A year ago I went to ride my first Blackburn Grand Prix race, and as soon as I rode onto the course for a warm-up, immediately knew it was a course for me. Last year’s race was really enjoyable for me and I went off the front of the race from the second lap and stayed there, eventually finishing in fourth place. The race was won by my stronger team mate Lewis Craven, but his attack and domination of the race had left me with some unfinished business. I wasn’t free to chase Lewis in 2009 – I’d earmarked the 2010 race as mine to win. Continue reading “Blackburn Grand Prix 2010 – a win brings relief”
Deershed Festival 2010. Family Frolics in Sunny Yorkshire
Fantastic 24 hours camping at the Deershed Festival over near Thirsk this weekend. Sandwiched between rain on Friday and Sunday, we managed to enjoy a pretty sunny day of musing and moseying to music and general arts. Continue reading “Deershed Festival 2010. Family Frolics in Sunny Yorkshire”
Colne Grand Prix 2010
My first town centre crit as an oldie last night (albeit still in the baby support race ) and it was business as usual. just over 50 riders lined up for Colne Grand Prix as Colne itself seemed to be inexplicably sandwiched on all sides by the blackest clouds you can imagine. The race got under way bang on time and it took me four of five laps to warm myself up properly. It does take a bit longer these days – (seriously!). Continue reading “Colne Grand Prix 2010”
Forty-and-a-half: Time to party
Having a birthday in the depths of January isn’t that good. At the butt-end of Christmas when schools have gone back and the daylight lasts about as long as dinner time, no-one feels like anything other than thinks like diets, holidays, or ending it all. When I turned 40 this January I kept it a low key affair. Not because I didn’t want to get lots of people together, but more because I didn’t want anyone to be doing it under duress. Continue reading “Forty-and-a-half: Time to party”
Life-Long Learner: In Pursuit of the Rad
Had been very much looking forward to yesterday since January, and it didn’t disappoint. Matthew had very perceptively noticed that no matter how much we ride bikes, there is still some learning to be done. We spend so much money over the years trying to upgrade our bikes. Uber-legend Mountain bike Skills Coach Ed Oxley‘s business strapline is ‘upgrade yourself’. The one thing missing from the mix with stuck-in-their-ways 40-somethings like me. Continue reading “Life-Long Learner: In Pursuit of the Rad”
Rossendale Triathlon 2010
A bit of tough fun on a Sunday morning and a mini-target for me. Important to keep the weight down with these mini-targets throughout the year!
I finished tenth today. The usual massive disparity in the time splits out of the 259 entrants for me… swim 139th, bike 4th, run 16th… but it’s a great reminder that there are other things to sport than cyclocross, crits and riding the Lancifornia trails on the MTB. Good for the soul. Transitions are plain exciting too!
Lily’s third fell race: The Austwick Amble
Lily did us proud yet again yesterday with what was a great run in the Austwick Amble junior race. We’d had a lovely night camping in Malham and turned up for the Austwick street fair with semi-plans to run (we’d packed the trainers etc!). Continue reading “Lily’s third fell race: The Austwick Amble”
Elsie turns two
Elsie’s second birthday today – yes – it has flown by a bit hasn’t it. It generally does really, but newborn-to-two seems especially fast in children. Katie and I decided that a Very Hungry Caterpillar theme was appropriate given the fave-book status and Elsie’s hobby; eating things.
Continue reading “Elsie turns two”
Jane and Dips’ house: Oxford’s alternative May Day weekend
Oxford’s tradition of May Day (or rather May Morning) is a bit much sometimes with young children (when, generally, an early morning is not something you do by choice) and when we went to stay with old mates Dips and Jane in their Oxford home, the last thing we wanted was to hit the pubs at 6am. However, with four grown ups catering for the needs of four children, we made a good effort at comprimise by hitting the pubs around about midday and pretty much keeping going – albeit at a cultured snail’s pace, as the day progressed.
The visit – pretty long overdue – was a great chance to hang out and catch up with great friends, and sandwiched between pretty good car journeys either end, wound up being a great chilled out time.
Photos of some general fun here and a video below… followed by a few photos from Jane here too
The unlikely adrenaline hub of the world: Rossendale, Lancashire
In a way, it’s a strange discovery; one of those little unpredictable things that happen in life. As a cyclist who’s done a bit of everything on a bike, and still would do if he had time, I’ve found myself refining my cycling to niches and events that present realistic but challenging goals. I expect quite a lot out of myself from my cyclocross racing, and when push comes to shove, it’s my primary thing, but those other things that happen – the bits that fall roughly between February and September – have taken an unexpected turn recently – something mailnly down to where I live. Continue reading “The unlikely adrenaline hub of the world: Rossendale, Lancashire”
John Shuttleworth: If Nick Clegg was called Nicholas
Lovely to hear John Shuttleworth on the Vote Now Show late on Radio 4 last night. The track’s here if you missed it – his wonderfully crafted lyrics are a great take on the three horse race that’s unfolding before us…. I think he has a point. If Nick Clegg was called Nicholas, he would inevitably get less votes.
Here’s the track for those of you who missed it:
[audio:http://www.minnellium.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/John-Shuttleworth-The-Vote-Now-Show-28-04-2010.mp3|titles=John Shuttleworth – The Vote Now Show 28 04 2010] (updated: download link here by popular demand of the flash-starved iPhonites)
Lyrics:
If Nick Clegg was called Nicholas
Voters would think him ridiculous
But as he’s just plain “Nick Clegg”
People assume he’s a right good egg
If only Gordon and David
Would shorten their names as he did
Think of the votes they’d get
from an admiring electorate
Wouldn’t you put a tenner on
Somebody called Dave Cameron?
He sounds a like a friendly bricklayer
Or even a professional darts player
(“Dave, you require double-five”
– Well – he wants number 10)
If only Gordon was Don Brown
His ratings would never have gone down
A Don you would never close a door on
Whereas Gordon is a moron
(he’s gone a bit quiet hasn’t he – the lad who did that one)
By the way, I wonder if you knew
That Nick Clegg’s a former member of Kajagoogoo
Oh no – that’s not Nick Cleggs that was Nick Beggs
Apologies I’ve made a slight boo boo
If Nick Clegg’s was called Nicholas
Voters would think him ridiculous
But as he’s just plain “Nick”
He’s as solid as a brick
He’s the one the others must lick
Shame his middle name is Benedict
(no I’m only joking… )
Oh – and a lovely reference in the lyrics to ‘Gordon is a Moron’ re: the 1978 hit by Jilted John (Graham Fellows – or John Shuttleworth in a former punk skit role) – flashback below.
Merchandise: For the Masses
“Five years in the making” makes any album sound epic, doesn’t it. Merchandise are a friend-of-a-friend band that have become just a friend band now. Brad asked me to build the Cityscape Records website some time back, then I shortly after rebuilt the Merchandise website. Along the way I got to listen to their music and things grew and grew. I do enjoy their poppyness lots…
I’m lucky enough to be – in some sort of VIP way- in receipt of a pre-release of the album ‘For the Masses’ that will be coming out in June, and thought I’d tell you all that it is well worth the wait.
Putting two fairly anthem-like tunes up fron in positions 1 and 2 (‘Listen Up’ and ‘Sometimes’) is a smart move. You start buzzing straight away. Still getting used to some of the new tracks but all satisfy in their own way. ‘Prescription’ and ‘Enemy’ are certainly not the happy-go-lucky type of track that the beautiful ‘sometimes’ proves to be listen after listen.
Great work Brad and Con – everyone buy this in June and help Bolton’s best kept secret become Bolton’s best known band.
[audio:http://www.merchandisetheband.co.uk/Listen Up!.mp3]