Speaking Double Dutch

A recent post on the Guardian Bike Blog about Dutch Cycling Infrastructure lured me in with it's heading:  There's more to 'going Dutch' than having a separate cycling lane. I use the word lured because while it made me think this might be a piece about how the Dutch have an integrated transport policy with cycling at it's core in comparison to the woeful planning and infrastructure we endure in the UK, it turned out to be an excuse for why we don't really need Dutch style infrastructure and should put up with more second rate stuff with some tinkering at the edges as far as I can see. 

It has provoked a fair few eloquent responses from better/more energetic bloggers than I so my response is simply to collate the ones I have read for your perusal. They all make interesting reading. If you know of any more then please let me know and I will add them to the list.

Amsterdamize, London Cycling Campaign, MCRcycling, Cycalogical, As Easy As Riding A Bike, Velorution,  The Low Fidelity Bicycling Club 

Surreal Sledding

Back cycling and very happy too. I did some errands today and went up to Swinton to meet the OH and Golden Child after her dancing lesson this evening (the daughter's that is not the wife's lesson). We went for tea after and then I cycled home.

Pulling off the road I decided to make the final leg of my return along National Cycle Route 6. This section is an off-road unlit section of track through Prestwich Forest Park. I was blazing a light down the pitch black track courtesy of my Edelux when I noticed a light at head height moving towards me at speed. I thought it was an oncoming cycling and moved to one side of the track. I was a little put out when three of four dogs suddenly appeared running ahead of the light. Turns out it was a team of Siberian Huskies pulling a wheeled sled and sledder. I was passed by three teams in all before meeting the parked support vehicle where I stopped for a chat. Turns out they were in training for a race. All very surreal to begin with.

Now you don't get that commuting home in a car!

Exercise, Endorphins and Ennui

Monument Valley, Arizona and Utah

Back at the weekend from a holiday in Spain. Pleasant weather, time with family, nice food, no alarm clocks. Was a little sad yesterday and maybe even a tad depressed. Not because I was no longer on holiday but simply because I hadn't managed a bicycle ride for nine days. Realised I was really missing the exercise induced endorphins and the buzz of a good, fast, sweeping decent or two. Can never let this happen again. What am I going to do on my five week long motorhome tour of the American South West next year?

Cycle Video Day 2011

A fellow blogger and cyclecammer in Glasgow called Magantom recently suggested a project to get as much cycle cam footage filmed on one day posted online to "...show the numbers of cyclists that are recording rides and...what it is like for all of us on a single day". Below is my contribution to the resulting Cycle Video Day 2011 and this is a list of all the other videos.

An edited film of my four mile commute home after a night shift at about 08.00hrs. Most of the time I am going against the main traffic flow until I join it for a section just before the end. Weather windy, no incidents of note, pleasure factor 5/10. I had planned to go for a fun ride later in the afternoon as well but tiredness and heavy rain put a stop to that!

Bicycling Breakthrough

A proud Dad (and Mum) announce their one and only Golden Child can now officially (and with ease) ride her biycle without stabilizers and not only that but can also start and stop by herself. She will be getting a new, bigger, lighter, geared bike for Chrimbo'. Well done Golden Child!