Hiatus - Life Updates ~ Sept-Oct

I've been quiet.

September was a busy month - a mix of long-days out on local lanes, trips away to see friends and celebrations (anniversaries, birthdays, etc). It was also a busy, busy period of job applications, interviews and pitches, which hasn't given me a lot of time to pause and reflect.

The good news - I have a new permanent job! The type of job i've been waiting for - a great career move and the financial stability to start getting excited about new trips, upgrades to the bike(s) and potentially other life changes. Obviously, that means a reduction ride time, and perhaps a shift in what I need (ie. 6 hours a week means I hardly need loads of bikes) so i'm reviewing my initial bike upgrades in favour of more specific adventures as well as more targeted weekenders.

Given it suits me more, my (fairly light) indicative schedule leans a lot towards gravel:

• Sherwood Pines Glorious Gravel long (Jan-March)
• Scarborough / North Yorks Moors (TBC - Date)
• Norway Gravel (recce) ?? (May)
• Slovenia Glorious Gravel (June 3rd-June 8th)
• Dunwich Dynamo > Suffolk (20th July tbc)
• Provence (Ventoux) - (31st - 5th September)

I'm also hoping I can apply for a Glorious Gravel season-pass to cut the costs of the rides and jump onto one's as/when my schedule is light/I can. Otherwise, I also want to try and get a couple of Audax's under my belt, body, mind and time permitted.

For now, it's back to (probable) damp weekend club rides, indoor sessions and hopefully some slippy, sloppy gravel winter fun!

Summer Is Upon Us...

April is done.

The weather change has been dramatic, to say the least. Saturday and Sunday - wet, gale-force winds, all cyclists sweating away on indoor trainers and in gyms cursing their luck. Come Monday, there's an extra 6c in the air, the gravel bikes are out, and we're on (oddly) dry trails, bibshorts on and arms out. 

In a day it feels like Summer is upon is - insects are out, farm animals are out grazing in force and everything is looking green and lush.

The main excitement for this month has been new kit day - our new club kit has finally arrived! It's such great quality, everything fitting exactly as it should, feels light and the finishing on the bib shorts and arms of the jersey is top notch. It has a great ride feel - one to test out on a long training ride this weekend. There are definitely some improvements in the graphics, but for a first attempt, it's pretty great.

Vibrant and visible - a bee attractor!

Looking forward to a warm May - first weekend, the Cotswolds!

January - Indoors!

A decent cycling week for January considering the weather, following the NYD ride out with a bit of Zwifting and a club ride, a 40ish mile ride to the Dairy Barn, a new cafe to add to the list. 100+ miles on the board. My aim is to average 90 or so miles a week this year.

Week has dropped in temperature, so planning a couple of indoor Zwift rides and hopefully a 50 on Sunday, give or take.

On the 'business' side of things, brochure for TCS is nearly complete, and the club newsletter is coming along nicely. Will share/update in time.

More excitingly, the Standert Erdgeschoss I ordered in November is in't shop (in Berlin) and should be with me in two-or-so weeks time. Get me on this bike.👆