My mate Alison Jackson won stage 2 of the Vuelta Espana Feminine today. Nice to see someone enjoying a win

As a matter of course I don't ride Mondays, but having missed yesterday I made an exception. For me six miles would have been enough as that would have got me to 600 for April, but it wasn't raining, so I made it up to 31 miles. It was a bit blowy though.

Had another encounter with a female dog walker today, the mutts were on leads though. I was cycling up a road and she was on the pavement walking the same way. Then when I was about five feet away she stepped straight out into the road without looking. Thankfully I wasn't going fast as it was uphill into the wind, but roughly the following "conversation" happened.

Me: 'Scuse me, look before stepping out into the road

Her: Don't talk to me like that

Me: I will if you step out without looking

Her: God, your [sic] ignorant

Me: You're the ignorant cow!

I then sped off as she was probably the moll of a local dealer. Shouldn't have stooped to her level, but it's the only language these people have a chance of understanding.

Cosmos Factory - An old Castle in Transylvania

All week the forecast for today was none too good, but it didn't turn out that way. There were a few drops of rain every now and then until about three o'clock, but nothing serious.

Anyway, if a man can't go out for a ride on his birthday when can he? It was a bit nippy out though, but it is still April and on my 18th birthday I wouldn't have gone out as there was four inches of snow on the ground and I had the more pressing matter of getting pissed as a fart 

I told Mrs S I'd be out for a couple of hours and I was back in 2 hours 51 seconds, so I think I got away with it. After emptying the tanks yesterday I took it more steadily today. Still came close to pedal cycle emptiness, but not too close. For the first 30 miles I didn't even look at speed, cadence or power, just had a heart rate screen up and tried to keep the old ticker in zone 3, I about managed.

Almost got took out by a dog early on though, going up the lanes towards a 90 degree bend and I heard a woman walking along shout out what I thought was "Car!", a good samaritan I thought. I slowed down, went round the corner, no car, then a bloody Red Setter shot out of the undergrowth nearly taking me out. Now I hate dogs, but hate cretinous dog owners more. Dogs, according to the Highway Code should be on a short lead when on or by a road, but none of the ignorant fuckers who own dogs seem to know this 

https://www.strava.com/activities/11277300051

Per Wiberg - The Serpent's Here
Devin Townsend - Infinity (25th Anniversary)
King Crimson - Cat Food 10" EP

Quote from: Slim on April 27, 2024, 03:04:46 PMThis is a wonderful record. Actually I have a certain sentimental attachment to this album, because its cover art was one of the more memorable images printed in the NME Encyclopaedia of Rock, a book I spent many happy hours immersed in as a teenager.

Same here, the Who page from that book is burned into my brain.

Weather hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be, so have been out the last couple of days. Not done much, but it's something in the bag.

Yesterday just 21 miles, didn't want to stray too far from home as for once I'd hung out the washing for Mrs S. It kept threatening rain, but none really came. It did once I got home and I didn't notice, ho-hum...

Today just did 24 miles, but tried putting some effort in. Garmin said the tanks were empty after 18 miles, so I made it back on fumes. Up to 561 miles for April now.

Devin Townsend - Infinity (25th Anniversary)
Per Wiberg - The Serpent's Here
King Crimson - Cat Food 10" EP

Good win for Thibeau Nys in stage 2 of the Tour de Romandie. Only his third road race day of the year after the cyclocross season. And he'd spent all day in the breakaway - completely oblivious to the beautiful surroundings.

Didn't get to achieve 40 miles today either. But I did get to wear my new Cycling glasses, I've treated myself to a pair of Oakley photochromic ones to replace the £2.50 pair Mrs S bought me from Wilkos, the rubber nose piece keeps coming off and they slip down my nose. I would bin them, but you need a reserve pair.

So I was a bit late out waiting for the Oakleys to come, but got to 32 miles for the day. Gets me over 500 miles for April thankfully. Be nice to get to 600 but the weather may not play ball and I don't play out in wet weather.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11253160918

I don't want to moan about the weather - too much - but this year has seemed like it's been stuck in early March since day one. Mainly cool, wet and windy.

I had thought today was going to be a dry day, but there was a lot of drizzle early on. It had stopped when I set out with the intention of doing 40 miles, but after about 12 miles it picked up again and I thought it might only be 20. But after turning off it stopped and climbing up a bit I could see where it was coming from and managed to zig-zag around it.

So I got back on 31 miles, which will do. Wish I'd put my long fingered gloves on though, but glad I'd put on my winter merino socks. Of course once I'd got home the clouds parted and the sun came out. Such is life.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11245393705

I couldn't wait to retire. I spent all my working life thinking about it. As a social retard the whole process of going into work and being with people filled me with dread and I couldn't wait to be free of it.

After my second redundancy, because I was getting on a bit the employment I did get wasn't as remunerative as before so I got used to living on less. I had paid 20 years into a final salary pension with my first job which will pay a reasonable amount at 65 so I've got that.

My state pension age is 67, but I'd estimated that with savings and company pension starting two years earlier that I could finish work at 62, but an inheritance enabled me to bring it forward to 59

My day is now my own and I can make the most of sunny days and get out on the bike. Two years on though I still have work related nightmares...

Well I was up for just a gentle 25 miler today and that's just what I did. Got me over 170 miles for the week for the first time this year, which will do. I had thought about just doing 20 laps round Calow, but Calow's not the sort of place you want to draw attention to yourself and I don't want to end up as a pie filling in Wigan, so I bailed out after three.

Certainly felt warmer than 11C though, could have gotten away with shorts, but hey-ho.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11233604656

Quote from: Thenop on April 21, 2024, 04:12:48 PMPogi yes, but MvdP might even be a more impressive achievement. I think he weighs well over 10kg more than any of them. Climbers are featherweights while he's approaching heavy weight fighting realms.

oh MvdP will never win a Grand Tour, but in the Ardennes classics the climbs are shorter and punchier so his power can get him over.

Pogi, Pogi, Pogi! Oi! Oi! Oi!

He's good 

Can't believe MvdP made the podium and plucky Brit Tom Pidock made 10th. MvdP and Pidders must have used up a lot after being caught uo in a crash and a mechanical respectively.