Great for ducks..

Looking forward to the ride in tomorrow! Could be the wettest and muddiest yet :)

Slippy

Fun and games this morning. Black ice on the towpath .....

It's only a matter of time. #splash

Why are all the adverts on my blog about life cover? Someone know something I should be aware of? :)

Yeay. New lights fitted. Soooooo.... back on t'canal tomorrow morning :)

Resting

Hmmn, my lights have developed another fault so they're definitely going back. This time it's a loose connection which means they go off occasionally..........  not good on the canal :(

So, convenient time to get the bike serviced whilst I'm waiting for my new set of lights.

Perhaps a run into work next week instead?

Woah...

Properly cold this morning. Need a new something for my feet because the goretex socks and even a carrier bag underneath didn't stop the cold.

Maybe I should cycle more slowly and avoid the puddles? Naaaah!!

:)

1000 miles....

..... done! 

Comfy

New padded trousers too..... which are nice! Cold weather outfit taking shape although toes still cold.

Smoke anyone?

I reckon 30% of the people I passed on the towpath last night were smoking a joint.

Interestingly, nearly everyone I passed was also wearing dark clothing and so very easy to crash into..  but I didn't!

Good job.....

..... I forgot to make a sandwich for the homeless chap.... he wasn't there! 

Brrrrr

How cold?

Hmmmn think I need to prepare for winter.

Hands and feet need some attention. My Goretex socks are leaking and my

fingerless gloves are... well..... fingerless!

After a hot shower my toes are still cold :(

Anyhow, moaning over!

A

Brer Fox

Saw my first towpath fox tonight on what was a hard, wet, windy ride home. Brrrrrrr.

Morning

Oh, why did I race past that other cyclist this morning? Legs are now tired and it's only Monday lunchtime.....

Anyhow, plenty of food and fruit onboard. Heating at work is on so kit already dry. Looking forward to a clean ride home tonight.

... nothing of note today apart from the chap in a combat jacket near esholt and the homeless person sleeping under the bridge nearer to leeds (at least I hope he was homeless and sleeping rather than dead! no. he had a bottle of water and a bag. Must have been sleeping!!?... anyhow, I nearly rode into him.)

Swan watch...

20 this morning.

.... A daily commute record!
One cygnet missing however :(

Wet wet wet

Woo hoo. Wettest ride so far but it was great.

Heating not on at work though so changing back into wet clothes tonight was, err..... fun!

Lights were playing up (went strobe like) but all ok on way home.

Getting there..

2 trips this week. Nothing of interest to note (I told you this was a boring blog)

Very muddy today though..
... which was great!

Looking forward to cleaning my bike tomorrow. Is that a bit odd?

The lights..

Evans Cycles

Night cycler....

Great ride in and then my first home in complete darkness.
My new lights are amazing.. Electron Terra 2's. Passed a few other cyclists who definitely had lights envy!!
I think I dazzled a few people and once I'd got used to the dark, slightly forboding body of water by my side it was an enjoyable commute.
No time to do any more cycling this week so this boring blog will be quiet for a while ;)

A guide

If you fancy riding the canal from Liverpool to Leeds (or vice versa)...
http://www.towpathtreks.co.uk/llc/canal_cycling_guide.html

Good to be back

Well, that was fun. Beaming from ear to ear as I got back onto the towpath.

Not dark enough to really enjoy my brilliant new lights though!

Sad to see one of the swans was missing but saw plenty of other things including very close up with a couple of dozy herons. Nearly ran over a stupid duck.

Loads of cyclists on the way home so hopefully will still be a busy route when the nights draw in.

Set up phone to auto text home when i leave and then when half way home (oh, i'm such a geek1)

Day off tomorrow because need to take OH's car for an MOT.

Did I mention how great my new lights are?

I'm back!

It turned out that the bike was insured by payment protection on my credit card! Woohoo!

New bike purchased. Back on it tomorrow.

Looking forward to seeing the canal again but not too sure about cycling along it in the dark ... although i've got some mega lights!!!

.... the muggers will definitely see me coming! ...   :(

Balls

Sodding bike's a write off.
... it needs a new frame and forks which isn't going to happen.

Just as I was starting to enjoy myself.

THE END

Ooops

Spoke too soon. Not a pro after all and reminded of this fact as I bounced off a car on Tuesday!

Bike OK apart from a lack of paint in places and my chest bloomin' hurts but nothing broken I don't think.

Ouch ;(

Back on it on Monday though once I've given the bike a good service and paint job at the weekend and my aches have subsided.

Valuable lesson learned :)

Pro

.. wow.. I must be getting better.... squashed fly on my sunglasses this morning... What speed must I have been going eh? :)
Back from holiday. Legs refreshed. No sign of the cygnets.

Trouble

Will be interesting doing this commute in the dark come Winter.

I thought some junkie looking fellow was going to try and do me over tonight.

When he can see me coming at night he'll have time to hatch a plan ...
.... perhaps it's time to start planning counter measures!?!?

Wonder what would be best?

500 miles

Woohoo!

Nope...

By the way, still no Kingfisher .... although I did spot a man in camouflage hiding behind a tree with a camera.
Scared me silly but I think he must have been looking for one (i hope that's what he was up to anyway).

PBs

Ha... laughing in the face of tiredness.
PB to work this morning - 1hr 2mins
PB home tonight - 1hr 12mins

Even got stuck behind a couple of people - one of them twice (a lady) because she had a cunning shortcut at Rodley and I got stuck behind someone else. Felt a bit like a stalker so had to overtake her again which killed my legs...

Jet washed bike after a dose of "Muc Off" when I got home- 3 days rest now.
Cold beer in hand. Wooohoooo :)

Hmmn

23:10 and I'm still up - glass in hand and listening to music with OH. Might be hard getting up tomorrow for my biking......
[Edit] oh no. 00:12 and still up......

it's for Charity Mate...

Thinking of cycling Liverpool to Leeds along the canal.
Will someone please try to talk me out of it?!

I'm back...

Bike working again.
Plenty of rain and mud.
How did that other dude manage to keep his sunglasses on and still see? It was bouncing down.

Bother..

Bike needs a part replaced so no riding until Friday :(

... it'll give my legs a rest anyhow.

Rain

Wooo hoo... how wet? Great ride home. Soaked and covered in mid!

Big gears not working.... looks like my weekly trip to Halfords is on!

Friday

Yes, yes, more swans...

Question.

Does anyone in Rodley have a normal, family type dog or does everyone have those pitbull things?..and.. err..... why?

A treat...

Beautiful morning. Pleasant fellow commuters, nice weather, strong legs.
Saw this dragon on a boat. Not sure what that's all about!

Also saw this lovely sight. The heron (top right) was actually standing on the opposite bank until i stopped...

Monday

Saw my first towpath deer which was nice!

Wore my fancy new glasses.

Hit a massive hole.

Said hello to a few people and also found a couple of people I could not overtake...

Boring for you perhaps but a great start to what will probably be a dull day in the office :(

Expense

Righto.. I think I need to invest in some glasses (huge fly problems!).  Although that'll mean another few hundred miles until I'm into profit.

In other news... got back last night ok but now have a flat... lucky!
[edit] - once again it's the tyre protector put into the tube by a well know bike retailer which has sliced the tube...!
God this blog is boring.

Woo hoo

Fastest time so far !! but I've got to stop racing people .. just can't help myself... especially when they look like they know what they're doing! 

Tuesday

Swallowed six flies.
Overtook four people.
Chased by one dog called Max.
Made it up Hollin's hill.
Knackered.

Pain

hmmn - sore knee, ice pack not making much difference.
Has Anton over done it?

Hot and bothered.

Couldn't find my headphones this morning but happy enough without my tunes.

Uneventful morning. Nearly ran over a heron but thats about it.

A few dope smokers on the way home and some people diving into the locks.....??!! .... Unbelievable!

Spotted this tranquil scene...

Sums...

I think I am probably saving 30p per mile by not driving (fuel, wear and tear etc) so... when my counter (over there on the right) gets to 1000 miles I'm riding into profit........

Pheww

He wasn't there! Dickhead :)

3 rides in this week. Legs completely dead. Intake of calories through the roof. Will see what impact 96 miles a week has on weight. Currently 192 pounds....

Ridiculous headwind each night on the way home. Thought I would start rolling backwards at one point.

A song by Elbow made me laugh yesterday! One of OH's favourite tracks came on but as it rose to the chorus the heavens opened just as they sang... "It's looking like a beautiful day..."  .. ha! laughing out loud as I cycled through the rain and mud.

.... and on that note about mud.... I have showered in my cycling kit each morning to try and get it clean. Found a nice space between the office bins to get it dried. Nice routine!

;)

Oops

**Anton hopes that the dickhead he called a cock for deliberately not moving out of the way isn't there again tonight**

Wow.. look..?

.... Anton's gone all fancy with a widget showing his stats.
Let's see if it works tomorrow.
I have been eating like a horse all weekend, so I'll be the sluggish one on the towpath in the morning - give me a wave! :)

End of week 1

Well, the temperature was down from Tuesday - you could tell because far fewer topless chavs out and about on the towpath.

Strong headwind away from Leeds slowed me down a bit.

Apologies to the lady cyclist near Rodley who had a flat.... I should have offered to help but I wanted to get home to see the kids. I promise, that if I see anyone else with a puncture, ever, I'll ask them if they need a hand (probably!?!)

Pretended to stop and look at a foal half way up Hollin's Hill but actually I was just knackered. Embarrassingly a jogger then passed me as I cycled up to the top in 100th gear.   :)

Day 3

Easier today..... got properly wet and muddy which was good.

Starting to get a bit too competitive with my overtaking though and i splashed a couple of joggers with my aggressive puddle work..... need to slow down and look around more....  but it was fun....

Now sitting at desk and must work.  :(

Chav City

Makes you proud... NOT!

Well, tonight's ride home was a surprise. A beautiful evening but the lovely sunny weather certainly brings the crowds onto the canal.... it was all about cycling etiquette and dodging the crowds but there were also scores of topless (possibly jobless) lager drinking, dope smoking, oiks loitering and fishing on my scenic journey out of Leeds.  What's that all about? Aren't they meant to be in parks or something? Not on my canal?!

Anyhow, they were interspersed with nicer looking sporty types (some in lycra!) and plenty of dog walkers and families.

Beats the A65!

Interestingly I'd always wondered why cyclists wear poncy wrap around sunglasses even when it's not sunny....... that was until 3 flies scored a direct hit straight into my right eye. I'm sure there's still a leg in there but have given up prodding it for now.

Nope

No Kingfisher but lots of stupid ducks. They don't even move out the way. Duck in the pot tonight perhaps?

Oh and what a glorious morning. Overtook my first fellow cyclist!

Ps.. I need a softer saddle.

Kingfisher

To break up the monotony I'm going to find try and spy my first Kingfisher.
24 miles along a canal everyday - i've got to see one at some point (other blogs tell me they do exist on this stretch). Surely if there is one I'll spot it......

Bizarrely Google images suggested
this when I searched for Kingfisher!

First Ride

What a PITA!
Puncture 2 miles from Leeds and a broken pump..... means walking!
Nice ride though. Pretty smooth in most parts with great enjoyment whizzing down by the locks.
(won't be such fun on the way home...) Need a new pump and a spare inner tube I think!