I was riding in Peckham, entering Peckahm Rye from a side street. There were 2 buses and I saw a gap between them. So I went for it. But I was in 7th gear, so I had to change down quick, but not quick enough it seems. Something 'went' and I found I had no gears. But as I slowed down (and let the bus behind over take me) I found I did have a gear it was just a lower one to that on the gear indicator.

I managed to get home with the gear still working (just the wrong gears), and I had a look. The Arm that holds the cable adjuster in place had swung down. I went to remove the wheel and I found the nuts were a bit loose. Hmm. I can't remember if I tightened the nuts or not before BoA. I struggle to imagine I didn't, but I don't know. I know I had some difficulty getting the wheel into a straight line. But I didn't notice anything wrong with the wheel, the only thing was that it was slightly out of adjustment, and when I got home from BoA I re-adjusted it and the changes were perfect.

I rode it again the next day, with the arm moved back into position. When I got to work I noticed that the arm had moved again. So I gingerly rode home again and left it till this Sunday. I cleaned the chain and took off the wheel to see if the arm was broken. It doesn't seem to be broken. When I tried to ride to the Hovis ride in London, the changes were perfect for about 1/2 a mile, then no gears... the arm had moved again - so I had to hobble back home.

Before

After. Sigh.

New site for sharing routes from OS, using OS maps! Cool! Works with my GPS right?

Unfortunately there is currently no way to export the routes to GPS orvice versa.Kind regards,

Tsk!

Tags: Technology, GPS

How annoying to learn something only shortly after you really needed to know about it?

I decided on my trip to Bradford that my sleeping bag was a) a smidge too small, and b) too big when packed. I used my messenger bag (about 28l) as my main bag, and the sleeping bag basically filled the bag, leaving precious little space for my inflatable mat and requiring my clothes to be compressed. My toiletries had to go into my (hydration) back pack, my pillow was strapped to the front of the bike and so was my water proof jacket. So last night and today I had a look at 'lite' bags.

Looking first on Vango (which is my current brand), I noticed that I already have a 'Travel/Lightweight' bag! Odd, I thought. Looking at the current bags, my equivalent would be a Voyager 100.

Reading reviews of sleeping bags mostly from Americans, I was struck how all the features they were marvelling at on expensive bags (double-sided zips, convertable to a duvet, zip secured with velcro) is all old hat with Vango bags. The new Voyager shaves off 550g in weight, down to 1KG and (I thought) a full 10 cm in pack size, down to 21cm long.

However, the length was the same at 210cm, so I thought I'd look for a bit more. I had a look on Outdoors Magic for other British brands making sleeping bags. I thought of Craghoppers, and somehow came across this. Hmm, never heard of this lot...Snugpak? I looked at the reviews on Outdoors magic and saw this question being asked about looking after a new sleeping bag. Apparently you shouldn't fold up a sleeping bag, since you can crease and damage the synthetic lining, instead you should just stuff it in. I also saw the same advice given on Youtube for packing a tent, you might crease the outer shell. So, I thought I would test this out, but first I picked the bag I will eventually buy.

The 'micro' pack size is remarkable (if not achieved by any of the reviewers), and it has a number of features that sounds good to me: a chisel foot for my big feet, a "Chrysalis Baffle System"...a what, what the what? CBS=Stretchy sides to permit turning in your sleep (ah!); and most importantly 220cm in length. But yes the reviews, they said that all they tried, they couldn't squeeze the pack down to 16cm long. They called on the manufacturers to tell them the secret, well, I'll just email them if I cant figure it out, but they made me think. I always had trouble fitting the Vango into it's little bag and squeezing the compressions straps over it. But the reviews talked about a compressed size and an uncompressed size. Uncompressed, the Softie was 30cm long! Compressed, they got it down below 20cm, but not to 16.

I have two sleeping bags. The first once I felt was too small, and I changed it for the Vango. I but I remembered that the old one was always easy to pack, so I got it out and unfolded it and stuffed it back in the bag. Easy! Next, I decided to see how far I could compress it. Rather than pulling on the compression straps, I put it tail up, and pressed it down with my knee and used the straps to hold the bag in compression. Wow! Instantly 20cm. Some more kneeing and it was 16cm!!

The diameter was also much smaller than the Vango, so overall it was much less than half the size - TINY. I've promised this bag for my sister, Caroline, so it turns out she's getting a super small Micro Thermalite bag. Not bad! The weight of it was exactly 1kg. Next up, and just dried from the washing machine was the Vango. Again, stuffing rather than folding the bag actually worked. There was a little sweating involved, but it all fit in, giving a +30cm long package. Down with the knee again, and:

21cm. There you have it, not pretty, but that's how to pack a sleeping bag.

Tags: Technology, Sleeping Bags

Some road works today on my way back from a seminar in Victoria today. I learned this from the third 185 bus (driver) which was going only as far a Camberwell. Every other bus she said, should be going the whole route. But, this is the third bus not going to Catford! Every other bus she said. Not listening. So I walked to Waterloo bridge where I got the 171. All was well, till we got to Brockley:

Blooming heck. We got stuck. An MPV was parked in front, and this clown wouldn't reverse back to let the bus through. The drivers behind him reversed back. The bus, couldn't move, because there was a jam behind. 5-6 minutes later and there's 6 buses waiting for this guy to move, passengers (and residents) are out remonstrating with him, and the female driver from the bus behind is screaming the air blue!

Seriously dude, just give way...its a BUS! 6 BUSES! Eventually he moved forward about 1 metre, and we were able to move. 1 metre - so what was all that palaver for! Some people, eh?

Tags: Buses, London

I rode to Wallingford on Thursday afternoon, passing the Thames outside Oxford

and Abingdon.

The N70/GPS/Viewranger combo was problematic. It kept losing the signal from the GPS, and both the phone and the GPS had to be re-booted. Not good. I made it to Didcot (Power Station) along National Cycle Route 5 before needing to take a detour to join Route 40 to Wallingford, where Waitrose and my dinner awaited. All laid out in Viewranger. Of course it decided to stop working just at the critical detour moment - so I used used (Viewranger) map and compass from that point.

To my dismay, the track on the OS map leading me under the railway line to route 40 was a dead end of bushes. I had to improvise a route, and happily found that I was not the only cyclist taking the detour. The other cyclist was much faster than me though and I lost him around a corner. I suddenly found I was going back toward the power station. I had to be on the wrong road. Sweating profusely, I tried the GPS again in vain and a slight panic (it was 5pm already and starting to get dusky). While waiting for everything to reboot, again, I noticed out of the corner of my eye something flashing. It looked like lots of cars passing behind a bush. Looking closer I could see a railway crossing sign...aha!!! Back to the map on the phone and yes, there was a railway next to the road I needed (B1046). I rode up and there it was, Route 40. It took me a long way, but fast up a few hills and down again all the way to Wallingford,

where I camped. Sadly, the site was about 50 meters from the riverside:

But it had a fantastic, new and high-tech shower block; instructions for the no-touch controls below.

Next morning I rode down to Goring and Streatley.

I got there around 10:30, up and down several fast hills, but this was a bit late in hindsight, given that I had planned to stay the previous night in Streatley (but there was no room at the YHA) and leave there at 8am. I should have asked to camp in their grounds I guess.

Anyway, from Streatley, there was a ride along Rectory Lane and then the biggest ascent imaginable and on the worst quality road imaginable! Big rocks, split open with sharp edges. My poor tyres, they were catapulting these things left and right. I could barely keep upright. In the end I had to push the bike up, it was so rough. Note, I wasn't pushing because I was tired, so that's something. At the top I was greeted by the splendour of the Ridgeway! Er, misty and cloudy.

I passed a dog walker. She said it gets better (referring to road quality). She was right and wrong. You'd get 100m of impassable stones, then 100m of packed earth, then grass tracks, then rocks again. Argh! I had to get off!

But I had forgotten to buy the 1:250000 GB roadmap (in case of detours), so I had no map for a change of route. The map I had bought was for the Ridgeway and that was it (or so I thought). Looking on Tuesday though, I noticed that my map went nearly as far south and east as Hungerford - what a twit I was not to notice this since that would have made a big difference. I decided to ride as far as the A34, then detour somehow down to Newbury. Before I got there a concrete road appeared! North to continue the Ridgeway or South to Compton. My heart said North, but my brain over-ruled. A huge down hill race to Compton where Google Maps took over emergency map duties, and worked well, getting me to Newbury down Long Lane by 12:30.

Where the sun came out, and I made the fatal mistake of taking Cycle Route 4 along the Kennet and Avon Canal. It was not a very fast route (which I needed), and chucked me off onto hilly roads to get to Hungerford. Some lovely views on the way through.

Several times I could hear the roar of the Great Western Railway, and in to Bedwyn I rode along the canal again, but Route 4, took me away again. If I had consulted the map, I would have had realised that I was right next to the A4, take the main road, fool!

Instead, out of Bedwyn I saw Route 4 tell me to turn right, but there was no right turn. Odd. 200m later, there is a turning into the Savernake forest, but no Route 4 sign confirming this. The forest looked scary, so I carried on, and presently saw another route 4 sign. It turns out that Route 4 forked at that point and I should have gone through the forest. Later on I saw this confusing sign:

I came from Hungerford, so do I turn right or go straight on? It actually points in all directions! WTF? 5 miles later (after Burbage) I notice I am heading South East back to Bedwyn rather than west. So I turn back and take the right at the sign, but this new route is full of (albeit lovely) hills, and is taking me north rather than West. North to Marlborough.


Halfway to Marlborough, I cross the canal again. Aha! I think, I'll just ride the canal in a straight-line to Bradford-on-Avon, and sod the cycle route. Except the towpath is appalling quality with tree roots and more stones. Basically my speed is little above 10mph for another hour and it is now 17:00 and I only am vaguely aware that I should be in Wiltshire. I pass a cyclist and ask how far it is to Devizies. 1 hour he says (I am shocked). No, make that 2 hours, good luck! I am distraught. Devizies is 20 miles from Bradford! Argh! I've got get off this stupid tow path.

So I get off at the next bridge to find it's nothing but a farmer's field. Unknown to me, I am now firmly back on the Viewranger map, but I have to ask at a pub the way to Devizies. The tourist gets out his road map and suggests I go down the road to Pewsey. Never heard of it, but off I go, and not 2 minutes later I find a train station. Should I? Should I give up? I then get a text message from a friend I'm meeting for drink that evening - he's nearly there, and I'm due there in about an hour.

It turns out this in an inter-city station, and there is a train coming, so I made it in time and at least I rode from Bradford-on-Avon train station.

Pics from the weekend here, and here's a video I made:

Tags: Moulton, GPS, Mountain Biking

I had a great weekend, although the ride to Bradford was a bit of a disaster in part. Funny, it doesn't look that way from the pictures.

Wednesday night then, I left work to get the train to Oxford. I left in plenty of time and half way across London, I realise I've left my phone behind. Disaster! So I hot tail it back and realise that I'm going to miss my train. The train I had booked an apex ticket for... So I got the phone, but I got a call 2 days later from work to say I'd left the solar charger at work too. Oh well. Luckily the battery lasted.

I got to the station and the customer service guy wouldn't say if my ticket was still valid. The train guard will decide he said. I was loathed to spend £18 for a ticket, but I took the chance. There was no ticket inspection and at Oxford they let me through, so great. The YHA was literally across (under) the railway tracks, and I walked into town for a sneak peak. Lots of young people about depsite this not being term time yet. Oxford also has a backpacker hostel, but no way! I wanted to sleep rather than listen to yakking aussies!

I had planned the morning, of course. Walkabout at 9am, Ashmoleum at 10am, Walking tour at 11am, Pitt Rivers at 13:30. First stop, the Carfax Tower.

I found this while failing to locate an Internet Cafe (all shut down). Great views from the top (drag the picture below for the view).

Next, the Ashmolean. Both this and the Pitt Rivers are under refurbishment, but the Ash had a Treasures exhibition on, which was great.

The cloak of Pocohontas' father

The Alfred Jewel

Guy Fawkes' lantern

The walking tour went around the university (where else, eh!). We started at Exeter College, where William Morris studied and fabric'ed up the chapel.

Went around some dreaming spires:



And visited Keble:

Where they had this famous painting:

I had to sneek at peek at Balliol as well, which was right opposite the tourist office:

The Pitt Rivers was a bit too rich for me to take in so I rushed through it. I'll come back another time.

Tags: Moulton