Coldgunner

Posted February 17, 2022 Dad passed away yesterday. Mum went to see him in the morning and he was ok all things considered, he was tired and the nurses put him down for a sleep and he passed away. We're utterly lost. I saw him on Tuesday, and I think my last words were 'I'll see you later'. Heartbroken -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 years today, hit me like a ton of bricks and can't think atm. I'll be fine, just sometimes emotions come at you like a John Barnes free kick.

Another quick cycling adventure on my lunch hour today. Nothing fancy, just a blast around the local park which I've known for 30 years... ... and somehow gotten myself lost! Found my way back but looks like much of the paths have flooded, was able to navigate them simply by keeping a low gear and applying power, much like a car. The moment you stop moving, you're buggered. Now I have a filthy bike to clean.

Mines the one with the lighter roof from when they did a run of new models a while after the original release. Catalogue 32-522NRM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mlr4bphk7qw

I live on a main road with street parking, first come first served. Thankfully a lot of it is double-yellows and marked gaps with spaces. Doesn't stop the parents of the local school parking like dodgems at the funfair. Catchment area of the school is at most a 15 minute walk to its furthest point. Funny enough though, if you work odd shifts then its easier, as the parents tend to block everything between 8:30-9:00 and 14:00-15:30 (yes they turn up an hour early for prime parking).

I'm guessing where dashcam footage and a clear numberplate are given as evidence, then many cases can probably be triaged within minutes (theoretically) upon submission/review.

...or riding right up your chuff on the parkway

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?