Quick note for any regular readers (I think there might be two of you!), I've been playing with some technical jiggery-pokery (DNS sub-domain/CNAME entries to be exact) and have managed to make Blogger look like it's on my own domain. Woo hoo!
So, hopefully, regardless of where it's hosted (this MAY be under review), my blog should now always be at http://blog.wintle.me.uk/
Not just a pretty face eh?
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Holidays Part 1: A Holiday in Northern Ireland
Blimey - we're just about to go on our next hoilday so it's about time I posted notes on our last!
Back at the end of June we went away to Northern Ireland for a week. I took some notes as we went on my electronic organiser but never got round to fleshing them out. Here's an attempt at that then.
We left on the Friday and started with a trip to visit a friend of Sally's who lives on the edge of Snowdonia National Park. The aim was to climb Snowdon on the Saturday, having failed to do so last year.
However, the weather got the better of us and we bailed out. Wind, rain and thunder storms aren't really our cup of tea for mountain climbing.
I had had some contact, through Facebook, with an old school friend who was also climbing Snowdon that weekend. Turns out she was doing a "Solstice Walk" and heading up the mountain on Friday night, sleeping over in a bivvy bag on the summit, then awaking to the sunrise on the longest day.
And yes....she did it! Well, they didn't sleep on the summit and the didn't see a sunrise. But they did the walking and bivvying. Nutters!
Leg 2: Snowdon to Dublin
Sally's friend was a fine host, we took a little tour of Anglesey on the Saturday and generally chilled out before a nice dinner in her lovely little cottage. We'd visited the National Trust's Plas Newydd on Anglessey - a strange mix of battelfield history, historic house and art - but well worth going for the astounding Rex Whistler mural.
On Sunday morning we headed back over Anglesey to the Holyhead ferry port. The weather still being a bit nasty, we'd checked that the ferry was actually sailing. But this wasn't any old ferry...noooo sir!...this was Ulysses - the worlds biggest ferry!!! And no force 8 gale up the Irish Channel was stopping it from sailing.
The crossing was a little rough and windy, but the weirdest thing was that we felt so out of place. There were so few people like us there. Young twenty....oops...thirty-somethings obviously don't do ferries to Ireland in June. Was this a taste of things to come?
Leg 3: Getting out of Dublin
We'd made the assumption that we would need no Euros. The plan was to get to Dublin, and straight up to Northern Ireland where our beloved Grear British Pounds would be welcome.
No such luck!
As we left the port we were directed to the main N1 motorway via a Toll Tunnel. With no idea if we could use pounds in the toll we followed the other sign saying "All routes avoiding Toll Tunnel".
Sadly, this was the last sign we saw for a while. There are, apparently, no signs in Dublin. Not even for the N1 to Belfast. They just don't exist. And so, 40 minutes, lots of Dublin's suburbs, and very little helpful signage later, we eventually found the N1.
That was not to be the last toll though, or the last bit of bad signage, and we struggled Northwards, stopping to buy a out-of-date map on the way. They seem to be building roads in Ireland faster than the maps can keep up with!
Once we were north of all the tolls we had a smooth journey. Past Belfast we picked up the M2 and and the smaller roads to Ballycastle - our destination - were surprisingly good.
The Weather:
There was LOTS of weather! All week! Not all of it bad. Some quite good! But lots of it. This was wild remote British Isles at their best!
We coped but packing for a day out was hard. Sun hats and sun cream alongside waterproofs and fleeces. We took it all on most days. Oh, and the forecasts were not much use, with daily predictions of rain, even on the days we got sunburnt!
The B&B:
We stayed at a lovely boutique B&B that's recently been set up by some absurdly creative and go-getting artists/entrepreneurs who recently moved to N. Ireland from London.
Our hosts were lovely people, hugely welcoming and helpful - possibly a little too much so for my liking. I, personally, wasn't sure what to make of them. They were very high-class arty types and...well...I'm not...at all!
But the food and rooms were excellent and the location was perfect too; out of town but within easy walking distance. Ballycastle is an excellent base to explore the North Coast and Glens, so this B&B comes recommended from many points of view. It's called Glentaisie - though whether or not the owners will have moved on to their next big project when you read this is unknown!
Monday: Giant's Causeway
One of our main reasons for heading to Northern Ireland was to check out the Causeway Coast and the famous Giant's Causeway. We weren't disappointed.
This is a weird and wonderful place. It's astounding that natural process formed such regular structures, and they're much bigger than I thought they would be (though the area across which they are formed and visible wasn't so impressive).
It was, of course, very touristy. I felt young and very English. But a cliff-top walk was a fine way to escape the crowds and see some of the other fascinating and bizarre rocks on display. As always, well done to the National Trust for looking after it and for excellent visitor facilities.
Next stop was supposed to be the Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge, but we stopped off at a quiet beach on the way. A pleasant interlude, but I wouldn't recommend swimming, even in mid-summer! So VERY cold!
Carrick-a-rede was disappointing and slightly uninteresting. The rope bridge isn't old or even vaguely scary (unless you're afraid of heights, which I'm not). It's very much a recreation specifically for tourists. Worth a little walk over though to see the nesting birds - just take a peg to put on your nose because the bird poo really smells!
We dined on Monday night at the Central Wine Bar in Ballycastle. We got good food for a good price. But skip the coffee at the end. I had a VERY milky cappucino. In fact, I'd doubt the presence of coffee in it at all!
Tuesday: Strangford Lough & Mount Stewart
Tuesday saw a jaunt south in the car to Mount Stewart. This is another National Trust property (making good use of Sally's staff card!).
We started out on the coast road, which was great fun and gave us some great views on a pretty clear morning. It was slow going though.
We eventually hit some bigger roads and made our way down through Belfast to Strangford. A beautiful place, and Mount Stewart was easy to find.
We booked onto a timed tour of the house (the only way you can see it), and explored the fantastic gardens while waiting. It's worth a trip just for the gardens! They're split into different parts and there's everything from formal gardens to an arboretum.
The tour of the house, which is still occupied by its owner, was also incredibly interesting and entertaining, with LOTS of insight into the property and its history and lots of things that take you by surprise (no spoilers here!!!).
I, however, started feeling ill and ducked out. Sally was good enough to drive me home and I felt quite a bit better by the time we got back to Ballycastle. Seems I occasionally have little bits of nausea and I'm still a bit nervous after my long summer of being unwell last year.
Back in Ballycastle it was raining slightly, but we got Fish & Chips and sat and ate it in our waterproofs on the seafront in the drizzle - very...VERY British!
Wednesday: Rathlin Island
Wednesday: Rathlin Island
You can see Rathlin Island from Ballycastle. It's a little boomerang-shaped piece of inhabited land a few miles from the north coast of northern island. About 80 people live there. And lots of birds.
We were determined to visit, it would be a whole day out with a short ferry trip and some nice walking or cycling through some remote land.
We didn't plan our day very well though. The ferry was the first little problem. We'd planned getting the fasttrack but it was a little windy, and the fasttrack ferry didn't sail. We'd just missed the big slow ferry though, so we had to wait for the next crossing, thus wasting over an hour.
We eventually arrived with the intention of hiring a bike and cycling to the remote RSPB station to see the nesting puffins. But we couldn't find the bike man. More time wasted. So we decided to walk.
We got about half way before the "Puffin Bus" pulled up and opened its door. The nice bus driver informed us that by the time we'd walked to the RSPB station we'd probably be about ready to get on the last bus back to the ferry.
He gave us a free ride on the way out and we paid a single for the return. Nice man.
But how he got that bus to the RSPB station I won't know. It really was at the very end of the very last "road" of a remote island. They were still building bits of footpath and handrail for pedestrains - let alone having a bus-ready road!
Anyway, by the time we got there the wind had picked up. We struggled down the path to the RSPB station, which is sited in a disused light house. As always, the RSPB setup is excellent. Like with the National Trust we're always impressed at their facilities, and building a new visitor centre in such a remote location is even more impressive. The people are friendly, informative and knowledgable, and we had a fun and interesting hour peering at the birds through RSPB binoculars and warming up with a cup of tea.
The Puffin Bus took us back to the main town on the island and we hopped off and had a wander round the bay and saw some seals! Then back to the ferry.
The wind had picked up more and the crossing back was really rough. Great fun but a little scary, and occasionally very wet.
All in all a good day out but we learned not to wing it...if you're on a day out that involves lots of different timetables - plan it well! We ended up not having long on the island and we were hurried. And had it not been for the nice man on the bus we'd probably have ended up having to stay overnight on the island or something. Plan plan plan for days out!!!
What we did plan was our evening meal. We booked into a place called the Cellar recommended by the people in our B&B. We failed to understand why. The food was OK, but not great quality and too much of it. Service was brusque too and I felt that we were imposing on them! The fish was nice though.
Thursday: Glenarrif
Northern Ireland has some great hills and valleys - the Glens. We picked the biggest and best to explore - Glenarrif: Queen of the Glens.
Again it was a bit of a drive to get there and we took the beautiful, off-road scenic route via Torr Head - this was mostly deserted and had fantastic views. A most enjoyable bit of driving.
We arrived at Glenarrif Forest Park. The place was fairly quiet given what a tourist trap it looked like it could be. We had a cuppa before starting out on one of the well signposted walks. The sceneray was beautiful & the paths well maintained and allowing access to parts of the forest that you wouldn't normally be able to get to.
What it lacked was an element of wilderness. I like walking off the beaten track. Finding my own way a little. There's a balance to be had between making a place accessible and allowing it to keep it's character. I felt this place had slightly lost some of its charm by being tamed by the forrestry people.
I would also add that this is a much better place to go in the morning. The afternoon light leads to a lack of rainbows on the "Rainbow Walk" through the waterfall of the valley. Well worth doing though.
For the evening we went out for food again. The B&B people had recommended against restaurant "Quay 23" but we really liked it. There was excellent, varied, modern food and a good atmosphere. But as with everywhere else, the dishes were too big! We also found that sevice tailed off when busy. But probably our favourite of the three places we ate.
Dublin
We left Ballycastle on Friday morning to head to Dublin for a day. The drive was good and we stopped early on to get some Euros to pay for any tolls we came across. Signs on the way into Dublin were fine (the mysteries of the Emerald Isle!), even if our detailed directions to the hotel were only OK for 90% of the way.
We found the hotel in the end, checked in, and headed into town to explore. We'd decided to do a general city-wide wander and check out the University Library and Book of Kells on Saturday morning.
The visitor centre was excellent and we had lunch in the cafe there. We spent a lot of time wandering around but most of it in the trendy Temple Bar area. It's very much a city of art and culture and we enjoyed just milling around.
As evening came the stag and hen parties started coming out, so we popped into a little Italian restaurant for dinner and headed back to the hotel to rest.
On Saturday we woke up and headed off to see the Books in the University Library. After picking up a wonderful breakfast in one of the city's many independant cafe's, we headed straight to the University Library. This too is an awe-inspiring place. The exhibition about the ancient books is very well put together and highly informative, seeing the books themselves is impressive too, but possibly a little disappointing after the big build up, and the library building itself is incredibly grand!
What's really impressive is seeing how much effort people put into creating a gospel book. These people had such reverence for God's word. It's really quite inspiring. These are truly holy objects and fascinating pieces of art and history at the same time.
Heading back
The trip back was quick and easy. We rushed off from the town centre to get the "Jonathon Swift" - the fast ferry - back to Holyhead. And fast it is too!
We had a pleasant stop off with Sally's uncle and aunt, who live on Anglessey on the way back. This was nice and gave us more rest before the long drive back to Swindon on the Sunday.
Wrapping Up
In summary - we had a really good, if pretty busy holiday.
I'd recommend a visit to Northern Ireland, but probably only the one. There was good stuff to see but not so much that it's somewhere I'd rush back to (contrast with Rome, which we barely scraped the surface of when we went to visit).
There was LOTS of really good tourist information and I felt most things were easy to do. But, as with the Forest Park, I felt the place had been sanitised too much. It was TOO touristy and had lost some of it's charm as a result.
I felt a little out of place at most times - I don't think it's a place where many people like us go on holiday. But I don't think that should put you off. The Irish are friendly and welcoming people who'll have anyone round for a drink.
Having said that, we probably failed to engage much with Irish culture. We're not big drinkers and we found ourselves heading to bed pretty early most nights. There's certainly a side of Ireland we didn't see!
As I finish writing this stupidly long post, I've just finished work before departing to Sicily on Monday. Hopefully I'll write a bit tomorrow about how we came to be going there. Oh, and some more photos may appear as and when they get uploaded.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
A Visit to YOMAC
Sally has been away this week at a residential camp for young people from all over the country involved in climate change projects. I don't explain it very well so check out http://www.youmeandtheclimate.org/ for a better explanation.
I popped down for the weekend to help out, see what was going on, and, yes, to spend some time with my lovely wife.
It was a difficult couple of days. I had to:
But, what I saw while there was a hugely diverse group of young people aged 14-19 with a huge passion for educating people about climate change, working their socks of and contributing all sorts of wonderful gifts and talents to the cause.
There were actors, artists, scientists, IT "geeks", vegans and meat-eaters, nature lovers and city-slickers, people who love camping and people who hate it. They were from all over the country and haven't spent much time together but they got on like a really good team. They were bright and understood not only climate change issues but a whole variety of other political issues.
I was really very impressed with the young people. The news may portray the bad things about our youth: knife crime, grafitti, yobs and hoodies; but the opposite end of that scale is people like the ones I met on Saturday: talented, hard working, committed, fun, intelligent teenagers who want to make a positive impact on the world in which they live.
Go YOMAC!
I popped down for the weekend to help out, see what was going on, and, yes, to spend some time with my lovely wife.
It was a difficult couple of days. I had to:
- get to know everyone, despite only being there for just over 24 hours;
- help out with some of the work;
- try desperately NOT to chip in too much (the project is led by the youth with adults just facilitating);
- find my way around the campsite and bothey;
- stay out of people's way where necessary;
- learn the in-jokes and find my way around some of the more difficult aspects of communication and relationships that go on in any 10-day residential with hugely diverse people;
- find some quality time with Sally;
- and, of course, I wanted to feel like I'd left my mark, been myself and made a difference.
But, what I saw while there was a hugely diverse group of young people aged 14-19 with a huge passion for educating people about climate change, working their socks of and contributing all sorts of wonderful gifts and talents to the cause.
There were actors, artists, scientists, IT "geeks", vegans and meat-eaters, nature lovers and city-slickers, people who love camping and people who hate it. They were from all over the country and haven't spent much time together but they got on like a really good team. They were bright and understood not only climate change issues but a whole variety of other political issues.
I was really very impressed with the young people. The news may portray the bad things about our youth: knife crime, grafitti, yobs and hoodies; but the opposite end of that scale is people like the ones I met on Saturday: talented, hard working, committed, fun, intelligent teenagers who want to make a positive impact on the world in which they live.
Go YOMAC!
Another Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments of Telephone Conference Calls
I am the chairman, who booked the line and invited you to the call.
They're simple things, but boy, if people would just have a little respect, we could conduct business far more efficiently.
I am the chairman, who booked the line and invited you to the call.
- Thou shalt have no other means of conducting spoken business with more than two people in more than one place, for thou workest in a cost-cutting environment.
- Thou shalt not book other meetings and drop out of the conference call for I, the chairman have, did booketh thy time for my meeting.
- Thou shalt not misinterpret the time of the conference call for the chairman will not repeat anything for anyone who dials in late.
- Remember thy conference call by keeping it holy. 6 hours you may work and do other things but the 7th is the conference call when you dial in. During it you will do no other work, not checking email or talking to colleagues, using thy keyboard or thy mouse.
- Honour thy mute button so that you may not annoy thy colleagues.
- Thou shalt not breathe heavily into thy telephone or headset.
- Thou shalt not dial in from a car, train or noisy street.
- Thou shalt not dial in from your mobile whilst on the toilet.
- Thou shalt not deviate from the agenda.
- Thou shalt not come to the next meeting having not completed, or attempted your actions.
They're simple things, but boy, if people would just have a little respect, we could conduct business far more efficiently.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Small Improvements
I rode to Cholsey today. I last did the 35 mile trip on my bike just over a year ago. It was the same time of year, probably the same kind of weather. But last year my health wasn't great. I had a heavy, clunky, cheap bike.
Since then I've acquired Fuzzy (or possibly, Fuzzy acquired me - I can never quite tell), who's lighter, more aerodynamic, with higher gearing and great climbing capability. I've been riding further and faster far more often and should generally be a lot fitter.
I was to my slight surprise then that I managed to do the ride today just 0.4 mph faster than last time!
And thus, I must offer my excuses, for there are senses in which this wasn't a controlled comparison.
Still, I did about a mile and a half more this time around, still got in under 2 hours, and averaged 18.1 for the whole 2 hours (with one 5-minute break to stretch and eat a banana).
It was a GLORIOUS day for it, and I passed a bunch of guys on better bikes, who were cycling to Pangbourne - a little further than I was going, but my pace was significantly faster!
I felt a little woozy afterwards, despite taking in a whole water-bottle full of Rego, and my legs were pretty tired, so I feel like I've pushed myself pretty hard. I don't really do leisurely.
It was fun and I had a great day with my Uncle, Aunt and Cousin once I arrived and then caught the train back home.
Must try it again sometime - only I'm quite quickly running out of summer!!! Eeek!
Since then I've acquired Fuzzy (or possibly, Fuzzy acquired me - I can never quite tell), who's lighter, more aerodynamic, with higher gearing and great climbing capability. I've been riding further and faster far more often and should generally be a lot fitter.
I was to my slight surprise then that I managed to do the ride today just 0.4 mph faster than last time!
And thus, I must offer my excuses, for there are senses in which this wasn't a controlled comparison.
- I had the heart rate monitor on and, though I spent nearly an hour over my defined aerobic zone, I was very aware of not pushing too hard. Last time I would just have been going flat out to the limit of my ability.
- There was a lesser tailwind. I remember there being a strong westerly last time. There was a slight south-westerly breeze today.
- I went to the gym on Wednesday and played squash on Friday - it was quite frantic, and so I was probably a bit tired and low on energy.
Still, I did about a mile and a half more this time around, still got in under 2 hours, and averaged 18.1 for the whole 2 hours (with one 5-minute break to stretch and eat a banana).
It was a GLORIOUS day for it, and I passed a bunch of guys on better bikes, who were cycling to Pangbourne - a little further than I was going, but my pace was significantly faster!
I felt a little woozy afterwards, despite taking in a whole water-bottle full of Rego, and my legs were pretty tired, so I feel like I've pushed myself pretty hard. I don't really do leisurely.
It was fun and I had a great day with my Uncle, Aunt and Cousin once I arrived and then caught the train back home.
Must try it again sometime - only I'm quite quickly running out of summer!!! Eeek!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Addicted?
Cycle mileage has been down of late as recent posts have explained. But, in Sally's absence, I've lined up a 34 mile ride to visit my Uncle in Cholsey (route something akin to this ) and I'm REALLY excited about it!
I've just put some a new front tyre on because some shards of glass hid ripped through my Continental Ultra Gator Duraskin (great, mostly slick tyres with heaps of grip, but, evidently, not THAT puncture proof). I've tightened my brakes. The weather is going to be perfect. And the anticipation is building!
It'll be my longest ride for a while - in fact, it'll be my longest ride ever. The longest being the last time I did this route almost exactly a year ago!
I have better legs, lungs and heart, a better bike, and I should hopefully be up for beating my previous time of just under 2 hours.
Game on!!!!
I've just put some a new front tyre on because some shards of glass hid ripped through my Continental Ultra Gator Duraskin (great, mostly slick tyres with heaps of grip, but, evidently, not THAT puncture proof). I've tightened my brakes. The weather is going to be perfect. And the anticipation is building!
It'll be my longest ride for a while - in fact, it'll be my longest ride ever. The longest being the last time I did this route almost exactly a year ago!
I have better legs, lungs and heart, a better bike, and I should hopefully be up for beating my previous time of just under 2 hours.
Game on!!!!
Getting Old
It's official...I'm getting old.
Here's the evidence:
Exhibit A: Gardening is a major preoccupation.
Had you not noticed? Yes, my thoughts are consumed with when I'll next be able to mow the lawn, how to keep weeds at bay, when to harvest the potatoes, when to feed, what the best way is to kill slugs, what the weather will be and so on. It takes up a lot of time and energy.
But it's great fun and highly rewarding!
Exhibit B: We talk with our friends about mortgages and interest rates.
A natural thing to do as a homeowner! But it happens so naturally. You just suddenly stop and realise that you've been using phrases like "overpayment fund" and "fixed rate" and talking about things that will happen in 20 years time.
Sad and scary.
Exhibit C: Holidays
Our choice of holiday destination seems to have gone awry. We went on holiday to Northern Ireland. And enjoyed it. Need I say more?
Well I will:
I'm not a fussy eater (maybe that is a sign of getting old too?), but it's slightly concerning that we get excited about things like:
I still love a good curry though!!!
I'm sure there are many other things that would put Sally and I into a more "mature" demographic, not the least of which is my greying hair. But we both fight to retain our inner youth and we have great fun flitting between youthfulness and grown-up-ness. May that be the way for many years to come.
Here's the evidence:
Exhibit A: Gardening is a major preoccupation.
Had you not noticed? Yes, my thoughts are consumed with when I'll next be able to mow the lawn, how to keep weeds at bay, when to harvest the potatoes, when to feed, what the best way is to kill slugs, what the weather will be and so on. It takes up a lot of time and energy.
But it's great fun and highly rewarding!
Exhibit B: We talk with our friends about mortgages and interest rates.
A natural thing to do as a homeowner! But it happens so naturally. You just suddenly stop and realise that you've been using phrases like "overpayment fund" and "fixed rate" and talking about things that will happen in 20 years time.
Sad and scary.
Exhibit C: Holidays
Our choice of holiday destination seems to have gone awry. We went on holiday to Northern Ireland. And enjoyed it. Need I say more?
Well I will:
- We were fascinated by The Giant's Causeway.
- We visited National Trust properties at the drop of a hat.
- We visited an RSPB outpost and spent and hour watching puffins through binoculars.
- We and had an interesting tour of an Uncle and Aunt's garden on the way home.
I'm not a fussy eater (maybe that is a sign of getting old too?), but it's slightly concerning that we get excited about things like:
- New potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Dried cranberries
- Mixed nuts and seeds
- Granary bread
- Muesli
I still love a good curry though!!!
I'm sure there are many other things that would put Sally and I into a more "mature" demographic, not the least of which is my greying hair. But we both fight to retain our inner youth and we have great fun flitting between youthfulness and grown-up-ness. May that be the way for many years to come.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Loads and Loads of stuff!
You may have gathered that I'm a technical person and I like things compact, clever, functional. I'm therefore willing to pay large amounts of money for small, clever little gadgets, like a decent mobile phone, or an electronic organiser. Yes, I spend hundreds on little devices that fit in the palm of my hand.
So as a first time homeowner, and beginner gardener, I've been a bit overwhelmed by...well...by stuff. By the sheer quantities of things that you can buy from places like B&Q.
For example, £200 will buy you a tiny media player with a bright colour screen and 32GB of solid-state storage.
But it will also buy you about 1200 litres of compost. That a LOT of compost.
It will buy you a large pallate of bricks!
If we go to the council recycling centre, it will buy you 200 bags of woodchips!
It will buy you vast quantities of aggregates, cement, gravel and so on.
It will buy many, many large pots of paint.
It's a bit baffling to someone that's never bought anything larger than a sofa!
And it troubles me somewhat - especially buying these things from somewhere like B&Q. I'm concerned by where these palletes of bricks and compost and aggregates come from. How far have they travelled? It must use an extraordinary about of lorry space carting this stuff around the country, and that can't be good. Can it?
And what about all the building that's going on? Houses, shops, offices. Thousands of big buildings going up all over the country. These must consume huge amounts of resources, not just raw materials but again, fuel to move them around and energy to get them out of the ground and process them.
Yes, in my 31st year, I'm only just starting to realise how big everything is!
When we were at the Centre for Alternative Energy at the end of our holiday, we read a lot about the "Embodied Energy"of buildings. Relative to the amount of energy a building uses over its lifetime this is quite small, but I begin to see how use of local resources in building can make a major impact on sustainability.
I, personally, will continue to be in awe at the sheer amount of "stuff" that I, as a homeowner, and we, as inhabitants of this planet, consume. But we should all be thinking about where that £3 bag of compost has come from and whether we could get it from a local source - or even make it ourselves (!!) rather than making a quick and easy trip to B&Q.
So as a first time homeowner, and beginner gardener, I've been a bit overwhelmed by...well...by stuff. By the sheer quantities of things that you can buy from places like B&Q.
For example, £200 will buy you a tiny media player with a bright colour screen and 32GB of solid-state storage.
But it will also buy you about 1200 litres of compost. That a LOT of compost.
It will buy you a large pallate of bricks!
If we go to the council recycling centre, it will buy you 200 bags of woodchips!
It will buy you vast quantities of aggregates, cement, gravel and so on.
It will buy many, many large pots of paint.
It's a bit baffling to someone that's never bought anything larger than a sofa!
And it troubles me somewhat - especially buying these things from somewhere like B&Q. I'm concerned by where these palletes of bricks and compost and aggregates come from. How far have they travelled? It must use an extraordinary about of lorry space carting this stuff around the country, and that can't be good. Can it?
And what about all the building that's going on? Houses, shops, offices. Thousands of big buildings going up all over the country. These must consume huge amounts of resources, not just raw materials but again, fuel to move them around and energy to get them out of the ground and process them.
Yes, in my 31st year, I'm only just starting to realise how big everything is!
When we were at the Centre for Alternative Energy at the end of our holiday, we read a lot about the "Embodied Energy"of buildings. Relative to the amount of energy a building uses over its lifetime this is quite small, but I begin to see how use of local resources in building can make a major impact on sustainability.
I, personally, will continue to be in awe at the sheer amount of "stuff" that I, as a homeowner, and we, as inhabitants of this planet, consume. But we should all be thinking about where that £3 bag of compost has come from and whether we could get it from a local source - or even make it ourselves (!!) rather than making a quick and easy trip to B&Q.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Wet weather
Another, fairly dull, cycling-related post I'm afraid. More on the garden, slugs, harvesting, music and other stuff to come when I have some time. If that's not a tempting proposition that'll make you bookmark my blog then I don't know what will. Hey, I lead an exciting life!!! ;-)
It's been pretty wet lately. And pretty unpredictably wet. ("Welcome to England" I hear you cry...indeed!) This has caused me some interesting problems like:
So I've been thinking about expanding my wet weather wardrobe. But in which direction?
Mostly my top-half is fine. I have a waterproof cycling jacket (but, oh for a Gore-Tex®Paclite®Shell - anyone care to donate me £130?), and your head just gets wet, that's fine.
The problem is shoes, socks, shorts and overtrousers. My overtrousers aren't cycling-specific and send water straight down into my shoes or over-shoes. Without them my shorts get sodden and I'd still get wet shoes. This might not be a bad thing if I had spare shorts. My summer gloves also get soaked and I don't have spares. The upshot of all this is that I've been getting wet, and my kit hasn't had time to dry out.
And decent wet-weather kit isn't cheap. So what do I invest in? Do I go for spare shorts? Or proper over trousers? Do I get a second pair of gloves, or put up with them as they're not too bad to wear when wet. What about waterproof socks? Shoes? 3/4 length overshorts?
Hmm...
I claim that cycling is great in lots of ways, but kitting yourself out can be an expensive chore!
It's been pretty wet lately. And pretty unpredictably wet. ("Welcome to England" I hear you cry...indeed!) This has caused me some interesting problems like:
- Do I pack my wet weather gear when it's looking dry?
- Do I leave the office when it's raining, or wait for it to clear up?
- Do I don my wet weather gear, if I have it, before doing my commute?
- How do I manage the problem of wet kit when I've been caught out and had a soaking?
So I've been thinking about expanding my wet weather wardrobe. But in which direction?
Mostly my top-half is fine. I have a waterproof cycling jacket (but, oh for a Gore-Tex®Paclite®Shell - anyone care to donate me £130?), and your head just gets wet, that's fine.
The problem is shoes, socks, shorts and overtrousers. My overtrousers aren't cycling-specific and send water straight down into my shoes or over-shoes. Without them my shorts get sodden and I'd still get wet shoes. This might not be a bad thing if I had spare shorts. My summer gloves also get soaked and I don't have spares. The upshot of all this is that I've been getting wet, and my kit hasn't had time to dry out.
And decent wet-weather kit isn't cheap. So what do I invest in? Do I go for spare shorts? Or proper over trousers? Do I get a second pair of gloves, or put up with them as they're not too bad to wear when wet. What about waterproof socks? Shoes? 3/4 length overshorts?
Hmm...
I claim that cycling is great in lots of ways, but kitting yourself out can be an expensive chore!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Mixing it up
Sorry - this is quite dull and is really just a note-to-self on fitness progress. The cycling has been going really well of late and I put in a record 254 miles in July. I'm not injured and I'm feeling strong and fit, which is great!
August, though, for various, non-cycling-related reasons has prompted lots of shorter rides and I've mostly just been doing my standard commutes. We're two thirds in and I've only done 89 miles.
But I've also been thinking about mixing up my exercise a bit. I bailed out of a long ride the other day due to being totally soaked through, and Sally and I went for a game of squash instead, which was pretty fun! And just yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in a long time to do some rowing (man, I hate those machines, but it's very good for me), cross training and resistance work (weights machines).
My ride in this morning felt pretty good, so maybe this will be a new way to get even more of a boost!
Though I have to say, there's still nothing like a good, long ride on a nice day and when I am getting out for 10 miles or more it's always with a lot of happiness!
August, though, for various, non-cycling-related reasons has prompted lots of shorter rides and I've mostly just been doing my standard commutes. We're two thirds in and I've only done 89 miles.
But I've also been thinking about mixing up my exercise a bit. I bailed out of a long ride the other day due to being totally soaked through, and Sally and I went for a game of squash instead, which was pretty fun! And just yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in a long time to do some rowing (man, I hate those machines, but it's very good for me), cross training and resistance work (weights machines).
My ride in this morning felt pretty good, so maybe this will be a new way to get even more of a boost!
Though I have to say, there's still nothing like a good, long ride on a nice day and when I am getting out for 10 miles or more it's always with a lot of happiness!
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Garmin Forerunner 50 Heart Rate Monitor
I've had my HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) that I got for my cycle training for about 6 weeks now so it's time I did a bit of a write up.
Why Bother?
First of all, why bother with an HRM? (If you haven't spotted already I'm the kind of person that thinks a LOT and so my process of purchasing a new gadget is usually a long and drawn out one that involved justifying my spend and lots of research on the options before actually spending any cash)
Well, I've been cycling more and more and longer distances and spending longer in the saddle. Unfortunately for me I'm the kind of person who naturally pushes myself to my physical limit. I need no encouragement to go faster or harder, I'm always trying to go as hard and fast as I can. This, it turns out, is not good for you. And you can increase aerobic capacity (fitness) by training in the right zones.
So I wanted an HRM to encourage me to ride at a reasonable pace, so as to:
A bit about Training Zones
I'm not expert but it goes something like this.
Any training programme recommends spending time at different heart rate "zones", which are percentages of your MHR (maximum heart rate). It is generally considered that there are 5 zones called various things depending on who you ask but something like:
The theory goes that spending time at Zone 3 increases aerobic capacity and endurance, Zone 4 builds strength, and zone 5 is for, well, sprinting and hill climbing.
Why the Garmin?
There are plenty of HRMs on the market. I chose the Garmin Forerunner 50 because:
The HRM is fine! Does what it says on the tin. I've had a BIT of interferance from the bike computer on one ride, suggesting that it doesn't use a coded signal (this would allow the watch to only count wireless pulses from the HRM), but it's only been tempremental the once. You need to make the chest sensors wet for it to work well too!
The sensor takes a bit of getting used to but is comfortable. I imagine that this is true of any monitor.
The watch is a little bulky but not too un-cool. If you have small arms it might look a bit silly. The display is clear and large. Turning your wrist slightly to look at the numbers while on the bike is a bit annoying. In some ways I wish I'd got an integrated bike computer/HRM, but I chose not to and that's the price I pay. It's not too much of a problem though.
The warning alarm that tells you if you're outside of your (configurable) training zone is plenty loud and annoying enough. In hindsight I'd like two different alarms, one to say I'm a little over and one to say I'm REALLY over.
I read one review that suggested that the instructions weren't that good and I tend to agree, I've found a lot out just by playing and button-pushing.
Data storage and transfer works well and is very simple. You can review some of the data on the watch itself but after upload to the Garmin software you can see detailed graphs (data is, I think, every 5 seconds). The software really wants you to be using a more expensive GPS device and functionality is limited when just using the Forerunner 50.
It's a little annoying in that the HRM can't take into account your circumstances. If you're pounding uphill, or in traffic, or trying to keep good up pace on a busy road, or fighting a headwind, you need to be pushing a bit to stay safe, or to get where you're going and having the watch beep at you every 5 seconds doesn't help. Perhaps a mute button would be useful?
Has it worked?
YES! Well, I think so. It's certainly slowed me down as my MyCyclingLog.com stats show. This is frustrating at times, like when you find your training zone only allows you to do 12mph uphill into a slight wind. But I recover quicker and feel better after long rides and evidence would seem to show that I'm getting fitter.
It's helped me "tune in" to my body a bit, know where I'm pushing too hard and where I could go harder - even without the watch now! And as time has gone on and I've done more long rides at lower pace, I seem to be able to go faster for the same heart rate - evidence that my fitness is improving after only a few weeks? I hope so!
So, despite the few things that niggle me about it, I've found the experience pretty good and would recommend an HRM as a training tool for anyone doing regular lengthly exercise. And the Forerunner 50 is a fine place to start!
Update: Bizarrely, just today, BikeRadar published this article about training zones and getting fitter by riding slower. They've renumbered the zones slightly but it's the same theory. And it is only a theory - some of the commentors there disagree with that theory too!
Why Bother?
First of all, why bother with an HRM? (If you haven't spotted already I'm the kind of person that thinks a LOT and so my process of purchasing a new gadget is usually a long and drawn out one that involved justifying my spend and lots of research on the options before actually spending any cash)
Well, I've been cycling more and more and longer distances and spending longer in the saddle. Unfortunately for me I'm the kind of person who naturally pushes myself to my physical limit. I need no encouragement to go faster or harder, I'm always trying to go as hard and fast as I can. This, it turns out, is not good for you. And you can increase aerobic capacity (fitness) by training in the right zones.
So I wanted an HRM to encourage me to ride at a reasonable pace, so as to:
- Not knacker myself out on longer rides.
- Help actually improve my fitness and endurance.
A bit about Training Zones
I'm not expert but it goes something like this.
Any training programme recommends spending time at different heart rate "zones", which are percentages of your MHR (maximum heart rate). It is generally considered that there are 5 zones called various things depending on who you ask but something like:
- Rest/low activity
- Recovery
- Aerobic
- Anaerobic
- Maximum
The theory goes that spending time at Zone 3 increases aerobic capacity and endurance, Zone 4 builds strength, and zone 5 is for, well, sprinting and hill climbing.
Why the Garmin?
There are plenty of HRMs on the market. I chose the Garmin Forerunner 50 because:
- It didn't look rubbish
- It was reasonably priced (relatively)
- It's a watch so I can use it for running/gym work as well as on the bike (I had considered a bike computer with built in HRM but dismissed this idea as lesss flexible)
- It has all the features I need.
- It has a data storage function that can wirelessly upload to Garmin software. (I'm a bit obsessive about how fast/far I've gone - now I can track my heart rate too!)
- It has the option to link to a foot pod (pedometer) and a bike sensor to expand its functionality.
The HRM is fine! Does what it says on the tin. I've had a BIT of interferance from the bike computer on one ride, suggesting that it doesn't use a coded signal (this would allow the watch to only count wireless pulses from the HRM), but it's only been tempremental the once. You need to make the chest sensors wet for it to work well too!
The sensor takes a bit of getting used to but is comfortable. I imagine that this is true of any monitor.
The watch is a little bulky but not too un-cool. If you have small arms it might look a bit silly. The display is clear and large. Turning your wrist slightly to look at the numbers while on the bike is a bit annoying. In some ways I wish I'd got an integrated bike computer/HRM, but I chose not to and that's the price I pay. It's not too much of a problem though.
The warning alarm that tells you if you're outside of your (configurable) training zone is plenty loud and annoying enough. In hindsight I'd like two different alarms, one to say I'm a little over and one to say I'm REALLY over.
I read one review that suggested that the instructions weren't that good and I tend to agree, I've found a lot out just by playing and button-pushing.
Data storage and transfer works well and is very simple. You can review some of the data on the watch itself but after upload to the Garmin software you can see detailed graphs (data is, I think, every 5 seconds). The software really wants you to be using a more expensive GPS device and functionality is limited when just using the Forerunner 50.
It's a little annoying in that the HRM can't take into account your circumstances. If you're pounding uphill, or in traffic, or trying to keep good up pace on a busy road, or fighting a headwind, you need to be pushing a bit to stay safe, or to get where you're going and having the watch beep at you every 5 seconds doesn't help. Perhaps a mute button would be useful?
Has it worked?
YES! Well, I think so. It's certainly slowed me down as my MyCyclingLog.com stats show. This is frustrating at times, like when you find your training zone only allows you to do 12mph uphill into a slight wind. But I recover quicker and feel better after long rides and evidence would seem to show that I'm getting fitter.
It's helped me "tune in" to my body a bit, know where I'm pushing too hard and where I could go harder - even without the watch now! And as time has gone on and I've done more long rides at lower pace, I seem to be able to go faster for the same heart rate - evidence that my fitness is improving after only a few weeks? I hope so!
So, despite the few things that niggle me about it, I've found the experience pretty good and would recommend an HRM as a training tool for anyone doing regular lengthly exercise. And the Forerunner 50 is a fine place to start!
Update: Bizarrely, just today, BikeRadar published this article about training zones and getting fitter by riding slower. They've renumbered the zones slightly but it's the same theory. And it is only a theory - some of the commentors there disagree with that theory too!
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Behind with the Times
This is a bit of an unstructured brain-dump of where certain techie things are in my head right now.
I wrote about my use of Twitter a while back. One of the boons of this has been watching the inspiring little comments of an old Bathonian friend of mine.
My friend (I won't name him unless he reads this and decides he would like me to) is...well...I don't really know what he does now. I think he used to work for the Institute of Physics or something, as a web designer, and he seems to have continued in a similar line of work. And now, in the absence of anyone else, he's my personal guru for all things web design, Web 2.0, blogs, social networking and so on. I guess he inspires my inner-geek.
And I do have a part of me that thrives on this stuff. I love the interesting ways that people make innovative use of technology to achieve useful, and sometimes beautiful things. Here are some other little web-based things that I've come across since following this person:
- last.fm - great way to discover new music
- mycyclinglog.com - my current bike logger
- identi.ca - open alternative to Twitter
- ping.fm - update multiple statuses/micro-blogs from one place
- Opera - a rediscovery of the old alternative web-browser
But not just those practical things. My curiosity about the way people are using the web to communicate and interact has been roused. I'm intrigued how people are creating web sites that are simple, functional and well-designed. Things not only of purpose but of beauty.
I'm feeling behind and afraid though. I barely know Java and have heard only rumours of Ajax, let alone other "next big things". I've been toying with client-side scripting, servlets, application frameworks, but not digging deep. I have an excellent grounding in Computer Science and an inquisitive mind, but there's so much to learn and I don't have time enough to invest to satisfy my curiosity, let alone learn anything of much use. And where would I start?
I'm afraid because of security, the nature of my online identity. I'm generally very open, as readers of this blog would know, but there's stuff that I don't want out there on the internet (mostly about other people and work, but sometimes about me). Can I throw myself into the online world of sharing so much with so many in safety? Do I want BrightKite.com telling everyone where I am all the time?
And there's the issue of time. My feed list in Google Reader continues to grow and reading, as well as writing, is a chore. Could I read the Twitter entries of more than about 20 people and have a real life too?
I'm also uncertain about who to take on the journey with me. In many ways I'm a long way ahead of my peers and I'd love to be able to introduce others to my personal world of customised web sites, RSS and Atom feeds, alternative browsers and web presence because I think these things are useful tools. But would they get it? How confusing is it to a non techie? There are so many places to be with new networks and tools appearing all the time. If I can barely keep up, how will they?
I think the web is an exciting, fun, and hugely creative place to be at the moment. Yet it's a big place. A scary place. A confusing place. An ever-changing and unknown place.
My online interaction with the friend I mentioned above is a fine example of how the web can bring together people with a common cause or interest. It can be a very negative place, but it can be inspiring and friendly too. With my friend's help I hope to continue to be a part of this strange world, and to introduce others to it, and maybe, one day, to be responsible for a small part of it.
I wrote about my use of Twitter a while back. One of the boons of this has been watching the inspiring little comments of an old Bathonian friend of mine.
My friend (I won't name him unless he reads this and decides he would like me to) is...well...I don't really know what he does now. I think he used to work for the Institute of Physics or something, as a web designer, and he seems to have continued in a similar line of work. And now, in the absence of anyone else, he's my personal guru for all things web design, Web 2.0, blogs, social networking and so on. I guess he inspires my inner-geek.
And I do have a part of me that thrives on this stuff. I love the interesting ways that people make innovative use of technology to achieve useful, and sometimes beautiful things. Here are some other little web-based things that I've come across since following this person:
- last.fm - great way to discover new music
- mycyclinglog.com - my current bike logger
- identi.ca - open alternative to Twitter
- ping.fm - update multiple statuses/micro-blogs from one place
- Opera - a rediscovery of the old alternative web-browser
But not just those practical things. My curiosity about the way people are using the web to communicate and interact has been roused. I'm intrigued how people are creating web sites that are simple, functional and well-designed. Things not only of purpose but of beauty.
I'm feeling behind and afraid though. I barely know Java and have heard only rumours of Ajax, let alone other "next big things". I've been toying with client-side scripting, servlets, application frameworks, but not digging deep. I have an excellent grounding in Computer Science and an inquisitive mind, but there's so much to learn and I don't have time enough to invest to satisfy my curiosity, let alone learn anything of much use. And where would I start?
I'm afraid because of security, the nature of my online identity. I'm generally very open, as readers of this blog would know, but there's stuff that I don't want out there on the internet (mostly about other people and work, but sometimes about me). Can I throw myself into the online world of sharing so much with so many in safety? Do I want BrightKite.com telling everyone where I am all the time?
And there's the issue of time. My feed list in Google Reader continues to grow and reading, as well as writing, is a chore. Could I read the Twitter entries of more than about 20 people and have a real life too?
I'm also uncertain about who to take on the journey with me. In many ways I'm a long way ahead of my peers and I'd love to be able to introduce others to my personal world of customised web sites, RSS and Atom feeds, alternative browsers and web presence because I think these things are useful tools. But would they get it? How confusing is it to a non techie? There are so many places to be with new networks and tools appearing all the time. If I can barely keep up, how will they?
I think the web is an exciting, fun, and hugely creative place to be at the moment. Yet it's a big place. A scary place. A confusing place. An ever-changing and unknown place.
My online interaction with the friend I mentioned above is a fine example of how the web can bring together people with a common cause or interest. It can be a very negative place, but it can be inspiring and friendly too. With my friend's help I hope to continue to be a part of this strange world, and to introduce others to it, and maybe, one day, to be responsible for a small part of it.
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