I tagged along with the Wigan Wheelers again today and managed just short of 50 miles at a decent pace (for me that is). It was almost ideal cycling weather, nice and warm with a slight breeze here and there. Before anyone asks the question, ideal cycling weather is - nice and warm with a howling gale behind (for me that is). I felt OK throughout and hopefully didn't hold them up too much.
After lunch, which was "sin free breakfast", seemingly everything bar sausages, I split from the main group and made my way back homeward through Newburgh where I called in on my "mentor" Robin who is not too well these days but battling on and smiling as usual. He made me two perfect cups of tea which I enjoyed along with the usual shedfull of chocolate biscuits and his own brand of encouragement, all of which were most welcome. The last leg was fairly eventful. I dragged myself over Parbold Hill without stopping but soon after I had a rear wheel puncture which is no surprise given the state of the roads in the vicinity. I fixed it OK which was quite a pleasant surprise, remembering the last puncture I had in the middle of Bulgaria where I used up all my supply of three spare tubes and ended up thumbing a lift. I've just checked and that occurred on 10th May last year. I wonder where Yuri, the "Mad Russian", is now.
I probably won't manage a ride tomorrow. I'm taking the BYW to the airport around mid-day and there is some dodgy weather forecast later in the day. I could get up early I suppose. Behave!
Decision day is getting closer. Looking more likely, I think.
Good Luck to Wigan Athletic tonight.
Here is today's ride. The time doesn't include for stops. I'm not that slow, honest.
http://my.viewranger.com/track/details/MzM2NDgx
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Sunday, 5 May 2013
Coming along nicely but....
I have managed a total of 124 miles or so this week which is a decent increase on past weeks but I think I need to step it up a bit in the next three weeks and lose a bit of weight and also start to carry a bit of weight, that is, with the bags on here and there. I now have a provisional departure date of 28th May but I am still not 100% certain to go. I have therefore set another date of 14th May for a definite decision so I am doing all the necessary preparations so that I will be ready whichever way the coin falls.
If I do go it will be a bit of a cop out because I will only be riding to Athens and then travelling by boat across the "Great Green" to Rhodes which is only an hour away from Fethiye by ferry. The whole trip should only take about three weeks. Not the same challenge as last year but a challenge all the same and promising to be quite spectacular in places.
If I do go it will be a bit of a cop out because I will only be riding to Athens and then travelling by boat across the "Great Green" to Rhodes which is only an hour away from Fethiye by ferry. The whole trip should only take about three weeks. Not the same challenge as last year but a challenge all the same and promising to be quite spectacular in places.
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Third of a Year
Its a third of a year since I last blogged - and what a turd of a year it has been so far.
I started it off with the best of intentions. The plan was to slowly build up my mileage and get myself in shape for this year's ride to Turkey in April, around the same time as last year, but this time using a different route. I had approached a number of good mates to ride along for all or part of the way and there was some interest so I was hopeful of a different type of adventure.
After my New Year's day ride to retrieve the car from my mum's I did a couple of shortish rides in the cold weather and then got this "man-flu" all the women talk about. I'd struggle for a week and then think I was getting over it but then find myself welded to the bed next morning, unable to move. Any time I did feel reasonably well there was a blizzard (ok a bit of snow) or other inclement non-cycling-friendly weather, ie wet, windy, cold. The training obviously suffered and an April departure was out of the question. Also, one by one, the members of the prospective entourage had to drop out, all for good reasons, so I was then confronted with riding on my own which wouldn't be a problem but I just would have preferred going with some select company.
Over the last few weeks, however, the weather has improved slightly and training has gone well. I have done a couple of 30s and a 40 and went out with the legendary Wigan Wheelers yesterday and completed 60 odd miles. My legs (and bottom) don't feel too bad today and that has given me the impetus to make the tentative announcement that there is a possibility that I am provisionally intending to set off some time in the last week in May. I am being deliberately vague because I am nowhere near as committed as I was last year for some reason and I "may not feel like it" when I get nearer to the day. Having said that the slightly warmer weather has increased my enthusiasm slightly and I feel moderately positive.
It's good to be back blogging. I just hope somebody is still out there to read it.
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
New Year's Day 2013
1/1/2013
Drove to mummy's last night with the best of intentions but had a couple so we got a taxi home. This means I need to get on the bike and ride the 10 or so miles to retrieve the car. So commences training and preparation for this year's challenge, which is again Wigan to Fethiye but his time using a totally different route and hopefully with a few close friends for company. I've not been on a bike now since the Manchester 100 which was on 2nd September - approximately 13 weeks.
A training schedule needs to be sorted, and adhered to, equipment needs to be organised. Apart from that - not much.
Watch this space and follow me on twitter @tomkel3184.
Drove to mummy's last night with the best of intentions but had a couple so we got a taxi home. This means I need to get on the bike and ride the 10 or so miles to retrieve the car. So commences training and preparation for this year's challenge, which is again Wigan to Fethiye but his time using a totally different route and hopefully with a few close friends for company. I've not been on a bike now since the Manchester 100 which was on 2nd September - approximately 13 weeks.
A training schedule needs to be sorted, and adhered to, equipment needs to be organised. Apart from that - not much.
Watch this space and follow me on twitter @tomkel3184.
Monday, 18 June 2012
The Next Challenge
"The Days After" theme sort of fizzled out, basically because nothing was happening worth writing about. I'm no longer out there riding 60 odd miles a day and having adventures. Nobody wants to know what I had for breakfast, or how long I slept, etc any more. These things did seem moderately important during the ride but they are very mundane these days along with the rest of "normal" life.
I have spent the last two weeks trying to get down to some work again but always finding something more important to do like BBC sport website and the "Tour of Switzerland" on the telly, not to mention every second of Euro 2012 football. I have also been trying to update the blog by adding photos and routes but this is very time-consuming and I haven't really made much progress on either front. I'll keep plugging away though until the work has piled up so high that I have to get rid of some of it. Hopefully the blog will be something like complete by then.
As far as cycling is concerned we do have on the horizon the Manchester to Blackpool on 8th July. I have managed this for the last four years but the ride is logistically very difficult to organize. You have to get you and your bike to Manchester, do the ride and then get yourself and your bike back home. It has only been possible for me to do this ride with an organised group including volunteer van drivers. The group I've done it with in the past are not doing it this year so I think I'll give it a miss myself.
Further down the line is the Manchester 100 on 2nd Sept which is more convenient because it starts and finishes in the same place so it's a case of drive there with bike and then drive home, with a small matter of 100 miles in between. This is easier to organise and more of a challenge so it's a definite for me and I'm going to start training soon - honest. I have done a few short rides on my old road bike, mainly up through the plantations to Haigh Hall with Barney (dog). My tourer is at Robin's in Newburgh for rest and repair. Robin kindly offered to him to put it
Then there is next year. By next spring I will be ready for a major challenge and I would love to ride to Turkey again but I couldn't use the same route, or even go through all the same countries. This year's ride was so unique for me and so special that anything vaguely similar could never be as good and is bound to be an anticlimax. So, the plan is to use a totally different route. At present France, Italy, Greece is favourite although the Adriatic coast is a possibilty with maybe Albania and Macedonia involved. Another major departure from this year's ride would be that I would like to go in a group this time. It has been mentioned to a few friends and they are "thinking about it". The beauty of this idea is that it opens up possibilities for people to fly out and join in for a week or two along the way. If nobody fancies it I may attempt it myself but it's a long way off and too soon to say.
The main thing is - wheels are in motion.
I have spent the last two weeks trying to get down to some work again but always finding something more important to do like BBC sport website and the "Tour of Switzerland" on the telly, not to mention every second of Euro 2012 football. I have also been trying to update the blog by adding photos and routes but this is very time-consuming and I haven't really made much progress on either front. I'll keep plugging away though until the work has piled up so high that I have to get rid of some of it. Hopefully the blog will be something like complete by then.
As far as cycling is concerned we do have on the horizon the Manchester to Blackpool on 8th July. I have managed this for the last four years but the ride is logistically very difficult to organize. You have to get you and your bike to Manchester, do the ride and then get yourself and your bike back home. It has only been possible for me to do this ride with an organised group including volunteer van drivers. The group I've done it with in the past are not doing it this year so I think I'll give it a miss myself.
Further down the line is the Manchester 100 on 2nd Sept which is more convenient because it starts and finishes in the same place so it's a case of drive there with bike and then drive home, with a small matter of 100 miles in between. This is easier to organise and more of a challenge so it's a definite for me and I'm going to start training soon - honest. I have done a few short rides on my old road bike, mainly up through the plantations to Haigh Hall with Barney (dog). My tourer is at Robin's in Newburgh for rest and repair. Robin kindly offered to him to put it
Then there is next year. By next spring I will be ready for a major challenge and I would love to ride to Turkey again but I couldn't use the same route, or even go through all the same countries. This year's ride was so unique for me and so special that anything vaguely similar could never be as good and is bound to be an anticlimax. So, the plan is to use a totally different route. At present France, Italy, Greece is favourite although the Adriatic coast is a possibilty with maybe Albania and Macedonia involved. Another major departure from this year's ride would be that I would like to go in a group this time. It has been mentioned to a few friends and they are "thinking about it". The beauty of this idea is that it opens up possibilities for people to fly out and join in for a week or two along the way. If nobody fancies it I may attempt it myself but it's a long way off and too soon to say.
The main thing is - wheels are in motion.
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