Locked In...

Not content with conquering the Black Route at Glentress - no dabs, not even on the aptly named Wormhole descent :-) - Jo's decided to up the ante and dive into the world of clipless peddles.
So here she is, locked in and moving through traffic on a sunny Manchester afternoon (with Red and Black socks on).

For those who've not felt both the pure Zen and terror of riding a bike with 'clipless peddles', imagine locking your shoes straight to the peddles with a metal clip - much like a ski-boot and skis (just without the soft snow). Much as you'd expect, the benefits are, increased efficiency (peddle up and down) and security (shoes don't come off your peddles) - which is also the main drawback: your shoes will stay glued to your peddles even as you go down with the ship - unless you can master the art of clicking your heels while trying not to fall on your head - rather like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. :-)

Summer in Manchester

What more proof do you need...? Hat and T-Shirt. Summer has come at last :-)

Dirt Jumps

Perhaps not surprisingly, I was at the local dirt jumps this afternoon enjoying the relatively rare moment where leisure time and sun coincide (I think it's called a Solar Relaxinox), when some locals pulled up and started riding with me.

Over the next little while, we got to talking, I said, "so I haven't seen you around before.." he replied, "yeah, so we've never actually got over to these mud jumps before..."

MUD jumps..!..?

Manchester's wet, but - please - not so wet that even local vernacular has succumbed to grey skies and sodden ground... apparently so.

...so here I am, at the mud jumps.

Ros is here!!

Ros arrived safe and sound this morning complete with luggage, thankfully!

So lovely to see her, and hug her.

We are about to go up town to get a coffee...and the good news is...it is not raining!

5-Days Running

We've had no rain in Manchester for 5-days running !

Vente

I'm sitting in a Starbucks near our house (is that a tautology?) reading my bible and catching up on email and I overhear a girl stop another girl on her way out asking, "was that a tall, extra-hot, hazelnut, sugar-free, skim latte-to-go..?"
"No," came her reply, "It should be a tall hazelnut, extra-hot, skim-free (?!),
sugar'd capp(acino)-to-go."
At which point the barrista chimmed in, "That's a tall, hazelnut, sugar-free, extra-hot, skim lar-tay-to-go, I'm working on the tall extra-hot, hazelnut, skim-free, sugar'd cappacino-to-go, now. Did you want that with choc-on-top..?"
(To let you know my involvement, I'm just drinking a latte-to-go - I think...)

After another few volleys, the sugar-free vs sugar'd latte/capp girls were sorted and out the door while I got back to reading just as a man's voice came over loud-and-proud, "Can I have a double-shot, Vente, hazelnut, soya, sugar-free, latte-to-go..? Not-so-hot if that's okay."

Maybe I need to try hazelnut (and buy a cardigan).

Skiing with Paul and Faye in Les Deux Alps

I've been meaning to write about our week skiing with Paul and Faye, but you'll have to be content with the photos till I get the time.

Enjoy - especially the sunset from our balcony :-)

Snow in England

This is how we were greeted back to work the first morning after our week snowboarding in the Alps. (video clip coming)
See also this clip from news.bbc.co.uk

Front Light

I've been working in Oxford this last week so snuck my bike down in the back of the car just to burn some stress.
So tonight, I *may* have been burning up through the centre of town, riding a little too fast - as I was running late for dinner with our good friend Frances Voon :) so - naturally – I took the short-cut (the wrong way) up a pedestrianised section of the high-street, riding one-handed (was on the phone with Jo and didn't have a hands-free), rear-light was on fine (did that with the hand that wasn't holding the phone) and (mum, don't read this next bit) helmet on, but not done up (two-handed job) when a police office yelled, “hey!'”..

I'll spare you (and, indirectly, me) some of the broader context about joint exposure of Driver's Licenses and bike riding, but suffice to say, I said quickly and quietly to Jo, "I'll call you right back".

The good natured officer asked me if I had a front light on my bike; "Of course, Mr Officer, I thought I had turned it on...oh… that's better..."
"Thank you laddie” he said, “Have a good night"
" ... arh, thank you, you too" peddle-peddle-peddle.... "Jo, sorry I had to hang up before..."

Freezing Cold!

It's still freezing over here.

This is a picture of my first day back at work in January 2nd. They say it is only going to get colder....oh no!