The trouble with packing away a turbo for the season, especially if it’s a Tacx iMagic is that sometimes, just sometimes, some of the ‘bits’ go astray and putting it back together ain’t so easy. In a flash of inspiration however, it did occur to me that with three cyclists in the household, there are three turbos (only my one is an iMagic) and that of those three, two are the right size for me. So, with much appreciation to the Mole Man (Nick) I can leave the iMagic for another day. 🙂
I have to say, it will be weird as the bike on the trainer is my old Giant which I passed on to Nick a couple of years ago so it will be a kind of reunion I suppose.
Naturally, switching to another bike & trainer (the Colnago is staying off Turbos) does mean that I’ll need another pair of shoes as Nick uses Look and I use SPD. Why do I use SPDs? It’s because it’s easier to walk up hills with mtb type shoes than with Look and for those that know me, I don’t like hills. I do hills. I cuss hills. I even look for hills but I don’t like them. And with my advancing years and my shrinking clothes!, getting up some hills does cause me to realise the term ‘Push Bike’ :-).
I’ve ordered a new pair of wheels for the Colnago by the way, just to add to its blinginess and will post a new photo when she’s ready: so that’ll be something to look forward to.
I’m now looking to acquire an old hack as I’ll be looking to cycle to the station in the future rather than drive the three quarters of mile each day. Better still, I’ve worked out I can cycle to the next station which is about 9-miles on which will give me my mileage quota and save me money. Of course I won’t be so smug when it’s blowing a gale and chucking it down with hail / rain but I’ll just have to deal with that as and when it happens.
As I seem to running out of pixels, I’ll finish here and switch to work mode now 😦 Byeee.
Go Podge Go.
Archive for April, 2012
Cyclist Reborn, or, Cyclist Recycled
Posted: April 23, 2012 in Cycling, training, TravelTags: Colnago, Dreamert, Fat Man, iMagic, Tacx
Typical isn’t it? Last week, I took the window of opportunity when I found some spare time to take the Colnago off the iMagic trainer and ready it for the road. I subsequently dismantled the iMagic and put it neatly away for the ‘Summer’. Better still, I found that getting a later train gave me the option of a more civilised start to the day and even get out and do a 10-mile ride before work.
Today was to be my first early morning ride. Trouble is, I was woken up at 03:00 by rain hurling itself at my bedroom window. Bugger, I thought. I ain’t riding in that. I then lay awake for the next two hours waiting for my alarm to go off. Of course, had I not dismantled my trainer, I could have at least done a session in the garage.
So, guess what I’m doing at the weekend? That’s right: I’m unpacking the trainer and retaining the option to ride indoors (well, the garage). Hmphhhh.
Go Podge Go
175 Years
Posted: April 16, 2012 in TravelTags: Bergen, Cruise, Gerainger, Noway, Oceana, Olden, P&O
I think it was about this time last year when I first became aware of the 175 year birthday celebrations for P&O that were being planned for July 2012. The most significant aspect of the celebrations were to be the fact that ALL 7 of P&O’s cruise ships would be in port on the 3rd of July 2012 and that they will all depart in a grand procession. I don’t believe that such a spectacle has been seen before and the whole event promised to be an unforgettable experience that I simply wasn’t prepared to miss out on. And to my good fortune, I was able to secure two cabins on the Oceana for a 7-night voyage to the Norwegian Fiords. The cruise sold out within 48 hours so I felt very fortunate to be part of P&O’s celebrations.
All this was a year ago and now, here we are within 12-weeks of the big event and the excitement is really starting to build. Now, the planning / preparations begin.
Watch out for more. 🙂
Go Podge Go
Yep, that’s right. I’ve dusted off the old Geo Dream and put her back on the road.
She’s still the nicest bike I’ve ever ridden (though the Falcon Black Diamond comes a close second [late 60’s]).
Isn’t she just Luv_er_ly…..
Training Update April 2012
I know: I know: I haven’t been around for a while. Truth is, getting up at 04:45 / 05:00 every morning and not getting back home until 20:00 or later really does’t give me much time to ride my bike. However, with the lighter mornings and evenings I’m kind of hoping that this will change. I’ve packed away the turbo trainer for the season and will now try, once again, to kick start my way back onto my bike. I have done a couple of short rides this week and have to admit that I did find it difficult. Having said that however, I do feel a different sort of rider now [I’m still fat though 🙂 ].
Whereas before I would always try [unsuccessfully] to prove to myself that I was better than than other riders and better even that myself, I now find that I am just happy to be out on my bike and do what I can and actually enjoy the pleasures of the road. I’m no longer in a hurry to complete my ride as quick as I can (which to be honest, was never that quick anyway: I just go out, ride my bike as if for the first time and am effectively ‘starting again’.
That’s all for now: Go Podge, Go.
The Adventures of Podge & Tubbs 