"Put Me Back On My Bike"

... with apologies to the late great Tommy Simpson. 

But that sentiment is real. I ain't done with this whole cycling thing. 

It's been nearly 1 year since I was knocked off my bike on a morning commute into London. A lot has changed and is still changing, including cycling -- the role it plays in my life and the role it plays in my own identity. 

I've spent the past year internally screaming at motorists "but I'm not a CYCLIST, I'm just a person on a bike" in a desperate attempt to stop feeling 'othered', to stop feeling like a target for people who don't give a damn whether they hurt or kill another human being.

Well, guess what, my internal campaign made no difference whatsoever to the attitudes or behaviours of drivers. But the turmoil was having a negative impact on me, on my confidence, on my sense of self-determination and independence. 

(The actual cycling this past year? A few hundred miles in total -- if we're generous -- mostly local errands on my sit-up-and-beg vintage mixte, plus a few group pootles on the road mixte or Cross Check. No road cycling. No lycra. No clip-in pedals. Which also meant.... no Enigma.)

Adam tried tempting me back with a super wheels upgrade in the spring but nope, somehow it just wasn't happening.

Then we went to the NEC Cycle Show last Thursday. Nothing revolutionary here.... but I found myself in conversation with a number of people where I presented myself and my point of view as a Cyclist with a Capital C. And it felt good, normal, natural... right.

The next day, I asked Adam to dig the Enigma out from wherever it was behind a lot of other bikes in the garage. He pumped up the tyres and adjusted the brakes, I donned proper road shoes and mounted up. 

Halfway down the driveway, I was assailed with that old-familiar but completely unexpected sense of "Ahhhhhhh!" I love this bike so much.

So I asked Adam to plot us a ride for Saturday. 'Keep it under an hour', I said. 'And flat', I said. He kinda sorta ignored the first but delivered on the second. 23 miles out to Goodwood Motor Circuit and back home via the Centurion Way. 

 

A group of cyclists were also here -- and at least half are women, from the set up of the bikes!

It happened to be a public Track Day so of course we had to watch for a while.

  

on the Centurion Way

Pleased to see that a number of defects in the path that
Adam reported a month ago have all now been repaired.

My basic fitness turns out to be okay, but some of that conditioning that supports a static position on a bike needs to come back!

But... I am back! I am a cyclist, as well as a person on a bike. This is who I am. I love it.

In other news, I am very excited and happy to be increasingly involved with local cycling campaigning and advocacy (under the banners of Sustrans, CTC/Cycling UK and Cycle Bognor plus mucking in to get stuff done with a consortium of all local groups, called the Bognor Regis Cycling Forum). I hadn't entirely stopped doing that, as road safety is something I'm passionate about -- for pedestrians as much as for cyclists -- but I am committed to bringing my years of experience as a London commuter and cycle tourer to bear here in this southwestern corner of West Sussex.

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)

In London Next Friday Night? Come to Sustrans' Long Distance Cycling Evening

Thinking about cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats, the Coast to Coast cycle route or something further afield in mainland Europe? Want to learn more or hear travellers tales from fellow long distance cyclists?

Sustrans is hosting another edition of its popular Long Distance Cycling Evening. This is an informal evening of discussion, hints and tips on all things cycle touring. Learn from experienced cyclists about planning, logistics and their adventures in the UK and further afield... on journeys lasting from a couple of days to a few weeks and even months. 

Speakers lined up for this week's event will talk about their experiences of cycling in the UK and across Brazil, Russia and Australia, and more. 

Tickets cost just £6. Here is the Sustrans webpage with all the information -- including link to buy tickets and a map showing the venue location.  

Catching Up... And Moving On

Sorry for the lack of new posts in the past few weeks! It's been crazy busy at work, with our small team of 6 legal brains working flat out way past normal leaving times. I leave home at 7.45am and have been getting home around 9.30/10pm with nothing but dinner and sleep on my mind. We all agreed over drinks in the pub last night though that it feels we are over the hump of it now, so normal hours and a normal life should be possible again for the foreseeable future. 

So, I hope to finish my reports on our Scottish cycling holiday in June and have them up soon for your reading and viewing pleasure... a bit of inspiration for your own next cycling holiday, perhaps? 

Nonetheless -- the cycling here at home carries on!

Easter Rides - The 100 Mile Smile Ride Reccies

This coming September, local Sustrans volunteers will once again host The 100 Mile Smile Ride, a loop through parts of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. We ran this last year based from the Travel Choices Hub in Dunstable and had a wonderful time. 

Adam and I have done a couple of reconnaissance rides (commonly called "reccies") of parts of the route already. This included two lovely days out over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend in April. 

The first segment we rode on Good Friday was from Bedford to just beyond Knebworth. It was a grey overcast day with strong winds. While we made fairly good time -- including various stops to discuss turnings and possible obstacles or route questions -- I never really warmed up. 

The route has long stretches of off-road tracks that were in surprisingly good condition. Some stretches near parks (with car parking) were very busy with people on foot including parents with prams and children on balance bikes, but with a little care we were soon through those congested areas and enjoyed many miles of smooth paths at a steady pace. 

Cycling along National Cycle Network Route 51 through Priory Country Park east of Bedford --

Public Art IV: The Alban Way

A few weeks ago, the city of St Albans held its official "opening" of the new mural in one of the underpasses along The Alban Way. Sustrans, as the key partner in maintaining the route for walking and cycling, provided some "entertainment" in the form of a smoothie bike (which promptly broke, as it always does) and more practical assistance in the personage of Dr Bike (played here again by Adam).

The mural was created by young people from the Cunningham Hub Youth Cafe, with community input and under the guidance of a professional artist, and is located on the walls of the tunnel under London Road. 

Public Art III: Village Pride

Last weekend, I found myself passing through "subway" under the A5 in the village of Markyate. I've used this underpass perhaps half a dozen times before but, oddly enough, always (a) in near darkness and/or rain, (b) in a group of cyclists and (c) with my mind focused on negotiating the barriers at each end of the tunnel without slipping or falling over in my road cycling shoes.

This particular sunny afternoon, however, I was pootling along on my own and had switched out my Speedplays for platform pedals. So for the first time, I came into the tunnel looking up and around rather than down. 

And this is what I saw: 

I was shocked! Where had this come from? Had it always been there? 

Errandonnee #3: A Breezy Day Out

On the road again!

Saturday dawned dull and grey but I decided to trust the BBC and head out in expectation that the mist would clear away to spring sunshine. That prediction did come true though not until early afternoon rather than mid-morning. It was a great day to be outdoors though. The day's outing, in contrast to the previous day's, was almost entirely in the countryside. I had signed up for the fortnightly Breeze Ride and decided to tack on a visit to the Travel Choices Hub to pick up a few personal belongings I'd left there a few weeks ago. While the Breeze Ride itself did not qualify as an Errandonnee, the ride to the start and the detour to the Hub afterward certainly did.

Errandonnee #3

Date: Saturday, 8 March 2014

Category: Bike Shop

Destination:  PedalWorks, West Street, Dunstable (meeting point for Breeze Ride)

Distance:  6.5 km

Steed: Riley the Enigma

What I learned/observations:

HELLO Fellow Cycling Bugs!

 

The new online cycling community called The Cycling Bug goes live today!  I will be one of several Bug Bloggers and can't wait to engage in conversations with more people about anything and everything bike-related.

I came back to cycling as an adult in July 2009 at the age of 40 -- and totally fell in love with it! (I've linked to my tale of taking up cycling but there's a lot more to that story so do watch this space!)

My bikes are a well-maintained fleet of 6-and-a-half -- the half being the back of a tandem! For commuting and errands, I ride Bridget the black Surly Cross Check... unless it involves a trip into London, in which case Lucy the 8-speed Brompton gets the gig. For pleasure and fitness, I adore getting in long happy miles on my custom Enigma Etape touring bike, Riley.

Some of the topics I've covered in my blog:  ride reports, messenger bag reviews, an overwhelmingly popular review of Carradice’s new Stockport bag for the Brompton S-type bicycle, musings on health issues and bike fit, not to mention a momentous decision to get a custom bike.

In the coming months, I will be sharing a lot about our preparations to go cycle touring in Scotland in June. I've already begun talking about our Itinerary and my cycle training and fitness plans - just follow the hashtag #ScotTourTrain both here and on Twitter (@Velovoice) to follow our journey!

Oh yes, and... I am often forced to reach around a cat to get to my keyboard to write these posts. Any typos are hers, not mine!

Sustrans: The Movie -- A Celebration of Volunteers, by Volunteers

Volunteers from all over the country have contributed film clips of their activities to a compilation film put together by Sustrans. This isn't an official release of any kind. It's not part of any campaign and it won't get any official publicity.  (It also had no budget!)

It's just us, celebrating what we do.

I Am Now... A VeloVixen!

(C) Phil Bingham/VeloVixen Rides

Last Sunday I went on my first VeloVixen Ride -- a road cycling club launched in November for ladies of all riding levels, especially those who have been "left feeling isolated, intimidated or simply bored by existing clubs".

To be honest, I don't feel at all isolated, intimated or bored with my long-standing club, The Fridays, but because we're a night-ride club, we don't do many rides through the winter as it's difficult to ask 60+ people to commit to a ride that may end up cancelled if there's any chance of ice.

Meanwhile, though, I'm keen to keep the legs going round right through the winter as much as I can, so have been looking around for rides on offer by other friendly groups. I've been a big fan and very pleased customer of online retailer VeloVixen (for women cyclists) since I met them at the London Bike Show last January, so was very interested when they announced they were organising road rides for women (via a new Facebook group) catering to differing needs if possible in terms of pace/speed and distance -- with the emphasis on enjoying the ride, making new friends, and always including a good coffee stop!

Siobhan's St Albans Ranger Ride

Yesterday, we cycled down to St Albans to go on a group ride organised by Siobhan, our local area volunteers co-ordinator, for Sustrans volunteer Rangers in that area. Since the Alban Way is one of the main routes for which they are responsible, it was nice to use that as the core part of our ride.

The Alban Way is a shared use (walking and cycling) path that runs along the old railway line between St Albans and Hatfield. There are a number of such routes in our area.

It's always interesting to me to see old abandoned platforms in various states of disrepair.

Public Art II: Grove House Gardens

A few weeks ago I kicked off a new series of posts featuring items of public art in the Luton & Dunstable area. The first post introduced a few sculptures from the Busway and from Stockwood Park. Today, I'd like to show you two distinctly different styles of sculpture, all within Dunstable's Grove House Gardens

Wooden Animals

While the wooden animals in Luton's Stockwood Park are somewhat fanciful, those in Grove House Gardens aim to be more realistic.

At one end of one of the three main paths across the centre of the Gardens sits a majestic golden eagle. He doesn't face the path directly.

Public Art

"Art" is not exactly what comes to mind in connection with the Luton and Dunstable area! However, on my various cycle rambles round the area, I've come across a few examples. The two I'm sharing today, I would never have discovered if not on my bike. I am hoping more local cycling will reveal even more.

Busway

There is a series of sculptures along the busway in Dunstable and Houghton Regis, commissioned by Central Bedfordshire Council. The artist is Peter Morehouse.

This particular installation is at the northern end of the guided portion of the Busway, at the end of Blackburn Road just north of the Portland Ride stop.

This Is What I Do

Advance Notice.  We started the 4-day project with 5 of these signs.
By the time we packed up at the end of Day 4, we only had 2 left
due to theft and vandalism.

In my Coffeeneuring #3 post, I described a current work project: 

[This involves] counting everyone using one of our local National Cycling Network routes. Our survey point is situated where the cycling route intersects with a footpath between a housing estate and the town's main park, which borders the main downtown shopping route. It's an extremely popular walking route. We are counting everyone using both the footpath and the cycling route at this junction, and recording each user according to gender, age bracket, mode of transport and destination (as they leave the crossroads). Additionally, we are conducting random interviews with users, asking where their current journey started and where it will end, the purpose of their journey, whether it involves another mode of transport (e.g. car, bus, train) and finally, whether they could have used a car but didn't and if so, why they didn't, in particular teasing out any reasons why they may have actively chosen not to use the car in favour of walking or cycling instead. 

The 100 Mile SMILE Ride (8 Sept 2013)

A few pics from yesterday's event. Adam and I went to the Hub for a group "off" at 8am. We cycled to Bedford, where we then caught the train to Leagrave, from which we had a straight dash (punctuated by a puncture) home. 75km for us.

(c) Alvina Farrow/Travel Choices

The 100 Mile SMILE Ride

I've been just a bit preoccupied the past few weeks planning this:

Not sure if this is work or play. Both really.

Goodbye Law Firm, Hello Cycling Charity!

Sustrans' Dr Bike at work at a local middle school

I was made redundant just before last Christmas, at a tricky time in my legal career: not yet qualified but no rank beginner. Job listings right now seem to seek 4+ years post-qualification or untried trainee. I tried a three-month stint as a legal PA, only for that to reinforce my theories as to what I truly find stressful and soul-destroying. No more.

So what next?

Since leaving London for the rural delights of Bedfordshire, I've had some exposure to the work being done by the Travel Choices Hub in Dunstable. This is a project funded by local government but operated by Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity. I applied for a "Schools & Communities Officer" role there a few weeks ago. I didn't get it, solely due to my complete lack of schools/teaching experience. However, the Hub's co-ordinator spotted qualities in me that she thought potentially too valuable to "let get away". So she got approval to hire me as an "Events & Hub Assistant" on a casual basis for four months, working as many hours as I want!

I started on Tuesday. It has been a non-stop whirlwind. 

Modelling on Bikes

Back in April, Adam and I volunteered to help with a photoshoot for the Travel Choices Hub in Dunstable (a joint Sustrans/Central Beds Council operation).  Today we received links and download codes to the agency's photos. Here are a few that I especially like.

All photos (c) ATP Media.

We can be Models... just for one day

Yesterday Adam and I joined in a photoshoot for a promotional campaign on sustainable travel, to be run jointly by Sustrans and Central Bedfordshire Council.  We've been promised copies of the professionals' shots in a few weeks (a selection now HERE) but here are a few that I snapped.  It was a fun day!

a bit of bike fettling!