A head wind..

...and dead legs. Although I've been keeping up a fair mileage recently, I always notice the difference a big tyres bikes makes.. It'll be fun this even when I get out on the trails on the way home, but on the road to work this morning it was a grind..

To the driver of the blue Ford Escort.

If you cast your mind back to this morning, you may remember overtaking a cyclist just before you got onto the roundabout below Rhymney Hill. After you had passed him no doubt he dropped from your mind, sadly you failed to wait for your entire car to pass him before choosing to forget his existence, which explains perhaps why you pulled in across him forcing some alarming avoidance manouvers on the part of the cyclist, who as I'm sure you've now guessed, was me. If you had bothered to check your mirrors once in the following half a mile, you would have seen me chasing your car so that I might have a word about your behaviour, perhaps you did see me gaining on your feeble family saloon despite the steep gradient and that is why you ran the red light on the way up the hill...outside the police station. Either way, I just wanted to say that I'm sad you didn't look in your mirror enough to appreciate the wide range of hand gestures I was performing for your benefit, and I hope the daytime TV show you were rushing home for was entertaining enough to offset the lives of those you nearly killed en route.. If it had Carol Vorderman in, or perhaps John Leslie, then at least I won't have had my enitire existence nearly snuffed out for nothing..

Bah, red car rage..

Idiot driver this mornign thought getting to his dead end job 5 seconds earlier was more important than my continued good health.. Mind you, the sprint up Ryhmney Hill trying to catch him should have put my cardiovascular system into tip top order.. ;-)

A bit wet

It were a bit wet yesterday, and riding to the pub to meet the WNR I realised how crap my little LED light is... Oh well. Managed to pinch flat riding the CX bike down the steps too.. ;-)

Traffic jams..

Big sky
Originally uploaded by hairy_matt

Well, after taking 45 minutes to drive in yesterday (some poor folk took 6 hours), there was no way I was getting in a car today... Lovely cool crisp wintery morning too, probably the end of summer.

Pic from Brechfa at the weekend.

Full speed ahead

Full speed ahead
Originally uploaded by hairy_matt

Fairly uneventful ride to work on Friday, although on the way home a bus almost cut me up, noticed me at the last minute and pulled back out again. This meant he left a load of irate looking passengers at the stop we were passing at the time, more people who now hate cyclists I suppose.. :-(

Photo is from a lovely sunny blast we had round Brechfa on Saturday. Fun in the sun..

45lbs of fun

Well it took me over an hour to ride inthis morning..a new longest record. But I was riding my downhill bike, so I don't feel too bad.. Putting SPDs on makes it quite ridable for longer distances, but it ain't exactly nippy..

Rode in, yadda yadda

Another day, another donut. Actually tomorrow should be interesting, I'm planning to ride in on my downhill bike... At 45 odd pounds, with 2.5" tyres, it's not really made for the tarmac.. but it should be worth it when I meet up with the WNR on my way home...sadly after 25 miles of slogging. Watch this space.. (but don't hold your breath cos even if I set off at 8am, I still might not get to work in time for lunch..)

Friday comes

The Welsh mafia size up the Slab at Dalbeattie
Originally uploaded by hairy_matt

Well a nice non-eventful ride in this morning...sadly not via Dalbeattie (pictured). Got a lot of work to do over the next few weekends which is a pain with akll this nice riding weather suddenly being upon us... Oh well. I'll try and get it finished and get out to play as soon as I can..

Dead mammals

Been a bit lazy this week, but rode in today as I'm meeting the WNR after work.. Lots of dead things on the road today though, squirrels, rabbits and a rat (I think)... I just hope cyclists aren't next..