dropbars

Sun still shining (!), Sitting in garden with a beer and catching up on reading some stuff. Nice.

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:26:01 -0700

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Sun still shining (!), Sitting in garden with a beer and catching up on reading some stuff. Nice.

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:18:20 -0700

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Ready for Winter

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 02:24:00 -0800

See the full gallery on Posterous

Quick review of Pearl Izumi Lobster gloves with Primaloft lining and Peal Izumi Pro Barrier road Overshoes. Best winter gloves and overshoes I have ever bought. Thanks Biketreks and Colin for the Recommendation.

Happy Happy Happy.

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Windy in Scotland!

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:20:00 -0800

(Credit: BBC News)

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I am a "cyclist"

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 02:45:00 -0800

It makes perfect sense... ;-)

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The Music Room now opens on Sundays!

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:46:00 -0800

Ian, aka @coffeehopper of Atkinsons tea and coffee fame tells me that the best coffee place around Lancaster and surroundings* now opens on Sundays. It has made my day.

GO THERE. It's on Sun Street.

http://themusicroomcafe.com/

*Ian corrected me, quite rightly, "only Best Cake…Gold Taste & Best Coffee in UK!"

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Mohawkvember - 1st public appearances

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 11:45:00 -0700

please let this not be in vain... donate to Dan and Dave Mo(hawk)vember pages. They are are growing the proper lip fluff to support men's health.

http://uk.movember.com/mospace/1801544/

http://uk.movember.com/mospace/1494222/

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Mohawkvember

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 02:47:00 -0700

Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Did the Mo last year, even kept it for two months. All good fun to raise money for a good cause. I am not growing a fluffy upper lip again thisyear but in the spirit of things I'll be keeping a mohican Travis Bickle style for November.

Mates Dan and Dave are growing the proper stuff so head to their fundraising page and support their facial hair:

http://uk.movember.com/mospace/1801544/ http://uk.movember.com/mospace/1494222/

Teamwork...

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3 peaks cyclocross 2011

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:03:00 -0700

Photo by Andy Holden

Many accounts of this year's 3 Peaks Cyclocross race are coming out left, right and centre. Dave Haygarth is doing a superb job at linking to the many blogs, videos and photo galleries covering the event. Check out http://3pcx.blogspot.com/ for getting inspired.

There is even a report compiled by John covering the Peaks from the team's perspective. See http://www.biketreksracing.com/biketreks-racing-team-tackle-the-3-peaks

But, how was it for me? TOUGH. The results don't lie. 5h11min. I was slow, very slow. However, off-road riding has never been my forte. The lack of experience was obvious. To be quite honest, I can't imagine completing this without having put some hours of Peaks specific training.

Road sections: Brilliant. In my element. Ridable Off-road sections : Not too bad. Grovelling up unridable sections up the fells? VERY VERY SLOW. Descents: VERY VERY SLOW.

Difficult to comprehend this race really. It's unique. Did I enjoy myself? mmm... I'd say enjoyment is a strong word. It was an interesting journey in discovering new sets of aching muscles. The question is will I do it again? most definitely. I am eating my words as I was adamant that it would be a one-off.

The 3 Peaks bug has been caught. Ingleborough, Whernside, Pen-Y-Ghent: See you all next year.

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Ventoux

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 02:47:00 -0700

Good rides in Provence borrowing my dad's Cannondale CAAD9. I tried to get on the bike every day and starting to incorporate some running and carrying of bikes in preparation for the 3 peaks. No idea how that will translate into race fitness for CDNW Dolphinholme and Oakenclough. Nonetheless riding was good and enjoyable. I improvised routes incorporated some new roads each time. One regret is running out of days to get on with cycling over Grand Luberon.

Ventoux was on the menu. 5 ascents of the Géant in total. four in a little less than 9 hours (REPORT). Another time was to see how fast I could climb from Bédoin. Strange ascent. No wind / little wind pushing clouds from the South West at Bédoin then wind turned and MIstral got in the way. Anyhow, I completed the climb in 1h25. I hoped to have gone faster but it wasn't to be! I enjoyed riding at a good tempo spinning a nice gear.

On the same day of the "fast" climb, I got up at 3:30am to take some pictures from the top of Ventoux at dawn. The result is a set of pictures:

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Site for the Blogroll: Velocast Journal

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:43:00 -0700

One piece of good news on this Novermber-like Summer's day: "Velocast Scott" is back - Back on twitter and in the guise of a Tumblr blog appropriately entitled The Velocat Journal.

http://velocast.tumblr.com/

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Lakeland Pedlar Cafe Review

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 23:51:00 -0700

Here is a review submitted to Louise McCall (McCake?)'s site Patisserie Cyclisme

See the full gallery on Posterous

Lakeland Pedlar Cafe

Description:

Located right in the Centre of Keswick the Lakeland Pedlar Vegetarian Wholefood cafe/restaurant with a bike shop on 1st floor.

Route taken:

Lancaster - Levens - Bowness - Ambleside - Grasmere - Dunmail Raise - Thirlmere - Keswick - Whinlatter - Lorton - Buttermere - Honister - Keswick and back to Lancaster. Ride report and photos: http://lunercc.org.uk/edgar-ride-2011-report

Website: http://www.lakelandpedlar.co.uk/

What did we have?

Coffees, teas, organic cola (good bottle refill diluted with water!)

Date slices, Hummus toasties, bowl of olives, 3-bean burrito

How was it?

Good tasty food, friendly staff. Waiting for table, getting the orders through and served as well as the time required to eat through the massive portion made this the longest cafe stop we could envisage. Downside: Bacon cravings will not be fulfilled :-)

Cost/Value for money

Expensive as far as cycling cafes are concerned but that's OK. This place is quite special.

Facilities for cyclists

Well furnished and friendly bike shop on 1st floor. cycle parking limited to leaving bikes by the side alley.

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One for the Blogroll / RSS Reader: "Thinking about cycling" by Dave Horton

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:48:00 -0700

A plug for Lancastrian / sustainable transport thinker / uni lecturer / cyclist / nice guy Dave Horton's blog: http://thinkingaboutcycling.wordpress.com/

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First Aid for Cyclists by Steve Evans (@paramedicsteve)

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:40:00 -0700

Paramedic and cyclist Steve Evans (aka @paramedicsteve on twitter) put together a set of slides aimed at cyclists to increase awareness about basic first aid when out cycling. First aid courses typically cover the worplace environment and tend to focus on hazards found there but this is quite different. I think any cyclists, clubs and groups of cyclists alike would benefit from having a look through those slides. Feel free to pass the presentation around. Copyright is Steve's but he's keen to have it distributed as broadly as possible.

Nic

PS: I know... I have already posted this on the Lune RCC website but different audiences etc... :-)

firstaid.pps Download this file

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Ventoux holiday plans

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:29:00 -0700

have a look at http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/ventoux-revisited/ (via Rich Mitchelson)

Can't wait to get back on the slopes of my favourite hill of all:

Holiday Plan:

One week off the bike to recover from the racing fatigue I will inevitably have accumulated
One ascent from Bedoin to attempt breaking under 1h15
Easy rides around Luberon/Provence
6am to 6pm / 12h on Ventoux trying to get as many ascents in that time
Week off the bike to recover in time for next block of racing in the UK (Dolphinholme, Oakenclough, Bashall...)

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Benefits of the Bicycle

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 06:21:00 -0700

Article about Health Economic Assessment Tool for Cycling: Link

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The Badger and Greg through my letter box

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 04:49:00 -0700

I had been enjoying the Kindle edition of Slaying The Badger but having the real book in my hands is even better. It doesn't even have to rely on my phone being charged to read it. Thanks Richard.

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Sahara Desert January 2006

Mon, 02 May 2011 06:02:00 -0700

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At the start of Three Peaks Fell Race

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 05:27:00 -0700

Thanks to Laura and David at http://www.sportsunday.co.uk for letting me borrow their equipment. A few shots taken at Horton in Ribblesdale at the start of the 3 Peaks Fell Race.

As Laura said, "No excuse for poor shots now..." :-S

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One cycling picture a day to keep the doctors away

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:00:00 -0700

Latest:

The early cyclist on top of Ventoux

Why this project?

I love taking pictures and I love cycling. Over the past few years I came to realise I didn't take enough pictures whilst riding my bike. So this little project makes perfect sense to me. Whilst I am trying to take a cycling photo on every single day I am bound to miss some days. Sometimes I leave my camera at home, no opportunity to shoot or, strangely enough, I may not be riding my bike on that day - at all. Fortunately these photo-less days are few and far between.

Full Set:

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