A canopy of stars

Now that the clocks have changed, cycling has taken on a new dimension with new challenges. The biggest problem is how do I cycle down the pitch black lanes without a serious accident. The answer is a very expensive pair of lights that illuminate everything. These lights arrived a couple of weeks ago but so far I have been only able to use them once. It was a lovely clear evening. The lights worked a treat and I felt very safe and confident.

The night cycling was an all together new experience. The stars were out. All around it was dark, but in the heavens the universe opened up above me. What a humbling experience. I saw a fox, and heard something large making its way through the hedgerows. My sensitivity to sound was heightened by as much as my sight was diminished. I felted positively alone with an acute sense of isolation and freedom.

unfortunately the weather has intervened to prevent me repeating this experience. Last week it was severe gales and today it was ice - both hazards of the winter. Hopefully I'll be back on my night road soon!

A golden shower

How beautiful the last week has been as every thing has slowly turn golden brown. There is an intensity in the colour that only nature can produce. What a wonderful cycle ride it has been to and from work this last week as I pass the hedgerows and small woods that shower golden leaves on me as I pass.

Speed of light

Never mind the slow lane... It's been a month of working in the evening, working at the weekends, 12 hour days, sleepless nights, not enough family time, stress and an overwhelming sense of having taken on too much. What has been the cause of this you might ask. In short, taking on a lucrative piece of extra work on top of my already demanding work schedule.

Was it worth it?

It didn't feel like it mid-last week. But I did enjoy the work and it will feel nice (at least for a while) when the £££ comes in.

Would I do again?

I have missed the slow lane. I am tired. I want to spend time with my loved-ones. So if you asked me now, no I wouldn't. But, unlike an elephant, I do forget!!!

On ya bike...

It's been a while. A bout of flu that did the rounds in the family has knocked us for six and normal life is only just returning!

The poor bike was locked away in the shed for two week - until yesterday when it served me on a glorious Autumn commute to work. How the colours are changing. As I passed Killerton Estate there was a wonderful patchwork of reds, yellows, browns and greens that crowns the hill. I love this time of year (apart from the nasty bugs that is!).

In the shed...

Alas, the sun shines, the birds sing and my bike is locked away in the shed. The bug still lingers and I am forced to catch the bus to work :-(

It could be worse, at least I can read on the bus!

Contrasts

Yesterday was a day of contrasts. I woke up, the sky was grey and rain laden. The wind was doing its best to start the Autumn fall. I left the house feeling very sorry for myself which was exacerbated by the time I had got out of the village as my shorts were already soaked through. However, as my journey progressed I started to to enjoy the the ride. As I cycled along I watched small streams washing away the red soil deposited by the tractors on their recent harvesting runs. I heard the patter of rain drops on my helmet and on the tress. I heard the birds singing as they made the most of nature's gift. I was in the middle of the beautiful countryside. Then I reached the edge of Exeter and the main roads. Cars speed past noisily as they progressed along the wet roads. Instead of red mud, the puddles and spray contained black gunk that coated my bike. How I wished I were elsewhere.

The journey back by contrast was still and sunny with little wind. The shadows were long, creating patches of twilight that were frequently pierced by the bright light of the low sun. It was glorious. I though was deflated, lethargic. I was struggling and this was puzzling me. Last night the puzzle was solved, I've been hit by the first winter season cold virus!

Picture this...

8.15 AM - 20 Sept 2010 (between Hele and Silverton Mill)

5.45pm, 20th September 2010. Nr. Silverton Mill

Blackberries

Sunday PM

D: Let's go for a walk to Beacon Hill, to get a view of the village.

Maus: Is that my favourite walk?

D: (puzzled expression) I thought you found walks boring.

Maus: Not my favourite walk.

S: Can I finish my tea first?

Monkey: I not go for walk, I play.

After much debate they finally leave. The walk takes them up the Backs, down the footpath, over a style and past the church.

Maus: Look, blackberries

D: Yes, but these are not so good to eat.

Maus: Ohh...

Monkey: I not like blackberries

S: We forget a bag to collect blackberries

D: (On producing a bag) No we haven't.

They climb up the steep path to a style.

Maus: Look, I can climb over the style by myself

Monkey: I climb as well.

Maus: Wow, look at the blackberries, can I have some

Monkey: I not like blackberries

They carry on walking to the top of Beacon Hill, picking, collecting and eating blackberries.

D: Wow, look at the view!

S: That's lovely.

Maus: Look at the blackberries, I love blackberries.

Monkey: Carry me please!

Road kill

For some reason there has been a large increase in the amount of road kill on the lanes this last week. Two badgers, a rat, 4 squirrels, numerous birds, several rabbits. It's a sad sight to see their squashed and disfigured remains on the tarmac.

Wind, wind go away, please blow another way

The wind is currently the bane of my life. The last few days it feels as if it has been aggressively trying to push me back to make my ride a lot harder than it should be. I would not mind if I only had this battle with the wind on one leg of my journey. Yet, of late, the wind has had this uncanny ability to change direction in the day so that it attacks me from a southerly direction on the way into work and than swings around to the North to have another go on the way back. When will it leave me in peace?

Life on the fast train

Kings Cross International. Hassle free check-in... 30 minute wait... climb on board... speeding along the bowels of London... then the countryside whizzes past... under the channel... France rushes by... into Belgium... arrive in Brussels... 1 hour 58 minutes... get off, get on... 50 minutes... imposing church towers dominate the flat lands... end of the line... cobbled streets, canals... Brugge beer... perfect.

There is an artist in us all

Brittany 2010. The concept is simple. Collect the bits of junk that people throw out and turn it into a beautiful moving piece of art powered by the sun. If only it were as simple as it sounds. I am in awe.

Abandonment??

While it may seem like I have abandoned this blog, it far from the case. It has been on my mind. It's not even as if I've had writers block. The ideas have been coming and going faster than I can record them or even remember them.

So why the lack of words, ideas thoughts and indulgent musings?

Unfortunately, I have been caught up in the fast lane. Work, work and more work (even dare I say in the evenings). I only have myself to blame, procrastination has led to a logjam of tasks. Over enthusiasm has led me to bite off more than I want to chew.

It's time to ease myself back into the slow lane.

Picture Frames

Wake up in the dead of night, images flickering
Thoughts churn around and around, images flickering

Sleep, sleep, I just wanna sleep
Sleep, sleep, I just wanna sleep

Dead eyes, so tired, images flickering
Sinking feeling, it takes its toll, images flickering

Sleep, etc...

Eyes closed, head down, but images flickering
Eyes tight, sleep tight? No,those thoughts churn around and around

Sleep, etc...

Dull brain sees a picture frame of images flickering
Dull brain sees a picture frame in which thoughts churn around and around.

Sleep, etc...

The three phases of cycling

Sometimes riding is an effort of will (especially when confronted by a strong wind), sometimes it’s a period for reflexion and thinking, and, if luck strikes, it’s a time for switching off in an almost meditative state. Today I think I experienced all three of these, my favourite of which was the meditative state. One minute I was at Killerton House and next at Poltimore without having been aware of the three miles of toil that took me there.

Happiness is… ?

Back on the bike today after the excesses of German hospitality. What a lovely morning and refreshing ride. It was so invigorating to catch glimpses of the Devon countryside as I plodded along.

Today really I noticed how much friendlier travellers of the slow lane are. Today I meet one horse rider and several cyclists who all gave me a warm smile and greeting as I passed. Before going to Germany, I spent two miles of my journey with a fellow cyclist, whom I’d never met before, chatting away about the rights and wrongs of the world. Compare this to the people who zoom past me in their cars with their sad or angry faces. When I slow down or pull aside to let them past do I get a thank you? Sadly, not very often. This tells me a lot about where the path to happiness lies.

Life on the Autobahn

Life in the fast lane. Bradninch to Germany. 1230 miles covered in the space of 12 days. Sat in a metal black box cut off from the outside. How my back aches. How I look forward to my life back in the slow lane.

Zen and the Art of the Slow Lane

The Dilemma

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance tells us that it is not the end point of the journey that should be pushing us forward as this detracts from us enjoying the journey for its own sake. In many ways my approach to cycling has embraced this ideal. When jumping on a bike you are faced with two choices: speeding off as fast as you can to get it over with quickly or plodding along to enjoy the ride. My approach to cycling has been to undertake a journey with as little effort (and thus speed as possible) as I like to enjoy the ride. However, every moment I spend slowly enjoying the lanes of Devon is time not spent at work or not turning up on time for a meeting. Thus, the title of this blog is a little misleading: it should be called 'life in the slowish lane' or 'life in the medium-paced lane' as I end up working harder than I would on a non-work ride. That said, it will never be 'life in the fast lane' as that would imply too much work. I'm quite happy exchange a hello with the serious cyclists as the whiz past in a blur of colour.

SPEC

The Bike: Specialised Sirus Sport



FRAME
Specialized Sirrus A1 Premium aluminum, fully manipulated tubing, compact design, hourglass speedstays, integrated headset
FORK
Sirrus carbon legs & crown, alloy steerer
HEADSET
Cage bearings integrated HS. w/ 20mm of spacers w/ top cap
STEM
Specialized Elite-Set, 3D forged alloy, 4-position adjustable, 4-bolt 31.8mm clamp
HANDLEBARS
2014 alloy, flat bar, 5-degree bend
TAPE
Body Geometry Comfort Grips open-end with plug, alloy barend
FRONT BRAKE
Forged 6061 aluminum Mini V-Brake, 85mm linear pull, w/ cartridge pads
REAR BRAKE
Forged 6061 aluminum Mini V-Brake, 85mm linear pull, w/ cartridge pads
BRAKE LEVERS
Forged alloy
FRONT DERAILLEUR
Shimano Altus
REAR DERAILLEUR
Shimano Alivio
SHIFT LEVERS
Shimano EF-50, EZ Fire
CASSETTE
Shimano HG-40, 8-speed, 11-32t
CHAIN
KMC Z-51
CRANKSET
Shimano FCM-191
CHAINRINGS
48 x 38 x 28T
BOTTOM BRACKET
Sealed cartridge, square taper, 68mm
PEDALS
Silver cage/black body, w/ black toe clips and strap
FRONT WHEEL
REAR WHEEL
RIMS
Alex S500, aluminum, sleeve joint, CNC machined sidewalls
FRONT HUB
Forged alloy, sealed, QR, 32h
REAR HUB
Forged alloy, double-sealed, cassette, QR, 32h
SPOKES
Stainless 14g
FRONT TIRE
Specialized All Condition Armadillo, 700x28c, wire bead, 60TPI w/ Flak Jacket protection
REAR TIRE
Specialized All Condition Armadillo, 700x28c, wire bead, 60TPI w/ Flak Jacket protection
INNER TUBES
Standard presta valve
SADDLE
Body Geometry Sonoma, 155mm width
SEATPOST
Alloy, two-bolt clamp, 27.2mm
SEAT BINDER
Alloy, 31.8mm
NOTES
Chain stay protector, chain catcher, clips and straps, derailleur hanger, clear coat, owners manual

On your bike...

Today is the brief account of how I came to be cycling to work and some of the trials I have encountered so far. It all started with wanting to live in place with more community than the city. A place where people say hello and look out for each other. A place where the children can feel safe. A place where we can connect to nature. A place where the pace of life is more relaxed. So in late May we moved to our house in a small town (a village really but it likes to call itself a town) in the Devon countryside.

Faced now with a 10.9 mile commute to work I had three choices: going by car (horrible - see the first blog entry); going by bus (good for reading but expensive); or cycling (wonderful - see the first blog entry). It all started off so well. The cycle ride was wonderful, refreshing, and peaceful . All that I needed was a new bike more suited to the longer route. So after a couple of weeks I ordered a new bike through the work cycle scheme.

On the very same day disaster ... I tangled with a car. Car dented, bike written off, Duncan only bruised and cut (a very lucky man!!). My poor old bike. I was going to keep it as a spare. It served me so well for seven years.

The next three weeks were a waiting game. When was the new bike going to arrive? I'm lucky to be alive, should I get on a bike again? Why is the bus so expensive? Then a week ago today my new Specialist Sirrus Sport was ready to be picked up (more to come on this later). I catch the bus into Exeter. Pick up the bike and cycle to work. My confidence has gone. The traffic scares me. I see danger everywhere . Can I do this? Wouldn't t be better to use the bus? At the end of the working day I start cycling home. The bike is great; comfortable and light with little road drag. How did I do the journey on my old bike? This bike is a joy to cycle. There is one slight drawback. Me. My confidence is shot. I go so slowly I might as well walk. I'm scared as I cycle through Exeter. Then I reach the lanes. I start to feel better, although I still take it easy and am cautious.

The next day is better. The headwind is a killer. Not far off gale force. Blows over a tree in our garden. But the countryside inspires me, my confidence slowly returns. The rain is lashing down and the wind is howling. It's good the feel the elements. I feel alive.

The opening

Live in a bubble, be stressed, rush, pollute, get fat, pour money down the drain, shout, sit in traffic, get angry, isolate, destroy, experience the artificial, scorn the real, switch off...

or...

Experience the elements, feel alive, breathe, ponder, deliberate, think, be free, connect to your surroundings, be calm, be happy, be slow, peddle, chat to follow travellers, see the detail, see the whole...


Which would you chose?

My way is the latter, so please forgive my indulgences as I record some experiences and thoughts from my (almost daily) 20 mile bicycle commute through the Devon lanes.