Well you, son of T de F Rider...

A most heinous and dastardly plot to swing the EU Referendum vote to "Leave" has been uncovered on the very day of the vote.  The plot involves knobbling 2 votes for the price of one target. The plot centres on a 45 year old man from Wirral, who had accepted to be a proxy voter for his daughter.  His identity is being kept secret due to forthcoming investigation and possible legal proceedings.  For the purpose of this report he will be referred to as Mr O. After accepting the proxy voter request from his daughter, who returned to university a couple of days before the vote, Mr O took his wife and daughter on a small holiday to Majorca. Unbeknown to Mr O the email account that his request was sent from was hacked and his personal details were acquired by a blacks ops team working for the Leave Campaign. An assignation team was sent to Majorca to take Mr O out and thus his votes.  It can now be reported that the attack happened near the top of a small mountain ...

Even though I have already posted about the crash, I wanted to share my experience of having a major trauma in a foreign land and how I was treated. I want to start from just after I hit the deck.  Initially, I was lying in the ditch over some big rocks screaming like a baby.  I admit I'm not brave at the best of times but this was pain like I have never felt before.  (By the way read the previous post if you haven't already so it makes sense.) I shouted for the first couple on the scene to help me up.  I was aware I could move my head and limbs ok so I didn't think anything can be broken. As they pull me to my feet I realise the pain is too intense to stand up, so I lie down on the road on my side which didn't hit the wall.  Other people arrive on the scene and try to offer comfort.  Something soft is put under my head and I'm given shade and water.  As I'm lying there I can feel it difficult to breathe and very painful if I try to take a deep...

I can now state "My season is in ruins"... ...and it was all going so well. I'm sorry to report I've had a major "off" descending the Coll de Femenia last Monday (13th June). I had just picked up a hire bike in Puerto de Pollensa for few hours of pedalling in the sun and mountains of Majorca this week in-between lying in the sun with a few beers and lazing in the pool. Unfortunately all those plans have been ended by over cooking a corner a few turns down from the top of the Femenia.  I had just spent, what felt like forever dragging myself up the 7.7km climb in 29 degrees heat.  It had occurred to me more than once on the way up, "what the hell am I doing?  I could be lying by the pool".  Still, I pressed on and eventually reached the summit.  Obviously I stopped to take the obligatory selfie. A happy Scott only a few minutes before the crash I then set off back down towards Pollensa and the sanctuary of the hotels pool/bar. A car...

April was an improvement on earlier months this year.  Got out half a dozen times and a staggering distance of about 360kms. Even managed two visits to the world famous Eureka Cafe.  The cake there always ensures I don't lose too many calories on these rides. Did my longest ride for quite a while, in fact my longest recorded on Strava, 116kms.  Went over the "Shelf" a famous climb out of Rhuthin in North Wales.  Wasn't too bad either.  Last time I went over there was 25 years and 10kgs ago.  I did notice the difference!  But it reminded me of what I had been missing.  Despite my lack of ability, I do still like the hills of North Wales.  This area of the UK is really fantastic for pedalling around. The new kit arrived (see last post) and was fitted.  Managed to get it all working, so I'm very pleased with the upgrades so far.  Even managed to recoup some of the cost with a bit of spit and polish on the old kit and flogged on eBa...

So after an okish (for once) January, Feb was not great.  Three (3) rides. Just three.  Just over 200kms.  Pretty rubbish, but I put it down to the crap weather and my penchant for not wanting to get wet or go out when its dark and cold.  Well, I wasn't going to ride in the Eddie Soens Memorial race in early March so I think I can get away with it. Then March arrived.  Another ski trip followed by a bout of man flu wiped out nearly the whole month.  I suppose the skiing itself was good training, but that was soon undone by a further 20 day lay off.  But now we have got to Easter and I have had two rides in three day.  Only short 30 kms at a time, but softly, softly catchy monkey (as they say). Two bits of exciting and motivating news to help me going forwards though... 1) A major order made from Wiggle!! (Other online cycle component retailers are available).  I decided to go "all in" and purchase a new groupset and pedals.  Not a ...

Ok, so the cycling isn't going as great as I'd hoped.  But I can blame the weather and holidays for that so I don't feel too guilty about it.  Yet. I actually skied further than I rode my bike in January.  Not sure that is something to be proud of or not.  I suppose it is if you are cyclist trying to be a skier.  Perhaps not the other way round.  But neither scenario really applies to me.  I skied 289km and only rode 204km in January. Could be the making of a new winter duathlon type event... Skicling...? I do love skiing though.  I had a fantastic week in Les Arcs, weather and snow were amazing. In fact it was too warm.  Only got to wear my Darth Vader ski mask a couple of times as it was just not needed (except at the very top as shown above). I just hope the weather picks up here now as I want to get out on my bike again.  Large quantities of food and red wine offset any calories spend on the piste (with quite a bit to spare...

You would probably guess that most people would say that they don't think about where they sit on a bus. But a recent study using 4 years worth of data* suggests otherwise.  This applies mainly to the frequent bus user in particular as they use previous experiences of bus rides to influence their decision. Infrequent bus passengers are initially distracted by the novelty factor to make any sort of calculated choice. This research is based on frequent  commuter passengers typically spending over 20 minutes on each journey. First of all, the bus type plays a big part in seating tactics. For example the back seats on a single decker bus are viewed very differently to the back downstairs seats on a double decker or indeed the upstairs back seats. Here's a break down of the areas and my advice on where to sit to achieve the ultimate goal for a sole traveller... A double seat to yourself... Lets face it.  First aim is to sit by yourself.  Secondary to that...

People who know me well, will know that it only takes me to have a sleep and I will have forgotten what happened the day before. However, there is one event en grained into my memory from last October which is hard to forget.  The 2011 Etape Cymru. I was sort of goaded into riding last year by a former colleague of mine, but sneakily he only challenged me with 7 weeks notice of the event.  I went into a panicked training frenzy to ensure I could at least get round.  The event itself was eventful.  This is why I can still remember the experience so vividly. After a good start, I went off course, crashed and punctured, all before the famous Horse Shoe Pass.  Despite all that, the feeling of accomplishment was worth it.  There is no denying, the course is brutal, but the scenery is fantastic and to ride that far on closed roads is such a rare experience. Even though I have hardly looked at my bike since that day last October, I feel drawn to...