I know it’s cheap and schoolboy-like, I know it’s a pure out and out publicity stunt, but I can’t help laughing at this.
Dave and Jane’s house for the weekend
The last time Katie and I woke up in a bed at Dave and Jane Bancroft’s house, it was the morning after the millennium celebrations in the Millennium Dome. This time, when I looked at my watch on Saturday morning, it was 07:07 on 07 07 2007. How flipping wierd’s that ?
We went to stay (long overdue) with our lovely mates on the occasion of the Tour de France visiting London. The spectacle of it all just surpassed any superlatives I can come up with. Immense crowds, an incredibly friendly atmosphere, and brilliant weather.
The race itself went so well (we watched the prologue in Hyde Park), and it built to a great crescendo, with two of the British time trial specialists going off towards the end of the three hour event. In the end, it was great to see utter domination from woprld time trial champion Fabian Cancellara. It’s somehow right that a world champion should win the ‘world prologue championships’ (as Chris Boardman used to call the Tour de France prologue).
We had such a great time at Dave and Jane’s. My recent switch in jobs (to doing web development work at Reverse Delta) could have meant an erosion of my relationship with my Dave becoming my colleague and inevitably my boss, but it’s been a really positive move. Nice wine, lovely food, good weather; good times.
Rochdale Grand Prix 2007
Last night I exorcised my demons with my first ride in the support race for the Rochdale GP – a classic town centre bike criterium race. Last year, I was getting prepared with some really good form, when I damaged a disk in my back and put myself out of action for a while.
This year, it went really well; the atmosphere was good, the racing was aggressive and very positive, and I felt on top of things. The course is a 1.2km circuit based on the town hall and shopping area of the town; it’s main feature was the climb (about 100ft high, but it wears you down when you climb it every two minutes!) and some tight twists and turns. The result of this, plus the wet roads, meant the riders were mainly lined out, so it was important I stayed near the front.
I got a small gap (probably about ten seconds) a couple of times in the race but didn’t have what it took to stay away for long. As we neared the end, I promised myself to do all in my power to be on the front for the final fast but slippy corner, about 300 metres from the line. This gave me the best chance of a win in a bunch (I’m not a good sprinter but people would lose their pace behind me in the corner); and only two people managed to come round me in the final sprint, meaning a podium place.
Katie, needless to say, was very chuffed with the flowers and Bubbly that happen on these occasions. I was just chuffed to be ‘up there’ in a fast bunch finish. The low key Science in Sport weekly races at Preston have definitely helped my race tactics and general experience when it comes to fast finishes. 37 and never too old to learn.
I wore my new Garmin Forerunner 305, which combines all the features of my old Garmin with a heart rate monitor, so had good fun analysing the data when I got home (see graph!).
After the race, I watched the Elite race (and took a few piccies on my phone camera!), won in fine style for the second year running by Chris Newton. My team mate Lewis Craven put in an excellent ride in fine company to finish 15th. After that, I went into Lewis and Wendy’s new Optician shop in Norden, Rochdale – Craven and Murray – and had a good look round – it’s a gorgeous shop and I’m sure the business will work out really well.
Some brilliant pics here from Mountain Bike Cumbria
Photos below courtesy of Larry Hickmott
Five day forecast for Rossendale, Lancashire
I’m not too much of a ranting person. I put up with a fair deal and don’t moan too much too often. My glass is always half full.. bright side of life, etc. But can I just say how utterly and completely pig sick I am of this sodding weather. It’s really grinding me down now. Two and a half weeks ago, Katie, Lily and I came back from Barcelona complete with healthy tans, etc.
The only two chances I’ve had in that time to wear shorts have both been bike races, and even then it was bordering on the type of weather you’d think about wearing leg warmers. It’s just utterly rubbish.
I went out for a ride today just determined not to be beaten by it (the normal wet weather option is a fell run – much simpler and you can only get so wet…). 
Going through Hebden Bridge, I was treated (after two severe rainstorms in fifteen miles) to the sight of sand bags outside all the houses and shops. Cragg Vale, a long Pennine climb that reminded me of some winding alpine approach road last time I rode it was today dominated by a river on the tarmac and thunder claps (though luckily the climb’s 5 miles long and it had cleared up by the top!). It’s July. Fed up.
Young Angus
With some little boys, a life ahead full of Rock’n’Roll attitude seems inevitable. Like his namesake Angus Young, my nephew Angus seems destined for something like that. Recorded in Easter when we were playing with music on the computer together.
Summer Holidays – ‘camping’ in Gavamar, Barcelona
First time overseas (unless you count the Scottish islands) for three whole years for Katie, Lily and I. Needless to say we were very excited – even the less excitable element of the family. Everything went brilliantly, from flights (one very amazed little girl) to the place we stayed. It’s a gorgeous and very tidy camp site, and we were staying in a caravan-style hut, complete with shower, bog, kitchen, etc. Did the job brilliantly.
The beach was well kept and perfect for sand castles. Waves perfect for a rumpus with blow up boat and rubber ring. Booze a mere snip – Cava and local red wine @ £1.10 a bottle. We just had a very fun and very chilled time.
Barcelona itself was as lovely as usual – very hot but not scorching. We only did a couple of day trips into the city – plenty in the event. Tapas, Ramblas, Gaudi, Espresso etc. Just lovely.
We met a very friendly family from Belgium, and I managed to sneak plenty of cycling discussions in. Nienke and Yitse, the 6 and 5 year old children just got on brilliantly with Lily. That was nice too. What was also startling was how the Spanish, and Europeans in general smile at other people’s children, and how the teenagers there don’t seem to be abrasive or scary when seen in groups.
See the rather extensive family photos here
The slightly more off the wall photos here
The video here.
Barcelona Beach Hols 2007 – film
Managed to get this bit of editing out of the way in a very short space of time (as you can probably see).
We didn’t take the camera into town with us on our visits so this is all beach and campsite stuff.
Phil and Family in Capel Curig – 18 hours of manic fun
Had a very fleeting but utterly fun time with my brother and family camping at Dolgam, just outside Capel Curig in Snowdonia last night. They’d been on a sort-of-holiday in north Wales looking at a potential relocation, so we seized the advantage of them only being a couple of hours away to have a great camping trip.
Lily wasn’t in on it – she thought we were just going camping (enough excitement in itself!), but the look on her face when she saw her cousins in the car park in Betws y Coed was, to coin a cliché, priceless.
A great time had by all – and a short time that none of us will forget for a while.
One breadth to Five Metres: Swimming certificates a generation on.
Lily’s swimming under her own buoyancy and skill now, and she very proudly brought home her five metres certificate yesterday. I thought it was time to compare the certificates that she and I brought home after our respective swimming breakthroughs.
Whitsun weekend
Just a few photos from Whitsun weekend. A weekend at home and not really getting much done. I’m taking more and more piccies on my phone these days… the camera’s just not about when you need it, even if it does take decent photos.
Podcast: “Blue Chip”
It’s a familiar story… Boy meets computer, boy loves computer, boy meets girl, computer becomes neglected, computer gets jealous.
A slightly different feel to some of my recent podcasts….
Click for lyrics
Podcast: It’s okay to be wrong
… is a new song which started life about 16 years ago in a rehearsal room in Lancaster, rehearsing with Phil and James in Inspekta Spencer. The song never came to anything, but the riff lived on in my head!
It’s very rocky. I like it, but I’m frustrated with the vocals; I think I could have done with starting it in a key that I could comfortably sing. Instead, I pressed on with recording the tracks and then it was sort of too late. So decided to record two vocals; one on a low octave and one on a high one, as a sort of can’t-win compromise. I’m very happy with the guitar sounds though. And the general arrangements. I just wish I could have done the vocals a bit better – but it’s time to move on, and anyway, it’s okay for them to be wrong.
[audio:http://www.minnellium.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/its-okay-to-be-wrong.mp3]