Family

It was Daughter’s swimming lesson on Friday night, and also Wife’s book club (think: alcoholics anonymous, but with lots of cold white wine. Oh, and books too. Allegedly) This means that after the swimming lesson, Daughter and I eat out. Nothing fancy (she’s seven) - Pizza Hut / Pizza Express / TGI Fridays /...
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I’ve been thinking a little about this over the last couple of weeks. Trying to reconcile my driving with my cycling, walking, and use of public transport, that is. So here’s my problem. My parents & sister live some 350 miles from here. Wife’s sister in Wales is 400 miles each way, and Wife’s parents...
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The old Pashley tandem I bought a few weeks back is nearly finished. Finished enough to ride at any rate. Which is precisely what we did a couple of times over the weekend. Just after Daughter got back from school on Friday, I finally picked up the extra-long tandem gear cable I needed, and fitted...
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Daughter was really disappointed when she came to cheer me on during the Boxing Day Pudding Run. It’s a 5k race / fun run held every year on the 26th December in Whitley Bay - proceeds to charity. The thing was that unlike other races she’s seen me in, this one had children taking part...
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I guess I’m just one of those guys who likes to jump on a bandwagon. I’d probably make a great political leader - see which way my people are headed, and then rush after them so that I can lead ‘em. Anyway. This thing about bike helmets. Everyone else is posting about it (like here, here,...
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No, that’s not a misquote from some French royalty. It’s the motto of 617 Squadron, whose story was told by Paul Brickhill in The Dam Busters - one of my Thrilling Yarns that I read over the summer. It was Daughter’s first swimming lesson after the summer break. And although the weather forecast was for...
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Maybe I’m getting old, or it’s just an attempt to buck the system. But I have the urge to get a bike that’s seriously comfortable. Inspired by sites like Copenhagenize.com (and it’s twin -  CopenhagenCycleChic.com), Amsterdamize.com, and even Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery, I’ve started looking at a more traditional, upright type of bike....
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I got the idea for doing this back in 2007, when I read about it on Adrian Fitch’s blog. Seeing as VonSmallHaussen lives only a short distance from the start, we could combine a visit to see her with a little light cycling: 119 miles. Actually my first century ride ever. Actually, 50% further than...
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The run was interesting. I hadn’t banked on it being such a cross-country affair, nor on the weather being so wet. I also thought that the route was a simple out-and-back, so within 200m of what I thought was the end of the first lap, when the route headed off for a circuit of the...
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The bike leg was all about the weather and the food. My big fear was bonking - either through dehydration / electrolyte problems (a speciality of mine), or blood sugar. So my plan was to drink Zym every ten minutes (~750ml per hour), and to eat 300 cals / hour. On top of that, for...
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