Coldgunner

I tend to drop down a gear to give me the legs to accelerate hard if I need to pick up some pace. I have a feeling that learning your power curves are not taught so much these days, seems to be all about economical driving. Also, dropping a gear and giving it some welly is fun!

Had someone flash me yesterday. Going along the parkway at 70mph, I was being overtaken and essentially parrallel with another car. Car almost matches my speed and position to try to merge but had to abort as I can't move over. Its their job to slot into my lane I'm under no obligation to slow down. Not my fault they suck at merging (wasn't even that busy), if they just eased off the throttle or even just accelerated harder they'd have been fine.

My dad drove the support van years ago for some guys doing that run, they loved it. Also some of my friends did the 100 mile London to Cambridge ride.

much sought after kit these days

I love it! definitely fitting that 70's era stereo HiFi mixing desk vibe on your console

Mum and dad used to have a 2.0 Subaru Legacy and I remember mum planting it once, damn thing went like the clappers. Can't recall the spec, only I know it was a 2.0 petrol and drank like Oliver Reed at an open bar.

You can just tell when they're going to do that. Normally its the edging forward where they want to get their nose in front of yours. What they don't realise is that my Golf might only be able to do 0-60 in a shade under 10 seconds, but I have a good idea on what their car can do. Your 1.2l Crapqai is gonna have the acceleration of a tugboat, bog off and don't even try it!

Back on topic, yesterday in heavy rain on the dual carriageway was approaching heavy traffic at a standstill. As ever, the right hand lane is nearly always fuller becuz faster innit! There's me in the left hand lane about to pass the line of traffic when dick-face in a jag decides to start merging into my lane forcing me to brake hard. Doucheface in the jag then decides that queuing ain't for him and moves into the joining sliproad on left to undertake the queue of cars. As an aside from that, thank god for Macdonalds! Why do I always get a sudden urge to go number 2 when in heavy traffic?

My work insists on reverse parking, which I'm all in favour of except when I've chucked the bike in the back to go on a post-work ride (I like to cycle near work as its a nice area, and a ride after shift is a great way of avoiding rush hour).

TBH nothing is visible, the go pro just isn't a capable camera in poor light sadly. Just my own reactions at the time. I've been experimenting with recording my voice with a lapel mic and this was one of those rides. Its about 5:06 where I have the encounter though. All you can actually experience is me describing what's happening/talking about it. I'm going to go back to the same spot after dark later in the week with a long lens camera and try to replicate what I saw, see if it was indeed just the shadows of the trees.

Uploaded a video aboutmy strange encounter to YT (got no subs yet so please sub to get me going lol). Still thinking about what I saw even today. https://youtu.be/TbJ8DItRjWQ?si=OO1b3jrnY0HiSL0S

All I'll say its get good lights and spare lights, don't have to be anything special, just enough to be seen, and a spare hi-viz vest. I use one I nicked from work from the warehouse and its ideal for going over my coat. and being seen. Also tell someone where you're going and where you are.

Went for a midnight ride last night to test the new light and I am impressed! Lights up most of the nearby field in overdrive mode. Later into the ride a very strange thing happened, tbh I'm not sure if it was just the shadows in the trees or if I saw something otherworldly... Following a lit path that runs parrallel to the Spalding line, I could see in the distance what looked like 3 dark shapes walking away. Given the time it was I slowed down a bit as I didn't really fancy dealing with a group of people who are potentially drunk. So I continued riding at a slower pace to allow them to 'clear' when the path turned onto a road. I was still slowly catching up with them, and they seemed to sort of fade away. The path was roughly 350m total in length, but its arrow straight. Now, logically the trees were creating shadows and a possible causing trick of the eye, but there was very little wind and I've ridden down that way loads of times. The experience really wasn't frightening, but I'm baffled and I've been thinking about it all day. Even to the point I might take the same ride tonight, take the camera with a long lens and see if I can replicate what I saw and work out a rational explanation. Its not my first rodeo with this kind of thing and 9/10 I can figure out a rational explanation. I do have go pro footage of the ride along with my mic sounds when I saw it, but the low light performance of the gopro and the long distance means nothing can be seen.

1600XXL arrived today, had a play with it and bloody 'eck is it bright (also, don't look directly at it in overdrive mode.... don't ask!). Will go for a late ride tonight to properly bench test it. One things for sure, its thief fodder, my cheapo amazon ones will be the primary daily lights, saving this for the special adventures.

Training new staff at work at the moment, its remote training for some of our India based staff. Its incredible how much of a difference the workplace culture is. They're not very good at speaking up it seems and its quite a job to get them to ask questions and go 'off script'. They're great guys to work with, but I can tell there's an unquestionable heirarchy in their workplaces. For me its bloody knackering, pretty much talking all day and my throat is like sandpaper washed down with bleach.

I'll keep the cheapo amazon job mounted on the bike too and have that as my daily, as its pretty good for being 'seen' under streetlights and town lighting. Downside of mounting a big boy on there is some git will try nick it! Hopefully it helps compensate for the go pro's craptacular low light performance in the countryside. Will see how it goes, watch this space.

I spotted they were doing the larger 1600XX at a decent rate so plumped for that, won't be used day to day, just for night rides on trails. https://www.sportsdirect.com/lezyne-super-1600xxl-930328#colcode=93032803

ooh that might be spot on!

Had another late night ride but I have a problem, my gopro light is fickle! This is pretty much all I get out of my helmet cam. My standard cheapo lights are ok for night riding as I can see quite well and more importantly, be seen! However video at night is woeful. I think I need to invest in a much more powerful light to attach to my helmet, but on a strict budget. I really like riding these back trails and dirt paths so I really need something that will act like a portable sun (and be switched off/removed when riding on roads of course). Problem I have, everything that shows up on google is £100 or more, and I'm on a strict budget, maybe <£50. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Where does the Hornby HM2000 sit on the quality scale? Bought mine donkeys ago for about £40 and seems rather solid but not sure on the tech it uses, and if its still good for modern motors? So far hasn't been an issue with anything right back to my early Tri-Ang Jinty.

There was a lot of complaints with the W1 when it came out, either damage in transit (I was affected by this) or poor running, but did the majority receive theirs and quietly enjoy the models without posting it online? The only people posting would be the ones with issues. After getting my broken one sent back and refunded due to lack of stock, I bought the same model a few months later and its been spot on.

In my golf, the cabin filter is behind the glovebox, which requires somehow sitting upside down to see it. Its a job for springtime.

Been getting a lot of ice INSIDE my car the past few days and noted how it'll start causing electrical problems if I don't figure out what's going on. Emptied the boot, took everything out of the wheel well to find an icy puddle had collected at the bottom. Probably one source of moisture, so spent about half hour yesterday soaking up the water with towels. Then took it for a late night blast for about 1.5 hours to both give it a good run and properly let the A/C try to sort the humidity. Checked this morning and thankfully so far the ice is now OUTSIDE the car only. Hopefully its just where wet coats and shoes have slowly evapourated and collected and its not a leak as far as I can see. Though to compound issues, the speedo decided to not play ball and its resting state decided to change to 30mph. So 40mph actual speed indicated at 70mph! Didn't realise the speedo was buggered for about half hour and wondered why the drive felt slow! Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery when I got home corrected it. I think I also need to change the cabin air filter to help resolve the humidity, which I should be able to do myself. Its just not a 'January' kind of job lol.

/tinfoil hat on There is a 'theory' the Vatican has a device called the Chronovisor that can see through time. I wonder if Popey boi uses it to view Crewe North Junction instead of looking for Jesus? /tinfoil hat off

3rd July 1938 - Stoke Bank. I'd like to get a decent I quality shot of the run and also just experience seeing it all for myself.