Sunday 30 September 2007

September Riding

Started the month with the Hell O' The North, and then finished with the Great Milk Stout Ride.

Proper rides: 166 miles
Commuting: 95 miles (19 days riding to work and back)
Business: 16 miles

Total: 277 miles

(Total so far for 2007: 1281 miles (142 miles per month - on course for 1704 miles for the year))

Darlington - Great Milk Stout Ride - Darlington

Rode to Hamsterley to take part in the Great Milk Stout Ride, 26 miles around the forest, and then rode home again.

Distance: 66 miles (20 - 26 - 20)
Surface: Road/off-road/road
Time: 1.5/3.5/1.5 = 6.5 hours
Weather: Dry
Bike: Inbred ss (with 2.1″ tyres, 32:16)

Monday 24 September 2007

simplicity

Try to live simply. A simple lifestyle freely chosen is a source of strength. Do not be persuaded into buying what you do not need or cannot afford. Do you keep yourself informed about the effects your style of living is having on the global economy and environment?


- Quaker Faith and Practice, Advices and Queries 1.02.41 (scroll down)

We've got a copy of the Quaker Faith and Practices book at home. It's great to dip into.

I read Thoreau's Walden a couple of months ago, after seeing it mentioned so much in a lot of the blogs I read. A lot of what he wrote on simplicity really chimed with me, and I keep being reminded of things he wrote when doing something completely unrelated.

Sunday 2 September 2007

Hell O' The North 2007

My second go at the Hell O' The North ride saw me cut an hour and a half off last year's time. Crap weather again, especially considering yesterday's sunshine. Riding the singlespeed was fine, apart from some of the more gradual decents where I just couldn't keep up with the geared road bikes. I see a geared road bike in the near(ish) future...

100 miles. 2500 feet of climbing. Three Counties. Two chocolate milkshakes. 8 hours 35 minutes. One gear.

Distance: 100 miles
Surface: Road
Time: 8 hours 35 minutes
Weather: Wet and windy, but warm
Bike: Solitude (34:18 singlespeed)

Update: My right knee has died
Update (03/09): My right knee's still bad. I swore a lot on my ride home from work. Otherwise, just a bit of a sore neck - my legs feel fine.