Last Bed!!!

Took a while to get there but I can finally start digging the fourth and last of the 'main' beds on plot 71. After last weeks wipe out due to cold wet/snowy weather and the kids being on half term hols I got to plot 71 today to get things moving again.

Got the water butts into position and taps fitted to them this afternoon. Just need some 1" pipe to run from the greenhouse guttering and we will be collecting water

Water butts by the greenhouse

Water butts by the shed

Third main bed finished, one to go!

Once the last bed us dug over not only will it be time to start thinking about planting and sowing I will also have a huge pile of 'crap' dug out of the plot, to save shifting this lot I shall make a raised bed of it, essentially burying the rubbish, need some materials so make the raised bed out of though, any ideas?

Monday 22nd February *MTB*

Dropped the car of for a service this morning and needed to get home so I took the bike to get me home via a 20 mile detour around Shipley Park. Nottingham canal was frozen over as was the path alongside it. Followed the canal from Cossal to Ilkeston and across to Shipley Park where the was still a good covering of snow which provided great fun for me. Headed back home along the Nutbrook trail to Sandiacre and up 'cardboard hill' into Toton.

Solid ice along Nottingham Canal

Snow in Shipley Park

Distance = 21.3 miles
Time = 2 hrs 17 mins
Ave Speed = 9.2 mph
Top Speed = 25.8 mph
Hillometer = 13.1 ft/mile
Heart Rate High = 185
Heart Rate Ave = 144
Weather = Overcast, 0c

2010
MTB = 73.3
Road Bike = 128.8
Total Mileage = 202.1

Saturday 20th February *MTB*

Jack Frost had been hard at work

A bright but vey cold (-5c) morning wasn't exactly drawing me out to ride but I managed to drag myself from my bed and hit the tracks at 07:15, the sun had just risen and it was beautiful out there if not a little cold. The going was tough at times off the neaten track, the ground was extremely soft in places despite the cold temperature, I had to get of and walk on a couple of occasions as the back wheel was spinning so much.

It's a route I used in preperation for the Nottm bike ride ast year, but I switched the Breedon section round the other way today to make it harder going today, the average speed certainly reflects that!

Found some unexpected snow

Whilst riding round the back of Breedon I encountered some unexpected snow, a pleasant surprise until it bacame clear that the snow covering had prevented the boggy ground freezing, it was impossible to ride through parts of it so again a little walking was required.

On the way back I joined the Trent at Sawley and followed that to Attenborough and then home.

An attempt at an 'Arty' shot of the power station taken from nr Trent Lock golf course.

*On the way home I took the Trent to Attenborough from Sawley Marina not roads through Long Eaton as shown on map.


Distance = 32.5 miles
Time = 2 hrs 59 mins
Ave Speed = 10.8 mph
Top Speed = 31.6 mph
Hillometer = 19.6 ft/mile
Heart Rate High = 178
Heart Rate Ave = 136
Weather = Sunny, -3c

2010
MTB = 52
Road Bike = 128.8
Total Mileage = 180.8

Robert's first proper ride *MTB

Took Robert out for a quick 'Tour de Toton' with a few rest stops at the local parks just to get him into using the bike and he loved it :) Plan is to slowly get the kids up to 10-15 miles so we can have a few afternoon rides along the river for a drink or two and them home again in the summer, cant wait!!!

Off out for a 'proper' ride tomorrow on the MTB, early doors so will be wrapped up warm.

Distance = 3.8 miles

2010
MTB = 19.5
Road Bike = 128.8
Total Mileage = 148.3

Time for some before and afters?

Quite a bit of work has been done so I though it could be time for a couple of before and after photos.

November 2009

February 2010

Catch Up

Been a while since I blogged on the allotment, been trying to push on as much as I can as March is fast approaching and it will soon be time to get sowing. The 3rd large bed is nearly done, so 1 and a bit beds to dig (for now).

We have a water problem currently in that we are waiting for the council to lay new pipes and with sowing time fast approaching we need water on the site, obviously. So I have had to find some water butts on the cheap, which I have done but they are only 110 ltr ones, better than nothing for now though, these will be fed by guttering on the shed and greenhouse.

The compost heap has also been moved to fill some dead space by the shed, the site of the existing heap will eventually be dug over for a smaller bed, perhaps a seed bed as it's next to the greenhouse.

3rd Large bed nearly there

Added some working space to the shed

Compost heap moved to a better location

Saturday 6th February *Road*

Took the rare opportunity of having a Saturday ride with Beeston CC today as I was off work last night. A cold misty gloomy morning greeted me as I headed out to get 10 miles in before meeting the gang. As I headed out my speedo was playing silly buggers and my rear brakes were catching, "here we go" I'm thinking. When I reached the first rendezvous point a quick tighten up of the rear calipers sorted the rubbing, but the speedo was playing up. After a while (and me unwittingly switching my front light off) the speedo began to work again, I was still at this point unaware of what the problem was.

We did a lap of the 'Tuesday chaingang' route before heading to rendezvous point number to two to pick the last bunch up (well two of them), all was going well untill ascending out of Donnington into the fog I switched my front light back on, and the speedo started its games again, clunk, the penny dropped, off went the light and no more problems.

What followed was a charming ride around Melbourne, Swarkestone and into Weston on Trent, at this point one rider (Mike W) needed to press on and get home, I fancied stretching my legs a little so Paul H and I joined Mike for the sprint* home. The last 9 miles were ridden at an average speed of 18 mph (I can feel it now)

* When I say sprint I actually mean respectable pace.




Distance = 44.2 miles
Time = 3 hrs 20 mins
Ave Speed = 13.2 mph
Top Speed = 33.2 mph
Hillometer = 12.5 ft/mile
Heart Rate High = 186
Heart Rate Ave = 137
Weather = Overcast, 3c

2010
MTB = 15.7
Road Bike = 128.8
Total Mileage = 144.5

Commute to Plot 71 *MTB*

It's about time I cycled to the allotment so today I headed across the fields to 'Plot 71' It was waterlogged and muddy, I even had to pedal downhill!!! Forgot how easy roadies have it :p

NRS on 'Plot 71' in her soon to be regular parking spot

Distance = 5 Miles

2010
MTB = 15.7
Road Bike = 84.6
Total Mileage = 102.3