Author: Dave Haygarth

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As one door closes… another one opens

Finish Line

“My” day of cyclocross: Rode well, steady start, faded a bit, kicked into a good rhythm after ten mins, then after 40 mins my bike was trashed and the race was over.  It doesn’t sound too good does it. Not even with my rose coloured glasses.  A good couple of k’s worth of carbon fible mashed up after the spokes sucked my rear gear mech into them isn’t exactly silver lining stuff.  But there was a large, very glittering silver lining to my not-so-effective day’s racing today at round 1 of the North West Cyclocross league in Preston.  Continue reading “As one door closes… another one opens”

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Lily is Nine

My little Lily turned nine today – stunningly quickly … as these things go … Elsie jumped in to Lily’s bed extra early and we opened a couple of pressies and cards – but on her return to School Day we decided to leave the proper festivities until later today. Happy Birthday my lovely girl.

Photos here

 

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Love/Hate Relationship: The Mary Towneley Loop

Cannondale Flash Carbon 29er

It’s one of those rides.  One of those ‘have to do it every so often’ rides.  One that you look forward to and dread in equal measure.  The Mary Towneley Loop is a 44 mile extension to the Pennine Bridleway and is a doorstep challenge for me, living 4.5 miles from the route itself.  It’s too long to do in all but the brightest and longest summer evenings but it’s not quite a day long ride.  It’s hard, but at times very rewarding, and you always seem to come out of it much fitter than when you start it.  With c. 6,000 feet of climbing it’s bound to be.   I love doing it, but I really hate it too.

Continue reading “Love/Hate Relationship: The Mary Towneley Loop”

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Mum’s 70th birthday

My mum reached a very respectable 3 score and ten yesterday and we went up to Kirkby Lonsdale today to enjoy some lovely weather, cakes, food, and company. It seemed very strange but incredibly rewarding to meet a few people from mum’s life that I haven’t seen for many many years. At least three people I enjoyed chatting to today are people I haven’t seen since I was younger than ten years old.

Obviously a lot of water under the bridge but it’s amazing to feel an instant connection to some people because of a shared past. I’m pretty sure mum enjoyed herself but hardly had a moment to pass the time with her on a busy day. We get some better quality time together in a couple of weeks… To be savoured.

Some photos here… On Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/minnellium/archives/date-posted/2011/07/10/?view=md

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Planes drew kisses

I love this when it happens for some reason.

Inspired to snap this whilst out on my bike on Scout Moor last night and it always makes me think of the Cinerama lyrics from the song ‘Airborne’

“I was watching you from the observation deck
Until your plane became a shiny speck
And if I wanted to sentimentalise
I’d say the planes drew kisses across the sky“

Very simple almost inconsequential lyric that always triggers something in me.

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Formby Dunes: Recommended

Fantastic trip with Katie and the girls to Formby Sand Dunes / Red Squirrel woodland on Monday – it was chucking it down all morning and we took the risk… it paid off and cleared up minutes after we got there. Brilliant, very non-Northern feeling environment. It felt more like France or the low countries. Gorgeous coniferous sandy rolling woods and really big dunes. Just an utter playground for the youg and the young-at-heart and their dogs. Continue reading “Formby Dunes: Recommended”