Route Cam Video

I've added a new video to Route Cam on my YouTube channel. The video can be viewed here:-

The ride route can be downloaded from Bikely.

It's a nice ride with some great roads. Take care around J14 of the M6 though.

Rich

Biking and Bowfell

Well, It's been a long time since I posted a blog entry - to be honest I've had too much to think about with my parents. They have dementia and have been getting steadily worse to the point where they both broke limbs in late November - I was kind of tied up sorting them out to be truthful.

I've not got much riding done of late - still suffering with back, neck and shoulder pain as a result of the crash. I did manage to get quite a few cold miles in during December and January and I've bought a new toy - a GoPro HD Hero2 camera. I've been playing with it and have produced a couple of videos:

I've also come up with an idea for a Route Cam - a simple idea to link in with mapping sites, I'll map a ride or a hike and then video it. That way anyone thinking of doing the ride will be able to see any difficulties etc. The one above is a test ride for Route cam.

I've just come back from Great Langdale in the Lake District - I managed to not get run over this holiday. I was helped by the big dump of snow we had on our arrival. A luck would have it I took more walking/climbing gear than bike stuff and I got a few good hikes in on the mountains. The best was a good hike up Bowfell - it's been video'd for Route Cam, and here it is!

I'm pleased with the GoPro, it gives some good results - I'm not pleased with my claim though! Can't say more at the moment as it's STILL being dealt with. Expect a HUGE rant when it's finally sorted out.

Enjoy your riding,

Rich

A Little Confidence Back - Sore Neck & Back!!!

Today I tried a bike ride. I did 21 miles over well known terrain at an easy pace. After 5 miles my back began to hurt, after 10 my neck was really sore so I turned home. I need to take it easy for the next few weeks.

That said, today did my cobnfidence no end of good. I didn't want to get on the bike never mind ride it on the open road. For the first few miles every car I saw made me really nervous and jumpy, but, that passed and I began to enjoy the ride (despite the pain) again.

I'll try a longer but more relaxed ride tomorrow, I expect more pain in the back and neck, but I need to ride!

Rich

Lost Confidence & Motivation

Well, it's now been a week and a half since I was hit by a car while out cycling. I'm still feeling the effects of that and I've been off sick until today - my sick note runs out today.

The bike went back to the retailer for them to check it over and they've recommended that I write the bike off completely. They say that they can't certify is as being safe to ride as it was involved in a collision with a car and  there might be internal damage that isn't showing on the outside. I'm really cheesed off at that but at least I still have a good quality second bike to ride. The only big issue with the bike is that the Addict is no longer widely available and the bike shop have quoted me £2799 for a new Scott Foil 20, the closest in colour and performace to the Addict R3 (including my upgrades). Now I need to see if the other parties insurance will pay for that PLUS my Fulcrum R1's......they have admitted full liability but I foresee a struggle!

As for riding the Spesh - Well, been feeling a bit to sore upto now, bad back neck and stomach muscles along with a swollen ankle. But I need to try - problem is, I've lost confidence! It would appear that this crash has taken more from my mind than it has from my body in terms of after effects. I've no motivation to get back in the saddle and my mind just makes me cry off every time I think about it.

I think I need to get up tomorrow, and go and do a nice slow, easy and gentle 30 miles to see if I can ride the bike yet. I'm putting the pounds back on every day and I'm starting to get really down.

I'll report back tomorrow.

Rich

Off Sick

Well, following on from my crash of last week where I was rather rudely knocked off my bike by a blind driver up in Scotland I decided to visit the doctor. I've not been sleeping properly because of neck and back pain.

She has now signed me off sick for at least 7 days - so no work, although I was only in for one night out of the 7 anyway coz I'm still on leave! But it also means no bike riding for a while. I can feel the pounds piling on as I type. I need to do something to keep the weight off but I think I'll struggle!

So, all I've been doing is uploading my photos to various websites here are a couple of then for you to look at, they're not cycling related, but from my other expensive passion - Landscape/wildlife photography.

Enjoy them:

Thanks for reading, call back soon.

Rich

Bad Driving

Well, I'm on holiday and supposed to be enjoying myself. I was until yesterday. I've done a couple of rides while I've been here and enjoyed the first despite it raining on me. I went from our digs upto Loch Arkaig and then part way to Spean Bridge, short but hilly with stunning views over the Scottish mountains.

Yesterday I decided to head out on the bike to Glen Nevis, I've done some hiking and climbing in that area and wanted to head out there to look at the area again. The ride to the Glen was fine, even the little bit in Fort William and the ride up the Glen was stunning.

I turned and rode back to Fort Bill and diecided to head up the A82 to the Nevis Centre for a coffee and then up to Spean Bridge and back to the digs at Gairloch. Well, that was the intention. I got as far as the traffic island at the junction of the A82 and the Glen Nevis road and then, as I was going round the island I was hit by a car. I can't say more as police action is being taken against the driver. I can say that I ended up on the road, watching my front wheel flying off down the road. Back is hurt, hip is sore as is my ankle and left shoulder. My bike is worse off, the front forks are damaged to the point of being un-rideable  and the front wheel is kaput.

Had to order a new pair of wheels from Ribble at £563.00 and the replacement forks are £200.00. The bike needs a good inspection to see if it's damaged and I'm pissed off as the whole holiday has been ruined. I contacted the insurance of the driver and they said they'd call me back, surprise surprise, no call from them. I can see that they are going to be a pain to get my money back!

Now I have a few more days holiday, sitting in a bit of pain and not being able to do what I came here to do......what a shit.

Here is a link to Endomondo for the trip.

Time to see how things pan out with the insurance claim and the injuries. I see a forced spell off the bike.

Rich

Charity Rides & Are We Our Own Worst Enemies?

Sunday saw the big one for me for the last part of this year. The Tour Ride, Stoke On Trent.

The ride was in aid of Prostate Cancer and I was determined to do a reasonable ride, to work hard despite the weather so I could justify the donations that people have made. Just because I've done the event doesn't mean you can't donate - Please, please, please visit my Virgin Giving page and donate as much as you can.

The forecast was OK, not as good as it had been in the days leading to the event but still, not too bad - how wrong they were! I stood patently on the start line, there were 1300 riders to start in groups of 40 four minutes apart, so I was standing there for quite a while. Once I got moving though I began to enjoy the event from the start - well, at least after I'd found a suitable bush in which to stop and relieve myself - that wait on the start line had been a tad to long!!!!!!!

The route is well planned and follows the route of the Stoke stage of the Tour Of Britain, the only deviation being that we start and finish in Trentham rather than finish in Hanley. It's a very rolling route with very little flat, either up or down with the only real flat being the section from Uttoxeter to Rocester, by the time I'd reached the flat bit I'd already climbed over 800m in less that 30 miles. Then we hit the big stuff.

The first feed stop at Milwich - still looking clean!

There are 3 categorised climbs, Ramshorn, Gun Hill and Commonside. The first is Ramshorn, a Cat 2 climb that goes up in steps with a max gradient of 14%. It's long but not really hard, that said, I lost some time here as I rode with someone that was slower then me and I was chatting - well, for about half way anyway.

After Ramshorn came the Morridge and the fast descent to Tittesworth Reservoir. It's a great descent after reaching the high point of the day up on the Morridge above Leek.

Descending from the Morridge

At Tittesworth I met Tracey, my long suffering wife, who was driving round to the feed stations providing me with bottles of High5 and ZipVit Gels.

Then to Gun Hill - average gradient of 10% with a max of 25% had most of the people around me struggling - but, as with last year I rode up strongly and with a smile of my fat face. How I can do that I have no idea - but I rode away from many much fitter looking people! The photo here is of me near the top of Gun Hill - check out the grin! Or, is it in fact a grimace?

On Gun Hill

From Gun Hill the route dropped to Leek and then over the feared and rolling hills to Whetley Rocks. As it was I didn't find it half as bad as I expected that section to be. 

Our Own Worst Enemies?

It was here, on this section that I saw some appalling riding from people doing the event and no wonder us cyclists get abuse. As we left Leek there was a set of traffic lights, they were clearly on red and were for a junction, not a crossing. They were on a descent and one guy over took me, flew down the hill, undertook a car that was slowing for the red light and just blasted on through at high speed with no regard for the safety of anyone on the road. What a bloody fool and what kind of impression is that going to give? He was too far away for me to get his number, if I had been able to then I'd be looking to get some kind of prosecution on going for careless cycling or at the very least a ban from Tour Ride events. I'm very sorry to say that it wasn't the only bit of bad riding I saw. We truly are our own worst enemy and how can we really blame motorists for not giving us room, or just being obstructive when we behave like that?

Well, after that I decided to really stick to riding on my own and doing my won thing for the rest of the event. I rode strongly to Commonside and then suffered on the climb. It's bloody steep, my old Garmin registered 29% there each time I rode it. I managed to ride the whole thing - slowly - where others were forced off their bikes and into walking. Even the Pro's suffered in the Tour of Britain on this hill.

Tracey was waiting a the top with the camera and she saw me, spoke to me and took a few photo's - now for the comical part. I rode over the top of the hill and into very heavy rain so I carried on without stopping. It's only 15 miles or so from here to the finish and I had a full bottle of High5. What I hadn't heared was Trace shouting that she'd see me at the top with a bottle. She turned and ran after me and when she got to the top she saw another Lichfield CCC Rider at the top stopped taking a drink. I'd overtaken this chap on the brow of the hill. Trace convinced herself that the rider she'd seen was this other chap and so she went back down and waited, all the time I'm slogging it out with the last remaining hills and the rain to the finish.

On Commonside - excuse the blur, it was very dark!

Near Barlaston

The finish was brilliant - unlike last year when there was hardly anyone there, this time there were hundreds of spectators, all cheering and banging the boards and it felt like a real race finish - even my tired legs were inspired to go quick to the end. I grabbed my medal and looked for Trace - oooooops. I waited 15 minutes, soaked through and getting rapidly colder and then I rang her, "Where are you?", "I'm on the top of Commonside!" came the reply. "Oh Bugger" said I, "I'm at the finish"!!!!!!!

She raced back but had to follow the route as she didn't know any other way - I was like a block of ice when she reached me and I shivered all the way home. As it was I finished 175th with an offical ride time of 05:18.33 for the 87 miles. My actual ride time not including the few stops I made was 05:09.08. I'm very pleased with that given my overweight stature at the moment and my lack of real training.

It was a really great day - a huge thank you to the organisers.

An even bigger thank you must go to the people that sponsored me - George, Tilly, Jane, Trace, Vinny, Mark and Nicola. At the moment I've raised about £85.00 and I'm trying to raise even more.

Looking forward to next year already.

Here is the Endomondo workout for the day.

Rich