Not a lot planned for today so went out with the dawgies for a nice walk on the moor. The weather was cold, crisp and sunny and we did about two miles plus lots and lots of ball throwing.
A good to be alive day (as long as you're well wrapped up)
Sunday, 22 January 2012
January 13th
I have neglected my poor little blog again partly due to laziness and partly due to it being very cold and draughty in the corner where the PC is. I have to wrap up in a blanket to sit there. My laptop died just before Christmas and I can't afford a new one.
Talking of laziness I nearly talked myself out of a ride today. I'm good at that, talking myself out of things.
Anyway having donned my cycling gear and it being a beautiful morning I had no excuse at all so off I went. I cycled up our road, along the main road and joined a busy dual carriageway to the top of the motorway M606. Don't panic I might call myself mad but I'm not mad enough to cycle down a motorway. The roundabout takes me to another exit that joins a lane that is parallel to the motorway for a while. It climbs up for a short while then it is a long, long downhill onto an industrial estate. From here I can then join the Spen Valley Greenway from the top.
The Greenway is a disused railway line converted for non motoring use. It is popular with walkers, runners, cyclists and horseriders. It goes through urban, suburban and rural areas in it's 7 or so miles from Bradford to Dewsbury.
I had a pleasant but uneventful ride to just over halfway when I had just said hello to another cyclist and then realised it is one of my team-mates for the ride to Hamm. We both stopped and had a chat. She was supposed to be meeting Adey (yet another victim er rider for Hamm) but he was in a cafe with a friend and Helen didn't know where this was. So she said she would ride with me.
I was glad about this as it always makes the miles go quicker. We got nearly to the bottom of the Greenway when I mentioned a diversion that took you a different way. I had been that way once but wasn't 100% sure how to get to this other bit. So we diverted through some industrial units and then it is a glorious little oasis. A river, a bridge and a weir.
I stopped to take a photo and while we were stopped I recognised an old man on a bike who I had been talking to whilst walking the week before. He stopped for a little chat before continuing on his way.
This is where we then turned and headed for home again. Now it is uphill all the way back, not steep but continuous. This is where it is good to be with another rider as chatting to Helen made sure I kept going and the miles ticked by quickly.
She jumped off the Greenway about a mile from the top as that's where she had parked her car. I continued to the top and then had to face another long uphill, Staithgate Lane. This one does make me puff and pant a bit. It's the one I came flying down on the way there! I made it without stopping and then rejoined the ring road and went home. Twenty three miles in total, not amazing mileage but satisfying.
Talking of laziness I nearly talked myself out of a ride today. I'm good at that, talking myself out of things.
Anyway having donned my cycling gear and it being a beautiful morning I had no excuse at all so off I went. I cycled up our road, along the main road and joined a busy dual carriageway to the top of the motorway M606. Don't panic I might call myself mad but I'm not mad enough to cycle down a motorway. The roundabout takes me to another exit that joins a lane that is parallel to the motorway for a while. It climbs up for a short while then it is a long, long downhill onto an industrial estate. From here I can then join the Spen Valley Greenway from the top.
The Greenway is a disused railway line converted for non motoring use. It is popular with walkers, runners, cyclists and horseriders. It goes through urban, suburban and rural areas in it's 7 or so miles from Bradford to Dewsbury.
I had a pleasant but uneventful ride to just over halfway when I had just said hello to another cyclist and then realised it is one of my team-mates for the ride to Hamm. We both stopped and had a chat. She was supposed to be meeting Adey (yet another victim er rider for Hamm) but he was in a cafe with a friend and Helen didn't know where this was. So she said she would ride with me.
I was glad about this as it always makes the miles go quicker. We got nearly to the bottom of the Greenway when I mentioned a diversion that took you a different way. I had been that way once but wasn't 100% sure how to get to this other bit. So we diverted through some industrial units and then it is a glorious little oasis. A river, a bridge and a weir.
I stopped to take a photo and while we were stopped I recognised an old man on a bike who I had been talking to whilst walking the week before. He stopped for a little chat before continuing on his way.
This is where we then turned and headed for home again. Now it is uphill all the way back, not steep but continuous. This is where it is good to be with another rider as chatting to Helen made sure I kept going and the miles ticked by quickly.
She jumped off the Greenway about a mile from the top as that's where she had parked her car. I continued to the top and then had to face another long uphill, Staithgate Lane. This one does make me puff and pant a bit. It's the one I came flying down on the way there! I made it without stopping and then rejoined the ring road and went home. Twenty three miles in total, not amazing mileage but satisfying.
Friday, 13 January 2012
January 12th
Another non working day and I was going to go for a cycle ride but it was blowing a hoolie out there.
Peter wasn't working today so I suggested a drive out somewhere, coast or Botany Bay. He was agreeable to this but left it for me to decide so we went to Botany Bay which is near Preston.
Botany Bay is a big old mill that is next to the canal. Last time we went there it was divided into antiques, collectables and junky type stalls and was really interesting.
However several years have passed and to say I was disappointed is an understatement. It is now all new and repro stuff and nothing was reasonably priced. What a waste of a day. To top it all the wind had dropped and the day had turned beautiful, bah!
I went to aquarunning this evening. It was busier than I have seen it in a long while. Oh well at least the exercise was done.
Peter wasn't working today so I suggested a drive out somewhere, coast or Botany Bay. He was agreeable to this but left it for me to decide so we went to Botany Bay which is near Preston.
Botany Bay is a big old mill that is next to the canal. Last time we went there it was divided into antiques, collectables and junky type stalls and was really interesting.
However several years have passed and to say I was disappointed is an understatement. It is now all new and repro stuff and nothing was reasonably priced. What a waste of a day. To top it all the wind had dropped and the day had turned beautiful, bah!
I went to aquarunning this evening. It was busier than I have seen it in a long while. Oh well at least the exercise was done.
January 11th
Not working today so was a bit undecided what to do. I eventually decided to go to aquafit at lunchtime. It was cool in the water today but I got to work and soon warmed up. I noticed Chris using a few new moves! I enjoyed it today.
Then, after a chat with Chris I went for a swim. The lanes area was reasonably busy but I managed to find myself a space and do 32 lengths (half a mile)in 20 and half minutes which is 30 seconds faster than last week.
Then, after a chat with Chris I went for a swim. The lanes area was reasonably busy but I managed to find myself a space and do 32 lengths (half a mile)in 20 and half minutes which is 30 seconds faster than last week.
January 10th
In the office again today. Not too bad as I caught up with all the backlog.
A quick couple of miles walked when I got home and then I went to Slimming World. First week back so hoping for good things. 5lbs lost! First week is usually good so not too much of a surprise to be honest. I have done lots of exercise and been good on my diet apart from Sunday when I apparently had 54 syns but I had cycled 46 miles so I think one cancelled the other out.
A quick couple of miles walked when I got home and then I went to Slimming World. First week back so hoping for good things. 5lbs lost! First week is usually good so not too much of a surprise to be honest. I have done lots of exercise and been good on my diet apart from Sunday when I apparently had 54 syns but I had cycled 46 miles so I think one cancelled the other out.
January 9th
Back to work today.
Thought I would be going out visiting but no, I had no work to go out visiting to so I stayed in the office and cleared my back log of administration work.
This evening I went aquarunning. Chris, who was my circuit training instructor, had booked in too. She was already there when I got there.
Chris is superfit and very slim but she found it hard work. Partly because it is learning new techniques and something she hadn't done before. She said she enjoyed it though and picked up a few new moves for her aquafit groups to use.
Thought I would be going out visiting but no, I had no work to go out visiting to so I stayed in the office and cleared my back log of administration work.
This evening I went aquarunning. Chris, who was my circuit training instructor, had booked in too. She was already there when I got there.
Chris is superfit and very slim but she found it hard work. Partly because it is learning new techniques and something she hadn't done before. She said she enjoyed it though and picked up a few new moves for her aquafit groups to use.
January 8th
Second training ride for me and Mike scares me with the mileage estimated at 40 miles! That's a heck of a jump from 28 miles. that's for sure.
Anyway there were a few missing in action but 8 of us turned up at the right time and place.
We set off from Pool Bridge and hadn't gone far when my chain came off. Good start. We went on the Arthington Road towards Harewood and then joined a faster road and took the lanes towards Kirkby Overblow. That is some hill up to the village but I made it.
A quick breather and off we went again through country lanes and into Wetherby. We ambled through Wetherby and then joined a bypass where just over half of the group put on some speed and disappeared into the distance.
We eventually got to Askham Richard where we had a rest and a drink. Adey was suffering a bit and close to 'bonking' so we shared a Go bar and discussed various energy gels etc.
We then set off back towards Wetherby into the wind. It seemed a long way back but we eventually made it although Adey and I were struggling a bit by then.
We got into Wetherby and dived into a cafe that we have used in the past. Lots of banter and a plate of beans on toast and a cuppa were soon consumed. Then we were off again.
This is where it got hard for me. Several hills through villages and I was tiring. When we got to Kirkby Overblow area we stopped to regroup and I took a gel to keep me going. Then we whizzed down a very steep hill. I was at the back of the group and was admittedly struggling on the Arthington Road.
Arrived back to the car safely but very tired. A tad under 46 miles done! Bloody hell!!!
Anyway there were a few missing in action but 8 of us turned up at the right time and place.
We set off from Pool Bridge and hadn't gone far when my chain came off. Good start. We went on the Arthington Road towards Harewood and then joined a faster road and took the lanes towards Kirkby Overblow. That is some hill up to the village but I made it.
A quick breather and off we went again through country lanes and into Wetherby. We ambled through Wetherby and then joined a bypass where just over half of the group put on some speed and disappeared into the distance.
We eventually got to Askham Richard where we had a rest and a drink. Adey was suffering a bit and close to 'bonking' so we shared a Go bar and discussed various energy gels etc.
We then set off back towards Wetherby into the wind. It seemed a long way back but we eventually made it although Adey and I were struggling a bit by then.
We got into Wetherby and dived into a cafe that we have used in the past. Lots of banter and a plate of beans on toast and a cuppa were soon consumed. Then we were off again.
This is where it got hard for me. Several hills through villages and I was tiring. When we got to Kirkby Overblow area we stopped to regroup and I took a gel to keep me going. Then we whizzed down a very steep hill. I was at the back of the group and was admittedly struggling on the Arthington Road.
Arrived back to the car safely but very tired. A tad under 46 miles done! Bloody hell!!!
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