Ray

job interview tomorrow morning, had one already this week which went very well. I've been offered the job but I have to be cleared by security before I start. This fucking weather is shit. It is snowing but not settling which I am fucking pissed off with, whats the fucking point of snow if it doesn't fucking settle?? I saw Ray this morning. Christ almighty it was most definitely fucking brilliant, Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles totally dominates the whole film, the music is amazing. I watched AC Milan kick ManU's arse 1-0 down the pub last night, shame about the score as it was entertaining shit. Ronaldo was intimidated and we couldn't finish but Ruud did make a comeback appearance as sub in the last 30 mins but he's far from match fitness.

Head-On

Bought a replacement for the "lost" speedo, this is an upgrade with a cadence function which might be useful on the longer distance bike rides. I am going to have a look and see if I can find the speedo in the next couple of days if I remember where it was that I dropped it ;) Recieved final cheque for my work in Jan, and paid it into the bank on way to the bike shop and cinema. I saw Head-On. Girl unfucks this guy's life and they fall in love when she's only into him because of her family wanting her to be married. They fall in love eventually. He kills a guy who she slept with. She moves to Turkey (they all are turkish, living in Germany) and has a baby with another man while he's in jail. He gets out there is still feelings. Will she get on the bus with baby and leave and live happily ever after?? Very complex. Crazy cool film that you have to see!

brrrrrrr...

Destination	75 mile reliability Ride
Distance	82.5 miles?*
Time	<6 hours
Average Speed	??
Max. Speed	??
Odometer	252.6 miles

Remarks:B reliability ride; No stops; strong wind; freezing; snow and rain; Temperature: 0.4-2.8 ^oC

*lost speedo on ride so distance is approx, the ride is 75 and the ride to and from the start totals 7.5 so the min distance is 82.5 miles.
At one point I considered getting the train back, I was that devoid of energy. Fortunately the cafe stop was only a few miles up the road and I refuelled and was much better for the remaining 25 miles. I guess I shouldn't have kaned it up so many hills, that ate my energy when I should have been pedalling steadily with everyone else :-> Live and learn! More miles in the week would help also!

sexy beast

walking and not in Cambridge!!! I cycled via the train to Royston to meet R and then we walked from there. Great route, only lost once and about 11 miles accompanied by bitter Northerly wind and bright sunshine, blue skies and hills! There were 4 birds of prey of unknown sort and a worm, all else was blown away. Now my face is windblasted with panda eyes where my sunglasses were.
ManU beat Everton into submission, two-nill. :)))
watching: Sexy Beast. fucked up, but the good guys get the candy and its not too bitersweet.

finality

So Lance Armstrong has decided to go for number 7, excellent news I think! You want your superstar sportsmen to be there to set the bar others have to beat, to justify their success if they win. If you beat the best then you become the best.
The last 3 days were in the company of lots of relatives as Grandpa P's funeral was on Wednesday. The funeral was very well done, very moving (particularly the music as played by my cousins S, H and especially M on the clarinet) with contributions from my uncles and aunties. I didnt really feel like speaking much to anyone, just keeping my thoughts to myself. Everyone will be in Shetland for my cousin J's wedding in June so I'll see them all there in more happy circumstances.

Listenin to: RATM "The Battle of Los Angeles"
watchin:Touching the Void. vibrant epic escape from death in South American Andes.

BBC Slipstreems

BBC Streams
Get hold of Streambox VCR Suite and save the BBC radio streams permanently. Amazing.
Check out the author's blog Here. Peace out.

springs rusted shut

another template I know I know. This is better than the last. What do you think?
Amazed with myself after yesterday's astonishing feat I fealt the need to go out into the wind again, this time on foot. Bored with the usual 5 mile loop I decided upon the 10 mile loop via Waterbeach. The first half was straight into the wind, no shelter and it was great fun. No, seriously it was ace! The sun was shining and with my Mountain Cap and hood I was well dressed. Again I didn't bring my camera and again I wished I had, the colour: greens and the glinting river on the way back with rowers rocketing along.
Check this out a grate blog

Pain suffering Success.

Destination	50 mile reliability Ride
Distance	60.50 miles
Time	3:43:10
Average Speed	16.3 mph
Max. Speed	32.0 mph
Odometer	170.1 miles

Remarks:Group "B+" reliability ride; No stops; very strong wind; cold; partly hailstorm; Temperature*: 4.8-6.4 ^oC

Windy to extreme, very tiring work when cycling into it. No stopping, very happy not to have been dropped (almost was once then regained pace again). Some sections out of wind where we were cruising at 27mph no problems. The bitter wind. On the B+: there were 4 groups: race, B+, B, and C. All groups going one after the others with the "race" group going first and everyone covering the same route. This allowed the people dropped off the back to join the following slower group. Next week is the 75mile ride, with a half-way stop.

RIP Toby

Black cat, independent spirit, loved his food and the catnip even more so. Taken to vets this afternoon and found to be very ill suffering (?) with diabetes and had to be put down. Sad news.
Earlier today I braved the wet drizzle and did the walk, lots of rowers (doing time trials or something race-like) on river. 13764 steps today, a day off yest because it was tipping it down and I didn't feel much like going out into it. Have got two new housemates lined up, they're friends/students studying at the uni for 4 months and are from Germany, more news in the future! I finished (after demolishing it in only a few days) "The Trail to Titicaca" which tells of an epic 6,500 mile bike journey from the Southern tip of S.America to Lake Titicaca in the Bolivian section of the Andes as ridden by a group of 3 Brits back in the 90s. Excellent book, I love this kind of extreme adventure book! And thus they don't last long in my hands because I read them so ravenously. I have started the long process of re-designing my website. I may have a go at the blog's design if I remember/can be arsed...

badders

Badminton tonight was pretty good, although patchy in places where me not having played for the last couple of weeks being the reason. Cycled there and back in 23 mins (averaging 16.8mph but lots of traffic lights) and took the speedo over 100 miles :->
Earlier I had another pre-med at the hospital, I gotta get up really early and be there by 9 tomorrow am for the follow-up. In town I got a waterproof hiking hat, a head torch and some bike odds and ends. There are a couple of tents that I want to check out, but in town there's not really anywhere to have a look at tents so its london or somewhere else for me!

RIP Grandpa P

Destination	Wickham Fen
Distance	50.23 miles
Time	3:26:13
Average Speed	14.6 mph
Max. Speed	27.5 mph
Odometer	95.3 miles

Remarks:Group "C" ride; v.light wind; cold; partly rainy; Temperature*: 4.8-6.8 ^oC

Good to be riding again with the "c" group, managed a couple of burns but my emphasis was to keep with the group. If I do a couple of mid-week rides then next time I will be going with the "b" group soon, not next week because I am starting my clinical trial and "no vigorous exercise for 48hrs preceding [the trial] is allowed". The ride was good, flat, and it rained. With no mudgards on the bike ahead and a sprayful of mud and wet in the face, I am definitely getting the mudgards fixed to my bike ASAP :-)
Grandpa P passed away in his sleep at his home on Friday, surrounded by family it was a good way to go. His funeral happens a week wednesday. Rest in Peace.

Riding

Destination	Haverhill
Distance	39.22 miles
Time	2:21:13
Average Speed	16.6 mph
Max. Speed	33.0 mph
Odometer	45.1 miles

Remarks:Solo; Slight wind; Hilly; Temperature*: 6.8-8.4 ^oC

*according to this excellent Cambridge based weather site

Back on the bike, I origally planned to go to Grandparents house in Suffolk but Grandpa is very ill so I postponed it. Dressed in biking kit and early up I noshed down some porridge, waited till ten and then set out on the road to Haverhill. A straight there and back route of 39 miles I was very fortunate that I had decided not to do the 90-odd mile route to Wenhaston because I was suffering on the hills but once I had managed to maintain a rhythm it was not too bad, putting the hammer down but not wanting to overcook it and leave myself bonked on my first ride in 4 months. The last hill before Cambridge is the steepest and gaining the peak one is rewarded with the excellent view of Cambridge: yep I have made it back alive. If I am going to do the ride to Wenhaston I will need to do more work on the bike. I am contemplating going on the CCCs ride this Sunday (I rode a number last summer) and if I am dropped or find the pace too much I can always head back to base now that I have bought a map of the SE of England which fits nicely in my bike bag.

Housemates (2) moving out at end of Feb, shall have to find some more to replace them. They take all the boys toys in the lounge including the beer fridge :(. Haha. More cinema and reading for me. I gotta go to some gigs also! Rugby tomorrow: Eng vs Wales.

flying

Weds:~13000 steps
Today: 20236 steps Nice blister on the little toe of my right foot.
Went to the cinema to see "The Aviator" first half shot in two-color technicolor (blue and red) and the final half in full technicolor, visually very good. This aside I really enjoyed the film and Cappacinno was immense as Howard Hughes, the flight sequences were brilliant climaxing with the biggest plane ever to fly an her maiden "flight".
I gotta go to bed, early start: 90+ mile bike ride to the grandparents.

4-2

violently bubbly. Manchester United beat Arsenal 4-2 and move SECOND!

films

This morning I walked to BitesBate lock and back along the river. 8640 steps in 1hr15. In afternoon walked into town and I went to see "Sideways" at the Picturehouse and became a member, then killed an hour and then watched "Team America" at the Graffham. Walked back, slighly sore feet and 22748 steps as of now. US cheque cleared and in my account, took same time as normal UK cheque. I was expecting it to take weeks so I am v. pleased :-)