Bitterly cold, a little stasis.

 

But that's fine, for this time of year, isn't it? This song has been in my ears all day - partly thanks to my good friend Nick. We've had a long-running discord chat going, ever since the beginning of the pandemic. Initially, it was done just to keep in touch; remember that feeling we all had, when COVID hit, like we'd lose everything, and everyone we knew, and we all needed contact? Well, it was that, for a while, but it's grown into a rambling fulmination on life and music. Nada Surf arrived in the chat, and that led me to this. Life is like Pinball sometimes - and you know my predilection for that, don't you?

Stasis today - partly the result of a long Wanyudo CC ride yesterday. 900 metres of elevation, in about 30k, and it was punchy - time-wise. I was going to head up Sa Calobra today, but I'll leave it until tomorrow. For now, I'll sit with Milo while he plays Plants Vs. Zombies, and think about cooking evening meals for everyone.

Back to it

 I'd taken a day off, yesterday. For some reason, I was absolutely exhausted, my legs didn't feel up to anything, so I sat it out. Today - time to hop back onto the trainer. The photo above is what I see when I'm out on a ride - that's a tablet, so it's not the biggest screen, but it really doesn't matter, too much. For the first week, or so, the tablet had issues, and I was forced to use a phone, instead. To be honest, it wasn't that much of a difference. You just move the screen closer to you, and it fills your field of vision in much the same way. But, with the tablet, you can see all the stars in detail - this is hugely important, as any cyclist worth their salt will tell you.

Looking at that - 300-ish calories, about half an hour in. That's OK - it's 900 an hour if I'm on a smashfest, or about 400 if I'm pootling. 172 bpm heart rate: well, I'm going up a mountain, so that figures. The average speed is about 18km/h, which is good, and I'm putting out an average of 211 watts. Again, fairly decent. 

But the best thing about all of this is that I'm inside, heading up a mountain, in the Spanish sunshine. The weather here has been awful - cold, wet, dank. Tonight will be worse, by all accounts, as storm Arwen rolls in. All of this means I'm back on the trainer tomorrow. 

Tonight, I'm relaxing, and hunkering down. I think there will be some snow, overnight. Time to get warm.

A widescreen day

 That's how it felt, to be out on a bike today, in the Surrey Hills, on a crisp November morning. Leaves turning a thousand different colours, the sun fighting through the clouds, a gentle breeze, and a crispness in the air that left your face tingling. Above is a slightly wider shot to the one I posted on my Facebook feed. You can see across the road, from where I'm perched atop my Trek Domane, lord of all I survey.

So, that's Box Hill, and after this shot, I turned around, and headed back down, from whence I came. Then, over the main road, past Westhumble Station, and off to Ranmore Common Road (see my post below!) and then up Chapel Lane (Bagden Hill) That's a proper climb - short, and very sharp. Perfect. 

After the briefest of turnarounds, we decided to pop into town, for lunch. Pizza Express - which means I can check out their new Vegan menu- the Jackfruit Pepperoni was absolutely wonderful, and was washed down with an Acqua Panna; the most fantastic mineral water in the world. Life's good, today.

Domestic Bliss.

 

The log burner is on (yeah, I know) the cat is warming himself, The stereo is playing Monk, and Bud Powell. I'm thinking about eating leftover Curry (some Tarka Dal!) and I've got another armful of the vaccine. Got my booster this morning, at a walk-in pharmacy in Surbiton. COVID seems to still be circling around the kids, recently - friends of theirs have all been afflicted, so it seems as good a time as any to up my resistance.

Need to get going with a few things, as well - have to post my old passport back, get cooking (kids want some fish and chips) and drum up some sort of bulletin for tomorrow's NME Audio broadcast. I've taken a day off the bike today, but I'll be back tomorrow. I've4been thinking about doing the Col D'Aspin again, it's such a beautiful location, and glorious to ride - even if I'm only looking at it on a tablet!

Is that it?

 For the great outdoors, I mean?

It seems as though it could be. The weather is certainly not set fair, for the next week. Bitterly cold, apparently, with more breezy conditions. So, after a week where I made sure to enjoy cycling the Surreylanes as much as possible, it could be back to the turbo trainer, for a while. That's not necessarily a bad thing: today saw me pelting down AlpeD'Huez, and then heading back up Llanberis pass. I do love the variety of locations it's possible to visit. 

All that - from the comfort of my front room.

Today, apart from the mountains, it's been a day to renew a passport and think about booking flights. A day to ponder future plans. A day to light the fire, sit on the sofa and listen to Thelonius.

 

Ranmore

That's Ranmore Common Road. Perhaps my favourite hill to ride - even though a "favourite" is difficult to describe, as such. With hills, the ones you love, tend to also be the ones you fear, slightly. When you start your ascent, there's always a voice in the back of your mind - "do I have to do this today?", that little bubbling feeling of self-doubt. It's always balanced by the feeling of achievement, once you arrive at the top. Ranmore is one of those. 

It's a deceptive hill, the first section is quite easy - no more than 6%, gradual, and relatively straight. The hedges are high, the verge is steep. You quickly realise you're being funnelled along. After passing a couple of farm buildings, and some paddocks, the woods appear. As soon as you hit the tree line, there's a subtle change. The gradient ticks up, and it feels like the hill is getting warmed up. 

In the photo above, you might just detect a slight bend to the left, in the distance. That's where the ramps kick in. There's a couple, about two-thirds of the way in, the first is almost imperceptible, the second more pronounced. But they're enough to mess with your rhythm - and if you've gone off too hard, they'll bite you.

You can see them on this Veloviewer profile of the hill - those two little orange bands. But then, once you're done with the ramps, everything rears up, even more. That kick to the left is the final hairpin, by which point the hill is at around 12%, perhaps a little more. The hairpin also tends to foul up your climbing rhythm and cadence, as it seeks to throw you in one of two directions. The first is to the very inside of the curve, where the gradient will momentarily be ridiculously steep. It'll pass within seconds, but those seconds will do all they can to sap your momentum. Or, you'll head for the wider outside of the bend, where the gradient is much kinder. However, this wastes time, and you'll be fighting the urge to catch up with any other riders - when an extra burst of energy is least advised. The last section is a grim sprint to the top, where the trees part, and you emerge by the top of Denbies vineyard. 

When I first rode the hill, it must have been six or seven years ago. I went up in nine minutes, and I'm fairly sure I had to stop and compose myself, momentarily, before attempting the hairpin. Since committing fully to my cycling, and my training, I've made a more concerted effort to improve my skills. Looking at my stats, I've been up Ranmore around forty-five times in the last twelve months - about once a week. There have been times where I've pushed it, too; one week in spring, I decided to concentrate on getting my time down, and had a week of repeats. I focused heavily on the last third of the hill, trying to work out where to put the power down. Eventually, I found the Strava segment needed, and gave it everything I had. Now, my time up Ranmore Common Road is a little over six minutes. I can't quite believe the change, but then again - it has come at the end of a process of quite single-minded determination. 

Ranmore, I'll be back. 

 

Last cut

 Always something rather brooding, or melancholy, about the last proper cutting of the lawn, before winter really kicks in, and the ground becomes too heavy underfoot. After that cut, the grass becomes ever lusher, bending slightly at its tips: it'll stay that way until the first cut of spring. Am I allowed to use the word portentous here? It definitely feels like it would be appropriate. It's the last hurrah of the year, for the garden. The peonies will retreat deep into the soil, the apple tree will be denuded - all that remains will be the lush outcrops of the gorse. However, that new fence (at the back) will obviously have a chance to weather in, so it's not all bad. 

The tweaking strikes back.

 New saddle, on the trainer. It's a Selle San Marco "Mantra". I've got one of these on my TCR, but that's the weight weenie build, so it's the Superleggera: fantastic build, and only 107 grams (!), but it has an RRP of £360, or something daft. This one here, is the basic model, as weight matters little, on a bike that only ever reaches an altitude of zero metres above the carpet. It was a happy accident, falling for this particular saddle, I'm sure I only got the one for the TCR to complete that WW build, and drop as much weight as possible. I got a good deal, and wasn't too worried about comfort, I figured I'd try and get along with it. Lo and behold though, it turned out to be absolutely incredible - versatile, comfortable, and the sort of saddle that rewarded your effort, no matter your position. I initially thought that because of that hyper-aggressive stance, with the rolled-out sides, and the long nose, it would just be for long sessions in the drops, but again - no!

It's made a noticeable difference, it's hugely comfortable, and it was about 50 quid. That's a result. 

And - I've been on it, today! This means the worst of the head cold is over, at last. That was three days of torture and fogginess. I feel substantially weaker, too - I'll need to up my training game, over the next month. 

I need music, today.

Which means I need this. It's my favourite album on Factory Records. My favourite Martin Hannett production. How's that, for some high praise? I can't think of another album that inspires me, and engages me, as much as this one. I have multiple copies (of course), including the now legendary Sandpaper sleeve, but it's this Japanese CD that I play most often. It's an early pressing - 1989 - but the sound is crisp and clear. All it really needs is that textured sleeve, and it would have been perfect. Original first press tracklist too - even though the second press has the extra track, it somehow interrupts the flow of this simple, unassuming masterpiece.

 

Well, maybe just.....one more day off, then.

 

I should really have worked out that there might have been some sort of illness on the horizon, from my heart rate, on the last workout ride I did.  That's about an hour, standard power output (about 190w for 60 mins) and nothing out of the ordinary. But as you can see, my heart rate is totally elevated: my body was running to stand still. I'll learn my lesson next time, and keep an eye out for the red flags. Today is therefore a day of (more) rest. Oh, and it means I have a chance to sit and luxuriate in front of the CD player. There may well be some Miles Davis. 

 

 

Lounging.

 Oh, go on then - a double post. Don't often do it, but I'm feeling weak and feeble today, so I'm sitting here doing not much at all. I've got a proper head cold (nothing on the LFT), and it's an odd experience, as it's the first one I've had since the beginning of the pandemic. So, first real illness for about eighteen months. Looking back through the blog archive, colds pop up with alarming regularity. I'm fairly sure that must have had something to do with my rather louche lifestyle, over the last couple of decades. Now I'm a lot healthier, I seem to have been able to ward off the worst of it. Who'd have thought, eh? 

But I'm back in front of the screen, working on the bulletin for tomorrow morning, and mentally preparing a list of things that need to be done. I'm hoping my head clears enough, for that to happen. I've also got to drag myself into the kitchen and make an evening meal for everyone. They can have sausages and mash, I reckon there's a distinct possibility I will have another bowl of the spicy lentil soup I made earlier. 

Eighteen.

 My blog is an adult! This week, it's eighteen years old. I can't quite believe it's been that long, of course - but I'm strangely reassured by how old-school it's remained. It's a Blogspot, through and through. So many of my contemporaries from then seem to have vanished, or headed over to WordPress. So much of the blogosphere (copyright - Web 2.0) has splintered. 

But I really do still like having a blog, as a fallback to that original ethos - a modest site where I can unload, where I can just talk randomly, about myself, and my life. 

The photo above is important, in that regard, as it shows where I am now, and I'd like to think it's also emblematic of the fact that I'm walking, travelling, still on that journey. When I began blogging, I was on a dial-up modem, in my one-bed pied-a-terre in Shepherd's Bush. An Xfm DJ, still married. Eighteen later? Divorced, remarried, two children, house in the suburbs. Some things remain the same (skating, music, Joneses) some things have changed dramatically (cycling, sobriety). Overall though, it's just an absolute relief to be able to document those changes, in the same place. Change itself, needn't be chaotic - it can underpin the constancy of our lives. That's what this blog means to me: an underpinning. A hope that I can find order amongst the flowing currents, and describe the feel of the water as it carries me, to wherever it will. 

A little tweaking.

 I love cycling, but truth be told - I love all the tinkering, and frivolous purchasing, just as much. Trawling eBay for bargains, looking at websites, reading reviews, it's just as cathartic as actually being on the bike. In idle moments, your imagination can just drift, as you wonder about changing some small facet of the overall geometry of the bike, and try to imagine how much better your experience will be, as a result. 

Thus, it's time for a new stem. I went from a 100mm, to a 90mm stem. As you can (hopefully!) see from the photo, it's a Felt stem - the same as the original frame. Alloy, superlight, nice and stiff. Plus, it matches everything else, which is crucial for....well, style, I guess. But seriously, on the turbo trainer, "compressing" your stance slightly, seems to pay huge dividends. there's less worry about aches and pains on long rides because I can't particularly be arsed to keep going past ninety minutes. And it does seem to help with power output, and comfort when you're on the hoods. Maybe out on the road, the handling could be a little more twitchy, but I'm not on the road! This bad boy came from eBay, and it was brand new, fitted perfectly (as it replaces a stem that's exactly the same in all other respects except length) and cost about a tenner. For all of the daydreaming about results, the fiddling with my setup, and the feeling of satisfaction that you get when you chase an idea - I'd say that represented decent value for money. 

I've got a bit of a head cold for today (my first since the pandemic!) and consequently, it's a rare "off" day, but I hope to try and get a recovery ride in, tomorrow. I'll let you know how it feels.

It's the little things

 I'm quite amazed at what it takes to make me happy. Specifically - this:

It's a CD player. Remember those? For some time now, I've flitted from streaming service to streaming service. Let's try Tidal! OK, how about Amazon Prime, with HD?

But there was always something missing. I could listen on a laptop, or on my earbuds, but it wasn't quite right. I needed a wider, stereo soundscape. I needed to listen, how I used to listen. I've got vast amounts of CD's, but they've languished, for years.

But yesterday, I just thought - oh, sod it, let's see if I can knock something together. So, an old mini-hi-fi unit, out of the loft. Found the remote, whacked in some batteries. Found a power cable. Got a pair of bookshelf speakers, again - out of the loft. Then it was about 20 minutes of agro, moving cables and devices, in the unit in the lounge. But, miraculously, it all fired up the first time - and straight out of the box, it sounds incredible. I'd forgotten how wonderful CD's can be - how uncluttered, unfussy, and simple. They sound great, and the presence of the music is intoxicating. 

I'll see if I can whack up a photo of the first pile of CD's I cobbled together, to be able to play. It's quite informative.

Back to Life, back to reality.

It's been a difficult week, as a bit of insomnia has returned, with its resulting feeling of fogginess, and distraction. Just what you do not need when you've got a long list of things to be working on. Chiefly - a huge pile of albums, to approve. I've got white labels for everything we ever did, plus a couple of *ahem* secret projects. Very cool. Just wait until you see the artwork.

So, to keep my head on my shoulders, it's back onto the turbo trainer. The Felt frameset works brilliantly, and so does the Ultegra R8000. A compact crankset is a boon, too - as the hills seem more intense when momentum doesn't really exist to carry you up those early slopes.

I do need to think about changing the saddle though. I've got a Seele San Marco Mantra Superleggera on the Giant, but that's overkill. I Will investigate the same size and shape, but a heavier model. Need that saddle profile, as I'm starting to miss it. 

One of those weeks

 

And by that, of course, I mean a gig week. This time, it's been a long time. Far too long - for obvious reasons. so, it's strange to be doing it again, but wonderful, too. We've already got the first couple of hurdles out of the way - shows supporting the Sisters Of Mercy, and an appearance at Camper Calling, but it's time to do it on our own.

Back to the rehearsal studio, then. For so many years, this was at Survival, in North Acton. We'd rehearsed there before the band became famous, and we just carried on, creatures of habit. There were periods where we rehearsed intensively; the most notable of these around the tours for "Perverse", and "Already". As the most tech-heavy of the sets we played, these needed lots of extra work, and a schedule that drifted into monotony. We'd be block-booked for a couple of weeks, with the entire stage set-up meticulously constructed. We'd arrive at 10, work for three hours, break for lunch up in the canteen, and then get back to it, until 5. After a week or so, the impetus to keep going rapidly diminishes, you just get so sick of the songs. But it does help - we ran through "Idiot Stare" so many times that it became second nature.

That's definitely at the heart of our rehearsal strategy now - second nature, and muscle memory means we're less likely to need such an intensive programme of preparation. For the last few years, we've decamped to our new studios in Surrey, for two weekends. Then, we dropped that to one. We'd block book an evening, and the following morning, so the gear could stay up. Run through the set a couple of times on each day.

But after the shows this year, it's become apparent that we really do have that degree of second nature, down to a fine art. We dropped our rehearsal requirement again. We now do one day. Not only that but one session! So, in at 6pm, done by 10. Run through the set once, and give extra attention to the "new" songs. For the purposes of most rehearsals, this just means songs that are making a reappearance in the set, that we've not played for a while. Just blast through these with much more emphasis - perhaps two or three times in a row. Play through the whole set, then back to those songs, again. We're done within two, or three hours.

I do like how the times have changed, but there's still a part of me that misses the repetition, as it was a part of my life, a routine that underpinned who I was.