Well last weekend was busy with riding bikes and beer festivals, then the run up to Easter was mad busy at work, inevitably a pile of applications to process arrived at the last possible moment to actually be in a position to get the work done before the Easter break... As a result I've been pretty lazy although I have done some DIY bits, cleaned and loved some bikes and watched the Tour of Flanders, but mainly I've caught up on sleep. We went for curry last night round the corner at Rasa Mudra it was superb, not your usual bog standard Indian meal, rather perfectly cooked Keralan cuisine. The Dhal that I had was perfect a mixture of different lentils some toasted, and perfectly spiced with just lovely notes of subtle heat. I'll be riding bikes a lot later in the week so it'll be nice to go to it with fresh legs for the first time in ages. More laundry, tidying and chair building today I think with a dose of Radio 4, maybe a cold beer and some bacon sandwiches   Read the rest of the entry...

Not ridden again, can't find the motivation or the want to ride at the moment, I did at least ride to pick my train tickets up on Saturday which is something. I'd planned to ride today but getting up to grey just killed the idea straight off. I don't think commuting is helping I seem to spend my time on a bike damp, cold, covered in road grime and that's with mudguards. I think the last time I actually enjoyed, really enjoyed riding a bike was in November last year, which is a bit worrying really, since then it's just seemed like two wheeled misery. Still time is only wasted if you've not enjoyed your time, eating reheated home made enchilada's and refried beans and watching cross racing isn't a bad way to spend a winter Sunday. I should probably stop feeling guilty about not riding as it's not making things any better, I'm rather suspecting that the worry of an impendinf flat purchase is maybe weighing large as well, I'm just hoping it all comes off so I don't have to drag bikes up and down stairs and that I can clean them in my garden...   Read the rest of the entry...

I had quiate an early start yesterday and went out for  ride with Lea Valley CC, it wasthe slow group all very friendly, but it's actually confirmed that despite almost a month off my bike due to snow and bitterly cold weather I'm still a lot fitter than I actully give myself credit for. A really nice group of people though and I also learnt a nice way out to the back roads I like to use in Essex for solo rides, which is both easy to remember and not as nasty as some of the other ways I've gone. We called in at the excellent Hoghill Circuit, it's about 40 minutes away from home so just the right distance for me to get too for any cx races next season which is excellent, good cheap coffee as well, well filter and 70p a cup nice cake too although I didn't indulge. We minced about so long outside that my legs turned blue so after a bit of a pootle I shot off of the front to head home. I got lots of nice cheese in the groceries this week so after a shower I headed out to grab a baguette and ...  Read the rest of the entry...

France is ace, I've seen grass and trees, drunk wine eaten cheese and pastries and just relaxed pretty much constantly since Wednesday morning. French railways really are a thing of utter wonder we're stuck with tiny rammed trains, and they have eighteen carriage long engine hauled behemoths with proper AC toilets and reclining seats, oh that run to schedule as well. What's even more galling is that Eurostar is pretty good as well and that's private and runs in the UK, so how is everything else just such utter rubbish... Oooh I've seen a Dolmen at Doberry and a nedieval town at St Benoit, oh I've seen fabulous Limoges poreclain as well, good relaxing fun. On a future not the country in the Limousin looks like it will be lots of fun on a cross bike, as there's a lovely mixture of quiet back roads and dirt roads, perhaps too many dirt roads to explore on a road bike but not enough offroad action really to want to be slowed down on a mountain bike.   Read the rest of the entry...

Ok my report is a bit late, but better late than never eh. So we left London at about 11pm on Friday and after getting lost around Leytonstone twice and then again around the Dartford Crossing diversion, I should add that this was with SAT NAV so you can imagine the carnage without. An uneventful ferry crossing to Dieppe and a drive through France and Belgium we holed up in a lay by about twenty miles out of Antwerp, just as the sun was coming up, perhaps not the best plan for sleep, but Chris was tired and Phil acting as Shotgun was dozing off so it was much needed. Twenty minutes or so later we were off into Antwerp, we quickly navigated the city to our hotel, only five hours to check in so we parked up and went for a wander. Fairly quickly we discovered funny names in Antwerp A.S Adventure was funny every time we went past it. Would you believe it Greggs in Antwerp, mental! [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="375" caption="Wow can Flanders get any better, Greggs as well as Frites and beer..."][/caption] Checking in was a bit weird due to some room confusion myself and Chris may have sent the ...  Read the rest of the entry...

I cooked the best deep fried Tofu in batter at the weekend in a black peppercorn sauce which rocked, really really ace, I could eat Tofu like that all day forever. Other than that I watched the darts, all I can say is Ted Hankey has had a pretty tough paperound he's 40, (I should put a picture in but can't be bothered) still darts rocks you've got to love it as a sport. I commuted in and missed rain both ways which rocked, although I got wet going to Condor and I can say that the failure to be served when I was trying to buy a bike again.might actually lead me spending a shit load more than I planned elsewher, which would be fun. I've been listening to La Roux quite a bit they're ace and even better is the latest Fabric CD I have which appears to be a blinding 80's synth set with Penthouse to Pavement half way through in one of th ebest mixes I've ever heard blindinglly good. Oh and Charlie Brooker on teh telly, he's proper dark, very very funny indeed.   Read the rest of the entry...

Well after yesterday's moody philosophical post, the second post in two days realtes entirely to TV's cooking hottie. This evening Christmas treats and lifestyle moments were getting a bit much and I Was just shooting at the telly when she crumbled bacon over potato skins... Really how can you not ne instantly smitten by a woman who crumbles bacon over food scherwing..........   Read the rest of the entry...

Well I've just got back from my folks place I've been up there since last Wednesday afternoon. After a cup of tea I put the bike together and rode over Cockfield fell for a bit of cheeky fun, not far only seven or so miles then a walk with the dogs over the fell and out for a meal with my folks. The following day started with a fry up and then a five hour ride on roads over to Hamsterley riding most of the trails then extra climbing and back home to a BBQ ace. Friday was more chilled a lie in and then down to North Gare with the hounds for an afternoon of fun on the beach and Pacito's legendary Lemon Top's in Redcar to finish, with home made fish and chips at home. Saturday was an ace ride up on the Egglestone road then over the moor to Hamsterley I helped a load of chaps out with spare tubes and some basic bike fixing help and then rode some bits of the SSUK course a quick pint at the Cross Keys and home to fresh bread potted rabbit and crumpets fab. Sunday was  a ride with Chris H it was ...  Read the rest of the entry...

Blimey that was ace, it started well enough with an early start and getting a train I thought I had no chance of catching. On arrival in Brighton it was proper windy and yes I had to head straight into it for five miles. A quick cuppa later and it was onto the front for a monster breakfast at Carratts. After ham eggs and chips it was a spin out of Brighton onto the trails, the first climb is a big long one four miles apparently and Steve's exertions from the previous days riding were showing although he soon got into his rhythm. Jo led us up and downhill at equally high speed some of those big grassy descents are just ace, feeling like you're just going to ride straight off the edge of the world. All of a sudden we were at three sticks a wickedly steep climb that Steve cam tantalisingly close to clearing on his 29er on the third attempt, then we were off again dropping down and then up again. Then Jo started playing team car up the next big climb whispering in turn yo me and steve that we could take each other on the climb. I ...  Read the rest of the entry...

Back from work a bowl of pasta and out the door at ten past seven, two and a half hours in Epping Forest followed, just riding whatever I saw and trying to do as much climbing as possible, booyah I feel proper ace again, well apart from my ankle which is a bit sore. Ooh and I saw a fox and a couple of bats and USE Joysticks are really quite good as well. It's been said before bikes are ace!   Read the rest of the entry...