The Massive MTBer (Don't ever stop.)

BIG NEWS FOLKS! I'VE MOVED!

2010-08-19T08:54:00.001+01:00

You can now find me here...

http://www.massivemtber.co.uk/

It'll be while before I've finished the Wordpress site with widgets, plugins and such like, but daily updates will be there from now on. There will be no more Blogger updates here!

Thanks for visiting this past year, I look forward to seeing you on my new site.

Cheers

Clive

Cardiff...

2010-08-19T06:31:00.000+01:00

I have to go to Cardiff today for a meeting. So the internal combustion engine it is.

Last day at work until next Tuesday too! Whoop whoop!

Yesterday's pedal home was a standard job, nothing to report.

Stats here:

Started: 18 Aug 2010 15:00:09
Ride Time: 46:53
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.82 miles
Average: 14.55 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 43.13 miles/h
Climb: 387 feet
Calories: 701

Not very fast, a pig of a headwind to push against...

Standard pedal.

2010-08-18T07:08:00.000+01:00

Came in on my road bike this morning, mainly because I didn't get up on time to be here if I came via the towpath. Bad skills!

I pedalled over Frankley Beeches and via Harbourne. Lights on too. Felt pretty good, the hills on route get dealt with fairly quickly for a 46 year old fat bloke, so happy days.

Stats here:
Started: 18 Aug 2010 05:35:37
Ride Time: 33:24
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.89 miles
Average: 16.75 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 30.94 miles/h
Climb: 112 feet
Calories: 730

Yesterday's pedal home was the canal, NCR5 and a quick spin round the Lickey's, 'cos I could!

The towpath through Birmingham City Centre at Brindley Place was rammed with pedestrians so it was a go slow through there with plenty of "Excuse me's" shouted out. It was pretty wet too, me and the bike were pretty filthy on arrival ay home, that dirty my daughter Fay wanted a picture of me.

It doesn't show it too well there but I was covered in towpath grime and mud. The Ridgeback will need a bloody good clean on Friday!

Stats here:

Started: 17 Aug 2010 14:59:11
Ride Time: 1:11:34
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 16.16 miles
Average: 13.03 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 23.88 miles/h
Climb: 299 feet
Calories: 888

A change is as good as a rest...

2010-08-17T06:59:00.000+01:00

This morning was the first commute in when It was dark when I started out and I needed my lights on. Bummer, that means Autumn is nearly here.

I also decided to commute in on NCR 5 and the canal for a change. I've been road biking a lot recently and my Ridgeback has been pining to be given some playtime. Plus I get so sick of bloody roads, give me a trail or a towpath anyday!

I've said it before, but changing your commute and or changing the bike you pedal is massively important to keep things fresh. I know I'm lucky to have a choice of bikes and other people haven't got that luxury. But boredom is one of the enemies for a constant commuter and if you're doing it for weight loss you need to keep doing it!

The pedal in was great though, enjoyed being on the canal and the solitude, as usual I never saw a soul which was great.

My body is feeling fine still after the 100 miler which in all fairness is a bit of a surprise to me. I was expecting to suffer for the century. But I guess my post ride stretches and recovery ride yesterday have all helped my cause. Looking forward to the 113 miler to the coast in Wales in 2 weeks now!

Stats for this morning's commute:

Started: 17 Aug 2010 05:14:59
Ride Time: 1:05:18
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 16.26 miles
Average: 14.98 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 41.95 miles/h
Climb: 33 feet
Calories: 641

First Century since 1983...

2010-08-16T09:36:00.002+01:00

I was awake at 0340hrs to the tuneful screaming of the Spawn of Satan. I quickly got dressed and was going to pile in to his room to settle him back down when he went quiet. Result. Downstairs, grabbed a bit of brekkie and packed my sandwiches and was off!

Lights on my bike for the first time since March/April, didn't like that.

Anyway, off down towards Solihull then Catherine De Barnes. No problems, no traffic apart from the odd mini cab bringing late Saturday night clubber's home. Got waved at by a young bloke staggering home down Seven Star Road which made me laugh.

Got to Meriden in good time. Meriden is famous in Cycling circles as the very centre of England, it's a bit of a mecca apparantly according to my Dad who used to pedal a lot.

There's a memorial there to cyclists killed in both World Wars.

Ok it was dark and I knew the photo would be crap, but I had to take a snap of the memorial with my bike parked up there. I'm sure Google will provide a better image.

Onwards then to potentially the worst part of the ride, that of skirting Coventry on the A45. Not pleasant.

But because of the hour and the day, there were very few tin boxes trying to kill me.

Pedalled past the old Peugeot works at Ryton on Dunsmore which is now a flattened derelict site, yet another example of the death of British manufacturing, even though it was a French company, but you know what I mean...quite sad.

Then it was the start of the Fosse Way.

It was more lumpy than I remember from back in the day, lots of ups and downs, a bit like a roller coaster, nothing hard though.

The minute I saw my first Cotswold Stone house...

The road went up alarmingly, ahh, that'd be the Cotswold Hills then.

Next stop the end of the Fosse Way at 53 miles in for me and still feeling ok. The village of Halford.

A turn off right here and head towards Bidford on Avon via the leafy lanes of Warwickshire and the village of Mickleton. A bit of my route actually took in a bit of NCR5 which JB must have pedalled back in April.

I stopped at Mickleton for my jam sandwiches and a bloody good drink. I was starting to feel it now. Nothing serious but I knew I'd done a distance.

Sandwich stop at Mickleton.

Then it was a belt along through Honeybourne and past Bidford Gliding Club to get to my 20 minute rest stop at Bidford by the River Avon.

I left Bidford at about 0910hrs which is about 70 miles in on the ride. This was going to be the tester. It was all uphill and a headwind started up the minute I crossed the river. Great!

I was now seriously tired, up until Bidford my average speed was 16.9 mph, which I thought wasn't bad. I knew it wouldn't be that when I got back!

I got to Astwood Bank just outside Redditch after a real struggle getting out of the Avon Valley, and got to the traffic lights at the village centre. I went to unclip as the lights were on red and my left calf cramped up so much I couldn't get my foot out of the pedal and I nearly toppled over like a SPD newbie! Just saved it! Time for a refuel then. I parked up at the service station just over the lights and had a Mars Bar and a bottle of Lucazade and had a walk around the forecourt while I refuelled. I also answered a text of support off Matty Lad while I was there! Oh and thanks for the Tweets too, they did help!

Next up Redditch, not a great place to pedal through, or motorbike through, I saw a bike on its side by the big island, it's actually on the footage on the film below. The motorbiker was ok as I saw him walking around picking bits of his bike up with the car driver who I assumed was involved in the accident too. Haven't a clue what happened.

Out the other side of Redditch and pedalled towards the village of Beoley, which meant going up Church Hill. My first granny ring climb. very tired now, thoughts of walking up the hill started to enter my head. But I didn't.

Then the other side of Beoley was my first problem with navigation. I knew I had to turn left to get over to the Wast Hills, and I knew I was roughly where I should be turning left so I went for it at the next left which was worryingly sign posted Carpenter's Hill. I never saw any wood workers, but I definately saw a hill! Another Granny ring battle that was that steep that I had to get out of the saddle to force my way up. My rear tyre kept spinning out too as the ground was that slippy with leaves. When the rear wheel span out I sat down to try to regain traction, which then meant I couldn't pedal strongly enough! Doh! I got there though and at the top was a group of cyclists doing a spot of map reading. After relating my story of the hill I'd just come up, they decided that was the way they were going. Good skills, I'd have sooner gone down it!

That was my last stop, plain sailing (relatively) home. Apart from a painful right knee and aching shoulders I was pretty much ok.

My cycling bits were fine, legs, cardio vas, gentleman's area etc. It was as usual all my old rugby and army injuries giving me grief.

I was out for 7 and a half hours for 106 miles.

Average speed ended up at 14.7 mph.

Maximum speed was 41mph.

The stats are off my cycling computer as my Iphone's battery wouldn't have lasted the course.

Video below, motorbike crash at 2 mins 50 secs in:

This morning I got up and did a recovery ride of just 11 odd miles. All low gear easy spinning. No rush. The objective was to get any remaining lactic acid out of my legs to promote recovery and stop any cramping. I did a lot of calf, quad and hamstring stretches yesterday afternoon as I could feel my legs starting to tighten.

Stats here:

Started: 16 Aug 2010 06:58:29

Ride Time: 52:37

Stopped Time: 0:00

Distance: 11.18 miles

Average: 12.75 miles/h

Fastest Speed: 38.64 miles/h

Climb: 217 feet

Calories: 531

Route here:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100816-0658.kml

Hopefully that's the August 150 kicked into touch now. I make it I've done 157 leisure miles.

My final thoughts on the pedal is that it was nowhere near as bad as I feared. Maybe I'm fitter than I thought. Or I'd just got my head around doing the distance.

What I would say is that if you fancy doing a 100 then do it, you're obviously ready as you're thinking about it!

100 miler done.

2010-08-15T18:51:00.002+01:00

Feel ok, legs a bit tired, I'll write up the gory details tomorrow!

Food for free.

2010-08-14T08:52:00.000+01:00

We're off down the canal in Stoke Prior today armed with loads of bags to get fruit and veg. There's Damsons, Plums, Apples, Horseradish, Water Cress, Blackberries, Raspberries, Sorrell and God knows what else!

Wifey is going to be busy, Jam, Chutney and soup making for her then!

Luckily the Middlesex Sevens is on tele today and I can watch that when she's creating. Looking forward to it, Hunty and Brakey are playing for Northampton, they're 2 players from my club who are on loan to them for the competition. It's being played at Twickenham, arguably the best stadium in England. It's a very big annual rugby event. It's an excuse for piss up truth be told, but there's some good rugby on show too with a ruck of internationals taking part.

The weather is set fair and my bike and kit is all ready to go for the 100 miler tomorrow. Just want to get it done now.

Watch out for Tweets tomorrow.

A slight change of plan...

2010-08-13T07:11:00.003+01:00

Apologies if you're expecting Tweets from the Fosse Way or Bidford on Avon and a delayed Blog. But I have an excuse...

My rear tyre was flat when I got my bike out this morning. Upon inspection when I removed the tyre I found this. As you can see the weld that joins the valve to the tube has totally failed and is totally irrepairable. In all my years of cycling man and boy I've never seen that before.

I fitted the spare but obviously that leaves me without a change of tube for the rest of the ride. So I made a command decision and postponed the 100 miler until Sunday. I'll get a replacement tube (or 2) today.

I suppose going Sunday has its advantages. Less traffic around Coventry and to be fair it is threatening rain here and around the 100 miler route today. While I have no issues pedalling in the rain, I'm not completely stupid as it is nicer not to have to!

Apologies then for the false start. A bit disappointed truth be told.

Still going to the Dodford later though!

Just found this over at Placid Casual another Blog I follow. The bloke is a great photographer and a really serious cyclist, I love reading his thoughts. They're always out of the ordinary not like my cliche ridden ramblings.

But check this photo out:

If you remember my Blog about the Solihull lady that was sadly killed time trialling recently on the A46 in Warwickshire, the photo above is a good example of that type of road. In fact as Placid Casual is a Leicestershire lad it might be the A46!

While I fully support the running of events on the public road I really must question the wisdom of doing it in those conditions pictured above. Surely a bit of common sense must take over here? Relying on the good graces of car drivers just isn't an option, as I know only too well!

Stand by!

2010-08-12T06:45:00.000+01:00

The waiting is nearly over thankfully, I couldn't sleep last night for thinking about tomorrow's self imposed task.

Will I get up on time?

Will my couple of bananas for brekky and a coffee do me until my first scheduled stop?

Will just a T Shirt for a top do for the ride?

What if my map reading skills go pear shaped?

What if I have a major mechanical?

Etc etc etc...

This isn't such a bad thing, for me the above behaviour means I care, not that I'm nervous, I just want to crack on now.

For those of you interested I'll Tweet my progress at my scheduled stops:

When I get on to the Fosse Way.

At Bidford on Avon.

At Redditch.

Then obviously when I get home.

I'll do my best to take photos, but I'm terrible for taking pictures during a job like this, I get pretty focussed and never want to stop, so please bear with me! As for filming, I'll have my Muvi on but it's capacity is limited so it'll get used as and when. Or maybe never, dunno yet.

I'm not certain when I'll blog about it, depends on how I feel tomorrow so it may be Saturday.

Whatever happens I'll be at the Dodford for a couple of well deserved ales tomorrow evening!

Another meeting!

2010-08-11T07:00:00.002+01:00

Have you ever noticed that when you go to Head Office for a meeting then people you very rarely see or even know what you do suddenly think their job depends entirely on what you do and they need a meeting with you too?

That happened to me yesterday. I have to go to HQ again today, this time for a "chat" (read meeting) with our standards and auditing Manager to go through bureaucratic nonsense.

We all know (if you're involved with it) that ISO's or BS whatevers are not worth the paper they're written on in the real world and they're process placebos for the mentally infirm or easily impressed.

As it happens I always keep my departments documentation and auditable trail bang up to date and accessable to anyone. So this meeting will be another 2 hours of my life I can't get back for no good reason. Hence I'm in the car again! I don't know why (as I told him yesterday) he just can't go onto our network drive which is where I keep all the bumf and go through it with out me. It's all self explanitory...

Anyway, onto bikes.

I gave my Giant a bloody good clean and lube yesterday evening in preparation for the 100 miler on Friday. I also got my clothes ready and I even cleaned my cycling shoes which were showing the evidence of Waseley Hill mud from Saturday.

There she is in all her glory. I also fitted the new Crudracer front tail piece which Crud sent through to me for the price of a stamp. Good service. Very impressed!

I'm now on Twitter too, that Joby is a bloody nag!

You can find me under the catchy title of CliveBees. That's the result of me having to think quickly about a user name when all of the names I normally use had gone. Bees is my Rugby Club just in case you hadn't worked it out!

I don't know how much I'll be using it, but it's there now anyway. I'll also have to work out how to link it to my Blog. Doh! Damn this interweb thingy!

A bigger carbon footprint...

2010-08-10T07:10:00.001+01:00

I'm in the car today, I have a site visit and a meeting over at HQ.
Plus I'll be in the car on Thursday as I have my biggest ever ride planned for Friday. A 100 miler.

Route here:

I haven't ridden that far since me and my brother did 125 miles to our family's holiday caravan in Tywyn in Gwynedd in the 80's. I'm not going for a time with this route though, just aiming to get round.

I was going to do it on Saturday but that's when Wifey and I will be celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary so I changed it to Friday. The only slight downer is I'll be up much earlier to get past the traffic around Coventry before the rush hour.

I don't doubt I'll do it and it'll be good practice for a fortnight's time when I'll be re-creating the holiday ride, Wifey and the kids will drive to my folks bungalow in the evening (my folks are away on a cruise celebrating their 50th aniversary) and I will pedal there aiming to arrive late afternoon.

Hmmm, 6 mile park and ride commute a year ago, to 2 100 milers in a fortnight now...Gulp...

Dinosaur day out...

2010-08-09T08:23:00.000+01:00

Enjoyed the thing at Redditch yesterday, as did wifey, the kids and Mum in Law.

A few piccies:

Spawn of Satan scaring a terrible lizard.

I said to him "Look up!"

Fay with a lizard.

Me with a corn snake.

Dan with the Tortoise.

The plaque for the needle works.

The needle works water wheel.

Dan on the Dino slide.

Mum in Law did a fabulous picnic and the weather was really good. Today we're off over the hills for bimble and to get the kids knackered then probably off to do a bit of shopping.

Kid's Sunday.

2010-08-08T07:44:00.002+01:00

Today we're off to Redditch to take the kids (and Mum in Law) to this.

Should be a giggle.

I'm getting Sunday Dinner sorted soon. Chicken done in a chicken brick today.

It makes a lovely gravy (sauce) as well as keeps the chicken very moist. The best bit is that you can bung everything in it, chuck the oven on low and then bugger off all day and you come back to a fabulous meal without having to do anything but serve it. Plus the smell when you open the front door is ace!

Lazy man's cooking. Works for me!

Finally, finishing off on a sad note, just read this on Bikeradar. I know the roads around there very well, indeed I'll be pedalling them next Saturday if everything goes according to plan. The A46 especially is a like a motorway in all but name. A dual carriageway where the traffic regularly goes over the national speed limit. The lanes around Bidford and Salford Priors are very narrow but can get very busy due to all of the pretty villages and access to the River Avon. My thoughts and condolences go out to her family and friends.

Everyone be careful out there.

A Waseley kind of Saturday...

2010-08-07T15:11:00.002+01:00

I was up a bit later than planned and got my arse on my MTB and headed over the Waseley Hills. The intention wasn't so much as to go for a bloody good pedal, but to try my film kit out. Especially the camcorder.

The route started just over the road from where I live at the playing fields which leads into the fields and a track that gets you up the Waseleys without having to ride on the road.

I turned my helmet cam on when I got to the bridleway at the start of the climb. A brief few minutes of panting and I arrived at the woods where it was quiet with no-one else around. Good. Ideal for leaving my camcorder unattended while I ride through a few shots then.

The US Army ammo pouch was working well letting me have quick access to the camcorder and holding the kit securely while I was pedalling.

While I was finding a suitable tree to stick my camcorder on to film I saw this disused birds nest. Obviously abandoned due to how low it was in the tree.

Camera set up then ride through, which I did a few times. I tried to get the film to reflect the trail through the woods, then over the top of the hill with Worcestershire blasting out into the distance westwards.

The weather was always threatening to rain and indeed it did drizzle a few times which concerned me as the camcorder is not waterproof.

I did cut the ride short as it started to belt down, so the Lickeys didn't get a visit and I just stayed on the Waseleys. I did a measely 5 miles. Not exactly an epic!

I took this at the start of the Waseley bridleway, I guess the sign is a giveaway! I must just quickly mention that this was my first ride of my Marin with disc brakes. They are certainly the way forward for stopping a rolling mass like me. Absolutely brilliant!

Anyway back home and downloaded the stills and footage. Then onto editing!

OH...MY...GOD! How hard is this! It's now 1500hrs and I've just finished.

The main problem was that my Samsung Camcorder delivers its footage in .MP4 format which Windows Movie Maker doesn't like, so I had to convert the .MP4 files into .WMV files which didn't half ruin the quality. As you'll see it's a bit pants but I guess you have start somewhere.

The Muvi helmet cam produces .AVI which is ok to edit.

Enough of my talking it down, here it is my first proper effort at filming with a camcorder and helmet cam. It's bloody hard!

Any advice for editing MP4 to retain the quality would be greatly appreciated (Bruce).

My photography/film kit.

2010-08-06T08:21:00.000+01:00

I'm very keen on taking photos and recording video footage when I ride. It makes the ride even more fun and of course provides a record of events.

Tomorrow I'm going to try something new for me, that of taking a dedicated camcorder as well as my usual helmet cam and stills camera.

Here is the camcorder mounted on my Gorillapod.

I'm carrying it in this.

Which is attached to my Camelbac waiststrap like this:

The pouch is an old US Army Alice ammo pouch I used back in the day as the US army ammo pouches were far superior to ours at the time.

You could get at your weapon magazines very quickly! Which was nice...

Here's a photo of me at Grafenwher training area in Bavaria during the build up to Gulf War 1. We were training with the US Army doing familiarisation stuff. You can see the very pouch just below my left hand.

As well as the stills camera and my camcorder there's the usual Muvi helmet cam set up. The camera itself is taped into the bracket for extra security as you can see below.

As always the Devil is in the detail and a good video is only as good as the bloke filming, photographing and editing.

I hope I can get somewhere near this which is Bruce over at Coastrider's finest hour. His edited 3 minute version of this film has recently won an award!

I doubt my effort from over the Lickey's tomorrow will be that good. But at least I'll be learning!

Long weekend...

2010-08-05T07:30:00.002+01:00

Last day here in sunny Smethwick until Tuesday. I've got a long weekend every weekend now until September. This is because Wifey needs reinforcements in looking after the kids while school is out. Well really it's looking after the Spawn of Satan, Fay more or less pleases herself now, but Dan is still Dan and needs the full battery of parenting skills from both me and wifey to cope with him.

I'm hoping that I can get a MTB ride in over the Lickeys on Saturday. That's the plan anyway.

No rain this morning, which is good and I flew in the City Centre route with no dramas at all.

Stats here:
Started: 5 Aug 2010 05:35:18
Ride Time: 36:18
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.81 miles
Average: 16.16 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 31.60 miles/h
Climb: 108 feet
Calories: 627

Yesterday's pedal home was a good one too. I'm still feeling pretty strong.

Stats here:
Started: 4 Aug 2010 15:00:41
Ride Time: 41:49
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.78 miles
Average: 14.43 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 34.76 miles/h
Climb: 308 feet
Calories: 716

Ray over at DC Rainmaker is running another giveaway, go and have a nose here.

No pedal tomorrow as I'll be Duct taping Dan into his chair. MTB write up Saturday all things being equal.

Rain rain go away...

2010-08-04T07:13:00.002+01:00

It's absolutely chucking it down here, I got totally saturated this morning. Just as well it ain't cold. I don't bother with a waterproof in the summer 'cos you get just as wet through sweat anyway. I'd sooner stay a bit cooler. But that's just me.

Add on the fact that I probably needed to turn my lights on as well made it a tad depressing. It seems we're hurtling headlong towards the end of the summer and the dark mornings again.

I think I'll be using my lights next week. Terrible thought.

Onto the positives, I felt pretty good and did a reasonable time over Frankley Beeches.

Stats here:

Started: 4 Aug 2010 05:40:35
Ride Time: 34:44
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.81 miles
Average: 16.07 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 30.20 miles/h
Climb: 630 feet
Calories: 615

The pedal home yesterday afternoon was pretty good too, apart from this, I was doing about 25mph at the time:

Stats here:

Started: 3 Aug 2010 11:57:16
Ride Time: 47:02
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.61 miles
Average: 14.26 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 34.74 miles/h
Climb: 453 feet
Calories: 804

Oh, and apologies for the profanity...

Good video on the Beeb.

2010-08-03T11:08:00.000+01:00

Check this out!

And you thought your commute could be tough!

Lordy Lordy...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/8844460.stm

Giant Defy milestone...

2010-08-03T07:36:00.000+01:00

When I got in today and did my normal cycle Computer reset stuff I noticed that my road bike has broken a 1000 miles and is now residing on the figure of 1003 miles.

It seems like only yesterday that I had it (February 25th) and had to get used to a road bike all over again and put up with the battering it gave me, but I'm now completely au fait with the spindly beast and have a couple of good days out planned on the thing this month.

The bits'n'pieces that I've done to it since I've had it, Brooks Saddle, new bar tape, cool saddle bag, 23mm tyres and Crud Roadracers all seem to be doing the job and making my road bike life all that bit easier.

Although on the Roadracer front I noticed this at the weekend maintenance session.

The flap at the bottom of the front mudguard seems to be AWOL. I can actually be pretty certain when this happened.

Last week at a junction I had to dodge past some cars at a very slow speed and my foot caught the front wheel when I was turning into the junction. The mudguard was rubbing after that and I gave it a thump to re-seat it. I'll bet the thing fell off then. I'll drop Crud an email today to see if they can send me a replacement.

Today's pedal was the City Centre route, nothing to report much like yesterday's pedal home.

I am feeling pretty strong at the moment and I can certainly feel like I'm improving all the time. Sunday's 35 miler didn't affect my legs one bit when I was expecting to feel it a tad.

Pedal to work:

Started: 3 Aug 2010 05:38:39

Ride Time: 38:46

Stopped Time: 0:00

Distance: 11.71 miles

Average: 16.95 miles/h

Fastest Speed: 35.91 miles/h

Climb: 180 feet

Calories: 618

Yesterday's pedal home:

Started: 2 Aug 2010 15:04:14

Ride Time: 42:25

Stopped Time: 0:00

Distance: 11.92 miles

Average: 14.76 miles/h

Fastest Speed: 34.87 miles/h

Climb: 266 feet

Calories: 860

New Bikeradar Blog here.

Another Smethwick Monday...

2010-08-02T06:54:00.000+01:00

After the excitement of yesterday, normal service is resumed. The road bike is deployed for the commute and after a bit of a struggle getting my lazy arse out of bed I managed a not very quick trip in.

Stats here:

Started: 2 Aug 2010 05:49:52
Ride Time: 38:18
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.73 miles
Average: 14.46 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 30.43 miles/h
Climb: 138 feet
Calories: 569

But at least I was still out of the saddle going for it over Frankley Beeches, which I can now do all of out of the saddle. Which is nice.

Still buzzing from yesterday truth be told...

A good pedal today. Part 2.

2010-08-01T16:06:00.004+01:00

Then a surprise, Wilksee needed to check fly the C42 after a bit of work had been done to it and asked me if I wanted to accompany him! Too bloody right! A year ago I wouldn't have been able to, but after my weight loss I was just on the limit for the aircraft, so off we went!

That'd be me taxiing the aircraft then!

Wilksee amazed me by giving me some instruction and letting me taxi the plane to the runway, what a buzz!

He wanted me to do the take off too, but he's probably a bit more practiced so I insisted he got us airbourne!

Up and away!

Then more surprises, "You have control" said wilksee, I flew the whole circuit!

Me flying the C42.

Wilksee in his natural habitat.

Do I look like I know what I'm doing?

All too soon it was time to come down. I let Wilksee handle the getting down part!

I switched on my Cycle app for the hop. Route here:

http://j.mp/bOW4lW

Started: 1 Aug 2010 09:55:13

Ride Time: 29:31
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 13.56 miles
Average: 27.57 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 49.72 miles/h
Climb: 1909 feet

We had to crack on now, so said our goodbyes to Wilksee and the good folk at Hadair.

A massively enjoyable morning there, if ever you're in the Midlands and fancy a trip, look them up and tell Wilksee I sent you, I might get another freebie!

Me and Ski pedalled back via Churchill and Belbroughton where we stumbled upon this:

A more English scene you couldn't wish for, me and Ski both love our Cricket so we stopped for a drink break to take in a few overs. The game was Belbroughton v Alvechurch with a couple of very good young Cricketers on show. It's good to see clubs investing in their future.

All to soon it was time to tackle the last stage. The hills. Ski very graciously offered to let me crack on, but that's not how we do things so I waited for him at the top of every climb.

A final downhill to home and we were done. A brilliant morning!

A good pedal today. Part 1.

2010-08-01T15:39:00.004+01:00

Went for a bimble today over to Halfpenny Green Airfield which is t'other side of Stourbridge with my mate Ski.

There was a good reason to go as it's roughly a 35 mile round trip and we'd get a brew as my old MTB mukka from back in the day Steve Wilkes (He's known to all as Wilksee) is a flying instructor there and runs his own flying school which is called Hadair, which is a pun on had hair as Wilksee is now as bald as a coot!

We set off about 0730hrs to get there for about 0900hrs. Wilksee is a notorious latey so his "I'll be there at 0830hrs" was taken with the usual large pinch of salt.

Route here:

The pedal started out over Romsley Hill and then flew down rather rapidly down to the main Hagley Road which took us eventually through Stourbridge towards Enville and the airfield.

At the top of the first proper climb of the day was where predictably Wilksee met us in his car. Running late as usual. He very kindly offered to give us a lift to the airfield but we did the honourable thing and refused him and pedalled there instead. I'm sure Ski wanted a lift!

Ski in road mode.

After the encounter with Wilksee we got to the airfield after another 20 minutes of pedalling.

Wilksee's C42 Aircraft

Ski's Top Gun moment...

Wilksee's Flex wing aircraft.

My commuter parked up.

Ski taking 5.

Wilksee immediately put us to work opening the aircraft and doing helping do pre flight checks. Like we know what the hell we were doing! Obviously properly supervised of course!

We had a brew then and took 5 minutes, refilled our water bottles and then thought about buggering off back to my house.

Broken the 5 stone barrier!

2010-07-31T07:36:00.003+01:00

I had my monthly weigh in yesterday and saw the cracking of the 5 stone lost barrier, well chuffed to say the least. My only slight annoyance was that I didn't do well enough to see the figure 16 stones on the scales, they read 17 stones 1Ib. Ah well, all things being equal I'll see that at my next monthly weigh in.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect to be honest, I'd had pretty much 2 weeks off the bike this month, 1 through a scheduled rest period and the other an enforced lay off due to my little contretemps with the car, the tarmac and the kerb.

But to offset that, this week has been brilliant, a full 5 days commuting pedalling, really good with my grub and I've been noticing my clothes have been getting baggier.

But as we all know, you can never be sure until you step on the instrument of truth.

So the weekend. Usual stuff I think, get my bike de-gunked, keep the kids occupied and try to get some downtime in. The Dodford beckons this afternoon.

Oh yeah, I'm off on a little pedal tomorrow morning with my mate Ski. Report on that in due course.

Must take time out too to big up Matt over at the Weighty Biker, take a bimble over there and have a read of his day yesterday.

A hell of a pedal yesterday mate, really well done, I hope that's shown you what we all knew you were capable of. Top going feller!

Oh and get your arse out of bed earlier so you can pedal further! HaHa!

Yesterday's pedal home was a routine Frankley Beeches trip if pretty slow, I hate headwinds! Added to the fact I was carrying a fully loaded daysack which I plonked on the scales and it came in at a bloody horrible 35Ibs, no wonder, that would have been like pedalling for me back around Christmas!

Stats here:

Started: 30 Jul 2010 11:55:22
Ride Time: 48:14
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.56 miles
Average: 13.90 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 32.73 miles/h
Climb: 367 feet
Calories: 822

5 days on the bike!

2010-07-30T07:28:00.003+01:00

Chuffed to bits, a whole 5 days cycle commuting, it doesn't happen too often for general annoying "life" type reasons so when it does I'm a very happy chappy!

This morning's pedal in was brilliant, the only downer was I wished I'd stopped to photograph the beautiful sunrise, the light beating down on Clent and Romsley Hills in the distance from my vantage point at the top of Frankley Beeches was simply stunning, the landscape was bathed in a soft golden light that was heart meltingly gorgeous. It looked like some Special Effects wizard had put a filter on a camera. Marvelous!

Seeing stuff like that is one of the reasons why I pedal, whizzing along in a car on the motorway and I would've missed that.

I must address the "I've gotta get there" thing though. It's not the destination, it's the journey! Why couldn't I stop and take a picture, 30 seconds out of the pedal that's all it would have been?

I'm weird...

Stats here:
Started: 30 Jul 2010 05:38:47
Ride Time: 33:45
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.80 miles
Average: 17.36 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 38.82 miles/h
Climb: 226 feet
Calories: 467

Yesterday's pedal home was a good one too, nothing to report so no vids.

Stats here:

Started: 29 Jul 2010 15:03:47
Ride Time: 42:01
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.60 miles
Average: 14.99 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 37.53 miles/h
Climb: 292 feet
Calories: 889

Going back to when I started pedalling the whole way to and from work, you may remember I had a Nemesis on my route home, that of "Cock Hill". Named after the Cock Pub that sits at the top.

Now it's not very long, probably 300 metres, maybe a tad more, but it is steep.

My first sojourn up there involved the Granny Gear on my MTB commuter, all evening to do it in and team of Paramedics at the top.

Now I fly up it (relative term for a fat bloke) in the big ring on my Road Bike in no time at all and feel pretty good at the top.

The name Cock Hill no longer suits it. Remember your school days? The term "Cock of the School" meant the toughest lad in the school and one you never messed with. I always thought of the name Cock Hill in those terms. The toughest hill and one you never messed with. And if you did you'd end up with a kicking.

Now I always give it a kicking and as such I need a new name for it. One that is more appropriate.

Any suggestions?

Oh, and I'm more than aware that "cock" has infinite opportunities for the usual suspects to fill their boots!

A grey day...

2010-07-29T06:54:00.001+01:00

It seems like we had our summer in June. But having ridden through last winter, the worst one in a generation, a bit of grey damp weather ain't a problem.

I felt a bit stonger this morning, which was nice after yesterday's crappy form, and I bowled in on the City Centre route. Nothing at all to report other than a Belgique HGV passing a tad too close than was comfortable. But hey, I'm still here!

Oh, and every flinkin' blippin' traffic light was on red! Grrr!

Stats:
Started: 29 Jul 2010 05:37:48
Ride Time: 39:18
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.34 miles
Average: 15.78 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 30.82 miles/h
Climb: 141 feet
Calories: 566

Yesterday's pedal home was the usual affair, other than I must mention a very nice car driver who stayed behind me all the way through Harbourne rather than squeeze an overtake in. He passed me when he could use the other lane completely. He got a thumbs up and a wave from me. Top bloke. I overtook him again at the main junction I filter through at Selly Oak. Which proves that forcing your way past bikes in town doesn't get you very far!

I'm including this video as an example of a pedestrian who doesn't look. Although it's not too clear in the video, she was was much closer to me than it looks and the expression of hatred, yes hatred, she gave me when I tried to pedal around her was something to behold!

Stats here:
Started: 28 Jul 2010 15:03:25
Ride Time: 43:45
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.86 miles
Average: 14.43 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 33.94 miles/h
Climb: 476 feet
Calories: 816

Weak the force is...

2010-07-28T07:00:00.001+01:00

Ohh, not a good pedal in, wifey woke me up at 0530hrs which is unusual and I wanted to roll over and go back to sleep.

My road bike pedal in over the Beeches was not great, my bio-rythmn's must be low. I want my bed!

I forced myself to get up out of the saddle on the climbs which took a bit of will power, but I'm here now.

Stats:
Started: 28 Jul 2010 05:42:15
Ride Time: 34:37
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.56 miles
Average: 16.17 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 33.87 miles/h
Climb: 151 feet
Calories: 554

Yesterday's pedal home was without incident, although considering the kids are off, the traffic was mightily busy as the video below shows.

Anyway, I negotiated those opportunities for suicide safely and the stats are here:

Started: 27 Jul 2010 15:03:32
Ride Time: 42:15
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.64 miles
Average: 14.84 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 31.00 miles/h
Climb: 358 feet
Calories: 922

The sun is out!

2010-07-27T08:28:00.001+01:00

Yahoo! First dry pedal in I dunno how long!

Came in over Frankley Beeches with nothing bad to report.

I was feeling pretty strong so I decided to go for it.

Stats here:
Started: 27 Jul 2010 05:40:39
Ride Time: 32:18
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.67 miles
Average: 17.22 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 44.16 miles/h
Climb: 223 feet
Calories: 651

That's not a bad average and without trawling back through old posts, I'm pretty sure that's up there as one of my quickest times, if not the quickest.

The difference being I'm up out of the saddle on all of the climbs now and down on the lower part of the drops when belting downhill.

It's hurting, but then again it's supposed to!

I'm wondering now if I have all of the traffic lights going for me whether a sub 30 in is possible?

Considering July last year a canal park and ride was taking me just short of an hour that's remarkable. You certainly couldn't do it quicker than I'm doing it now on a Bus or Train.

A video below of my pedal in this morning. I hope you enjoy the tongue in cheek soundtrack!

Last night's pedal was a standard affair but I did have two races with the same bloke on a MTB. He pulled in front of me before the hill into Northfield and to be fair to him he was going for it. I shadowed him for a couple of hundred meters then was up out of the saddle sprinting past him when he started to slow, I gave him a cheeky "All right mate" as I whizzed past him. I kept the hammer down right up until the Northfield By-Pass, that's him sorted thought I.

I got to the Black Horse traffic light's and was waiting for them to go green when I saw the same bloke fire off up Frankley Beeches Road! He must have dived over the road on the By-Pass then cut through Sainsbury's car park the cheeky git, judging by how far ahead he was, he must have gone through some red lights and then rode on the pavement!

Rightio sunshine, that's your game! When my light's went to green he was about 250 - 300 meters ahead on a slight uphill, no dramas, I buried myself and caught him at the junction by Kings Norton Golf Club. Then on the downhill towards the Dingle island I was out of the saddle again and went past him like he was standing still. I glanced at him as I went by. His look of amazement was priceless! I kept it on up the nasty little climb just before the island. I didn't see him again, and to be honest that was a good thing as I was now shot. I just bimbled the rest of the way home.

I was pretty soaked through with sweat when I got in and for the first time in ages I couldn't speak properly for a couple of minutes. Wifey wondered what the hell was wrong with me! I think I'll start calling rides like that interval training. A few minutes of extreme effort followed by a few minutes of recovery. It's got to be doing me good!

I'm still here...

2010-07-26T07:12:00.002+01:00

I thought about it and then decided bollocks, I'm doing the same route I did last Wednesday when I had my little drama. You've got to get back in the saddle and look the gits straight in the eye and say I ain't backing down!

So City Centre route it was, in the wet too. Thankfully without incident. I also got a lick on through Selly Oak too as usual, but I did keep a wary eye out when I passed Grange Road to be extra certain I wasn't going to get ambushed again.

The only incident of note was that I forgot to set my app for the stats, but my cycle computer said 38 minutes with an average of 16.2mph. I'll take that.

The dog show was a giggle yesterday, the kids had a ball and so did their parents. Although I'm not certain Benji the Pup did. He was pretty glad to be home, where he crashed out for the rest of the day.

But at his first and probably only dog show he won first prize for the dog with the saddest eyes! I didn't think they were that sad, more pissed off, but what do I know!

A photo record of the event here:

Spawn of Satan getting face painted.

Apparently that design is called a "Warg."

Dan contributing his coppers to the RSPCA, watched by Benji.

Clan Chapman waiting for Benji's big moment!

Benji doing his thing...

And coming first! Prize presented by local BRMB DJ Foxy (Don't listen to it myself).

Photo for the various web sites and newsletters. Dan, Liz and Foxy with Benji the Pup!

So a good and successful trip out for Benji, and the kids were kept busy for 2 or 3 hours. Job done.

Oh, and check this out from Gaz's site: http://theamazing39stonecyclist.wordpress.com/im-picking-a-fight

How can this be progressed?

And check this out too: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/7909808/The-bike-is-perfect-for-our-times-cheap-cheerful-and-carbon-free.html

Woof woof etc...

2010-07-25T08:31:00.000+01:00

Looking forward to the dog show today, should be a laugh. Or complete chaos, which can be a laugh anyway.

Then I'm cooking Sunday dinner. Breast of Lamb today, not an expensive or usual type of choice for Sunday roast, in fact traditionally it's a bit of a peasants cut of meat as it's so cheap. (I bought 2 massive bits yesterday that will do for 4 meals for £4.98) But it's my favourite bit of the beast. Cooked slowly, covered in mustard and a sprinkling of sugar it roasts up into sticky tender meaty heaven. Lovely.

No bikey stuff today, all done yesterday. Hope the met is ok for next week, slippy roads are not ideal on a road bike, I'll probably towpath and NCR5 it in tomorrow.

Just a small pain in the hip left now, which may be old age anyway!

Road bike sorted.

2010-07-24T12:24:00.003+01:00

Just finished doing some stuff on my road bike. It was undamaged after Wednesday's little drama.

New tyres, new mini pump a bloody good wash and lube and some new bar tape. First time ever I've done bar tape. Not as easy as you'd think, it took me two goes to get it right! Either that or I'm ham fisted!

All revved up for Monday now!

Looking forward to the weekend...

2010-07-23T08:07:00.002+01:00

Feeling less battered today, I am a notoriously fast healer, I always have been. Just as well really with my track record of injuries!

It would seem appropriate at this point that I thank you, my Dear Reader for your good wishes through this blog, Facebook messages and emails. It is much appreciated. Although the extended concern over my bike rather than me did cause me to raise the odd eyebrow. But there's always priorities!

I feel like I could actually pedal today, but as usual I have my conscience telling me otherwise, and as you know I always listen to wifey! So I'll be back Monday for a pedal. I think I might go down the towpath, I can't see a Narrowboat pulling out in front of me can you?

Things happening this weekend include, The Dodford Beer Festival which kicks off today, so me and my mate will be there this evening.

Tomorrow I'll be thoroughly checking my road bike out from Wednesday's little mishap, it appeared undamaged, but that was after a cursory glance at the side of the road while waiting for wifey to collect me.

Sunday we're off to a Dog Show in aid of the RSPCA. It's taking place at Newbrook Farm just around the corner from where we live which used to be a Prison Farm and open to the public. It was a cracking morning out wandering around looking at the animals and they had a kids section with Goats and Rabbits. Our daughter Fay loved it especially at Lambing time. But they closed it down some years back. For reasons that never became clear. Probably financial I'm guessing. Let's hope this is the start of events happening there again! We'll be taking Benji the Pup too, so chaos is pretty much guaranteed.

I'll obviously be letting you all know how it goes, have a good weekend everyone!

New Bike Radar blog here they're a bit behind sticking them up...as it were...

A bit of an incident.

2010-07-22T07:33:00.002+01:00

Sorry for my absence yesterday, but I had an excuse.

It was wet on Wednesday morning as seems to be the norm lately and I decided to ride the City Centre route in. Wet also means no helmet cam.

I was feeling good and I was getting a bit of a lick on. Out of the saddle up the hills and generally getting the impression I was on for a good time into work.

I had cleared the lights just before Selly Oak and was hammering through Selly Oak itself which is slightly downhill, so I was doing about 30mph as usual through there.

Then a car pulled out of the side road to my left right in front of me.

It was wet, I was doing 30mph, I had nowhere to go. In a split second that I don't remember consciously thinking about I tried to swerve behind him up the road he came out of...and failed. I skidded and came off, at 30mph. I bounced down the road and hit the kerb.

This time I didn't get to my feet and see if anyone saw my lack of skill. I hurt. Especially my hip and shoulder.

I lay there for a couple a seconds checking things out and then gingerly stood up. Nothing broken, good. The car had gone. He didn't stop. Obviously because he hadn't seen me. No pedestrians about either, at least my ego won't be damaged in public.

My bike was fine. I got on the phone to wifey and she collected me and the bike and then being wifey she insisted I went to the hospital where X-Rays showed I was ok.

So that was yesterday.

This morning I feel like I've played a particularly physical game of rugby. Or I've been gamboling down the Bristol Road and hitting a kerb at 30mph!

What's really pissed me off was that I felt I was starting to hit another level with my cycling performance, it was starting to come together. I felt good, I felt fit. Well, for me anyway.

I hope I can retain that feeling for next week.

Variety is the spice of life...

2010-07-20T07:08:00.000+01:00

Back to normal, the dramas of yesterday are put to bed and I pedalled in via the City Centre route for a change after all of those battles with Frankley Beeches. As I've alluded to a few times, varying my route in and home is vital for morale. I'm sure I'm like all of the cycling commuters who read this Blog in that I can remember every crack and pothole in the road on my routes. Just think what we're not remembering by remembering that sort of stuff!

It was raining again this morning, I am now resigned to getting wet every day this week looking at the met. Oh well, that's cycling! Rain means no helmet cam too.

I made a slight alteration to my road bike at the weekend too, after last weeks bout of forgetfullness re the bum bag with my tools in it I got a Topeak saddlebag, that way everything is on my bike at all times. It's big enough for a spare tube, multi tool, tyre levers, puncture repair kit, a cloth and even my mini pump!

While I was at it I put my lights back on the bike. I didn't enjoy that. That has a load of negative implications that I don't even want to think about!

Anyway, the finished article looks something like this:

Stats for the ride:

Started: 20 Jul 2010 05:41:53
Ride Time: 40:03
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.86 miles
Average: 15.51 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 46.29 miles/h
Climb: 333 feet
Calories: 592

Mucking about with my bike got me thinking. Do you ever arrive at a perfect set up for your bike? It seems to me we're always changing components, altering bits'n'pieces, tweaking this and that.

So here's the question for you.

What is the longest time your bike has stayed in one form without you mucking about with it or adding and removing stuff?

No pedal today.

2010-07-19T07:52:00.000+01:00

A bit of drama at home so I'm having to work from home. Definately back in the saddle tomorrow.

Have a good day all.

Family Sunday.

2010-07-18T15:56:00.001+01:00

As befits all family Sunday's I haven't had time to fart! I've just quite literally sat down for the first time today.

Yesterday was spent getting my bikes ready for the week ahead. I always enjoy that.

I got my MTB back from the bike shop after I pinged a spoke on the back wheel on my last MTB ride. I also had it upgraded a tad with the addition of a hydraulic disc brake on the front wheel.

As you can see it looks the business!

Cool levers.

Even cooler disc and caliper.

I then removed the old V brake bosses with a little bit of elbow grease and a Junior Hacksaw. A couple of minutes with a file, emery paper and Gloss Black enamel paint soon had an invisible modification.

The afternoon was at the swing park, it was also an opportunity to collect a load of watercress that grows in the stream next to the park.

Fay and Dan on the swing.

The evening was spent at the Dodford Inn where we had a meal to celebrate my daughter Fay's and my Mum in Law's birthday. I got on the outside of too many real ales so I deserved my thick head!

I was up early this morning as well, along with Fay, as I promised to take her shooting. I have permission to shoot over 120 acres of land near the village of Feckenham . It's my bosses land and I can come and go as I please. There is plenty of stuff to shoot for the pot, Rabbits, Pigeon, Pheasant, Deer but occasionally you draw a blank and see nothing.

Like this morning.

Never mind, but it was a good opportunity to teach her some weapon safety and markmanship principles. I suppose that's an advantage of having a Dad who was a small arms instructor in the army!

Learning about safe weapon handling is fantastic tool to teach discipline and the importance of correct procedures.

We set up a range and went through the safety drills and then covered some marksmanship principles.

I was very pleased to see she seems to have inherited the Chapman shooting gene. My Granddad was a sniper in the First World War, my Dad was also a marksman in the RAF and I was on my Regimental shooting team in Army competitions along with my brother. For a first attempt (granted it was with a scope) she achieved a brilliant grouping!

5 rounds all within the space of a 50p piece from about 75 yards! Not bad girl! But spot the flyer that went high and left, classic breathing fault...

Some local residents came over to see what we were up to!

I have some big plans for my Ridgeback commuter that I'm going to investigate tomorrow. If it's do-able I'll be telling you all about it! Actually I'll tell you all about it if it ain't!

Nothing much to say today...

2010-07-17T08:19:00.002+01:00

Sorting my bikes, getting kit ready etc etc...

A bit dull...Sorry!

Broken...

2010-07-16T06:57:00.001+01:00

Yesterday's pedal home was without doubt the worst I have endured since I started back pedalling over a year ago.

The reason was a terrific headwind, it felt like I was permanently pedalling with the brakes on. The out of the saddle blast up Frankley Beeches, while still out of the saddle was reduced to a crawl, when I had the energy to look at my computer, it read a mighty 6.3mph. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get any momentum.

The ride through Kitwell towards the end of the pedal was getting dangerous too, the wind was coming up the side roads and hitting me side on so hard it was blowing me into the middle of the road I was pedalling on. It was that hazardous at one point I seriously thought about getting off and walking!

The result of this was that I was absolutely shattered when I got home. I spent all evening trying to contribute to family life struggling to stay awake and feeling physically drained. I suppose at some level it must have done me some good though. Just can't quite work out what yet.

Stats here, and they make ugly reading:

Started: 15 Jul 2010 15:03:17
Ride Time: 59:47
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.72 miles
Average: 11.71 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 38.93 miles/h
Climb: 361 feet
Calories: 773

As predicted I'm in the car this morning as the Technophobe of a client can't get his head around a teleconference. I'm a bit pissed off as I was looking for another full weeks commute and a good night's sleep has sorted me out. Physically I could have pedalled this morning no problem.

Although I haven't mentioned it yet, I have been watching every highlights program of The Tour on ITV4 . And very enjoyable it has been too. I felt I must comment on the removal yesterday of Mark Cavendish's lead out man on Team HTC Columbia, Mark Renshaw.

I thought it was a disgraceful descision and a complete over reaction.

My take on it was that the rider who was on Renshaw's right during the final run in deliberately leaned into him to try to gain an advantage, Renshaw quite rightly was not having any of it and physically contested the road position. Here is where Renshaw made his error, he used his head to push the other rider away, that looks for all the world like a head butt which is unacceptable in any sport and looks terrible. He then made his second error, that of blocking the rider on the inside, he must have been very angry about what had happened and decided to try and stop any body from getting around him. He needn't have done that as Cav was flying and was never going to be caught, but I guess his Aussie blood was up. And having played with and against Aussies at rugby I can confirm they're all aggressive buggers!

These blokes are competing in one of the most physically demanding events in the world, they're not babies, they're highly competive athletes who enjoy a scrap or else they wouldn't be there. To remove a rider who didn't even cause the incident in the first place is a typical over reaction by officials who need to be seen to be doing the right thing. A removal of his time for the stage would have been an appropriate sanction.

But what are they doing about the rider who started it? I think I can guess.

Onto more positive tour stuff, just check this out - It's a real time web site that displays all of HTC's riders telemetry so you can see just who is putting it in and who is coasting!

I can't take credit for finding it though, Ray the tech warlock and tri-athlete over at DC Rainmaker is the man who needs to be patted on the back for his discovery. Nice one Ray.

Early senility...

2010-07-15T07:07:00.000+01:00

I had a nervous ride in this morning, even though it was a quick one, maybe because I was a tad nervous it was quick? Who knows.

Stats here:
Started: 15 Jul 2010 05:38:40
Ride Time: 32:33
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.86 miles
Average: 17.57 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 46.99 miles/h
Climb: 131 feet
Calories: 618

The reason for my nervousness, was that I got half way home yesterday and then realised I'd left my bum bag at work with all of my tools and puncture kit in there! What a knob head! As I was now not equipped for any eventuality I was absolutely certain I would have some sort of malfunction. Sod's Law works like that.

I got home ok as luck would have it.

Stats here:
Started: 14 Jul 2010 15:04:06
Ride Time: 43:02
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.72 miles
Average: 14.55 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 35.26 miles/h
Climb: 299 feet
Calories: 818

And then I decided to chance my arm this morning and go for it anyway. It was torrential rain, very windy and we all know a wet surface encourages visits off the Puncture Fairy. But it would seem the little imp is still over the pond thankfully.

I am definately back in my rythmn now, I felt properly strong (all relative of course) for the first time this week and I kind of knew riding into the car park that I'd done a quick time, all the traffic lights were green for me too which helps.

Tomorrow may be an internal combustion engine commute. I'm desparately trying to negotiate not having to go to a meeting and do it via a teleconference instead. But the bloke running the meeting is a bit old school and something of a technophobe so I ain't holding my breath!

Was that summer then?

2010-07-14T07:11:00.002+01:00

I got cold and wet on the way in this morning, although I feel my rythmn is starting to return. Another downer is that I was thinking about putting my lights back on my bike. I suppose if I'm thinking about then I ought to do it. Nothing to report incident wise, indeed, I hardly saw a soul. I came in over Frankley Beeches which is a bit of a climb, but more on that particular hill in a minute. Pig of a headwind this morning as well while I'm in the mood for moaning!

Stats here:
Started: 14 Jul 2010 05:44:16
Ride Time: 36:22
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.80 miles
Average: 16.01 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 39.18 miles/hr
Climb: 253 feet
Calories: 475

Last night's pedal home was again wet and windy and I took the route over Frankley Beeches, as I alluded to earlier. While it is quite a short climb in relative terms it is still very steep, I'm guessing 1 in 10 in places and a huge challenge for me. But last night I big ringed it out of the saddle all the way over the thing! I was absolutely chuffed to Naafi Break's and more than a little surprised! Where the hell did that come from? I was grinning like an idiot for the rest of the pedal home.

Just to test it wasn't a fluke I tried it over the other side into work this morning, it's a bit steeper but a bit shorter from my side over there and the steepness won, I had to sit down about 30 metres from the top. I'd completely blown! But, usually I sit and spin on the granny ring when tackling The Beeches. I'll be having another go at cresting the summit from my side out of the saddle tomorrow morning.

Stats here:
Started: 13 Jul 2010 15:03:37
Ride Time: 42:13
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.59 miles
Average: 14.63 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 33.24 miles/hr
Climb: 371 feet
Calories: 799

One of the reasons I very rarely get out of the saddle when on my Giant is that due to frame flex my brake blocks rub on my front wheel, I guess even though they're built pretty tough these days, road bikes still aren't really meant for blokes built like me to be hammering them over climbs. The rubbing while irritating didn't impede my progress too much, but the rubbing did stop me from bashing out over a climb too often.

Until recently.

As you may recall, I've had my share of problems with the wheels on my Giant Defy 2.

Story here and here if you're unaware of the issues I had.

I'd fitted Crud Roadracer mudguards a few weeks ago as the standard Giant ones were starting to piss me off big style, they were very buzzy and rattly even though they did their job on the keeping me dry front. I removed them which involved me having to take the brakes off and refitting them to the frame obviously, then fitting said Crud mudguards. The Crud fit story here.

Weirdly, since then the brake blocks haven't rubbed on the forks! The Crud guards certainly work in bad conditions, but I'm wondering if their unique method of keeping the guard off the tyre is actually helping stopping the tyre rub issue, or if my removing the brake callipers and re-fitting them may have stopped the rubbing? Whatever has stopped it, I'm happy and I can get out of the saddle anytime now without an annoying noise, apart from my excessive panting and creaking joints obviously!

Chilly...

2010-07-13T07:41:00.000+01:00

I pedalled in this morning with my base layer on, that was after I went into the garage, got my bike out and thought this morning isn't very warm! So back in the house and shoved my Helly Hansen on under my T Shirt. I wasn't expecting that this morning.

The pedal in again felt pretty slow, this time I came the direct route. I seem to be having an issue getting back into my rythmn after the week off. I'm not flowing at all and seem to be making hard work of it. I'm sure it'll click, but the bonus benefit is that my sleep pattern seems to have returned after just one day's pedalling. There we go, biking aids sleep!

Stats here:
Started: 13 Jul 2010 05:43:09
Ride Time: 39:27
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.63 miles
Average: 15.65 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 41.44 miles/hr
Climb: 325 feet
Calories: 819

Last night's pedal was along the cut and NCR5, it was wet and bloody windy, but fun all the same.

Stats here:
Started: 12 Jul 2010 15:04:33
Ride Time: 1:05:41
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 16.23 miles
Average: 13.08 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 29.45 miles/hr
Climb: 472 feet
Calories: 1273

A couple of other items of interest to me. Remember a while a go I said my original Muvi helmet cam had died and that was the reason I needed to get an Ebay clone? Well it had been sat in my drawer at work since then and yesterday I came across it while looking for something else. A spur of the moment thing occurred and I took it up to our electronics guys, sad anoraks to a man who absolutely love new kit and tinkering with stuff. They were very impressed and excited by it (I said they were sad) and within an hour of leaving them alone with it they had got it working again, something about the record switch malfunctioning. So, I'm all proper Muvi'd up again! The Ebay clone can go back on the subs bench.

The last item of interest is that as this is now year 2 of this craziness I'm going to move my weigh ins to the first of every month. I was looking at my weekly weigh in graph and it showed all of the plateaus and slight rises which is what it was meant to do at the time. I transferred the data to a monthly graph and bloody hell, what a difference, it looks like steady progress instead of a weekly war!

I think that as I'm now into the change of lifestyle, a monthly weigh in will suffice and hopefully not show too many morale sapping plateaus!

I'd be interested to hear your opinions on that.

Get on yer bike!

2010-07-12T07:55:00.000+01:00

Well I did get on my bike, on my Ridgeback with my new tyres and inner tubes to be precise and I pedalled in without incident via NCR5 and the canal. It is pretty grey this morning and trying its best to rain, but I avoided getting too wet.

I didn't go for any speed records and just eased myself back into it, the 16 miles went ok and meant I can put 8 "leisure " miles onto my God Dammned July challenge sheet if it works now that is!

The new tyres felt ok too, maybe a bit heavier and slightly less responsive, but I'll take that if it means no visitations from the Puncture Fairy.

Stats here:
Started: 12 Jul 2010 05:50:37
Ride Time: 1:12:35
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 16.33 miles
Average: 14.78 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 35.10 miles/hr
Climb: 184 feet
Calories: 1010

My weekend went very well, the conference was really good and as usual I learned stuff and had some of my coaching ideas and philosophies reinforced by the sessions. I also as usual took away a few gems to incorporate into my coaching sessions at my club.

England's Rugby World Cup winning winger Ben Cohen ran a session, which was interesting, he's new to coaching and it showed. But he had a nice manner about him and I'm sure he'll be able to translate his success on the pitch to success on the coaching front. Don't think for one moment that being a hugely successful player will make you a successful coach. I've seen some massive names in rugby try their hand at coaching and fail miserably. No names no pack drill, but coaching is different to playing!

Ben Cohen and my club's Director of Rugby and England's 7 a side coach Russell Earnshaw.

Ben during his footwork and agility session.

One of the Coaches I know pretty well Dan Tanner, pictured below, is doing JOGLE in aid of the RFU's injured players foundation.

Full story here.

He got his bike through the cycle to work scheme and is in the process of training hard for it now with his mates. Me and my mate Ski have rashly agreed to meet up with the team and cycle with them through the Midlands stage of the ride. That's what happens when you're collared by well meaning folk when you've had too many pints of Guinness! Thanks Dan, you git!

Rugby weekend.

2010-07-09T07:37:00.002+01:00

Tomorrow morning I'll be off to Warwick University to attend the annual Midlands Coaching Conference.

I attend every year because it's the premier coach education event in the country, presented by some of the most knowledgable coaches in the game of Rugby Union. Some you may even have heard of if you click on the link!

Saturday evening is the Midlands Coaching Awards dinner too. The whole conference is a residential event so I'll be getting back home Sunday evening, no Blog from me until Monday then!

Also two of the presenters are the coaches from my club, Rusty and Huge so it'll be a good opportunity for piss taking!

Other than that, nothing to report, so have a good one and I'll see you bright eyed and bushy tailed on Monday!

General stuff...

2010-07-08T07:18:00.003+01:00

A bit of a mixed bag today. The main news for this bike weight loss based blog is that I won't be commuting until Monday now. I should be back on the bike today, but since yesterday afternoon I have been feeling like crap, with a massive banging headache and generally feeling very tired. I haven't been sleeping right since I started this rest period either. Maybe it's the lack of pedalling? Who knows.

Anyway, wifey talked me into having the whole week off the bike and coming back on Monday. I have a very successful marriage. Mainly because I don't argue with wifey! So Monday it is.

My Dad only ever gave me one bit of marital advice, and I follow it religiously. Please take note fellers 'cos it's a brilliant bit of wisdom. "Son" he said, "anything for a quiet life."

Onto other stuff, I very foolishly a while ago let myself get talked into Phill's July 150 challenge by Matty and the Phill himself during a Facebook conversation.

If you recall I did the June 100 mile challenge off road on my MTB not counting extended commuting miles and to be truthful, I don't think I would have achieved it if it wasn't for a week off work where I could MTB every day. That enabled me to do 163 miles.

July is looking impossible though. If I stand any chance at all I'll have to count extended commuting miles and try to rack up road mileage of a weekend as well. I don't think the MTB will get a look in. Also I won't be starting don't forget until July the 12th!

Just to add insult to injury, I can't even edit Phill's Googledocs spreadsheet due to some unfathomable IT mystery.

The only problem I have with it is the whole concept somehow changed why I was pedalling, instead of enjoying the ride I was concentrating on racking up mileage, not what I'm here for. Knowing my past history if it becomes a chore I'll knock it on the head as it takes the love out of it. So an announcement, the July challenge is my last mileage challenge. I'll enjoy watching the scrap from the sidelines with the fat wheezy boys with a note from their Mom during the August 200 instead!

Just as a bit of completely off topic news (I said it was a mixed bag today) yesterday while driving back home I was going over the Waseleys where I saw a big bird of prey soaring very low over a field. That's completely normal, we have got almost a plague of Buzzards, Kestrals and Sparrowhawks around where I live, indeed I never go a day where I don't see one or more Bird of Prey of some description.

As I got closer I realised it didn't look quite right and when I passed as close as I was going to I saw why, angular wings, distinctive V tail feathers, it was a Red Kite! The first I've seen in the area! Absolutely brilliant! I pulled over and watched it for a while, a beautiful sight. I see them regularly in Gwynedd where my folks live and down by High Wycombe on the M40 but this is the first in the Midlands where I live. Where there's one, there must be two, unless of course it's an escapee from the couple of Bird of Prey sanctuaries in the area. I hope not, I'm hoping their area has now extended to the Waseleys and I see them regularly now.

At the Docs...

2010-07-07T10:30:00.000+01:00

Went to the Docs this morning and had the results of my blood tests. All normal and my BP is still normal. So that's good. Even my cholesterol is low, which is to be expected given my diet.

The only slight downer is that I'll have to keep taking the meds, not for my BP but for a slightly enlarged heart wall muscle. He did go into the technicalities but I kind of faded out a tad while he was telling me.

Simply put, apparently this is caused usually by excessive anaerobic excercise as a youngster, which I did due to my rugby or being a fat bastard. The Doc isn't sure which, but it could be either or. More likely in my opinion a mixture of both.

He said to think of the meds as a heart repair drug now and not a BP drug. I'll take that. I still need a BP check every 6 months with him though.

The results of lethargy and gluttony. Learn by my f*ck ups!

Consequences of not pedalling.

2010-07-06T06:39:00.001+01:00

As is a rule I have a permanently aching back, it's the lower back, around the lumbar region. Not a drama, it's usually just achy enough to remind me it's there and I live with it.

But I noticed this the last time I had a few days off the bike and boy am I noticing it now, my back gets far worse when I'm not pedalling. The last two nights it has cost me sleep due to the pain. I always thought rest was good? What's that all about then?

My upper body excercises are all going ok, I've already improved my failure time for the plank by 10 seconds and last night the crunches didn't hurt the old well hidden belly muscles as much as normal. I'm enjoying doing them, not least because Fay and Dan join in with me (Their choice, I didn't press gang them) and it all becomes a giggle and not a chore! Dan especially is very good at press ups and Fay is beating me with plank times. Not that we're competitive at all you understand. It's all done in a safe, non-competitive, arm around shoulder, social worker approved, everybody wins and no-one loses kind of way. Yeah right...

I trust that continuing with the upperbody/core work out and the lessening of the belly weight will eventually have a positive effect on my back pain. Either that or I never have time off the bike again!

Fighting the Puncture Fairy.

2010-07-05T06:59:00.002+01:00

As you'll know if you're a regular reader, that me and the Puncture Fairy butt heads quite often. Too often in fact.

To avoid her regular visitations I have trolled the various bike forums, asked your goodselves on here and trolled my local bike shops for advice.

It became very clear that Slime produce wasn't worth the effort, be it tubes or the gunky stuff. I especially got short shrift in Red Kite Cycles when I mentioned the stuff.They operate road and MTB racing teams, so I guess they'd know what works and what doesn't!

In the end I settled on Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres and some heavy duty Bontrager inner tubes. These are now sitting resplendant on my Ridgeback Commuter.

Hopefully this will put off the Puncture Fairy for a while. I'm looking forward to taking her for a spin down the cut into work on Thursday.

I'm already missing pedalling. This is a good thing. Only 3 sleeps to go before I'm back!

The upper body work outs are carrying on. The only thing I've noticed so far is that I've rediscovered that I've got stomach muscles. The crunches and planks are definately starting to do something! Ouch...

Ducks and fetes.

2010-07-04T08:41:00.003+01:00

Yesterday morning was a trip to the Jinney Ring Craft Centre near Droitwich. I've been there loads of times before but apparently we had to go there as they have a load a baby ducks running about and it seemed like a good opportunity to keep the kids occupied for a short while.

The craft centre itself is in a beautiful location, near a village called Hanbury and the associated Hanbury Hall.

Hanbury Church on the hill from the Jinney Ring grounds.

Fay and Wifey duck feeding.

The kids having fun.

More bread fed ducks

After some of wifey's delicious home made soup dinner time, this time tomato with a hint of chilli, it was over to Dodford Village church fete.

As befits the size of the village it was a very small affair whose proceeds were in aid of the church fund. It was very well attended though and it was clearly one of the village social highlights of the year.

Dan going for a pony ride, carefully watched by Fay.

The Town Crier announcing the results of the scruffy mutts competition.

All in all a very restful enjoyable afternoon aided and abetted by some very co-operative weather. Wifey enjoyed herself too, sipping the worlds biggest Pimms all afternoon served to her by Richard the Gaffer of the Dodford Inn who was roped in to supply refreshments.

Nothing too fancy then, but it proves to me that simple is best.

The scruffy mutts parade.

Out and about...

2010-07-03T08:18:00.000+01:00

Had a good evening yesterday, usual Dodford start of the weekend stuff, then I went to Bromsgrove later to watch a band. The Undercocks, (great name by the way) are a local band that covers Punk and New Wave. As I'm of an age to remember it first time around I really enjoyed it!

They played at the Hop Pole Pub which serves proper beer as well, not the mass manufactured chemically inhanced hangover inducing stuff. I was pretty disconcerted though as to all of the folk in there singing and dancing along to stuff like "Pretty vacant" and "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" were not exactly in the first flush of youth. Am I that old? Gulp!

Also kudos to the guy who stepped up out of the crowd and sang "Teenage Kicks" with the band. He was balding fat bloke about 50 years old who sounded more like Feargal Sharkey than Feargal Sharkey! He was brilliant!

Out and about today with wifey and the kids. Have fun all!

Friday at home...

2010-07-02T08:30:00.000+01:00

Got my blood tests later at the Docs so I'm working from home. Let me just point out that even though I'm a ruffy tuffy, ex rugby player and ex squaddie, I hate needles. I don't look while they're doing the deed in case I blub.

My upper body workout could have gone better yesterday, I managed precisely 5 failed attempts at 1 pull up. 10 press ups, 10 crunches and I could hold a plank for 20 seconds.

Not as good as I was expecting, but I guess everyone has to re-start somewhere. It can only improve.

As is the Chapman custom we're off to the Dodford this evening for our usual start of the weekend celebrations. If you can think of a better way to start the weekend than a proper pub, real beer and beautiful countryside then please let me know!

It's a new day, it's a new dawn, it's a new life and I'm feeling good!

2010-07-01T07:03:00.004+01:00

First off an apology, I kind of posted an ran yesterday and never replied to all of the good wishes, kind words and congratulations from everyone on here and on my Facebook page. So sorry about that.

I had meetings all day out of the office yesterday up until about 2130hrs. Crap, but what can you do? So I'm sorry for my silence!

Yesterday as you might guess was very manic, I had an off road pedal early doors around the Lickeys and the canal to Alvechurch which was my last chance to rack up leisure miles for Phill's 100m challenge. I finished on 163.31 miles. All off road on a MTB. Pleasingly I did a total of 579.31 miles for the month which means I won my own little competition, that of being the highest mileage fat biker in the race. I knew that JB and Red would run off with the competition if they entered, and annoyingly they did! But they're not fat and struggle with every pedal rotation, so yah boo sucks etc! No, only joking, they're both great blokes who I'm honoured to say I've met and pedalled with. But by the cringe are they fit! I have some way to go to get where they are.

On the weight challenge, I failed, I wanted a 5 stone loss by yesterday but I came up 2 Ibs short. I can honestly say I did my best though!

My stats for the pedal here:
Started: 30 Jun 2010 05:46:39
Ride Time: 1:18:03
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 12.86 miles
Average: 9.88 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 35.97 miles/hr
Climb: 377 feet
Calories: 734

And route here:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100630-0546.kml

Just to keep everything nice and tidy, this was my pedal home on Tuesday evening. Nothing to report on that.

Started: 29 Jun 2010 15:04:22
Ride Time: 46:16
Stopped Time: 0:14
Distance: 11.63 miles
Average: 13.48 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 33.21 miles/hr
Climb: 571 feet
Calories: 775

As you can see it was a slow one, ok I had my daysack loaded, but the ride felt very fatigued. It was my last commute until next Thursday. I'm taking a week off the bike to rest up. It is a scheduled rest. I always come back feeling good and rejuvanted and itching to get back on the bike. I'd seriously consider adding scheduled rest into whatever programs you're following.

Also yesterday morning before my meetings I went to the Docs for my 6 monthly blood pressure and check up. As I've mentioned before I take daily meds to keep the BP down, but I ran out last Wednesday and I made a conscious decision not to get any more until I saw the Doc for my check up. I certainly don't recommend you do that by the way if you're on meds of any description.

My reasoning was that my BP reading would be a true unassisted one. It would be a good benchmark. Well, my BP was normal and he took it about 5 times. The upshot is that tomorrow I need a blood test and I have to go back next week to see if I can come off the meds or have the dosage reduced.

I can only explain the reduction in my BP to my new way of life. Regular excercise on the bike, lower body weight and a healthy diet. Nothing amazing or remarkable about it.

On the advice of James the tricky sadistic northerner of the 22 stone cyclist Blog, I am actually going to load my Bergan (army rucksack) with 4 stones 12 Ibs of kit and go for a pedal. He says it's a great illustration of what you were like pre pedalling, or when in my case I did my first canal 6 mile commute.

So a week off the bike then. I'll still be exercising, only I'll be doing upper body stuff. Press ups, pull ups and core exercises such as the plank and various sit ups. As a rugby player (ex player now) I always had quite a big upper body and arms. My arms now look like bingo winged pipe cleaners and you can see bone around my shoulders. Wifey is not impressed. Now I'm not saying that I'll get my rugby playing physique back, but I intend to get some of the old muscle back. Also strengthening my core will help my permanently aching back. I'll continue with the upper body stuff permanently now as part of my daily routine. I'll do it immediately when I get in from work, no messing, get it done. If I sit down and relax then it won't happen.

I'll still Blog while I'm off the bike, though even though I'm guessing there'll be very little bike stuff other than maintenance type info.

Thanks again for the big ups yesterday and again sorry for silence!

What a year!

2010-06-30T07:23:00.003+01:00

I know time goes quicker as you get older but this year has really flown! Where has it gone?

I didn’t at the outset back in June 2009 think that I would be here now, a year down the line, typing this on my very own Blog, listing what has happened to me during this very eventful year.

A quick recap is in order I feel.

Before June the 30th 2009, I weighed 22 stones 4Ib. My waist was 50”. I couldn’t walk upstairs without getting out of breath. I had very high blood pressure that needed daily medication to control. I suffered with aching joints. I had sleep apnoea. I snored horrendously. The Doc was worried about diabetes and I thought that I wouldn’t see 50 years of age. Food and inactivity was quite literally killing me.

At the risk of being boring, I then found Frank’s Blog which lead to Gaz’s Blog and James’ Blog and without wishing to go into what it was like before, which I’ve spoken about at length previously, for some reason, these internet sites motivated me to act to save my life after 10 years of promising myself and others that I would act.

So I began pedalling again. After a very slow initial 12 miles per day 3 days per week, I am now banging out around 30 miles per day 5 days a week with good weekend bike rides too. To a total of around 3200 miles in the year.

This had the following effect. I am now just short of 5 stones lighter, my waist is around 38 – 40 inches depending on whose tape measure you believe, I no longer get out of breath doing normal stuff, I can buy off the peg clothes, my blood pressure is no longer dangerously high and much to wifey’s relief I no longer snore!

Me before all this at 22st 4Ibs.

The photos below are me now in the same T Shirt and shorts.

And finally a photo of my me now.

It’s only a start though; I’m still obese, I’m still nowhere near happy with my appearance or fitness and want to carry on. No, I need to carry on. I’m not setting any weight, pedalling or any other kind of target as I don’t do targets (June challenges aside, which was mileage achieved, 5st lost not quite), this is me forever. Well, as much as I can say this is me forever with my mental illness.

I am still I think, mentally ill. I genuinely believe that. I know I bang on about it, but would a “sane” person self harm via food and inactivity. I don’t think so. I know I am only one missed pedal or one pig out on junk food away from my old morbidly obese self. It’s a daily fight that I have and am sure I’ll always have.

That’s as much as I’ll say about that, this is meant to be a celebration!

Highlights, on the pedalling front? Loads, I’ll try and list a few:

1. Making the first pedal all the way to and from work.

2. Getting out of my saddle to stamp all the way up Cock Hill for the first time.

3. Wifey noticing that I could speak normally when I arrived home. That actually made me laugh when she told me.

4. The What Mountain Bike Photo shoot with Joolze.

5. Making it all the way to the top of Beacon Hill in the Lickey’s.

6. Heresy I know for this old MTBer, but (whisper it quietly) getting my road bike.

7. My first road 50 miler to Bridgenorth.

8. My first Monday to Friday full weeks commute.

9. Proud that I pedalled through the worst winter in years.

10. Meeting and pedalling with a few of my fellow cycling Bloggers, all crushingly good fellows!

Highlights off the bike:

1. The moment I cracked the 3 stone lost mark. Proof to me I was in the battle for the long haul.

2. Realising I could climb the stairs at work without getting out of breath.

3. Getting into 40” waist shorts.

4. Climbing a tree with the Spawn of Satan for the first time ever.

5. Starting walking again with wifey.

6. Becoming less (although not) self conscious about how I look.

7. Writing for the Bike Radar website and What Mountain Bike. (Still find that unbelievable).

8. General being less fat, body related stuff. All reformed fatties know what I mean here.

9. Controlling as much as is possible my food abuse.

10. New friends through Blogging.

It is with some regret that I didn’t start blogging about this epic “Journey” (sorry, hate that word) as soon as I started it. But, better late than never as they say.

I’m now going to say a genuinely heartfelt “thank you”, to you my Dear Reader. You know who you are and I’m not going to embarrass you by naming you. But you’ve become my trusted confidant, advisor, supporter but most importantly of all, my friend.

Suffice it to say I am under absolutely no illusions that I would not be here today having achieved what I’ve achieved without your help. That is the simple truth, and I hope you have found my sometimes sporadic support useful too. It is easy to get self obsessed about this to the exclusion of others. But I really do try my best.

It is a team game as well though, and the cycling/blogging community is a fabulous psychological crutch when the demons strike. And they’ve struck me a few times over the year. All obese folk know about the demons.

Looking ahead, I will be continuing this for life. I have to. If I stop I’ll become morbidly obese again and have an early death. Is that fair to my family? Absolutely not.

Enough now.

I’m going to finish this off with a sincere thank you to my lovely wife. She is the most deserving of appreciation and gratitude as she has to deal with my obsession on a daily basis face to face and not through the interweb!

Lizzy,

I know this is taking me away from home at weekends and mornings when I’m off work. And I know how hard it is coping with what you have to cope with alone when I’m not there, but I hope (I know) you can see the benefit of this to you and the kids. I do try to get back as soon as humanly possible although it might not seem like it. And I’m also aware I’m not as supportive to you with your troubles as I can be when I’m off doing this stuff, that is something I will try much much harder at from now on I promise. Thanks for being there for me and helping me along the way. I couldn’t have got this far without you.

Luv ya sweetheart xxx.

Bus incident update...

2010-06-29T07:08:00.002+01:00

Another Puncture on the way home last night! I'll be doing something about it, what I don't know yet later on in the week. New tyres, maybe slime, maybe gunk for the tubes, maybe everything!

Other than that the ride home along the cut and NCR5 was great.

Stats here:
Started: 28 Jun 2010 15:03:36
Ride Time: 1:21:35
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 16.34 miles
Average: 10.81 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 18.82 miles/hr
Climb: 407 feet
Calories: 1024

I came in on my road bike this morning due to the puncture situation on my Ridgeback! It was also an opportunity to give the Raceguards a test. A win! My bike is now quiet again and I even had a bit of rain to test the dryness of them. No wet arse so they must have worked!

Stats here:
Started: 29 Jun 2010 05:35:52
Ride Time: 35:31
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.78 miles
Average: 17.52 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 33.06 miles/hr
Climb: 157 feet
Calories: 605

Some of you may remember this post from last week.

http://massivemtber.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-week-same-old-same-old.html

I hope you did see it as of all the incidents I've had this was the one that spooked me the most, so much so I contacted the Bus Company involved and complained about it. I have never done anything like that before I hasten to add.

Below is the chain of emails, have a read.

Dear Sir,

I am emailing to inform you of an incident yesterday, 21st of June 2010 around 1520hrs at Stonehouse Lane, Weoley Castle/Woodgate Valley involving your vehicle L207 YAG.

I think this footage of the incident is worth more than a lengthy description.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW7IlZFamCo

Although the footage of the next incident doesn’t come out due to my distance away, the driver then jumped the red light to turn left into Jiggins Lane, which was when I realised where he was going and it was on my route. As you can imagine I was quite keen to discuss the incident with him. I also have that discussion on video which I’ll keep to myself for the moment.

Suffice it to say he denied all knowledge of the incident, said he hadn’t seen me which his bizarre left indication to “pull in front of me” disproves and point blank refused to apologise, although I hadn’t asked for one.

I have a wife and 2 young children at home and although I commute every day by push bike I would quite like to get home to them safe and sound every day, the actions of this driver do seem to be lessening my chances.

It is also ironic that you use Green quite openly in your branding and your driver seemed intent on taking out the only true green form of wheeled transport. I’m not an environmental Nazi by the way, just pointing out the irony.

And please don’t point out the difficulties of driving large vehicles, I used to drive double deckers for TWM and drive Class 1 lorries. I know about driving larger vehicles and this drivers actions were unacceptable.

I would like to be informed of any action you intend to take and evidence you’ve actually done it would be nice too. I also know how these things “work”.

Just for info I do not know how to adjust the date time stamp on my helmet cam, but as you can see it is clearly not the 15th of January.

Kind regards

Clive Chapman

Their reply:

Good morning Mr Chapman

I hope you are well

Re : Stonehouse Lane incident 21.06.2010

Thank you for your email

We shall investigate this incident thoroughly and report back to you shortly.

Thank you again

Kind regards

Simon Patchell

Operations and Customer Service Officer

The Green Bus

t: 0845 234 2222

f: 0121 643 6230

w: http://www.thegreenbus.co.uk/

e: simon.patchell@thegreenbus.co.uk

I waited for a while and got this:

Good morning Mr Chapman

Thank you for your email of 22.06.2010

Re : The Green Bus - Alleged Stonehouse Lane incident 21.06.2010

Following the alleged incident described below I have reported your concerns to the company’s Health and Safety Manager.

He will undertake a comprehensive professional assessment of the driver’s driving and will take any necessary action.

Furthermore, the company’s Human Resources Manager has arranged to discuss the matter you have reported with the driver concerned.

I will keep you fully informed regarding the outcome of our investigations.

Thank you again

Kind regards

Simon Patchell

Operations and Customer Service Officer

The Green Bus

I replied:

Thank you for your email.

I particularly enjoyed the “alleged” addition to the email title. I assure you my computerised graphics manipulation isn’t any good, so I am struggling to see what’s “alleged” in the video. I do admire your sense of humour.

Onto the meat of your email.

I also actually fail to see the relevance of assessing the driver’s capabilities. Being a professional driver he’ll be more than aux fait with the Highway Code and will also be more than capable of passing any driving assessment you may give him. But then of course you already know that.

I’m sure you have to be seen to be following your processes, but I am not satisfied with your plan, or any likely actions or outcome given your stated processes.

I’ll await the results, but please be assured, I am willing to take this much further if I believe you have fobbed me off.

More and more people are cycling now for various reasons and they quite naturally are amongst the most vulnerable road users, a total disregard for their safety, or even their presence as displayed by your driver should not happen, next time it might be a child on a bike he fails to “see” or acknowledge, and they might not be as lucky as I was.

You brand yourselves “Green”, I especially like the Sunflowers on your website, nice touch that (but given the age of your vehicles that branding is quite amusing by the way) so I imagine having various cycling groups protesting about your driver’s actions with all of the accompanying press that I have access to and with the video evidence being all over the internet wouldn’t be doing you or your companies image any favours what so ever. We do live in a very competitive recession filled time at the moment.

Regards

Clive Chapman

They then waded in with the big guns, the head honcho himself. Not my description by the way, that's straight off their website.

Dear Mr Chapman

Thank you for your email to Simon Patchell. I am now dealing with this matter.

You have made an allegation of sub-standard driving in relation to one of our drivers. The company has responded appropriately to your allegation and has concluded its investigation into the matters you raise.

We are grateful to you for taking the time and trouble to contact us; but I am afraid that the company will not enter into any further dialogue with you regarding our actions from this point onwards. As you will appreciate from your long experience and expertise, matters between employers and employees must remain strictly confidential.

Kind regards

Ian Mack

Managing Director

The Green Bus

t: 0845 234 2222

f: 0121 643 6230

w: http://www.thegreenbus.co.uk/

e: ian.mack@thegreenbus.co.uk

p: The Green Transport Company Limited, 111 New Street, Birmingham B2 4EU

I followed up with this:

Unfortunately over the years, this is the kind of hiding behind regulations that I have come to expect, and also unfortunately due to early senility my mind reading abilities have diminished too. So I have no way to establish your true motives.

If you have no intention of informing me of the actions you are taking (none as I suspect) then I have no way of knowing if you take road safety seriously other than hiding behind BS whatevers or ISO whatevers, which as we all know are paper/ tick box excercises that you can point to, to those who are clueless or easily impressed.

I would like to know what you intend to do or have done other than engage me in emails at a suitable time scale to infer an investigation.

If I am not satisfied, or not informed of your actions, which common courtesy and politeness would say is reasonable considering your driver nearly killed me, then I will publicise this incident in all of the local press (Which due to the nature of my industry I have very good access to and good relations with) and various internet and cycling organisations that I have access to and contribute to.

I have already emailed the Youtube link to the West Midlands Police Road safety advisory team by the way and I’ve already noticed the footage has already appeared on a very high traffic National website relating to bad driving, which I didn’t put there by the way.

I think, (wrong) I know, that if our roles were reversed I would be absolutely certain you would want to know what I was doing to ensure that such a breach of road safety was investigated thoroughly and what steps I was taking to prevent such things happening again.

Your companies attitude towards this lead to a quite natural distrust of your motives, imply a cover up and a determination to ignore what is the most basic of duties for a Public Service Bus Company. That of taking road safety seriously.

Words mean nothing, they are hollow, easily typed, I need to see evidence that this isn’t an under the carpet job as I suspect it is.

You’ve just effectively said to me, we might do something now go away. Again, what if our roles were reversed?

I’m not asking for anything unreasonable. It’s you who’ve just upped the stakes and in all honesty I have got nothing to lose here.

Regards

Clive Chapman

And that ladies and gentlemen is where it was left as of last Thursday. The Bus Company obviously isn't going to contact me again like they said.

That's that then.

Slime inner tubes.

2010-06-28T09:30:00.001+01:00

I'm going to get some. Yet another puncture this morning coming in along the cut. I'm bored of them now.

Other than that I didn't see a soul and it was very pleasant.

No physical after effects from my 40 miler yesterday which is nice.

Stats here:
Started: 28 Jun 2010 05:34:23
Ride Time: 1:15:42
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 16.01 miles
Average: 11.71 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 35.45 miles/hr
Climb: 131 feet
Calories: 961

A few bits to catch up on, I fitted some Crud RoadRacer mudguards on to my Giant on Saturday. The shop fitted Giant ones were making a horrible noise and I couldn't shut the little blighters up.

The Roadracers were very easy to fit. The only issue was me cutting the "reusable" cable tie to free up the rubber bands to fit the stays to the fork, You need the cable tie to fix the mudguard to the brakes! Oops, that's what happens when you don't read the very helpful sign attached to the cable tie saying "do not cut, reusable cable tie". Lucky I have a shed load of cable ties in my tool box.

They look good, now I have to see if they ride ok.

Our Saturday bimble down the bridleway went very well. We collected quite a bit of hedgrow food which went into our meals on Saturday and Sunday.

Wifey and the kids got some horseradish, lovely with the Beef on Sunday. Some wild rasberries, which went with Icecream for dessert. Sorrell and watercress which makes a banging soup and finally some Elderflower, which wifey made into a very refreshing cordial which I did my level best to finish off quite selfishly yesterday after my 40 miler.

Fay and Dan getting the wrong end of a nag.

Fay with redeye!

Wifey and Dan in the background digging up horseradish, Fay getting in on the pic too.

Fay picking the Elderflower.

Dan (aka Spawn of Satan) legging it with our booty.

Canal, 40 miler.

2010-06-27T13:12:00.002+01:00

Just got back from my pedal with my mate Ski.

First off, I must apologise to him, he doesn't get a chance to pedal too often and I think this hurt him. We've always had through the years pretty much the same level of fitness until I got fat! But I think I'm a pretty fair way ahead at the moment. But it was a testament to his grit and his determination that I know he's got in spades due to other stuff we've done in the past that he got through it. He is always working away and living in hotels so it must be hard to keep in shape with a lifestyle like that.

Onto the pedal, route here:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100627-0613.kml

Stats here:
Started: 27 Jun 2010 06:13:24
Ride Time: 4:11:04
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 40.95 miles
Average: 10.90 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 33.95 miles/hr
Climb: 1099 feet
Calories: 2931

We hammered the lanes to Solihull to get on to the Grand Union Canal at Catherine De Barnes. Where the fun would start.

Ski hammering the lanes around Wythall.

The obligatory "catch me natural" at the start of the cut.

We then carried on along the cut until, we came to the first major thing of note, Knowle Locks.

And a chance for a drink!

The next thing of note was the Black Boy Pub a place I hadn't visited since I was a boy. Unfotunately due to our earliness it wasn't open, so a try of the beer was not an option!

The bikes parked up at the Black Boy.

After the Black Boy pit stop, we headed off towards Lapworth and the end of the Grand Union phase of the pedal. The towpath got a bit dodgy as it was very uneven, narrow and pretty sloping down towards the water. I kind of thought Ski would struggle a bit.

As you can see by the duelling scars caused by an unscheduled dismount he did have his moments!

This was the result of a coming together between him and a thorn bush...

My dueling scar was caused by catching my leg on a fence post, I think, I can't remember what happened truth be told.

Then it was onto the Stratford Canal at Lapworth, this would take us all the way to Kings Norton Junction and NCR5.

First off was Lapworth Locks at the Boot pub.

I took this from the bridge over the canal.

Ski commented that only I could find canal's with hills!

There was now quite a blast over towards Kings Norton, and due to the good weather a few narrow boats were chugging up and down the canal.

Then we left the cut at Kings Norton Junction where I took this on the bridge.

NCR5 is the route forking off to the right off the cut.

A swift pedal on NCR5 took us pretty much all the way to my house. Apart from stopping for my normal visit from the puncture fairy, everything functioned as it should.

I hope Ski enjoyed it as much as I did, he did say he wants to do it again in a couple of weeks as training for when we pedal to my Mom and Dad's at Tywyn in Wales. I have seen him looking better though at the end of the pedal.

Normal commute tomorrow, undecided between road bike or a NCR5 and canal pedal. I'll probably make my mind up when I open the garage tomorrow!

Horseradish

2010-06-26T07:46:00.001+01:00

Going for a family bimble later over the Bridleways around Belbroughton that I pedal on my MTB. Kids and dogs all in tow, maybe stop for a picnic too.

We're also going to dig up some Horseradish that grows over there in abundance, home made Horseradish sauce is nothing like the shop brought stuff. It's also a good solution to sinusitus. If when you're grating the root stick your head right in the bowl and take a really good deep breath from the grated root. Trust me, you'll never have a blocked nose again! Or blocked anything else for that matter, I can only liken it to being caught without your respirator (gas mask) when you're being subjected to CS gas (tear gas) in the respirator testing chamber when I was in the army. Try it if you dare!

Then it'll be bike sorting time. Road bike needs a bit of maintenance, it has an annoying noise coming from it and I'll be getting my Ridgeback MTB ready for the 40 plus miler (thanks Phill) I'm doing with my mukka tomorrow.

We're off at early O'Clock so I'll be blogging PM tomorrow I guess.

Yesterday's pedal home stats here:
Started: 25 Jun 2010 11:44:35
Ride Time: 44:51
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.79 miles
Average: 13.83 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 39.21 miles/hr
Climb: 262 feet
Calories: 786

Again, pretty slow.

TGIF, no really TGIF, seriously...

2010-06-25T06:48:00.000+01:00

Another full week pedalling, no car at all which pleases me immensley, even though I use it for rugby stuff, I'm not fit enough yet to commute of a day then pedal to rugby meetings of an evening. Especially when they're right over the other side of Birmingham! Oh well maybe one day.

This morning's pedal was fine, nothing to report other than a brilliantly bright sunny morning. That'll do me.

Stats here:
Started: 25 Jun 2010 05:20:17
Ride Time: 37:58
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.59 miles
Average: 15.16 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 32.94 miles/hr
Climb: 328 feet
Calories: 564

A bit slower than usual though. Not to worry.

Last night's pedal home was pretty standard too, again nothing to tell you about.

Started: 24 Jun 2010 15:03:38
Ride Time: 47:14
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.70 miles
Average: 13.32 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 32.45 miles/hr
Climb: 787 feet
Calories: 852

Hmm, that was a slow one too. I told you my legs are feeling it now. I feel quite tired in the mind too. Not that you'd notice. Like I said, TGIF!

Wifey thinks I've lost quite a bit of weight again, she said so last night, I also noticed last night that my new 40" waist shorts I got about 3 weeks ago are constantly in need of being hiked up. I'll have to get a belt on them. That's got to be good hasn't it?

Weigh in later, the scales don't lie. Although I'll save the scores on the doors for next Wednesday.

I have to tell you this funny story from home yesterday evening too. Regular readers will know that my 3 year old lad Dan (aka The Spawn of Satan) is a bit of a handful. Anything he can get into he does and if it ain't nailed down or breathing he'll either try to eat it or break it. He obviously takes after his Mom.

Anyway, due to his behaviour we've had to put bolts high up on all of the doors upstairs, except his bedroom so he doesn't go in and trash the other rooms. His elder sister Fay who's 13 was getting very bored of it!

Fay was in her room trying to do her homework last night (my angel) and Dan kept on barging in and generally being Dan. 'Nuff said there, so Fay asked if we could bolt her door from the outside so Dan wouldn't keep disturbing her. No problem.

A bit later we put Dan to bed, (thank God) and went to watch a bit of TV. When Dan's in bed everyone, the dogs included, know to be quiet!!!!!!!!!

About an hour into the TV program my phone went, I had a text. It said - "Can you come and let me out of my room, I'm dying to go to the toilet". We'd forgotten about Fay! I quite naturally texted her back and said "No P yr pants" as a good Father would.

Luckily she saw the funny side of it when we eventually let her out 2 hours later when our film had finished.

Dodford tonight, then no bike but family stuff tomorrow. Have a good weekend everyone!

Damn you June challenges!

2010-06-24T06:57:00.000+01:00

Had a really crap night's sleep, maybe the heat, or maybe I'm not as fit as I should be. After yesterday's pedal home I was absolutely shattered and felt pretty crap all evening. Nothing to report on the pedal by the way.

Stats here:
Started: 23 Jun 2010 15:03:31
Ride Time: 46:07
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.71 miles
Average: 13.63 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 34.46 miles/hr
Climb: 430 feet
Calories: 829

Which is why I say damn the June challenges. I am going to keep going until the 30th to achieve as high mileage as possible and get as close to 5 stone lost as possible. After that I'm having a week off the bike and resting.

The male of the species will get the next paragraph totally.

Why don't I rest now? That's simple, I'm a bloke and there's a competition on and I can't back away. Stupid isn't it? It really is the same as when you were a kid and you're dared to do something and you say no. Then the person calls you a chicken and you know you have to do it. Too much testosterone I guess. Wifey calls us men simple primitive creatures and I suppose (grudgingly) she might have a point.

I'm not saying some women aren't like that, indeed I met a few in the Army, but it's more of a trait I've noticed in my gender.

So, that leaves me today, Friday, day off on Saturday, a big off road ride on sunday, then commuting up until the 30th. Then I'm going to have a rest from the bike for a week, I'll stay sensible with the grub obviously and I'll start doing some fitness work on my upper body. Just body weight excercises, pull ups, press ups and various types of sit ups which are good for the core. That will probably help my permanently aching back and neck!

Wifey is motivating me to do that too, she thinks that I'll somehow get my rugby playing physique back. Dream on love, I'm not in my 20s now!

Onto today's pedal, I'm sat here feeling knackered, but despite all I said above I broke my pedal in to work record. How the flinkin' blip does that work? I tell you, there's stuff about this weight loss, fitness, excercise malarky that makes absolutely no sense to a simple primitive creature like me!

Stats here:
Started: 24 Jun 2010 05:38:22
Ride Time: 32:44
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.81 miles
Average: 17.88 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 38.16 miles/hr
Climb: 75 feet
Calories: 961

Inner wimp...

2010-06-23T07:29:00.001+01:00

It's a lovely day, the roads I knew were going to be even quieter because of some random sporting event or other happening this afternoon, which meant my pedal home would be done on fairly quiet roads as everyone was stuck in pubs watching said random sporting event.

So why oh why did I start listening to my inner wimp again? 0600hrs I got out of bed and started looking for my day clothes as I'd made an excuse to myself about it being late and I needed drive in.

Luckily I couldn't find my shoes, well I knew where they were but the noise of digging out the wardrobe to get them would have woken the house up, so I got my cycling kit on as I always have it ready to go and got on my bike. Let's hear it for an untidy wardrobe! Inner wimp beaten by random chance, if my shoes had have been handy I know I wouldn't have pedalled. Why? I enjoyed it once on my bike as always.

The pedal in as predicted was very quiet and uneventful, I even got 2 overtakes in, both blokes I hadn't seen before on MTBs. I absolutely flew by them. Indeed, it felt like a very quick pedal in.

Stats here:
Started: 23 Jun 2010 06:16:43
Ride Time: 35:30
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.87 miles
Average: 17.17 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 39.07 miles/hr
Climb: 98 feet
Calories: 639

Ahh, that's why it felt quick, it was quick!

Yesterday's pedal was uneventful, interestingly, the bus that nearly killed me wasn't around yesterday and there was a different one parked up at the school. Not sure if it means anything though. If you haven't read the comments from yesterday I had this emailed to me from the bus company:

Good morning Mr Chapman

I hope you are well

Re : Stonehouse Lane incident 21.06.2010
Thank you for your email
We shall investigate this incident thoroughly and report back to you shortly.
Thank you again

Kind regards

Simon Patchell

Operations and Customer Service Officer

The Green Bus
t: 0845 234 2222
f: 0121 643 6230
w: http://www.thegreenbus.co.uk/
e: simon.patchell@thegreenbus.co.uk
p: The Green Transport Company Limited, 111 New Street, Birmingham B2 4EU

I love the fact he says he hopes I'm well, maybe he thinks I've had to run the gauntlet of his buses again!

I shall stay all over this and I've decided to give them 48 hours from the above mail to respond to me before I'm on his case again. This time by phone.

Stats from yesterday's ride home here:
Started: 22 Jun 2010 15:04:36
Ride Time: 45:18
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.72 miles
Average: 14.88 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 31.73 miles/hr
Climb: 466 feet
Calories: 728

New week, same old same old...

2010-06-22T07:35:00.001+01:00

Yesterday's pedal home was really great right up until this...

As you can see he nearly had me under his wheels, and he obviously saw me as he indicated bizarrely enough to "pull in front of me". Oh and ignore the date stamp on the film, it clearly isn't the 15th of January! I still haven't worked out how to change it yet.

Anyway, just a bit further on he jumped the red light to turn left into Jiggins Lane, which unfortunately doesn't come out on the video, but as he did turn left I knew where he was going as I wanted a discussion.

As predicted I caught him up at King Edwards Grammar School where he acts as a school service. I have the exchange on video, which as I'm emailing the video to his company with a suitable write up I'll keep to myself, suffice it to say he denied all knowledge of the incident, said he hadn't seen me (which his indicating disproves) and refused point blank to apologise (not that I asked for one) , even when I pointed out my helmet cam.

This is the company by the way. http://www.thegreenbus.co.uk/

Ironic that they call themselves green, when using old polluting vehicles and their driver's seem to take exception to the only environmentally sound wheeled transport. By the way, I'm not an extremist tree hugger or yoghurt knitter, but even an old cynic like me can see the "green" credentials of the bike. Politics over.

I'll obviously keep you all informed, but I'm not holding my breath.

Stats here:
Started: 21 Jun 2010 15:04:28
Ride Time: 46:07
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.63 miles
Average: 13.53 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 38.59 miles/hr
Climb: 404 feet
Calories: 724

This mornings pedal was again a no brainer auto pilot pedal. Nothing to report.

Stats here:
Started: 22 Jun 2010 05:44:45
Ride Time: 38:45
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.78 miles
Average: 16.92 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 37.60 miles/hr
Climb: 269 feet
Calories: 539

Back at work...

2010-06-21T06:59:00.002+01:00

First pedal in to work this morning, came in the city centre route on my Giant, nothing to report. My legs seem to be ok now after my 2 days rest, so that's all good.

Stats here:

Started: 21 Jun 2010 05:35:38
Ride Time: 39:13
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.76 miles
Average: 16.09 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 33.35 miles/hr
Climb: 108 feet
Calories: 762

I didn't deploy my helmet cam as I took the chance of an early start not causing any incidents, luckily I was right, but it will be running on the way home!

This website was featured in The Cycle Active magazine my Father's Day pressie, brilliant, hope you enjoy it!

Oh and a big "Hurrah!" to one of our comrade's Toby who after just 3 months pedalling yesterday completed the London to Brighton Cycle ride, well done mate!

Rest day 2.

2010-06-20T07:58:00.000+01:00

Father's Day today, just had my cards and pressie! Two cycling magazines! Cycling Active and Cycling Plus, looking forward to diving in to them!

My other treat is a brilliant Sunday lunch, wifey is doing a topside of rare breed beef, hung for 5 weeks so it'll be lovely and flavourful, that'll be served with Yorkies, roasters and asparagus. She's making her sorrell and water cress soup for starters and her famous cheesecake for pudding. Sensible portions naturally. Yum yum!

Had a really good rugby day yesterday, I watched New Zealand v Wales, The all Blacks blew Wales away, somehow the Welsh looked a yard off the pace and kept missing tackles, and at that level of Rugby that is the game. Dan Carter the New Zealand fly half is looking to be nearly back to his best, but it is hard to judge against a tired looking Welsh defence.

I was then totally amazed by the events in Sydney, England actually won away against a Southern Hemisphere side for the first time since that famous day in November 2003 when Rugby suddenly became the favourite sport in England amongst the chattering classes for a short time.

Again, any victory which was Aus 20 - Eng 21 must be tempered by accepting that the Australian pack of forwards are nowhere near the standard for an international side, maybe even be a normal league side, Nathan Sharp and Rocky Elsom aside who both battled manfully in what was a lost cause. The Aussie back line were their normal brilliant selves though, but without any ball going forward it was a credit to them that they kept their team in the game. Indeed if Matt Giteau had brought his kicking boots the result might have been very different.

Given that the English pack and therefore the English half backs were both permanently on the front foot the result should have been a done deal.

It was really refreshing that Martin Johnson gave some youngsters a run, Ben Youngs the Tiger's 9 was in my opinion man of the match, Courtnay Lawes the Saint's lock was doing damage to the Aussie defence around the fringes and Dan Cole the Tiger's prop is shaping up to be the next Jason Leonard. His scrummaging and workrate around the park is just amazing.

Young Chris Ashton, at last took his Premiership try scoring onto the international field with a hard won try and his quite natural jubilation at scoring was infectious. It was good to see an English Rugby team with smiles on their faces.

But lets not get carried away, one swallow does not make a summer. The next hurdle for this team is the Autumn internationals then the 6 Nations all leading up to the World Cup in New Zealand next year. Remember you heard it here first, but I am tipping South Africa to retain their title next year. I cannot detect any weaknesses in their side and they can only keep improving. If (and in rugby it's a big if) they can arrive in New Zealand with a fit full squad then it's their trophy to lose.

And finally I watched the final of the Churchill Cup played between the England Saxons, (the rebranded England A team) and the Canadians who were the surprise victors last week against France A.

The result was England 38 - Canada 18, this was a fantastically fast paced game with both sides going hammer and tong at each other for 80 minutes, as it was played in New Jersey I hope there were some Americans watching as it was a great advert for rugby.

The fully professional English team were always going to be favourites as the Canadian team did contain some amateurs amongst their ranks, even some of their professionals play at English Level 2 which is the level of my rugby club. The Canadian winger Justin Mensah - Coker even plays for our deadly local rivals Moseley. All that said, rugby is a cruel sport and the English superior fitness and conditioning did tell at the end and they never looked like losing. But a huge credit to the Canadians, their fighting spirit was there for all to see and they must look back with satisfaction once the pain of defeat has worn off at their first ever Churchill Cup Final.

Apologies for all the rugby stuff, it is my first love after all!

Back to normal commuting tomorrow, bikes are ready, kit is ready and I enjoyed my week of MTBing, even if it did knacker me out!

Rest day 1.

2010-06-19T10:47:00.000+01:00

This morning I'll be watching England get beaten by The Wallabies in the rugby test match in Australia. I've already watched the All Blacks dismantle Wales. I can imagine Shaun Edwards the Welsh defence coach chucking all manner of toys out of all manner of prams at their tackling or lack of it.

The family has gone to the 3 Counties show in Malvern so I'm home alone for the first time in a long time.

I'll take advantage of the peace and enjoy the rugby, or not.

The spirit was willing...

2010-06-18T12:53:00.006+01:00

But oh my God was the flesh weak! A continuous 5 days of MTBing has really taken its toll on my fat 46 year old legs, they're knackered!

My intent this morning was to do a good explore of the bridleways around Belbroughton and Hagley but the minute I was pedalling up the Waseley's I just knew that it wasn't going to happen.

I got as far as the Hollybush Pub on the Stourbridge Road and decided that I would endure the climb up and over Walton Hill to short cut the ride home. Thankfully I had a puncture about then too so I could rest my legs while I fixed it!

The climb was a nightmare, add on to the fact it was pretty overcast and humid and I was glad when I was thundering down the singletrack down towards to Romsley.

I have used my Muvi clone for the first time on that bit of the ride so please enjoy the film. Take no notice of the date/time stamp as the instructions are not clear on how to alter it to the correct settings. It's in a Chinese version of English, it may as well be written in Welsh! As is usual I'm finding, the footage doesn't show the speed or the gradient on the hilly bits, please believe me when I say I was going extremely quickly on the downhill!

For those interested the backing track is The Pretender by The Foo Fighters. I could bore you with how they got their name and what Foo Fighters means, but I won't!

On the way over Romsley Hill I saw wifey taking our daughter to the school bus and got a cheery wave, which boosted morale a tad, enough to get me home for a nice hot coffee and a shower.

Stats here:

Started: 18 Jun 2010 06:39:26
Ride Time: 1:23:58
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 9.07 miles
Average: 6.48 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 30.02 miles/hr
Climb: 528 feet
Calories: 412

Route here:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100618-0639.kml

The plan was then to take Dan (aka Spawn of Satan) to Bidford on Avon for a river bank stroll and to chuck him over the swing park there. Mission accomplished, he's now sleeping the sleep of the just which should tide him over enough for our weekly Friday afternoon trip to the Dodford Inn.

This was my last pedal of the week until I start back commuting on my road bike on Monday. As for Phill's challenge I have successfully completed 108 off road miles, which was my aim, so target hit! There is 1 more off road trip I can get in and that promises to be an epic 40 plus miler around the canals and NCR5 with my mukka Ski next Saturday. Naturally a full report, videos and photos will be published as soon as humanly possible!

As for the weight challenge of losing 5 stones by the end of June, I'm not going to publish weekly weight stats until then. A silly superstition is all!

Two pedals in one day...(Apologies to Crowded House).

2010-06-17T13:56:00.004+01:00

Fantastic day weather wise, but I'm feeling the results of all this off roading, it really is more demanding than road riding on my Giant. So I just did the Waseley, Lickey loop for just short of 11 miles. My legs are seriously starting to be fatigued now. The last climb over the Lickey's was a load more demanding than usual.

The photo above is my tribute to Bruce over at Coastrider one of my favourite blogs. Bruce is lifting his Pugsley up with a cool sunrise and a snowy landscape. I've had to make do with a Worcestershire background and a brilliant Oak Tree when I lifted my Marin. This is taken on top of the Waseley Hill's looking South West, I've just slogged up that hill behind me!

For a change I actually stopped by the small pool by Barnt Green Yacht Club, a very pretty spot as you can see.

Just after I took this I had some some locals stop by and say hello.

A pair of Mallards obviously looking for a feed!

This boy obviously doesn't need to ask for grub, he doesn't look too starved to me!

The ride was very pleasant, but like I said, may legs are starting to suffer now.

Stats here:

Started: 17 Jun 2010 06:47:48

Ride Time: 1:36:19

Stopped Time: 0:00

Distance: 10.77 miles

Average: 6.71 miles/hr

Fastest Speed: 36.18 miles/hr

Climb: 817 feet

Calories: 629

Route here:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100617-0647.kml

I got home, chucked my Ridgeback and wifey's Specialized into my car so we could both pedal down the cut from Alvechurch to Tardebigge.

I had been looking forward to this all week, I had told wifey that she sets the pace, stops when she wants and I'll just follow her lead.

We unloaded the bikes at the Crown Pub in Alvechurch and set off along the canal, after a bit of a drama with wifey getting used to gears on a bike again we settled down into a good pedal. The canal was looking its best, the sun was out and all was right with the world. The pedal took us over Shortwood Tunnel which involved a bit of a route a tad more rougher than the towpath which wifey coped with admirably, if occasionally a bit wobbly!

Before we knew it we were at Tardebigge and Anglo Welsh Canal Holiday boats HQ.

Our bikes parked up at Tardebigge.

Yours truly enjoying a drink at Tardebigge.

Anglo Welsh Holiday Boats.

Birmingham and Worcester Canal at Tardebigge.

All too soon it was time to turn around a pedal back to Alvechurch, which was just a matter of retracing our steps.

On the way we saw this huge Wood Driad fungi which is eadible by the way. It's the biggest clump I've ever seen! Wifey's bike giving you a sense of scale.

The thing about this pedal was that it was one of the most enjoyable pedals I've done since I've been back cycling. I think the main reasons for this were that I wasn't intent on competing with myself and riding myself into the ground as Wifey was pace setting and we were chatting all the way along the route. I hope this is the first of many trips we have on the bikes together.

Stats here:

Started: 17 Jun 2010 09:37:31

Ride Time: 1:07:04

Stopped Time: 7:58

Distance: 6.05 miles

Average: 5.42 miles/hr

Fastest Speed: 13.45 miles/hr

Climb: 174 feet

Calories: 350

Route here:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100617-0937.kml

Ok it wasn't the furthest and it certainly wasn't the fastest, but bloody hell did I enjoy it. And more importantly so did wifey. And bear in mind my first pedal back a year ago was a towpath 6 miler, so she did brilliantly!

After we got home we had a quick ablute and went over to the Dodford for a pub lunch and a pint.

All in all a top day!

The only embuggerance was when I entered the stats for today's pedals into Phill's sheet I saw I was only .57 of a mile from completing 100 leisure miles! Not to worry though, I'm off out tomorrow on my Marin.

Waseley, Clent 10 (Well, 11 really).

2010-06-16T13:48:00.002+01:00

Weather was set fair but unfortunatley my legs weren't so I settled on an 11 miler around the hilly Waseley and Clent Hills. It was a pretty route with plenty of scenery on offer. From the top of Walton Hill (Clent Hill's range) I could see as far as the Black Mountain's in South Wales, the Cotswold Hill's and the radar station on top of Clee Hill was easily visible.

Bridleway between Clent and Waseley Hills, Belbroughton Church in the distance.

Clee Hill on the horizon, dunno if the radar station comes out on the photo.

Black Mountains and The Cotswolds in the distance.

Stats here:

Started: 16 Jun 2010 06:27:03

Ride Time: 1:33:04

Stopped Time: 0:00

Distance: 11.47 miles

Average: 7.39 miles/hr

Fastest Speed: 32.96 miles/hr

Climb: 958 feet

Calories: 637

Route here:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100616-0627.kml

Here is my latest offering for the Bike Radar website.

As for the June challenge, I'm currently in 14th place with my leisure miles on 82 miles, but I'm in 3rd place with my overall miles on 318. Considering who is in first and second place, that of Redbikes and John Berry then I'm pretty happy with that. Both of those blokes are what I call proper cyclists and not current fat cyclists or in remission foodoholics. Bonus!

Tuesday towpath trundle...

2010-06-15T09:50:00.003+01:00

After yesterday's hill fest I decided to do a flatter route so I pedalled into Selly Oak on my Ridgback commuter and cycled along the cut to Hawksley, then went to Alvechurch and back along the canal to Hopwood so I could do Bittell Reservoir and Cofton Hacket to home.
Stats here:

Started: 15 Jun 2010 06:38:02
Ride Time: 2:02:50
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 23.74 miles
Average: 11.59 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 34.78 miles/hr
Climb: 1240 feet
Calories: 1609

And route here:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100615-0638.kml

Me wifey and the hounds are doing a walk over the back of the Dodford later on this morning, followed by a nice pub lunch! Suits me!

I thought I'd share this website I read about in Cycling Plus - http://www.thehungrycyclist.com/

As food got me here in the first place a website dedicated to food and cyclists seems like a good idea.

Monday morning MTB meanderings...

2010-06-14T12:41:00.000+01:00

First day off and a good pedal.

Route here: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100614-0549.kml

Just short of 22 miles, I went over the Waseley's, over the back of the Lickey's, down towards Alvechurch along the cut via Barnt Green, then pedalled over to Weatheroak Hill to skirt along the Wast Hills which took me back to Hopwood and the usual reservoir route back to Rubery.

I was feeling pretty good despite the weather which was rainy and windy so I did another flip over the Waseley's and Lickey's. What a sucker for punishment eh? The last climb over the Lickey's disappeared in a haze of shiny torture (Thanks Carrie), but pain is just weakness leaving the body!

Stats here:

Started: 14 Jun 2010 05:49:55
Ride Time: 2:37:06
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 21.94 miles
Average: 8.38 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 33.65 miles/hr
Climb: 1329 feet
Calories: 1491

I'm hoping this week to give Phill a kicking!

After a quick de-gunk and ablute me and wifey took advantage of the kids absence and walked 4 and a half miles with the hounds of hell around some of the bridleways I pedalled during the Saturday puncture fest from a week ago. Wifey was suitably impressed so brownie points for me!

Wifey's photo of yours truly during our bimble.

No-one can accuse me of not getting my excercise today, plus I had a lunch of Kiwi Fruit, Strawberries and Oranges for dinner, how good am I eh?

Another morning MTB trip tomorrow to look forward to tomorrow, and the met is looking better too!

No biking today.

2010-06-13T06:51:00.000+01:00

I'm coaching Rugby today, well not much coaching truth be told, I'm helping run the North Midlands School of Rugby trials at Worcester. This is an opportunity for the best players in the area between U13s and U16s to get themselves on the first rung of the Elite Player Development Pathway. To say they're nervous would be an understatement!

First off I'll be cooking breakfast, a full English this morning as Mum in Law is coming round to go out with Wifey and the kids while I'm at the rugby. I believe they're going to Bidford on Avon. I guess they'll be going for a bimble down the river.

Just as a heads up, I'll be blogging later in the day during next week not first thing of a morning like I normally do.

Have a good day everyone.

Real Hills, gas hills and I've seen the back of 18 stones!

2010-06-12T09:10:00.000+01:00

Well at last 18 stone is behind me, I lost 3 Ibs to make 17 stones 12 Ibs. I just need to get rid of 8 Ibs to make 5 stone for the year.

I went on a standard Waseley/Lickey/Hopwood/Cofton Hacket loop this morning to make a small indentation in Phill's 100 challenge.

It was pretty hard work as there was a very stiff wind and the route is very hilly.

Route here so you don't think I'm cheating!

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100612-0659.kml

Stats here:

Started: 12 Jun 2010 06:59:38
Ride Time: 1:36:44
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 10.69 miles
Average: 6.63 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 42.77 miles/hr
Climb: 741 feet
Calories: 595

Top of the Waseley's

On the Bridleway back up the Lickey's

My pedal home yesterday wasn't great, I was carrying my daysack as I had to get quite a lot of kit home from work so it was probably at its heaviest, consequently my back was in bits when I got home, I nearly stopped a couple of times due to the pain.

It recovered quickly enough after a bit of rest though, so that was ok.

Stats here:

Started: 11 Jun 2010 11:44:08

Ride Time: 48:24
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.86 miles
Average: 13.73 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 31.74 miles/hr
Climb: 525 feet
Calories: 637

As you can see it was a slow pedal due to my back pain.

Last day here for a week!

2010-06-11T06:47:00.002+01:00

I'm off work next week so I'll be looking to put a dent in Phill's 100 mile challenge. The kids are at nursery or school so happy days, a grown up week! Wifey wants to go on a few Towpath bimbles too, so I'll be adding those miles to the challenge as well as my off road jaunts. One of my jaunts of which I'll be doing tomorrow and blogging about with a weight update. Fingers crossed for that, been super good with the grub and pedalled every day too.

Today's pedal was shaping up to be a good one, I was joined for the first time by chance by a fellow cyclist at Northfield and we got chatting all the way down the Bristol Road, he was off to Perry Barr and commutes every day on his bike and did all last winter too, which he said was an effort. I shared his pain. Then bang followed by hiss...Yep the puncture fairy struck again, the bloke wanted to stop with me but I told him to crack on. No sense in both of us being delayed. Nice of him though. Hope we cross paths again.

Rear tube swapped and after using my mini pump in anger for the first time I pedalled the rest of the way in with a tyre not quite as highly pressurised as I would like. Bloody mini pumps, about as much use a chocolate tea pot.

Stats here:
Started: 11 Jun 2010 05:16:54
Ride Time: 51:18
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.71 miles
Average: 12.40 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 42.28 miles/hr
Climb: 217 feet
Calories: 547

Last night's pedal was thankfully back to being incident free, no assassination attempts at all. And even better wifey had done her special chilli for our dinner!

Stats here:
Started: 10 Jun 2010 15:04:14
Ride Time: 40:52
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.70 miles
Average: 13.95 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 35.67 miles/hr
Climb: 587 feet
Calories: 814

Gale force 10...Imminent.

2010-06-10T07:10:00.004+01:00

So that would be summer then? Horrible headwinds, torrential rain and very dark. That just about sums up my City Centre pedal in.

Stats here:
Started: 10 Jun 2010 05:48:00
Ride Time: 42:19
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.70 miles
Average: 14.61 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 37.41 miles/hr
Climb: 98 feet
Calories: 639

Now last night's pedal was an entirely different matter. The weather was pretty still and bright if a bit damp under tyre. I went back the usual way over Frankley Beeches. But I nearly didn't make it.

I had just left work and my first turning is right off Heath Street into Winson Street, I was turning into Winson Street when the car turning right out of Winson Street into Heath Street started his manoever right at me! I had to take pretty immediate avoiding action to avoid the almost inevitable collision, he just smiled and waved at me. Nice. Then at the other end of Winson Street I had a bloke open his door on me, I just about managed to swerve to miss it, I stopped and questioned his actions in no uncertain terms, to which he answered "sorry mate didn't see you". No shit Sherlock! And finally, pedalling past our new super duper hospital the QE I was overtaken that closely by a woman in a VW Golf who was talking on her Mobile Phone that her wing mirror very slightly clipped my arm. I reacted by bashing her rear window as hard as I could but she never even flinched, it must have been a very engrossing conversation. I nearly forgot, I had a bus pull out on me at Bartley Green as well.

All this has motivated me to get my Muvi Clone up and running today. It is now charged and I have to work out how to use it. The only problems I've found are that it doesn't quite fit the brackets on my helmet so it'll need taping into the bracket and the switches are press to operate rather sliding on/off switches like a proper Muvi so you are never sure (until you've learnt the LED combinations) what state the unit is in.

I'll do a full write up with example footage when it's all sorted.

Stats here from last night's opportunities for suicide:

Ride Time: 43:19
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.62 miles
Average: 14.33 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 35.78 miles/hr
Climb: 522 feet
Calories: 842

Duvet Day, or very nearly...

2010-06-09T07:16:00.000+01:00

It took me a great deal of effort to get my arse out of bed this morning, I woke up late at 0555hrs and seriously considered my options, which were work from home, go by car or man the f*** up and get on my bike.

I took the macho moron option and got on my bike. (Thanks Phill).

The reason for my tardiness was having to get up twice in the night to the Spawn of Satan (my 3 year old son Dan) as for whatever reason he was intent on waking up and making Fire Engine siren noises. Once at 0030hrs and then again at 0245hrs. Bless him. So I'm knackered.

I pedalled in a different route this morning, over the Waseley's through Bartley Green, via Halesowen, Bearwood then Smethwick. I needed a bit of countryside this morning.

For the second morning running I got wet through, which ain't a problem really, it's those bloody gas hills I hate.

Stats here:

Started: 9 Jun 2010 06:03:34
Ride Time: 42:20
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.91 miles
Average: 15.90 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 39.28 miles/hr
Climb: 385 feet
Calories: 320

Last night's pedal was a standard jobby, the weather was a bit brighter and I seem now to have kicked Frankley Beeches arse well and truly, which came as a bit of a surprise to me. I can still remember dreading that hill, I am sailing up it now. Sailing is a relative term by the way as I am still a broken wreck at the top!

Stats here:

Started: 8 Jun 2010 15:04:10
Ride Time: 44:16
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.66 miles
Average: 14.10 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 34.39 miles/hr
Climb: 705 feet
Calories: 926

Rain

2010-06-08T07:19:00.001+01:00

I got a bit damp pedalling in this morning due to the rain, luckily it's still quite warm but it was also pretty dark. I nearly bottled it though and came in the car. Glad I didn't. I think my usual Tuesday Blues had kicked in.

Stats here:
Started: 8 Jun 2010 05:47:29
Ride Time: 38:41
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 11.81 miles
Average: 16.00 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 39.32 miles/hr
Climb: 164 feet
Calories: 696

Quite pleased with the average speed and time. A sub 40 for the journey in is for me good going.

I know it's off topic, but I just have to unload about the Rugby meeting I went to last night. I volunteered to take over my club's representation from a guy who has sat on the committee of the Birmingham Rugby Development Group and has after a quite a few years service decided to stand down.

The BRDG remit is to promote rugby in Birmingham, supply the first level of representative rugby to players through the Greater Birmingham Squads, to support amateur rugby and provide a conduit to communicate regional issues to the RFU which is the game in England's governing body.

We had to get there for 1900hrs which being me I arrived at 1840hrs and was quite relieved to see a few faces I recognised from the circuit and a few new faces too. So I relaxed a bit.

My boss at my club had sent me there with the express instruction to push our club forward in the area through means of offering Coach Education, coaching sessions run by our professional staff and offering our facilities out for conferences or meetings such as the one I attended last night.

Five minutes in I quickly discovered why as a County Level coach (North Midlands) I always have had trouble with Greater Birmingham Rugby. The words Breweries and piss ups immediately sprang to mind.

I sort of worked out that we were there to discuss why junior rugby clubs in Birmingham do not like Greater Birmingham Rugby, have no faith in Greater Birmingham Rugby and generally do their own thing despite Greater Birmingham Rugby. Every club in Birmingham is supposed to be represented at this group which I believe is about 30 clubs at all levels from Level 2 professional clubs like mine (equivalent to the Championship in soccer) to clubs the likes of Old Fatbastardians Drinking XV. There were by my count 8 clubs represented there.

You know the phrase "A camel is a horse designed by committee", well this organisation was a classic example of that, what agenda there was was digressed upon pretty well most of the time and what aims I could discern were aims my club had already decided we would pursue anyway.

Please don't laugh, but the only thing I could see the 2 and a half hour meeting achieved was to have another meeting to discuss stuff we were meant to be discussing anyway! My natural inclination is to hate meetings, I have to have them at work and I hate them too, I describe them as 2 hours of my life I'll never get back, this was right up there as a bigger pointless waste of time than I have ever experienced.

This is the God's honest truth, 3 of the older blokes had a 20 minute argument about the cost of representative ties awarded to players as though it was the most important thing ever!

I came away at 2130hrs more mystified about what the hell that was all about than I was at the start. The funny thing was, I was accompanied by Eugene Martin one of our professional coaches, when we both got outside we both looked at each other at the same time and both said together "we'll do it by ourselves", in that we already had all of the groups "new" ideas in place and more initiatives as well to promote the sport in our area. The only difference is we'll deliver them! Hopefully if they see how we operate they'll use us as a model to get things done instead of talking bollocks for nearly 3 hours and achieving the square root of bugger all. They were the opitomy of the word "amateur".

Rant over, apologies.

Back on topic.

Last night's pedal here:
Started: 7 Jun 2010 15:04:13
Ride Time: 45:53
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance:11.58 miles
Average: 13.52 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 32.78 miles/hr
Climb: 564 feet
Calories: 805

It went pretty well and I blasted a guy on his MTB going up Frankley Beeches which I was quite pleased about, he was a young fit looking bloke too on a pretty high end Scott.

I should start to have some more footage for you as my Muvi Clone that I ordered off Ebay turned up yesterday. First impressions are that it's pretty plasticy and not as well made, obviously! I'll have a report on funtionality as soon as possible. Whatever happens, you can't really moan for a tenner.