Making energy bars

18th October 2014

Had the urge to make my own bars as I get through quite a few of them! Found they last very well in a sealed container, fun to make and ultimately tasty!

Recipe as follows:

1 cup quick cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup pitted dried dates

1/2 cup powdered nonfat dry milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 large eggs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Place all ingredients except the syrup and eggs in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Add the syrup and eggs and pulse until the mixture is well combined. It will resemble a coarse paste.

Transfer to the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake until just done, about 20 minutes. Cut into 20 squares.

Enjoy!

Stay in and watch a film?

17th October 2014

I'm a strange creature I am. But in a good way, of course. 

Statistics have shown that the cycling scene has exploded in the Uk! Fortunately for me though, only 20% of those venture onto the singletrack. 

It's clearer to me after today that there isn't anything the road can give me. Exercise never came into the equation. It was all about having one thing in life to get excited about, one thing to think about when you have free time, not a million interests that require your attention otherwise they start to gather dust. 

Mountain biking gets you out there, in the centre of the beauty with a little bit of effort. Even now the scenery is changing rapidly from the luscious green trees that surrounded me only a couple of months ago. But even then, it's only the wind and the rain that really makes you feel alive. Getting in the thick of it when most of the 20% would rather be watching Waterloo Road. 

It feels a bit like watching a movie at the cinema. You could either get the best view of it whilst in the comfort of a designated seat (the road) or you could actually be in the film yourself getting a firm grasp of what's in front of you. 

Even 3D glasses couldn't make it look this good. 

Wind, rain & lots of mud

13th October 2014

Today has been dreamed about since I got back into Mountain Biking. The wind was up, the clouds painted a landscape of every shade of grey whilst pissing it down with rain. 

As mud sprayed up my back and over my face we glid down the singletrack lined with fallen leaves that glistened from the rain. 

Today had been long awaited, hopefully there will be more like this. 

Long old week

26th September 2014


Little bit down in the dumps today.

Last Sunday's ride abruptly ended after a couple of miles, a distinctive 'clanking' from the rear end prompted some investigating. Quick bit of poking about revealed several cogs on the cassette were worryingly loose, resulting in that clunky sound when rolling over dinky holes in the road. 

Trip to Halfrauds for essential removal tools, the steed was elevated on the inspection stand for immediate surgery. 

Minutes later my shiny cluster of engineering beauty was lined up on a cardboard strip awaiting inspection until attention turned to the freehub. It resembled something a mouse has had a go at, the little steel buggers had chewed noggings out of my shiny alloy body. 

Fast forward a week of countless hours of interweb Q's to diagnose what was going on with my back end concluded nothing. Went as far as replacing the entire cassette and freehub in hope of an obvious solution. 

The cassette slid back on the freehub with no play....but could I get the gears to shift perfectly? Like fuck I could. The gears were running true, but cable loose or too tight it really didn't want to know. 

Rewind a couple of weeks, had effortlessly replaced my front derailleur cable and dialed-in correct tensions perfectly. Even better than when I'd bought it. 

I absolutely love tinkering with the old girl. Maintainence and cleaning is a huge thing for me, everything must be perfect and to my high standard. 

What's really took the wind from my sails is the trip I've made to the LBS with it, in final desperation to get her faultless again. Really gutted it's come to this.

No idea when I'd expect a call from BSG (Bike Shop Guy) but really need putting out of my misery after this week, will update when I know more. 

So, back from the LBS. BSG said after 5 mins he couldn't see any major issues, which is great.
Though there are still little niggles..which tells me some of my components just aren't up to my standards of quality! Good weight lifted from my mind if I'm honest, I'd taught myself never to settle for second best and you can bet your arse I'm not starting now.


If I look after her, she'll look after me.

Bikeray iv light

16th September 2014

Night-riding may not be everyone's cup of tea especially in Winter's approaching months. Personally I'd much rather continue gliding across varied terrain than sat in the middle of a spin class in the gym. 

So after a bit of deliberation Bikeray's iv seemed the ideal candidate and I'm far from disappointed. 

Very bright 4 LED setup accompanied by their rear light that plugs into the same Lithium Ion sealed battery pack. Enables you to see further ahead than needed, the beam is also wide enough to give you a good view of your surroundings which is ideal on the trails. 

3 brightness settings make this great for road use so you're not dazzling other road users yet still maintaining good view and more importantly visibility to car drivers. Coupled with reflective armbands I did feel rather safe on a 15 mile journey this evening. 

As you can see a helmet strap is included though also has 2 sizes of rubber O-rings for standard and oversized handlebars yet very easy to adjust the angle without compromising on grip!

The battery pack itself is surprisingly light which is great to stash in your backpack if mounting the light to your helmet and comes with a fabric Velcro fastening bag to attach to your top tube or bar stem. 

To heaven and back..

15th September 2014

I think the reasons that keep me out on the trails are becoming more apparent. 

Happy memories from growing up in the countryside has never left my heart and Mountain Biking enables me to see a whole lot more of it in a shorter space of time. 

Not only that but the technical side of ridding rutted tracks, steep declines and uneven earth keep me begging for more. 

Already can't wait for the next adventure, I'm in love. 

Believe it or not I'm genuinely excited to see what the wet and cooler weather have in store for for me come the Winter's months. 

Already cracked out the Buff scarf for my ears as they tend to get a little chilly on the decents, apparently inherited from my Dad's side of the family.

Few photos of yesterday's ride..

37.7 miles in 7 hours 

British pubs, Alex salutes you.

14th September 2014

But not for your beers & Spirits. On every adventure through the fields, footpaths, bridle ways, even in forests and along canals there is usually something in my mind that keeps me focused on pedalling further. 

Mostly it's the wonder of what terrain is beyond the next horizon, or is there a freshly harvested field of corn generously scattered with bales of hay or even a beautiful lake stretching across the landscape. 

One thing nearly as pleasing to the eye as the British Countryside in all it's glory is a good ol' pub. Man's drinking hole placed conveniently within a village to celebrate, to forget, or even just because it's there. I like to think that for centuries beer & pubs have provided a big part of what makes Britian as great today as it always has been. Very old but lovingly cared for buildings that are often cottages with thatched roofs and big black exposed beams or constructed with the famous red bricks and stained glass windows. 

However beautiful, there's another reason I'm happy to see the pub but it's not for the beer. 

Traipsing up and down hills and across rough singletracks burns evidently and noticeably more calories than a days road riding, mainly because of the extra resistance against your legs (particularly in bad weather). 

There may well be room in my backpack for an additional sandwich amongst the couple of energy bars stashed away for a quick fix, but it's not easy to get that excited over a tuna salad sandwich. 

Even on a Sunday our British heritage has provided us with the 'Lunchtime Menu' that even the popular foreign takeaways still haven't quite grasped yet. A Sweet & Sour pork is certainly welcomed in my book after a long hard day, granted.

But whilst battling against ploughed fields, overgrown brambles and nettles, for me, nothing quite beats the thought of a beautifully cooked Steak & Ale Pie with chips in a beer garden on a Sunday afternoon. 

It gives me a warm feeling knowing you're never far from a pub in the Uk. 

Shouldn't celebrate early but..

9th September 2014

Fitting a new front derailleur cable went surprising well, around 2 hours work instead of the half a week I'd anticipated. 

It appears a genuine interest in maintenance hasn't failed me yet!

Took the girl for a short spin yesterday eve to test my new bike lights (I'll explain about those soon) there was still a little chain rub in certain gears which was rectified this morning.

Can't describe how lovely it feels to have achieved a silky smooth shifting set-up!

Yes I'm expecting the cable to stretch over the next few rides but getting even this far is a new milestone for me. 

On another note..hand washing my jersey and shorts was very relaxing! Had read it's best to clean only when necessary, but even then just very delicately to preserve it's lifespan. 

Ooh and the Clif Bars arrived!

Very handy to stick a couple in your bag in case of emergency..

Packaged, They last for ages so can just leave in your saddle bag or backpack for months for peace of mind. Not affected by heat like chocolate etc, just great natural ingredients for a bit more poke!

The Sunday Pie Run

7th September 2014

Definitely the best ride by far today. 

Ordinance Survey maps are great for discovering routes you never knew existed or wondered where they'd lead to. 

Chose a route that would take me around the village I grew up then end up at a suitable destination for my favourite pie and ice cream!

Started off repairing a puncture from Friday afternoon's ride along a bramble and nettle infested disused railway line. Whilst riding today, I couldn't stop smiling from the excitement knowing how happy Mountain Biking is making me. 

Bit it's not just the riding! It's the cleaning, maintaining, memories and wondering what the next adventure will bring. 

Today my frame was making this horrendous squeaking which appeared to be coming from the rear suspension brackets. Immediate thought was either the bearings are on their way out, the frame has cracked or just needs some grease. But, after pulling over to investigate further, it turns out it was just my seat was a little loose and was rubbing against the seat clamp! Swiftly grabbed my handy multi-tool, inserted a 5mm Allen key and within minutes the steed and I were back down the road extatic with another successful mechanical repair. 

My only gripe today was my gears. My chain is currently rubbing against the front derailleur cage indicating adjustment need to be made real soon. 

Unfortunately the cable I need to tension has frayed over time so a new one should be on my doorstep tomorrow. 

It's regarded as the most complicated part of the bike to set up so quite looking forward to the challenge!

Also my quads started to cramp towards the end of the ride but putting that down to fatigue for now. More riding is needed!

My favourite new toy I used today was a Topeak Tribag from Halfords!

Was getting quite frustrated having to get my phone from my backpack every few minutes for navigation or taking photos (which is getting increasingly common now) so needed it within easy reach. 

There's several normal cycling accessories that won't fit to my particular frame such as a water bottle cage, pump or kick stand. But fortunately the Tribag was destined to sit below my seat for easy access, even whilst riding. 

Here's my photos from riding today!