Clarity

We're really enjoying this holiday. We spent about 4 absorbing hours at Arundel Castle today, wandering around this lovely home at will, chatting occasionally to the knowledgeable and friendly stewards who seemed to be very frequently deployed! We could see why once we saw the book, art, china and silver collections. I've seen a lot of those portraits in books. It's quite astonishing to my mind to be actually in the same room as and looking at the original of a painting that was completed 500 or so years ago and have the person's expression and features so clearly and realistically before you. It's eerie how luminous and real the faces appear.

I could go on and on about the stonework, the floors, the decorations, the comfortable height of the doors and ceilings (one of the Dukes having been 6' 6" probably helped!), the tasteful and comfortable cafe and the stunning artifacts, but I think the website gives you a good idea, so click here to visit it if you're interested. It's not cheap to get in, but is definitely worth a whole day to make the best of.



This is the view of the outer battlements from the Keep. With views like this, the climb is worth it.

I'm really enjoying doing things and visiting places in the course of this holiday that I've never done or been to despite having lived very close to them. I've walked within a few metres of St Pauls Cathedral more times than I care to remember, but have never had the opportunity to explore it thoroughly. I'm glad we took the time today - what a place! It throws every other type of church decoration I have ever seen into the shade. We visited the crypt and had refreshments in the cafe down there (how bizarre and fun!), examined the tombs and incredible artwork, and climbed to the Golden Gallery (see map below).



It was a seriously scary climb, especially the bit between the Stone Gallery and the Golden Gallery. The last piece was very narrow and steep and I was quite scared of tripping or losing my balance. The view was worth it though:



With only a short metal fence holding you in against this drop, with the wind howling around you ripping at your clothes and camera and hair, it was quite an experience! I would love to be able to be up there at dawn.

We weren't able to spend any time in the Whispering Gallery because of the time we took to climb and descend - maybe next time.

My first puncture on the trail and on my own, about 7 miles away from home. I'm not going to use that word again as I am told that it holds the same jinx power for cyclists as MacBeth holds for actors.

So! I'm on the North Downs Link on Sunday morning heading to Bramley with my usual package of tomatoes and evisaging a nice quiet run there and back before heading home to wake my other half and go out somewhere for the rest of the day. And so it was until I was about 3 miles the other side of Cranleigh. Coming towards me fairly constantly was a stream of cyclists wearing numbers and going at quite a pace.

I pulled over repeatedly as I thought they might be racing and I didn't want to slow them down as I was only pootling along, and some of their kids were going somewhat faster than was entirely safe! I was getting quite peeved after one of these junior cyclists literally ran me off the track as he was going too fast to be able to avoid me.

Shortly after that (possibly because of my repeated trips off the track and into the brambles, but maybe not) my rear tyre flattened with spectacular speed. I cursed. I was all alone and miles from home, also over a mile away from the closest legal route off the Downs Link.

Still, I had food, water, and as it was early in the day, all the time in the world to get myself sorted out. I pushed the bike until I found a nice patch of fairly flat ground off the main track, removed pannier, and turned bike upside down. After sitting for a while with the bike's manual and having a drink, I resolved to give it a go! I am always equipped with spare tube, patching kit, pump ect so I set to.

I then found out what probably most of you are familiar with, but is no particular issue until either you get home, or need to take a wheel off - a significant portion of it was liberally coated in dog poo. Not the rims or brake shoes though, thank god. It had also managed to get onto the part of the brake mechanism that I needed to use to open the brakes though. Praise be for Wet Wipes!! Quite a selection of these get carried in my First Aid Kit, and boy, were they welcome in this situation!

The (now clean) brakes were simple to open and the quick-release wheel came off easily. I was a little concerned as to how to remember how the chain went back on, but I had instructions, and was confident in being able to follow them.

So. I'm sat on the edge of the Downs Link and in the time it's taken me to get the wheel off maybe 50 cyclists have gone past me. I don't think to say anything as I still think they're racing, but I must say I was feeling apprehensive and a bit sorry for myself. Think how extreme was my thankfulness when a very sweet cycling couple pull up next to me and ask if I need any help. My face must have given the answer!

The rest is a lovely story of an obviously very experienced cyclist showing me how to patch and making it all look so easy. The hole patched well first time and there was nothing obvious in the tyre, or it had already come out when removing the tube. Both of our pairs of hands were liberally coated in mud and worse by the time we'd finished, and this super chap was delighted to hear I had Wet Wipes to hand, and we both managed to wash up very well. With a cheery wave, they then resumed their ride.

To think, he would have been prepared to ride all the way to Shorham and back covered in mud and poo. What a saint. As my Mother says, I have a unnatural amount of luck. My first p*ncture, and it just happens to be on the day that there is a Bramley-Shorham-Bramley charity ride.

This p*ncture was tiny, and would not have been an issue at all if I'd had sealant in my tubes. Almost as soon as I'd got home, 4oz of Slime sealant were injected into both tubes. I'm not having that happen again in a hurry!!!

At last, we have some very good progress in the subject of cycle lighting legislation. From what I can tell, rear reflectors and pedal reflectors still need to be used. You can now (well, as of 21st October), have flashing LED lights on front and back of your bike as long as they emit at least 6 candela and flash at not less than 60 flashes per minute and the flashes are regular.

I'm now legal, though I am still going to get a more powerful front light, and probably replace the small LEDs on my panniers with the same huge LED cluster light that I have on the bike. I'll look like a descending UFO.

The amendment can be found from the link below for those with interest in trying to decipher legal-speak. I may be wrong in the above, but I'm sure more interpretation to the practical will be available soon.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20052559.htm

After having read a lot of (seemingly) conflicting information about the dangers (or not) of cycling and the effacity (or not) of helmets and the carelessness (or not) of drivers and cyclists I have decided to keep my own diary of cycling incidents, including the conditions at the time. It's mainly meant to see if the dangers that I think are there are as important as the dangers that do affect me, or nearly do. The most recent post is at the top of this list for ease of reading.

20/9/2005 – Coming back home after truly divine evening ride. Took up primary road position approaching long line of parked cars on the other side of the road as car approaching from opposite direction, and I didn’t want them to squeeze through. I had right-of-way, but she didn’t care, obviously I was not “proper” traffic as I was not in a car – came fully onto my side of the road forcing me to stop and back up – she was on a mobile phone also – and had the nerve to hold her hand up to thank me as she went past!

10/9/2005 - Here's a good one! On the Downs Link, I have got into the habit of nodding, smiling and/or saying good morning/afternoon/evening to fellow cyclists (following the lead of other user of the Downs Link, basically). I noticed that some people would nod and smile at me on the roads too, and after reading a fair bit of "Cycling" Magazine's forum, I've been returning their greetings. Mostly I can tell who are the "proper" cyclists as opposed to the kids or people just messing about. The serious ones tend to have helmets on! I made a mistake on the way home tonight though - I nodded and grinned at a seriously creepy-looking bloke on an old racer and knew it was a mistake as soon as I'd done it. I heard his brakes squeal, and he turned around and started following me. I really had to pile on the power to dissuade him. Lesson learnt.

5/9/2005 - Parked car driver opened door in my path. I had seen he was in the car however and had already looked behind and listened to see if I could swerve if he did. He did, and I could. Was doing about 15mph - good job I saw that one coming. Twilight, dry roads, lights and reflective body strap, reflective cycle clips and LED armbands on! He really didn't look, or he could not have failed to see me.

31/8/2005 - My copy of "Cyclecraft" arrived - hopefully will improve the situation!!! 3 cars raced head of me, cut in sharply and then braked hard at mini-roundabouts with raised width-restrictors this evening. Good job I'd read about a good way of braking sharply, and slightly more assertive use of the Primary Road Position may have prevented this from happening at all!! On second thoughts, it was twilight again, so maybe not such a good idea. I had lights and reflective body-strap on.

30/8/2005 - Land Rover Defender (muddy and old) turned left out of residential road, turned wide to avoid parked cars and left me with no road. Stopped quickly and hopped bike up onto pavement to avoid being squished. Twilight/low light, bike lights on.

29/8/2005 - Turning right from t-junction into village High Street opposite recessed bus stop, bus didn't see me and came out of bus stop into my path. Not sure who had the right of way there! About 11am bright sunny day.

14/8/2005 - Nearly came off bike at 14mph on trail skidding on cambered mud bank avoiding large puddle. Riding beyond my ability or having fun? Not sure. Could have been very messy, but probably not painful unless I landed very awkwardly, or landed on bike. As I'm unfit and inflexible, probably not sensible to ride like that quite yet.

9/8/2005 - Car on wrong side of road coming round corner in residential road - potential head-on collision - dry road, light sky/early evening dusky, bike lights on, reflective body-strap and reflective LED armbands on.

I'm watching the nights drawing in with terrifying swiftness, and being an SAD sufferer, am trying not to feel too gloomy. I know that riding in the evenings and picnicking will have to wait until next spring soon, especially if I get another job that requires nine to five instead of eight 'till four-thirty or longer hours, so I'm trying to get as much in now as I can.

SO - I firstly went to visit the mad houses not far from us who compete annually to see who can have the most outlandish flower display. I hoped there were still flowers, and I was not disappointed:



After another 6 or 7 miles I fancied a nice little drinkie and somewhere comfy to sit to eat my scotch-egg supper. So I plonked down here:



and contemplated the quiet and birdsong and sunset for a while. It was extremely relaxing. I had some savage hills to go up and down on the way back, which I managed fairly well for me, and clocked up my maximum speed so far - 28.8 MPH. Not bad for a mountain bike with knobblies on, eh?

The wish has now become reality - Ian has furnished himself with one of the biggest hardtail mountain bikes I've ever seen in my life:



We had a lovely afternoon mooching round the local countryside, doing a very leisurely 8 odd miles, and Ian's aching a lot after 20 years out of the saddle!

I’ve decided that there must be various initiatory grades in cycling, or various trials that you need to go through.  I, obviously, am still a Novice.  I am reading, digesting and implementing the lessons of “Cyclecraft” and I have so far endured and survived whilst on the trail the trials of:

1.  Chain wantonly throwing itself off the largest sprocket onto the floor mid-ride.
2.  Ripping of trousers on the prongs of largest sprocket.
3.  Gear-cable jamming.
4.  Being followed by unsavoury-looking maniac.
5.  Being invisible to 4x4s, all the time.
6.  Having large dragon-fly impact on helmet and get stuck in vents, necessitating rescue.
7.  Insects bouncing off face and teeth.
8.  Having reasonably sized insect lodge in back of throat requiring large intake of water (shouldn’t be gaping like a drowning fish when going along, should I?!)
9.  Multiple instances of realising that no, my legs will not be strong enough to get me up this short and very steep incline (1:1or 2 lasting about 10 or so feet!) and needing to bail out hastily.

What is the seminal trial that will move me from the status of Novice to Adept?  Any ideas anyone?

Meet Jackdaw. Well, you can't say you're surprised......



FRAME A1 Premium Aluminum, Disc Only, double butted front triangle with ORE DT, Designs for Women geometry, reinforced disc mount, externally machined HT, forged alloy drop outs with eyelets and replaceable derailleur hanger
FORK Manitou Axle Elite Diva, 13/15”:80mm 17/19”:100mm, Fluid Flow damping with adjustable rebound, alloy steerer, Black Nitride coated 28.6mm Cr-Mo stanchions, Mag lowers
HEADSET 1 1/8” threadless, black steel cups, loose ball bearings with seals
STEM Alloy 10 degree rise, TIG-welded, 13/15”: 60mm, 17/19”: 75mm
HANDLEBARS Alloy, 38mm rise, 9 degree sweep
TAPE / GRIPS Specialized double density Kraton
FRONT BRAKE Shimano M-420 “V” brakes
REAR BRAKE Shimano M-420 “V” brakes
BRAKE LEVERS Shimano M-420 “V” brake levers
FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano M-510 Deore, 34.9mm clamp, bottom pull
REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano M-570 LX
SHIFT LEVERS Shimano SL-M510 Deore
CASSETTE Shimano HG-50, 9-speed, 11x34t
CHAIN Shimano HG-53
CRANKSET Shimano Deore, Hollowtech arms, 13/15/17”170mm 19”:175mm
CHAINRINGS Shimano, BB-UN25 68x118mm
BOTTOM BRACKET 44s/32s/22s
PEDALS 1-piece alloy body and cage with clips and straps
RIMS Mavic XM-117, 26”, 32h
FRONT HUB Specialized, Disc 32 hole with alloy QR
REAR HUB Shimano M-475 Disc, 32 hole, loose ball bearings, alloy Q/R
SPOKES 1.8mm (15g) black stainless, brass nipples, L260/R263mm front, L261/R260mm rear
FRONT TIRE Specialized Adrenaline Sport 26 x 2.0”, wire bead
REAR TIRE Specialized Adrenaline Sport 26 x 2.0”, wire bead
TUBES Specialized, schraeder valve
SADDLE Specialized Body Geometry Sport MTB Women’s
SEAT POST Alloy 30.9mmx350/400mm, micro adjust
SEAT BINDER Alloy QR, 36mm I.D.

Mmmmm, mmmm mmmmmmm!!!!

Had another great early-evening ride halfway to Bramley and back last night (a picnic was included!). Just under 9 very leisurely miles.

There’s just one teeny problem. The play in the cranks is just as much now as it was before the bike went in to get that particular issue looked at. Grrrrr. Hubby has asked me, now I have a bike fund, isn’t it time that I went and got something a little more robust? He was even willing to lend me top-up money if I didn’t have quite enough, and intimated that he’s interested in getting a bike himself too.

I really didn’t need asking twice. Specialized Rockhopper Womens and Trek 4500 24” now urgently being sought!