Hello again my faithful chums, not long now to the fateful day and as the ride date fast approaches, the enormity of the challenge is finally sinking in to such an extent that the Psyclos original line up has been decimated by withdrawals – it’s amazing how many old war wounds suddenly start twitching at the thought of a swift hill climb!!

But fear not dear readers, we’ve abandoned the weak by the wayside and brought in two finely honed athletes to supplement the already formidable team. Who are these hardy souls that will ride under the Psyclos banner I hear you all scream? Be still your beating hearts my chums. We now have in our team a seasoned Cumbrian campaigner and all-round athlete in the form of Su Latham, one of our colleagues from our sister company, Hold Engineering, based in Beckermet. Su will no doubt be familiar with the challenges of the mighty West Cumbrian landscape. She has even sent me a picture of her training!!

The other gullible…… ooops, willing volunteer is our very own Business Development Manager, James Rudd. James is very familiar with the West Cumbrian highways and byways, particularly Corney Fell, where he has had many an adventurous ride (in his car) and has managed to stay on the road on at least a couple of occasions!!!

What of the remaining original members, well make your self a cuppa, take a seat, put your feet up and I’ll give you an update.

John Morris (you remember – the budding musician) has been training well having recently completed a swift 18 miler. His first one for three months.

Chris Hart (yes, the baby Psyclo). I have been reliably informed is actually taking time off work to do some riding. Now that is commitment and dedication the youth of today can learn from.

Andy Watson (our ringer from Silverdell, Ark Environmental, EDS, OCS) has been too busy renaming the company to do any serious riding!

Me? Managed a little 30 miler around the highways and byways of Chorley, Rivington, Horwich & Bolton last weekend and I’m off to do three quarters of the coast to coast over the Easter weekend and then some proper training on the golf courses and bars of the five star resorts of Turkey.

Off now to clean my grips and grooves but remember folks, life is like riding a bike, if you don’t keep moving you fall off!!

Well this is my first ever blog (so be kind) but I was persuaded to do it as part of the Rivers Ride push and frankly it’s a good cause so I figured what the hell, I’ll share a few experiences from the bike!

Well I’ve now been out for a “proper” ride (i.e. one that involves being outside and not inside watching a dvd whilst perched on the turbo trainer) a grand total of 3 times in the last 2 months, each with varying degrees of success.  The first of which ended with a broken chain at roughly the furthest point from home (surprise surprise!!), where I had to phone home and drag my wife and three children out to pick me up.  This was bad enough but the fact my instructions were “some back road between Castle Carrock and Armathwaite” didn’t help.  That and the fact that my wife and two of my children were currently ill in bed did nothing for my popularity once back home!

The second ride out was much more successful, an afternoon off work out with a good mate where the banter was easy and the light rain and wind mostly bearable.  It included a fantastic stretch between Tebay and Appleby where we hit that rare thing…smooth tarmac!  What with that, the wind on our backs and lots of downhill where we took turns to enjoy each others slipstream it made you realise why you love cycling.  Even the slight dampener of arriving home, realising I’d forgotten my key and no-one being in failed to take the shine off it.

The third and most recent ride out (this weekend) saw me up the mileage but keep it nearly all on the flat.  An opportunity to ride from mine up to Carlisle and meet the family there for lunch was a one I grabbed with both cycling gloves.  After a meander through the villages I hit Hutton in the Forest and headed up that long flat stretch to Durdar.  I’d love to lay claim that it was my cycling prowess due to the winter training on the turbo that came to the fore as to how I averaged 22mph for the whole stretch, topping over 30mph more than once…however, I fear that it was not all entirely wind legal.  But I will admit to enjoying having the wind push me the whole way, you could almost kid yourself that you were getting pretty good at this cycling thing.  Well that was until somebody clearly much better (and wealthier) came flying past me on a beautiful piece of carbon machinery together with full carbon disc rear wheel.  Not sure if anyone’s had that happen before but you can hear them coming, I actually thought it was a car at first, a distinct thrum of finely tuned carbon over your right shoulder and then they fly past leaving you wondering what you’re doing wrong…it must be all in the bike?  After that it was an uneventful ride to Brampton, Longtown and back to Carlisle with just a few showers and the wind to contend with.  So it was with a certain amount of self righteousness and smugness that I tucked into cakes for the rest for the afternoon, safe in the self convinced knowledge that I’d already worked them all off!

The recent email from the Foundation suggesting it was time to recommence blogging, with less than ten weeks to go until the Rivers Ride, struck fear through me.

A couple of weeks ago, after a winter where I continued my training, I was feeling confident. However, a recent injury has made the start of this year’s training a much more daunting affair.

In fact, on a cycle ride in early February, I outperformed a friend and long time cycling partner for the first time ever. It felt alien to lead the pack and to be able to continue at pace as my friend slowed down. In fact, I felt I had a bit of an insight into what it must be like to cycle with me. I found myself surprised when he wanted to stop for a rest, thinking we’d only just had one.

Sadly, this feeling of superiority and confidence in my training didn’t last long – a squash injury soon put paid to that. As a result, I have managed very little cycling over the last month or so – at the gym or otherwise.

The worrying thing is that my innocent sounding ‘Baker’s cyst’ continues hang around my knee making its presence known.

However, this weekend’s temporary arrival of summer meant that I simply had to get out – injury or not. I’m happy to inform you that I have been out for a couple of rides and have enjoyed them both. I was alarmed to notice a visible drop-off in performance, but was pleased to quickly recover my passion for cycling and reassured that the knee injury didn’t prove much more than an irritation.

So I’m now hoping that embarrassing Strava segment times will make me focus on increasing my speed, and the thought of completing a 75 mile ride will quickly scare me into increasing the length of my rides back to something worth cladding myself in toilet-trip-hindering lycra in the first place.

I’ll let you know how I get on.

Oh God! he’s posted another one, does he ever stop, I hear you all mutter! Well truth be told dear readers – no. When you are on a roll – keep turning.

Do you remember last time I asked for some crisp spring weather? Well He/She up there must have been reading the blog as well as you lovely people and to celebrate I even ironed the lycra.

Suitably galvanised by the sun beating down, a couple of swift 24 milers to Bolton and back along the well formed cycle ruts over Anglezarke and through Horwich got the blood coursing through the veins. It was nice to see the local fire brigade waiting nonchalantly at the top of Anglezarke hill as I wheezed past just struggling to stay upright whilst my lungs were trying to explode out ofmy chest and my knees were screaming for me to stop. Fireman Sam leaning out of the gleaming red engine commented “nice day for it”, to which my reply was difficult to put into words but would have involved oxygen if I could have spoken! Still it was nice of him to ask!

Most recently we (me and the Baby Psyclo plus partners) reprised the 21 miler of the Preston Guild Wheel circuit, starting at the temple of mammon that is the Capitol Centre and finishing leisurely at the renowned Continental Bar. This time the pace was even slower as my Darling Wife was the pace setter and if she peddled into a headbreeze she would stall and fall off!!

So the sponsorship is going well especially after reminding some that they had already sponsored me and also already paid last year. Its looking very good for the Yellow Jersey as I have now topped £200. Fellow Psyclos will also be on course for the Yellow Jersey.

So dear readers and fellow riders all is now set: Accommodation – check, sponsorship – check, bike – check, lycra (padded) – check, Sunshine – TBC

So as a wise man once said “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring”

Keep those peddles turning!

Happy New Year Dear readers! Are you still with me? Being the hardy bunch I know you are, I’m sure you are still out there hanging onto every precious word. I’ve missed you so much!

So what have you been up to over the dark, wet and windy winter months? Have those sneaky pounds slipped back into the now even tighter lycra leggings? Well my fellow peddlers, the time is nigh to restart those rigid training regimes and the good news is that the Psyclopaths original line up has reformed, much like those hairy prog rockers of the 70’s (showing my age now) are apt to do from time to time!

Commitment is such to the Rivers ride that one of the Psyclos will even be cutting a Spanish siesta short to get to the start line. Even the baby Psyclo has finally come out of email hibernation to inform us of his training rides.

But what of the author I hear you all crying? What have I been upto.

After a full service on the bike I couldn’t wait to get back on the refreshed and newly gleaming two wheels. Enthusiasm was soon replaced with winter gloom as we were battered day after day by the great British winter weather. I don’t mind a little trickle down the back of the neck every now and again but I draw the line when ones face is being constantly wet blasted by horizontal rain. It does wonders for the complexion though, I appear to have lost 10 years off my face!!!

20 miles around the Anglezarke and Rivington moors proved that sitting around eating Christmas pud does little for the knees and calf muscles, as both were screaming for relief during the hill climbs. A 22 speedy mile round trip to the throbbing metropolis that is Bolton and back to the serene calmness of Chorley along the once glorious thoroughfare that is the A6 proved a lot easier.

So we are back with a vengeance, all we need now is a spot of crisp spring weather to get us back in the proverbial saddle, gliding up the slopes and gulping in the fresh country air. I’m knackered even writing it!!

Onwards and upwards dear readers and I’ll leave you with this simple thought “A bike runs on fat and saves you money, a car runs on money and makes you fat!” – Get out there!

The gales, the rain and the generally miserable winter weather have definitely been a test of this rider’s cycling resolve. Saturday’s outing over Warnell Fell, near Caldbeck, was one of the worst so far.

It’s a fifty or so mile loop that seems to have become my default Saturday jaunt. In fairness, the forecast predicted everything that came to pass. The rain started on cue, the wind duly increased and by the top of Warnell the hail was driving in. Like being pebble dashed in a freezer. This was the middle of the day, but visibility was none existent. Oh, and the battery in the bright, flashing newly acquired rear light chose this moment to pack in. Plus, I’d flatted at Welton. Punctures have been a regular feature of winter rides, so it didn’t take long to change, but in the downpour with fumbling fingers inside sodden gloves (waterproof? …having a laugh!!) it did nothing to improve my mood.

The long downhill to Wigton, normally a well-earned joy, brought the challenge of crosswinds and, by now, despite a wearing a baselayer, winter jacket and a rainshell, I was shivering like crazy. Fortunately the rain eased at this point and the return leg through the Solway villages of Kirkbride , Glasson Dumburgh and the like was, if not a pleasure, more bearable. The average speed was pitiful, but this was a day when just completing a decent length ride was cause for some satisfaction.

To my surprise, I encountered more fellow two-wheeled sufferers than on many a better day. A wave and a nod. We’re all in this together, you know. A glance ahead to next weekend’s forecast shows little improvement. The aching winter bones and complaining, groaning, shockingly ill-maintained, winter bike will doubtless set out on another ordeal. Though I must vary the route!

When the weather does, eventually, improve and all the other riders come out like bright brand new daffodils in springtime, I’ll have that smug inner glow as I wonder: “And where were you in darkest January?” The answer is, probably, that they have more sense or at least a turbo-trainer (still the work of the devil, to my mind….but I am beginning to toy with a little temptation). For me, riding a bike is all about outside and exercise, the experience, encountering nature up close. It isn’t always a pleasure. It can be a pain. It is a personal challenge, even if that is just overcoming the desire to sit in a warm armchair. But, by goodness, you know you’ve done it. There’s no time for the cares of the week, just focus on the road and plough on. It’s a particular satisfaction and I can well understand it’s not for everyone, but I knew I’d earned my Saturday night bottle of beer and slept most exceeding well.

Today, Sunday, just a dozen or so miles for the heck of it. But the rain is pouring and the wind is even stronger – see, I chose the least evil day for the “big ride”, I’m not daft – but it’ll feel like double that.* And may just earn me a fireside snooze to top off the afternoon.

*PS It did feel like double that – in part because of two more punctures…in the rain. My own fault, it’s a new “puncture protection” tyre, but it’s a very tight fit, hence two pinch punctures when resorting to tyre leavers. Anyone with a sure fire tip to beat these?

We’re back, and you thought we’d just given up didn’t you, go on admit it you did.

Yes, my fellow cycling chums, the great British summer strikes again. We’d all reached our peak of physical and mental fitness – some peaks higher than others – but we were ready!!

So what were we to do to keep sharp? Go on a 36 mile bike ride that’s what. I  met up with fellow Psyclo and budding musician, John Morris, at the infamous Black Dog in Belmont. We used the Dog as the base of our campaign to conquer the trials and tribulation and the rolling hills of the West Pennine moors, Rivington and Horwich. These byways were used in the recent Iron Man race and also the Manchester Commonwealth Games road race, so that was the magnitude of the challenge we set ourselves. And conquer it we did, well not all of it, but a lot of it! After the round trip we settled down to replenish vital lost fluids with a couple of refreshing pints of Jumping Joe’s best bitter whilst basking in the summer sun (for once) and watching the locals at play.

This little ride was followed up by a titanic 46 miler from Chorley, around the Preston Guild Wheel and back to Chorley. I was accompanied this time by the baby of the Psyclos, Chris Hart, and his partner and my work colleague, Laura Horne. Chris and myself were slightly hindered from reaching our full speed by Laura who never really attained maximum comfort on the pencil thin saddle of the borrowed bike.

Post round refreshment was taken in the Continental Bar in Preston, again basking in the summer sun. Chris and I had a problem of getting Laura back onto her bike for the little ride back to the car but we managed after some persuasion.

She enjoyed it so much she even offered to join the Psyclos for the rearranged Rivers Ride!!!!

So as the dark nights draw in (sounds like a film title!) and the temperatures plummet, we have the thought of the revised Rivers Ride date to sustain us throughout the winter months and to remind us why we are cycling in the dark with freezing hands and frozen dew drops developing.

Well dear readers, I’ll leave you with that image and bid you farewell until next time – keep those peddles turning!!!

Phew. What a relief. My endless scouring of the weather forecast didn’t do anything to make it read any better so I was absolutely dreading the 15th September. Last year we actually quite enjoyed getting soaked to the skin in the company of a jolly bunch of hardened Cumbrians. It was fun. But the prospect of strong winds on top of the rain was daunting to say the least. Good call, Andy.

The added bonus is we now have time to do a bit more on the bike before the event. Our efforts this summer have been derisory, as evidenced by previous blogs.

Well, ok. Blog.

Here is a description of our training efforts over the August Bank Holiday, with the red letter day looming large on the horizon:

Saturday:
Me (chirpily) “shall we go for a bike ride?” Him “Yes. Good idea! But… erm…. there’ll be loads of traffic, so shall we hike round Lord’s Lott instead?” Me (thoughtfully) “Yes. OK”

Sunday: Me (eagerly) “shall we go for a bike ride?” Him “Yes. Great idea! But ……the wasps are currently winning the battle of the plums. Don’t you think we’d better get them picked before they’re all ruined?” Me (reluctantly) “Yes. OK”

Monday: Me (hopefully) “shall we go for a bike ride?” Him (looking out at glorious sunshine and an enticingly pleasant breeze) “Yes. Brilliant!  Although………the weather’s perfect for a sail, and it might be the last chance we get this summer”. Me (envisioning picnic and bottle of wine whilst drifting gently down the Lake) “Oooh yes. OK. Lets.”   It was a great weekend. Well, apart from the wasps.

I’m happy to say I’m a volunteer marshal for this year’s Rivers Ride! However, I am looking at the weather forecast and wondering if I’d be better off riding…! I must admit, despite the weather being awful it didn’t put me off for this year, sadly due to personal reasons I’ve decided not to ride. But I am doing my bit for the Foundation!

All the volunteers met last week to find out which jobs we’ll be doing – I’m marshaling on the Big Day Out in Cockermouth! I think it will be interesting to see the ride from a spectator’s point of view; I didn’t pay too much attention to what was happening around me last year as it was so wet we just wanted to plough on!

I’m so proud to be able to be part of the event again this year – I will wear my biggest smile and I’ll be ready on Sunday to cheer on all the riders on the Big Day Out.

My company Derwent have 3 riders this year and are trying hard to raise as much money as they can for the Foundation – it’s a joy to see!

Good luck to everyone and I’ll try and take some photos of my marshaling experience (warning: they may just be of wellies and a cup of tea…!)

Just a week to go to the Jennings Rivers Ride and I’m hoping that I’m at least starting to get there in terms of fitness.

One thing is for certain. If it turns out to be another wet day this year I will definitely be prepared for anything that comes. That’s because part of my training took place during some of the wettest weather Europe has witnessed in several decades.

My wife and I took the opportunity to go on a cycling holiday at the start of June while our daughter was away on a 10-day school trip. We chose a river ride in Germany which was recommended by a friend.

All started well as we set off from the source of the River Neckar in theBlack Forestand headed towards Heidelberg, close to where it joins the River Rhine. The villages were beautiful and very historic, looking as if they had changed little for centuries. Some of the half timbered homes looked like a scene from a fairy tale.

Three days in though the weather had turned from warm to damp and then non-stop torrential rain.

I don’t mind getting wet but this was the sort of rain that soaked you right through within minutes. After a few hours the river had started spreading out and ended up two or even three times its normal width.

The Germans were clearly shocked by the amount of flooding that followed. We passed them taking photos and even with our limited knowledge of the language learnt that this was the worst flooding at that time of the year for around half a century. In fact the images made the news not just there but in Britain and right across Europe. (It was the same time as Prague was also at risk and many other European towns and cities).

The worst of it for us was the fact that the lovely cycle paths along the river edge had, by now, disappeared under several feet of water and we had to follow long diversions to get to the next towns and villages. We did learn one useful German word though – Hochwasser (flood). The signs were everywhere.

One town was actually cut off to all road users. So we ended up having to retrace some of our steps and catch a train as it was the only way to reach our accommodation for that night. When we finally arrived we saw the hotels pumping out their cellars.

But none of this put us off and we still had a wonderful – and very memorable – holiday. For me cycling is a great adventure and these challenges are all part of the experience, just like last year’s rather damp Jennings Rivers Ride.

I’m sure this year’s event will be blessed by good weather but just in case it’s not, I’m ready!