Dunham desires

On Monday morning myself and bro Paul got in the Fabia and drove to Dunham to spend the day taking photos of the autumn gorgeousness and hopefully many shots of the deer before rutting.

The day proved warmer than anticipated and both of us were rather warm as we'd overdressed, but we couldn't be bothered removing various articles as we'd no room in our bags what with our camera kit and picnic in them. Oh and Paul's tripod that looked like it was trying to strangle him when he carried it!

First port of call was the sawmill and the stunning reflections of the barn and clock tower in the moat. Whilst Paul was taking shots of the moat I wandered off to a tree stump and it's lovely collection of fungus where I got to practice macro before returning to the moat for some shots myself.

Onto the main house and for once I managed to get a shot of the listed building without any body, buggy or bloody idiot getting in the way and with the nice sundial central to the building. Paul was also taking multiple shots here and I got mine over his head while he squatted down to take his shots from a lower angle.

After the Hall we wandered over to one of the lakes where last year we saw a massive orange Koi Carp. He'd gone from the lake now, hopefully he's been moved into the larger lake. There weren't many swans, coots, or moorhens here either so the wildlife shots were thin on the ground, but I did get some gorgeous shots of the lake and the trees reflected in it. Again while Paul was taking shots I wandered over to a fallen tree to take some 'arty' shots (I like quite bizarre architectural type shots). While here I heard a cricket 'singing' looked round and found him on one of the fallen trees where he seemed happy to have his picture taken and slowly wandered over to his mate who, again, seemed happy to just stand still while I took multiple shots of them. Paul cursed himself when he saw what he was taking as he'd left his macro lens at home and couldn't do any close-ups. Tsk. Still, all better for me as I need the macro practice.

Wandering about and over to another lake, Paul began taking glorious shots of the lilies and swans while I set off looking at the ground in search of more macro possibilities, and came across a good few things. And a stunning view across another lake with beautiful skies and colours in the grasses.

We finally found a stag (in the whole day we only saw 4 deer (2 stags and 2 females - pretty sure they were the same stag/female on both occasions!) and I managed to get a good picture of him lay down in the grass. Not as good as I'd have liked though as my camera is only a compact and therefore the zoom isn't as great as Paul's SLR, but still, it is one of the best pictures of deer that I've taken.

After the stag got bored and wandered off we set off in the opposite direction and came across the old slaughter house in the woods, where I found my nice architectural/arty things to shoot and yet more macro!

Last port of call was back to a lake and the woods behind it where we watched several squirrels frolicking in the sun and leaves, while one was busy burying his findings for a possible harsh winters lunch,and while we got bombarded with beech nut cups as it seemed that every tree had multiple squirrels in the canopy stuffing his tummy and little cheeks and dropping what he didn't want onto the floor. After we both got hit several times we decided to head off back to the car as we'd managed to spend about 6hrs wandering around!

These and more photos are on my photo blog avixpics

Floop

Myself, Gaz and Emma decided on Saturday night that we'd ride the Fallowfield Loop this morning. Partially as they'd not ridden it before, but also because Joby and Gaz have been looking for somewhere to do their 100 miles of nowhere ride. that, and seeing as they didn't have a clue where it was or how to get there, I'd come in very useful. I'd planned to ride anyway and decided to meet them and then ride my own loop afterwards.

At 8:30ish Gaz and Emma hurtled into my street and we all set off with Gaz doing a few wheel spins on the 'interesting' road surface before getting onto the roadwork area that has now appeared right at the end of my street.
We set off towards Wright Robinson College and got onto the Floop at its gravelly first quarter/fifth and set a good pace along the cycleway passing a fellow cyclist with extreme ease: well, he was on a full sus mtb that squeaked like an overgrown mouse, so the passing was done with ease.

As we neared the Kingsway bridge Gaz got a text from his misses saying his daughter was ill and could he come home. We turned tail and set off back towards Debdale Park and the Hyde Rd exit. Once on Hyde Rd I promptly adopted the tuck position and pelted along until I drew alongside Denton Golf Club near the fantastically lethal Denton roundabout. No RLJers as there was very little traffic thankfully: it's not the best of roundabouts to ride round, but ride it we did.

Into Denton Crown Point and while Emma and Gaz headed up to Devils Hill and Mottram Rd, I turned off to begin my own loop of madness. Up Shepley, through into Dukinfield, then Stalybridge, Ashton/Mossley and up Wilshaw to Lees Rd and the gradual climb up to Park Bridge.
Coming down the descent into the valley I got stuck behind a Jeep behind a horse rider who was in the middle of the road. Once the Jeep was passing her safely she acknowledged the driver, but when i said 'morning' to her I got a bit of a sour look from her and what sounded like a grunted reply. Hmm, so much for being friendly to other road users who are just as vulnerable.

Back in Bardsley and along through Daisy Nook and I was avoiding branches that'd been blown off the trees with last nights gales. Luckily the visitor centre was open (that early on a Sunday, I was surprised) and the warden was told about the branches while I waited for my bacon butty. Making friends with a beagle pup, very cute, I began to feel the cold despite being wrapped up warm, so pretty soon I was on the move again descending and climbing various parts of Oldham and Failsworth before heading back through Ashton towards home.

Stats - www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=22172
Cold, crisp gorgeous day
Miles: 32.89
Average speed: 12.4mph (fairly slow, but happy with it anyway)
Climbed: 1217ft

September review

Been a fairly good month:

Distance covered: 215.28
Days ridden: 9
Middleton CC: yep - to Tatton Park
Events: Manchester 100 in 4:14:07

Again I've not done any hill reps, but have exceeded most months on the climbing scale bar that of January. A few evening rides have been added to the 'rota' so that'll guarantee around 30 miles each week depending on the weather of course!

I need a new route!

I went on my usual after work ride to keep up the miles. By the time I was kitted up it was so dark I needed my lights on before I even left my street. By the time I got to my destination it was black black and my poor lights couldn't break the blackness, so I sadly returned the same way I went out, completely bypassing Park Bridge. I need to sort out another route bout 10-15 miles long, nice and quiet, where I'm not riding blind. Might hunt one out tomorrow. Anyhoo, I completed tonights 13.08 miles with an average of 15.2mph. ¤ Sent from my mobile phone ¤

Drizzling Daisy Nook

On a damp and drizzling Monday morning I decided that a 'recovery' ride was due. It was a simple ride to Park Bridge and Daisy Nook and back home. Not sure how much recovering was done seeing as I'd completed the 15.05 mile loop at an average of 15.1mph. But hey ho!

Ooer missus!

Just done a google search and it turns out that I've done more climbing than is needed to climb Everest! I've done approx 10,000ft more climbing than it takes to get up that huge mammoth of a mountain.

It may be even more seeing as mapmyride isn't too great on the elevation front. I shall, over time of course, plot all my routes onto bikehike and adjust the elevation stats on the sidebar accordingly.

September club run

Septembers MCC club run had a good following including 2 guest (potential new members?) riders - myself, Paul, Simon (crimmy),and Joe being the members and Joby and Chris being the guests. Gaz came along for a smidge of the ride, but had to head to a family thing so couldn't complete the ride sadly.I was leading this ride, but had managed to leave my dongle with the route map on it at my parents so relied on memory except for the added bits that I'd either not ridden before or had only ridden once therefore my memory wasn't overly clear on the route. Joby and Chris had kindly put the route onto their Garmin units.After everyone met up at the Velo and Joby's monkey had his picture taken at the entrance (it was his daughter Lily's request that the monkey come out with us) we set off out across Ashton Old Rd, Hyde Rd and Stockport Rd to head past the Bike Docs and out through Rusholme and Didsbury and on to Wythenshawe Park where the route followed that of the Manchester 100 that myself, Joby and Chris had done at the beginning of this month (Chris being the braver of us as he did the 100 mile route): alongside the park, onto Shaftsbury Ave and then through Hale before turning off at Ashley to get onto the lovely long drag of Ashley Rd to the entrance of Tatton Park where we had lunch.

After stuffing our faces and refilling bottles we set off back to the Rostherne entrance of the park turning left to head into Knutsford. At this point my memory was a blank and the boys' Garmins had also gone rather wrong as they'd directed us the wrong way down a one way street! A bit of hike-a-bike was called for before mounting again and setting off on our merry way along Mobberley Rd, where I was surprised to find the lay-by void of the snack van that is normally tucked away there.

Joby tried to send us the wrong way but we managed to find the right turning and headed along Broad Oak Lane and another Mobberley Rd back into Ashley. The route diverted off again onto a bit I haven't ridden before and, again, the boys' Garmins gave up the ghost as they claimed we'd gone way off course. We hadn't though as myself and Chris were discussing whether to come this route or not due to a sharp hill out this way.The road swooped around between fields before a sign actually warned us of the descent that we knew we had to go down before getting the same gradient back up the other side - a lovely 11%er. Fab! I took the lead down the descent before Joby came tear-arsing alongside me and he got the head start up the hill. I was on his tail and Chris was on mine. I told Chris to go round me as I was quite happy to just pootle my way up this one - I didn't want to risk hurting the pelvis so chose not to really attack it. Soon a dark blur and a hum passed by as Simon just shot by. He really does make climbs look so bloody easy. No prizes for guessing who'll be winning the club hill climb this year then!

Once over the top we waited for Paul and Joe to catch us up before going for the death-defying right turn onto Wilsmlow Rd and under Ringway runways (sadly no planes were taking off as we did so - the sight of then travelling across the road is awesome. They're so bloody massive!!). Joby had the time of his life in the tunnels; he really has no life by the sound of it! Myself and Simon were bombing it through there, tucked up and ripping the road to shreds.

Then came the first of a few off-road jaunts, complete with groans and moans from the boys (except Paul as he knew what was coming) as we got onto the Orbital Cycleway: a path alongside the runway fencing that is made up of gravel varying in size from dust to big chunks of rock. The boys were whining, but myself and Paul ripped away from the group as we'd had the advantage of riding on this stuff before and had the handling skills to cope with our speed.

Onto Styal Rd and once through the traffic lights at Ringway Rd, I opened up the gears, tucked up and blasted away from the group. Simon caught up and tried to be my pacer (or tried out-gunning me), but as he was gaining speed, so was I and ended up overlapping his wheel a little, so his pacing for me went a little wrong. Soon I was overtaking him and was his pacer, but I think I was leaving him behind a little. We eased up and a breathless Joby caught us up stating defiantly that he needs to get into training for the club track champs in December. I think he wasn't expecting the burst of speed from myself and Simon, nor expecting us to maintain it for so long. That and he absolutely hates people going faster than him!! Chris left us at this point as he lived nearby.

Back in Northenden and we cut through the back lanes to get to Chorlton Water Park for a loo stop and to ease any tired legs a little before getting back onto Wilsmlow Rd and onto the Fallowfield Loop in Fallowfield (funnily enough). As the boys hadn't been on here before I added this part to the ride to give them a taste of something different - and they loved it. Well, Joby and Simon did, dunno bout the others. After coming to the aid of 2 damsels in distress who needed a bike pump (mine came to the rescue), Joby's monkey came out again for a photo shoot (the girls looking rather embarrassed about it, but took it all in good humour), we continued on until we reached the end of the trail; well, as far as we were going on it anyhow.

A quick jaunt through Abbey Hey and Openshaw and Joby was leaving us to get the extra mile sin to make it officially the longest ride he's ever done, and myself, Paul, Simon and Joe were turning off to go our separate ways too: Joe and Simon had the fun of Berry Brow to climb, but seeing as Simon had been out on the bike since stupid o'clock another hill wasn't exactly gonna stop him!

Stats - www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=21324
Lovely day, cloudy and a little chilly but not too bad.
Miles: 48.7
Average speed: 14.3mph
Average speed for the sprinting: 28/29mph
Climbed: 1091ft

Playtime!

Usually I work on a Friday, but I did a shift swap so I worked yesterday instead meaning I could go out to play today.

After obtaining some Gore arm warmers from Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative on Wednesday morning with the money raided from my piggy(literally) bank, I thought I'd give them a try out on a chilly morning ride.

Twas meant to be a 10 mile loop that I never got to finish on Tuesday night, but it ended up being a ride to the Pike instead.

I set off along the most direct route to Ashton (direct bar the contraflows of course) and braved the street of pain to get to Cranbourne and St Albans for a nice climb before heading to Grotton and Mossley (more climbing). For some inane reason I decided to get to the Pike the harder way - up the steep side of Mossley Cross and up Broadcarr rather than the slightly easier but more drawn out 6%er of the other way!
Down into Lees, across Abbey Hills Rd and back up the Brow and I was flying through Park Bridge through the chicane at the bottom of the hill and across to Daisy Nook where Everest had a rest and a swan looked like it was recuperating in one of the ponds before shooting back home to a pint of milk to guzzle.
Stats - view route
Miles: 18.58
Average speed: 15.2mph (not sure how I managed that considering)
Climbed: 1044ft

Things that go bump in the night

On Monday I decided to borrow a phone (clumpier than mine) from my bro so I could go for a ride after work on Tuesday. It was a rather basic phone, so wasn't really worth my telling anybody about.

Work was nicely busy on Tuesday and I was looking forward to the evening ride. Mmmmm, oh how I wish I'd stayed at home!

The ride was going really well with an average speed of 16.7mph as I travelled into Ashton to do a loop through Park Bridge. Heading along one of the main one-way streets to get to Ikea I was in the outside lane seeing as that one was going in the direction I wanted. I passed a couple of side streets then as I was coming to another side street, a car had paused with it's indicator on for turning right. I though nothing of it as it had many lanes to turn into; as the whole of the rest of the road was clear I assumed it'd be turning into the nearside lane, then make it's way into whatever lane it wanted.

The reality was so much different from the thought. Instead of turning into the nearest lane, the driver drove straight at me (despite indicating for a turning) and sent me flying and only turned once I was sprawled on the floor with my bike sticking out of the windscreen.

As has happened so many times in the past, whenever I've had an incident of any variety (usually being cut up) the police were on hand to sort the situation out. Turns out they were right behind the knob and saw it all happen. They, like me, couldn't believe it. The driver claimed he didn't see me.

This all happened at 7pm. It was still light so no street lamps were on, I had my lights on my nice pale blue and silver beastie, I wore tights with nice little reflective bits on, ditto my shoes and gloves, my jersey was my club jersey (white base with one blue and one red sleeve and red and blue flashes across it), my helmet is a Lampre team edition so is blue, white and bright pink. Erm, which bit of me didn't he see? My ass? My boobs? Did he want to see my teeth? Or maybe he was a throat doctor and wanted to see my tonsils as I screamed at him with a trail of choice expletives?

Both myself and the officers were amazed that the arse couldn't see me - they could and they were looking through another car!

After picking my bike out of the car and checking it over (perfectly fine she is - one tough beastie, my Everest), I got a lift to the local A&E where xrays were taken of my wrist: base of thumb may or may not be cracked, the docs can't be sure if the line on the xray is recent or from when it broke in November. Makes no difference to me as it's not too sore and I refused to have any form of splint on it (I refused a splint in November too). Other than that I've pulled (maybe torn) muscles between my shoulder blades, but have happily been carrying on as normal.

No doubt the arse will get a slapped wrist and told not drive for a month, or something else stupid. I'm convinced he couldn't drive in the first place, so that's hardly going to stop him is it?!

I've been out to play since then with no ill effects so all is good. Hurrah! I'm thinking that maybe I've been Joby-jinxed?????

Mobile misery

I'm not happy. Not a happy bunny at all. In any way, shape or form. My one and only phone (as I don't have a land-line) has died a horrid death (well, is still dying if I'm totally honest).

As of 10:32pm yesterday, despite being fully charged up and being in an area with an excellent network coverage, the phone decided to not allow me to make any calls, send text messages, access the net or access my contact list. Software that was installed on it by the manufacturers has gone walkies thus meaning that half the stuff is missing. Stuff has also deleted itself - like my whole calender list of appointments, anniversaries, birthdays etc.
Only had the thing for exactly 2 months (to the date).

After a stupidly long time to wait before speaking to an advisor, after they'd done their technical questioning and data info, they initially thought the battery had gone faulty which would explain some but not all of the problems. After more thorough questioning they realised it was terminal and are replacing my phone for me. Biggest downside is that I'll be phoneless until Wednesday night. AAARRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!! Not good. I won't ride without a phone for safety reasons, work can no longer contact me about anything until I'm in on Tuesday, the UKBA cannot contact me to say if I've a job with them or not.....cringe.

It'll be hell...........