I once cycled down an against traffic bus lane in the snow!
I was trying to cycle to work and the roads were covered in snow except where the buses ran. It was snowing heavily and I was going to be late. I didn’t know my highway code which apparently prohibited cycling in such a bus lane (although cycling in a ‘with’ traffic lane was allowed). Long story short, I was pounced on by a young policewoman sheltering in a doorway who told me off in a very nasty way. I was allowed to continue as long as I pushed my bike on the pavement. I later got a caution in the post!
I’m really enjoying the Tour de France this year. I don’t have all the names of the Cyclists, but it’s impressive to see the work they put in and the speeds they move at.
Today a breakaway of four riders stayed away until the end of the stage. There are three more days to go, with the final stage on Sunday when the current yellow jersey holder expected to win the overall three week tour.
Up and down mountains in blistering heat and massive rainstorms, this years tour has not been without incident. Motorbikes and cars in the way, crashes into barriers on fast, technical descents. The steepest stage (yesterday), for several years caused the rider who was second in the race to loose precious time during an individual time trial.
Are there things you try to practice daily to live a more sustainable lifestyle?
We have an old car, it’s about 23 years old (not as old as the morris in the painting), we can’t afford to replace it. But don’t really want to because of all the resources locked up in it. We only drive short distances now and did less than 1000 miles last year. I rarely have to fill it up with fuel. For local trips we usually walk. It’s a struggle to carry things, but it’s exercise.
I have a bike but I’m too wobbly to use it. But it may well be given to a charity so it can be reused, it would be good to give it to a good home. You only have a short window of adulthood to be adventurous but as you get older it gets harder. My mind is mostly fine but my body is getting worn out and ill.
Apart from that we planted a lot of trees on our garden which have become mature over the years. I’m sure that must offset our carbon footprint. We try and grow some fruit and vegetables too. We also try not to use much gas and electricity. We rarely buy clothes or shoes…..
I could go on. I don’t feel deprived. I’ve never flown and don’t want to and I rarely travel more than the occasional 80 miles to visit relatives. I hope all of this is a good way towards living a sustainable life. We could do more, we try.
When I was younger we used to go camping a lot. I can recall many adventures over a few years. On one occasion we decided to go cyclo camping. We took a train to Wales and cycled over to a campsite. But when we got there I realised we didn’t have the tent just the fly sheet and poles! We had a chat with someone who was already there and he kindly let us attach our flysheet to the back of his tent. We spent a cold night under it and in the morning decided we couldn’t continue. We did not have enough money to buy a new tent and carry on so we caught the train home!
Another time we drove down to St Ives. The campsite was on a field above the town and we spent a few nights there. On the last night there was a howling gale. My hubby stretched out and put his foot through the zip at the front of the tent! We knew we would get soaked if rain got in, so I got out my sewing kit, I had a torch in my mouth (hubby had gone to sleep) so I sewed up the front of the tent to hold it shut. I think that was our last night there.
We got a new tent and went to Grizedale forest in the lake district. It was a sculpture park and I remember walking around the forest trying to find all the sculptures, these included ones by Anthony Gormley I think. We also cycled up to Hawkshead and from and to Windermere where we travelled on the train.
The last trip I remember was in the car. We went to Anglesey and camped at Red Wharf bay. We had borrowed a big six berth frame tent, which we had never used before. It was only after an hour of trying to put it up that I noticed the built in curtains in it were on the OUTSIDE! We had to start again. The other slight disaster was my hubby backing the car up next to the tent. He drove over the saucepan we had taken with us.
I think that’s enough for one night. Safe camping!
Poor bike. I last road it seven years ago, and since then it’s been gathering dust. I still love it. Its actually the right size (19 1/2 inch frame) for my short legs. But my balance isn’t good and I think I’m shrinking. The bike still has toe clips in that I think my feet might get stuck in…. But… Now I’ve lost weight I might just be able to set it up and use it… Can anyone tell me where to get stabilisers? X
We contacted our local bike shop because my hubby wants to send his old bike frame to his brother so that it can be tidied up and restored a bit. If we were not nervous about going to visit hir brother, and they were not under a local lockdown, we would have taken it in the car. But no, we can’t travel there as we would not be allowed back!
So this is a HUGE box to put the frame in. It’s about six foot by four? It’s sitting in the living room because it’s too wet to pack it up at the moment. No doubt the cats will try and get in… Sending cats to Lancashire? Not likely!
This was today’s Urban sketchers challenge. Vintage.
My vintage Viking Queen mixtie bike.
Drawing this quickly it makes me realise how hard it is to draw accurate ellipses. This was the bike I bought a few pounds a week from Swinnerton cycles in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, forty years ago. I used it till I was knocked off and fractured my skull. I carried on riding it for a year, but it collapsed because the headset had been damaged in the crash. I took it to be mended and the shop lost the frame. I bought a new bike, but it was the wrong size for me. (my legs are slightly short). I ended up giving the new bike to a friend and learnt to drive. Big mistake. I got my old bike back rebraised about a year after I took it in to the shop. From then on I put on weight. I carried on cycling occasionally, but mainly used the car. The last time I rode my bike was about ten years ago. I’m scared to get back on it as my balance is not good. But I keep it, thinking one day I will have another go….
Called in at the waiting room gallery in Longport to have a chat and look at the new work in there. I was interested in the memories of Longport exhibition, which was asking for people to write about things that they remember from there. I remembered taking my bike which had damage to the headset to a bike mechanic called Lance. I took the bike in, he lost it from his shop in trubshaw cross. I went back a few times, sorry no bike. I visited again, after a year he found the bike frame but no wheels! I ended up buying another bike, which was too large for me so I sold it and bought a second hand car! After a few more months the wheels were replaced, but too late, I was so unfit I never really cycled again. Apparently the repair man didn’t really think women mattered, so the bike was not important. Now I’m unfit and sad this happened about thirty years ago. I could have stayed well… But that’s life x
The waiting room is an interesting place, they have some good art in there, they are also working along with Longport Station, I’m looking forward to working with them x
Mallaband-Brown 