley was 29,110, of whom 17,549 live within the historic parish boundaries.

As well as its Racecourse and markets, Beverley is known in the modern day for hosting various music festivals throughout the year.

In 2007 Beverley was named as the best place to live in the United Kingdom in a study by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Well that's the formal bit out of the way.

All of my cycling routes start from Beverley.

If you travel anywhere North-East through to South clockwise you cycle on relatively flat roads into the Holderness plain. (this is reserved for days with a hangover, or for fast riding).

From South to North East you are directly into the Yorkshire Wolds and then towards the North Yorkshire Moors. This is big hill country, and my usual route.

This starts with a steady climb over Beverley Westwood. It is a large area of pasture land that permits free grazing through an old anomoly in the law.
As such the roads are shared with cows and bulls, some of which have very big horns. These are nowhere as big as the protrusions belonging to the Texas Longhorn, but with a ton of beast behind them, they make potent weapons. I actually find all horned cattle a little intimidating, especially when I am wearing red.

If I was the neuritic type I would be sure that these four legged creatures have a spy close to my house. Maybe its just coincidence I dont know but as each time I set off up to the Westwood, they all appear by the roadside. Its a bit like crowds lining the route of Alpe de huez in the Tour de France.

Each time I cycle up or down Westwood they are seem fascinated by me and their apparent curiosity brings them up close and personal. So much so that I am able admire the grooves on their horns and look for remnants of ripped Lycra, or cyclist blood.

Their favorite trick seems to be reserved for when I come home.

Whilst cycling at 30 + mph down the steepest section they like to step out in front of me, and stop stationary in the road.If i move to the left, they do, to the right they follow too, like some prearranged choreographed dance sequence.

I wonder are they autograph hunting? believing me to be a cycling bull.

Others like to run along side me like Didi, Le Diable, in the Tour de France.

All in all it makes for some interesting riding.

This Saturday sees a visit from Paddy by twin brother who has been putting in some great fast riding on the Texas Plains. I am looking forward to reacquainting him with some proper hills to see if he can compete for the polka dot jersey.

Sundays blog may just feature some brotherly pain as well as brotherly love, either way I am certain there will be some frivolity

Flat out in the Fens - Event day

Getting up at 4 o'clock in the morning usually marks some key moment in my life and is usually met by some degree of excitement. Like catching a flight to some exotic location , chasing a burglar out of my house or being present at the birth of my daughter. Recently it has become synonymous with riding my bike in some far away sportive, only the excitement has been replaced by a sense of masochism.
When the alarm goes off, I always think that I only set it moments before, and wonder where I lost those weekend lie ins with the Sunday papers.
This year the 4 am awakening has occurred in Cheshire, Houston, and this morning in East Anglia for 'The flat out in the Fens' sportive.
I was joined by my Best friend Colin, his 14 year old Nephew Matthew, and two of his friends, Mark and Chris, the later two being triathletes.
We eventually elected for the shortest distance of 77 miles on account of Colin's concern about his lack of training and that he could not find an appropriate seat. He wanted something that was sprung like a sofa, but the only thing that cycle shop could offer were details of local furniture shops.I was volunteered to provide a wind break for him and set off pulling our mini pace line. It was a task I took on with much enthusiasm. Our line grew as quickly as a queue to a 'Take that' concert, and soon our multi coloured, wheeled, snake was scorching around the fens - flat out as advertised.
Colin was glued to my rear wheel and at our first drink station he was able to tell me how many hairs I had on each leg. Cheekily he also stated that because of my width, and the subsequent draft that it created, he only had to pedal one revolution to ten of mine and was also able to read 'War and Peace.
We completed the first 30 miles in fractionally over 90 mins.
The rest of the trip was not so progressive, it was interrupted by punctures (Chris and Mark) and fatigue (Colin). On the plus side there was some amazing riding by young Matthew.
At one of our puncture stops Colin was trying to devise new methods of cycling faster.
The best idea he could come up with was 'having bigger wheels'.
Like a 'Penny farthing' but with two big wheels, he even adapted an inner tube to illustrate his inspiration. His demonstration was not convincing and fell as flat as the tyre he was attempting to repair. The consensus of opinion was that he should just get fit !!!!

We eventually completed the distance in 4 and a half hours.............a very creditable performance considering our time spent with inner tubes and tyre levers. I must admit I loved the ride and the exhilaration at being able to sustain a high tempo for so long. I think next year I will try and get my new cycling buddies to take on the 115 miles.

Special thanks must go to 'Kilo to Go' its my second ride with them this year and they get a massive thumbs up for hosting such well organised rides.

Our motley crew will meet again next month for London to Cambridge at which point Colin may choose to leave his armchair. He has promised us some team shirts 'The racing Snakes' a description of our slim athletic appearance. Whose he kidding.

Training

This week I have broken 3,000 miles for the year and riding is now a total joy.

My virtual ride now takes me into Massachusetts and to the town of Springfield.

This is also the name of The Simpsons Fictional home so in virtual reality world I could bump into Homer.

Springfield has other notable links it is also the birth place of William Marsh Rice the founder of Rice University in Houston.

It is the birthplace of basket ball and it is where Kurt Russell hails from.

Next week I move into Connecticut and New York state following my Journey South.

Cycling proficiency Test

Recently the government have decided to really embrace alternative transport.
They have developed a new cycling proficiency programme for kids, to ensure that they have the necessary skills to combat 'cycling in the city'
Sadly only a few have passed.
Am I being a cycic, or was that was the idea?

Two days to go till Flat out in the fens........Im really looking forward to it

Its as easy as Riding a bike

'St Tropez' in Yorkshire.

When I started riding Addy (My Scott Addict) I was very concerned about the feelings of my old bike 'Scott'. I did not want him to feel left out, or discarded, but he knew that my cycling ambitions far exceeded his own capabilities.
Scott has since showed me how fickle he actually is, as Joanne has now taken to riding him.
With a far lighter load he seems to have found some new life and is enjoying the female company. He no longer complains and seems to revel in new found attention. Maybe some of me has rubbed off on him? He has even allowed Joanne to dress him with new pink handlebar tape. Scott if you are reading this you are so Transparent!!!

During the week he asked me if Addy and I would mind going to the seaside at the weekend. He said the sea air was good for his 'derailleur'. Utter B***cks !!!!

However as he has been so good to me in the past, I let him have his wish and agreed. I knew really that he just wanted to show off his new pink livery. So on Saturday we cycled up to Bridlington
Bridlington is to Leeds what Coney Island is to New York. It used to be a fashionable Victorian resort, but has now seen better days. Guest houses once bristling with families enjoying weekend breaks, suffered at the hands of cheap package holidays.

The brooding North sea and inconsistent weather were no match for guaranteed of sun and the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean. Now a lot of these gorgeous buildings are full of Heroin users, choosing a seaside setting for there addictions rather than high rise tenement blocks in West Yorkshire conurbations.

As the ressesion has taken hold people have looked closer to home for holiday destinations. Bridlington like a lot of other old English seaside resorts are thriving again, and trying to attract new visitors as well as re-engaging the old ones.

I personally like Bridlington.

If you look beneath its somewhat shabby appearance, it has a real character about it. Having a local fishing fleet it also boasts hundreds of quality 'Fish and Chip shops. No good for diets but a great treat and beautifully British. The beaches are clean, and golden and provide enough space for everybody to build sandcastles. Bridlington is a million miles from the cultural appeal of the French Riviera.There is no comparison with Nice or Monaco, but on every Friday and Saturday we have our own St Tropez. The popular 'fake tan' adorns the local girls, as they sip on their Pina Coladas in Cafe bars. Wearing last years fashion they exude their own brand of Yorkshire sophistication.

A contradiction in terms, but a nice one all the same.

David Hockney also saw the appeal, he loved this part of Yorkshire as much as he did California


Training Update
This week there were No sausages, but the diet is not totally back on track and no further weight lost. I did however complete 270 miles for the week as punishment to myself.
In my virtual bike ride from Beverley to Houston I reached Portland, Maine in the week, where it was a very pleasant 20 degrees. I thought this state had outstanding natural beauty and it is somewhere I would love to visit for real. Joanne asked me to say Hello to Patrick Dempsey who comes from Maine. He joined me for a few miles cycling, but could not keep up. I told Joanne about this and that he was not as 'fit' as she had made out. She laughed and told me she was not talking about his aerobic ability.

2897 miles completed and 1875 miles to go. Next stop New Hampshire.

Non Verbal Communication

One of the things that I like about being part of the 'cyclist family' is the advanced communication systems that we use. Conventional dialogue is not always possible when in single file and when cycling in breathtaking countryside, with natures own orchestra playing in complete surround sound, it often seems rude to talk at risk of disturbing it all.
When I first started cycling my communication techniques were crude.
I would wave enthusiastically at other cyclists like an errant windmill.
As if they would miss me, appearing over the horizon, like a luminous blamonge on wheels.

In return I would receive merely a nod, smile or slight finger movement. With such a modest exclamation I used to feel 'short changed'. I thought that these riders might be arrogant or over restrained, but now I realise the subtleties of this 'Non Verbal' communication.

Minimalism is definitely the current trend.
I have recently mastered my own techniques where I employ 'The Parallel Finger raise' and 'The controlled head tilt'.

'The Parallel Finger raise'
This should be used in all forms of acknowledgement or to show mutual appreciation.
It is usually performed with the right hand where the grip is loosened from the upright position and all fingers are raised simultaneously to an angle of 90 degrees.


'The Controlled head tilt'
This translates as 'Its a great day to be out cycling and your bike looks really cool'
Visual contact is usually made with an oncoming rider, where eyes are locked.
A short 45 degree clockwise rotation of the head then takes place.This should be met with a similar anticlockwise acknowledgement.

I love it all and often spend hours thinking of ways to extend my vocabulary.
When riding in larger groups other signals are used. For the non cyclist reading you will now appreciate how clever we all are.
Here are some of the basic moves:-

1.One hand ‘gently patting an invisible dog’: The whole group should slow down or ease back.
2.Hand straight up in air: Group is stopping for a junction, puncture or because there’s an obstruction.
3.Left or right hand extended: Change in direction ahead or indicating the direction of a turn.
4.Elbow flick: This is more often seen on the track, but it’s sometimes used on the road. It indicates that a rider on the front has finished his turn, is about to pull off and that he would like you to come through.
5.Waving/pointing behind: Indicates there’s an obstruction that the whole group needs to move in the direction indicated to avoid.
6.Pointing down at road: Obstruction on road to avoid, such as road kill, pothole or drain cover.

After all of these basic communication skills have been learnt there is always the option of developing more advanced techniques. These are often very difficult to perform, and are not always appreciated to everybodys satisfaction.

However they can be very useful in heavy urban traffic and are very effective. But please don't try them in front of children!!!

Monday Blues can take a ride............

After my previous non-cycling week just gone, the guilt was still pumping through my veins, so 'after work' cycling was compulsory. Tonight I decided to do about 50 miles, but as fast as I could possibly go. I don't really know how it worked, but I felt like Pegasus and flew around the Holderness plain.
I completed 53 miles in all, at an average of nearly 20 mph.
I must point out though,at the end I was totally F***ed and felt quite sick.
Maybe the rest and all those sausages has done me some good after all.
After I had got my breath back, I felt euphoric, I guess a bit like how a cyclist should feel when he is running into some form.
Out of the good days and bad days that accompany cycling this was probably one of my best solo rides ever in my whole lifetime.It felt that Good !!!!!



When I saw this video it reflected everything, we can all ride a bike.

Crime and Punishment

I finally arrived back in Yorkshire on Friday evening with my tail firmly between my legs. Although I had performed well on my course, it was equalled by my performance in resembling the principal character from The Film 'Babe'

As well as visiting numerous watering Holes in London, I had to deal with the 'gastronomic gauntlet' that befell me each morning in the Hotel. As I was walking towards the fruit and Yogurt selections, I had to pass, eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausages......just typing these words is making me salivate.

The final weekly damage is as follows:-
3 cheese and bacon burgers and chips
5 cooked breakfasts including a total of 10 sausages
15 pints of various beers
7 packets of crisps
8 packets of peanuts
At least 20 biscuits
Basically I have 'offended' badly and have had to charge myself with excessive gluttony.
As with all penal systems, there are punishments that are exacted in respect of all crimes and with my offence there is no exception.
This morning I sentenced myself to climbing the 'Devils Chimney' five times.
All cyclists have their certain rides or areas that they avoid for a variety of reasons. When I first started taking cycling seriously I was taken up a hill called Trundlegate. This is an unclassified road that leads from the village of Newbald nestled in the bottom of a valley up to the Top of the Wold a climb of 400ft.This road is totally exposed to the elements and it often feels like it is taking you to the top of the world. Every time I go up it, I am reminded how mortal I am, as my heartbeat races into the 170 + region. I often encounter, steeper, and longer hills, but for some reason Trundlegate is my Nemisis . As such I named it The devils Chimney. Its testament to this gradient that the name stuck and spread, and many cyclist now know it as such. I would be really interested to know if other cyclist have made up names for love/hate relationships they have formulated with stretches of road.

I duly completed my sentence today and on the final climb felt I was climbing Mount Everest. Joanne came with me to ensure I did not cheat. She did the climb four times herself !!!!!!

(see below) When I had finished she gave me my Halo back, and I promised that I would not be seduced by sausages again.

Other News

No totals for weight loss or mileage this week due to a mixture of scale avoidance and embarrassment.

I have now started up a new blog called 'The Lost Muse'
http://philip-thelostmuse.blogspot.com/

It features my second passion in life writing in prose and poetry. I intend to share my work and the work of some of my favorite writers in a variety of different formats. Check it out.
Any feedback would be lovely.

Our website http://www.travelwithmymule.com/ is still developing.

We now have our first design for our shirts.

The fellow Mules Love them I think it looks a bit demonic and might scare children.

Keep a lid on it

As a cyclist the ability to recall horror stories about bad motorists is as common as the name Wong, in a Chinese telephone directory.

Some months ago I was cycling in York, a city that is no stranger to cycles, with a positive and sympathetic cycle policy. It is somewhere that you should always feel comfortable to cycle, to be able to relax as you turn the pedals.
Whilst pedalling around the inner ring road, I was forced into the gutter by a motorist. The driver was a large female who had decided to swap lanes. Apparently in her world, this would enhance her progress and reduce her travel time by 0.51 seconds. Really!!!!
The manoeuvre was magnificently choreographed.
As well as turning the steering wheel with her knees, she was able to graze on an over sized sandwich, talk on her cell phone and preen herself in the mirror - all at the same time.
The additional and perhaps most important task, of looking at the road appeared to be beyond her comprehension or ability.
IF she had done so prior to the manoeuvre she would have seen me in a more favourable disposition.
A happily cycling chappie, brightly dressed and wearing a helmet.

Having delayed her observation until I had hit the pavement, she missed my metamorphic transition from ‘Mr calm and reasonable’ into ‘Mr Turrets’.

I was so animated that I might of EVEN frightened myself.

In the cycling world it is sometimes all too easy to become blinkered by the transgressions of other road users and to forget about ourselves.
Sometimes our halos drop too.
At work I often get into debates about cycling and cyclists with non cyclists.
One of my colleagues lives in the Yorkshire dales where he complains of being impeded by groups of cyclists riding in large groups two or three abreast along narrow and winding country roads.
I too have seen this practice, which can be dangerous as well as irresponsible.
If I were cycling along such a road and came across a group of pedestrians in the middle of the road, I too might have felt a bit disgruntled.

Arrogance in any road user, only causes further divide.
In England you don’t have to wear a helmet to cycle a bike on any road.
This cant be right!!!
Most parents would never let their children ride their bikes on the road without a helmet, so why undermine yourself by not wearing one.
Every weekend I see dozens of cyclist (usually my generation) riding with no helmet. Its so disappointing. Why should we expect motorists to take more care when we don't even look after ourselves.

When I ask helmet less riders why? The answers are varied.
'I want to feel liberated'
'I am an experienced cyclist and don’t need a helmet'
'I am not letting any civil servant tell me what I have to wear'.

As soon as the sentences start with I, then the accompanying arrogance usually causes any rationale argument to be lost.

There is also a lot of controversy over traffic lights, with cyclists often disobeying them and running red lights. It only adds fuel to the flames of motorists displeasure.

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."

Luke 6:41-42

So you say your a cyclist?

As the Autumn of my life steadily sneaks up on me, my memory is not always as sharp as I would like it to be. One of the regular things that is effected by this is my recollection of various passwords.

There used to be a time, that the only code I had to remember, was the combination lock to my bicycle.

Now I have about twenty different passwords to remember.

To make matters worse, I have to change most of them every three months.

I used to store them in my Blackberry 'password box' but alas I forgot the password for that too.

When I do forget, I have to go through a right rigmarole of having my personal identify verified.

Its a good job that my twin brother Paddy lives in America, as I used to be asked the question.

How do I know that 'you are you', and not your twin brother?

More confusingly, I have also been asked.

How do 'you' know 'you are you', and not your twin brother?

I guess that there is always the possibility, that when we were babies we got mixed up.

However as we are not in line for the thrown, or awaiting some massive inheritance, being 12 minutes younger has not affected me too much.

When you look at the cycling there are also some identity issues, with so many disciplines that accompany the generic term of 'cyclist'.

Each has its own following and stereotype attached to it.

Each is also very different.

For me, I seem to have forgotten my metaphorical combination code as I scramble for my 'cyclist' identity.

For years It was easy, I was a recreational cyclist and that was the end of it.
Now the lines have gone all fuzzy.
I still ride to work, ride to the pub (Very important) and ride to the shops. This sort of puts me in the 'ecco-recreational' category. However if you now mix in Sportives, Audax, and the odd time trial then you have a very long word.

One that might compete with llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrob wllllantysiliogogogoch which incidentally is a place in wales and translates as :
"The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio's of the red cave"
Sounds a really cool place to cycle.

Considering other disciplines such as :- track cycling, cycl0-cross, fixed gear street riding, the many forms of BMX riding, mountain biking, road racing, criterium, or people just taking spin classes in the Gym there is good reason to be more specific.

The principal may be the same but the application, training and technique is often very different.

I sometimes hear drivers castigate cyclists.

Well which 'cyclist' exactly do they mean, as we are not all the same?
I think anti cyclists often take a piece of negativity from every discipline they can think of, and clump them all together as in this satirical video 'The Cyclists'.

Weekly Training/Weight Data

This week my weight loss has moved to a sensible amount of 4lbs (18lbs in three weeks). I am starting to find the hills easier and the flat bits much faster. The energy levels do seem to fluctuate though, so I am now taking whey protein drinks after each ride.

I managed 228 miles this week with 11,000 ft of climbing. I am very pleased with this but its been tough. It included 70 miles today in gorgeous weather around the Wolds. I took some photos (below) which included a cycle scare crow spotted in Wetwang. The strangely named village was hosting a scare crow festival.

I also had my daughter take one of me sporting my fantastic T Shirt from Rat Trap Press Check them out, they are all very original and great value. I support them because they are hand made using a silk screen process by the man himself.

In my virtual reality bike ride from Beverley to Houston, I stated last week that I was over the gulf of St Lawrence and moving towards the New Brunswick Coast. This stretch of water still contains some winter ice which affected my GPS. It miscalculated our progress probably through wishful thinking. We are still infact in the Gulf of St Lawrence and longing for landfall !!!!!!