Each to their own....

In the past I have joined a couple of Cycle Clubs - primarily so I could compete. But to be honest, they're not me and I would consider myself, a "solitary cyclist."
I hate the way the Clubs seem to be male dominated with large doses of testosterone running through them. It certainly can be very intimidating walking into the Club House for the first time. I can remember the sarky comments from the Chair of the Club, when I showed my face for the first time.
Needless to say, I didn't venture back and only remained a member for time trialling purposes for 5 or so years.
Of course and it goes without saying - I am a CTC member, but again I very rarely go out with my local group. How anti social of me......?
Yesterday, however, I received an email from a friend who has just joined a new club - VC10 (Velo City 10?)
Looking at the website - it appears to be what the cycling community needs. Supportive of beginners, women and they have a youth programme etc, etc. I am tempted to join and hook up with the women's MTB group - though I have promised my other half I won't get drawn into the world competition again......!
But on the other hand, I love my solo rides and I may just not get around to it.....!

Didn't make it passed first base.......!

I was all set to go into Reading today to catch up with Mark, the new officer. Alas, the bike was sidelined for the warmth of the car - heavy sleet/rain was falling. Though I quickly realised that I was going no-where fast...! I had a flat on the front tyre. So rolled up my sleeves in readiness to change to the spare - but my efforts were thwarted as I couldn't undo the darn wheelnuts.
I called the RAC and was told to expect a 3 hour wait...! Well, I was at home in the warm and not on some awful hard shoulder.
The whole episode got me thinking of how easy it is to run a bike - no big bolts to grapple with. A quick 10 minutes at the side of the road and then you are off.
For those who aren't proficient at changing an inner tube - the CTC has a fantastic product and you may just be interested. See here for the details of the cyclists' version of the RAC.
Be prepared to be impressed......!

I have survived on a diet of.....

.... turbo sessions. With the 8 or so inches of snow, that went to 4 inches of icy slush - my bike(s) have stayed snuggled up in the garage and I have had to resort to a diet of turbo sessions.
Boy does it take me back to my time trialling days and the strict training regime I once followed.
Still, it's a means to an end and keeps the old legs turning in readiness for the spring. Also burning vital calories in the hope of keeping the odd mince pie and chocolate firmly off my hips....!

Although no brand new bike for Christmas - I did however, have some lovely lightweight camping gear under the tree and a very generous voucher from CTC to put towards my tent.
I have also decided on one of my tours for 2010 - Home to Lymington, hopping on the ferry to the Isle of Wight and then circumnavigating the island. I'm hoping to do this as an extended weekend - anyone care to join me.....?

Christmas festivities...

.....have already commenced at CTC.
Over the last couple of days I have been in Guildford - staying at the Purple Hotel (Premier Inn!) It was a good opportunity for the Cycle Champions to get together to share best practise and bash out a few project ideas for 2010.
However, Thursday was 'party time' and the day started with a quiz - cycle and non cycling questions. This got very competitive, though raised a fair bit of money for charity. With the booze flowing from 11am it was a wonder how some of us got to the restaurant
With tables booked for around 60 people in Guildford town centre a straggly peloton hit the local roads - I joined the walking bus and ambled down and despite getting caught in the expected blizzard snow blizzard we enjoyed the fresh air!
The food and company were just perfect and it was great to hear from our Chief Excutive - Kevin Mayne, that cycling is going from strength to strength.
With some funding challenges ahead - 2010 is going to be another good year!

Have fun in the snow on your MTB nobblies this weekend.......!

Can you forget how to ride a bike....

......I certainly can, especially when it comes to riding off-road....!
I have just got back from a lunchtime ride where I decided to go for a blast around the Hampden Estate. This route is very familiar, but due to one tricky(ish) descent and lots of mud, I was reduced to riding like a beginner.....! Dabbing my foot down way too many times - which resulted in mud up to my ankles, I was beginning to realise how rusty I was and probably needed to get some further instruction?
I haven't been out on my Spesh hardtail since the C2C and Reivers route in August and I was paying for it - BIG time!

Still, I had a great fun despite the conditions and my lack of ability. I'm back home tucking into a bowl of piping hot porridge and a mug of tea - sheer bliss....!

Thief gets away with new officer's bike.....!

A word of warning to all the cyclists in Reading - another bike has been stolen from Palmer Park.
That's 3 of my colleagues that have lost their bikes this year.
All of 2 weeks old, Mark's new bike was parked about 5 feet from our office window and was taken in broad daylight - the lock was cut with bolt croppers. Thanks to the thief for leaving us the remains of the lock and for Mark's rather long face when he discovered it had gone!

So, if you are in the pub and offered a rather nice Giant hardtail mountain bike - it could well be Mark's and we'd love to hear from you......

Another SMIDSY.....

.....and that makes a total of 4 so far. To be honest, I'm getting a little paranoid and I'm beginning to think that it's me.....? All my SMIDSY's have been on roundabouts - where the car has not given way and has driven into my path. OK, so I don't wear hi-viz - I know I said in an earlier posting on this blog, I would purchase a yellow jacket. But I have 2 front lights giving out over 400 lumens between them and still they don't see me. What has a girl got to do - wear a lion suit?
Ho- hum, nothing will stop me from cycling into work - so I just have to be extra vigilant.
Keep safe out on those roads and carry on reporting all SMIDSY's here....

Road side memorials

Its around this time of year, and again in February, when the old badgers move on to find more food and a new mate. Unfortunately for them, this means crossing roads and for some, the journey is curtailed and they never make it to pastures green. I hate seeing them at the side of the road as I cycle pass and always bless them as pedal on - yes, I'm a big softy.
This got me thinking about the rather strange phenomenon that has emerged over the past few years - road side memorials! WHAT is that all about?
I can think of 8 or so of these shrines in my local area and I just don't get it.....?
If any of my loved ones were so unfortunate as to lose their lives on our roads - the last thing I would want is, a road side memorial. Marking the very place where they took their last breath. A place that clearly wouldn't be restful or peaceful as the cars and trucks rattle by and that would be covered in road-side grime.

Maybe it's just a sign of the times - but I've been perplexed about it for a while. So do let me have your thoughts on the subject, but I don't think I could be persuaded to think otherwise.

THIS is why I cycle.....

It would've been very easy to have stayed in my warm car and drive into Reading this morning - my favourite DJ was on the radio playing some cracking tunes. But instead, I parked in my usual spot in Maidenhead and began the cycle commute.
The air was cold and therefore more dense, so my mph was down a bit, but hey, who cares? I was turning the pedals and loving every minute of it.
I haven't cycled down the A4 for a couple of weeks and the view from the saddle had definitely changed. Fairy lights were twinkling from various trees, some guy was selling "holly reeves" (I kid you not!) in one of the laybys and even the traffic seemed to be more courteous....!
As light broke there was a lovely red and blue hue to the sky and the red kites were up early flying in the thermals.
Of course, if I had driven in, I would've missed all of that - a true piece of urban beauty.

Bike snobbery.....?

I took a call from a family member asking for advice on bikes for their 2 children for Christmas - they had apparently had seen a really good deal at Halfords.....!
It is at this point, my partner calls me.....

"A bike snob!"
I told my brother to save his money and buy a couple decent bikes rather than a toy that will break in 6 months (if you're lucky!) and will weigh around 30lbs. He'll then wonder why they hate riding the darn things up any incline....!
Lots of children will get bike shaped objects on Christmas morning - my plea to those parents is, to spend a little extra and get a bike that is fit for purpose.

That way they will, I'm sure, fall in love with the bike and it will be the beginning of a wonderful relationship.

My choice every time would be something from Islabikes Go on parents, check out the website- you know it makes sense....?

A long, but fruitful day.....!

I am totally spent and I'm even considering hitting the sack after I've had some supper - yes, at 7pm!!
I've been in Swindon today running an assessment centre - a long, but great day.
All I will say is, that we've have manged to recruit a very dynamic young person, who will, I think, set Swindon alight!
Have a great weekend whatever you are doing - I'm planning on dodging the showers that are forecast and hope to get a few miles in riding the lanes and hills of the Chilterns.....!

But for now it's .........Zzzzzzzz!

Very early morning workouts....

.... are definitely the way to go. I decided to get up at my usual time of 6am and do my turbo workout before heading into Reading for a database training session with Mark.
Unfortunately a ride in wasn't an option - I've been hitting the Wiggle website recently and have made numerous purchases, the parcels were just way too big for me to carry!
Hmm? I must say, I didn't feel like working out to start with - but felt great afterwards and tucked into, what was, a large, but leisurely breakfast. Both of which I can recommend...!
I will certainly do that again that's for sure.
Busy day ahead tomorrow - recruitment process for Swindon. With some top candidates lined up, we're in for a good day.....

My second home......

.....Another trip to Birmingham to see Beccy - how that month has flown by....!
Good to see that she has been very busy in that period and has made progress with 2 of her projects, updated her web pages and is now regularly on Twitter and Facebook. In fact the social network sites play a big part in keeping CTC's remote staff in touch with each other - Facebook I salute you.

A wonderful invention.....

And on this occasion, I'm not talking about the bike...!
Over the last few months I have accrued some time off in lieu and today I decided to swing by the Christmas market in Bath.
Now, usually a trip to Bath means popping into a couple of the bike shops - especially AV Cycles to check out the enormous range of folding bikes. But, alas today I was with my Mum and bikes were definitely not on the itinerary.
As ever, Bath was full of visitors and it was a complete nightmare entering and exiting the city by car - going by rail was prohibitively expensive and we were on the wrong side of the city for the park and ride.
Nonetheless a great day was had by all and despite the chaos on the roads - we'll be back, where hopefully I'll have more time for the bike shops and a coffee with Westfield Wanderer

A quiet day......thank goodness

Despite having to go into London for a meeting - my monthly review with Richard Monk, Cycle Officer for Colchester, the day has been pretty quiet and thank goodness, not so frantic as days of late!
Again my cycling has been thwarted by the rain and the turbo trainer will see more action later today. Note to self: Dig out Pete Read's Black Book for turbo workouts, I think it's going to be a wet winter and I may just have to refer to it more and more......?
Apparently you can download it for free - see here. You never know you may just need it too.....?

It's been a long day....

.....and it's not quite over. I started work this morning at 7am. I've been going through and assessing the applications for the Swindon role.

Boy, would I not want to do this on a regular basis - I'm totally spent and I'm really looking forward to making the last few phone calls to advise the successful candidates, that they are invited to spend a day in Swindon with me next Friday!

I had hoped to get out on the bike this afternoon - but that just ain't gonna happen! Maybe it will be another turbo session - to be honest, a large glass of white whilst reading the new edition of Cycle appeals more...!

Oh well, the weekend stretches before us all and fingers crossed it will be a dry one.

Have a good one whatever you are doing?

Beginner cyclists' and how NOT to treat them....!

Out riding my bike today. I was in wind down mode after a busy morning in front of the PC, when 2 cyclists' came wanging passed me. Not one to miss out on an opportunity of a tow - I jumped on the back.
It became apparent that the guy at the front was a regular cyclist and his buddy was in fact a beginner - brand new bike, saddle way too low and a grimace on his face suggesting he wasn't enjoying the experience! I followed for a while until they turned right - uphill for about 2 miles.
This poor chap, still hanging on for grim life shouted to his mate........
" Oh no, not Nagshill, I'll never make it up there, my legs are killing me already." This statement was totally dismissed and up they went.

This is, how NOT to treat a new cyclist - apart from anything else, winter riding is all about base miles and keeping the heart-rate low in readyness for the summer rides.
So Mr. Regular Cyclist, do your friend a favour - instead of trying to show how great and fast you are up those Chiltern hills, spend 5 minutes helping him sort out his position on his bike. No wonder his legs hurt and you never know he may just find that cycling is a pleasurable experience.

It IS winter... isn't it......?

Declaring the winter season is upon us is, a little hit and miss - the met office states that it starts in December and ends in February. But for me, it's when the trees at the end of my road are stripped bear of their leaves - well, apart from the odd tenacious leaf hanging on in there. These trees are like huge broccoli florets in the spring and summer and it's shame to see them stripped of all their leaves.
Winter also sees the roads covered in mud and flints that have been washed down from the verges - I'm so pleased with the tyres on my fixie, hundreds of miles covered and not 1 p******e! (so far?).
Riding out today, wrapped up in all my warm clothing - I passed another cyclist who was still in shorts, no gloves, but he did have a long sleeve jersey on....? I don't know whether he had been caught out - saw the sun was shining and thought he'd be OK, or that he was hanging onto the hope of summer and autumn. Brrr, he must have been cold - hopefully the next time I see him, he'll be appropriately attired, either that or his winter riding will be miserable......?

Off to Bimingham (again!)

I seem to be spending a lot of my time in Birmingham of late and it's playing havoc with my cycling.....! Though I had a very productive day with Karen Carter - my opposite number from 'oop' north. We have thrashed out a plan of action of how we market the Cycle Champion packages after the funding runs out in 2012. With work commencing almost immediately on that, the 'to do' list is immense - but exciting work nonetheless.
By the time I had got home it was dark and there was only one option - to dust off the turbo trainer again! So, whilst watching some trashy TV, I cycled for an hour or so - it's amazing how time flies when you're watching the Australian soaps.....!

The hard option...!

... And so the rain continues to fall. With back to back meetings in Reading this morning and not wanting to turn up looking like a damp flannel - I decided to leave the bike at the office and take the hard option and walk, with a rather large umbrella, into the centre of Reading. Jumping the bus was not an option as the traffic was at a standstill.

After 6 miles of walking, I realised that wearing cycling shoes was not a good idea , I certainly felt I'd had a workout....!

The meetings went well - Mark was introduced to the Transport Department in the Civic offices and we then had a site meeting at the BMX track at Waterloo Meadows.

Since the launch, the track has seen lots of action and we were discussing the maintenance requirements for the next 12 months or so. All positive news and hope to get Mark riding the track very soon....?

Like a bullet....!

Today has been one of those days - woke up early to find the rain hammering down, so decided to cycle into Reading when it had eased off (around 10:30) Only to get into the office and to find the 3pm meeting had been cancelled and that there were serious IT issues. So without the ability to email, I reverted to the old fashion method of calling people - well it makes a change.....!
The sun appeared mid- afternoon and this was my sign to exit stage left and cycle home.
The journey home was very pleasant and was without incidents until I got to Marlow.....
Riding through the busy high street, my front tyre ran over a small stone - I had put 120 psi of pressure in them the night before. The stone pinged off like a bullet and hit the door of a brand new Mercedes......!

The noise was awful and startled a few pedestrians. I then had this dilemma - do I stop and wait around for the owner or do I cycle on? This mental debate went on for a while and I took the decision to ride on - it's happened to me when I've been driving and there's little you can do. Though admittedly the offending car is usually going faster and in the opposite direction. Did I do the right thing?

Hmmm? What would you have done......?

Working from home....

..... and very welcomed it was too. With the ever bulging email inbox and a 'to do' list the length of my arm, the cancelled meeting in Birmingham was a god send....!
I have spent the day beavering away on both and even had time to pop into Amersham on the bike to get some keys cut - for the container in Reading and RBC's cycle cage at the Civic Centre.
I really productive day all in all, which culminated in the fixie having a total wash down, followed by a polish with some of the finest autoglym products - she looks as sparkly as a new pin now.....!

My sanity was questioned....!

The first dry(ish) day for a while and nothing was going to stop me from riding into Reading today - the BBC weather forecast said 27 mph winds, with the possibility of the odd shower.
Hmm, my usual 10 mile commute from Maidenhead usually takes around 35 to 40 minutes, but with a mega headwind and dodging the odd fallen tree, I was standing in the changing rooms at Palmer Park Stadium some 50 minutes later......! (But with the anticipation of a wind assisted ride back to the car later that afternoon.)
I introduced the new officer to the Everybody Active session and it was good to see, that like me, the participants weren't put off by the weather.
We also took the opportunity to pop into Cyclezone to check out a work bike and some commuter gear - a welcome break from the very much desk based induction.....!
Mark takes delivery of his bike tomorrow and will be out and about in Reading very soon!

A day in Leicester.....

Despite Chiltern Railways attempts to delay me getting to Leicester for a meeting, I did manage to spend the day with Elizabeth Barner - Cycle Officer. The total journey took 4 and half hours - yes, I could've got to Paris in that time.....!
Elizabeth had arranged a steering group meeting - a very full agenda, with some very exciting projects being scoped out for next year. Around the table were some very pro-active partners - Cycle Magic, Bikes 4 All and of course Leicester City Council, who are currently working on their LTP3 - which will have some very impressive set targets for making cycling accessible, in particular, commuting and bikeability. Thus working towards their goal of having a vibrant and healthy city, of which the bike plays a huge role.

Exciting times for Leicester and great to be a part of it.

A wet weekend......

Oh dear! Winter shouldn't be like this - very wet and very windy. For me, the ideal winter weather is bright and cold. So imagine my dismay when the alarm went off at 6am this morning and on looking out, to see the rain falling - again. My riding all weekend was hampered by the rain and it certainly looked like it was going to be today and yes, I took the soft option and drove into Reading.
I spent the day with the new officer - Mark Tancock. A gentle introduction to CTC, Reading Borough Council and to my projects. He'll be up to speed in no time at all, that I'm sure.
Tomorrow I'll be leaving him to his own devices as I have a meeting in Leicester -his task, if he chooses to accept it, is getting to know CTC's and Sport Reading's websites. But I leave him in the capable hands of the Sport Reading team - thanks guys!

Chiltern Cycleway

Good news! You may all remember sometime ago, we were waiting on a funding bid from Leader. Well, we were successful and the Chiltern Cycleway gets the thumbs up. A 170 miles of fantastic countryside all waymarked, that covers, Bucks, Beds, Berks and Oxfordshire.
The steering group met today - Chiltern AONB, CTC, Chiltern Society and Bucks CC and we've decided that the launch will be next June and we are now in the process of planning how that will look.
I can't wait to ride the route in it's entirety - anyone care to join me....?
May I say a big thank you to the early volunteers that helped with the initial route planning and hope to see you all out there soon?

Have a good weekend and happy cycling!

Clearing my desk

My desk isn't quite as bad as that in the photo - but you get the general idea.
With Mark's imminent arrival, I was in the office really early to clear my desk and sort out any outstanding bits of paperwork. I'm very excited about the project being handed over and can't wait to hear Mark's ideas for Reading.
It has been a busy few months doing the 2 jobs and it's great to see the light at the end of the tunnel. To be able to concentrate totally on my new job, will be just fantastic.
I'll still be based in Reading for a least 2 days - so no doubt, will catch up with you all at some point, but it has been a total pleasure getting to know you all......

Want to work for CTC.....?

I spent the day sorting out the recruitment process for the vacant post in Swindon.
This meant arranging for adverts in both a local paper - Swindon Advertiser and with the Third Sector magazine. I was totally amazed with the total cost - £6,000 for both! Hasn't anyone told these guys a recession is on? Though using my best negotiating skills - some would call it blagging, I got 1 week for free in the local paper....!
So, if any of you out there would like to apply for this exciting post - please see here for all the details, I'd love to hear from you....?

Positive vibes....

I have had a great day in Birmingham.....
The CLES meeting went very well - we scoped out the programme for the next 2 years on how we were all going to work towards the evaluation of the Cycle Champions projects. This report will help us hopefully secure further funding, thus keeping 15 or so people employed beyond 2012.
We also had time to discuss other issues - team building event for next year, working parties for health, disability and social inclusion. Also the good news is, that we've just hired a communication officer for the whole project and we get to meet her in a few weeks time - apparently she is local to Reading. Anna will have a worked cut out, but is welcomed with open arms.......!

The Chiltern line behaved impeccably- the journey was seamless and the countyside through the Chilterns and beyond still looked stunning even on a flat grey day.....

Pea souper......!

CTC have just appointed an organisation to evaluate the success of the Cycle Champions project - CLES. With a full day planned tomorrow in Birmingham to discuss various issues, I thought it would be prudent to read their proposal beforehand!
The document was 168 pages long and I felt the immediate need to get out on my bike.....! Well, it was almost lunch time and I needed a screen break!
A blast down to Chequers was the order of the day - 15 miles, which meant I would be back within the hour. A lovely ride - albeit very cold and very misty. Boy was I glad I'd rigged up my new Hope light - with 240 lumen's, there was no excuse not to see me...?
Most of the leaves from the trees were on the ground and there was a fine drizzle - you know the sort that attaches itself to the fine hair on your face. With that and the obligatory dew drop on the end of my nose, I was a very attractive sight! (Reminder to self: purchase winter gloves WITH a nose wipe!)
Nevertheless the ride cleared my head and now to tackle that gargantuan document.......!

Ortlieb v Carradice

As Christmas looms I've been thinking about what I would like to go on my list - juvenile I know, but one can live in hope......! I can't decide on what panniers and rear bag to have for the much awaited Moulton Tourer - the traditionalists amongst you will probably say " It's got to be the Carradice on a classic bike such as the TSR."
OK, point taken, but are they totally waterproof like the Ortlieb bags? I suppose the downside to being totally waterproof is that they may not be breathable and you'll find your clothes wet on a hot day....? However, I could pack the contents within a waterproof sac.
Oh dear as ever, a compromise and I would love to hear from those with years of touring experience and have gone through this dilemma before - thus saving me the angst....!

Meeting in London

I seem to be spending a large amount of time on public transport this week, thus neglecting my riding. So with a meeting scheduled in London, I decided to grab the opportunity and take the bike - a few miles to the station and at the other end. For me, cycling in London is a real buzz - you've got to have your wits about you. I love keeping up with or indeed overtaking the cars and jumping away from the lights is like interval training!
It was great to see so many cyclists' out and about, the traffic seemed more aware of them and on the whole behaved very well.
On the return trip, I decided to dive out the train at Rickmansworth and get some miles in - around 15 to be precise. A fearful headwind made progress slow but it made for good thinking time and got back about hour after the train.....!

Wolverhampton is awarded funds for cycling....

I met up with Beccy today- Cycle Champion for Wolverhampton. Basically we spent the morning scoping out projects for 2010. The good news is,

that the Children Services have given a lump of cash to the Council and they are going to build a BMX track and start a recycle/maintenance project. The works starts soon and come the Spring the projects will be up and running.
Beccy has only been in post for a couple of months and has been gradually finding her feet - also in that time, she has become a National Standards Instructor.
In the coming months she will be working with a Women's Centre - where 2 of the staff want to lead rides and instruct. The Cycle Champions programme will part fund their instructors course. The Centre is in an area of deprivation and is a drop in for teenage mums, BME groups and young girls that have dropped out of school. So great stuff planned and so nice to have such an enthusiastic development officer on board.
See you next month Beccy......!

New Officer and starting date

I've just heard that Mark Tancock will start in Reading on the 16th November and today I'm working on his induction to the Reading Cycle Champions project. He will be getting out and about over the next month or so to meet you all - I've told him you're a friendly lot and as he's moving from Sutton to Reading maybe we can organise a ride to show him the sights of Reading?
We've got shocking weather here in Great Missenden, which has put pay to my lunch-time ride today, but I'm considering dusting off the turbo in the garage - always a good fall back option and as I'm spending the next 2 days on public transport, I may well just do that.....?

Keep safe on those roads today and remember to light up!

What should've been a quiet ride....!

Imagine my consternation when out cycling on Saturday and about 2 miles from home......

I hadn't quite imagined the grim reaper knocking on my door in the shape of a lorry with some porta loos on the back, but that is exactly what happened. The driver of 'said' vehicle just couldn't wait for 20 seconds whilst a car was coming in the opposite direction - so he squeezed passed me and the side of the lorry actually touched my arm. With that and the whoosh of hot air, it was a miracle I stayed on? I don't think I've ever been so furious - I glanced down at my heart rate monitor to see my heart had jumped from 120bpm to 150bpm. (OK, I know, old habits die hard and it's a throw back from my time trialling days!) I immediately jumped on the pedals in the hope of catching him up and I was delighted to see him pull into the petrol station - my chance to tell him the errors of his ways!
When I got to the petrol station he was just coming out of the shop - he was built like the proverbial out house and there wasn't an inch of skin that wasn't either tattooed or pierced and I questioned my sanity about approaching him. But I was pleasantly surprised and he listened intently as I explained what had happened, apologised profusely and promised to pay more attention to cyclists riding on the roads in the future. He followed me out and kept his distance until I turned left for home - with that, he hooted his horn, waved and went on his way. I really hope he will take heed of what we discussed.

I was pretty shaken up, but the ride in this morning was perfect - albeit a little cold and as always, incidents like that need to be put to the back of the mind. But as ever...... there but the grace of god go I......!

Dangling a carrot!

As part of some partnership working within the E.U. I asked 15 cycling for health participants to fill out a Life Cycle Survey -a basic questionnaire to find out how many minutes they spent riding a bike in a given week. They had to fill it in on their 1st visit to the session and 6 weeks later to see if their behaviour had altered - basically, had they become a "cycling convert?"
So in order for them to fill out and return them to me - I offered them a £10 cycle shop voucher and yes, I was killed in the rush.
15 forms hit my doormat on the deadline date, which was great and are now winging their way to some far flung place in Europe! I let you know the outcome from the findings, as and when I do.
I hope they enjoy spending the voucher - won't quite get them a bike, but may be an essential cycle accessory.....?

Anyway, have a good weekend whatever your cycling habit is!

A blast around the Chilterns

I'm trying to keep my hours down - so working from home today allowed me to have an extended lunch break. I made use of the mild and sunny day and went for a blast around the Chilterns.
My chosen steed was the fixie - yes, it is official, I'm totally barking, but it was a fairly flattish route, with one steep descent! I reckon I must've hit 35mph, with a cadence of 160rpm, before I touched the brakes! But boy, what a workout. 30 miles of continuous pedalling and I loved every single minute of it. It was good to get back home - legs tingling from the effort and a huge appetite for a late lunch.....!
Going to make this part of my winter riding that's for sure!

Thanks Helen!

I had a volunteer with me all day in Reading who was very keen to help on some of my cycling sessions. This gave me a great excuse to drop everything and touch base with the Everybody Active participants - I guess I hadn't seen some of them for 3 months or so. Boy, did I get a welcome.....!
Mark - a participant who has been coming since the launch in April '08, flung his arms around me and yelled "I'm so glad you're here!" Evidently, he had drawn me a picture and it had been in his pocket for weeks. A little crumpled, I unfolded the piece of paper - he was still hanging onto my neck at this point and it was a fantastic sketch of a tiger. To be honest I was blown away. He said it was to thank me for setting up the cycling session.
What more could I ever want and very briefly wondered whether I had made the right move going for promotion?
It really was great to see the guys on the ground again as they hold a very special place in my heart - yes, I can do "cheese" very well!
The sketch now has pride of place on my fridge at home and I will be taking it to the next staff meeting in Guildford - we ARE changing the lives of some people.

Portable northshore

I had to leave the bike snuggled in the garage today and take my least preferred mode of transport- car, to East Hampshire to see Sarah Walker. The train was not an option as it meant an arduous trip into London and then back out again.
In the short period of time Sarah has done some stirling work across East Hampshire and she is currently working on a project to engage younger people into mountain biking. Her idea is to get some portable northshore made up - not quite as advanced as the picture you understand! She spends a lot of her time at Alice Holt with the Forestry Commission - who have heaps of material to spare! The idea is to give the children a taster in a school playground or field and then sign-post them to many of the areas that are ideal for off road riding in the local area. You would be amazed on the amount of people that aren't aware of what facilities are around them.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the project come to life - might even have a go myself!

Mini adventure or mid-life crisis....?

The regular readers of this Blog will know that over the last year or so, I have got into cycle touring. Since putting in the Moulton order after the Cycle Show, I have spent a lot of my spare internet time checking out routes and other equipment. My initial thoughts were that I would use B&B's - but I'm beginning to warm to the idea of lightweight camping. After the initial outlay of such purchases, the tour wouldn't be very expensive. B&B's, as you know, can cost anything up to £60 a night and I would still have to find an evening meal. Youth Hostels are out - I hate sharing my bedroom space with people I don't know and who snore......!
So, I have narrowed my options to the Hilleberg Atko or the Terra Nova Laser Competition. Both pricey, but I want to get it right first time and enjoy the experience.
At the moment the Hilleberg nudges ahead due the blinding reviews and also having the space to be able to sit up! (I understand a bonus for a 1 person tent!)
I really love the idea of just heading off and having a mini adventure! Call it my annual sabbatical - I never had a gap year and the wilderness beckons, though I think my partner would call it a mid-life crisis! However, it could be much worse I understand?
Anyone out there feel the same? All advice on equipment gratefully received.....

Cycling makes a lot of SENSE.....

Being in Reading on a Thursday for the first time in a few weeks, meant that the guys from Sense could come over and take out the 2 duet bikes that we have here at Palmer Park. We have a rather relaxed agreement - if I'm around and they have enough staff to drive the participants over, then they get to cycle.
It was great to see them cycle off around the park - enjoying the wind in their faces and feeling the sensation of speed as they rolled down the first incline!
The carers get the work out though and after an hour they are pretty spent as the duets aren't the easiest of bikes to ride! As they bundled back into the car - I waved them off wishing I could go too, apparently it was homemade cottage pie for lunch.....!

Accessible Cycling

Today brings the re-launch of the Accessible Cycling session in Reading - it had to be pulled from my cycling schedule due to maintenance on the athletics track. So for 2 months or so a dozen participants have missed out on their weekly cycling session. It will be great to see them all again and no doubt I will catch up on how they have been filling their time - I'm sure I'll also be amazed to see how much they've grown!
The participants for this session are mainly children living with a disability. Usually their carer brings them along - offering some respite for the parents. Unfortunately the gap in the session also means that I have lost a valuable volunteer as they are now busy doing other stuff....! Though as one door closes, another opens - I had a call yesterday from a keen cyclist, who is currently unemployed and is looking to fill their time. We meet later to see if she would like to take on this session.
So in the meantime, I will be back delivering this session - well, that is until the new officer starts......!

Wearing hi- viz.....?

I've never worn any hi-viz clothing - but after a very nasty near miss this morning on a roundabout, I'm wondering whether it would be a good idea.

I guess my view has always been - " It's not a dangerous activity and I have decent lights!" Well, that and I'm a bit of a style queen - all clothing must match my bike! Shallow or what?

CTC are running a great campaign at the moment - STOP SMIDSY (sorry mate I didn't see you!) Basically the website allows you to log any dangerous driving, accidents or near misses. My incident this morning will be added to the growing pile.

Do check it out and I would love to hear your views on wearing yellow jackets......!

Cycling is THE tonic....!

One head cold in a month is kind of acceptable, but coming down with a second is totally disagreeable! Well, that's what happens when you get 60 so called "healthy" cyclists' in a room for 3 days - and judging from the postings on Facebook, I'm not the only one!
So, opting to work from home today - sparing the team in Reading my germs, (well, it's only right and proper to do so!) I managed to work through my email list, negotiate a great deal with Airnimal for a work bike for the officer in East Hampshire and help on a presentation with MEND for the end of the week.
Halfway through the morning I was itching to get on the bike - needed to clear the old head. From my training days, I had always been told to continue cycling if the virus is just in the head and to stop, if it's on the chest. So with a couple of letters that really needed posting and the nearest post office being about 3 miles away - a perfect opportunity to get some air, without taxing the body. I felt better immediately - sinuses cleared and I was ready to take on the invoices and anything else that was thrown my way.

All in all, a very productive day - however, someone please remind me to take my handwash at the next CTC get together......!

Reading and Swindon

Back on the fixie today and boy did I enjoy it.With the tailwind it was like cycle surfing....! Meetings in both Reading and Swindon meant a very busy day - though it whizzed past and the end of the working day saw the best of the weather.

The trees in the parks are losing their leaves and the autumnal light was just perfect for my commute home - which was at a steady plod.....!

The weather looks good for this weekend and I may very well swing my leg over the mountain bike and see the golden beeches - before they are all bare and have their leaves on the ground! Have a good one - whatever!

Southern softy!

Boy when it rains up North, it certainly rains.....!

This morning was the planned bike ride around Sheffield to see what my colleague Steve Marsden had been getting up to these past 20 months or so - followed by a ride to a pub at the edge of the Peak District. I was SO looking forward to it, but not if it meant me sitting a train for 4 hours in very wet clothes and smelling like a wet dog! So I ducked out and journeyed home to the dry south to see my family and realising how lucky I am to have my job.

CTC Staff Conference Daaay 2!

The theme of the conference was " Who are we?" - getting to know the CTC family and as we had lots of new staff, it was a perfect way to do it.
Today was pretty full on - workshops, presentations and a team exercise, that had me totally out of my comfort zone and almost running/cycling for the 7 hills of Sheffield! We had to create a 5 minute advert based on the history of CTC.......? It was one of those moments when, I guess, I could stepped away and refused (politely) not to take part - but my competitive nature took hold and I chilled and went with the flow. Well, I only had a sentence to say and how hard could that be......? It went well - everyone put so much effort into it and I was surprised to see how many creative types we have on board!

The day ended with a fantastic meal and a celebratory drink or 2!

It was so good to meet the new officers for Bike Club - it really is a great time to be in cycling and working for the CTC.

CTC Staff Conference 2009

The staff conference this year is being held in Sheffield for 3 days, so today sees me travelling to meet up with fellow colleagues. It will be a great opportunity to finally meet the Bike Club guys and to catch up with the Cycle Champions north of my patch!
We've lots of stuff planned - and a ride! Though disappointingly, I am not able to take my bike on a peak time Chiltern train - shame on you Chiltern Line....! So, having to borrow one from Steve Marsden - thanks Steve!
It will be an interesting few days I'm sure,.......?

I've only gone and done it.......

I can't believe after all the years I've been around bikes - too many to mention! That the Moulton brand has simply passed me by......?
Well, after a second visit to the Moulton/Pashley stand at the show this weekend and some serious negotiating on the price- I have on order, a dark blue TSR 30. It will be 3 months in the waiting, but hey, who cares?
I'm totally excited about the purchase and can't get the darn thing out of my mind. More importantly though, will be our first tour - equally exciting and can't wait to get the maps out and start planning. If you would like to see the spec on my new acquisition see here.

Introducing the new family member - in more ways than one!

After a busy day at the show yesterday, a full on week and the recent arrival of the latest addition to the family - Lottie, a blue tabby Siamese, I've decided to work from home today. (Older cat and new kitten have yet to make friends and I want to be around if the fur starts to fly!)
I have a million and one things to do, calls to make, all before the 3 day CTC Staff Conference in Sheffield next week.
The good news is that Mark Tancock has accepted the Reading role and hopes to be in post as soon as he can. Mark currently works for Sutton PCT as a Physical Activity/Walking Officer and is an exceptionally personable guy. I hope you will join me in welcoming him to Reading and I look forward to hearing the ideas he has for the project.
Mark - welcome to the CTC family.........