Love is – A Valentines Day Ride

Ma and my Valentine!

We had some nice nosh lined up, and some Champagne, to celebrate Valentines Day. So we thought we’d go for a good blast on the bikes to build up an appetite and earn it.

Conditions here are very cold, and a lot of the trails are frozen. We stayed quite close to home, on tracks that are pretty tough. The idea being that we’re working hard, keeping warm, but not moving too fast.
We were about 40 minutes from home when my freewheel packed up. I just couldn’t get it to bite. I tried banging it, and dragging my brake on a long descent to try and get some heat into thinking it might have been frozen, but nothing.

Had to run the steep climbs, freewheel the descents, and the rest of the way my lover towed me. Yes, Love is – towing your partner on a freezing cold day when his freewheel won’t work!!!

Happy Valentines day my lover! xxx

The Only Way is Up!

The only way is up! 3 blokes, 2 bikes, one challenge…. LeJog!

Lands End to John O'Groats for Charity

A couple of my cycling team friends James and Alex are gonna ride Land’s End to John O’Groats (LeJog), in aid of 2 very worthy charities; Hope House and Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.

They’ll be starting out on April 11th 2010. Aiming to average 100 miles + per day, and hope to arrive in under 9 days! These guys are determined. It won’t be easy, especially in early April. It could snow or be a heat wave or summat else!!!

They’ll be backed up by their mentor/coach/LeJog veteran, the legendary Dave ‘O’. He’ll keep these boys in line come rain hail or shine! There’ll be no backing out!

The two charities they are supporting, Hope House and Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, are very important to them. Please, if you can, take some time to learn about these charities, and consider making a donation. If you want to sponsor the guys you can do so easily on their website – www.theonlywayisup.org. You can also follow them in their training up to the ride, and during the ride itself.

From the guys, “We hope we can raise a good sum of money to help the 2 charities keep on doing the great work they do, every day, to help those who are suffering more than us.

Bon Courage! The only way is up!

Long Hard Rocky Road!

Yep, a Long Hard Rocky Road back to fitness!
A long hard rocky road
Dudes, I have been ill. No really. There’s not much keeps me off my bike, you know that, but it’s been more than three weeks with hardly a pedal turned! Mrs Stratobiker has been ill too. It started off with a sore throat, then got worse, a lot worse. Bad cough, fever, feeling awful. Gotta say there was one night in particular where I was truly scared of how bad it was gonna get. Lying in bed sweating up, chest on fire, breathing hard just lying still. Started to feel a little better after a couple of days, but everything was just such hard work. We didn’t leave the house for close on a week. We were living on the leftovers from our New Years Eve party. By the middle of the second week we managed to get out for a few easy walks, but they wiped us out. I tried a bike ride, just around the block, I felt like shit, it was no fun, and I was coughing up frogs. I gave up. By the third week we were feeling OK, still hacking stuff up, but getting out and about. At just over three weeks I tried the bike again. At last I felt OK, I was actually enjoying it, and felt like I had something in my legs. I didn’t push it though, just rolling along nice and easy.

A message to my French friends…..
Bonjour mes amis
J’ai été malade. Pas de vélo depuis trois semaines. Ca va mieux maintenant, et j’espère vous voir bientôt sur le vélo.

Yesterday I managed and hour and a half on my road bike. Nothing too hard, but a purposeful tempo, it felt great to be back. If the weather is OK tomorrow I’m gonna try and get out with the boys on the Wednesday afternoon bash. But, I’ll be taking it easy, and I’ll pull out after a couple of hours. I’ve been here once before, you try too hard too soon, and it just knocks you back.

In the recording studio

So while I’ve been felling a little better I’ve been busying myself on my guitar. I’ve been in the studio doing some recording for a singer-songwriter. I reckon it’s really great stuff, and I’m thrilled to be able to work with her. I can’t let you listen to anything at the moment because it’s not finished. But when it is I’ll let you know.

rehearsing with a band from Bellac

I’ve also been rehearsing with an ex-pat band from the Bellac area. The idea is to put a set together now to do some gigs through the summer. It’s hard work, but it’s fun, and I get to play my guitar proper loud!!! Rock on!!! 🙂