The Participation Ride 2007

I went to Glastonbury . . .

. . . and was given this!

Sustrans had a tent in 'The Green Fields' and I met Katie who was very interested in this ride and gave me this amazing plaque! I'm chuffed!

Other highlights of the festival for me were: a surprise appearance by Amadou and Mariam; Lou Rhodes (ex Lamb); Ed Harcourt; The marley Brothers and Dame Shirley Bassey (not my thing but she was absolutely amazing). But there were too many people this year . . . they'd "up-ed the capacity" but in my view the site can't cope with 165,000.

We started to try to leave at 1.00am this morning, we got stuck, like everyone else, we finally got onto tarmac at 07.30am!! They will be towing out vehicles for days!

Trish commits! Bless you!

I warned you here that when you get a text from Tricia, things happen!

I got an email today which said:

Morning Simon
I'll cover from lunch on 29/08 to & including lunch on 31/08.
I could bring the horse box which has plenty of space for bikes/luggage rather than the car if you think it's a good idea - can take 2 passengers only though.
Cheers
Tricia

So those of you who'd do a stage or two "if there was a support vehicle" no longer have an excuse! To clarify this means that we will have support vehicle from Creech St Michael (near Taunton) to Buxton. Thanks Trish.

Saddle time

Here is a diary of the time I am spending in the saddle pre-ride.

21/8/07
From work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.53
Average speed: 16.64
Time: 0:45:12
Max: 33.0
Conditions: Cool, dry, overcast.
2426

21/8/07
To work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.47
Average speed: 17.08
Time: 0:43:50
Max: 30.4
Conditions: Cool, dry, overcast.
2413

20/8/07
From work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.56
Average speed: 15.98
Time: 0:47:11
Max: 29.2
Conditions: Cool, dry.
2401

20/8/07
To work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.47
Average speed: 17.04
Time: 0:43:56
Max: 28.2
Conditions: Cool, dry.
2388

18-19/8/07
Intensive DIY - no cycling :-|

17/8/07
Euston to Nunhead
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 6.57
Average speed: 13.99
Time: 0:28:14
Max: 25.4
Conditions: Wet
2375

17/8/07
To Coventry Station
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 5.32
Average speed: 15.95
Time: 0:20:04
Max: 34.2
Conditions: Wet
2369

17/8/07
To work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.46
Average speed: 16.01
Time: 0:46:44
Max: 27.8
Conditions: Cool, dry and sunny. Carrying back pack.
2364

16/8/07
London commute
Bike: Birdy (no bike computer)
Trip: 8 (approx)
Conditions: Overcast

15/8/07
From work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.50
Average speed: 16.20
Time: 0:46:19
Max: 35.2
Conditions: Very wet road, cool, no rain
2351

15/8/07
To work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.46
Average speed: 16.93
Time: 0:44:11
Max: 29.4
Conditions: Overcast
2339

14/8/07
From work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.52
Average speed: 16.65
Time: 0:45:10
Max: 29.3
Conditions: Light rain
2326

14/8/07
To work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.46
Average speed: 16.31
Time: 0:45:51
Max: 27.6
Conditions: Raining
2314

27/7/07 to 12/8/07
Intensive DIY - no cycling :-|

24/7/07
To work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.40
Average speed: 17.51
Time: 0:42:32
Max: 29.4
Conditions: Overcast
2289

23/7/07
From work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 11.65
Average speed: 16.30
Time: 0:42:56
Max: 25.1
Conditions: Overcast - wet road
2276

23/7/07
To work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.44
Average speed: 18.00 (yes!)
Time: 0:41:30
Max: 32.8
Conditions: Light rain
2264

20/7/07
To work and back (with diversion)
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 26.37
Average speed: 15.34
Time: 1:43:10
Max: 30.1
Conditions: Heavy rain
2251

19/7/07
To work and back
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 24.90
Average speed: 16.57
Time: 1:30:10
Max: 29.4
Conditions: -
2225

18/7/07
London commute
Bike: Birdy (no bike computer)
Trip: 2 x 3 = 6 (approx)
Conditions: Overcast/light rain

17/7/07
Cheltenham commute
Bike: Birdy (no bike computer)
Trip: 8 (approx)

17/7/07
To work
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 12.39
Average speed: 16.65
Time: 0:44:40
Max: 34.6
Conditions: -
2200

14/7/07
Around town
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 8.67
Average speed: 12.61
Time: 0:41:14
Max: 38.1
Conditions: Overcast
2175

13/7/07
To work and back (forgot to reset the bike computer!)
Bike: Pashley Moulton TSR30
Trip: 24.77
Average speed: 16.64
Time: 1:29:22
Max: 29.2
Conditions: Light rain
2166

11/7/07
London commute
Bike: Birdy (no bike computer)
Trip: 4 x 3 = 12 (approx)
Conditions: Overcast/light rain

10/7/07
To work and back
Bike: Birdy (no bike computer)
Trip: 25 (approx)
Conditions: Light rain

9/7/07
To work and back (forgot to reset the bike computer!)
Trip: 24.84
Average speed: 16.60
Time: 1:29:48
Max: 31.9
Conditions: Overcast (am); light rain (pm)
2142

3/7/07
To work and Bubbenhall
Trip: 17.97
Average speed: 15.01
Time: 1:11:51
Max: 29.4
2117

12/6/07
Around town
Bike: Tandem
Trip: 13.05
Average speed: 11.68
Time: 1:07:04
Max: 27.1
Conditions: Sunny
2090

The full route is here

Now we are 4

We have been doing some really interesting things over here. A group of us decided to develop a response to a Governmnet tender (normally a cloak and dagger exercise) in the open and online. Anyway, the Open Innovation Exchange has been an amazing experience AND I have 'met' some really innovative and interesting people. One of them is Ed (that's him on the left). Anyway Ed is joining us for a section around Bristol. Cheers Ed.

Ed is working on making the online bit of the Darfur Campaign work which another friend, David Wilcox, wrote about here. The online bit of the Darfur campaign is here.

Promo materials to download!

Here are promotional materials that you can download and give to your friends or put up in a community space.

You can download the cards (shown) here .

There is also an A4 Poster and A3 Poster.

All files are in PDF format. To save them to your hard disk, right-click on the link and select 'Save link As ...'.

Please spread them far and wide. We need all the publicity we can get!

Thanks.

Saddle acclimatisation starts tomorrow

With some anxiety I plan to start to get my a**e in gear and start cycling to work tomorrow it's 13 miles each way but will be OK once I get used to it! I'll let you know how I get on.

Ian (co-rider #1) called today and we had a good chat - he's an actor! He did a 12-month stint on Coronation Street and has done loads of other stuff. Aren't people interesting?

I'm off now to write a press release to see if we can get a mention in the Cycle Mags.

Dates and lunch stops finalised

Right, here is the final plan with the dates of each stage now set and the lunch stops specified. Hopefully, this will now enable others to commit to specific stages and/or lunch meet-ups. Click on the image to enlarge. The detailed spreadsheet can be downloaded here .

I am hoping to confirm shortly that we will have a support vehicle from Creech St Michael (near Taunton) for 2-3 days. This would be from lunchtime on 29/8/07 (Weds) to lunchtime on 1/9/07 (Sat) when we will be in Thornton-in-Craven. This should help those who are a bit unsure of their capabilities to commit to a stage or two in the knowledge that there will be someone with a vehicle just behind.

Onwards and upwards!