Friday 29th April - Carsington

Took a very hilly ride into the Peak with some @beestoncc club mates this morning, the route took in my usual hilly ride hills of Cloves, Spanker, Holly Lane and Drum Hill, it also included a good few more climbs around Wirksworth as well.  Some tough climbs indeed, Holly still my least favourite hill felt a little easier today, still bloody hard though.  The descent into Wirksworth was a little hairy, especially when the back wheel locked up when faced with an oncoming car on my side of the road!  I've never been to Wirksworth before and will be making a return trip with Mrs H, a very nice looking place.  The hill out of it wasn't so nice, well it was but it just went on and on ;)  By the time we reached Carsington Water we were in need of some snacks.

The ride home from Carsington was a quick one in most parts, much easier than the one we had on the way out and a suspect a little wind assisted, we were pushing 25mph+ on the flat for large sections of the way home.  Only Eaton Bank and Drum Hill slowed our progress home.  Got in feeling like a good workout was had, now off to prepare the bbq and drink a few well earned beers!





Distance = 58.8 miles
Time = 4 hrs 16 mins
Ave Speed = 13.8 mph
Top Speed = 36.5 mph
Hillometer =84.5 foot/mile
Max H/R =195
Ave H/R =157

Weather = Overcast/Sunny, 15c


2011
Road Bike =701.7
Single Speed = 25.3
Indoor = 44.4
Total Mileage = 771.4

Tuesday 26th April *Time Trial

@beestoncc 's first TT of the year and I had the dubious honour of kicking proceedings off for 2011, the proud wearer of  #101 didn't do it real justice with a sluggish 31:26 for the lumpy 10 mile course.  On refelction the time isn't too bad considering it was my first attempt this year and the fact that I'm not exactly in a fit state or shape for time trialing.

Beeston CC TT webpage

Stats include ride to and from TT

Distance = 32 miles
Time = 1 hrs 51 mins
Ave Speed = 17.2 mph
Top Speed = 31.5 mph
Hillometer = N/A
Max H/R = N/A
Ave H/R = N/A

Weather = Overcast, 11c


2011
Road Bike = 642.9
Single Speed = 25.3
Indoor = 44.4
Total Mileage = 712.6

Tuesday 26th April *Singlespeed

Took a ride out to and around Attenborough Nature Reserve on the singlespeed with the children, a very pleasant ride was had by all.  Was very nice to get out on a steady roll with the children and remind myself of the family aspect of cycling, I really should partake much more often.

Distance = 6.2 miles

2011
Road Bike = 610.9
Single Speed = 25.3
Indoor = 44.4
Total Mileage = 680.6

New Birds

We recently lost all our bantams to the dirty paws of the local foxes (I will be dealing with them), so have had a bit of a rethink and a shuffle round of our poultry assetts.  Due to the allotment going and space needed at home the old bantam runs have been taken down and returned to garden space.  The ageing flock of chickens was ready for some younger blood but I was going to wait for another couple to 'pop' off before getting some new ones as we had the bantams laying as well.

I got chatting to a colleague at work who happens to live a few doors down from us who said he had a couple of  9 week old sussex chicks I could have as he hasn't the room for them, problem is he didn't know what sex they were, well I went for a look and couldn't tell either.  The fact that he was offering them for nowt and that I'd just lost my back up supply of eggs from the bantams I took them both on the basis that they could both be hens, if not I know a place that will take them of my hands, but it's worth taking the chance given that I needed some new blood in the flock anyway.

9 week old Sussex's

Home Growing

Not a new thing to me but something that now needs more thought than previously as space is now at a premium now the allotment has gone.  Last year the garden was neglected as the allotment took over my time, so it's been hard graft to get the garden back into shape. 

Took a final trip to the allotment on Saturday to empty my shed and bring a few plants and trees home from plot 71.  I've created a couple of new growing areas in the garden and given the existing veg plot a good digging over,  Gooseberry's and raspberry's have been planted along with some rhubarb (all from the allotment), one of my favourites the courgette is planted out and seeds aplenty have been sown, salad stuff and veg!

Veg plot, beyond No 11's Gate

Kelly's strawberries have been tidied up and are looking very healthy with plenty of flowers on them so here's hoping for plenty of fruit from them.  Staying with fruit an apple and a pear tree have been relocated to my garden as well.

*Beyond No. 11's Gate ~ I needed a gate to keep the chickens off the veg plot as they are very destructive on nicely dug soil, on my quest for a gate I was given an old gate by Kelly's grandma which used to stand at the the front of her garden, its only a gate but it's old and full of character, they certainly don't make them like that any more!

Choices choices

When I pass my part 3 exam (hopefully at the 1st attempt in 3 weeks time) I will have a big choice to make.....which option do I take regards who do I franchise to as an ADI.  I have selected the best options for me from either a national school with a car included in the franchise fee, or a local school with a much lower franchise fee and the need to supply my own car.  The national school in some ways is the safer option, the car is maintained for me and if it breaks down it is replaced within 6 hours, go with my own car and such luxuries will only come at additional cost.  The plus side to the local school and own car is that I will eventually acquire a asset (the car) and it will pay better dividends in the short and longer term.

My heart says go local and get my own car, a little bit of my brain says go with the slightly less risky option for a while whilst I get myself settled in to my new career.  I know which way I'll probably go and I want it clear in my mind for the 13th May because if I pass that test I'll be chomping at the bit to get going ASAP.

Final Allotment Post

The decision to give up my allotment was a tough one, especially after all the graft I put in last year getting it into shape, but one previous job change and another coming up I really do not see where I will get the time to keep a full allotment up to standard.  Already this year it has reached an awful state, one which I don't have the time (or the inclination at the moment) to sort out. 

Ive been up there today to get a few bits out of the shed and will be popping back this week to dig out a few plants/trees for the garden at home, and one of the lads up there is going to 'auction' off the greenhouse and slabs that are on site for me, so at least I'll recoup some costs.

I'll miss my little plot of land, it really did help me through some stressful times over the last year or so, somewhere to go and get away from it all.  Hopefully one day in the future I will be able to take on a plot or half a plot again, not for the foreseeable though.

Market Research

Been putting a lot of thought into what car I'm going to get when I've passed my part 3 exam and become a fully fledged driving instructor, Peugeots, Fords, Renaults, Mazdas and Citroen's have all been in the mix but for me it has to be the Citroen DS3, it has everything a 'teenage learner' could want in my view, its funky looks have to make it appealing with the kids (I bloody like it as well)

DS3 that I viewed at AvailableCar today

So maybe I'm jumping the gun a little looking for cars before I'm even an ADI (approved driving instructor) but I want to be ready to jump in straight away and waste no time once I can get going so I'm keeping a keen eye on the motor market for DS3's as they are still pretty rare on the 'nearly new' car market.  If I can't get a suitable DS3 I have the Fiesta Titanium lined up as a reserve choice.

Souvenir

Picked up a nice souvenir on yesterdays ride, I'm now sporting a swollen eye from the wasp/bee sting

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Monday 11th April

Was intending on a longer ride today out to Carsington but time restraints held me back so I headed out with a clubmate on a 50 mile hill fest.  Unfortunately he had to bail out after Spanker Lane and I continued on to Holly Lane, christ that doesnt get any easier, about killed me!  At the top of Holly I realised time was passing by and I had to further cut the ride short to 50 miles to get home in time.  So a hilly ride taking in No Mans Lane, Cloves, Spanker, Holly and Drum. 

Struggling to get my required average of 100 miles per week at the moment so it would be easy to pick easier rides with more miles but thats not going to get me fitter or improve me as a cyclist so I'll keep mixing things up including hilly stuff every now and then and not get hung up on the mileage.

The only downside to the day was getting stung by a wasp just under my eyebrow, still stinging now!



Distance = 49.7 miles
Time = 3 hrs 43 mins
Ave Speed = 13.4 mph
Top Speed = 37.5 mph
Hillometer = 68 ft/mile
Max H/R = 188 bpm
Ave H/R = 144 bpm

Weather = Overcast, Sunny Spells, 15c

2011
Road Bike = 610.9
Single Speed = 19.1
Indoor = 44.4
Total Mileage = 674.4

Monday 4th April

Headed out on the Hoar Cross loop of Burton today, a tougher ride then any I've had this year and the longest at 71 miles, my first over 100km this year.  That climb into Hanbury (Hanbury Hill) doesn't get any easier!  Was quite a brisk westerly wind out there today so I headed west for an easier second half......why does it never work out that way?  I didn't get full wind assistance until about 15 miles from home.

The ride out to Hoar Cross was pleasant and even into the wind I felt good, stopped at Hoar Cross for some 'fuel' and then headed for home, still feeling good.  I hit a low point at around 45 miles, legs felt weak on rolling terrain and the wind was swirling around all directions apart from behind "fucking wind" was the shout from a struggling rider.  After 50-55 miles the 'second wind' kicked in and I was in business, after 60 miles the wind decided to help me and I was cooking on wind generated power.

Today I was Sylvain Cavenel!



Distance = 71.4 miles
Time = 4 hrs 41 mins
Ave Speed = 15.2 mph
Top Speed = 38.2 mph
Hillometer = 35.8 ft/mile
Max H/R = 184 bpm
Ave H/R = 148 bpm

Weather = Overcast, Showers, 12c

2011
Road Bike = 561.2
Single Speed =19.1
Indoor =44.4
Total Mileage = 624.7