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.........

Cycle Show 2009

The highlight of the show for me was to spend 30 minutes with James Bowthorpe - the guy who has just smashed the world record for cycling around the world. James was cycling to raise money for vital research on Parkinson's. He popped over to the CTC stand to say "Hi" and to confirm he would be writing something for the magazine. After the obligatory photo, I bombarded him with questions regarding kit, injuries and his chosen route - fascinating and what a really nice chap and we made it onto his blog too. You can read more about his exploits here.

Well, I'm not sure whether I've been around bikes for too long - I very much doubt it, but as I walked around the show, I wasn't as excited at all the new gear on show! Maybe I'm actually happy with all the bikes I have and my head wasn't turned in the slightest at all the top end road bikes! As you know, I'm looking to do a bit more touring and was keen to see what was available. Disappointingly very little, well that was until we stumbled across the Moulton/Pashley stand and my colleague - Gwenda, suggested I had a look and a try of one of the Moultons. To be honest I was a little sceptical, but as ever, I was easily persuaded to swing my leg over the base model on the "try out" track and boy was I surprised. It rides just like a 700c wheeled bike and they do a touring version as well. I'm going to swing by their stand on Sunday with my best negotiating head on, as I can feel a potential purchase coming on.......!

A bloomin' good read.....

Oh dear! Not much to report in Reading as I'm still beavering away at my emails............

But thought I would share with you one of the books I read whilst on holiday- Mark Beaumont's, The man who cycled the world. I couldn't put it down and it made me want to do more cycle touring- though not in such an ambitious way! But hey, wouldn't it be great to have the opportunity?

On 15 February 2008, Mark Beaumont pedalled through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. 194 days and 17 hours previously, he had set off from Paris in an attempt to circumnavigate the world in record time. Mark smashed the Guinness World Record by an astonishing 81 days. He had travelled more than 18,000 miles on his own through some of the harshest conditions one man and his bicycle can endure, camping wild at night and suffering from constant ailments. His mother was back in Scotland- base camp, working out the logistics etc.
I was interested in his choice of kit and noticed he has gone for the same brand of bike in his recent adventure - Cycling the Americas. To follow his progress, please see here.

Recruitment day

I spent the day in Guildford running an assessment day for Development Officer's role in Reading. At the start of the week we had a short list of 10 highly capable candidates and by the morning we were down to 5! We kind of expect a drop out of 1 or 2, but 5 was a shock, which meant the team tasks had to slightly re-jigged, though wasn't too arduous.
The day went well - albeit very tiring and at the end of the final interview stage we had chosen someone to fill my shoes - can't divulge any information yet, but will as soon as the candidate knows, but I'm very happy and content that the Champions programme will be in safe hands - exciting stuff!

Lighting up time

Woke up at my usual time to find it was pitch black outside, which meant I was scrabbling around for my lights - I love riding in the dark, especially off-road! Autumn has definitely arrived and I need to sort out my cycling wardrobe when I get a moment.
Well, the highlight of my day was certainly the ride in and home- though didn't see any of the usual cycle commuters that usually pass with a wave or a nod. I passed several "serious" cyclists all adorned in their club strip - hey guys the time trialling season is over, take it easy and look up once in a while, you may well enjoy the scenery!
Back in the office after a 3 week absence meant 300 or so emails - which took all of the day and into the evening to sort, reply and trash. Still it was really good to get back to my routine and catch up with the team.
I have a busy few days - tomorrow is the recruitment day for my old role. I'm looking forward to that immensely and to finally handing over the reins in the next 2 months will be good for me and good for Reading!

I'll let you know how things go........

Home at last......

Wow, what a great holiday - fantastic countryside and very welcoming people.

The planned itinerary was to walk, cycle and kayak, but alas on day 3, I came down with the most fearful head cold, which resulted in me having the lung capacity of a thimble, so cycling was out! Determined it wasn't going to spoil our holiday, we walked - or should I say "hiked" everywhere. It was a great way to see the countryside - albeit very slowly.

People like riding bikes in Boston - lots of cyclists riding single speed that hadn't discovered the joy of riding fixed (just flip that back wheel over!) The traffic was light, even at rush hour, but boy are the drivers impatient and were on the horn at the slightest provocation!

Visiting Province Town and Bar Harbour was a bit of an eye opener - everyone took to bikes to get around. The large cars would be parked in a nearby parking lot and then their first stop would be the local cycle hire shop. Bar Harbour had an amazing free bus service to take you and your bike into the National Park area for some off-road riding. Sure, you could drive there, but there was a $20 charge to do so! The bus driver was only too pleased to help with the bikes, advice and directions for the trail riding - boy, do we have a lot to learn in this country?

We were very aware of the environmental impact our trip would have - long haul flight and car hire.

So to appease our conscience, we opted for a hybrid car - the Toyota Prius.

OK, it may not be the best looking car on the road and it was like driving a large marshmallow around. But the fuel consumption was phenomenal. Over the 2 weeks we covered 1400 miles and I only put in $37 of fuel - not including the free tank, which would've been another $21. So a total spend of $58 (approx £36). I realised that would last me 4 months of driving at home.....! Certainly something to consider when we are in the market for a new car.

Anyway, it great to be back and I'm looking forward to the working week ahead.......