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......!