Using all my bikes

I have four bikes: 2 mountain bikes, a road bike and what I now term my utility bike. I used to try to use three different bikes in a week. It used to be three rather than four because the utility bike was an alternative commuter to the road bike.

I am now going to try to use all four bikes in a week, or should that really be trying to use all of my working bikes in a week. The Titus is currently out of action and I haven't managed to prod my mechanic into fixing it.......well we have been away.

So what constitutes a week (well its obviously 7 days!). I have been starting my training week on a Saturday currently as that's usually the day of my longest run so for now its Saturday to Saturday.

So far this week I have used the Spesh for shopping and the On One for a quick whizz round the Glentress Red. That just leaves the Ribble.....road ride tomorrow ?

Monday 8th Sept: Ben Vane Walk

We fancied doing a walk in Scotland and I decided on Ben Vane in the Arrochar Alps, a Munro but only just. We had already walked Ben Lomond, The Cobbler and Ben Narnain in the same area and enjoyed them.

We set off around 9.30 from my folks house to miss the rush hour through Glasgow but still had to contend with some numpty driving down the side of Loch Lomond. It was very grey when we parked up at Inveruglas. I had decided to wear my big boots as they would keep more bog out. We had a long walk in on some access track for the hydro power station before we got to the hill.

My boots felt like they weighed a ton as did my bag as I had a full set of waterproofs in them as well as the usual stuff. It was easy walking for a while and we gained some height on this road. My hip was niggling a little bit but after a while I forgot about it.

Looking at the map of the area the contrast between it and a map of the Lake District was quite stark. There were lots of close together contours on this map and very little else by way of track markings. A map of the Lakes would be a spider web of footpaths and bridleways (though not enough of the latter) and it would be easy to see where to head. We could see tracks leading off in various directions but they were not necessarily marked on the map. You can pretty much walk or ride where you like in Scotland just don't expect anyone to tell you where the paths are.

There was a path marked up the hill and we eventually found it, though I think it has now been abandoned as a main ascent choice. We headed upwards through some long marsh grass, following some occasionally flattened grass patches and old rotting planks which had served as bridges over the stream in the past. We headed for a plateau and as we crossed it we suddenly found ourselves on a well tramped path, well relatively and bloody hell it was steep!

Everytime I walk in Scotland I seem to forget how hard it is, I always blank out the fact that the ascents I've done so far have been without fail unrelenting and steep and absolutely leg destroying on the descent. We looked up at the track then started heading up, into the rain. The cloud was now firmly ensconsed higher up and we realised our chances of a view were nil. It was too warm to consider putitng waterproofs on so we just got wet and kept climbing..and climbing.

We met some people coming down who told us there was some interesting scrambling moves at the top, they weren't kidding! I had noticed on the map there were at least two false summits and we topped out on one without too much difficulty, you could see then next lump hiding in the mist so we carried on and things got a little more interesting.

A few, very technical moves on wet rock made me wonder about coming back down...my stiff boots were protecting my feet well from the rock but I found the complete lack of feel and stiffness a little annoying. We topped out on the second "lump" and wondered if we were at the top, I didn't think so but the cloud was so thick at this point we couldn't see anything. We carried on and another large lump loomed out of the cloud. Upwards again to even more tricky wet scrambling.

We finally topped out onto the summit plateau and saw...absolutely nothing, I could just about make out Jez and the cairn at the other side:

After all that walking a typical Scottish view, ah well. We decided to head down and descend all the tricky scrambling before having some food. I found the descent surprisingly easy and it didn't take us long to get back on to the "path". We had some food and soup and continued down the descent. We dropped out of the cloud and had a nice view across Loch Lomond and could also see Loch Arkle and Loch Katrine behind. The tops were still covered in cloud and remained that way even when we were down.

We reached the plateau again and decided to look around for a more defined path and we found it, it dropped down to the road we walked up but closer to the car. Its the kind of path you would have to know was there as it wasn't that obvious across the top of the plateau and when we'd reached the road it was quite hard to spot even though we had just descended it.

A nice easy walk back to the car and a stop in the poshed up Inverbeg Inn for a post walk pint and chips to let the traffic die down a bit through Glasgow.

Flippy Pedals

Fitted the flippy pedals (one side flat, one side SPD) to the Spesh on Sunday and gave them a try out. We were due to be heading up to Scotland late afternoon and we needed some bits and bobs from the supermarket and a map of the northern end of the Loch Lomond area as we were planning a walk over there, our Trossachs map didn't extend far enough. My plan was to head to supermarket first then into town for just after 11 am.

I don't have the panniers yet (the postie had taken them back to the delivery office and I won't be able to get them until Friday) so just stuffed the huge u-lock and cable lock into a rucksack and set off in my normal boots. I also had a fetching flouro yellow strap thing on my right ankle to keep trousers out of chain. I got to Sainsburys (less than a mile and a half), cycled straight up to the racks, dug the lock out and realised I didn't have a key for it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cycled home, picked up the key and decided as it was nearing 11 to head into town instead now. Zoomed into town, only forgetting a couple of times I wasn't clipped in and pulled foot off pedal (always tried to unclip when I had to put a foot down though). Its just over two miles on the tramway, easy cycling (bit of a bugger of a hill into Preston from the river), no traffic lights or queues, then parked the bike for free right in the middle of Fishergate. Locked it up with both u and cable lock (through the quick release wheels) and wandered off to Waterstones to buy map.

Bought the relevent map and walked back to bike, which was still there. Unlocked it all again and set off home. I can't believe how almost completely painless it was. I say almost painless because carrying heavy locks in a rucksack is really annoying and uncomfortable, the u-lock was really digging into my spine. Apart from that it was so easy and enjoyable.

I came up behind Yvonne running on the tramway on the way back and stopped for a chat. She is struggling with injury at the moment too so we both had a moan about running injuries. She also told me she had a very nasty fall off her bike (her bag caught in the spokes so instantaneous off). We chatted for a while then parted company, I cycled home and dumped the map and the cable lock as I didn't think I would need it at Sainsburys and headed back to Sainsburys.

By this time things were getting a little busy at Mr S's, there was queueing to get in the car park but I just serenely rolled in, locked bike up, toddled round the store to get what I needed then serenely glided out of the car park without having to wait.

I ended up doing around 12 miles without even trying. I will hopefully be able to pick up the panniers soon.

DerwentWater Trail Race - Cancelled

Woke up to a miserable wet and windy day but thought sod it, I'm going to run it, take my time and try to enjoy it. I double checked the website before we set off at about 8:15 and it was still going ahead then. One windswept and rain soaked drive to Keswick later we arrive at the event parking to find out it has been cancelled, crap!

We decided to have an hour or two in Keswick before heading off. I heard on the radio that the main marquee had ben damaged overnight so they had to abandon on safety grounds. There were lots of forlorn looking runners wandering round Keswick.

We all managed to pick up a few things, lots of sales on in Keswick - got some nice stretchy black trousers which should be ok for pootling round on the Spesh. After a bit of spending Jez suggested we head down to Staveley via the A road and get some food at Wilf's. The drive down had some very wet roads and the water rushing off the mountains was something to see, gushing torrents everywhere. Rydal water was very, very high and when we got to Wilf's the River Kent was alarmingly close to the top of the walls. It was rushing over the weir behind Wilf's then being churned into a brown froth.

Had a quick look round some of the new shops in the Mill Yard then a sodden drive home. Am currently trying to assuage my disappointment by baking a Lemon Drizzle Cake! I've got pizza dough whirring apund in the breadmaker and a nice glass or two of red (or chilled white, hmm) is on the menu too.

Online Shopping

I'm continuing to lay the groundwork for doing more of my errands by bike and had my first shopping delivery last night. I chose Sainsburys as I prefer it to Tescos anyway and they have one hour delivery slots. I've toyed with the idea before but never got round to it as Sainsburys is quite literally only a mile away from my house, so I still wasn't convinced I would be happy with it and keep thinking I am a lazy moo.

I chose 9pm - 10pm and at 9:05 pm the driver arrived with my shopping. After a complete faff with me not being able to find my front door key, d'oh I took delivery of my shopping with a nice glass of red in my hand. I'm convinced!

It was all there apart from the fizzy water and the pitta bread and as I'd asked for no substitutions this time they just weren't included. I will revisist the substitution thing as they allow you to specifiy no subs for each individual item and fizzy water is fizzy water. Its not like fruit or veg or meat etc which I'd be more picky about.

A lot of things were delivered in carrier bags, more than I would ever use (or used to use as I have reuseable bags these days) as they organise things by dry, dairy etc which is nice. The driver said they will take the bags back next time for recycling, in fact they will take back any carrier bags not just their own which is better than nothing I suppose. Hopefully they will introduce a "no bags" option like Tesco do....actually will check the website to make sure they don't already do it and I have missed it.

It will take a few goes before I get organised around this but I'm aiming for a bulky delivery once a month for things like washing powder, loo rolls etc. I'll have to play it by ear a while on other odds and sods though nipping to Sainsburys by bike at 2pm on a Saturday afternoon to pick up the odd thing will not be anywhere near as traumatic as trying to get a car in there.