February 25th 2019 - Jack Taylor Super Clubman Birthday Ride

After my complete blowout last weekend at the tour of East Lothian audax still a painful memory, but thankful for the ride in Stephens (Velo) company and then the welcome of a place to stay on the way home from Brian, all was not lost. Just one of those rides I suppose where I should have been more prepared and look after myself better when travelling down.
This weekend I had a couple of things to sort out that kept me off the bike yesterday but thankfully today I got a few hours at least in on the Jack Taylor. I really needed to get the Jack Taylor out as being away last weekend meant this was the first time home to take it out to celebrate its birthday. This was on the 12th Feb and originally built on this day in 1982 according to the build records Ken Taylor kept and now shares with the JT group.
Today wasn't too far and there was of course the obligatory coffee stop. While I followed the coastal roads westward I took a few detours off road and found a couple of nicely secluded tracks that led to some nicely hidden spots in a couple of wooded areas. One of these was just along a usual stretch that I have used for years and knew of all the tracks on the old estate along the shore as I used to live just a couple of minutes away in the same village. Today though as I rode by I looked up and there were a couple of trees missing on one stretch of backroad, this stretch has a rise up from the road heavily wooded but behind the trees are the old walls of a long gone estate and it's grounds. Today though I could see part of a huge wall, another partly fallen and some really lovely shaped trees partially hidden up over the rise. The weather wasn't great up here today being dull and cloudy but that just gave it a bit of atmosphere. I decided I would climb up and have a look and maybe take the bike up if possible.
Was glad I did as it was a really beautiful secluded spot hidden away from everything, walled on all sides except the section now exposed due to the trees down. I have been through this small estate grounds on everything from Stumpjumpers to my Mercian and never seen this part and judging by the complete lack of any sort of rubbish, plastic wrappers, cans etc, then neither had anybody else been here for a while.
I took a good few photos as usual and sat and ate Jacks birthday Haribo before thinking I better hightail it home. Though while sitting quietly I had two Seka deer come to a stone door just a  few metres away and just stood and stared until my phone camera clicked and then they were off along with the Buzzard that had been sitting on the other side of the yard watching me. 
A good more direct cross country route seen me home before dark with a nice ride behind us and some new short local trails to explore.
I also took the majority of the photos on my iPhone as my camera batteries died after the first few so a good chance to do a comparison as I take my phone with me usually so after seeing the quality I am not sure I need my camera along as well. Not too sure yet.

Jamie

Monday 4th February 2019 - New Bottle Cage for the Big Dummy

Arrived home to find the postie had delivered my new bottle cage for the Big Dummy. It's a PDW Owl Cage.
I originally went to buy one of the Always Riding water bottles from their shop then seen they were on sale and also spotted they had a couple of the Owl cages well reduced.
I had been meaning to buy one of their bottles for a long time as the design is really nice and I could always do with a new bottle as a few of my older ones are leaking around the lid/spout. I also kept meaning to get an Owl cage for the Dummy but again just never got round to it as I had a normal cage on there so it was never a priority, then when I went looking a while back I noticed there were fewer to be found as PDW came out with newer designs. The same goes for Caleb wanting a PDW lucky cat cage, they are hard to find but he really wants one as he has a Chinese lucky cat in his room and generally just loves cats. Thankfully Pascal at Always Riding is trying to order him one.
I went to put them in my basket but at the checkout it just wouldn't go through, remembered in the morning to give them a ring and was told just order the cage at the reduced price as the bottles are free if you buy a cage as they are already packed with the cages. Ended up getting the Zefel bottle I wanted with the Owl cage I thought I had missed out on for less than the price of a bottle. Bargain! 
Sometimes it the little things ;)
And remember to check out the good people at http://alwaysriding.co.uk
Jamie

February 3rd 2019 - Fresh Snow, Playing on the Big Dummy and sled

 It has been a nice family type day of riding today as we woke to a little bit more fresh snow so Caleb and I thought we better make the most of it in case it goes away too quick.
So it was out with the Big Dummy and down from the loft came the good German sled, dusted off, hooked up and off we went. We did a few miles around the local roads and laneways playing as we went. Hoping to make the most of it before any traffic mushed it up. A nice time to ride, Sunday morning quiet, the snow seems to make it even quieter. Then we headed back home and picked up mum and the dog and went back out. I just kept riding the Dummy sometimes with the boy on the back and sometimes enjoying the lightness without him :)  It was pretty nice out, quite cold and a good bit of snow coming down on our way home, but now I was getting a bit wetter and the snow wasn't lying as crisp as it was earlier and it was making things a bit slushy once a car or two had been on it.
We headed home to warm up, dry out and have a bit of lunch.
After lunch and a bit of snowman building in the back yard and with the weather becoming sunny though without much real heat, Caleb and I headed back out but this time solo, Caleb on his Frog and myself on the Pugsley. The temp was up slightly and clearly the nice snow from the morning was slowly receding and turning slushy and wet on the road outside the house. So we needed to make the most of it and spent our time looking for laneways and tracks that were still snowy and unslushed by any traffic. Caleb had a ball despite not taking his gloves and also being on his semi slick tyres. He did really well, managing some thick boggy stuff as well as some really icy patches. He only had one small off and that was just when he was coming to a stop and the front wheel went away from him sideways and he just sort of lost balance, though I do admit I was worried about him coming off as he was speeding down the laneway through all the slush and ice, but he was fine, my nerves not so much :)
Not many miles at all but just a good family day playing in the snow. Due to being right on the coast we don't often get much so we try to make the most of it when we do.

Jamie