Posts tagged with “bicycle”
Marriages and mobiles
A thrilling weekend for many reasons. Most noteworthy giving notice of my marriage next May to the wonderful, inimitable Aero! A happy coincidence is that this will be ready for us to collect on the 24th December, I cannot think of a nicer Christmas present to us both! Also the unlocking, finally of my old V3i so that I can relax again away from the chirpings and perpetual low batteries of my cursed "3" Blackberry curve! It felt like coming home, ridiculous and a final marker that I have dropped off the tech curve I guess. On a lesser note my first beef stew was cooked to greet Aero's return from visiting her sister, a much needed constitutional boost for us both. More excitingly I have on order a pair of BLUE pedals to (almost) complete the prettifying, nay _beautifying_, of DG! Also a summer Brixton Cycles cycling jersey was in stock and is reserved for me! Thrilling times indeed! 04:08 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: bicycle, Annie, Dawes Giro 500, Food, marriage, weddingbut that was too hard; so here is part of a bicycle,
not mine I hasten to add. It is in some remarkable packaging that once held a remarkable object
An origami bike spanner - imagine that! There may have seemed to be a spanner in my works
(if so I hope it was an origami one). I suspect Anne analyst and myself are both a little too clever for our own goods;
just as well we are parting then. Parting is not the wrench it might be - the presents box is that, figuratively speaking. Within though, what is within... At first glance perhaps it seems a simple chain, however the experienced eye will at once know it has far too few links to be a useful bicycle chain, except perhaps for a peculiar midget or toy bike. Look closer... the chain is broken! This is remarkable and not a commonplace occurence. It is clean - but dirty enough to have the "smell of bike". Dirty enough to stain, if played with, but not badly.
It could be a worry chain, but the broken ends may be sharp, so take care Anne. Look closer still - the chain is incomplete! The missing links have been retained by me -
I had to keep them to complete the symbolism. With the right tool it could be joined into one, and the broken ends could be removed, but that would completely destroy the symbolism and still not make it whole. A word of warning; it is a used chain - it should NEVER be used for a bicycle, at least not without causing damage to the transmission. Not in it's normal function anyway (though it would make a peculiar act of sabotage to fit it to a bicycle!). Any richer with the symbolism and the whole thing would overbalance. I thought about it all for hours, days, weeks; even the bags within the brown bag that holds the item, even the packaging that held the packaging. Even when you receive it, in time for Christmas Oh sweetest of symbols - for my own birthday present I get to give my analyst a present! I wonder if she will see me in January and what you will say about it then?! Mostly I just hope she lives to open it though and to read this - that would be enough in and of itself. 03:41 AM | 1 Comment | Tags: present, analyst, chain, birthday, Christmas, bicycle
A salutary tale
I have developed [a coping strategy](http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/819878-A-coping-strategy-that-seems-to-help-me "forum post that explains this strategy") for my cycling... well for the times when I feel danger has been inflicted upon me, for want of a better expression. My normal experiences of this are depressingly abusive towards myself - for example recently I was cut up by a driver, quite badly as she turned left despite my loud proclamation, "Please do not cut me up!" an don drawing level with her at the traffic lights she discarded a fag butt in my general direction and told me to "F**K Off" before I could even ask if she knew she had cut me up (obviously it was intentional). I was left feeling shitty despite my best efforts to drop her aura of shittiness all over me..... But then a couple of days ago things turned out with a most expected outcome... I was travelling up the first hill on my commute and a car seemed to whizz by about 18 inches off my elbow, which is enough to get my ire up... I managed to get a wriggle on and catch him in a queue of traffic on the other side of the hill... at first the driver appeared to be your usual, and showed no signs of hearing my complaint of less than three feet clearance on overtaking. Things seemed promising when he volunteered to pull over to discuss. We continued to dispute reasonably and I thanked him for taking the time to pull over. Not long after that he said "You don't know who I am do you?" and proceeded to reveal he was manager of [[Herne Hill Velodrome]]! He explained an oncoming car had been signalling left and then come straight on, combined with my perhaps not "keeping my line" and he had thought I was downshifting with my bike being a tourer etc. My mind was already thrown into turmoil and I sort of almost offered a salute. He asked if I had taken part in the recent "night ride" and I said not this year, but did it last year on our tandem. Before long we were comparing tandem tales, it turned out he once managed a 30 miles in a sub hour time and held a record on a day when that particular record was broken six times! Sadly his wife sold the tandem after apparently throwing up behind him, which I can imagine would be a pretty off-putting experience all round. But the tale is salutary in more ways than my involuntary salute I think... Given we one day hope to plan a tandem club ride involving a Velodrome stop for the café I am sure this could actually be the first time a positive new contact has been made in such apparently adverse circumstances. 08:49 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: bicycle, cycling, tandem, Nightride, velodrome, Herne Hill VelodromeBamboo Bike ahoy!
Tomorrow - eleven AM - I am booked in for a ride on the FIRST BAMBOO BIKE in London! More to follow soon , but I am extremely and unreasonably excited.... [See here for pics etc!](http://cooler.mpora.com/news/events/bamboo-bikes-coming-london.html "Link to another blog post on te subject with picture!") WOW! More details to come soon - but it was something else - a real blast! If I had unlimited money and enough space in my house/life for another bike this could very well be one I would choose! 12:30 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: cycling, bicycleBeaks, tails, and tubes
It has been a very Spring-like time of late.... rejuvenation of bicycles under varying conditions and the thrill of a third (drum brake on Derek). Also out diary has been very full, happily with some entertaining into the mix. Pictures are to follow above this post which will shed some light on the subject line! And shed some light is an apt turn of phrase, because the tails referred to are those of "Voyager" where I have been struggling to find a satisfactory way to attach a "Cateye" rear light whose fitting needs to be plundered for Derek. I thought I had hit upon it when I superglued to a pound shop fitting and improvised with Bungees, but first after a week or so the glue gave out and then I found the bolt had compromised the fitting also. I had time over the weekend to play with some other options and am hopeful of an ingenious arrangement with the (re-glued with another adhesive) fitting sandwiched and ganging adjacent to the dérailleur. Of course the light is going to get dead mucky and have a hard life, but I rather like the idea of a low hanging light into the mix with my seat post and rear helmet - we'll see how long this one lasts (and if I hear it fall should it become detached!). As for the beaks, well we had guests over the weekend and had deployed our cheese platter (pictured). This was an impulsive gift from my sister, and we were a little surprised when our guest said "OH! You've got a Sarah Rose!" Or something (I may have the name wrong). It turns out these birds atop or incorporated into her designs are a trade mark and that our cheese platter is somehow a celebrity in the chine world! And we never knew we has posh pottery at all! Last and gloomiest are the tubes - no pictures but suffice to say I somehow contrived to have two punctures on Friday, to blow out a valve on Saturday, and on Sunday afternoon in the process of "repairing" managed to explode one tube, fit another with a slow which had to be removed, attempt fitting a 26" MTB tube to a 700 35mm tyre (don't bother trying, it is futile!) and finally somehow patch over the two patches with a slow to achieve one good tube, which I shall have to ride direct to the bike shop to get a spare. At least that is (fingers crossed) my entire puncture allowance for the next thousand miles in one weekend. I am aspiring to acquire the new limited edition "London" tyres from Schwalbe which might just make that mileage achievable puncture free, but I have yet to see them in a bike shop... maybe tomorrow? 06:18 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: cycling, bicycle, VoyagerPorno torture with techno overtures
OMG baby,,,, I seem to have been able to spend so much more on a digital device that I shall be waiting many moons and more to ever see such a device from Comm-Tech and then there is the official secrets act and then there is the fact that I can no longer watch pornography and then there is (far too late of course) my relationship with someone else apart from family damn famile I want to be asleep I want to not care I want you to not care I need to ride my bicycle I am riding my bicycle I shall be in France before anyone else gets this bye bye Annie PS now edited to be legible, but some of the spelling correction suggestions for my mangling of the English for "Velo" were hilarious, among them "bacillary" and "celibacy"! PPS (I am extremely ashamed of writing the last two lines and have left them in in the spirit of honety, hoping they are not hurtful, since they were so far from truthful....) 02:48 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: stupid, bedtime, private, birthday, partnership, family, Annie, bicycle, cyclingA little help from our friends?
By an odd coincidence the title of the last book group read was "The Help". Although I have barely begun the book I am firmly committed to finishing it eventually because it was unanimously approved by the reading group members and I have a hunch it would do me good to get out of a slight rut I have been in with reading.
But that is hopefully the only rut I have been stuck in, because cycling seems to go from strength to strength. This weekend sees us travel with our car bearing the tandem for the first time to Sussex where there is a Tandem Club Rally. No doubt there will be a blog post or two after the event to elaborate and describe anything remarkable after we have been! We are spoiling ourselves a little at the Burpham Manor Hotel though, so it will not all be tandem rides and downland!
Last but not least I do have to say that on the subject of "friends" not all is well with the world when it comes to my membership of "the society".... Although having said that it is lovely to see people I know personally sponsor me to complete my ride (see above) and I am certain thius if nothing else will draw me back to my local meeting after the event is complete, when I shall want to thank them. And since it really does behove me to be bigger than the problems I have had with membership, hopefully that will follow too!
04:22 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: Quaker, library, reading group, bicycle, cycling, tandemAn open letter, and a challenge!
Dear friends
We have pledged to complete a 100 kilometer charity night ride
through London taking place on the night of Saturday June 11th..
Starting from Crystal palace at or soon after midnight and finishing
there at “breakfast time” (“kitchen” closes at nine!) on the Sunday
morning. We cycle a route around London, including Alexandra Palace
to the North and crossing the Thames no less than five times along the
way.
Our chosen charity is Mind, the organization supports and campaigns
for the rights of people with mental illness. As someone who has
personal experience of the issues involved thi is close to my heart.
Organizations like MIND are crucial in supporting, informing and
campaigning for those who can be politically ignored all too easily.
Please consider sponsoring us!
We really want to make a difference and have pledged to raise at least
£500 for MIND and you can see how we are doing via the link below.
You can use a form, post money, or donate at our page here
Although I have begun enjoying the practice for the event it has also
shown me that 100k demands a little respect and I am not the young
man who could zip off to Brighton on his bike for a night out with
friends and ride back the next day none the worse for it!
So your sponsorship and support would really help me and even more
so encourage us both to know we are making a difference. You can
choose by the kilometer or every ten, or just to finish, whatever you
feel work best. Do feel free to come and cheer us on, perhaps even
bring some liquid refreshments or a picnic to the finish at Crystal
Palace if it's a nice day?
We leave Crystal Palace around midnight (riders being batched into
“mini-peletons” of fifty cycles) but leaving Mount Ash Road of course a
little earlier. All your encouragement is much appreciated.
Thanks for your support.
NOTE: This post is "pinned" to the front of the blog until the 11th June (when I shall "unpin" it) so that any visitors may see it first and foremost. If you scroll to the end of the entry there may be more recent ones below this.
06:18 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: Mind, charity, tandem, holiday, bicycle, bipolar, Tandem Club UK, Easter
Hurrah! We made it!
Not so long ago I posted a link post contemplating an organised cycle run with the tandem club (South East London Region).
I thought I should post an update to say we managed the ride, and to quote from the email I sent the organiser:
just to let you know that we made it back and Ann and Tim arrived at
London Bridge along with us just around four to catch a train.
Our new front chain managed to detach itself from the idler as we began
our crossing of London Bridge and the chain was derailed as we descended
to the traffic lights. It almost felt as if the bike had decided we
ought to catch the train (which we had already decided to do!).
Tim very kindly laced the chain on again before I could get my rubber
gloves out - and advised us to take the initiative on catching a train
before they departed for theirs.
Many of the riders were at pains to tell us there were not usually so
many stops, but we were just busy taking it all in and I was impressed
by your organisation of the lunch stop and the general level of planning
and organisation. Everyone was most friendly and helpful; it was an
enjoyable ride for us despite the slightly chilly conditions.
As a new member of the tandem club I wanted you to have the positive
feedback since I know it is valuable best written now, before the week
begins and other things take over.
Hope to see you again on another ride with London South East or another
group soon (we had not realised the Sussex and Surrey groups overlapped)
So in addition to my literary blog posts there could be an increasing number of reviews of various rides, and if I do make posts on those I shall try and give informative tips and links to help learn from the journey as we made it.
In this instance the information I would impart is NOT to rely on the Greenwich Foot tunnel for a planned journey/. Not only were the stairs announced as out of order, but the lift failed on the day, which meant the main "pelleton" had to retrace their steps for Charlton House whilst we made a breakaway party with another couple on a recumbent tandem for London Bridge at dusk!
It was all very exciting for me and the last bit gave me a welcome chance to get a little pace and warm us up after a chilly day!
01:22 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: tandem, cycling, bicycle, olympics, Tandem Club UK, GreenwichSunday COULD be our FIRST Tandem Club ride
I do not have time to write much about it, but on Sunday there is a 20 mile run coming up with the tandem club (see link) which MAY be on!
I cannot begin to say how excited I am
and to commemorate it I am hopeful that we will make the investment in the much needed headsets so that I can describe everything as we go, though I think there will be plenty else if we cannot manage to get that sorted in time.
My biggest fear is that my best beloved Stoker is not feeling great and that we may not be able to find a dog sitter. I think I can help resolve the latter if neighbours are unavailable, and I think I can persuade her the twenty miles is not too too challenging, but the weather and her health are somewhat in the lap of the Gods...
I'm struggling to contain my excitement right now though, because we were looking into Rohloff hubs and all sorts of expensive and technical tandem geek things so the timing of this WOULD be perfect. Then again, I should tell myself, there will always be another one. I think patience would be a commendable thing to have in abundance as a tandem rider.
06:24 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: Annie, bicycle, cyclingCategories of Engagement
It is not too often the personal intrudes on this blog (I hope!) But today I would like to indulge myself a little. Anyone who has been here before will perhaps notice that there are a couple of new categories creeping in here.
One is cycling - and the tandem features (Now enhanced with lights and super bell and ready to roll!).
The other is marriage - and this is because I am now engaged to be wed, I have plighted my troth! It will be a long engagement, but if any matters come up which I think I can talk about here (or even if I read anything which seems connected) then I may post to this category.
On which subject my fiancee thinks this blog would reach a much wider audience and I can see what she means (though am uncertain I really want the world and it's brother to be reading this - my hosting could not cope for a start!). BUT I have decided to see if I can register the domain "eclectic.me" as a possible alternative.
UNLESS anyone has any better ideas for the name of this blog? AND YES; I do realise the heading banner and design would be due for a complete overhaul as a result, then again I am quite keen to improve the site's accessibility and so should not mind this.
A post should be forthcomng to review the book "Chicago" soon and not sure what will follow from that, perhaps a thrilling account of the first tandem tour involving panniers and distance!
05:54 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: Annie, Quaker, singing, love, kindness, children, rice, accessibility, family, bicycle, cycling, partnership, choral, tandem
Tandem thoughts
I have filed this post in the category of Poetry, though whether the verse below deserves that accolade is a little debatable.
It's the entire lyrics to "Bicycle Built For Two (Daisy Daisy)" written by [[Harry Dacre]] (Copyright Unknown) and I remember it fondly from the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" when HAL is being unplugged it seems to be one of his last memories to go, which is sad but necessary.
Something not at all sad is that by some miraculous turn of luck I yesterday became the proud owner of a tandem!
Pictures posted above also, I couldn't resist!
Who knows, perhaps I need a new category to add to the blog now, cycling? But for the time being I shall content myself with this posting and perhaps with a future one with a literary theme of cycling. I have read "[[The Third Policeman]]" by Flan O'Brien (which definitely has a cult following) and the Autobiography of [[Henry Miller]], both of which feature bicycles prominently (though I cannot find the Millar work on Wikipedia and have lost the volume, was it called "New York Tales"? Be good to hear if anyone knows and cares to comment). I wonder what other literary works I can find with bicycles as a theme or plot device or even, dare I say it, character? In the modern age with scroogle at our fingertips it is entirely possible I suspect for me to contemplate many months of reading books exclusively centered around bicycles and cycling!
There is a flower
Within my heart,
Daisy, Daisy!
Planted one day
By a glancing dart,
Planted by Daisy Bell!
Whether she loves me
Or loves me not,
Sometimes it's hard to tell;
Yet I am longing to share the lot -
Of beautiful Daisy Bell!
Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer do!
I'm half crazy,
All for the love of you!
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage
But you'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle made for two.
We will go 'tandem'
As man and wife,
Daisy, Daisy!
'Peddling' away
Down the road of life,
I and my Daisy Bell!
When the road's dark
We can both despise
P'licemen and 'lamps' as well;
There are 'bright lights"
In the dazzling eyes
Of beautiful Daisy Bell!
Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer do!
I'm half crazy,
All for the love of you!
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage
But you'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle made for two.
I will stand by you
In 'wheel' or woe,
Daisy, Daisy!
You'll be the bell(e)
Which I'll ring you know!
Sweet little Daisy Bell!
You'll take the 'lead'
In each 'trip' we take,
Then if I don't do well,
I will permit you to
Use the brake,
My beautiful Daisy Bell!
Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer do!
I'm half crazy,
All for the love of you!
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage
But you'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle made for two.