Cycling and more.
This blog started as a way to broadcast my photography and how I created it, to document my thoughts about it. Then I talked about my other passion; cycling.
But with the events of 2020 it became much more.
I opened up about my depression. At first it was easier to type here than talk. Please click on the Macmillan cancer support link to sponsor my half marathon run in May.
This is a bit of a departure for the blog, I normally write about photography and cycling. Today it's cooking.
It's also unusual because I'm not a vegetarian and I rarely follow recipes. But I was bored of the standard food I eat and a friend suggested a vegan recipe. I was keen but couldn't get all of the ingredients. A google for ideas that I could cook came up with coconut Thai curry with chickpeas.
Dealing with butternut squash and aubergines was a first, and I have never included chickpeas in a meal. But it wasn't so bad. An hour to cook gave me plenty of time to start writing this. I didn't know what it was supposed to look like, I just hoped it was going okay.
So how did it go?
Not too bad if I say so myself. Although having eating on hold while I took photos caused the wife some concern. I could have presented it better if I had a bit more time. But when you photographing food you don't then sit down to eat it. I held Marcia off as long as I could and also didn't want it getting cold.
I think next time I'll add more chillies and a bit more liquid. And I don't think I'll be giving up meat anytime soon, but I will cook more vegetarian meals. It does make a nice change.
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Yesterday when I knew todays ride would be solo the plan was to do around thirty miles and see if I could match or better the average speed I achieved last weekend cycling to Canterbury. I know Canterbury is twice as far, but I didn't have anyone to pace me or to draft. When I cycle on my own it's easy to back off if it gets tough or slow down as my mind wonders. Today I pushed on and tried not to slow down. If I had to stop pedaling, on a bend for instance, I accelerated back to my cruising speed as quickly as I could. And kept pressure on the pedals as much as possible. It worked, when I got to the point I would turn around for home I had exceeded my average. Now I had to keep it up on the way home. I lost a little; when I got home my average had dropped to match last weekend's.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not obsessed with times and sectors, or comparing myself with anyone else. I just wanted to set a target, a personal challenge, to see what I might be capable of.
I get more from a lone ride by doing this, when I'm not on my own it's more about having a laugh with mates and chilling out. We can all easily complete the distances we do.
Taking a break
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Doesn't time fly? It can't be a year since I last did this ride.
The day started hotter than it did last year. The forecast was for a very hot day. Maybe Adam at Larner Cycles must have ticked the wrong box when he booked the weather. Instead of warm, he ticked incredibly hot.
I arrived early but there was already a number of people chatting and preparing.
Making Adam jog.
I again hoped to team up with someone who cycled at the same pace as me, it's a long ride on your own. And I did; Jo who I had meet at an off road cycle event before Christmas.
Her target was an average of 16mph, this is faster than my average on a long ride. But I wanted a challenge.
It was going okay until a very steep section on to the Limpsfield Road just passed Wallingham. I was slower and took longer to turn right at the junction. Jo had opened a big gap and no matter how hard I tried I could only reduce it very slowly. Then just at the right time a pair of cyclist came past me. I got into their slipstream and very quickly caught Jo up. I was amazed at how much of a difference it made.
Slipstreaming.
From then on Jo and I swapped the lead and we kept a high average speed. So much so that we reached the lunch stop faster than I expected. Over thirty miles in a little more than two hours.
The food stops on last years event were brilliant, and this year the standard was just as high. The lunch stop especially had sandwiches, cake everything I needed. We stayed a while but when we got outside the heat had increased and this, I think, caused me to really start to suffer. It's true the pace was higher than I was use to. But cycling in now 33 degrees C was proving very difficult. Jo said it was okay if I didn't spend so long leading, drafting her helped me maintain a reasonable pace. But there was little respite from the sun. A surprising consequence of the heat was when we stopped at a junction. It was like opening an oven door. I was warm as I cycled along, but pausing for any reason. The heat just hit me. The shaded sections were a relief, but they were too few.
Shaded section.
At the third and last stop I just sat on the grass, I didn't know how was I going to complete the last sixteen miles.
I had some food and drink but still wasn't ready to go on. I got chatting to the other riders and one of them, Pat from the Oxted CC, handed me two energy gels. He said they should help me get to the end. They did.
This is another great aspect to the ride. The support, encouragement and camaraderie from everyone involved makes a real difference.
Jo looking unfazed
Me, looking very fazed
As I sat waiting for my bike to be loaded onto the transport I noticed in addition to the dirt and grime I was covered in a large number of dead flies. I didn't realise I was going so fast the insects didn't bounce off. The lift back to Caterham is always a relief and is another reason I have sighed up for next year.
A big thank you to everyone involved in running the event. It's a big job very well delivered.
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I can't remember the last time a weekend ride was in danger due to bad weather. Yesterday it was a bit grey as I left the house, but quickly warmed up. It was a hilly route including White Lane near Botley and then on to Hosey Hill via Westerham, both very steep. In addition to Clarks Lane out of Westerham, and Burntwood Lane near to home. A proper test again. Being on my own it was just a circuit and back to the house.
Today was better, Matt was back. Just the question of where to go when we met at the green; we discussed Westerham, the quick way. But I just wasn't up to it, so the Church yard at Tatsfield was our eventual destination. Sitting there drinking tea, eating cereal bars and chatting about the news was perfect. We also talked about what we would do if we had no ties, no responsibilities and could just do whatever we wanted. Matt had been reading One man and his bike by Mark Carter. The backstory was that one day on his way to work he just kept cycling past his workplace and on around the coast. We were skeptical, how did he put his life on hold, how did he afford it? A book deal and writing articles for a newspaper must have made it easier to do it. And then we moved onto explores and adventurers. How did they do it? Decide to not follow the norm, and travel the world. Matt mentioned a woman who had rowed across oceans. One voyage had to be abandoned when a severe storm blew in. The problem I saw with this and most adventures is that they are fine when all goes well. But if it doesn't, like when the storm rolled in, other people have to risk their lives to mount a rescue. My view is that these people are a little selfish. Or am I just jealous?
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Matt and myself ride our bikes around Surrey and Kent all year. Only very bad weather and adult responsibilities will stop us. We meet at a village green just fifteen minutes from our houses, and we are on the edge of fields and winding lanes. Some places we cycle to are very quiet; we could be in the middle of no-where it's so peaceful. But in fact we are very close to civilisation.
What makes summer cycling so good is the winter. It makes you appreciate when the weather improved. Seemingly endless weekends of cold, wet and at times very unpleasant rides. It keeps us fit and is needed stress relief, but it can become a chore. Then I realise it's warm enough for shorts and t-shirts, the fields are full of crops and I am presented with a view like the one above.
I have a long awaited ride next weekend, sixty-six miles to Canterbury. My usual rides are about 25 miles. That distance allows time to chat and have a laugh with Matt. The extra distance does give me the chance to push myself a bit more. But it wouldn't be possible without the year round rides with Matt, and occasionally James, Richard and Matt D. Does this sound like an awards ceremony speech?
The award should go to the British countryside. Long may it be so close.
Enjoy, value and protect your countryside.
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Since the group was first created the membership has risen. And some had shown interest in a studio shoot. They wanted to see what it was like, and to experiment with lights and working with a model. So I arranged it and last weekend we met at 69 Drops Studio in London for an afternoon session. I had worked with Marilyn, our model, before on location and in a studio; it was good to catch up and introduce her to the group. The plan was for an informal afternoon to allow everyone to chat about what they had done before, what they wanted from today and for everyone to relax and bounce ideas off each other. So not really a traditional workshop, no waiting in line to take the same shot as everyone else. I liked this format, and the initial feedback confirmed so did Karen and Cliff, with some suggestions to improve the next one.
I think we achieved our goal of gaining experience and confidence. As far as another one goes, it could be a shoot on location. I find outside of a studio can be more spontaneous, and creative. Bad weather and people stopping to watch may put people off though. Or if there more participants we could hire a bigger studio with more areas to shoot in. Here are some of my favourites.
Here are some behind the screen shots.
Focused and reviewing the shoot
the right angle.
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