Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Obama has it easy

My word, I've a lot on.
I went to the Peak District; you may have noticed.
I'll get it down soon. I took notes.

I have memories preserved in ice.

Bike Club Challenge has stalled too under the weight of New Year publishing stress.
But I am determined to get back on the trail.

Obama became President today.
The ceremony cost £1.2m.
And 32,000 soldiers guarded proceedings.
2m watched, the live eyes of 83% of Americans who are happy about it.

He's got to sort out Gaza, Iran, the economy of the entire world and not getting himself shot.

And I thought I was busy.

Monday, January 05, 2009

CYCLING: Poshing it up in the Peaks

Dan's blagged two posh hotels for the coming Peak District trek - the first Bike Club tour and no less.

It's just as well because the forecast for the rest of this week is sub zero.
No cold hostels for us. Not that we know fear, you understand. We are adventurers. And if we're not, we're quite, quite stupid - which, if it isn't the same is similar enough for most people not to notice.

In any case, here's to the power of the good name Time Out and Dan's cheek.

Even on the south coast the first weekend of 09 was determined to make itself notable by a heat shortage. A 20 miler at minus two gave us a reassuring insight... Well, we made it at least.

We'll breeze past the not-being-able-to-stand-for-the-rest-of-the-day issue. We'll stroll on by the ten-miles-less-than-the-shortest-of-next-weekend's-rides niggle.
We'll assume it won't rain. Prey for similarly still conditions... atop some of England's proudest lumps.

Adventure is nothing without challenge.
What's a middlands mountain bike holiday in January?

(Apologies for two lazy Peak headlines)

Friday, January 02, 2009

CYCLING: Festive unfitness Peaks at the wrong time

The Pennines are a week away and I've let myself go rather.
I'm filled with excitement and fear... and turkey and cheese.
And wine. Mostly wine.

But at least the four-day trip will be a kick start to the New Year.
Three January days in the saddle cycling up some of our country's most challenging hills. That's a resolution in itself.

You'll freeze, said Jane.
You're joking, said Dad.
Can't fucking wait, said Dan.
My thoughts lie somewhere in between the three... but I'm gripping Dan's enthusiasm with both gloved hands as if hurtling down Friston's steepest slope on an icy morning... with one eye shut.

On New Year's eve, by way of preparation, we got up at seven and went for a cloudy dawn ride over the Downs, to Butt's Brow and back along some fabulous single track. A small loop I was doing with both eyes shut in the summer.
It hurt - a lot.

Conditions were perfect; the patchy frost hardening the turf to cheat winter out of the year's last muddy morning. Even the irksome tree roots called a truce and let us through.
I wish my physical condition had allowed me to appreciate it more fully.

The last three days have been beautiful up here, said my friend.
It's a shame today is so dull.
I thought, you've been up here for three days in a row?!
Only one of us may return from the Pennines.

--

Bike Club news:
  • Two new members: Dave and Phil.
  • Two new bikes: Bought from the tip for two pounds each... with the aim of fixing up and reselling. May be highly optimistic but will give us something to work on, I figured.
  • One new frame: Also from the tip - cost £6... reason, not sure. Impulse?
  • See link left for news on Trike to Bike challenge... the Trike has arrived and will also be preened at tonight's meeting for first challenge resell.