Cycles paths. over protective parents and Lance

Cycle path etiquette

I was on the Bristol to Bath cycle path the other day. For a change it was during the week and it was quite empty but for a few cycles, dogs and push chairs - but nothing to bother getting a nice ride (34 miles if you were asking) . It occurred to me that one of the slight problems with mixed use paths is etiquette. I have a bell on my bike. But when to use it and how do you judge the likely outcome of using it? I generally ring a double "ting" when within 50 yards or so of a walker and at the same time make a judgement over what will happen next. 

What would be nice is that people accepted the "ting" as a friendly "hi, just coming past" but from the expressions and actions I've seen ,I'm not sure this is the case. The most extreme reaction is to react as if wired to the mains and run randomly across the path as if they keep moving, you can't hit them. This is of course the reverse of reality. People with dogs fall into two camps, those who call their dog/pull in the lead and those who think that Fido is intelligent enough to stay out of the way. I can vouch that Fido is not and thinks that cyclists are new play friends to run around with. I go really slow if I see an untethered or uncalled dog on my route. 

Over protective parents?

But its the reaction of parents that bother me mostly. Not grand parents - who are old enough to think that cyclists are not devils on wheels trying to kill or maim their offspring. Last weekend, I "ting'ed" behind two adults with walking child and their reaction was to quickly block the path. I wondered what was going on, until the child was picked up and the parents slowly gave way. I suppose I might have been a danger to  the child, but I nearly parked my bike up this guy's backside. No one was in any danger, I cycle slowly past children as do most cyclists - we were all kids once.

I do see this a symptom of over protective parents. The news outlets seem to suggest that kids are in constant mortal danger. But such shielding of kids will only make them less likely to assess danger and risk themselves and so be over cautious or to take more extreme risks. 

Now before I say "back in the day" its clear that people of my generation had much more leeway to explore for themselves. And I think that supported self reliance and appropriate risk taking is a good idea. I enjoy speed and risk as much as the next person, after all I own a 1000cc motorcycle and can be seen "making progress" across the Cotswolds.

I do wonder if the over protective: what time are you back, I'll pick you up, take you to school attitude that some parents demonstrate is self defeating and will reduce the number of people who cycle? Some research has been done which suggests that compulsory helmets reduce cycling because "it must be dangerous" if helmets are needed. Now I am pro helmet, not compulsion. I probably had my life saved by my helmet. Hitting a tree stump with your head at 25mph is a good recipe for brain damage - but my Giro deformed like a good 'un and I just had concussion. (Which has worn off, ok, it was over 5 years ago)

Personally, I think getting into scrapes and losing skin is the best way of assessing risk. Pain is good for judgement. Risks need to be taken. Exposure to risk and reality a good thing. A few of those drivers in the rain on the M5 last week might like to think about that too. Air bags and ABS etc is no use if you hit that spray covered truck at 50mph, regardless of how good a driver you think you are, the insulation from risk in modern cars almost encourages poor decision making!

Lance

Oh dear. I feel personally let down by Lance. I wanted to believe that he was the man he said he was. I once wore a "Livestrong" wrist band (now safely "lost") I think we all knew that turn of the century cycle racing was involved with drugs but somehow I liked to think that it was "just dabbling" and that it really hadn't made such a difference.

I suppose I could not have been more wrong. But what bothers me is the denial and the facts - as reported in the press - that Lance was druggist in chief for his team and is reported to have bullied his team mates into the systematic doping that it is alleged went on in his team.

The evidence is clear that the peloton is at worst not drugged up much. Times over identical stages have increased since 2000, often by quite large amounts. But riders are still getting banned. I love cycle racing. The TdeF is one of the big spectacles in modern sports - but cycling is especially prone to cheating as it relies upon fitness and recovery more than skill and so the rewards from drug or substance abuse are greater than for say football. You can be as fit as you like, but if you are no good, it will never be enough. 

The stand taken by British Cycling is to be applauded and I believe that British Cycling is clean. I use the same sports science that they do (not so extreme) in terms of training and recovery products. In effect, smart eating. It must still be frustrating if you think that competitors are not playing by the rules. Blood samples are kept from winners for years now - so if anything turns up, samples can still be tested. This is I hope a good incentive not to cheat. I guess we'll find out over the years to come.

Recipe of the week - Great British food revival

I saw Michel Roux Jr supporting the British strawberry. Michel is a British as I am, being born in Britain and basing his cuisine on good local food. Its just a shame I can't afford to eat in his restaurant!

None the less this strawberry souffle recipe looks fantastic. I would recommend looking at the programme which examines the development of better strawberries for the supermarket. This may avoid having little choice but to buy "Elsanta's" which taste of turnip. Always look carefully at the variety and don't just opt for the cheap big berries - they will taste of very little. This recipe will be much improved using a good strawberry. You just have to wait until next year to try it unless you can get some good frozen ones. I'll be on the lookout for some next week!

Is there anyone there?

A bit of cycling "cod" philosophy....or "Faking it"

Whilst writing a Blog, it can easily appear you are alone with your thoughts and musings. I'm pretty sanguine that I mainly write for myself. Expressing yourself can come in many forms, but writing, at least, has the benefit of allow me to see what it was I was actually thinking at the time as opposed to spouting off. At this point, you might be thinking "what on earth is he warbling on about this time?"

Well, it struck me that in cycling, like life, we are really all alone. I certainly don't mean that we are in some Matrix style "reality", where everything is illusion. No, what I mean is that is it hard for anyone to know what its like to be "you" and for you to be "them". This is why cycle racing or just hammering your mates is both a physical and mental challenge. You are alone in your world of pain as you grind up that 3+ km climb (out of Nailsworth, for those interested in next year's Sodbury Sportive...), and whilst you know that your fellow cyclists are in a similar world, you can't be sure who is going to make it to the top first.

Many a time, I've known I'm not the fittest cyclist in a group (certainly the oldest) but I've kept up or got to the top of a climb or been fastest in the singletrack. This is a skill I call "Faking it". Using the slope to your advantage, looking more tired than you are,  braking in a strange place to put off a follower. Faking it is a skill that cyclists develop over the years. I mean who wants to be last at the cake shop, if "tail end Charlie" is going to buy the coffees?

So, if I was to strike off into philosophy again, cycling is a bit like life. The confident are often covering for their fears and the fearful are being true to themselves. Admitting what you can't do is hard. But the first step to improvement is an honest assessment of your strengths AND importantly, your weaknesses. Becoming a better, fitter, lighter cyclist requires an assessment of where you are right now. I have found it quite liberating to admit (in life terms..) that I am rubbish at parking cars and have a useless memory for places and maps. (This might come as a worry to those who follow me round ski resorts....but I am a good faker!) My next task is to make an honest assessment of what will make me a better cyclist.

Actually, that assessment has not been hard. Pushing a small dog (as I call my excess weight) up a hill may be good for the soul, but pretty bad for my pace and my now ageing knees. So once I get over eating Canadian sized portions, I need to get back on the straight and narrow (and no, that is not my favourite singletrack in Ashton Court) and eat less and do more. Well, we'll see!

Sea to Sea (C2C for the text generation)

Ok, if I am going to improve, I do need a target. The JOGLE fell by the wayside in a combination of  injuries, and failing fitness. I was reminded the other day that I was pretty lucky to cancel as the two weeks ear marked for the ride were amongst the wettest we've had in this "summer". I think after 5 days of continuous rain and wet cycling clothing, I would have arrived home courtesy of the rail system, rather than leg power. 

So, instead of the JOGLE (which is parked, not abandoned, perhaps for a joint "holiday"...) a C2C looks do-able, and indeed fake-able. The C2C for the uninitiated, is a ride from the Far West (of Wales) to "near Holland" (Suffolk) crossing from sea to sea. I am planning to leave from St Davids in Pembrokeshire and aiming for Southwold. 6 days, 60 odd miles a day, getting flatter as you go East.

Before I actually commit, I will be spending a couple of weeks riding as often as rain allows, to see if anything falls off. Not off my bike, but off me, even 6 days is a long time, if you've got a dodgy leg! 

Recipe of the week - pancakes...not with sugar and lemon

Whilst in Canada for my hols, I was offered pancakes for brekkie by my kind hosts and indeed pancakes, bacon and maple syrup ended up on my plate, all at the same time. Looking at the recipe used, it looked a lot like a Scots Pancake, only given that I was in North America, it looked a lot like a Scots Pancake on serious body building drugs!

So this Pancake Recipe is from James Martin. It looks good and includes all you need to know for a real "heart stopper" of a breakfast. Indeed, guests may get offered this for brekkie, next time anyone comes to stay as its easy and the batter can be made the night before. Enjoy (but do go for a long cycle if you indulge!)

Winter maintenance

Ok, so its not actually winter, but the challenges are the same. No salt on the roads yet, but I think its probably as well to be prepared. So if you have the time, I would recommend doing this:

 - clean chain and lube with winter chain oil

 - fit mudguards if you can, a face full of muddy slurry is never fun or healthy

 - if you have a winter bike, service it now and do the above if required

 - get a garden sprayer like this fill with cold water - use to remove salt and mud after every ride

If you were wondering, cold water is recommended by Motorcycle Magazines to clean off salt as hot water may increase the reaction between salt and metal. A quick sluice takes no time. Useful for cleaning the bike properly too. And chasing cats off your lawn

Olympic cycling legacy

What is the effect of the Olympics - if any?

A recent Guardian Blog suggested that in the short term, there may have been a change in attitude to cycling and cyclists. Guardian bike-blog.  What I have noticed is that cycling has started to look a little more trendy, accepted and mainstream. The new ITV 4 Cycling Show shows promise and usefully mixes personalities from the world of cycling, celebs and reports, all of which make cycling look more like an activity not confined to oddballs and fitness freaks.

It's harder to know what the longer term effect will be and if it will be sustained. Living in the West, there is less of a problem of conflict on the roads, many of the Councils here have the space to provide good cycling facilities and Bristol is "Britain's First Cycling City". (I think Cambridge might disagree...)

Bristol is a good place to cycle.It is well served by cycle paths off the roads and has a great link with Bath on the old railway, Much of the ring road is served by cycle paths and it's fairly easy to navigate around "outer" Bristol. In Bristol itself, there are some handicaps to cycling. Firstly, Bristol is built on a number of hills, ones you might not want to cycle up too often. The roads show evidence of the dead hand of 60's "planning" imposed upon a tangle of inner city streets and the centre sees a lot of traffic. That said, for a city, it's a good place to cycle, and you will not be alone. Bristol people have taken to cycling in a big way, facilitated by the Universities, the army and one or two big Firms who encourage cycling. Even Cribbs Causeway, the out of town shopping mall, is accessible by bike, though it is aimed at the car driver. The areas near to Bristol are also well served with cycle routes and access from say South Gloucestershire (Yate) is good and new building works/estates  come with cycle provision.

I find it frustrating that most of the popular commentary on cycling is London-centric. This is where the press is based and where the broadcast media will find its "evidence" of cycling conflict or success etc. However, the specialist cycle press is not all London based and that is a bonus. The main publishers are in Bath (Future Publishing) Croydon (IPC) and one or two indies like Singletrack Magazine.(Up North)

I did think that a critical mass of cyclists might be the key to acceptance, but London has a load of cyclists and yet appears to have less "cooperation" between road users. Bristol has an acceptance of each other on the road and this translates mainly into good road relations, which has to a small extent has made the roads a shared space, just like people treat the roads in Holland.

So will the Olympics been a factor? I certainly hope so. It's about time too. Cycling has long been seen as the poor relation to motorised transport. Yet cycling should be equal at least. It provides freedom, a freedom long gone for drivers. Its good for you, you can have guilt free cake stops and earn a beer and it doesn't (literally) cost the Earth.

We won't know the effect of the  Olympics right away. Surveys and traffic flow analysis will be required, but the Olympics has the capacity to start to get Britain towards a Dutch model of cycling, where cycling is the smart choice.

But, we all have a role to play. A key role is to encourage people to give it a go and to that end, here are a few suggestions that might be helpful in getting a friend to start/restart cycling. Think if it as volunteering with benefits, the benefits of getting more people to cycle and to have the pleasure of spending someone else's money!

Help a friend to become a rider

Choice of bike

It's hard to choose a first bike by yourself. Even a trip to Halfords can end in confusion so why not volunteer to go along with a non cycling friend and "translate" for them. For a first time/returning cyclist, there is a range of "opinions" on what to ride and how much to spend. This can be "advice" such as, "a £50 secondhand bike is all you need, I know a bloke down the pub....." or  "£50 only buys an average tyre, now my mate owns a cycle shop, he'll sort you out......"

So where to start?

I personally believe that most first time cyclists will ride on cycle paths (to start with) and explore further afield as they gain confidence, so a good choice would be a 26" wheeled hybrid/mountain bike style machine with road tyres, NO suspension and NO disc brakes. Robust, comfortable and easy to maintain. New, such a bike will cost from £100 up, and can be light and fast if you want a little bling....Here are some ideas, right down to 150 quid Communting and hybrid bike ideas

Proto mountain bikers may need more help, but ask where they are likely to ride and that will help guide you. A Down Hill (DH) Bike is not an option! Most cheap full suspension Mountain Bikes (MTBs) are only useful for chaining outside the pub, but a mid priced hard tail (no suspension on the rear) is a good place to start. On-line resources are there to help. Bike Radar has a guide to sub £500 bikes. I'll think about a mountain bike article another time

If you really know what you are doing, you may well be able to help a friend buy off eBay and get a hybrid or my fave, a vintage MTB (rigid) with slick tyres. This can be a bargain way of getting a bike, but you do need to know what you are doing!

Clothing

This is the "lycra issue". So a few things for the beginner to think about.  A short with a liner is a good place to start, don't wear pants underneath, and gender specific fit is important. Some cycling mitts and a helmet that fits are vital too. A cycling shirt might be nice too. I wear bright colours on road, occasionally HiViz, good deals are available online.

Kit to buy

A pump, tyre levers, puncture repair kit, basic multi-tool, a bottle cage and bottle and chain lube. This is the bare minimum to get at the same time as the bike. A basic repair book might be useful! Many bike shops will "do a deal" on these items. If they don't, say thanks, but no thanks and get a friend to help you order off the internet. You will make savings and get a better choice. If they are going to leave the bike anywhere public, get a good U lock, as cable locks are useless.

Women specific issues

A women specific saddle is a must. A cheap upgrade that will improve comfort. A "step thru" "women's frame" is not needed, just get a bike that fits. Narrower grips may help those with smaller hands.

Help the new rider use their kit

This is the really important bit. Go out with your new rider. This WILL require patience and time. You might think that 20 miles is a short ride. Your new rider will thank you for starting with a half hour gentle starter ride that may only cover 5 miles, and include stops. Make that ride fun, with a cake stop and try and go somewhere away from traffic, on a good surface and with nothing even like a "slope". Get your new rider out as often a possible. Twice in week one and moving SLOWLY on from there. If they want to ride to work, perhaps go with them, or get them to buddy up with someone to help maintain that enthusiasm.

If it's going well, get them (and you!) entered into an event, a SKY Ride or similar and then think about a Sportive, but one within their capability.

Recipe of the week

After much opprobrium, the recipe resurfaces. Butternut squash and sage risotto is a real winner if you need a quick supper. I wouldn't bother frying sage leaves for decoration and the amount of cheese to add is up to you, but more is good!

Butternut squash lasts for ages in the store cupboard so this is one you can do without too much planning. I tend to use chicken stock (from a posh cube) I use less butter, and I like my risotto softer than "al dente" which in some cases means "chalky" but that is up to you. I would take time to chop up the onion nicely as this makes the finished dish better tasting IMO

Enjoy with a chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

The surfing issue

Other sports are available

Can I recommend Wales for surfing? Well, obviously I can, but to be more specific, Abereiddy in Pembrokeshire. Even for those of us who live near Bristol, Pembroke is long way and on an August Bank Holiday Friday at 5pm, approaching a traffic jam at Newport, it seemed an awfully long way! 

The SATNAV is good in many respects, but as it updates its ETA, a note of depression can affect the driver. That said, "Helga" (as my SATNAV is called) is pretty good at estimating when you will get to your destination and eventually 8pm came up and stayed on screen, as the traffic cleared. This allowed a quick dump of kit and a rush to the pub for sustenance and "a plan" for the morning.

Saturday started bright but windy, so we trundled off to Abereiddy beach to read the papers and stare at the sea. Surfing requires quite a lot of staring at the sea. The tide was wrong (high) and had killed off the waves, so even though the car park was filling (more of that later) we popped off to St David's for a bit of tourism.

St Davids is the smallest City in the UK and has a lovely cathedral, any number of coffee shops and pubs and an excellent visitor centre where we had a snack and waited for the rain to stop. A wander round town revealed that surf fashion is still mainly "Californian/Hippy" style, the cathedral was looking a little worse for wear inside, and the side of a hill is still a hard walk, even if you are supposed to be fit enough for surfing. 

We made a detour on the way back, via Whitesands beach. All I can say is if you don't like your fellow man, this is not the place to go. Lovely beach, crowded as hell.

Back at Abereiddy, the tide was out and surf's up. It's my first surf this year and the waves are powerful and slightly confused with several swells making getting out difficult, and dumps regular. I'd give that session 5 out of 10 for surfing and 9 out of 10 for creating an appetite. The family had turned up by now, so it was off to the pub and a well earned cider.

Not a happy bunny after a Saturday bashing!

Sunday dawned sunny. The wind had dropped, Nice!. A pre breakfast surf had been scoped out the previous evening, so post fry up, we were squeezing ourselves into our wetsuits (damp) hoping our guts would fit! The swell had dropped off, so patience was needed. A pleasant couple of hours was spent in the water until a nice cuppa beckoned. 

Posing and back lit - nice!

We all waited around to see if the swell would pick up later and we were rewarded with a great early evening session. Only the 5 of us in the sea, and lovely sets of nice clean waves were coming in.  This gave me the best session in a long time. Two hours in the water left me needing the BBQ laid on by my Bro in law.

Almost look pro here - mainly an accident!

Surf art - nice one Leona (camera holder)

Monday dawned wet - well wet is probably not sufficient, but shall we say that it rained like it did when I was last in Bali - and I didn't actually see any tarmac for 60 miles. 

So what's so good about surfing?

Well, I think it's rather like mountain biking. You are reliant upon the natural elements and your skill (or lack of) Surfing is harder, but like MTBing is free once you get to the ocean. It's addictive too. Once you've got up and stood there, "walking" on water, you just want to get a longer and faster ride. As they say, a bad day surfing is better than a good day at the office, and even what looks like a hopeless surf can be transformed by just one good wave. I've met really nice people surfing, the guys at the North Devon surf School  have been very encouraging and I would recommend learning to surf there. Westward Ho! (their base) is a super mellow beach with loads of room. It's better than Croyde to learn, more room and better ice cream. Give it a go, the worst that can happen is that you can end up having a guilt free slap up dinner and few refreshments whilst improving your fitness!

Foot note - competitive parking

I know it was August Bank Holiday Sunday, but blimey, us Brits are not at our best when it comes to car parking. There is a tendency to try and claim as much space a possible and sod anyone else. We got there on Sunday at 10, and parked out of the way and about 10 yards behind a camper van, parked across the beach, in a space that three cars would call roomy. We got an evil look from a seated "beige clad" senior as if we were encroaching. Little did they know what the rest of the day would be like as they were virtually surrounded by cars, squeezing into the smallest gap. One van was later asked to move across a little and "couldn't possibly" as "he had set his chairs up....."

Later, there were always three cars circling the car park, waiting to pounce, should a space come free. Still, the nice thing was, that by the time we surfed Sunday night, most people had left, missing the nicest part of the day (well except for the "sharp shower")

Dangerous Roads??

Is it really that dangerous to cycle on the roads?

It's a question that strikes me every time I get out on the bike. I don't think I am taking unnecessary risks going out for a ride, yet the Times noted that 72 cyclists have died on the roads this year, so far. My view is that cycling is not inherently dangerous, yet with such stark stats, it's perhaps time to have a think what impact each of us can make to our own safety and for the safety of all cyclists.

I am not one to be particularly critical of the odd "traffic violation" by cyclists, they are mainly a defence mechanism, such as starting out early from the lights or hopping on the pavement to avoid a dangerous junction. But it seems to me that the main danger of such infractions is not the action itself, but the impact on opinion and the opinion of other road users.

Like most cyclists, I am a car driver (and motorcyclist - if you want risk!) and because of understanding how vulnerable cyclists can feel, I take care not to endanger people on bikes (or horses for that matter). But there are motorists who are seriously annoyed with and by cyclists. Now that is their problem. They will need to keep a close eye on their blood pressure and often, ones I've met, have serious anger management issues. But it can become our problem too. In a clash of me and 1500kg of car, I am not coming out on top.

So I now try and ride with an eye to other road users. I make eye contact, wave and smile and often wave cars through, if like yesterday, I was first to some temporary lights at road works. It was quite a revelation. I had some fun banter with the first car and friendly waves from others. I got through the road works with little delay. And I genuinely believe that spreading a little happiness (as the song goes) can promote cycling and cyclists as fellow road users and not "a nuisance".

BTW - if anyone goes on about "why do cyclist not have licences etc like car drivers" could I suggest politely pointing out that motorists are in charge of tonnes of metal, capable of high speed and responsible for nearly 3000 deaths a year, tens of thousands of injuries and millions of pounds of damage and pollution. Whereas cyclists are not and a licencing system would be a big literal price to pay just because some motorists get miffed with cyclists!

Recipe of the week - banana flapjack

Not tried this one, but it looks really nice, and what's not to like in a banana chip flapjack!

Banana chip flapjack recipe 

Got to be better than anything shop bought!

Keep safe

Chipping Sodbury Sportive

Chipping Sodbury Sportive - 60 mile route

Well a 6am alarm is not my idea of fun any morning, let alone on a Sunday morning. But it was at my request. The Chipping Sodbury inaugural Sportive had sign in from 7am and start slots from 8. So we needed to eat before we left home. Two Oatibix and a banana later we were on our way to the start line. 

We were amongst the first to arrive and having signed on, I took a moment to have some water and reflect on what was going to be quite a hard day. The sun was poking through occasionally and when it did, it revealed the potential for heat to add to the already humid and airless conditions. 

Deciding that the key aim was to avoid the broom wagon, and knowing that training had been "minimal" we pushed forwards and got in the second group out. We were amazed by the bike porn on display. My bike for the day was a Cannondale Bad Boy (no really), a 26" "hybrid" and my wife's was a similar part bin special I constructed for her around a Merlin Cycles HT Mountain bike frame. Whilst not sounding glamorous, it is light and effective (and cheap!) and when I lifted the back of my bike round to face the start line, I was a little jealous!

So we set off out of Chipping Sodbury, allowing the expensive carbon bikes to head off into the slightly murky morning as we quickly approached the first challenges which would get us up to Hawkesbury and Hillesley, "up" being the appropriate word. as our 60.5 mile route claimed 1203 metres (3945 ft) of climbing and most of this was in the first few miles as we got up onto the edge of the Cotswolds.

I got off and walked once, then twice as my early morning leg muscles protested, but was pleased that this was not repeated during the day. The organisers had good sign posting and the roads chosen were mainly quiet, except for the odd farmer, boy racer and at one stage a lost milk tanker!

Having swung across the A46 towards Tetbury (signposted but never seen) the first 25 miles ended in Nailsworth, a town noted for being at the bottom of 4 large hills. The organisers had laid on excellent feed stations and we loaded up on banana, flap jack or in the case of my wife, a cheese and pickle roll. We filled the bottles and cycled off towards the next challenge. 

The climb out of Nailsworth led up towards the M5.........eventually. It's a climb with several false summits and by the time we made it to the top, we were hot and wondering where the broom wagon was! The next few miles passed ok, and we had the highlight of a long downhill where I managed 40mph and stormed past a few of the younger, lighter riders!

The legs were not so happy at this point and with ten miles to the 48mile feed station, I started not so much "hit the wall" as start to "bounce along the fence". Luckily, my wife who had suffered a little, early doors, started to assert her much better endurance fitness and I slotted in behind to benefit from the draft.

Talking of draft - does energy drink give you wind? It's hard to know if it was the drink or just the gut being asked to perform overtime! 

Eventually we got into Rockhampton and the feed station, again excellently stocked by the Rotarians, and banana and flapjack were fired down the throat along with some water and an energy gel!

Off again, the legs gradually improved and after the long but steady climb out of Thornbury, the route gently rolled us back to Chipping Sodbury. A short but unwelcome climb into the High Street was the last proper effort before rolling back into the finish and a well earned pasty!

Reflections

Well, I think we will do it again. Hopefully one or two of the roads might be missed out as the recent rain had brought stones and mud (and minor streams) onto the tarmac. Training might have been good, but injuries and time did not allow, so all in all an excellent result

Our vital stats were 60.5 miles, 3945 feet climbed, ave speed 11.5 mph and top speed 40mph

Riding time 5:15 (elapsed time will be a bit longer - waiting on the results)

Bananas consumed (both) 8, liquid drunk, at least a gallon, (between us)

Estimated kcals used, me 4,200;  Leona 3,000 (yes really!)

Website  http://www.sodburysportive.co.uk/index.asp

Olympic Verdict

So what did you think of 2012?

I'll admit it, I've been blown away by the Games. I liked both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. I felt they represented GB well, made us look original and quirky and also "bigged up" the NHS. What other countries would have made of it I really don't know. But I guess that was half the point.

I also liked the way that it did not compete directly with Beijing. It did compete, it was just on another level. It was saying that, hey, all that fuss and fireworks was easy, directing a two hour play is hard. I even liked the sing a long at the end with Macca, not because of the quality, but because it worked in getting a huge singalong.

At the closing ceremony, I thought the "Frankie goes to Hollywood" style shirts saying "IMAGINE" was great, the John Lennon mask was dead clever. Not sure how it might have gone done in some Southern American States, where they watching on a Sunday, but I guess that's just one of those things........

My highlight of the games

This is actually rather difficult. As any sports fan with a bit of time on their hands, I watched everything, but for pure guts and for showing the streets around where I used to live, Bradley's Gold was the number one for me. Many of the other much-repeated highlights were about racing. Now normally, I would be all for racing but having done a little time trialing a long time ago, I have a flavour of what winning this event meant in terms of effort and confidence.

I was fortunate enough to see the great TT'er Tony Doyle (double World Pursuit Champ) do a sub 20 min 10 miler on a cold November morning on a less than fabulous out and back course. That is like seeing Bradley turn up on the A46 for a Sunday Club 10 with only parents and dogs for company. That day, I knew that cycling, least racing in that form, was not for me. I was too much of a "rugby player" build and liked ball sports. But the time and effort just to turn up and do what he did was an eye opener. He warmed up for ages and the level of concentration  devoted to a Sunday 10 was on another planet.

So why Bradley? Well, to do what he had to do, less than a week after the effort and disappointment of the Road Race showed his physical and mental class. But over and above that, the ability, without helpers and totally exposed as you are in a TT, to perform to that level was quite remarkable. And this is why I put it above Mo's achievement, say. But only just, Bradley had to ride as fast as he could on the day, no tactics to "hide" behind, no fast last lap.

Mo's victory did provide one of the most heart warming Olympic moments for me. I was sitting in a Bracknell bar when the 5,000m was on, the race held the attention of everyone and there was shouting and cheering as Mo came in to win. It seems that Mo might be a catalyst to perhaps a little more harmony in GB?

I liked the spice Girls too, they were so wrong, it was right! And any ceremony where Fat Boy Slim emerges from an octopus, must be getting something right!

The Cycle Show on ITV 4. Monday 8pm

It's rare that TV gets cycling. The recent series (still going) of The Cycle Show on ITV 4 might have got near. Its based on an interview and film excerpt format and has a 400m sprint challenge for guests. 

On the first show, Graham Obree and Gary Fisher turned up and it was interesting to hear them "unscripted" for a change. Graham is the cyclist who used washing machine parts (well in the popular press)  on his track bike and traded records with Chris Boardman many years ago. Graham tends towards seeking a low tech solution. His energy source of choice is jam sarnies! Gary was one of the pioneers of mountain biking and all MTB'ers owe him a debt for where our sport has got to.

Anyway, give it a go, let me know!

Recipe of the week - Chicken and Broad Bean Pasta

No cake this week. This Recipe is from BBC Good Food and is easy and tasty. I used full fat creme fraiche as that was all I had to hand and I used milk to thin it and not pasta cooking water. I cooked the beans by themselves to avoid over cooking. Add some garlic puree and use lots of cheese and it's a winner. I used a grill pan for the chicken for more flavour. Tagliatelle is in the recipe, but it is difficult to mix in the sauce. I will try penne or spirals next time. 

A glass of slightly chilled Pinot Noir would be nice.