Slick-U-Blog

a few rides since last time, a little mini 6 mile-er and two slightly longer ones.

Airport and back, Me Laura and Alan.

• Distance: 31.46 miles
• Time: 3:17:05
• Average Speed: 9.5mph
• Maximum Speed: 23.2mph
• Total Odo: 509.3 miles.

Birchwood – Hollins Green – Culcheth – Birchwood

• Distance: 12.88 miles
• Time: 1:06:32
• Average Speed: 11.6mph
• Maximum Speed: 23.7mph
• Total Odo: 527.8 miles.

A quick ride this morning, as we have a busy day with the Suit fittings for the wedding and a birthday party for a 2 year old

Cycle-o-tron details:

• Distance: 7.97 miles
• Time: 41:28
• Average Speed: 11.5mph
• Maximum Speed: 26.2mph (on a flat run at the back of the train station)
• Total Odo: 477.8 miles.

I’m going to put an update post on tonight about the wedding and all the other things that have happened … as my blog at the moment is turning into an exercise record .. not a blog.  Bad Ste.

Late night bike ride this time to Jonny and Rach’s and back to see Claire while she is over here before heading back to new york.

Cycle-o-tron details:

• Distance: 10.29 miles
• Time: 55:49
• Average speed: 11mph
• Max Speed: 20.45mph (trying to catch up to another better cyclist … decided to let him go )
• Total odo: 468.8 miles

Not bad.  You may have noticed the odo’s have jumped from the last post, I forgot to add in previous rides …. D’oh.

Rode from our house to andy’s, then on to Dave and Vick’s then up to Carr Mill Dam and back.  Dave very kindly tried to fix a clicking bottom bracket for me but it still seems to be defective…

Cycle-o-tron details:

• Distance: 36.64 miles
• Time: 3:46:30
• Average: 9.6mph
• Maximum Speed: 21.7 mph
• Total Odo: 453.4

Possible bike ride tomorrow.  Will post details if there is.

A bike ride to the airport today.  The wind was blowing in the right direction so we saw planes landing over our heads today rather than them taking off like the last time.

Cycle-o-tron details:

• Distance: 25.45 miles
• Time: 2:24;53
• Average Speed: 10.5 mph
• Maximum Speed: 21.6 mph
• Total Odo: 416.7 miles

It was good to get Mr Hinch out on his bike this time as well … he suffered a bit but it’ll be worth it and it wont be long until he regains his biking legs once more.  I’ll bung some pics on facebook in a bit.

Another cycle ride yesterday.  Thankfully the weather held off for a good few hours.

Cycle-o-tron details

• Distance: 19.8 miles
• Time: 2:11:34
• Average: 9mph
• Max Speed: 18.5mph
• Total Odo: 376.3 miles

Another jaunt today, myself and Laura took advantage of the nice weather to have a mini cycle around Birchwood, Fernhead, Houghton Green, South Croft and back home via Locking Stumps.

Cycle-o-tron:

• Distance: 8.99 miles
• Time: 55:24
• Average: 9.7mph
• Maximum Speed: 17.3mph
• Total odo: 356.5

Was nice, we found a nice bench in southern croft and had a picnic, lovely.

Yes, its back.  The return of the Cycle-O-Tron!

Today, up early.  9am sorting out the bikes to go for a cycle ride with Andy Blackmore, Dave Rees, Myself and Laura to Liverpool Airport, via the Trans-pennine Trail.  Arrived at Andy’s and waited for a few mins for Dave to arrive from his house and meet us at Sankey Valley Park near Andy’s.

So off we went.  Pretty un-eventful cycle to the airport.  The view from the end of the runway is top notch.  Really excellent.  Next time i’ll take the camera with me.

The cycle back found Andy getting a puncture, a nail went into his tyre, bounced off the rim and then out the side of the tryewall   Not good.  A quick replace with a 2nd innertube and we were on our way, but this then developed a 2nd puncture. It was a used innertube so that may be the cause, but Dave found a thorn in his tyre also so its 50/50 really.  Anyway, swapped for a brand new innertube and job done.

Cycle-O-Tron details:

• Distance: 25.25 miles
• Time: 2:30:41
• Average: 10mph
• Max Speed 20.4mph
• Odo: 347.5

Trying to get these cycle’s in every weekend now.  Thanks to Andy and Dave for their knowledge of the TPT and for inviting us along for the ride.

Ow. Pain.

more to follow later. Right now, its time to soak in a nice bath.

*Update*

Well today I was up at 7am and started to get the car ready for the trip to Ladybower. Setting the car up was relatively easy, easier than it used to be in the 306. I still had to put the front wheel of the bike in seperately but it seems to fit better than it did in the 306. I packed all my bits and bobs and set off at 8am.

Petrol cars suck at going over snake pass, which has now been dropped from the national speed limit to a 50, as they have no torque. I had to drive almost the whole way in 3rd gear. I arrived just after 9am and setup my bike. I had arrived before Graeme, Pie and Simon so I just pottered around the car park until they turned up. After they had got set up, and my cycle computer decided to stop working (so no cycle-o-tron details today), we set off at 10am.

The first climb is a long hard slog and its no easier today than it was last year. We cycled our way around the whole place and bar a few niggles on each of our bikes, including a 4 bike synchronous failure on the steep rocky ascent we made damn good time. Simon was always pulling up the rear as he has neglected most activites over the break in cycling. Pie and myself were more or less at the same level and Graeme was ahead as expected (his 3rd time round this year). We arrived back at the car park for just shy of 12am (including a 20 minute half-way rest).

Once we had got back, we had a cornish pasty and started off home. They had put a speed camera on the snake pass after a summit on a section on the road, and I may have been caught speeding. I was doing about 55 (as it is downhill) and didn’t notice it until I approached it. Ah well, if I get fined its because I *was* speeding, so its no big deal. Still a bit of a crap tactic by the speed police.

I had a nice bath once I got home and that helped me relax.

Went out on my bike today for the first time in about 5 months. Rode to the hotel we are having the JagFest UK at in Glazebrook and back again.

Cycle-O-Tron details:

• Distance: 9.08 miles
• Time: 0:52:26
• Average Speed: 10.4mph
• Maximum Speed: 19.7mph
• Total Odo: 303miles

Looks like I got back just in time, thunderstorm brewing. Going to try and go out again tomorrow . increase my stamina.