Last weekend's adventures postponed!

On Friday the engine on my work van spectacularly went bang. The cambelt had snapped and subsequent damage to my engine was fairly catastrophic!

With some wrangling Saturdays work was done out the back of my trusty (!) Alfa 156 and the a plan of resurrecting my poor van was hatched.

I decided, after seeking advice, to change the whole engine for an identical one from another van. Ideally one I could see running.
An evening of scouring ebay and Gumtree with no stone unturned became my Saturday night escapade. An identical van in any state with a good engine was my quest.

After emailing, texting and phoning about 12 potential engine organ donors 3 eventually replied and the hunt was on.

Sunday morning I was on the road at 8.30 to Hillingdon to see a tatty berlingo with a good heart. On arrival the heart turned out to be black and oily, but I was a desperate man so I gave it every chance.

After a 5 minute test drive I noticed that the coolant reservoir also had a good thick layer of oil in the top of it. Bad news. The mechanic who was selling it said I wouldn't believe him but that must have only just happened.
He was right. Buyer beware!

Next up I heard from one I'd emailed in Brighton. A long drive but I was running out of options.
Thought I could drive down, hopefully buy the van and drive it home then cycle back down to pick up my car, around 60 miles cycling.
Luckily my friend Gary wanted to get out of his home and offered to help as a driver.

The Brighton van was rusty, living at the seaside had taken it's toll but the engine ran beautifully. Apparently it was his sons van and he had no real explanation for the nude female portrait on one wall in the back of the van!

After a short financial negotiation and a lot of reassurance from me that I wouldn't land them with a stream of motoring offenses I was on the road home, all be it the back roads where the number plate recognition cameras wouldn't pick up it's lack of road tax :)

And now the hard work begins. Apparently Citroen allow 9 hours labour to remove and refit an engine in workshop conditions, I've got to do it twice and I'm going to also do the cambelt and clutch, if not more, while it's out of the vehicle...

Watch this space.

Here's the donor van.

This is the portrait. Gary calls it 'The fallen Madonna with the big boobies'

Windy ride home

Set off at 7.45 this morning from Lyndhurst and followed a lovely route back home.
Bit of a breezy headwind took it's toll but the highlights of the scenery, the fresh air and doing something fun overwhelmed any hard work.
Went through some postcard picturesque villages with millponds, thatched cottages and views for miles.
Got home earlier than expected at about 2pm.

115km today.
Here's a link to my ride.

After work escape

15:51 and I'm on the train to Alton to pick up the trail where I bailed out last time. Took me 10 minutes after work to pack some overnight stuff and I'd already uploaded the route to my Garmin ready for the off.
The sun's shining and some tailwinds await my arrival in Hampshire!

Chatting to a guy on the train who is doing a 200 mile ride around a lake in Sweden, also told me about another race called the island hopper, 17 islands to run across and swim between them. Total run is marathon distance. Feeling some inspiration and I'll have to look these up.

20.00 65km later arrived at my guest house, lovely place, and headed out to the pub.
Beautiful ride down, fairly brisk pace and it seemed downhill most of the way.
I've now got a dilemma for tomorrow, ride back home as planned 122km or do the Wiggle New Forest Sportive route 111km and the train home from Brockenhurst... Nice decision to have to make!

Strava link to this evenings ride http://app.strava.com/activities/287948718

Weekend microadventure

So my Saturday night has just freed up and my mind has leapt at a sunny cycling opportunity.

Over Easter I planned to ride down to the New Forest, ride the Wiggle New Forest Sportive route then ride back, over 5 days.
After two consecutive companions pulled out I went anyway, only to be hit by 45mph headwinds on the second day and similar forecast ahead! A tactical withdrawal and a train home from Winchester means I have unfinished business with this trip.

A quick check if the weather for Saturday says sunshine and tailwinds. Google maps says 73 miles to Lyndhurst so the weekend adventure is up and rolling.

Off to book my room in the New Forest.

I'm going on holiday!! :)

Today's bike ride with my club

What a beautiful day!
I've not ridden much over the winter so I'm easing myself back into cycling gently. Today I joined my club group ride for the second time this year, last time I struggled to hold the pace for the whole ride!

Dressed in my winter gear thinking about waiting in the cold at the start point then stopping for coffee and cake. This was an error.

Seven of us headed out from Hampton at a fair pace through Sunbury, Chertsey, Chobham, Ascot and out to Windsor. Gave it full beans on the run into Windsor knowing the recovery time was coming at the coffee shop in town. Sharp right turn in front of the Castle and we're headed down towards Old Windsor. 'Hey! Not stopping today?!' several of the group looked as unsettled as me but we were already up to speed and stretched out along the long flat tarmac.

A bit later my empty emergency energy gel wrapper was hanging from my teeth and my quads were cramping up!

All in all a really good ride today that stretched me without breaking me. Perfect day's cycling, thanks to the guys and girl that were there.

Only one incident where one of the guys got a length of barbed wire (???!) stuck in his derailleur and it took a few minutes to detangle. No apparent damage done.

75 flattish kilometers Strava link

This is me.

Hi, I'm Russell. I'm at the tender age of 42 years and I'm 5 foot 7 and a bit.

I have the same level of spontaneous enthusiasm that I did when I was 12 and a similar desire of mischievous adventure as I did when I was 18. Occasionally this works in harmony with my real life as a responsible full time single dad and sometimes things get complicated.

My adult bike riding started about 3 years ago, just to the pool and back as part of a conscious change to a healthier path, leading me away from some unhealthy lifestyle habits I'd nurtured since my youth. 

Shortly after my decision to be more healthy individual I signed up for a Triathlon, believing that as I was currently able to run without stopping for a whole minute, that this target was well within my grasp.

Since then I've not looked back and I've had an amazing few years of sprint and middle distance triathlons, running events and one marathon, obstacle racing, long distance lightweight cycle touring and I've opened up my horizons to realise anything is possible.

I've successfully combined this with the best bits and essential bits of my previous lifestyle, with work, being a dad, going to music festivals, dancing and so much more. I now feel invigorated by life and what it has to offer.

I'm writing this blog as a personal account for myself, to refer back to when things seem tough and I need inspiration and also I'm hoping it might inspire others to take a step in an exciting new direction.

Hope you enjoy my blog.

Russell :)