Well I blame Clare. She was my latest friend to ask me 'Doesn't the cycling make you sore?' I told her all about bananas and cyclists etc as previously posted. Then on my bike again tonight and it came to me. Yes you my dear readers can become Banana Bums! Here's how:
1) Join me as a Banana Bum on part/all of the Lands End to John O'Groats cycle ride - route to follow.
2) Join the Banana Bums Back up Team - currently consisting of Sheila and Grace - and hang out on the beach while I cycle.
3) Sponsor the Banana Bums 1p or more per mile that's £10 if we do the 1,000 ish miles, and thereby become a Banana Bum Benefactor (good idea from Sheila.)
I feel a T shirt coming - yellow with a banana riding a bike - any designers out there?
Terry my geeky and alot else friend has helped me via Flickr.com to put a photo on this blogsite - follow my profile links and see me on my 57th/support KAPC in Kenya do in January. I'm wearing a traditional handmade Tanzanian shirt.
Slightly later back home and Grace and her friend Amelia turn up and immediately they are inspired to design a T-shirt. So they become the Banana Bums Design Team.
Sheila asks do they grow bananas in Kenya - I don't know but I know a man who does.
Watch this space,
Bill on Bike
Tuesday, 13 March 2007
Out there
Hi,
Cycling to work this morning with the sun in my eyes on part of the route which proves Christa's point that travel John O'Groats to Lands End would be mostly cycling into the sun. It still seems like downhill to me to do it that way!
Left the bike shop yesterday and it started to rain, not enough to immediately put on my waterproof trousers but if I didn't as sure as anything it would rain even more soon though it didn't. Before this cycling madness kicked in last Autumn I would have left my bike at home at the first sign of rain or even the forecast of rain. Now unless it is pouring down I cycle. I have a change of clothes at work but haven't yet needed them. On my first big ride last autumn 35 miles just to prove I could do it I cycled through a couple of showers without any waterproof clothing and dried off naturally.
It is like I am now more out in the world in the natural elements, more vulnerable to them but it feels good. I guess I am more connected.
Best,
Bill
Cycling to work this morning with the sun in my eyes on part of the route which proves Christa's point that travel John O'Groats to Lands End would be mostly cycling into the sun. It still seems like downhill to me to do it that way!
Left the bike shop yesterday and it started to rain, not enough to immediately put on my waterproof trousers but if I didn't as sure as anything it would rain even more soon though it didn't. Before this cycling madness kicked in last Autumn I would have left my bike at home at the first sign of rain or even the forecast of rain. Now unless it is pouring down I cycle. I have a change of clothes at work but haven't yet needed them. On my first big ride last autumn 35 miles just to prove I could do it I cycled through a couple of showers without any waterproof clothing and dried off naturally.
It is like I am now more out in the world in the natural elements, more vulnerable to them but it feels good. I guess I am more connected.
Best,
Bill
Monday, 12 March 2007
Punctures and myyticism
Hi,
My local bike is replacing my inner tube and I should get it back 9am today. They don't repair punctures. I can see the relevance of Keith's view of speedy replacing an inner tube especially on a long trip. However, since I was 'nowt but a lad' I have always repaired punctures though occasionally had to admit defeat or accept that a tube had had it. It seemes to be there ia a niche in the market for a speedy low cost puncture repair service.
Christa one of my cycling vets (no she does not heal animals as far as I know but I wouldn't put it past her!) tells me that travelling Lands End to John O'Groats rather than the other way round means that as the sun is not in your eyes you see more of the scenery. Indeed I have two fears for my trip - boiling hot weather or torrential rainfall. Knowing me knowing England (Ah ha!) I'll get both. Jeni who was in on my conversation with Christa asys travelling North my shadow will travel before me. Hmm.
I have been enjoying reading more of Tim Moore and his French Revolutions book. He reckons that if you cycle all day you need much more than the ususal 2,000 calories and he suggests 9,000 but he then he does talk of putting on weight on his trip. Otherwise he says you go a bit strange and have halucinations. Problem is that is my normal state (I call it mystic but others [and they know who I mean!] see it as schizoid. So how do I tell the difference? I do know cycling especially in hot weather makes me thirsty and I'll watch the hunger. My inclination is to to eat a litle fairly often. I'll check this out.
Best to all,
Bill
My local bike is replacing my inner tube and I should get it back 9am today. They don't repair punctures. I can see the relevance of Keith's view of speedy replacing an inner tube especially on a long trip. However, since I was 'nowt but a lad' I have always repaired punctures though occasionally had to admit defeat or accept that a tube had had it. It seemes to be there ia a niche in the market for a speedy low cost puncture repair service.
Christa one of my cycling vets (no she does not heal animals as far as I know but I wouldn't put it past her!) tells me that travelling Lands End to John O'Groats rather than the other way round means that as the sun is not in your eyes you see more of the scenery. Indeed I have two fears for my trip - boiling hot weather or torrential rainfall. Knowing me knowing England (Ah ha!) I'll get both. Jeni who was in on my conversation with Christa asys travelling North my shadow will travel before me. Hmm.
I have been enjoying reading more of Tim Moore and his French Revolutions book. He reckons that if you cycle all day you need much more than the ususal 2,000 calories and he suggests 9,000 but he then he does talk of putting on weight on his trip. Otherwise he says you go a bit strange and have halucinations. Problem is that is my normal state (I call it mystic but others [and they know who I mean!] see it as schizoid. So how do I tell the difference? I do know cycling especially in hot weather makes me thirsty and I'll watch the hunger. My inclination is to to eat a litle fairly often. I'll check this out.
Best to all,
Bill
Friday, 9 March 2007
Keith and other crimes
Hi,
I ran in to my old friend Keith yesterday, well I wasn't on my bike and I didn't actually run into him but you know what I mean? It was Keith who lent me Tim Moore's hilarious French Revolutions book in which he does the Tour de France route and soon realises that if he is to get round that he will do what what some cyclists on it do - cheat and take drugs!
Anyway Keith gave me some good puncture advise if the first patch does not work take the wheel off and replace the inner tube. Not sure how ecological that is but sounds quicker and easier if nothing else. Keith is also a cyclist and talks about doing some of the route with me around Manchester but thinks I will be uber fit by then - such confidence. Richard might do some of the middle of England route.
So any of you out there want to join in part or even the whole of the route get in touch. It looking like the first weekend in August onwards but watch this space for further details including possible route. There will be no drugs or cheating otherwise you can tell our mums. Well actually unless you have access to a Medium telliong my mum would be difficult.
In the Guardian this weekend there was a book of cycle routes one of which (route not book!) passes right near my door in Chorlton that I had missed. It's on the old railway line which we hope will one day be a tram route - my power to our MP John Leech, and the round trip is about 23 miles which makes a nice half day trip that I'll do soon and tell you all about. "Well the first tree, an elm, I passed was showing a few buds and then I cycled past the supermarket trolley that lacked one wheel then over a slightly bumby bit and then..." It reminds me of a Bonzo Dog song "We went down to the beach but no-one got drowned"
I think I better stop now!
Best to all
I ran in to my old friend Keith yesterday, well I wasn't on my bike and I didn't actually run into him but you know what I mean? It was Keith who lent me Tim Moore's hilarious French Revolutions book in which he does the Tour de France route and soon realises that if he is to get round that he will do what what some cyclists on it do - cheat and take drugs!
Anyway Keith gave me some good puncture advise if the first patch does not work take the wheel off and replace the inner tube. Not sure how ecological that is but sounds quicker and easier if nothing else. Keith is also a cyclist and talks about doing some of the route with me around Manchester but thinks I will be uber fit by then - such confidence. Richard might do some of the middle of England route.
So any of you out there want to join in part or even the whole of the route get in touch. It looking like the first weekend in August onwards but watch this space for further details including possible route. There will be no drugs or cheating otherwise you can tell our mums. Well actually unless you have access to a Medium telliong my mum would be difficult.
In the Guardian this weekend there was a book of cycle routes one of which (route not book!) passes right near my door in Chorlton that I had missed. It's on the old railway line which we hope will one day be a tram route - my power to our MP John Leech, and the round trip is about 23 miles which makes a nice half day trip that I'll do soon and tell you all about. "Well the first tree, an elm, I passed was showing a few buds and then I cycled past the supermarket trolley that lacked one wheel then over a slightly bumby bit and then..." It reminds me of a Bonzo Dog song "We went down to the beach but no-one got drowned"
I think I better stop now!
Best to all
Thursday, 8 March 2007
Punctures
Hi,
So having pushed the bike to work yesterday from Alexander Park - the scene of the puncture. I set to today in my office - tuned the bike upside down eased out the inner tube pumped it up a bit and heard the hissing of escaping air. I tracked the hole down applied the glue and then the patch - great instructions in the repair box 1. The side of Aluminium foil is adhesive and care should be taken so that a finger. It's like the start of a creative writing exercise!
Getting the inner tube back in was a swine it just seemed too short and the tire was so tight I bent a spoon I was using as an extra tyre lever. Anyway all is place and start to pump up again and once more heard the hissing. My heart sank. This is not unusual in puncture repiar in my experience. But the prospect of wrestling again with the inner and tyre left me cold. So a quick phone call to Ken Foster Cyclelogic my local bike friendly bike shop.
I go now go into a big speil about punctures I have known but I wont. You just get then from time to time and you move on or in this case not. I have had my current bike since 1998 and apart from the odd puncture it has been brilliant much better than any car for maintenance.
I could get evangelical here and I think it is what drives evangelicals they need others to join them so their doubts and falling aways from the truth path get challenged. I love cycling and I am lazy - Leo rising for you Astrologers out there. Howver my more intensive use of my bike since the summer the training up for End-toEnding has given me so much already. It clears my head and then all sorts of things pop in including solutions to problems, ideas for writing etc. And I feel physically better. So.
Best to all,
Bill Not on bike for a day or two!
So having pushed the bike to work yesterday from Alexander Park - the scene of the puncture. I set to today in my office - tuned the bike upside down eased out the inner tube pumped it up a bit and heard the hissing of escaping air. I tracked the hole down applied the glue and then the patch - great instructions in the repair box 1. The side of Aluminium foil is adhesive and care should be taken so that a finger. It's like the start of a creative writing exercise!
Getting the inner tube back in was a swine it just seemed too short and the tire was so tight I bent a spoon I was using as an extra tyre lever. Anyway all is place and start to pump up again and once more heard the hissing. My heart sank. This is not unusual in puncture repiar in my experience. But the prospect of wrestling again with the inner and tyre left me cold. So a quick phone call to Ken Foster Cyclelogic my local bike friendly bike shop.
I go now go into a big speil about punctures I have known but I wont. You just get then from time to time and you move on or in this case not. I have had my current bike since 1998 and apart from the odd puncture it has been brilliant much better than any car for maintenance.
I could get evangelical here and I think it is what drives evangelicals they need others to join them so their doubts and falling aways from the truth path get challenged. I love cycling and I am lazy - Leo rising for you Astrologers out there. Howver my more intensive use of my bike since the summer the training up for End-toEnding has given me so much already. It clears my head and then all sorts of things pop in including solutions to problems, ideas for writing etc. And I feel physically better. So.
Best to all,
Bill Not on bike for a day or two!
Wednesday, 7 March 2007
Banana bums
Those who recall Jack Keroac's 'On the Road' and the dharma bums? will get the reference but in any case you will notice in a earlier post I waxed lyrically (strange phrase?) about the creative use cyclists make with bananas when feeling saddle sore. (My women friends and acquaintances seem very gripped by these matters for some reason!) I have just read in great book written by a mad character who cycled on the tour de France route and he was advised to slap a lot of Savlon on his nether regions every morning before cycling. I have never found this to be a problem for me so far but watch this space and no there wont be any photos I promise.
This morning I hit a curb stone fast on my way into Alexander Park on route to work and few yards later that sickening feeling of a flat tyre. My back tyre as well which I had fitted with an allegedly(!) puncture proof tyre last Easter after 2 or 3 punctures in a row. I don't carry the puncture repair gear with me on these short runs so I walked the last couple of miles musing on punctures I have known and cycle trips in my youth with Ziggy, Toad and Ben more of that anon.
I passed another cyclist this morning but I think it was more about crossing a junction more quickly cos she soon passed me but then I passed her again at the next junction. Maybe I am a bit faster. I'll see on my next big trip a week on Friday.
Intense discussions and negotiatiosnw ith my bacxk up team about dates and routes for my End-to-Ender trip which looks like being early In August, watch this space for details.
Keep those tyres pumped!
Bill
This morning I hit a curb stone fast on my way into Alexander Park on route to work and few yards later that sickening feeling of a flat tyre. My back tyre as well which I had fitted with an allegedly(!) puncture proof tyre last Easter after 2 or 3 punctures in a row. I don't carry the puncture repair gear with me on these short runs so I walked the last couple of miles musing on punctures I have known and cycle trips in my youth with Ziggy, Toad and Ben more of that anon.
I passed another cyclist this morning but I think it was more about crossing a junction more quickly cos she soon passed me but then I passed her again at the next junction. Maybe I am a bit faster. I'll see on my next big trip a week on Friday.
Intense discussions and negotiatiosnw ith my bacxk up team about dates and routes for my End-to-Ender trip which looks like being early In August, watch this space for details.
Keep those tyres pumped!
Bill
Monday, 5 March 2007
Mad dogs, whippets and Grace
I got harrased by a viscious dog on the bike (No I was on the bike Not the dog!) on Friday and its owner a young lad was a bit slow to call him off. No damage done but a bit unpleasant, a bit scary. I remember Richard Ballantine's advice in his 'Richard's bicycle book' that when attacked on your bike by dogs ram your pump down their throat. Seems a bit harsh to me but had that dog continued his harrassment and got even more phsyical who knows...
Barbara Ellen in her Observer column a few months ago was writing critically of David Cameron the Tory party leader and saying he wasn't a real cyclist because all her cyclist friends had bodies like whippets. So that has become my catch phrase - 'I'm turning into a whippet'. However I got overtaken by two young things on mountain bikes this morning so maybe I am turning into a tortoise.
However, apart from my shapely legs - that have to be seen to be believed - I believe them - in my cycling run up to Christmas I had to tighten my belt an inch and then when we all got gastric flu last month I lost another inch and remain that way - one trouser size smaller. This is weird and people are commenting on it.
However, I feel great and the regular cycling feels good.
So inevitably perhaps Grace, my 8 and a half years old daughter has launched her blog site -
www.emilynotonbike.blogspot.com She complains about the quality of my jokes - since she has heard them many times before and she discusses the prospect of camping. What next - my wife Sheila's blog? Sheilanotonbikebutdrivingthebackupcar.com or Sheilanotonbikebutsickofthewholedammthing.com watch this space!
William
Barbara Ellen in her Observer column a few months ago was writing critically of David Cameron the Tory party leader and saying he wasn't a real cyclist because all her cyclist friends had bodies like whippets. So that has become my catch phrase - 'I'm turning into a whippet'. However I got overtaken by two young things on mountain bikes this morning so maybe I am turning into a tortoise.
However, apart from my shapely legs - that have to be seen to be believed - I believe them - in my cycling run up to Christmas I had to tighten my belt an inch and then when we all got gastric flu last month I lost another inch and remain that way - one trouser size smaller. This is weird and people are commenting on it.
However, I feel great and the regular cycling feels good.
So inevitably perhaps Grace, my 8 and a half years old daughter has launched her blog site -
www.emilynotonbike.blogspot.com She complains about the quality of my jokes - since she has heard them many times before and she discusses the prospect of camping. What next - my wife Sheila's blog? Sheilanotonbikebutdrivingthebackupcar.com or Sheilanotonbikebutsickofthewholedammthing.com watch this space!
William
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