At the back end of September I rode west over Waseley and out to Belbroughton where Scarecrow weekend was in full swing. Might just dress up (or should that be down) for the next one.
Eccentric tea party
These crows don't scare easy...
Scarecrow weekend
January 7th, 2010Cycling in the groove…
January 7th, 2010You’ve seen and felt them on the motorway but when you’re in a car the suspension absorbs the shock. Ride over them on a bike and you’ll know all about it and, if you’re really unlucky, you might even be thrown to the tarmac…There used to be a couple on the westbound side of the Hagley Road between Five Ways and the Ivy Bush but these seem to have been ironed out by recent road repairs. Bet there’ll be a few more in Birmingham and loads of potholes too due to this freezing weather, so watch out and, when you spot one, report it via the city council website.
Toronto Star
Share and share alike…
January 7th, 2010Some sound comment in the Canadian press about the relationship between motorists and cyclists…applies here too.
Toronto Star 6th September 2009
Ottawa Citizen 11th September 2009
Handy advice?
January 7th, 2010Read this in the US Bicycling magazine when I was out in Canada and thought, “What a good tip.” Until I got home and realised that rear braking on my Claud Butler is a left-handed action!
Bicycling October 2009
Temper fugit…
January 6th, 2010It’s been weeks now since I’ve been able to cycle regularly which isn’t helping my health or temper - missing the endorphins! First the bad, rainy, windy weather kept me indoors. Then an attack of gout in my left big toe prevented me from even attempting to put a cycling shoe on, let alone ride anywhere. Then Christmas and now all this white stuff and, blow me, another gout flare up!
I did manage one outing early in December with a few guys to raise money in support of Focus Birmingham in aid of the blind and visually impaired. The ride was well organised by Andy Kilminster and took us from the Old House at Home, Harborne, up the Harborne Walkway and into town along the canal. Thence out on the Rea Cycleway to Northfield, along the roads over Frankley Beeches and back through Bartley Green to the pub for lunch. Twenty five miles or so with a couple of much appreciated Christmas cake stops! Andy had even organised emergency support from the St. John Ambulance in the form of two cyclists. They were both equipped with what looked like a mini Queen Elizabeth Hospital strapped to each bike!
Pitstop in Cannon Hill park.
Andy completed the ride dressed topically as Santa. I’m looking forward to the next fund raising ride….in warmer weather!
Adieu Albert
January 6th, 2010I read, in the Daily Telegraph 05.01.10, of the death of Albert Beurick on 12th December. Albert was a Belgian cafe owner, friend, confidant and business partner of Tommy Simpson. The two friends were pioneers of two-week training camps for cyclist based at their ‘velotel’ outside Ghent. He must have been a delightful guy and great fun to be around especially as one of the songs played at his funeral was Monty Python’s ‘Always look on the bright side of life’!
Be safe on the roads…
October 4th, 2009You may remember that Lance Armstrong dedicated a day of this year’s Tour de France to the five cyclists injured in a road accident in Kanata, Canada. We arrived in the country to find that the accused driver faced five more charges relating to the incident:
Ottawa Citizen 27th August 2009
Food for thought…
October 1st, 2009I’ve read a few books whilst I’ve been away….well, there’s not much else to wile away the time on transatlantic flights and the food in this book was of much more interest than the in-flight offerings!
The Hungry Cyclist. Author: Tom Kevill-Davies. Paperback, 2009, Collins.
Tom Kevill-Davies cycled 15,000 miles from New York to Rio de Janeiro and this is an entertaining record of his ride and quest for the genuine food flavours of the Americas.
“I could not help but be exposed to the real flavours, smells, ingredients and people of the cultures I rode into…..I ate where the people of the country were eating. Markets, homes, the street, the beach, rivers, campfires, trees and truck stops.”
Sounds like a recipe for some spectacular food poisoning incidents but Tom survived his epic cyclo-culinary expedition with good humour and picked up some intriguing recipes which are detailed at the chapter ends. I like the sound of Peba Caipira but I’m not sure where I’ll find an armadillo (this is an armadillo stew)…wonder if hedgehog might do instead?
Insane! Usain!!
August 21st, 2009Usain Bolt’s performance in the 200 metres last night, another gold, another world record by an astonishing margin leaves one speechless. By his own admission he was not on top form! So, when fully fit and prepared, what can this lad really do?
When he crashed through the 9.6 secs barrier for the 100 metres we watched the event at Tom & Kate’s flat on the Upper Richmond Road in Putney. We were there to help them move to a new flat over the road in West Hill.
Upper Richmond Road is the South Circular route and was especially busy on Sunday. Unlike Birmingham there is more traffic at weekends as Londoners, sensibly, don’t use their cars during the week. Cyclists are provided for with two wide cycle lanes which were being very well used. Where the roadway wasn’t wide enough for a bike lane, bike logos were painted at intervals to remind motorists that cyclists are sharing the road. I counted more than twenty four cyclists passing by in less than five minutes.
Upper Richmond Road (South Circular) Putney
Bolt action…
August 20th, 2009“Where were you when Bolt broke the 9.6 secs barrier?” It was a moment in history which will be long remembered, perhaps in the way that John F Kennedy’s assassination has been remebered? Certainly John Regis thought so in his piece in last Monday’s Guardian (17.08.09). For the record: back in November 1963 I was at the Birmingham Hippodrome and was told the news from Dallas as I left the theatre. And no, I cannot remember what show we’d gone to see!
The Guardian 17th August 2009