Lily and I went for a great walk (and bike ride) between the rain showers at Clough Head resevoir on Saturday…
HB01 – a new piece of music
I hardly ever get time to do anything musical these days but I had occasion to try out a new microphone. Rather than sing or play the guitar, I was just messing about and came up with some percussive sounds that I used to form the human beatbox in this new (very experimental) track. I’m not taking it any further than this because I enjoyed the discipline of making something in less than an hour; it’s fresh enough to be rough around the edges, but sounds good enough to leave it be!
The synth bass and ‘pads’ are done on the Moog synth and the other pad sound is a recording of ambient sounds in the London Underground that I made a few years ago.
Click here to listen to it in MP3 format, 1 min 59 sec
Monochrome photos from the farmyard
I took some photos of the fascinating collection of things on my brother-in-law’s farmyard at the weekend. It’s by no means a ‘prescious’ idyllic farm, but it’s a working place and I love looking at all the bits about in all the nooks and crannies.
Video from our caravan holiday at Reighton Sands
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I just got round to putting together a six minute film from our October holiday. Almost exclusively beach footage from the Filey and Bridlington coasts. Photos are here if you missed them. |
Phil gets cross
My brother Phil rode his first ‘proper’ cyclocross of the season at the weekend and enjoyed it thoroughly. His Three Peaks race was the last race he had done, and he rode at the South West race in Escot Park without any preparation other than enthusiasm. Muddy conditions looked fun. Well done, Phil.
Weekend at Rye Close Farm for Jenny’s 15th Birthday
This weekend was the first time we’ve visited Katie’s sister’s family since July. It was Jenny’s 15th birthday and we were lucky to be there at all given that she was carried off dramatically in an air ambulance only a week before after a fall from a horse. (She’s clearly not very good at riding).
Lily was very excited and made the most of a visit to the farm – she loves helping Greame and Lucy to do the feeding round in the morning. I just love wandering around taking photos of the goings on.
Daylight Portraits
I worked at home on Thursday and it was the first time I’d been at the house in the daylight for more than a week. Just took a few photos whilst there was a bit of light about of my lovely daughter and my silly but lovely dog.
Lounge carpet!
Our lounge carpet was fitted on Tuesday and we’re in the very satisfying position of bringing about the end of almost two years without a ‘real’ living room. Lily, somewhat predictably, took the opportunity for a good run around, as did Elvis.
National Trophy round 3: Mallory Park
Well I wouldn’t say that it was a waste of time, but it was approaching it. Two and a half hours of travelling each way for a course that was just abysmal and form that just didn’t materialise on the day. I finished 35th out of a field of 49 starters, and after a pretty good first lap, i soon succumbed to just not being able to keep myself rolling smoothly and went into the red somehow, not seeming to recover.
Again, I couldn’t close down small gaps on the riders in front after ten minutes of racing and again a cycling god from the low countries came and made the UK cyclocross scene look so amateurish. This time is was David Willemsens, Belgian Amateur champion who rode round the (exceedingly dull) Leicestershire course with ease, lapping most of the field.
After a win in the North West league last year, and wins in two of the four NW races I’ve ridden so far this year, the natural thing to do seems to progress to the top level of competition in the country (and it’s the right thing to do, given the generous sponsorship we’ve had from Wheelbase, SIS and Gore bike wear), but this step is so big, and it’s frustrating that there’s nothing in between!
It was a good chance to catch up with my team mate (and lift share) Lewis, who, conversely, seems to be really getting it together this season in the national trophies. Good on him.
Paper cuts by Peter Callesen
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It’s not that often that I look at art these days and think “wow”, but for some reason, I’m just intrigued by these cut paper creations, all from A4 paper. They’re maybe amazing because I’ve got such wobbly hands that I could never ever get near making them. Wow. |
Red shoe day
New Shoes! Lily had a little treat going shopping to Asda with Katie today
New entry at number 1
I had the psychological uplift of another cyclocross win on Saturday at the Liverpool Century ‘cross Otterspool Park.
Adding to the euphoria was riding my new frames, Columbus X-Wings, (click on image, right) which felt very nice indeed (though, of course, it’s not about the bike).
As if that wasn’t enough, a total cycling hero Ben Greenwood was riding cyclocross for the first time and finished in third spot. Now I’m not deluding myself about being better than him, no way sir, but I was in this discipline on the day. What an amazing feeling!
As with my previous wins, you sometimes feel like it’s more about who didn’t turn up to race than who I beat, but you can only beat who’s there.