Trepid Explorer: January 2007

Jan 30, '07 2:18 AM
for everyone

I had to phone the Insurance Company of British Columbia (ICBC) today and I have to say this...

Canadians, YOU'RE SO CUTE!

Brits hate it when Canadians and Americans come to England and call everything of ours "Quaint" - particularly our homes (it makes us feel inferior) but PURLEASE.

Have a nice day.

CUTE!

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The Trep is smiling

Jan 29, '07 3:20 AM
for everyone

The Trep went climbing here today. I cycled to the wall with harness and boots and TSK and we climbed many routes. It's not bad at all for a local leisure centre. They're even working on resolving the one shortfall - the tea and cake options were limited.

Now my fingers ache.

And tomorrow I will ache like I haven't for a long time. The last time I went climbing was when I sneaked out with IMC whilst LBHN was overseas. It was my only hope.

How things have changed.

Now I am pondering leading again.

On the outdoorsy note, here's a great article about how the outdoors can break down boundaries and inspire people. Sent to me by Andy(boy).

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Open5

Jan 23, '07 2:42 AM
for everyone

It is a grossly aching Trep that
writes. Writing is easy, it does not involve standing up in any way.
I am unable to bend my knees in a controlled manner which makes for
interesting walking.

Yesterday, TSK and Trep completed
their first Open5 race in a series of... well, 5. See last weeks
rules but this week we had 5 Lancastrian hours to play with and had
to attain at least one check point on a bike and one on foot.

We were planning on less than one our
running but surprised ourselves by running for over an hour, including in sleet, snow and hail.

We disapointed ourselves by not
realising the run check points were worth a lot more than the bike
ones. We realised we should've capitalised on our road skills to get
the one 50-point bike check point – out at the top of a distant road
climb... but that's all to do with me remembering the pen.

After 4.5 hours our fingers were
freezing and it had been 4 hours since I'd felt my toes – just
before I didn't think it could get any colder until I stepped into an
ankle-deep bog.

We decided the last check-point was not
worth our fingers and toes and the potential frozen fingers have for failing to brake. We returned to base 30 minutes early. We
descended via another ankle-deep stream (it was supposed to be a
footpath) and final check-point.

We were 21^st of 26 teams.
The extra 20 points we walked away from could've boosted us to 18^th
but frankly, we like our digits.

The physio was kind tonight. She has
agreed to relocate my hanging-off hip which was efficiently diagnosed
with a call of “Ahaa!” as I lifted my knee towards my chest
whilst she watched my back-dimples. She was kind because she didn't
laugh at me being crippled from things I did on purpose, not by
accident... some time before christmas.

I am to be reassembled on Wednesday.
Then I am going drinking with Claire.

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So... If you think I'm barmy

Jan 17, '07 3:56 AM
for everyone

Welcome Jill, biking in Alaska.

I might have my warm gear and powerful lights now but I'm hoping for no more ice for a while.

Reaching new levels of trepidity.

I took my flu bug out for a ride today. We went to buy TSK boots to equip him for a weekend in the North and life with the Trep in general. I did the groceries. I rode home fully laden at a respectable speed of 12 mph (respectable compared to flu-ridden back pain speeds of less than 10mph). I am nearly well again. One more day off should see me fit. All in time for Mondays' trip to the physio with the back (after a weekend hammering it in Hebden Bridge - hmm).

Talking stats, I found my old diary amongst my stuff and calculated that since Jan 27th last year I have riden 8630 miles.

Time to start working on the last 370.

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Rebound

Jan 16, '07 11:10 PM
for everyone

Welcome Jill, biking in Alaska.

I might have my warm gear and powerful lights now but I'm hoping for no more ice for a while.

Reaching new levels of trepidity.

Talking stats, I found my old diary amongst my stuff and calculated that since Jan 27th last year I have riden 8630 miles.

Time to start working on the last 370.

Tags: cycling

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Upgrade: Weekend

Jan 16, '07 2:17 AM
for everyone

I had Friday off work. It was a holiday in celebration of the arrival of my stuff from Canada.

When you see a gigantic removal lorry parked outside your new neighbours' house, know this - they are not suddenly the richest neighbours in the 'hood. No! They bundle multiple households of stuff into those beasts. So I discovered when I arrived home Thursday night to find a Brittania removals van the size of a double-decker bus parked in 5 of our visitor spots at the flat.

On Friday at 7:30 am, two shabby looking enthusiastic young men heaved 36 boxes of goodies into my flat and filed them approximately into the correct rooms (including the second bathroom which has now been relabelled "the library").

Once I had dug it out, I immediately started work on my mountain bike as it was required for Sunday. TSK arrived later and helped by working into Saturday on "The Little Tank". His borrow-machine for Sundays event.

We rented a van for the weekend with which to dash up to Dan and Beckys so I could borrow their children for a couple of hours of laughter and cuddles then give them back and go back to being a Trep and head round to Silver's place for a drink with her, DBO, Mr Potts and of course DandthenBex. It was a fine party. Sil has always wanted new boobs for her birthday. A lack of finance meant that they made an appearance only in cake-form and much hillarity was generated from choices over whether to have flesh or bra and an abortive attempt to find 100s and 1000s with which to create peirced nipples.

On Sunday, TSK and I completed our first Trailbreak Navigator race. Basic rules are that you have a fixed time of 3.5 hours to collect as many points as possible by visiting check-points marked on a map. Check points vary in value dependent on their location and 5 points are docked for every 1 minute you are late back.

Our strategy for the race was for TSK to navigate and me to keep the time and keep up without collapsing into a sweaty spluttering fluey mess. At least my back wasn't hurting any more. We were rewarded by some refreshingly nice weather and some impressive hillcllimbs / descents with plenty of mud, technical and winding country lanes to finish off.

As TSK suffered a few minor navigational faux pas, so I failed to start my stop watch on time or do the math on the clock correctly and there are no points added for completing the course under the influence of the flu virus and we rolled in 6 minutes late. Combined with our failure to find checkpoint no 2 which had no marker, our final score of 290 put us in 7th place in the mixed category - not last! It could've been 320 putting us joint 4th if we'd just gone that little bit faster. Still, that left us with a spring of "next time" in our step (next weekend in Hebden Bridge) and it was a lovely day for getting muddy and consuming pasties and tea afterwards.

At the end of the day I dropped TSK off at the station then returned to town to get rid of the van looking forward to a life without that inevitable goodbye at the end of every weekend.

And now, Monday, I am being sick proper-like. Pray for me flu-god.

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Upgrade: Weekend

Jan 15, '07 9:33 PM
for everyone

I had Friday off work. It was a holiday in celebration of the arrival of my stuff from Canada.

At the end of the day I dropped TSK off at the station then returned to town to get rid of the van looking forward to a life without that inevitable goodbye at the end of every weekend.

And now, Monday, I am being sick proper-like. Pray for me flu-god.

Tags: racing, friends

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Pondering

Jan 15, '07 8:28 PM
for everyone

The inevitable switch to alternative blogspace... ie. a free one.

Tags: thoughts

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Winter Sun - Europe Stylie

Jan 8, '07 12:47 AM
for everyone

On boxing day we faught our way across London to Gatwick Airport to catch a big silver bird to Tenerife. There we were welcomed by Geoff, his daughter Stacy and later, wife Maureen (Mo) of

www.cyclingtenerife.com

For those of you over the pond who see temperatures of 11 degrees C, remember - that's at night. (Check it at 7am your time).

Soon I will go on at length about the holiday but for now, the pictures speak louder than my brain. They're clickable below... or here.

We had a fantastic time and recomend the accomodation, the food, the company and the cycling to all. There's a good public transport system on Tenerife making much of the island accessible (though once on the busses they're a little slow to progress so planning is advised).

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Cyclists Christmas Day Ride

Jan 4, '07 2:15 AM
for everyone

Yes it was an interesting Christmas in
fact, the best I have ever experienced since I got my first shiny
blue Raleigh racing bike of my own.

Sadly, just prior to Christmas I took
it upon meself to decide it was a good day to ride the long way to
work. Despite previous assertions that all days are good days to
ride the long way to work, this was not. It was one of the few days
it was bluddy cold in England and Green and I encountered a vicious
long patch of black ice which sent us both skidding down the road on
our sides for a good 10m. I, unlike Green, landed forlornly on my
tail bone, leaving me crouching in the road in hollering agony for a
few seconds before scraping myself up and limping (if you can limp on
a bike) to work to avoid getting any colder. This was followed by no
less than 8 chain-drunk cups of tea to see off shock and a good deal
of writhing pain quelled only by an overdose of Ibuprofen.

The next evening I was on the train
with a present-laden bike. One conversation with a member of her
majesty's constabulary who objected (not very forcefully) to us
riding down the footpath to avoid the fairground that occupies the
cycle lane in Hyde Park every year at Christmas time. As I tried to
ham-up my shivering convulsions (pulled stomach muscles now
wrangling on-demand in the cold), he suggested that this year we write to the
Royal Parks to complain. Noted sir, thanks.

Whingeing over. A house for the
weekend was lovingly donated by my mate Jo. Thanks darling it was
very welcome.

On Christmas day we joined the
Southwark cyclists for the Christmas Day Ride. A core of about 20
arrived at Greenwich then we wibbled our way down the Thames and
London back-roads

to meet the rest at London Bridge where The Black
Knight met us with Stollen cake, brandy chocolates and a rapidly
disappearing bottle of Sherry for the 78 riders varying from Whippets
to Hippies to families with Russians, Kiwis and other nationalities
thrown in for good measure.

(you gotta love the billboard in the background of this photo which actually says, "Wild animals and wilder rides")

We finally wobbed off to start the ride-proper on everything from Recumbents to Bromptons. Though no-one actually showed up on a penny-farthing, there were some mountain bikes, kids bikes and shoppers.

As TSK and I endeavoured to back-mark
and keep the group together, we kept our mobile-phone rage under
wraps through several conversations with brothers in Australia,
boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, concerned parents... the list goes on. A
few rules of the road were stretched as we tried to get 78 people
through London but no-one really cared. Even if one driver did find
it in himself to... well... completely lose his Christmas spirit –
but isn't one born every Christmas? It was good Critical Mass type
stuff.

After some exiting times, the other
back-markers (including TSK) finally met up with us at Peckham Pulse,
having lost a few people to broken gears and meetings with brothers.
I had been the only official back-marker left (being the one hanging
on to the back of the group because I didn't know where I was, never
mind where I was going).

From there we continued to Blackfriars
Bridges where we stopped for a swift one. I am guessing the
bar-staff were happy to see the tips of 78 cyclists appear out of the
blue on Christmas day.

Having lost some people to the beer
(and coffee) we continued on to the Lebanese restaurants on Edgware
Road for about 30 of us to fill our bellies with the finest Lamb
sausages, pita bread and other well-earned delights. Full we were,
for all that was left to do on Christmas night was pack for Tenerife
and polish off a few jars of beer and Christmas toffee. To be continued.../.

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Christmas Festivities - Back from the Abyss

Jan 3, '07 8:56 PM
for everyone

The Trep is back from Tenerife. Battered and bruised - but that's a pre-Tenerife issue with black ice and country roads.

The holiday was fantastic. 10 days after the chronic bike crash I am off to the docs in 10 minutes.

More later. There's anti-climatical laundry to be done.

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Bicycle geekines

Dec 21, '06 12:19 AM
for everyone

Ikea show how sustainable transportation is done

Wonderfully christmassy bike geekiness

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Great day in bullet points

Dec 20, '06 3:06 AM
for everyone

Left for work early

Slightly foggy

Sprinted up the hill

Popped out of the fog

Mortgage approved

Followed by a payrise

Lunchtime run - did the extra mile.

Volunteered for work with Inverness office (nice occasional trips)

Ride home - the view of the fog over Wiltshire below with the streetlights glowing through. Amazing

Tony visited with presents. Cat calender for birthday!

Potatoes roasted in the sausage fat.

Pamplemouse

Summer holiday flights booked. Cycling in South of France

One week till we go to Tenerife.

In bed before 10:30.

More pamplemouse.

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It's in the tea-leaves

Dec 15, '06 3:40 AM
for everyone

Every time I cycle to work the long way I ride past a large field with a flock of sheep in it. They're always cast over a patch of hillside like tea leaves in the bottom of a cup. Always different yet always scattered.

I wonder what's in the tea-leaves for my day then I realise that it's always good. Any day that involves the long ride to work is good. This morning was no exception.

I stared at the sun through a hole in the cloud to make the most of it before it disapeared for the day.

It was indeed a good day and I polished it off with a run around the village streets tonight, only slightly put-off a cross-country run by the ever-so-slight nagging fear of a mass murderer lurking in the bushes on the hillside.

And now I'm going to sleep very soundly in my bed.

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Expatriation

Dec 13, '06 3:32 AM
for everyone

It's a busy life in trep world. Buying houses and working full time does that to you. My great news is that TSK is going to move into my new house with me. My other great news is that my stuff has arrived and currently sitting in Southampton docks waiting to be delivered. Unfortunately I'm unable to pay the delivery company until the lovely Home_ase refund my money on the credit card for the furniture they wouldn't deliver late. Then I can close all financial links to Canada once and for all and never have to face the pain of hidden charges again.

Today I was on site. An hour's work on site took me three hours of driving on the M4 and M25 to get there and two and a half hours of driving to get back*. During which time I listened to radio 4 and in amongst many things I learned (must listen more often) I also listened to a debate about brits moving abroad.

This week a study has been released showing that more and more of us are doing it (partly as a means of appeasing the whingers who think immigration is only one way).

I was amazed at how many people phoned into the debate from overseas to tell the audience in the UK how great it was. It left me wondering who these people listening to radio 4 in the middle of the day are trying to convince and I was frustrated that sitting on the M25, I did not have the opportunity to phone in and share my thoughts. That having moved back, there's nowhere I'd rather be than England, sitting on the M25 in a traffic jam.

Not one other person phoned in with my point of view. The closest was an American woman who'd moved here from Texas. Very brave of her to admit that anti-Americanism got to her but she was relieved at being able to be anti-American here whereas in Texas she had to keep it under her 10-gallon hat.

As I listened to the callers from France, Germany, Spain, Lebanon (!), Tunisia, Portugal, Hong Kong and Australia I realised not one person was calling from the USA or Canada to say how great that is. But then none of them were awake. The program went on to discuss how easy it is to live overseas in a foreign culture now that we have t'interweb to bring your home culture to your desktop. The BBC World Service is no longer the only source of an english accent and the sound of a good cup of PG tips and I think that's what it comes down to.

Most of my cultural socialising in Canada was on-line and 8 hours out of synch. Because there was little culture in Canada to absorb myself into - no exotic dishes or traditional dances - I was starved it and missed it so much.

But Canada is a place filled with warm and friendly people and big open tranquil spaces and I still urge British people to visit it. I will do again myself some day.

For now I am happy to say that the wanderlust in my blood is completely extinguished short of a few quick holidays for more sun. This might be rip-off Britain but for me today, cultural accessibility, beauty, richness and free time made even the M25 a thing to be tollerated with lightheartedness and a positive attitude.

(*Driving at the speed limit is safer, less stressful and can really boost your flex-time hours)

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Famous god-sister

Dec 5, '06 3:04 AM
for everyone

Go check out the gorgeous and talented Emily Jane

And turn on your speakers.

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Why oh Why?

Dec 5, '06 2:59 AM
for everyone

does my washing machine smell of perming solution?