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.

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.

Hmm, not bad.

Well today we went to Delamere forest, but before we went myself and mike went to the car boot sale (think garage sale my american cousins) at Winwick which whilst ok in size (smaller than usual seeing as that fairground is still there) was a bit poor retro wise. We left and Mike went and did some shopping in tesco to buy some food for later and some things for the walk. On the way back we spotted another car boot sale and popped in for a look. Mike picked up a board game called “Dirty Minds” which looks like fun.

We arrived at my house after dropping off mike’s shopping and I texted Thecko to see if he was ready for the walk, he replied and said could he be picked up on the way. So Mike had his Pot Noodle and I got myself ready, filled my camelback with 1.5l of water and packed 2 apples as we were going to be doing the 7 mile white route.

Diane had expressed an interest in joining us but after a bit of reminder prompting over SMS it turns out she wasn’t going to join us as she had got up late (pah, call that an excuse) and had stuff to do (pah again), so it was just the three of us as we pulled up to the visitors centre. I bought a new yearly pass for the car-parks (£20) and Mike bought a map of the trails incase we got lost.

Mike refused to do the white trail. So we settled for the wussy option of the red trail (only 3 miles!) and set off. The going was easy, the weather was nice and we made it round none the worse for wear. Mike only had 2 rests and on the whole I was impressed with his performance walking around the circuit. We had a bit of an argument when we came to a hill as Mike thought the path followed the lake while I thought it went up the hill.. I was right. Up the hill we went.

After the walk we headed to the nice pub at the bottom of the road. As we turned out of the Delamere car park onto the main road a biker decided that he would ignore all the cars queuing at the temporary traffic light and overtake them all after the car had let me out nearly resulting in the bike merging with my car … not good but as i’d checked the road one last time before fully pulling out I saw him and braked. We arrived at the pub but unfortunately it was full so we set off to find somewhere else to eat as the promise of pub food was what was keeping Mike going through the final stages . We arrived in Cuddington and spotted the white barn (I think thats its name, thecko will confirm hopefully) so we stopped there for some grub. MIke had chicken burger, and thecko and myself had a H Mighty Burger, great value at only £4.99 each. They each arrived on a 17″ diameter plate with chips, salad, onion rings, corn on the cob and coleslaw … impressive.

After the meal we were all completely full of food and waddled back to the car for the journey home. The drive home was uneventful and now i’m just waiting for my bath to cool down a tad before I go and de-smell myself. An enjoyable day and i’m looking forward to next weekend when we will either do the red route twice, or tackle the blue routs (5 miles). Mike is going to feel sore in the morning but its all part of the process, exercise gets easier the more you do it so it needs to be done skipper.

* grabs the cycle-o-tron

Right, yesterday when Graeme, Danby and Glyn were supposed to be doing the CutGate Pass, myself, simon and newcomer Thecko were to do a circuit of Ladybower. We took it easy as it was Thecko’s first time around the circuit.

Cycle-o-tron details:

• Distance: 11.59 miles
• Actual Riding Time: 1:43:14
• Average: 6.7mph
• Maximum Speed: 26.1mph
• Total Odo: 262.0 miles
• Actual Time Taken: 3 hours

As I said, we took it easy for poor thecko, who while being totally knackered did complete the circuit, only getting off to push 2 or 3 times. So well done skipper, next week will be easier I promise

We have a rule, we always ride at the speed of the slowest rider, or ride in two packs if we have enough people (fasty’s and slowy’s). Simon decided he would just sod off out in front of us all the time (relishing in not actually being the slowest one for once), tsk tsk simon.

A good day was had today by all who attended.
Attendee’s: Myself, Graeme (who cycled there from home), Glyn, Kyle, Jerry, Simon and newcomer Colin. Excellent day’s cycling.

Cycle-o-Tron:
Distance 9.88 miles
Time: 1:01:05
Average 9.5mph
Max Speed: 32.9 mph
Total Odo: 242.1

A nice chicken caesar salad at the pub was also welcomed and devoured. Excellent stuff, however I stink so i’m going to hop into a bath.

Blimey, we raced round today. I was feeling a bit pat-n-mick (two stitches, one either side :/) so I took the first half slowly. I’ve taken a few pictures and i’ll upload those shortly.

My Cycle-O-Tron seems to have picked up some strange reading from being in graeme’s car. It was fine before we left. Perhaps leaving it on the handlebars in the back of the car was a bad idea (the bike was on its handlebars in the boot). So no details today as they are garbaged According to Graeme’s cycle-o-tron we went round in about a hour which is good stuff.

*Edit* Phone didn’t save any of the photo’s I took … not one. Not impressed, testing it here works fine though. Something weird is going on.

Its not too bad. Sat downstairs on the Mac Mini listening to Aled Jones on Classic FM waiting for Graeme to show up or contact me before we go cycling.

Bliss really. Listening to Vivaldi, Brahms and Rachmaninov (amongst others) gives me an inner calmness.

Should be a good outing today, Myself, Graeme, Simon, Glyn and Kyle should be showing up. Mr Danby is “Busy” in some way, i’m sure i’ll discover later. Not sure if Cat is coming though but i’ll hazard a guess she’s not.

Last time I was out on my bike was the trip to rochdale and its not been cleaned since i’ll just have to hope its all working as planned. I’ll check my tyre pressures before I go but thats pretty much it. To be honest I think we’re at a stage where if anything “non major” breaks in the field we can deal with it. Graeme and Glyn both have new bottom brackets on their bikes, I think they have suffered from premature bottom bracket restoration but graeme says his was fubar so i’ll have to assume it was. BB’s should not need replacing after 300 – 400 miles though, mind you graeme did smack his into the floor when he came off at delamere that time. My bottom bracket creaks a bit but i’m not replacing mine just yet because a) I can’t afford it and b) my bottom brackets on all my bikes has always creaked, I don’t think they are built for “men of my carriage” i’ll get graeme and glyn to have a go on my bike today to see if they feel it should be replaced or not.

Right time to do a few check on the old bike such a tyre pressures and the like before graeme either contacts me or arrives. I’m thinking of taking my camera but I might just take some on the Sony Ericsson as I dunno if I cba taking a full camera.