30 July - 3 August: Skyride and new bike in the wings

Sat - Drove up to Jan's birthday party in Leeds, stopping off at the Planet-X/On One showroom in Sheffield to look at their Alfine 11:

Very nice steel hybrid, like the new Glow in the dark white (sort of cream) colour.  Thinking of Mrs M buying this on the Cycle to Work scheme.

Great party, sunny weather in beautiful garden, with live music.  Back home at 11:30.

Sun - Up early to meet G&P to go to Hillingdon Hospital to take a group to join Boris' Hillingdon Skyride.   

Went a route we had not done before, on the ridge between Chalfonts and Denham, a flatish country lane but then the delights of central Uxbridge.  The Skyride was not quite the experience of riding on the Mall, but fun with the group.  Lunch at the Green Man pub in Denham, good sized starters.  37 miles in total, a lovely day, but strangely very tiring - we kept falling asleep in the afternoon.

Bbq (in oven) as J&L popped in to eat.  How sweet of them.

Mon - Took out the retyred Cadenza on the crap roads.  Cycled to deliver post to The Hatch, then back to Chenies on the bridleway.  Felt very good, absorbing the bumps.  Front mudguard was rubbing so had to adjust that, then off to Waitrose in Ricky for a bit of restocking.  12 miles in total.  I'm now pleased with how this bike rides around here.

Got down the Giant OCR3 as I'm thinking we will take this on the Paris. Pumped up the tyres, only to snap off a valve stem, so had to change the tube.  Will try it out tomorrow.

Tue - Mike is in from Bahrain at Investcorp Office, so I decided to cycle in to meet him and Ian for lunch.  23 miles each way, but a fast ride average 13.3mph considering the traffic, roundabouts and lights.  Giant went very well, quick to accelerate and much more comfy than I remember on the bumps.  Had a pint and steak and ale pie at the Audley.  Investcorp hasn't changed in its internal politics or is business model, but nice to hear that the IT Strategy I established 5 years ago of virtualising the DR sites has come to fruition under Mike.  46 miles in 3:25hrs.  Felt a little tired but very satisfied with the outing.

Wed - Mrs M sent in the Bike To Work forms into the hospital HR department, and filled in the on-line request at CycleScheme.co.uk.  Prepped bike and packed for L to P tomorrow.  Bought a rack pack and lights from Dee's Amersham.  Updated the garmins with the route (again).   Lets hope the rain forecast tomorrow goes through in the morning, as the Ladies start from Trafalger Square at noon.

23 - 29 July Chapeau!

Sat - Chapeau! to Cadel Evans in the Tour de France, but more Chapeau! to the 3 young ladies who cycled this morning from Kennington to Euston, then from Watford to Chorleywood (10 miles in total), then with us on the tandem on the 43 miles Ashridge/Ivinghoe/Aston Hill circuit, all for training for their London to Paris ride in 48 hours on 4 August.

 Quite a hilly first half, then lunch at the Bluebell cafe at Marsworth to stoke us up for the Ashton Hill which went well and the final generally downhill fast run home.  Weather "cloudy/sunny intervals", just right actually for temperature.  I'm feeling stronger than in the Loire trip, so must be finally shaking off my Pyrenees experience.

Sun - No cycling today since we had a late night and too much too drink!  Amie & Eli cycled into London, 25 miles!

Mon - Cycled to Dees in Amersham (11 miles) and test rode a Specialized Tricross to see how it copes with the crap roads around here.  It rode the potholes well, but gear change was crude, I would want to have a higher spec one (it has the bottom of the range Shimano gears).  Then back home and changed onto MTB and cycled along Ebury Way to Watford to M&S to change an item.  Fast rather rattlely track, but no cars.  16 miles there and back.  Weather good today but forecast cloudy for rest of week.  Finally popped into BMW Parts to get a wind deflector for convertible, works well.  So 27 miles in total. 

Tue - Cycled to Apsley to pick up jewellery repairs, then bought a 2m plastic cable trunking from Homebase which I had to tie to the bike, making me a 'long vehicle'.  At Flaunden saw a "Public Highway" sign to Latimer (unsuitable for motor vehicles) so went exploring, it was a hard packed track along the ridge and through a wood, with only the last 200m steeps and rough.  We could do it on the tandem easily, but on the steel white bike with narrow tires it was a bit bone shakey.

Would like to explore more of those tracks, but on the MTB next time.  19 miles.

Thu - Had a good plan for today to train/brompton to Bethnal Green and cycle/walk the Greenway and Capital Ring to Olympic Park/Woolwich Ferry/Thames Path to see how the Olympic buildings are faring.  Weather dawned sunny and fair.  Had became the operative word as the hospital called with an epidural for Granny, so we did that instead, which worked out well as we tested out the route on our bromptons from the hospital to the Skyride for Sunday.  There was a Bike Fayre at the hospital which was fun chatting to the various stallholders, and Mrs M got us to have a go on the "Rollapaluza" where you race against another over 500m on a fixed wheel bike on rollers.  We did pretty well for our age, and the pictures of our efforts are amusingly manic:

 


Men
Race distance in metres 500
  Name Age Time KPH MPH RPM
1 Carl Yates 18 23.19 77.6 48.5 196.0
2 Joseph Davies 30 24.07 74.8 46.7 188.8
3 Mark Creeber 23 24.31 74.0 46.3 187.0
4 Andy Sharp 32 24.81 72.6 45.3 183.2
5 Graeme Moran 33 26.09 69.0 43.1 174.2
6 Charles Perkins 33 27.32 65.9 41.2 166.4
7 Chris Waters 34 27.36 65.8 41.1 166.1
8 Nick Manthorpe 52 27.42 65.6 41.0 165.8
9 Stuart Marshall 57 27.86 64.6 40.4 163.1
10 Steve Saunders 52 28.10 64.1 40.0 161.7
11 Stuart Spencer 43 28.74 62.6 39.1 158.1
12 Pawel Gaczkowske 31 30.60 58.8 36.8 148.5
13 Bob Castelijn 57 30.78 58.5 36.5 147.7
14 David Eales 45 31.22 57.7 36.0 145.6
15 David McVittie 59 32.36 55.6 34.8 140.5
16 Kevin Ford 52 32.98 54.6 34.1 137.8
17 Ash Demaissie 28 33.28 54.1 33.8 136.6
18 John The Harrier Woodford 63 33.56 53.6 33.5 135.4
19 Noel Coope 55 36.34 49.5 31.0 125.1
20 Omoruymi Maxwell 43 36.85 48.8 30.5 123.3

Women
Race distance in metres 500
  Name Age Time KPH MPH RPM
1 Lauren Savage 15 27.80 64.7 40.5 163.5
2 Kirsten Savage 13 28.36 63.5 39.7 160.3
3 Rebecca Le Prevost 26 34.08 52.8 33.0 133.4
4 Cheryl Messer 56 34.62 52.0 32.5 131.3
5 Jakie Spencer 45 34.64 52.0 32.5 131.2
6 Julie Ward 53 35.92 50.1 31.3 126.5
7 Nici Savage 38 36.08 49.9 31.2 126.0
8 Hannah Mellor 50 36.80 48.9 30.6 123.5


Fri - No exercise.  Fitted Schwalbe Marathan Plus 26x1.75 tyres on Dahon Cadenza to make it more comfy riding on the crap roads round here.  Bridesmades at Rex in evening, just as crap as the roads, but very comfy seats.

16 - 22 July

Sat - Up at 5:45 to take Lulu & Amy and bikes to Histon (Cambridge) so they could cycle to a house party near Downham Market for training for their London to Paris ride.  Weather forecast very wet, but that didn't deter them.  Left them at 8:30 for their 40miles ride.  We popped into Cambridge for breakfast and some shop browsing, heavens opened for rest of day!!  Home at 1pm, Lulu phoned, it had taken them 3:30 hrs, very good with the rain.  Dossed rest of day, Mrs M went out for a hospital dinner.

I had been thinking of the Dunwich Dynamo this evening, and had the route etc all prepared, but with the rain forecast and my lack of energy I decided against it.  A good idea I think, so now it will have to be next year (yet again - last year was disrupted by us moving house the same w/e).

Sun - Lunch with G&N, then went to garden day at Chenies Manor, very pretty gardens.  Rain showers all day, some very heavy, dark threatening clouds.

This is supposed to be summer isn't it?  Seems like February.

Mon - Started to replace the tandem gear cables, only to find they were 1.8m not 2.5 as labelled. Called up SJSCycles who couriered out a new set, no questions asked or returns required, good service but shame about the initial misfilling/stock control.  Cycled to Amersham to deliver Loire mug to G&P.  Hot tub.   Rex in evening to The Great White Silence (film trailer click here) - over 100 years old and restored by BFI, the script shows the culture and jingo-ism of its age, but a very interesting, then moving, film of Scott's fated polar expedition.

Tue - Cables arrived, so fitted them with help from the Rohloff manual (downloaded onto iPad for display in garage) followed to the letter.  Fiddly to get lengths right and adjusted, wouldn't want to do this on the road!  

Still a mystery as to why they rusted as they are in a complete teflon inner lining inside the cable wire and plastic outer, so water must have got in at the grip twister end, I suspect from the LE2JOG ride which was VERY wet.  Can't see how one can seal them anymore than they are - they say not to grease/oil them as they stick more with the teflon liner.  Quickly cleaned tandem of the fly debris from the journey, and put back its various bits and pieces that had been removed for safe keeping.

Cycled to Apsley to drop off jewellery for repair with Harrisons, using Garmin routing which plotted the route I would have taken.  Only one short rain shower.  On way back picked up a small sharp flint at gravelly bottom of road from Flaunden to Chenies, it made a clicking sound so I stopped and picked it out, to find it was hissing as well.  Replaced tube in a few minutes, then cycled to CW to buy tuna for dinner.  Felt good and faster than yesterday, even with the hills involved.  19 Miles.  Repaired tube, then hot tub.  Lovely tuna, cooked in 1 min a side.  Watched the phone hacking commons select committee, exciting!!!!

Wed - Usual lovely English summer's day i.e. overcast and cold.  Cycled to Ricky PO to pick up parcel and then to buy some seafood in M&S - visiting M&S Food Hall is deadly since you start to salivate as soon as you enter, and want to buy it all.  Having only a backpack is a good limiter.  Only 6 miles, but a fast ride on the main road, which would be nice except for the traffic, lorries, drain covers, potholes, crumbly road surface, traffic lights, stupid barriers across the cycle path underpass at the roundabout which make you stop for no reason when noone else is around.  Give me a French D road through sunflower fields anyday.

At Rex to see Potiche in evening:

Tres amusant in a pastiche sort of way, looking at attitudes of the 70's from a 2010 cultural perspective.  Gerard D is rather 'portly' these days, and shuffles around.  Now I am to be called a 'trophy husband'.

Thu - Up to London to fit mirror in Jon's flat, then watched TdeF in the afternoon.  Cold and grey outside.

Fri - Exciting day - fitted bike carriers on roof, thanks to Patrick's generosity.  TdeF in afternoon

10 - 15 July - my holiday continues ...

Sun - Recovery day, washing, sleeping and crawling around the house.

Mon - Rang up Robin Thorn who claims he has never heard of a cable failure, and can't understand how it might have rusted.  Anyway, he is sending a replacement set (£20) for me to fit, and I spoke to the workshop guy who was very helpful and will talk me through it.  Will fit next week when Mrs M is back at work.

Blood test and ECG at doctors, all well, so my pyrenees 'turn' is now down to dehydration/heat exhaustion.

To Rex in evening to see Senna - absolutely gripping film and so well edited together.  A must-see.

Tue - It was Mum's 90th birthday yesterday so we celebrated by taking a a picture of her (with Lulu and Jon who couldn't come as they are at work) for tea at Luton Hoo with Eddie and Shirley plus the Aspley Heath Marshalls.  Lots of happy memories.

In evening went to acoustic/song night at Peppermill with Georgina, great to have such events at a restaurant in Chorleywood. 

Wed - Took Granny out to lunch at Chippefield Larder, what nice friendly service - the lady said the chicken and ham pie was dry so it was half price,  but I thought it was fine.  In afternoon cycled (solo bikes) to deliver post to the Robbs, then onto see if Majestics in Amersham have any of the Loire wines we had on our trip, they have a couple so we will go back to buy.  Cycled back along Chiltern Cycleway track to Chenies Manor, a super ride through woods above the chess valley, you could imagine you were in France,  11 miles.  Then hot tub.  

Thu - Wedding Anniversary - 32 years.  Coffee at the Peppermill in the sunshine to start the day.  Lovely English sunny day, so top down on the BMW, and we drove via New Forest and ponies on the road to Barton-on-Sea for lunch at the Pebble Beach Cafe (http://www.pebblebeach-uk.com), on the terrace overlooking Christchurch Bay, seeing from the Needles to Swanage.

After a walk along the beach below, and a snooze on a bench, we drove along the coast to our hotel in Bournemouth (The Royal Exeter) just opposite the BIC where The James Taylor concert was to be later that night.  We wandered to the sea front, then through the gardens to hear a few tunes from a brass then jazz band.  I had the full seaside experience with a Mr Softee icecream cone.  The crowd going into the BIC was very good natured (and of our vintage).  We had great seats at the front on the first elevated terrace (bought on eBay at 75% uplift), and the man was superb, all the old favourites plus some interesting newer numbers.

So  nice to just then walk across the road for a drink in the bar, and so to bed.  What an awesome day, could not have been better.  From the Bournemouth Echo:

11:51am Friday 15th July 2011 By Debbie Moore 

IT would be hard to find a more amiable entertainer to spend an evening with than James Taylor.  The legendary singer-songwriter with the unchangingly beautiful voice sings with a smile you can hear and creates an intimate, friendly atmosphere.

This show is a trip down memory lane for James, and we're all more than happy to be taken along.  Most songs are familiar, some more obscure, but every one's a winner, delivered with a story that puts them in context.

There's Jump Up Behind Me, about the time his father drove to New York to rescue a teenage James after a failed band project, Angry Blues, written in the throes of a hangover, and the stand-out My Travelling Star, one of many variations he's written on the theme of being torn between home and the open road.

And when the long-awaited favourites take their turn - Sweet Baby James, Fire and Rain, How Sweet It Is, Carolina In My Mind, You've Got a Friend - they're delivered faithfully and with the same feeling as when they were first recorded, to a pin-drop silent audience appreciating every word and note.

Taylor never leaves the stage, even spending the entire interval perched on the edge shaking hands and signing anything and everything that's put his way.

At the end he thanks us for allowing him and the band to take another turn through town. And the warmth he shows his audience is sent right back.

Fri - Breakfast in the hotel, left 9ish and back in CW for coffee by 11(lid down again).  Lulu, Amy & Helen W came out to stay the night, and Jon joined us for a curry at Sathi.

2- 9 July Loire cycling with The Chain Gang Tour

We had a marvellous week cycling in the Loire, courtesy of the friends who dared to come, the new friends we met, the hotels, meals, wine, chateaux, rivers, and the few minor hills.   All made possible by The Chain Gang Cycle Tours (http://www.thechaingang.co.uk) whose owner/operator Bernard hides his competent back office organisation behind a facade of complete flexibility and randomness, and whose guide Toby King was hugely competent, charming, delightful, and attentive when it mattered.  Thanks Bernard and Toby for making it such a wonderful holiday, and 'we will return'.

What follows is a blow by blow account by Mrs M, typed on the go on her Blackberry.


Sat  2 July
Up at 4 am to set off at 4.30 to pick M and A up at 5 am. Lovely day and empty roads. Arrived Folkestone terminal at about 645 and Hudgells arrived soon after. Coffee and croissants then on the 8.06 train.
6 hour drive to Loire. Arrived Montreil Belay at 330 pm. Hotel with pool. And overlooking the chateau and church.  Sat and drank beers.  Chris and Linda turned up having caught the ferry at 830.

Visited the chateau with wine tasting - fizzy white and pink. Animated and friendly tour guide. All in French. Beautiful rooms with celings painted and ancient furniture.

Meal down the hill by the river. 20 on the tour eating outside. David and Gill had arrived by train to Angers
Lovely group from US Canada Oz and UK

Pate, fish and cheese board and plenty of white wine

Marshall group T shirts and group photo

Room in hotel high ceiling with view of chateau

Sun 3 July
Slept well.  Phoned Nigel to sing happy bday. breakfast good. Hung around while everyone had bikes fitted

Sunny and breezy. Talk from Bernard setting the scene at about 1030.

Set off 11 .15  coasting through easy countryside. 

To Chateau Breze  with underground troglodyte caves silk farm bakery  etc
Then to the chateau rooms above ground huge deep moat

Lunch in little brasserie bar quiche lorraine yum but Stu not impressed with tripe sausage.

Easy cycling military camp cycle race sunflower lovely valley.  

Then Abbey Fontevraud, used to be a prison, tomb HenryII, Elinor of Aquitaine Richard Lionheart and Isabel of Angouleme. Gill walked the wooden roller coaster.

Beautiful cycle along the Loire in pm along rough track to Chinon. 

 Hotel de France in town Square. Lovely quaint stair case and floral wall paper. 

Beer in square the shower and walk to restaurant

 Long time to get served but nice local fizz and Chenin blanc

Stu fell asleep at restaurant.

27 miles:

Mon 4th July
Great brekka outside table
Steep cycle up cobbless thru town up to Chinon chateau. 

Then busy road the cut off to fantastic flat field and vineyards and sunflowers to Uze Sleeping beauty chateau. 

Coffee outside before fun viewing lots of mannequins dressed in period costume.

On to picnic by the Loire.

then flat idyllic by Loire to Villandry. 

Amazing formal gardens learned about Anne Coleman and Joachim who bought the chateau in 1904 and restored  the gardens to their original design.

Kir at bar in Villandry. The lovely cycle thru fields and woods then down hill to Azey de Rideau. 

Then our gear cable broke and stuck in bottom. And we snailed up the hill to hotel des Chateaux
Another kir non fizzy this time sitting outside in the garden unfortunately too near a busy roundabout.

Room and shower satisfactory. Hotel host very pleasant

7pm meet to walk half a mile down hill to quaint restaurant de Ridelloise with welcoming  staff our own room upstairs quick service lovely choices. Azey le Rideau appelation sauv. Blanc (4). Sancerre 2009(7) Touraine sauv blanc(6). Stu had red cab franc champigney(?) He liked it!

Food sald de geziers, Stu had rabbit pate and rillet. I had local fish- 'sandre' with sauce au beurre Stu had lamb leg slice - all very good- cheese then nougat glace Stu had sorbet.
Sat with David and Gill and Bernard with Malc and Anna and Paul Rivera ( Florida). Found out that Sue was a Girton 77 to 80 - engineering  and Paul at Downing medicine.  Stu went back to hotel as too tired to go to son at lumiere.  No son et lumiere till 7th July so walked back up hill about 11 pm only just dark and still warm!

32 miles:

Tues 5th July
Good brekka. Lots of home cooking. Chris and Toby (tour guide) went for a run. Stu stayed to get tandem repaired - he went to bike shop - moderate success we have most gears no the top 3 though so can't go so fast. 

I walked down to town and the chateau with Gill. 

 Lovely hot day. Chateau set on a lake-like moat. Oak-panelled rooms. Set off about 11 when bike was fixed. Very hot day.   Passed little old villages with troglodyte buildings set in cliffs.  Coffee stop at in a town square with interesting donjon with tower and statue on top. 

Lunch at 2ish by the Indre river - beautiful green tree lined area. 

Through more fields then a straight Romand road D25 to Loches arrived about 6 pm.  

hotel right on main street in the shadow of the medieval citadel. Thick stone walls - backing on to river. Room huge with fireplace and lance and axe over. View on to river. 

Had to take bikes through hotel to store at back.
Walked up to top of citadel and to look at tallest castle keep in France. 

Down to old town for a drink in little square.

Dinner in Hotel George Sand overlooking river. Amuse bouche asparagus puree with parmasan biscuit. Fois gras, cod, pineapple with coconut bisc. Excellent. Wines : Mentelous salon (like Sancerre but cheaper!) Vouvray demi sec (chenin blanc) , touraine gamay-Stu's red. Slept very well.


38 miles:

Wed 6th July
Set off about 9.30. Patrick was up early snapping piccies of hotel and river - very amusant pic of Chris at his window.  Stu adjusted gears so now we don't have the lowest 3,  but we can go faster.

Headed thru town. Beautiful 18thC architecture. Up hill onto Forest road then fields off road to ancient farmhouse with ducklings and cats very cute. 

More rolling very open country with dramatic black clouds but no rain. To Luzille for coffee at about11.15 and bright sunshine at theonly bar in the ville. Oatmeal gingers go down very nicely with coffee.
Carried on north to river Cher which we crossed and then turned right to Chennonceau. 

Had lunch while others visited Chateau where we had been last September. Dutch couple on recliners _ hers had electric assist.
Delicious lunch pate foie gras and salad and fizz
 Walked up through vineyards.

Back along this bank of Cher. 

Challenging path - grassy with ruts but river Cher wide green and unspoilt by human hab.
Arrived Montrichard about 4.30 and cycled through outskirts to reach the Monmoussant caves - very steep hill up- for a wine tour and tasting - disappointing fizz.

Back into town 5.30. Huge suite of rooms on first floor of annex of BelleView with view of river. And bridge.

Showered and walked around town. Large donjon (keep) dominates the town.
But closed by 6pm too late. Shops open bought foot cream - had run out. Little boutique selling Esprit!  Linda bought a dress!
Sat for a drink in town square. Gill H had changed rooms as bed not long enough for P.

Meal in hotel with river views. Amuse bouch - green with cheesy bits!  More pate frois gras, boeuf, cheeses, choc pud. Wines Muscadet from Nantes region - I don't like.  Touraine sauv more to my liking. Chris and Linda pink. Stu gamay red.  Paul Rivera 74 from Florida sat with us - a history teacher keen cyclist and Europhile.


27 miles:

Thu 7th July
Pink sky in the morning. Photo of bridge at Montrichard.

Brekka slightly chewy pain choc!  Gill Hughes Birthday.  Set out at 9.30 along river towards and past the wine caves and the mushroom caves - producer for all France. Up hill to forest and rolling hills. Sunshine with clouds rolling by. Fairly flat with wind behind most of day. Thru Fiengs and coffee at Fougere + lovely ancient chateau.

On to Cheverny (Capt Haddock's Marlinspike Hall) for chateau viewing. Perfect simple lines with 100 hunting dogs best interior with wedding dress and armory.

Lunch in snackery sitting outside atill sunny but drops of rain. Then final flat thru amazing forest tracks some gravel to Chambord arriving from south. 

Sat and imbibed at Hotel St Michel where we r staying with views of chateau while others went around as we visited last May. Shower and sleep then to dinner with view of chateau.

Sang happy bday to Gill Hughes.

 Cake for dessert. Duck for main. Sitting outside with sun setting on chateau.
Son et lumiere not open yet but some rehearsing going on, so to bed late.

33 miles:

Friday 8th July
Set off westerly direction. thru forest after breka. Stopped in outskirts of Blois for coffee. Carried on thru more forest with gravel for several miles towards Chaumont. 

Crossed the line of Tour de France at about 11.45. Picnic lunch by side of the road with hundreds of others as the build up to the tour went on.

Some of us did a side trip for coffee and loo stop down very steep hill to Chaumont. Had coffee on the corner as the caravan of the tour went by. 160 vans of advertising.

Cycled back up the hill around the chateau. Stu had to get off before me!
Back at the roadside waited til 3.30 for the tour to go by. They were mainly eating as they went by!

Hundreds of cyclists and support vehicles.

4pm continued on towards Amboise strong headwind and rolling road. 

Very tiring for everyone. Ice cream and coffee en route.  Then hill up to Hotel le Vinci in Amboise. Rose wine on terrasse after shower.
Meal downtown shrimp tartare, boef, choc praline and cheeses. Taxi back uphill thanks to the chef.


43 miles:

Sat 9th July
Coach back to Montruiel at 845 via train station at Gard de St Piere des Corps outskirts of Blois.  Tandem in hold of coach....just.  Loaded onto car and off at 11:30.  Quick and easy drive back to Calais, then had to wait 2:30hrs for next shuttle at 20:50.  So back to M&A's around 10 when we had a pizza and unwind, and 'so to bed' to sleep.  V. tired.