New Wheel

I was out for the usual fast 40 miler on the weekend in the Campsies and sadly my rear road wheel finally gave up ghost on the way back just before Milngavnie. Due to it's age/use/spec/freewheel pack up/hub issues, I decided it was high time for a new wheel.

I bought a new Halo hub online then after work on Friday I went to Wheelcraft in Campsie Glen to see big Al and try and build a wheel. Last time I was up he did a great job of fixing me up with a new front MTB wheel after I laced it up. I smashed the old one up significantly after taking a jump wrong - I'm not making wheels into a new habit! Incidentally the new wheel is still true as a dime despite the abuse!

Anyway I arrived on Friday around half 5, and after picking out a new Ambrosio rim (not the custard), Al cut me some spokes then told me the principles of rounding, truing, dishing and tension. These are simple concepts, and should only take around 45mins to lace and true a wheel I gathered. Unfortunately for me when combined together on the truing stand proved to take a little longer....well a lot longer. 5 hrs later I was done!

Big thanks to Al for letting me do this and teaching me how to do this. Also thanks for lending me a high vis for the ride back in the dark to make the last Glasgow train!
The wheel rides great and is proving too good to be true given that it was my handy work (pun intended)!

New Wheel!!!

Great Yorkshire Bike Ride 2013

Another quality ride occurred this year, with all the usual happenings including another good performance from Dad Cav and the annual rain, with the showers this year being particularly heavy and short lived! The ride itself is just over 70 miles from Wetherby to Filey and is done by around 2000 people so effectively becomes a closed road event despite this not being the case. Mass bikeathon!

This year the Jordan peleton was also graced by Andrew Parkin to add in an outside Parker cousin entry to the mix. We set off after a quick bike decoration courtesy of Martin and Adam to have the coolest bikes in the race. Sadly nobody thought they were good enough to swap for their posh full carbon job bikes.

Never mind, the power train went on regardless, with Adam 'squeaky seat Spanish legs' leading the way. Everyone kept up throughout and had a great day (though they did slow down for my knees for the last 10 miles). The hills proved easy this year though Adam still comfortably retains the King of the Mountain Jersey for some physically impossibly pacey riding up hills!

Over the day we average around 17mph but  did take some good breaks to capitalise on the great lunch put on. If we'd have been ten minutes faster we'd have even missed the horrifically heavy rain  just before going up the hill. We came in looking like drown rats! After that it was a fast decent into Filey. Quality day out on the bike.

 

Fontainbleau Euro-Tripping

Paris from Sacre-Cour. Sacre Bleu!

I've just returned from a classy two week trip to Font in a very round about way via Amsterdam, Paris and then onto Barcelona! Some brilliant places I highly recommend visiting.

I set off to Amsterdam to see Graham and Emily before they set off for South Africa and saw the local sites on offer and the beach 7km from Harleem. The first day I was there the weather allowed this though it then threw it down until I left for Font! Absolutely soaked! Amsterdam itself has lots to see and do and the engineering of the canal work is impressive. After 2 full days I left for a day and night in Paris where I blasted through the subway system to see all the sites. This is pretty do-able, especially if you're on a budget and don't go in anywhere which costs (and usually has a queue). Plus, unless you intend to spend money, don't find the best climbing shop I have ever been in just down from the Uni in Paris. I came out with these bad boys:

Pythons

I then met Brian and Andy at Beauvais where we picked up the Qashqai, pumped up the French rap and headed to the forest. We quite literally did as the first night we had no gite accommodation so spent the night in the car after a cheeky tipple at the one bar in Nemours which was open!

Font itself was great, everyone climbed well given the hot weather with many 6's getting done. I tried to work a 7a, but at 29C I got nowhere! Also turns out 7c slabs are really hard! Hardest thing I sent was a 6c at the Elephant.

Brian and Andy put in good performances, giving everything they had to the rock as it was their first trip down. I don't think Andy will forget that 3c in a hurry! (or ever be allowed to live it down).



At the same time we were down for the week, so too was Johnny from Dundee with his new Swansea mates, and so too was Billy with his Glasgow climbing club. It was good to catch up with everyone. On the trip itself we visited quite a few places: - Franchard Isatis, Bas Cuvier (not for the night action!), Elephant, Petit Bois, 95.2, 91.1, Cul De Chien and Roche aux Sabots. We also decided to make a movie coming to a screen near you soon. It's called 'some videos from Font' by a half hearted production. Pretty much says it all, though it is a first attempt with the climbs not being super inspiring.

Classic Font style! Stopping for a breather!

la sagrada familia

I then left the lads and caught the Paris - Barcelona sleeper and spent another 4 days down there. Hands down the best city I've ever visited in Europe. So much to see and do, I could have spent much longer down there. I didn't fully experience the nightlife for a lack of funds and not meeting anyone in the hostel going out until my last night, but from what I hear it's quality too.

Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

Keep it Holy

Link to Video Here: http://vimeo.com/70060409