tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90982324568041325012024-02-19T17:06:52.680-08:00The Diary of my BikeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-45277013309117244342017-12-31T04:46:00.000-08:002017-12-31T04:46:13.643-08:00Hopes and Aspirations for 2018It is important that I write this NOW!<br />
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If I don't and the new year commences then some how it will lose its personal impact<br />
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2017 was salutatory in a way for my cycling as I realised, and now accept, that age was catching up and powers were beginning to ebb away<br />
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I have always loved numbers since I was a toddler and still remember the time I was a choir boy and used to factorise the hymn numbers and check them for primality during the vicar's sermon.<br />
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Having targets also motivates me and gives me enjoyment as I can then play around with the streams of personal cycling data that Garmin produces<br />
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So here are my ambitions and hopes for 2018<br />
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1. To cycle between 1450 and 4000 km<br />
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2. To cycle regularly with the Derby Mercury Veterans and Friends on their mid week rides<br />
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3. To join, if only for half the trip, on some of the Derby Mercury All Inclusive Social Rides<br />
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4. To complete the entire Mercury 80th Anniversary Ride even if I have to do it solo<br />
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5. To get to Harrogate, cycle and visit Betty's Tea Shop before end of May.<br />
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6. To use Belisha Brompton and explore further afield using the train and my Senior RailCard<br />
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7. To just enjoy being out on a bike<br />
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If I manage 80% of that then I will deem the year to have been a successAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-80286338623991186192017-12-14T06:46:00.000-08:002017-12-30T06:13:41.125-08:00Review of the Year 2017Well let us get the basic statistics out of the way first.<br />
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Total distance cycled = 6295 km<br />
Total Ascent = 47712 m<br />
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all encompassed in 173 rides<br />
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These are massively down on last years efforts but I still managed to achieve my <a href="http://thediaryofmybike.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/review-of-year-2015-and-tentative-look.html" target="_blank">Annuity Target</a><br />
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I could claim excuses for these figures such as bad weather and a prolonged period of family illness but the real baseline reason I fear is that age is catching up.<br />
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Never the less this has been a really enjoyable cycling year and illuminated by two main adventure streams.<br />
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The first of these was my Great Railway Journeys and the second was my participation in the<a href="http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/" target="_blank"> Derby Mercury</a> All Inclusive Social Rides.<br />
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My wife tells me that like most men I never really grew up and that I am basically a little boy at heart. And when I was a little boy I loved nothing better than Train Spotting and riding on steam powered trains. Latterly there has been a resurgence in Preserved Railway Lines and this last year I decided to make day trips on my Mercian and visit a few of the ones local to us, with my sandwiches and chocolate bars packed in my saddle bag as I used to do so many years ago; Great Railway Journeys Revisited.<br />
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The first trip was to Shackerstone on a wet and dreary morning but it brightened up and I arrived ready for cup of tea and a bit of train spotting.<br />
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Even though it was mid week the trains were operating and a steady stream of walkers and tourists meant that the Station Buffet was doing a roaring trade<br />
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I have to confess that have not been very adventurous in plotting the routes to these stations and in some cases the return journey was just a replica of the outward bound. But at ~100km per trip it was enough for an Old Age Pensioner<br />
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The second trip was to the Foxfield Railway<br />
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This was another thriving establishment and I must say that these Preservation Railways do remarkably good value for money in the food department<br />
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My third trip was to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. This involved much more climbing than is good for me as though the railway line is relatively flat , the terrain around Wirksworth is certainly not..<br />
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This was the only non-operating on the day railway I visited but my trusted packed lunch came to the rescue<br />
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My final one for this year was The Great Central Railway at Loughborough<br />
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and this had an excellent buffet bar<br />
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In terms of cycling enjoyment this was the most disappointing journey as I just relied upon RideWithGPS, loaded the route and went. I ended up pushing, then carrying, my bike across muddy fields and water filled ditches before it asked me to ride around Castle Donnington Motor Race Track..at this point I opted for Plan B and stopped at a local house and asked for help:-(<br />
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My second stream was my participation in the Mercury All Inclusive Social Rides. These were instigated to widen the participation of the membership by promoting rides at a much more modest pace and incorporating a coffee and cake stop.<br />
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I have reported on all these rides throughout the year and they were extremely successful regularly attracting over 35 riders drawn from those who do not normally ' compete ' in the weekend SpeedFest '.<br />
It was not a very auspicious start with only 8 out of the original 36 riders making it around the designated route, and I was one of those who took a diversion to a local coffee shop and rode at a more leisurely pace. I was not alone...<br />
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and had the opportunity to come to the aid of a damsel in distress when Sasha discovered that puncture repair in arctic conditions was not her forte.<br />
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A selection of photos from some of the other Social Rides follows<br />
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Perhaps for me, the highlight of these trips was my 70th Birthday Celebration<br />
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I have really enjoyed my cycling year with Mercury and made to feel very welcome and the club has expanded and involved a wide range of ages and abilities<br />
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It became increasingly obvious though that as the year passed by, my ability to stay in touch ebbed away and whilst people waited for me I know that I am acting as a brake on proceedings. So, next year I must alter my approach to perhaps ride with a different group of Mercury Riders or just do a section of the Social Ride.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-1625315730625044472017-11-13T03:24:00.000-08:002017-11-13T03:24:03.302-08:00The Derby Mercury All Inclusive Poppy RideFor those who have been following my posts you may well recall my report on the first<a href="http://thediaryofmybike.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/the-derby-mercury-first-all-inclusive.html" target="_blank"> Mercury All Inclusive Social Ride</a> , an event which attracted well over 30 riders of all ages and abilities. You may also recall that the leader, Dave B managed to set a world record for attrition with only 8 survivors making it grovelling to the finish line.<br />
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For the Poppy Remembrance Ride, once again over 35 riders gathered at Broadway for the event. This time though, due to the mud and freezing temperatures, there were two echelons, the Off Roaders and the Overlanders with the Touring Secretary Nigel C leading the Muddy Ones and Ian S leading the Road Warriors. Meticulous planning by our famed duo had arranged for the groups to intersect at various points along the route before finally all meeting up at the Queen's Head in Little Eaton for food and refreshment.<br />
<br />
Sadly I have to report that only 2 riders managed to complete the designated route and neither of them were the ride leaders.<br />
<br />
Indeed it was only the Lanterne Rouge, ( Lorraine and myself ) who did actually complete the journey.<br />
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And so a new Attrition World Record was set. Step Forward Nigel and Ian !<br />
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This ride was different to the other Social Rides in that there was a time cut off of 11-00 to reach the <a href="http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/crash_sites/midlands/armstrong-whitworth-whitley-bd230-weston-underwood/" target="_blank">War Memorial at Weston Underwood</a><br />
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but a delayed start, punctures, and the hills, ( oh those hills! ), meant that the Overlanders were always struggling to meet the target time. Indeed Mugginton Mountain with its conveniently placed graveyard on its summit managed to decimate the peleton and only a few survivors made it the top .<br />
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Withe the blustery wind, and temperatures trying valiantly to get into positive territory, refreshment and a warm welcome was urgently needed.<br />
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However the conditions must have been so severe that the Off Roaders could stand the conditions no more and took refuge at a hostelry in Holbrook rather than go to the designated meeting point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwzNF-1G6TRlEuDgWGp1-pf4zRuXF-vMKGXhh6HsxhOyUwg_yB0Q0F-iftrSnSbnuheHqaI1jU-LGwuVOKvc1Ty2qHJypvCRHJGC6EcP56JB1L8vqLj8b4awP7IVxDikRZhQ09c_YTo4/s1600/Poppy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwzNF-1G6TRlEuDgWGp1-pf4zRuXF-vMKGXhh6HsxhOyUwg_yB0Q0F-iftrSnSbnuheHqaI1jU-LGwuVOKvc1Ty2qHJypvCRHJGC6EcP56JB1L8vqLj8b4awP7IVxDikRZhQ09c_YTo4/s400/Poppy1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
Meanwhile the main peleton continued to splinter and the excuses for leaving the plan were both varied and creative. Julie thought her dog might be missing her, Ian claimed to have lost a son, Gill thought her daughter was in danger of getting cold whilst others had just given up the will to live.<br />
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<br />
And so, this was a Social Ride WITHOUT a cake stop !<br />
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Though in conclusion, someone managed to heartily refuel<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-64646320830736463422017-10-31T06:35:00.001-07:002017-10-31T06:35:53.314-07:00Brooks and MeWomen tell me that childbirth can be a painful experience ( but obviously nothing as bad as man flu which can be verified by talking to any man ) but once the act is accomplished then the pain is soon forgotten. Well in the world of severe pain then breaking in a Brooks Pure Leather Saddle can come pretty close to suffering man flu.<br />
<br />
I wrote about this <a href="http://thediaryofmybike.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/battling-with-brooks-b17-saddle.html" target="_blank">Battling With Brooks</a> just after my birthday when I turned 65 and acquired my custom made dream bike, a Mercian Vincitore Special.<br />
<br />
My first Brooks saddle , acquired when I started cycling at age 62, was a Brooks B17 Honey Leather Saddle with copper rivets and after 8 years and thousands of kilometers it has at last softened and acquired a very comfortable shape.<br />
<br />
Like many cyclists I am aware of the saying that ' Weight Kills ' , especially when climbing, so the obvious conclusion is to lose weight. This can be achieved by one of two ways, eat less cake or reduce the weight of the bikes components...being a Tea Shop Tourist type of cyclist the former was obviously out of the question and so component weight reduction was the only option.<br />
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And so I have acquired a Brooks Swift saddle with titanium rails. Being narrower than the B17 and with the lighter support structure this seemed the obvious way forward.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJf4K95p5NG6Ln3u2mWELJEtxkoDgX08TSqCRtQPwoVj46ZgynI2ipvBMKlwLZ3_YQMBlPaRaP0NROcAI_ko3mwF1-lWQaJBnc8E6ZrNIOMJTyvmjveutvp5ogbYQP6_w_auZwZM7pns/s1600/20171031_092240_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJf4K95p5NG6Ln3u2mWELJEtxkoDgX08TSqCRtQPwoVj46ZgynI2ipvBMKlwLZ3_YQMBlPaRaP0NROcAI_ko3mwF1-lWQaJBnc8E6ZrNIOMJTyvmjveutvp5ogbYQP6_w_auZwZM7pns/s400/20171031_092240_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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BUT..I had forgotten the pain and suffering involved in breaking in the new saddle..indeed I am not sure that my life expectancy is long enough to achieve that task and so far all I have been able to achieve is a load of saddle sores :-(<br />
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<br />
However there is a very good reason for riding a bike with a Brooks saddle in that, if things get really tough, you can always eat it. To do so would not be entirely without precedent. Snowbound in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, the ill-fated wagon-train migrants of the Donner Party resorted to eating their leather clothing and bootlaces, before moving on to eat one another.<br />
There are no known cases of cyclists dying from starvation, resorting to cannibalism, or even eating their leather saddles, yet hunger is a regular companion on any long distance bicycle journey.<br />
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So think then of those outlanders who next March will be attempting the <a href="https://www.indianpacificwheelrace.com/" target="_blank">Indian Pacific Wheel Race</a> from Freemantle to Sydney Opera House, a distance of 5500 km and which will be completed solo and completely unsupported<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-70975998877191097092017-09-25T06:34:00.000-07:002017-09-25T06:34:00.242-07:00Derby Mercury 79th Birthday Social ExtravaganzaOne of the real success stories of this cycling season at <a href="http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/" target="_blank">Derby Mercury</a> has been the popularity of the Social Rides and the way they have attracted the less ' racing condition cyclists ' in the Club. Starting off with a surprising turnout of over 35 riders on a cold, damp January Sunday morning, the rides have steadily increased their reach, and yesterday ' The Birthday Ride' attracted over 100 participants.<br />
To make these rides truly inclusive there are 3 options<br />
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a) a 79 mile ride for the fit and fast<br />
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b) a 79 km ride for those who like to chat and eat cake<br />
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c) a 79 furlong ride for the Mercury Future Stars<br />
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The whole experience is topped off by a BBQ back at ride HQ, and, for those lucky enough to have chosen a seat at John's table, a slice of the most sumptuous Orange Chocolate Cake<br />
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The Fast Boys left early and blasted off into the Peak District and I did not see them again until they stormed past me in a blur of blue and the whirring sound of deep rimmed wheels through Sudbury on their return journey.<br />
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The Social Group comprised riders covering an age range from 10 years to 70+ years with an equally wide range of fitness and capability and snaked their way to the coffee stop at <a href="http://www.denstonehall.co.uk/" target="_blank">Denstone Hall</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPRf712N4a7VXkejTTAsXI_yfdhsHxQx1ecJJfBmlKd5KCR4pNePMnwfhTKmPc6mYyTkt5iOGMMmnF6gu7wFu0rR9jUspYUym6ZVhtYKQlvPbFjrGt2T6nrTrXCuiqfEbseB_JIz9xVY/s1600/anniv-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1440" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPRf712N4a7VXkejTTAsXI_yfdhsHxQx1ecJJfBmlKd5KCR4pNePMnwfhTKmPc6mYyTkt5iOGMMmnF6gu7wFu0rR9jUspYUym6ZVhtYKQlvPbFjrGt2T6nrTrXCuiqfEbseB_JIz9xVY/s400/anniv-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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where we turned the place into a sea of blue.<br />
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Refuelling is a serious business and a lot of thought needs to be given to the correct nutritionally food<br />
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Though the cyclists around the tables seemed highly satisfied with their choices<br />
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<br />
Meanwhile the Mercury Future Stars , along with their support staff, had made their way to Elvaston<br />
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<br />
but with the excess energy of youth, burned some of it off on an assault course<br />
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<br />
before returning for burgers and cake.<br />
<br />
It was a great day in the saddle, the weather was kind and the organization great<br />
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Thank you to all.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-25883227771612966362017-08-14T08:24:00.000-07:002017-08-14T08:24:51.708-07:00The Derby Mercury RC All Inclusive Social Picnic RideI was told that ' The Picnic Ride ' used to be an institution within Derby Mercury but had not been held for a while..so I thought I would see if I could revive it.<br />
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The aim was to make it truly ' All Inclusive ' from youngsters up to Old Age Pensioners like myself, and, as an addition hold the picnic at a place where mothers with babes in arms could also easily reach. And so I chose as the Picnic Destination, the Tara Centre at Etwall, a place with spacious grounds and, if some weight weenies decided not to carry their own food, a good cafe serving all the essential nutrition that a cyclist could want.<br />
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I chose three routes:<br />
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a) a 12km ride along traffic free greenways which Nick offered to lead.<br />
b) a 45 km tortoise ride at around 20kph which I would lead<br />
c) an indeterminate fast route for the road warriors<br />
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In addition there was a further option<br />
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d) a car ride with a free car park at the Tara Centre.<br />
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In the event there were a lot of good things that came out of this ride and it is difficult to choose the best one.<br />
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We did manage to attract around 40+ people to the picnic and the main peleton certainly managed to span the entire age range with the youngsters especially impressive on the racing hill climbs. Mums and OAPs took a more ' measured ' approach to these mountains but one of the seasoned cyclists always went with them to ensure safety.<br />
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No one got dropped and Neville very kindly acted as Lanterne Rouge and mechanic though his only maintenance task was to fix a couple of dropped chains and rescue a flying water bottle.<br />
The good thing about being ride leader was that I could set the pace; the bad thing was that I was always head into the wind.<br />
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Being at least 20 years older than any other rider I always worry that my tortoise pace for them ( race speed for me!! ) is spoiling the ride for others but no-one complained.<br />
Another great thing about the ride was that we attracted some new people to group rides who were tempted by the short distance ( 45km to the picnic and 20km back to the start point ) and so felt confident to bring their children along too.<br />
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It also turned out to be a family event as mothers and toddlers did join us and the Divas were out in force<br />
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as well as some of the seasoned cyclists<br />
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It was good to see a mixture of current and future cyclists<br />
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All in all a good day out...and as I had ordered a good sunny day that made it even better.<br />
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Thanks to everyone who came and kept me companyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-35738854146849081892017-08-03T01:44:00.000-07:002017-08-03T01:44:51.804-07:00Belisha Goes ExploringThe vast majority of my cycling is done on my Mercian and my Giant...however I do have another bike, a Brompton the colour of a Belisha Beacon. I acquired this from one of my sons who had originally bought it to commute to work in London but decided he preferred a ' proper' bike. He is also very safety conscious and wanted to be clearly seen..hence the colour.<br />
My idea was to use it for local errands and, more importantly, to explore distant lands outwith the borders of Derbyshire. Take a train trip to exotic places and then ride and explore. This post is about one such trip.<br />
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Now many people would not think of Stoke-on-Trent as being exotic but it is situated on the Trent and Mersey Canal and so has cycle routes to some local places.<br />
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Being an Old Age Pensioner and having purchased a Senior Citizens Railcard getting to places is quite affordable and so I set off from Derby to Stoke with Belisha<br />
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The canal path is adjacent to the railway station and so soon I was on my way and it was not long before I saw a symbol of this area's historic heritage and why the area is known as ' The Potteries '<br />
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The Bottle Kilns were common in this area and , firstly the canals, and later the railways, were used to transport clay in and goods out.<br />
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Moving all this stuff is hard work and so to assist small wagons were built and a selection of them have now been converted for use as seats where people can rest and watch the world go by.<br />
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Once out of the city and into the countryside the scenery gets greener and one soon encounters some of the many canal boats which still use this waterway.<br />
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These waterways also act as a great haven for wildlife as both the heron and I enjoyed the tranquil surroundings<br />
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After about 15 km I approached my destination<br />
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The canal path was good for cycling, the only real problem being the tree roots disturbing the surface making for a bumpy ride in parts<br />
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and then it was time to stop for coffee<br />
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The return journey meant just retracing my steps but the weather turned to biblical proportions with thunder, lightening and torrential rain so no stops for photographs. Indeed the weather only relented once I had reached the shelter of Stoke Railway Station but I did not let the weather dampen my spirits and now I am planning my next trip out with Belisha.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-81287001182460711952017-07-04T11:54:00.001-07:002017-07-04T11:54:53.119-07:00The Inaugural All Inclusive Social Derby Mercury Audax<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2 July 2017<br />
Remember this day.<br />
This was the day of the Inaugural All Inclusive Social Derby Mercury Audax.<br />
A 100km cycle ride in the sun around the lanes of Derbyshire and Leicestershire<br />
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And it WAS inclusive and it WAS very social.<br />
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Around 40 cyclists with ages ranging from 9 years to 70 years gathered at Derby Rowing Club for the Grande Depart<br />
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and soon we were off..on a typical Nigel start which involved off road rocky paths up a very steep incline with bike barriers every 50 metres..we were told this was ' necessary' as otherwise the course would be 200m short of the required 100km target..hmmm<br />
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As the peleton sped through the centre streets of Derby all were resplendent in the club colours with a wide range of styles on display reflecting the long tradition of the club.<br />
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Initially the course was flat and it was easy for the group to stay intact but eventually the road began to climb and the peleton began to string out..imagine the TdF but at a 'slightly ' slower pace<br />
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Of course with the hills came the pain to an old body like mine could soon be easily dropped. But this was a social ride and any stragglers were shephered back into the throng by the experienced and stronger cyclists. In my case Martin, fresh from his hard work towing the pro cyclist from Raleigh, Adam, up Hedge Climb in Mickleover<br />
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now had the task of bringing me back into the bunch<br />
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But one of the great things about this ride was no-one would be dropped and as the peleton waited at the top of the climbs to regroup, there was no rushing off once the last man ( usually me! ) joined so that I too could rest and recover<br />
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Though my natural domain on all rides is Lanterne Rouge, there can be exceptions and after a coffee stop at the bottom of Breedon Mountain, I shot ahead to capture a picture of the group as they resumed the chase ( A bit, well a lot really ! of poetic licence here :-) )<br />
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We were on the homeward stretch now, heading back to the Derby Rowing Club for tea and cakes and a little liquid refreshment<br />
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But a brief stop for a group photo at the Weeping Poppies<br />
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For me, it was the best Social Ride I have been on. I only started cycling when I retired at 60 years which was 10 years ago but here I was made to feel welcome, looked after on the climbs and generally people made sure that I was included.<br />
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Truly an All Inclusive Social Ride and thank you to them all<br />
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A great day in the saddle.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-40363946114286200852017-06-19T05:32:00.000-07:002017-06-19T05:33:49.759-07:00Mercian Vincintore Special..the Prince of BikesJust looking back I came across this..it was 5 years ago now and I had just taken ownership of it as a 65th Birthday Present to myself<br />
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<a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOGReUwab9utUSs-mQD1Y92OXuDwWfhE5PWC5egiQi1D_X5qH23fdLebDujuS7vEA?key=RTVRWG12RU0xUnVvR21wdk1qLUw0dXpVdnYxcmNB" target="_blank">My Mercian</a><br />
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Since that day it has carried me over 30 000 km and given me so much pleasure<br />
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I had just started cycling then and was never quick, and now even slower..but it still gives me fun and enjoymentAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-42651443087724220762017-04-11T00:57:00.000-07:002017-04-11T00:57:32.082-07:00Derby Mercury All Inclusive Social- Part 3Obviously the first two Social Rides were not only a social success but also a great training exercise for many cyclists. The previous rides had attracted between 35-40 riders but today's event was reduced in number to around 24 cyclists.. The onset of the Racing Season meant that we had youngsters out racing at Darley Moor ( where Sam T took his first ever win in the U-12 event ) and at Swynnerton where Ben got on the podium ( as did Eve R in the funny women event :-??? )) and the place was swamped amongst a sea of blue and white. With seniors competing in the BDCA 25 at Etwall and at Churnett Valley , then many of our regulars were away. Though why Rob W decided to go and ride the Challenge at Paris-Roubaix is a mystery to me when the Social Ride could have offered him equally challenging conditions PLUS Cake!!<br />
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Once again a Hare and Tortoise Group were formed with the intention of meeting up at the coffee stop at Rosliston and then again at the Great Northern to discuss war stories.<br />
Great thanks are due to Sarah and Duncan G for plotting and leading the route and keeping everyone together...NO-ONE EVER gets dropped on a Social Ride..not even doddery OAPs like me :-)<br />
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It was a glorious sunny day and there were originally about 17 on the Tortoise Group though a few peeled off on route as they needed to get some serious interval training done in readiness for the Club TT season starting next week. <br />
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I am expecting great things from Sasha, Jen, Mark and Nick as they made their excuses and left.<br />
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The Social Rides are noted ( at least they are now after the first epic mountain adventure where nearly everyone collapsed ! ) of being fairly flat and on those inclines that did occur Phoebe G was there to give encouragement as she waited for us oldies at the summit.<br />
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Sarah was acting as Pathfinder and ignoring the cries of the GPX Garmin Gang, resolutely stood by her principles and kept consulting some paper thing covered in squiggly lines, which led to a great mystery tour and an off road section which made Paris -Roubaix look like a ride for wimps.<br />
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It did however have the added benefit of creating extra distance allowing Carrick to achieve his first ever metric hundred ride.<br />
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We did however all manage to return safely with no mechanicals and as we reentered the City Boundaries riders peeled off for home with the remnants enjoying a well earned drink at Ride HQ where we were soon joined by the Hare Squad<br />
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A great day out in the saddle at a pace and distance comfortable to all..truly an All Inclusive Social Ride.<br />
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Thanks Sarah and Duncan.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-35594100381814070572017-03-16T06:43:00.000-07:002017-03-16T06:43:16.677-07:00Derby Mercury All Inclusive Social - Part 2Following the great turnout for the January Social, I offered to lead a Spring Social to celebrate my 70th Birthday. The <a href="http://thediaryofmybike.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/the-derby-mercury-first-all-inclusive.html" target="_blank">initial ride in January</a> had left a number of cyclists gasping for breath and in need of urgent succor, so I emphasized that this outing really would be suitable for all and that the pace would be Tortoise Like and the climbing moderate, Hares would of course be welcome and could take a detour to give them a chance to stretch their legs.<br />
And so, at 09-00 on March 12 around 38 cyclists turned up at the Broadway ( and a few more joined en route ) . It was great to see so many juniors out, as well as a large contingent from the Derby Divas. The numbers were such that we set off in two groups heading towards Kedleston and then Mercaston where the advanced guard stopped to allow everyone to regroup.<br />
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The lanes around here are notoriously pot holed and scattered with debris from hedge cutting and so Andy T had already had practice in repairing his own puncture before his skills were called upon once again.<br />
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Once all mechanically sound we set off in groups once again heading through Brailsford and on tp Alkmonton where, as it started to climb, Jen kindly took over lead rider duties to give an OAP some protection from the wind.<br />
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The Alkmonton Climb, whilst not vicious, is long and you might see from this next image that Duncan G was beginning to feel the pace as he pulled his tag along up the hill.<br />
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From Alkmonton the run was on to the coffee stop and one young lady, having been equipped by a whip from the esteemed Touring Secretary, urged her driver to much greater efforts<br />
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I had arranged for the coffee stop to be at The Salt Box in Hatton and in celebration of the day, my wife had kindly arranged for a Birthday Cake to be ready<br />
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Herbie had kindly offered to forgo the hillier part of the ride so as to reserve half the cafe in advance of our arrival, ably assisted by Mark H.<br />
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Cyclists can of course not live by Cake Alone and bacon sandwiches are a neccesity for growing people<br />
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It was a true party atmosphere and to a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday we all enjoyed the rest<br />
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Eve could not be with us, but she had not forgotten and sent one of her emissaries with a special present<br />
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Refueling over we went on the flat route to Willington and Repton before turning towards Milton Ingleby Swarkstone and home. For me around 77km with 575 m of climbing<br />
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For me it was a wonderful day out. No-one got dropped, the average pace was around 22kph and the the climbing modest with no lung busters.<br />
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Thank you to everyone who came to help me celebrate...you all gave me a day to remember.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-58557172300455695682017-02-26T08:30:00.000-08:002017-02-26T08:30:32.576-08:00The Derby Mercury First All Inclusive Social Ride<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The normal
weekend rides attract just a dedicated few and so there was a discussion to
introduce an extra ride; an all inclusive Social Ride suitable for children to
pensioners, for tea shop tourists to racers, for mothers to grandparents. And
so our ever attentive Touring Secretary arranged just such a ride for an early
January morning and asked Dave Banks to act as Leader and post a route. This
gave me my first inkling of doubt as 100km with over 1350m of climbing did not
sound very sociable to a doddery pensioner. Never the less I thought I would
give it a try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Obviously
there is a demand for such a ride as 34 people of all ages, size and fitness
turned up at the Broadway for the start and a few others joined us very soon
after.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And so we
set off towards Mickleover- Longford- Mayfield - Ilam - Weaver Hills and the
Peaks. I was the first to be dropped but
I did hang on to at least the Crematorium. Indeed I managed to re-attach myself
to some of the back markers as we entered Radbourne Lane, partly assisted by
the fact that Duncan and Sarah Gell were pulling trailers loaded down with
children whilst Di, Sasha and Jen took pity upon me, or so I thought.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> As we
sped on towards Longford Di proffered the information that 32kph was a bit too
fast for her as an average pace. The
main group had stopped and waited for us on Long Lane and so after re-grouping,
and taking in lots of gulps of air, we shot off again towards Mayfield where once
again the main peleton stopped and waited.
Even though we had only done about 30 km, Di said she felt as she had
done 300km, I was shattered and Sasha
was unable to speak. I am not sure how
Ben, a first time guest on a Mercury ride, felt as he was bent double gasping
for air. Meanwhile Duncan et famille were still toiling up the hills, it must
be hard work pulling a 60kgm load up 15% inclines. There is a short cut here
towards Ashbourne which Dave kindly pointed out and offered the information
that his route was ' for guidance only ' as he had discovered some more hills
which promised fun. FUN????<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And so the
group split, nine of us split off to Ashbourne,
three had already dropped out and gone home, and the true adventurers
set off to the hills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am told
that eventually fourteen made it to their coffee stop, at which point a Team
Car picked up Ian and Josh Scales with some excuse of having to see a man about
a dog ! If you believe that!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Of the
feisty fourteen only eight survived to grovel over the finish line where upon
Mark and Debbie Gray said they had never been on such a Social ride before
having covered over 110 km and around 1750 m of climbing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our Touring
Secretary awarded Dave a Special Bonus for having managed to break the World
Record of total number of drop outs on ANY ride and having found a route which
encompassed more than 20 cattle grids and six slurry heaps. On this latter
point it is rumoured that Andy Thomas was nearly divorced when he brought Sam
home absolutely covered in S*!t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile
the Splinter Group recovered in Jack Rabbit's at Ashbourne before heading for
home..or rather we would have headed for home if Sasha had not instantly gained
a puncture, and, in the true style of a touring cyclist, did not have a spare
inner tube that fitted her wheel. She was however equipped with a non-fitting
inner tube!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mechanical
interlude over we made our way out of Ashbourne towards Hulland, Mercaston,
Kedleston Park and home with various members of the Splinter peeling off en
route.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> As we passed through Kedleston Park Di thought she was in need of the
kiss of life but chose her sofa instead.
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A great and
enjoyable day out..but I dread to think what a ' normal ' Sunday ride would be
like !!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-29389239978388414162016-12-27T00:46:00.000-08:002016-12-31T04:40:54.574-08:00Review of the Year - 2016This has been for me a good cycling year. <br />
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The <a href="http://thediaryofmybike.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/review-of-year-2015-and-tentative-look.html" target="_blank">annuity distance target</a> was achieved with ease, and indeed, I managed to cycle further in a year than I have ever done previously.<br />
<br />
Total Distance 7147 km<br />
Total Ascent 57384 m<br />
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even though the total number of rides was down by 5% to 189 outings<br />
<br />
Persuaded by a friend to try some Baby Audax ( 100km ) I entered Rutland and Beyond in early February. The weather was bitter, the hills steep and my friend decided that only fools rode in tose conditions so stayed at home..I rode..and froze. But I did complete it.<br />
This was soon to be followed by another event around the Three Fields of Alfreton and indeed I had also entered Charnwood in the Spring but went down sick two days before and was forced to withdraw.<br />
<br />
The standard <a href="http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/" target="_blank">Derby Mercury</a> club runs are obviously too quick and too far for me but instead I started to ride with a group of Derby Mercury Veterans. This group of past cyclists used to race and tour decades ago before the introduction of these modern new fangled carbon electronic gear changing things were ever thought about. It is great to listen to stories of races past and places seen. They travel now more at my pace and every ride involves a cake stop .<br />
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Indeed it was with this group that this year I cycled abroad for the first time when we went to France to watch the TdF and follow in the tyre tracks of Stage 1.<br />
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The atmosphere was great, the food even better though the entire trip did expose my deep lack of linguistic skills .<br />
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Whilst I have mentioned that I am too old and slow to go on the normal Mercury rides I did join the 78th Anniversary Ride out to Denstone. This involved for me a 78 km trip alongside about 100 other cyclists from the Club covering the entire age range from 7- 70 years old. The pace was good, no-one got dropped and there was a marvellous BBQ prepared for our return.<br />
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I have also tried to integrate myself a little more into the Club by helping out at Time Trials and in particular the epic Everest Challenge undertaken by JK and taking a few photos<br />
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All in all, I have had a good year<br />
Next year I hit 70, and may lead a Social Ride in early March to celebrate the event..we will see<br />
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As for my new non-target driven approach, well the Annuity Chart says that 1000 miles ( 1610 km ) needs to be covered..better go and get my bike ready !Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-32856349668481305892016-11-27T08:26:00.000-08:002016-11-27T08:26:26.090-08:00The Hills Are Getting SteeperAs I am rapidly approaching my 70th birthday I have noticed a remarkable geographical fact; hills are becoming much steeper and are lengthening in duration! I may well send this remarkable insight to National Geographic for their education.<br />
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To counteract this evolutionary change I have needed to make some dramatic engineering changes to my bike fleet.<br />
<br />
Witchcraft, my Giant Advanced TCR SL3 with an Ultegra Di2 Groupset has had a cassette change to give a 32t large cog from the traditional 28t. This was thought to be impossible but my <a href="http://bespoke-cycles.co.uk/" target="_blank">LBS at Bespoke </a> have weaved some magic and it all works fine.<br />
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My beloved Mercian Vincitore Special was equipped with a Campagnolo Chorus Triple which only allows a maximum rear tooth count of 29. So I have had this upgraded (?) to a Shimano Tiagra Triple with a 34t cassette.<br />
<br />
This now means that I have a lowest gear on the Giant at 28 inches whilst on the Mercian it is now 23.3 inches.<br />
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I should perhaps point out here that my son thinks this is all needless as I had yet to encounter a hill I could not climb with the original kit.....and I am a bit loathe to confess to him that so far I have got nowhere near my new bottom gears...still I am approaching 70 and regard this as future proofing :-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-31860629255439253322016-09-27T08:29:00.000-07:002016-09-27T08:29:44.554-07:00Derby Mercury 78th Anniversary RideI think there is a feeling amongst cyclists at large that cycling clubs are only for the super fit, with a concentration upon Time Trialing, Road Racing and hurtling around a velodrome at insane speeds.<br />
Others of course prefer to spend their winter afternoons cycling over muddy fields, covered in mud and grime and freezing to death in icy winds..this I am told is the joy of Cyclo Cross.<br />
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Now whilst I cannot disagree that Cycling Clubs do engage in all these activities there is a much more social side to it all.<br />
<br />
I am old and can never participate in these events but I can, and do, help out as part of the Support Team and find it really enjoyable and , though I am not a ' proper ' cyclist I have been made very welcome.<br />
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Occasionally though there are also highly inclusive events where everyone can participate irrespective of age and sporting prowess. Last weekend was such a time when <a href="http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/" target="_blank">Derby Mercury</a> held their 78th Anniversary Ride.<br />
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There were three, or possibly four options; a 78 mile ride out into the back of beyond, a 78km ride to the edges of the Peak District, a 78 furlong option for those who wanted a gentle pootle, and a zero yards option for those who just wanted to partake in the post ride BBQ.<br />
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I chose the 78km option out to Denstone, a marvelous place for a mid ride break. I was a little concerned that I might not be fit enough to complete this ride so took a solo practice run a couple of days in advance to ensure I could manage the climbs. Having successfully completed this I felt more confident to go with the group and do the Anniversary Ride<br />
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There were over 50 riders on this ride, somewhat fewer on the 78 mile torture fest, but over 100 made it to the BBQ taking into account all the options<br />
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Below are a few images and here is a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DBJKDhrQX0" target="_blank">short video</a> taken from the 78km Slow Group<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlA8E88-Teui_jJ11ZtARjIJpAbjxfelcE1xo8XI8sylh8gS0MRKVScGZN3PfHOPbLMZNNXr6cfDAHbzkD7olaGK2l1tr8f5WEUGgz7MMCtwZbremPWgz-CtaMTdmSVgz2TL5E4-A8IyI/s1600/20160925_111401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlA8E88-Teui_jJ11ZtARjIJpAbjxfelcE1xo8XI8sylh8gS0MRKVScGZN3PfHOPbLMZNNXr6cfDAHbzkD7olaGK2l1tr8f5WEUGgz7MMCtwZbremPWgz-CtaMTdmSVgz2TL5E4-A8IyI/s400/20160925_111401.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denstone Farm Shop and the Queue To Refuel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4in_OR0dQQ4NVJslvZK38xkuG98b4R2MMsSgKryq0mnm0kmEoDqP-wXfPUqe5s8EcOgYhzgItsPU2kwg0nqJ-cACkDprG6UkJXjA_wqQWW12lfp2MNk8SVokLfblwN0MET1fV4qIf1y8/s1600/20160925_111406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4in_OR0dQQ4NVJslvZK38xkuG98b4R2MMsSgKryq0mnm0kmEoDqP-wXfPUqe5s8EcOgYhzgItsPU2kwg0nqJ-cACkDprG6UkJXjA_wqQWW12lfp2MNk8SVokLfblwN0MET1fV4qIf1y8/s400/20160925_111406.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All ages were on the ride</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9HmgrkujHInlWQnxde300LGYE2ZSU3ACRHlKbqtoNbXmNVP4uyM4GSC70wDwRTNofvL2G5RQqPH35GfxrbYC6VcT13OljLkGKQRnON3nflYp5uB7N4DyEhyphenhyphenJjaMLVtfcOefWIy9gL7c/s1600/20160925_112150_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9HmgrkujHInlWQnxde300LGYE2ZSU3ACRHlKbqtoNbXmNVP4uyM4GSC70wDwRTNofvL2G5RQqPH35GfxrbYC6VcT13OljLkGKQRnON3nflYp5uB7N4DyEhyphenhyphenJjaMLVtfcOefWIy9gL7c/s400/20160925_112150_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A discussion on just how many punctures one should expect</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLNDRKVDbzDebgr25OITtMgNyQdqKf2CVwR1nraionwlAqd09QofpjADf-fa8rlNFiYpHb_bv-tb9h_2SUfpGJOHzQEBItbIqlCfs3IlQbMzCo8XWTy0T3HPg4k8lbGTtkUgqoY0-AK0/s1600/20160925_112509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLNDRKVDbzDebgr25OITtMgNyQdqKf2CVwR1nraionwlAqd09QofpjADf-fa8rlNFiYpHb_bv-tb9h_2SUfpGJOHzQEBItbIqlCfs3IlQbMzCo8XWTy0T3HPg4k8lbGTtkUgqoY0-AK0/s400/20160925_112509.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very happy me enjoying my ride out with the group</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8UBnGXF9RmIV5b0_Oi9BX3siqnC7-Oj4UOIMlA6RnWTXc8wf4pZ3CPzVU-UdyTaasiWr2rau7M9XF8NrJbQgnRW5nISETmtzx0qPEjGrNeOT_mZ05G7BkZeAcIXu_08XmomLoaMACYY/s1600/20160925_144301_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8UBnGXF9RmIV5b0_Oi9BX3siqnC7-Oj4UOIMlA6RnWTXc8wf4pZ3CPzVU-UdyTaasiWr2rau7M9XF8NrJbQgnRW5nISETmtzx0qPEjGrNeOT_mZ05G7BkZeAcIXu_08XmomLoaMACYY/s400/20160925_144301_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBQ at Derby Rugby Club post the ride</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tucking In</td></tr>
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In cluding my trip to the start and the ride home I managed to cover about 100km and climb just over 1000m. I was happy with that..but whether I will be able to manage 79 km next year remains to be seenAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-153034026037150432016-08-03T11:08:00.000-07:002016-08-03T11:08:04.270-07:00The Mercian goes to FranceBeing a very late convert to cycling, my experience of touring is limited, and when it comes to cycling abroad, then non-existent. So, when I received an invite to join a party of Derby Mercury Veterans and Friends on a trip to Normandy I was delighted.<br />
<br />
Eighteen of us met up in Derby and York Bike Liners who had made all the travel and accommodation arrangements soon had all our kit loaded onto the coach and trailer<br />
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Our trip coincided with the start of the Tour de France and it was our aim to try and watch the Monday Stage which went through Villedieu les Poles, the town where we had our base. But first it was onto Portsnouth and the overnight ferry to Roscoff<br />
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before racing down to Hilaire to watch the peleton flash past as can be seen in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWx21c0ErZw" target="_blank">this short video</a><br />
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The enthusiasm of the local people was a joy to behold and one thing that really struck me was how much more Cycling Friendly all the drivers were.<br />
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To celebrate the visit of Le Tour, Villedieu had put on a street party in the evening<br />
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We were there for a week and the group split up into different sections each day as riders were of different abilities and energy levels, but one common theme throughout all the rides was the necessity to try out the local Boulanger and Patisseries<br />
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In passing I noticed that the French Letter Boxes were of a similar design to our own with a similar reference system, though they chose a different colour<br />
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Stage 1 of Le Tour had started from Mont St Michel and was referred to as a ' flat stage '<br />
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Though that would not have been my definition and as I sped along in their tyre tracks it was nice to dream I was actually taking part<br />
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<br />
The weather was great and for those interested in seeing the scenery then there are a couple of videos<br />
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A <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGfTEbIO_-4" target="_blank">Trip to Granville</a> and the experience of cycling on cobbles<br />
<br />
A Group trip to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEwZu4qW5pE" target="_blank">Abbe d'Harbye</a><br />
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<br />
Being a load of Old Age Pensioners, then all the bikes were traditional with no carbon in sight<br />
<br />
But Steel Rules through our Mercians !!<br />
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Now for next year..and let us hope that my language skills may improve<br />
<br />
Bonsoir!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-66558054923322049912016-05-24T23:59:00.000-07:002016-05-24T23:59:18.462-07:00True Grit and Power - the Ascent of EverestMy last post described how I had acquired some new toys, chief amongst which was a PowerTap which enabled me to have a stream of new numbers but unfortunately did not guarantee any performance improvement.<br />
<br />
Now for those who are interested in such things there is a quantity called FTP, Functional Threshold Power, which is the maximum power level the cyclist can maintain for 60 minutes and is operating at the point of complete exhaustion. <br />
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THe data which I have been collecting gave me an FTP of 146 watts, but that was when I was hurrying to the cake shop before it closed. More serious (? ) riding has elevated this figure first to 170 watts and now 189 watts. I was quite pleased with this improving and basking in self honour.<br />
<br />
Then I started talking to my friend Jon Knapp who it seems has an FTP of 350 watts, which put my efforts perfectly back into perspective.<br />
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Jon was about to embark on an epic day in the saddle; 42 continuous repetitions up Star Bank, a 4km climb averaging 10 % so that the total ascent would be the equal of climbing Everest on a bike.<br />
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( I mentioned this fact to my wife whose opinion was that Jon must be certifiable )<br />
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The whole exercise took over 13 hours 20 minutes in the saddle and at various parts of the day, sacrificial domestiques were employed to both shelter Jon from the wind and give him a wheel to follow<br />
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However, repeated ascents of this monster can start to take a toll on your legs and the domestiques were gradually burnt off, Andy claiming that he was conned and had only volunteered for the downhill bits<br />
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But for most of the day, Jon rode alone with just his screaming leg muscles for company<br />
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All top athletes need a motivational coach and a supporter to set an example of good nutritional and fluid intake requirements. In this case Dad Knapp provided such a presence from his seat outside the Star Pub<br />
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The final statistics tell a tale of true grit and power<br />
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<br />
Total distance covered 248.8 km<br />
Total Ascent 9214 m<br />
Moving Time 13 hrs 20 mins<br />
Avg Speed 18.7 kph<br />
Avg Power 197 watts<br />
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and amazingly his average heart rate was only 130 bpm with a peak of 155 bpm.... never even out of Zone 3, just a typical Tea Shop run in fact!!!<br />
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This was truly an amazing effort...CONGRATULATIONS!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-24554101334561219952016-05-02T06:49:00.000-07:002016-05-02T06:49:19.175-07:00Boys Toys...or Essential PurchasesI just love numbers.<br />
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Not that I actually take the analysis of my cycling data and then feed it back into a structured training regime..I leave that to the young road and track warriors.<br />
<br />
I just LOVE numbers<br />
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So when I had the chance to grab a BARGAIN ( defined as something I don't need at a price I cannot afford to refuse ) of a Power Meter I was overjoyed ... loads more data.<br />
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Just think of the spreadsheets and graphs I would be able to produce AND I would have proof that cycling up hill into a head wind was hard work :-)<br />
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And using something called FTP ( whatever that is ) I will be able to digitally prove that I need a rest after a hard ride and so give my wife true explanations about why I am not able to tackle that list of ' household jobs ' she has constructed.<br />
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The PowerTap came fitted to a wheel, and so obviously I needed a matching set, and so I acquired a new wheel set, Pacenti SL23 rims. Following my purchase of HPlus-Son Archtypes for Witchcraft, my Giant Advanced TCR, I really do like the ride that the wider rim gives and so these Pacenti wheels were an obvious necessary purchase<br />
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An other advantage of the Pacenti is that they are made to accommodate Tubeless Tyres. The lanes around where I live are very badly potholed and the surface is forever covered in thorns from the incessant hedge trimming that the farmers carry out. Punctures are a regular occurence and having nearly lost my fingers to frostbite changing a tube whilst out in the wilds of Dalbury recently I decided that a set of Hutchinson Fusion tyres needed to be added to the list.<br />
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I believe that this wheelset with the tubeless tyres may be slightly heavier than my previous tubed Archetypes... but perhaps I will have one less flapjack to compensate :-)<br />
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Now it is often said that we Old Age Pensioners talk a good ride but rarely actually get on a bike and go for a ride. This is obviously nonsense as the tea shops of Derbyshire and the surrounding counties would not survive without our trade. But just to prove the point I have also bought another bargain from a friend who deemed it surplus to requirements<br />
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This camera is really small and I have mounted it underneath my saddle but am still getting to grips on how best to use it but with luck I will be able to record some of our adventures in France later this year when the Cycling Veterans go looking for mountains<br />
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But it does work..as shown here when the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGBMyVOaOzw" target="_blank"> Derby Mercury Veterans went to Prison</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-8268673804792483152016-03-26T01:18:00.002-07:002016-03-26T01:18:58.620-07:00The Audax Apprentice<b>Audax</b> is a cycling sport in which participants attempt to cycle long distances within a pre-defined time limit. Audax is a non-competitive sport : success in an event is measured by its completion. Audax has its origins in Italian endurance sport of the late nineteenth century, and the rules were formalized in France in the early twentieth century.<br />
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The distances covered can be huge, with some events incorporating overnight stops, but for an Apprentice then the distances I am concerned about are around 100km+, a baby audax if you like.<br />
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For those who dont know me, or have not read my profile, then I should say I am a very late comer to cycling, having only taken up cycling after I retired when I was 60 yo, and so have no inbuilt reservoir of core cycling endurance; 100 km is a VERY LONG WAY !<br />
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My normal cycling involves much shorter distances and is invariably aimed at discovering new tea shops. However at the beginning of this year a friend, a veteran racing cyclist who is still incredibly fit, told me of his aim to cycle 10 audax events this year and suggested that I should give it a try.<br />
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In a moment of foolishness I agreed and the randonneurs at my local cycling club, <a href="http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/" target="_blank">Derby Mercury RC, </a> also gave me encouragement. A <a href="http://thediaryofmybike.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/rutland-and-beyond-oaps-adventure.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> described my first adventure and now I have completed a second audax, The Three Fields around Alfreton and the Nottinghamshire lanes which was another 104km and involved another 1100 m of climbing.<br />
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Team Mercury were again out in force making an early arrival at the food stop<br />
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I have to say that stopping at this Church Hall was a delight; the local church ladies had provided streams of tea and coffee all supplemented by a vast array of home made cakes. It seemed a shame to leave but leave I must and so on towards Holocaust Hill and then some splendid scenic views<br />
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Cyclists need food, lots of it, when attempting long distance rides and I treated myself to a wonderful plate of beans on toast with a fried egg on top at Southwell...true rocket fuel<br />
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It has been explained ( INSTRUCTED!! ) that all audaxers should have a rear mudflap on their bikes, the use of mudguards is of course not up for debate, and so, in an attempt to obey ' the rules ' my Mercian now proudly boasts a rear mudflap in Mercury Blue.<br />
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This was an excellent ride, though I could have dome without the loss of my climbing gears on the last 10km hilly climb to the finish, big gear hill climbing is not to be recommended for Old Age Pensioners, but Mercian have now fixed this problem for me and replaced the ruined gear cable.<br />
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Next up will be Charnwood In The Spring, another baby audax but with hopefully slightly less climbing and somewhat warmer weather.<br />
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I doubt that I will complete 10 events but I am certainly enjoying new rides around the country.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-72099497404624305162016-02-26T09:37:00.000-08:002016-02-26T09:37:25.545-08:00The Derby DivasI have mentioned before that my cycling is mainly of the Tea Shop Tours variety but not all cyclists follow my excellent example. Last year some of the members of my club, <a href="http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/" target="_blank">Derby Mercury RC</a>, entered the<a href="http://www.lvrc.org.uk/" target="_blank"> LVRC</a> National Track Championships. Derby now has its own <a href="http://www.derbyarena.co.uk/cycling/" target="_blank">velodrome</a> and many in our club have been inspired to take up track cycling, gain the necessary accreditation and race in the Track League.... with some very encouraging results. So much so they entered the LVRC National Championships held at Newport last October and came back with quite a sizable medal haul.<br />
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Not to be outdone, some of the ladies in the Club also decided to take up Track Cycling and entered the Track League, again with quite a degree of success. So, inspired by the veteran men's effort last year, the Derby Divas were formed and are aiming for the <a href="https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/142268/BC-National-Masters-Track-Championships-2016" target="_blank">Masters Track Championships</a> to be held in July, again in Newport.<br />
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Now this is a significant step up in class from the local league and some serious training and dedication will be required.<br />
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Track cycling is to cycling what 'track and field' is to athletics, with racing for a wide range of riders and body types, from short, timed, solo sprint races to long high endurance bunch races. Track cycling is all about speed, technique, tactics and nerve; all the things I lack which is why I admire the efforts of those brave enough to compete.<br />
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The Divas formed last year and were prominent in the local Track League where often they could be seen hunting as a pack......<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br />..... before pouncing for the kill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">All of this requires plenty of desire and grit, especially in the solo events when the legs are shrieking for you to stop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">But fast times require the power to be applied from the off...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">..with the coach keeping a benevolent eye on your technique</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">I am looking forward to following their progress and the Russian Steps exercises should in particular be a really great photographic opportunity...indeed I could almost, though only almost, feel sorry for what lies in wait for these girls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Thank you ladies for inviting me along to watch.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-73493387875768029612016-02-15T01:54:00.000-08:002016-02-15T01:55:09.661-08:00Rutland and Beyond.... an OAP's AdventureFor those of you who read my last post, <a href="http://thediaryofmybike.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/driven-by-targets.html" target="_blank">Driven by Targets</a>, you will know that following last year's abject failure to achieve the objectives, I have decided to become even less competitive and just pootle around. However a friend, a keen audaxer, has set himself the target to complete 10 Baby Audaxes ( 100km or less ) this year and after many discussions in a local coffee shop he persuaded me to join him on the first one, the Leicester Forest Cycling Club's <a href="http://www.leicesterforest.org.uk/audax-feb.html" target="_blank">Rutland and Beyond Audax</a>.. A gentle introduction with some beautiful scenery he said.<br />
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The weather forecast promised arctic weather and high NE winds, with the winds having the cruel capability to alter direction dependent upon the cyclists heading.<br />
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In the event my friend decided that the combination of zero temperatures, high winds, and a very early start made staying in bed at home a preferable option, leaving me to attempt a solo ride with the aid of my trusty garmin and an old fashioned bit of paper with writing on it .. I eschewed maps as I can never read them properly, but more of navigational issues later.<br />
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I have joined <a href="http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/" target="_blank">Derby Mercury RC</a> this last year, not with the intent of cycling with them, far out of my league but just to help out as a gofer at events, and I mentioned that I was undertaking this event. This inspired Team Mercury to also have a go and so Mark, Debbie, Phil and Nigel, the Mercury Marvels, entered.. For this foolhardy crew, a mere 100km was not worth getting out of bed for and so they decided to ride both to and from the event to raise a more respectable 200km ride. In order to assist them they had recruited two sacrificial lambs in Mark and Sarah from Cycle Derby to act as their lead out team.<br />
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And so, around 160 cyclists converged on Ride HQ at 08-15<br />
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<br />
I had a plan. Not to be put off by all these fit young people and to ride at my own pace. I know I dont climb well and there were plenty of climbs on the course so I had stocked up with my home made malt loaf and flapjcks and a bottle full of fluid to lessen the risk of dying completely on some far forgotten hill. Eat little and often was my moto.<br />
<br />
And so, positioning myself at the rear of the peleton we set off and encountered the first climb after 800m. It became apparent that perhaps I am not the world's worst climber as some seemed to start suffering already, indeed quite a few people never managed to complete the course.<br />
<br />
Navigation is another skill I lack and as I approached Rutland Water a couple of riders in front of me whom I had caught up, suddenly veered off left against all the advice of my Garmin! It was then I discovered that not all riders out on a Sunday morning cycling around Rutland Water are neccessarily in the audax. And so to the first Control Point<br />
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<br />
<br />
Lots of people came over to chat to me, but it seems it was not my scintillating wit they were interested in, but my Mercian Vincitore Special.<br />
<br />
The Mercury Marvels had stormed past me on the hill into Rutland Water, resplendent in their kit, my Mercury jersey was well covered in multiple layers so as not to degrade the image and also I needed layers to keep warm.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Loving numbers, I had flipped through the garmin screens, a big mistake! From here on in my turn by turn instructions vanished and I had to resort to following cyclists butts ( not always a pretty sight ) or when alone relying upon the cue sheet with its original Egyptian Hieroglyphics<br />
<br />
The hills kept on coming and I was beginning to wish that I had chosen a Shimano Groupset instead of the Campagnolo as that would have allowed a much lower bottom gear (30/29 is my lowest ) and though I rarely engaged that bottom gear I did at times envy the people twirling away on the steepest climbs.<br />
<br />
There is a reward from the hills though. At one point the view into the valley with the viaduct stretching out across the peaks is a marvellous sight. It was around here that I saw a large red kite flying low in the sky espying out the young lambs as a potential lunch..or perhaps he was waiting for me to fall.<br />
<br />
Just prior to the third control point is The Hill, a leg sapping lung busting monster for an OAP. I was determined not to let it beat me and though my brain was telling me to get off and push, my inner self would not relent, and indeed I passed another couple of riders on this climb.<br />
<br />
For those who reached the check point and cafe early there was plenty of food<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Some even were treated to a Valentine Lunch!<br />
<br />
However by the time I arrived the place was packed with sunday tourists and stifling hot with wait times up to 45 minutes...so a gel, a piece of malt loaf and I soldiered on<br />
<br />
The last section was probably the toughest for me, the wind was horrendous and the terrain very exposed...but I made it!!<br />
<br />
<br />
For those who like statistics the Strava Ride is <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/493508681" target="_blank">here </a><br />
<br />
To give an indication of how I coped, my normal ' Suffer Score '; for my T-Shop Pootles is around 50...this ride was 388 .... I have never been tis close to the edge before<br />
<br />
But did I enjoy it? Yes<br />
<br />
Did I feel a sense of achievement ? Yes<br />
<br />
Would I do another Audax ? Well.......<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-38583704578929969352016-01-22T14:46:00.000-08:002016-01-22T14:45:59.999-08:00Driven by TargetsFor most of my working life I was driven by targets...targets usually set by others.<br />
So much so that it became to be part of me.<br />
Now retired, and fully away from the business world I have found that since I took up cycling a load of self set targets came along with the package.<br />
<br />
But after my last year's abysmal performance ( See the last blog post ) I determined that ' Targets ' would be assigned to the bin of history...<br />
<br />
.... except for the Annuity Distance Target which stands at 1771 km this year<br />
<br />
and then a friend suggested I might join him on a few audax rides...nothing too arduous you understand, just around the 100 km mark<br />
<br />
and then another friend said I expect you to come to Harogate and have Tea and Cakes at Betty's this year<br />
<br />
...and really, 1771 km is not THAT much..perhaps 5000 km would be more of a challenge<br />
<br />
..and then another friend said how about getting fit enough to cycle with us for a week in France<br />
<br />
..and that Brompton you have just acquired...you really should use it to explore by train and bike<br />
<br />
...and I noticed that my time over a favourite segment was down on what it used to be...not that I am competitive of course any more<br />
<br />
Anyway, I am no longer driven by Targets<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-53421523950526802872015-12-24T04:46:00.000-08:002016-01-01T02:31:51.581-08:00Review of the Year 2015 and a Tentative Look ForwardAs far as cycling goals are concerned then I have to admit that this last year has been somewhat of a failure. Perhaps it is that age is finally beginning to take its toll.<br />
<br />
I was aiming to cycle around Harrogate, visit Betty's Tea Shop, and enjoy the Yorkshire Hills....and though a friend offered to ride with me I did not follow through. He is much younger than me and I have painfully discovered that a young man's SLOW is an OAPs VERY FAST and I was worried that I would nit keep up and spoil his ride.<br />
<br />
I was also aiming to ride Derby - Skegness ( 100 miles ) in a day. I had loaded the route onto my Garmin and even tested it out over the first 30 km outbound. Again a younger man had offered to accompany me and act as domestique. I trained for this in that I was comfortably cycling 100 km but was feeling a little tired at the end and thought I would never manage a further 60 km.<br />
<br />
So, I chickened out on both.<br />
<br />
But there were some highlights and here are the bare statistices<br />
<br />
Total distance cycled 6736.1km<br />
Total Ascent climbed 51985m<br />
Total hours in the saddle 350 hours<br />
<br />
My ' Annuity Goal ' was to cycle 1932 km ( or 1200 miles ) so I comfortably exceeded this, and indeed, managed to cycle further in the year than I have ever done before.<br />
<br />
( Annuity Goal. When I retired the annuity people based my pension on my life expectancy, which they assumed to be 73yo. So I was determined to beat this and bought a bike and took up cycling, never having really ridden before. So I set a lifetime target of 80yo and determined that I would ride 2000 miles in my 60th year and then decrease the target by 100 miles per year to account for aging, hence the target of 1200 miles in 2015 )<br />
<br />
Also this last year I joined a cycling club, <a href="http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/" target="_blank">Derby Mercury</a> though I felt somewhat of a fraud wearing the jersey as their cycling abilities are in a different league to my own. However I have been made to feel very welcome and have enjoyed helping out with Marshaling at Races and taking some photos of various events and training sessions.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYSGry5bVqrMBv-ZsVaoUuCjYEhBJ-zbpHlAwuKCBLUGCZ0bW5yzjuBClYdeLwicpEZfdVBQuFdXeHQBwJc7IFUM85xSVJ4N-Q3KjTBhPRJBw_JmfCP9vHAQUgOujnKMRfQdBoFDO6Lw/s1600/Sen26.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuueH9PhyphenhyphenUXFyR6MJVxr9-Iv9nLgY-ZyU5JJvBw_MEgZcQGtKACOTYLhMsnz_NRKTyi8P8gh37F_QSBhHDymtsqNCaMaviNfFbECLy3LxwBey6XsrAW0ZgLp-n6FTbqo6I3yjnopdEG8/s1600/Sen3.jpg" imageanchor="1"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbajCP7kacD4yWHEnWEpfiELQtbo4TxiblPb3DNxX2APkwqScy-aB5Y5IdEn10_lpWUlrCSdyHSv1DNFRtt8jD2kDEWq35RBioPRwBajmZfelBiHSqASO4GkFfdK_xn7wFUF4zdedh_Q/s1600/Sen21.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbajCP7kacD4yWHEnWEpfiELQtbo4TxiblPb3DNxX2APkwqScy-aB5Y5IdEn10_lpWUlrCSdyHSv1DNFRtt8jD2kDEWq35RBioPRwBajmZfelBiHSqASO4GkFfdK_xn7wFUF4zdedh_Q/s320/Sen21.jpg" width="198" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYSGry5bVqrMBv-ZsVaoUuCjYEhBJ-zbpHlAwuKCBLUGCZ0bW5yzjuBClYdeLwicpEZfdVBQuFdXeHQBwJc7IFUM85xSVJ4N-Q3KjTBhPRJBw_JmfCP9vHAQUgOujnKMRfQdBoFDO6Lw/s1600/Sen26.jpg" imageanchor="1"><br /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYSGry5bVqrMBv-ZsVaoUuCjYEhBJ-zbpHlAwuKCBLUGCZ0bW5yzjuBClYdeLwicpEZfdVBQuFdXeHQBwJc7IFUM85xSVJ4N-Q3KjTBhPRJBw_JmfCP9vHAQUgOujnKMRfQdBoFDO6Lw/s1600/Sen26.jpg" imageanchor="1"><br /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYSGry5bVqrMBv-ZsVaoUuCjYEhBJ-zbpHlAwuKCBLUGCZ0bW5yzjuBClYdeLwicpEZfdVBQuFdXeHQBwJc7IFUM85xSVJ4N-Q3KjTBhPRJBw_JmfCP9vHAQUgOujnKMRfQdBoFDO6Lw/s1600/Sen26.jpg" imageanchor="1"><br /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYSGry5bVqrMBv-ZsVaoUuCjYEhBJ-zbpHlAwuKCBLUGCZ0bW5yzjuBClYdeLwicpEZfdVBQuFdXeHQBwJc7IFUM85xSVJ4N-Q3KjTBhPRJBw_JmfCP9vHAQUgOujnKMRfQdBoFDO6Lw/s1600/Sen26.jpg" imageanchor="1"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXY8XCGYiGKMJSG2ysB956ri223fcsW2Lz0JKstOSfOA0Gr_ZDhPF-ypEn9Ei1iahy6J8sdXqitydZ6EYhQ7KkPlU2XoVYXQ5ONcxOGUYzwzZdwagoo48mr7r80aQrCgR_HxPB82p7-O4/s1600/Sen32.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXY8XCGYiGKMJSG2ysB956ri223fcsW2Lz0JKstOSfOA0Gr_ZDhPF-ypEn9Ei1iahy6J8sdXqitydZ6EYhQ7KkPlU2XoVYXQ5ONcxOGUYzwzZdwagoo48mr7r80aQrCgR_HxPB82p7-O4/s320/Sen32.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<br />
<br />
So what for 2016?<br />
<br />
A Cycling distance target of 1771 km<br />
<br />
and perhaps, for the rest................ just to have funAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-39262000261641091242014-12-22T04:27:00.001-08:002014-12-22T04:38:22.415-08:00Review of the Year 2014 and a look forwards to 2015Following the extreme, for me, efforts of last year when I was training for the inaugural London 100 Event, this year was planned to be much more sedate; and so it proved.<br />
<br />
The bare statistics support that fact.<br />
<br />
Total distance = 5036km<br />
Total ascent = 34321m<br />
Energy expended = 101397 calories<br />
Time in. The saddle = 266 hours<br />
<br />
Whilst more than 20% down on the previous year, I did manage to achieve my goals.<br />
<br />
The main event was to complete my first cycling tour and ride Coast to Coast and this was done. In hindsight I have mixed views about this. The scenery was beautiful, the weather gorgeous but, much of the route was on poorly maintained cycle paths were I feared for both my bike and myself. In the event the Mercian managed fine but my body took a hammering from the never ending potholes and rock strewn paths.<br />
<br />
It is perhaps a small sign of my progression as a cyclist that on the spur of the moment I entered a 110k audax, an event which had been my major lifetime achievement goal in 2012. This time the weather was the worst ever recorded for the event, but, in spite of this, I rode the distance 45 minutes quicker than my first attempt.<br />
<br />
The number of posts published on this blog has dropped considerably and perhaps that is a sign it may have run its course.<br />
<br />
I have been forced to end my cycling year early due to a damaged knee but despite this I have begun to look forward to my objectives for 2015.<br />
<br />
A friend has kindly invited me over to Harrogate to explore some of the local cycling routes in Yorkshire and hopefully one ( at least ) of their famous tea shops.<br />
<br />
I have been pondering a major challenge and toyed with the idea of riding the classic (?) Derby to Skegness route in a day, another 164 km adventure. The route is fairly flat, but that was what they told me when I cycled C2C and they were lying!<br />
<br />
Anyway I have got the route, loaded it onto my Garmin and last night someone offered to tide with me. He is young, very fit and an excellent bike mechanic, so , really, I am not sure I have any excuses left not to attempt it.<br />
<br />
So there it is, the big aim for 2015 is to ride the 100 mile Derby to Skegness in a day<br />
<br />
<br />
All I need to do now is to get fit!!<br />
<br />
And with my annuity target this year being 1932km, with again an upper goal of 5000km, the year is planned.<br />
<br />
PS. I may also have mentioned something about not being competitive any more<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9098232456804132501.post-34693107663640138292014-10-17T00:55:00.000-07:002014-10-17T00:55:14.173-07:00A Vintage Love Affairsomething a little different<br />
<br />
<b>A Vintage Love Affair</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
For forty years of married bliss,<br />
A time that's scented with a kiss,<br />
We've toured the lanes both far and wide,<br />
Never looking for a place to hide,<br />
Avoiding every precipice.<br />
<br />
Sometimes there's been a small crisis.<br />
But naught disturbs this married bliss.<br />
My trusty friend stayed by my side<br />
For forty years.<br />
<br />
Our frames show signs of arthritis.<br />
Long hard trips are given a miss.<br />
Waiting for the incoming tide,<br />
Bicycle standing by my side.<br />
This Mercian has given me such bliss<br />
For forty years.<br />
<br />
©Peter Roberts 2014<br />
<br />
<br />
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My 1961 Mercian AudaxAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00535645521271313239noreply@blogger.com4