Cycling Highlights 2014

I spend more of my time and energy looking ahead, not back. Cycling plans for 2015 are already shaping up nicely with tickets booked for two Cycle Shows and also TWO cycle tours! Happy days ahead. 

But while dreaming of next year's rides during these dark, cold winter hours, I am also indulging in reflections on the past year -- the rides, the bikes, the weather, the scenery, the people and even some philosophical musings on how cycling as an activity, a process and a lifestyle has changed how I see myself. More on the latter later!

In the meantime, my year awheel featured -- 

Thuds, Floods and Mud!

Serious bike portage required! Story here.

Followed by trail clearance (same story same link)

Ford crossing, Fixed Wheel Stylee on Jane's Herts Ride (ride report here)

The spot outside our village that is flooded all winter long. Nothing new here, folks. 

Mist! And Glorious Sunshine

Our vacation to Scotland in June was hands down the highlight of 2014 for me -- both in cycling terms and life generally. This was my second cycling holiday but the first one that involved hauling all of our possessions as we travelled rather than having a single base for day rides. You can click to read all my posts about our trip but here are a few photo highlights:

Loch Slapin

Canna

the Black Cuillin

Talisker tasting session

Uig

approaching the mainland (at Glenelg)

Awaiting the Glenelg-Skye ferry

Just one of many families of sheep we met!

Dun Telve (one of the Glenelg Brochs)

One of many meals - simply amazing food

summit of Mam Ratagan

climbing

not what I thought

rampant foxgloves

our favourite bovine, in the shadow of Ben Nevis

Smiles!

Local Sustrans volunteers (okay, Adam with some input from Siobhan, Alister and me!) once again ran The 100 Mile Smile Ride in September. Adam and I recce'd the route over the long Easter weekend in April, then his daughter Amiiee and I rode a 40 Mile section on the Big Day.

The 100 Smile Ride Recce Ride: bluebell woods

The 100 Smile Ride Recce Ride

The 40 Smile Ride or, #icandothis

The 40 Smile Ride or, #icandothis

Turnovers in the Fleet

2014 saw some changes to my bicycle family. Two vintage Puch bicycles left my care:

Liesl was sold to a lady who I hope will ride her more than I did. 

Swoopy had to be scrapped due to a bent frame I didn't know about when I bought her. 

But Astrid the Viking mixte joined the team as my London Town Bike:

And Lorelei, still (rightly or wrongly) possibly the bicycle dearest to my heart, got a whole new lease of life with a modern rebuild:

Industry Events

I thoroughly enjoyed attending Bespoked: The UK Handmade Bicycle Show at the Lee Valley Velopark in April and then The Cycle Show at Birmingham's NEC in September.

Bespoked was a masters' showcase of framebuilding talent.

Lock 7 (one of the few female framebuilders)

Woodelo from Co. Tipperary, Ireland, won the People's Vote Award.

The Weirdy Beardy from Hobo Cycles thoroughly charmed me. 

Nerve launched at Bespoked

And Lucy the Brompton made new friends from Nisnas Ind! 

The Cycle Show highlighted just how much choice is becoming available in the 'mobility' market.

Cycletta!

I completed my first sportive at the end of June: the ladies-only Cycletta Bedfordshire event on behalf of Macmillans Cancer Support. I rode from home to the event at Woburn Abbey and cycled back most of the way (with train assist due to sudden bad weather) having completed the 40km circular route. It was a lovely day to be out on a bike in glorious Bedfordshire countryside.

Lessons I Learned This Year

1. Looking after your body is never time/effort wasted.
   
   
2. Your body will try to talk you out of it!
   
   
   Every single day of cycling in Scotland, something would start to hurt and "talk back to me" after about 20 minutes on the road. I would grimly argue back for 10-15 minutes and then -- whatever that pain or niggle -- it would "give up" and go away. The trick sometimes is to tell your body who's boss.
   
   
   Of course, Jens Voigt figured this out long before I did! I think it's something you still have to learn for yourself.
   
   

In the end it's all about the People...

I continued to enjoy local rides with the Luton & Dunstable Cycle Forum.

A chilly day on the Upper Lea Valley Way in April. 

Official Opening of the Nickey Lane cycleway in July

Forum ride in August

Grove Lock:  Forum Ride in November

The Fridays are still my Cycling Family.

Mick and Ian trying to draft an Omnibus
on the Historical Commercial Vehicles Run

Friday Night Ride to the Coast - Whitstable in August

Touring the Capital with Grace, TJ and other Fridays peeps in October

But Coffeeneuring can be done with people you don't know! The connections made online with cyclists all over the world, all smiling while pedalling to enjoy coffee (usually with cake), were amazing and inspiring but mostly just Good Clean Fun. 

And at the end of the day, it's fun and friendship that keep these pedals turning, over into another year.

I hope 2015 brings you many happy miles. Thank you for reading vélovoice!