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- Australasian Leg: Prep (4)
- Australasian Leg: Ride (1)
- Europe Leg Ride (4)
- Europe Leg: Prep (8)
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Blog
The Sky’s The Limit?
What’s the best way to get people biking? Well, if you’re a large multi-national media company looking for some self-aggrandisement, then it seems the best way to promote cycling is to get a couple of thousand possibly ill-equipped, inexperienced and ‘rusty’ bikers and stick them all together in the heart of a massive urban environment – albeit with the streets closed to (vehicle) traffic:
Well, this is where I have a problem.
This makes no sense at all to me; how does cycling with thousands and thousands of other bikes lend itself to enjoyment and discovery of cycling?? Traffic doesn’t have to mean cars, lorries and buses. It can also be a football crowd, a herd of cows or a million cyclists all vying for their 30 centimetres of elbow room. But don’t be such a killjoy I hear you cry: ‘This represents a wonderful opportunity for nervy riders to get back on their bikes and discover a love of cycling’.
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Return of the Mac / PC
Funny things computers. They’re a bit like our own bodies: we don’t realise how much we take them for granted until they start to fall to pieces. My faithful laptop (recovered from a skip 2 years ago and nursed back to health) caught a vile infection and went to sleep for the very last time. So, I’ve been without the means to add to the blog for the last month. The process of recovering the harddrive files (immense thanks to my cousin Mike – a true gentleman scholar), reconstructing damaged php and html files and buying a new computer has all taken its time. But I’m back now and hope to continue in earnest on the blog and website. See you soon!
“If I grew up on a farm, and was retarded*, Bruges might impress me but I didn’t, so it doesn’t.”
Well unlike the quote from Ray (* The most politically incorrect character of all time) in the film ‘In Bruges’, I didn’t grow up on a farm either, but Bruges did impress me. A very beautiful, tranquil place with several fantastic restaurants and bars. The ride from Kent to Bruges was 79.94 miles long and had me arriving just before dark into the centre of Bruges. A very tough ride due to a strong headwind and my lack of fitness!
I cycled along bike paths next to canals, and also near to the coast for large sections of the ride but these were surprisingly quite dull to cycle along. The flat, featureless and windswept roads have reinforced my love of biking in the mountains. In the mountains, all the effort you put in is rewarded with at least two priceless things: Potential energy and fantastic views! There are no free miles on the flat, and the wind will take and take, and give nothing back in return.
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My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium…
Well, it looks increasingly likely that the Euro Leg of the ‘Continental Cycle Climb Challenge’ is going to have to be postponed. It’s still snowing in the Sierra Nevada, and there’s little point in heading down there only to be frustrated at not reaching the top of the ‘Veleta’. I reckon that I’ll probably wait until mid-August/ early September now.
In the meantime, it gives me the chance to make better preparations than those made so far; coming off the back of a ridiculously cold and long winter. Last week I totally stripped down the bike. After a little online retail therapy, it’s been built back up now with a spanking new rear-cassette, rear-derailleur, chain, chain-ring and crank arms and all new cables (inners and outers). Scotty’s not looked so good since I bought it almost 5 years ago (for £275!). That bike’s been thrashed to pieces and doesn’t owe me a single penny…
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The best laid schemes o’ bikes an’ men
Erm. How can I put this? Looks most likely that I will have to postpone the European leg of the challenge, even though it is now only 12 days away. A strange sense of foreboding came over me the other day, in which I casually asked myself the question, “You will be able to actually get to the top of the Veleta in March… won’t you?” Well, I’m not so sure now, and several days of trying desperately to find stories of successful climbs of the Veleta in March have been sadly lacking.
I thought that I was being quite clever by attempting the Veleta in March, as the flights were cheap, the heat of Southern Spain wouldn’t have cranked up yet – and the snows of winter would have started to melt.
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Elvis has left the bikeshop
I’ve been working on the website today (an unending task), and had a panicked moment when looking at the countdown clock to the start of the European Leg.
T-minus 20 days to a serious amount of climbing, mileage and pain.
I was asked by a good friend recently, “So what’s the best preparation for climbing up the highest road in Europe?” I’d have to say that it’s best if you eat loads and loads of pies, crisps, sausages, double-oatcakes with cheese and bacon and plenty of lasagne.
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