Went out for a stroll last night as it was so nice, and as we passed the pub I saw a stunning sunset over Winter Hill on the opposite side of the bowl in which That Manchester sits. I ran home and picked up the SLR, fitted a 2*tc and the 70-200, then ran back with the monopod. I fired off 25 shots using varying compositions and exposures and came up with this (amongst others) that I really like

So, I got another commute in last week to bring the deficit down to 4 days, and another one today. Forgot to log a mountain bke ride though! ON SUnday last week, Jane and I went out to try a route – Canal, Shielan, fox inn, nield’s way, zig zags, up to Shiloh then through to Mellor Church and Mellor Hall and up Smithy Lane. From there, round to Picking Rods and across Matley Moor to Martyns Cut Through and down the Last Drop to Rowarth. Called in @ the Moorfield for a lovely pint of Pedigree, then home via Nield’s Way, Green Lane and Roman Lakes via Shielan. Inbred jihad!

This weekend, Jane and I did the Werneth Low loop, I was on the SS and Jane on the inbred again.

Two commutes, two opposites. Yesterday was wonderful and sunny so much that I went out playing – up through Chadkirk woods to the Tea Room, along the newly resurfaced trail to Romiley and through the Secret Romiley Downhill to Compstall and into Brabyns Park. There, I did a couple of laps of the BMX track then followed the river path round to the car park before failing to use the old downhill to get back up to the canal – it was inches deep in mud and leaf mulch. Great ride though

Today, the weather was rather less joyful – it’s been battering down all day and although it was dry as I left work, it was drizzling before I got round the roundabout. Had a detour into Reddish to try to buy some new headset bearings for the inbred, then home the normal way, getting pretty much soaked en route. Lucky though, about ten minutes after I got in it started to *really* batter down.

Getting a lift to work tomorrow as I’m straight out into That Manchester for an awards ceremony, but will be riding in on Friday as it’s Bike Week and cyclists get a free breakfast on Friday !

And another commute on Friday. I’m getting smoother with the drop-bar wheelie drops over the steps in Reddish Vale. Seems to be easier cycling when it’s warmer too, I spent a lot more time in big ring last night than I did on Tuesday and Wednesday

Two more days commuting, I seem to be getting into a regular groove now: drive in to work late on Mondays, then straight out to volleyball training afterwards. Bike in Tuesday and Wednesday, drive in thursday to let the legs recover and do the shopping, then cycle commute again on Friday to get an extra day. Fingers crossed the weather holds out, I had a miserable morning as it was battering down around 10am but it brightened up and has stayed dry all afternoon, winner!

Two more commutes this week, so deficit reduced to 5 days. Jane was supposed to meet me on the way home tonight, but when it started raining @ 3pm I thought she’d bail. I was wrong she insisted on coming out anyway, but as I was getting changed I heard a massive thunderclap and as I was about to leavethe office I got a phone call to say Jane was turning back. To say I got wet would be a slight understatement, I was drenched by the time I got home. Ahh well.

so, last week I’d done only commute when I wrote:  I managed two more, which cuts my deficit by a further day. Not a bad result for a four day week, but I still have 6 days to catch up.

Over the weekend I did the Darley Bridge “Five Dales” loop with Kramer and SharkyMark. Nominally a three hour ride, we usually complete it in less than four hours. This weekend took 6 thanks to regular stops for sustenance. Given the excellent company, great food and good weather I can’t complain at all. Did have one “hub deep in mud leading to superman over the bars” incident, so I even got some scars to show off!

Yesterday I drove, as I went straight to volleyball training in That Manchester after work, s today was the week’s first commute. Hooray for summer

Well, I only got one more commute in last week, I rode Wednesday but didn’t fancy three days on the trot, then Friday was a works do so I got a lift in then went straight out from work into That Manchester. At least I maintained my level of deficit rather than sinking further.

Over the weekend we had a rather enjoyable local potter with Gav and Vic, and Vic’s 11 year old son Rupert. He was knackered by the end poor lad, but to be fair we did a fair amount of climbing for such a young chap – Roman Bridge, Shielan, Neald’s way, Zig zags, then Gav and I did Mellor Cross and the Banks while the girls & Rupe went back down Neald’s Way, then we caught them up (and passed them of course) going down Green Lane from the Fox Inn to Strines Station. By that time we deserved a rest so we went straight across and under the canal and had a pint (or two) at the Romper.

Commuted today, bugger of a headwind in both directions but at least nice and sunny. Did have one chap reverse at me at speed when he met oncoming traffic on a narrow bridge, he did apologise though when I shouted as he hadn’t seen me – I wasn’t in his rear view mirror so he hadn;t realised there was anything behind him, I don’t reckon he’ll make that mistake again as he did seem to be genuinely shocked and concerned that he’d been so close. Ah well, no harm done and if it improves one BMW driver’s road awareness, it’s a positive result!

…I’m back on the streets, on the road again….

so what have I been doing?

Sat 9th, Whaley – Buxton loop on the inbred. I’d just bought a new flash so took it out to play and got a halway decent shot of Souter in action.  Souter’s tyer decied to play silly buggers so he cut the ride short

3 commutes during the week, Mon-Tue-Wed. By wednesday I was running on emtpy, I limped home in 3rd gear. Still, that’s one day ticked off the deficit. Unfortunately since I’ve had 4 weeks off the bike, the deficit is still at 7 days even with that deduction!

Last weekend, we went camping in That Wales, again with the Souters. The plan was to ride Llandegla on Friday, then head over to the campsite in Llanrwst. We’d ride Penmachno on Saturday, and then having packed away tents we’d ride the Marin trail on the Sunday. Unfortunately Jane wasn;t 100% so we skipped Llandegla and went straight to Llanrwst. In typical fashion, the Saturday morning was lovely until we took the bikes out of the car @ Penmachno! We struggled round the trail, we did skip the clearfelled bit just after Loop 2 as the crosswind was so strong we were getting bown off the trail! FInished it cold wet and miserabl and decided there and then that we wouldn;t be riding on Sunday – all our gear was soaked through. We did have a lovely sociable weekend camping though!

And today, I’ve commuted again. I struck it really lucky, the weather was fine this morning, but all afternoon we had torrential rainshowers – excpet for the hour I took to ride home, it stopped just before I left work and restarted just after I got home, result!

Got to rebuild the rear wheel at some point. I did pick up a rim from Jon @ Bicycle Smithy, but having looked in detail tonight I think the current rim is ok for a while yet.

Need to ride in at least one more day this week, will try for two…

at keeping this up to date. Let’s see, last entry was April 6th, ohh that’s a month ago! Well, I haven’t commuted by bike since then anyway, I needed to rebuild my front wheel as the rim was about to burst. It’s been duly rebuilt, had to build a dishing gauge to check the dish – it was spot on! Riding wise:

Easter Monday, Jane and I rode out to Rowarth, en route we bumped into Ian and Eric who’d come down from Bury for the day, so we showed them the nice way round Nields Way rather than letting them push up from The Banks to Mellor Cross

Fri 17th, we had a nice walk out to the Lane Ends pub via Mellor Church and Mill Brow

Sat 18th, I went to Val Thorens with the Snowheads EOSB. GOt some fresh tracks on the Monday as we’d had about 10-12″ of snow over 36 hours, then got more fresh tracks on the Wednesday guided off piste day – we did Boismint – -> Cime de Caron, then down the Lac du Lou, then up the Grand Fond bubble and a bit of hiking for the best turns of the day. After lunch we dropped off the other side of Grand Fond and down to the bottom of Caron, I tried to follow Phillipe up a vertica wall, misjudged my speed, took far more air than I was expeceting and crashed quite badly. I’ve damaged my tricep and two weeks later still have bruising

Given this, I haven;t ridden much since I got back, but this weekend we did get out round Marsden, arm was a little sore from time to time but it didn’t sop me cleaning the tough climbs and the fantastic 3 mile packhorse trail descent back into Marsden!