Well I'm all behind with this update, and there's a lot to get through, so no proof reading or anything too professional, let's get down to business.
First up, last weekend saw April Fool's Day and in among all the over the top and very obvious foolish stories, a couple of cycling ones caught the eye.
The first, the Quadrant Chainring as shown on Pinkbike, was obviously an April Fool, but a very well executed one.
There was even a very convincing looking video of the chain erm... ringthing in action.
It's still available to see at Pinkbike
Meanwhile the good folk over at Cyclist magazine also got in on the act with something that I'd bet really did fool a few folk - The accidental tarmacing of the infamous cobbled section of the Paris - Roubaix route.
Oh sacre bleu! Quelle dommage! Buggere Moi!
For the French speakers though the confirmation this was a fool came with the naming of a local councillor as Jean Marie Trompe, trompe being French for deceived.
Anyone wanting to check out the full piece, it's HERE
What now then?
Ah, my latest read...
The best book I've read yet, and I've not finished it yet, on how nature is vital to our well being and how we should be incorporating it, or elements of it, into our daily lives if we want to maintain good health.
The evidence presented is compelling, and in some cases, quite extraordinary. Yet we seem as a race to be hell bent on removing ourselves from nature as much and as quickly as possible. Well worth reading for anyone interested in why just being out in the fresh air and amongst greenery has such a good effect on our moods and general health.
Talking of which, there was also a very good article by Hannah over at Singletrack on just taking the time to stop more, and spend a while just taking in your surroundings. An excellent piece in my opinion, although I already stop every few yards anyway for a good gawp, maybe a photo, sometimes even for a rest (it's my age you know).
Again, well worth a read, and it can be found HERE
Right, cracking on, also this week I have received a couple of goodies from the good people at Spa Cycles up in Harrogate.
Hello, what's all this then? If this was Youtube I could do one of those thrilling unboxing videos, but it isn't so you'll have to make do with a shot of a plain cardboard box.
The plot thickens. Inside the box was a soft cloth bag that took me right back to my primary school days and the shoe bags we all had to have to keep our Plimsolls in. No comfortable and shiny floor friendly footwear in here though, it's a
Spa Cycles Nidd leather sit upon.
These are a ton cheaper than the equivalent Brooks B17 at £39, and have longer frame rails for more adjustability, and thicker (8mm I believe) Australian leather. Giving it a tap is liking banging on a coffin lid it's that hard, but it is a thing of classic beauty alright. That thick leather also means it takes longer to break in than a Brooks, so a sore backside beckons until I get some miles in.
None of the fancy boxes, packaging and weird newspapers that you get with a Brooks, just the slightly odd soft bag, some instructions on how to fit and care for the saddle, and a spanner and Allen key for adjusting the tension. All held together not with the usual plastic cable ties, but instead with a bit of hairy string! Proper old school!
But that wasn't all, as still on the school days theme the other article reminded of a school satchell when in its packaging...
A Carradice Barley saddlebag.
I've long fancied joining the Carradice club as it were, as these bags just ooze classic quality and class.
Nice work Andrea.
It's good to see these are still handmade in this country using labour intensive traditional methods and so on. A lovely piece of very practical kit indeed.
And here they are on the bike intended for them - the Marin.
They might be an odd sight on a mountain bike, but who cares about that, and I actually think they suit the bike anyway.
I've lowered the seat height as the Nidd sits higher above the rails than the standard Marin perch, and I've adjusted the angle of dangle since these shots were taken to give it a slightly more nose up profile which is how I like it.
The big question now though is... Do I fit a rear mudguard to help keep muck off that bag? I do love the open wheels and chunky tyres on this bike, but I think I'll be getting a Mudhugger, as worn by Fatso, as they are the best rear mudguards for mountain bikes around in my opinion.
The left side pocket takes two spare tubes easily, while in the right side pocket I've got a cloth, a plastic bag for... something where I'd need a plastic bag, and some Jelly Babies - the riding fuel of Champions! I have a TUE exemption for the Jelly Babies, they make me happy as well as giving me a short energy boost when taking on some ugly great hill or other.
I've been talking to a few folk, doing a bit of research, and I'm going to try eating while out on a ride to give me a bit more energy and therefore the ability to ride a bit further. The bag will be very handy for a few nibbles, as well as the Trangia, kettle and load of coffee sachets. Hopefully, if successful, being able to eat a bit while out will move not just my riding forwards, but also how I cope with my various ailments. Confidence is a big issue, and if I can gain in that area it can only be a good thing all round.
I just need to bite the bullet, take some extra strong bravery pills, and get out and get the Marin dirty more often now!
I think that's the housekeeping done, now onto a couple of rides.
Way, way back on the 26th of March, I took the already mucky Jamis out for a brief trundle about in the lanes.
The day might've been dry, but by crikey it's been a wet winter and spring so far. All this ground to the side of the road is saturated and very, very soft and boggysome. Going off the tarmac armed with my tripod for this ride by selfie I sank in right above my right ankle and nearly lost my boot pulling my foot out. I knew then how Wun Wet Shoo the one legged Chinese Window Cleaner in the village must feel...
Erm... errr... it's a bike, in a lane, with some trees.
Not long now and the trees will be in full leaf, and the skeletal, gnarly tangle of branches will be hidden again.
Well that was quick, not many photos taken on that ride.
April the first though saw me wheeling Fatso out for some light manouevres in Idless Woods.
Not at the woods yet... but at Treworgan and the rather splendid display of Cornish Hedge topping Daffs. Yes, that is a 'hedge' despite looking more like a wall. Cornish hedges get their name because they are mounds of earth faced with stones on either side. Plants are encouraged to grow out of the walls, as are (usually) trees out of the top. This is a relatively newly built wall/hedge, but older ones resemble hedges due to all the plants growing out of them. The unwary motorists sometimes get caught out when moving over to allow another vehicle to pass, as what they think is a soft hedge turns out to have a hard centre that can inflict some expensive damage on the average car.
Now we're in the woods, and Fatso is looking surprisingly clean. Don't be fooled though, it was actually quite a mucky article when viewed up close, and indeed, got a proper wash once I got home.
On what I think of as 'The Chute' in the woods, but was I believe a Drover's path. It runs from the very top of the hill that the woods lie on, straight as a shotgun barrel down to the very bottom and bears all the hallmarks of a once busy thoroughfare. Riding down it is huge fun, even at my modest velocities, and not unlike those Minis hooting through the sewer pipes in The Italian Job. Well... in my imagination it's a bit like that anyway, but it is great fun.
Not fun is this!
For pity's sake, why do people do this?
They go and buy the special bags (and this looks like an actual branded dog poo bag - very expensive, the clever dog owner buys supermarket basic own brand nappy sacks). They then remember to carry them on their walk, then they do the right thing and scoop up their pooch's poop, but then they go and spoil it all by switching their brain off and hanging the bag in a tree or bush. Presumably they intend to pick it up on their return, but evidence suggests few do. It would be better if they didn't bag the doings at all but instead flicked it into the undergrowth if on a path, or if not, just leave it, as it will degrade down in fairly short order if left open to the air. In a plastic bag though it's going nowhere.
This platform bugs me. I have found absolutely no information on it at all, and I want to know what it was for! It was presumably for loading something onto wagons/trucks, but what? Logs possibly or maybe gunpowder barrels as the ruins of the Gunpowder works are nearby, but not close enough to make the link a definite. Perhaps though, Gunpowder was stored here ready for loading away from the main works as a safety precaution.
Aw, never mind mate, life isn't all it's cracked up to be anyway...
Oh fer ***** sake...
Well that was that too. My good luck with the weather continued, as I got home, washed Fatso, and got in the shower just as the heavens opened and it battered down with rain.
But overall, it's been a very stop start riding year for me so far and therefore a bit of a frustrating one. Most of that is down to the usual medical suspects, but by heck the weather has been crap as well and hardly conducive to enjoyable cycling.
Fingers crossed though that things will pick up, the trails will dry out and the sun will shine, and I can get some miles in on that saddle!
Happy Cycling!
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