Bike Ride Deflation

08-09-18

Thought I would go out on a bike ride last Sunday as I felt a bit unfit and my road bike needed an outing, I haven’t used it for well over a year. The road bike should be easier on tarmac than the mountain bike I reckoned, but It was hard work on the way back, I put it down to my fitness level until I looked at the bike this morning and found the rear tyre was flat. A slow puncture I guess, it would be the rear wheel of course. Despite that the ride was good as was the weather, the countryside had green’d up nicely after the recent rain.

Allez

Wild Flowers

It’s great to see an area left for wildflowers beside the crops, the insects and wildlife must really benefit.

Kings Norton, My Favourite Rest Stop

Horse Chestnut

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Bike Ride Addendum

26-7-18

Here are a few more images from my bike ride taken with an Olympus OM2sp which has just been serviced. I loaded it with Rollei Superpan film and used a 24mm Zuiko lens with a Red filter to get a bit of an infrared look.

Marin At Rest

Gaulby Church

My New Friends

They were a really friendly pair, the bigger one got so close that she steamed up my lens filter.

Bike Ride

25-07-18

Inspired by the heroic efforts of the riders in the “Tour de France” I thought It would be good to go out on the bike again. The weather forecast said it would be cooler and slightly cloudy today (78 deg F  – 26 deg C ) What I hadn’t reckoned with was the two visits to my garden during the night by foxes, the cat door went both times so I got up to check my cats were OK, they were. This left me a bit sleepy this morning but determined to get out on the bike as it was the 13th of June when I last took to the saddle.

Aerodrome

The countryside was really dry and a golden yellow colour, there were birds of prey gliding high up on the thermal currents. It reminded me of California.

Kings Norton Church

King Norton is a lovely little village and a good place to take a rest.

Chestnut Tree by the Church

Chestnuts

Last time I went out I managed 8.8 miles (14 Km) thought I would go a bit further this time and cycled on to the village of Gaulby. While taking a photo of Gaulby church two lovely horses came up to the fence for a bit of fuss. The round trip was 15 miles (24 km) and according to the cycle app an altitude gain of just over a 550 feet (167 m) and best of all the burning off of nearly 900 calories. These images were taken on my phone but I also took a film camera with me and hope to develop the film in the next couple of days.

 

Back in the Saddle

13-06-18

I haven’t been out on my lovely Marin MTB for at least 18 months. So this morning I got everything ready (water, banana, and new padded shorts!) and set off. The first group of people I encountered were school kids taking there cycling proficiency tests, they all shouted “hello”, and “look at him”, probably didn’t think anyone of my age would still be cycling, as I signalled to turn right the instructor said “now that’s how you do it”, gold star for me.

First Stop

This is an old Aerodrome (still operating today) that used to put on airshows in the 1980’s, one of the main sponsors was a printing company that I knew and I got VIP tickets, and food and beer in their hospitality tent.

Farm Track  

Turned off onto a farm track, it has some steep descents and is a lot rougher than the last time I rode down it. I was travelling at quite a speed (24 mph according to my phone app) when I saw a marker rope across the track, just managed to stop in time, it was there for the dairy cows going back to their field after milking. 

Being sensible I took a shortish route this time out, 8.8 miles (14km) instead of the 18 miles (29km) last time I went out, and which left me aching for days. As I neared home the kids were still taking their cycling tests, and I got a “hello again” from them, probably amazed I had made it back in one piece. I really enjoyed the short ride and feel much better for it.